Devotions - Prayer

Want some Victories in Life?

Note: This Sept.27, Tuesday is the start of our New 16 week Moving Forward Group. If want to join us-It is at 7PM at Christ Church. Moving Forward is a Biblical based guide developed to assist you in pursuing your Vision or Dream through the process of goal setting and accountability.  (Need more assistance in helping with- victories, boundaries setting, goal setting and follow throughs, problem solving, Balance to mention a few). Come join us!

Stay on track with your faith to overcome.  You have all the power and authority necessary to gain the victory.  Be strong, says the Lord.  I am with you.

Joshua 1:9  “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

How do we react in the midst of adversity?
*Our attitude determines our Victory. *Although God has already granted us Victory through His Son Jesus Christ; Victory is not totally ours until we learn to adopt the right attitude when facing battles.
The story in Exodus 14 portrays two types of attitudes: the attitude of a victor and the attitude of defeat.

Why Doesn’t God Destroy Evil?

Have you ever wondered why God doesn’t obliterate the devil and eradicate all sin?
***If God destroyed evil, God would destroy every opportunity for choice. ***And if God were to destroy every opportunity for choice, then God would destroy every opportunity for love.

Therefore, God would destroy the highest good. For God to destroy evil would be evil.

God doesn’t destroy evil, instead God
defeats evil.
How? Calvary and the resurrection! *God turns every hurt into a hallelujah. *Every defeat into victory!

Spend some time today thinking about heaven and the glorious reunion you’re going to have with Him one day.

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.

Children of God must be determined to adopt the right attitude no matter how hard things may be. Life is not a bed of roses but Christ has promised us His unfailing love, and we know with Christ Jesus things will and can only get better.
Today, choose to adopt Moses’ attitude and see God acts on your behalf for if you are able to see God’s salvation in EVERY situation you can rest assure that He will fight for you and you shall hold your peace!
Philippians 2: 5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
*When Jesus came to earth he came as a man and gave up his God privileges and operated as a human being so as to show US how to operate in Holiness. He stripped himself of all his Heavenly attributes…
1 Peter 1:16 For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”
*The Lord requires us to walk in holiness by yielding to the holy spirit within us…… looking to him and walking in obedience we experience the joy of the Lord that will sustain us through trials and tribulations.
We as servants of God, we should separate ourself of the things of the world or of the things that the flesh desires.
*Know that Jesus died for our sins and that we as sinners should die as well. *We can make as many excuses as we want but it’s right there and it’s either your in or your out.
*There’s no in between. The law is the law and we should obey the law cause the law is the way the truth and the light.  And thru the law we are saved cause through Christ Jesus we are set free.
So stay holy, stay righteous. For God will grant us gifts and will listen to our wants and our needs. But we can not get what we want in it’s entirety unless we live what?… Holy.

2 Corinthians 11:3 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.
* “The main thing about being a Christian is to see that the main thing remains the main thing.” That is what Paul is saying. The “main thing” is that at the heart and center of your life is the “simplicity that is IN Christ,” a simple thing.
*I have noticed over many years of observation of myself that when religion becomes complicated, it is always a sign that it is drifting away from the realities and centralities of my faith.
The world around us is getting increasingly complex, and it is because it is drifting farther and farther from God.
* God basically is simple. When religion becomes complex, it is a sign that it is departing from Christ.

When you ask yourself just what that simplicity is that Paul is talking about, the answer from everywhere in the Word of God is the “Daily companionship of the Lord Jesus”.
* Do you sense that Christ is yours all day long? 24/7!
* Do you reckon upon that, think about that, and live out of that relationship and out of that sense of the expectation of His presence?
** We often say, and rightly so, that Christianity is not a creed, it is a relationship; it is living with a Person. That is the simplicity that is in Christ.

Emotional choices are more deeply felt and experienced than faith choices, but we must constantly remind ourselves that emotional choices will keep us in total bondage to our flesh.
* “For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life.”
Galatians 6:8

***The danger that we constantly face is that we get involved in the things ABOUT Christ and fail to live in a Personal Relationship with Christ.
*We can lose it in the midst of Christian activity.
*We can lose it when you get so involved in some of the fascinating aspects of Scripture that you lose
“the simplicity that is in Christ.”
*We can lose it in the pressures of daily living.
*We can get so busy and so worried and so anxious about ourself and the things that are happening to us that we lose the sense that Christ is with us, and He is adequate.
The Corinthian believers were assaulted with teachers who were exposing them to things that caught their attention, but they were Drifting from that Central Point being their Relationship with Jesus!.
*They were involved with fascinating philosophies based on the Word of God but that went off on sidetracks and rabbit trails of thought.
* They were being challenged with certain ego-appealing experiences and believed that if they could only grasp them, they would feel great, wonderful, and so God-possessed.
**Likewise people today are invited to explore strange and wonderful mysteries all involved with Christian faith, but these tend to move them away from the simplicity that is in Christ.
What is the beautiful? It is the “simplicity” that is IN Jesus.

Colossians 2: 2.   I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. 3 In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Father, grant that I may walk close to Jesus and not let anything take me away from that day-by-day, moment-by-moment companionship of His presence.
Father, I desire for your name to be lifted up. Help me today to act in such a way that I bring glory to your name. May others see the light that you have put in us to glorify You and help us keep it simple.  Amen

Get yourself right before you try to get someone else right!

Being transformed into God’s Image is a lifelong process. It involves the million little choices we make, moment by moment, every day of our lives.

“He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much.” Luke 16:10

There are basically 2 ways to cope with any Trouble or Pain.
You can either IGNORE it or FOCUS on it.
It’s the same with any problem in life. *Some people RUN from their problems. Other people FACE them.
Stop here and ask which one do I do the most of? RUN! Or FACE!

*The irony of this choice is that people who RUN from their problems seek RELIEF, but end up in more PAIN.

* People who FACE their issues experience pain, BUT end up relieved.

Let’s take a look at an example!
Imagine you had a recurring stomach ache day after day.
* You could ignore it in order to avoid
the inconvenience of going to the doctor, the cost of the prescription, and the discomfort of the colonoscopy.
### But the fact is that a recurring
stomach ache is a sign of a health problem that NEEDS YOUR ATTENTION. And if you don’t give it your attention, it’ll end up being a BIGGER inconvenience, costing MORE money, and causing you MORE pain.(This was cancer for my friend this last year once he went to doctor after all the pain for a year)

####A problem doesn’t go away because you run from it;  it GETS WORSE.
The EVENTUAL cost of dealing
with it escalates. Your stomach, for example, will continue to ache until you finally say, “Okay, I’ll deal with this.” ##Then, and only then, will you get relief.

You see, we get exactly the problems we need in our life to fix the things
about ourselves that need fixing.

In other words, your current crisis is not
coincidental.
* It wasn’t just bad luck.
** It’s like a stomach ache; it’s reflective of a problem that needs correcting.
* It’s a sign that you have a weakness that needs work.
And, if you ignore it, the pain will increase until you finally say, “Okay, I’ll deal with this.”
Romans 1:18 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who Suppress The TRUTH by their wickedness. 19 They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them.

An example of  Suppressing  The TRUTH by asking a person some questions about his past!
I asked,
*”Is this your first marriage?”
“No,” he responded, “It’s my third.”
*”Do you have children?”
“Yes,” he said, “But I’m not on speaking terms with them.”
*”Are your mom and dad still alive?” I inquired. “Yes, but we had a falling out 7 years ago,” he explained.

This went on and on until he revealed a clear history of failed close personal relationships.

In other words, he had stomach aches (failed relationships) throughout his entire life, but he ignored( Suppressed The TRUTH) every one. It was always someone else’s fault.

And here we go again. Another failed
relationship. And it will continue until HE fixes the problem WITHIN HIMSELF.

OUR Problems and Pains situation is, more times then not,  reflective of some inner work that YOU have to do too.

* If you don’t do it; you’ll find yourself in this same situation again.
* It may not be with the same problem, the details may not be immediately
recognizable, but I promise you that the pain will not relent until you deal with whatever it is about YOU that’s bringing this stress into your life.
What’s the real Stronghold?????
Deal with it!!!. Don’t run. Don’t  Suppress The TRUTH any longer!!

If we feel things are so wrong in the world most of the time, Usually if we are honest with ourselves- something is wrong with ME.
Therefore, if I am sensible, I shall put Myself right First.
Matthew 7:5 Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.
*Get yourself right before you try to get someone else right

The worst suffering occurs when you run from your suffering.
*It’s not the snake bite that’s the problem; it’s running from the snake that pumps venom to your
heart…that’s the problem.

You know quite well, deep within you, that there is only , a single power, a single salvation…love your suffering. Do not resist it, do not flee from it. Give yourself to it. It is only your aversion that hurts, nothing else.

The worst pain comes from avoidance. The healing Power is ATTENTION.
The only way out of your suffering is THROUGH IT.

The problems in each of our lives are like fingers pointing toward answers to your most crucial questions.
*They are transformations trying to happen. They’re birth pains.
*Let the birth pains come! It’ll hurt, but that hurt is a path to your healing.

*The question for you is: What’s your
fixing?
*What can YOU do to improve the situation?
Don’t say that time will make this go away or try to surpress the TRUTH with your head buried.
***That’s a cop out!!!

There are basically 2 ways to cope
with our problem and pain. You can RUN or you can FIX by bringing the Truth to the Lord and ask Him for help.

Get yourself right before you try to get someone else right.
As I write and gather these words, I too had to look at myself and ask God for help because we all make mistakes-all have troubles-all have pains  and need to search for the TRUTH in ourself and then renew our minds in Christ! Then by putting our Faith and Hope in Christ we will find Victory-Peace-Love-Freedom!

*God wants us to be holy according to his word not to be judges to others!
*Easy to be prideful in what we’ve overcome instead of focusing on what we are working through..
* Truth without life isn’t really truth and love without truth isn’t really love.
*We judge others by what they do, but judge ourselves on our intentions.
*We are all equal at the foot of the cross.
*We are called to be a family, not just a group of individuals!
Eph 4: 15 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. 16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly.
*Authentic community – speaking truth in love… Shallow community doesn’t have truth.

*The Word will keep me in Holy Alignment with God’s Spirit and Truth. It is the Word of God that I need to shape my attitudes, therefore my actions will be a living legacy of the character of Jesus Christ.
* What is my mind yielded to?
Yes it matters! Infinitely so!
John 8:31 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

You CAN get over your past. But you canNOT change events that already occurred.
**The good news though, is that you
don’t have to change the past in order to get over it.
*** What you have to change is the MEANING of the past. (Renewing of the mind)

Lord, help me to be humble about my own sins. Open my eyes to my own deception. Let me see myself as You see me, so that you can heal me and set me free from bondage. Thank you for the warning signs that show me what I need to spend time on. Help me listen to You for the proper guidance through it.   Teach and show me TRUTH that I may bring You Much Glory Lord!
* 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(renewing your mind). Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Romans 12:2. Amen!

When we make a “faith choice”, we must then wait upon God to change our anxious feelings and align them together with the choice we have made.
“…I do believe; help my unbelief.”
Mark 9:24

Freedom of choice is impossible for non-believers, because they lack God’s Authority and Power to resist temptation.
** “…but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.” Romans 7:14

*In order for a man to be great he has to reach for something greater than himself!!!!

*When your going through troubles you’re gonna call on someone you have faith in-the One who has the answers-the One that will not let you down-YOU NEED JESUS!!!!

“My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death” (Mt 26:38).
*Often the place of our greatest pain becomes the place of our greatest triumph.
Gethsemane was the place of Jesus’ greatest trial. Three times He asked the Father to let this trial pass. It was not to be.
The Father sent His Son to the cross to pay a debt owed by humanity.

Jesus was faced with His own temptation to quit, to not fulfill His destiny, to run from his assignment. It was a personal battle to persevere. Sometimes we face situations that cry out “Quit! I cannot endure anymore!”

We want to throw in our towel of what little faith we have left. We conclude that this faith thing simply does not work.

“Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him”(Lk 22:43). After Jesus asked the Father if this cup could pass, an angel was sent to Him to comfort Jesus.
* The Father’s answer to Jesus’ prayer was “No.”
** But, His compassion to His Son came in the form of an angel.

Some temptations seem they are more than we can bare. However, God tells us:
*”No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it”(1 Cor 10:13).

*If we persevere we often realize later the place of our greatest battle becomes the place of our greatest victory!!!!!
*It would be here, on the Mount of Olives, near the Garden Gethsemane where Jesus ascended and would return triumphantly, not as a sorrowful soul, but a triumphant Savior.
* The battle He won in Gethsemane would result in the triumphant entry to be Lord of the universe.

God will use your greatest failure or greatest sorrow to be a powerful force in your life and the lives of others.
*Your Valley of Baca (weeping) becomes springs for you and others. You will go from strength to strength (Ps 84:6).
* It is in the dying that the new springs are allowed to come forth and a new strength emerges.

If you find yourself in your Garden of Gethsemane:
* Lay yourself at the feet of the only one who can sustain you.
*Entrust yourself to your Heavenly Father.
*Let Him determine your fate.
** It will ultimately become a place of victory!!!

You are only as SUCCESSFUL with God as you are SURRENDERED to God (Matt 26:38-39).

Psalm 56:8  You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.
“collected all my tears”
*That is a cry of a desperate soul(David’s here), someone who knows what it is to be a wanderer, a fugitive, an exile.
*Someone who knows what it is to shed many, many tears.
**Well, even in his tears and in his exile, he finds comfort.
He realizes:
* That the eye of God is upon him,
* That God is taking note of everything that he goes through,
*That a record is being kept in God’s book of all that he suffers for righteousness’ sake.
*And he even says, “God put my tears in Thy bottle.”
Why would you want your tears stored up with God?
*You see, one day those tears are going to look very different to you than the way you see them now.
* Now you see them as suffering, now you see them as a cause for wondering, What’s gone wrong?
* But, you see, in this life we only see the reverse side of the tapestry. We see colors that don’t seem to blend and patterns that don’t make much sense. **But, remember, in eternity we’ll see the tapestry the right way up and things that made no sense and caused us to wonder if God really knew what He was doing will work out into a most Beautiful pattern that will give us joy throughout eternity.
So, remember, when you are suffering for righteousness’ sake and maybe shedding bitter tears, don’t turn away from God, don’t give up hope, just do as the psalmist did. Cry out to God, “Put my tears in Thy bottle.”

*Let God have the final say, not your hurt, or your offense. Friend refuse to go to the grave with your hurt or feelings of rejection. Christ died for all your mistakes and the sins of your friends.
* Let God arise in your heart today, Let it go, and you and I will be better  servants for the master’s use.
* The best self-preservation is to commit ourselves to God’s keeping.

Bend down, OLORD, and hear my prayer; answer me, for I need your help.  Protect me, for I am devoted to you. Save me, for I serve you and trust you. You are my God.  Be merciful to me, OLord, for I am calling on you constantly.  Give me happiness, OLord, for I give myself to you.  OLord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help.  Listen closely to my prayer, OLORD; hear my urgent cry.  I will call to you whenever I’m in trouble, and you will answer me.
Amen. (Psalms 86:1-7)

+Freedom is set by God’s boundaries. +Boundaries are to protect us from sin.

*Jesus has set us free from sin (Rom 6:6-7, Gal 5:1)
*Jesus has NOT set us free to sin (Rom 6:1-6, 13)

Freedom of choice is impossible for non-believers, because they lack God’s Authority and the Power to resist temptation.
*  ” For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. ” Romans 7:14

When believers sin, it is the flesh that sins. Our sin does not define us, for:
* God sees the person who has accepted His Son as their Savior.
*God sees who the Son has saved.
**We are free of guilt and can move forward in growing with God.

It’s the same with any problem in life.
Some people RUN from their problems. Other people FACE them.
*The irony of this choice is that people who run from their problems seek RELIEF, but end up in PAIN.
***** People who face their issues experience pain, but end up relieved.

Is there anyone you need to seek forgiveness from?
*Acknowledging our sin is the first step. *Humbling ourselves and taking actions to restore is the next step.

“When He comes, He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment.” John 16:8 * God doesn’t use guilt & shame to stop you from sinning the same sin again.
*Hebrews 4:16 : Come to God with confidence…
*Job 15:5 “For your guilt teaches your mouth, And you choose the language of the crafty.
*James 4: 7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. (You can resist by having on the full armor of God (Eph 6:11-18).

*Choose the Work of the Holy Spirit!
The Holy Spirit speaks to and convicts the heart.
1) The Holy Spirit abides in us.
-John 14:16
2) The Holy Spirit teaches us.
– John 14:26
3) The Holy Spirit testifies concerning Christ.  John 15:26
4) The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin.  John 16:7-8

Trust the Lord in all things, and don’t worry.  Even when things are undone and seem chaotic. The Lord is with you.  *He will lead you in the path of righteousness, and establish you on the road to destiny.
*  When the world around you is inconsistent and unreliable, the Lord is your place of stability and freedom.  He will not leave you nor forsake you.  He will remain faithful and perform HIS word.

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.  For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,”Romans 8:1-3

Don’t run or Hide from God because of Guilt or Shame!!
GOD LOVES US SO MUCH!!!
Quit believing the lies!!
*Baggage of Guilt…
-Is Full Of Regrets
-Is Easy To Hold Onto
-Doesn’t Let Us Walk In God’s Forgiveness

*Putting Down The Baggage Of Guilt…
-Changes the way you interact with people.
-Changes How You interact with God.
-Changes how we see God.

Most Christians pray, “Lord, just give me victory in this one battle.” But the Lord
responds, “I will give you that, yet I have much more in store for you.
* I want to subdue your enemy but not just one victory at a time.
*I want you to have total victory!”

God wants to give you power not just to overcome, but to subdue every
enemy!
*He wants you not just to conquer sin but to be more than a conqueror.
-Not just to have life but life more abundantly.
– Not just to have joy but joy
unspeakable and full of glory.
– Not to be free of fear, Guilt, Shame just for a day, a week or a month—but ALL the days of your life! FREEDOM!
***  My dear children, you come from God and belong to God. You have already won a big victory over those false teachers, for the Spirit in you is far stronger than anything in the world.
(1JN 4:4).
I thank and praise and glorify you Father God for not giving up on me, thank you
for working on me and preparing me for what you have called me to.  Thank you Lord for continuing to knock on the door of my heart, for giving me the desire to open my heart to you, for coming into my heart and abiding with me Lord. Thank you for imparting to me your peace, your love, your strength and your joy and for shielding me and protecting me. Thank you for providing for me, everything that I need each day.  Lord, you provide. You Lord give me the desires of my heart and what  I desire the most is— you Lord and to be pleasing in your eyesight. In Jesus name I pray.
Amen

Christians don’t have to be swept along by tides of emotion, because we’ve been given God’s Power to perform His Will in our lives.
* “For the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.”Romans 8:2

When we make wrong, emotional choices, our hearts become “covered over” and the fountain of living water gets blocked.
When God’s Love is no longer motivating our actions, our self-life takes control!!!!!!!
*”Their heart is covered with fat…”Psalm 119:70

The war that goes on between the power of God and the power of sin is not fought in our hearts, but in our souls and bodies.
“For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind, and making me a prisoner of the law of sin.” Romans 7:23

“I have become an alien in a foreign land.” Exodus 2:22
* God’s preparation of a leader involves training, extended times of waiting, pain, rejection, and isolation. Are you ready to sign up?

Moses was brought up in Pharaoh’s court. He had the very best of everything-education, clothing, food, and personal care.
But there came a time when the man God would use to free an entire people from slavery was going to have to learn to be the leader God wanted.
At age 40, when most of us want to be thinking about winding down instead of beginning a new career, Moses was forced to flee to the desert.

Like Joseph and Abraham, Moses had to endure some difficult years of preparation that first involved removal from his current situation.
He went from notoriety to obscurity, *from limitless resources to no resources,
* from activity and action to inactivity and solitude.
* And, most importantly, waiting. And waiting. And waiting. He probably thought he would die in the land of Midian.

Then one day, a full 40 years from the day he arrived, God appeared to Moses in a burning bush. Everything changed. God said, “It is time.”
The years had seasoned the vessel to prepare him to accomplish the work.

God is preparing many  believers today. The circumstances may be different. The time frames may not be quite as long.
But the characteristics of the training are still the same. Do not try to shortcut the desert time of God. It only leads to cul-de-sacs, which force you to revisit the lessons you are meant to learn.

Embrace them, so that He can use your life for something extraordinary.

We look at our situations and conclude based on the circumstances that reality must be this way. But God says, “No, you do not see what I see or what I know or what I am doing. The situation is very different than what you are perceiving.”

Be careful not to draw conclusions about your situation that may not be based on truth. God always has a plan for His servants that we may not know about. Ask God to give you His perception of the situation, not yours.

Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant (2 Corinthians 3:4-6a).

Be aware that stagnation is a weapon formed against you.  Rise up in absolute resistance to defeat this attack.  Stir yourself up to greater freedom in the Spirit.  This is time of a new order of things, and you must make yourself ready to receive the new wine of revelation for the days ahead.  Make yourself a new wine skin through your flexibility to move with the flow of the Lord’s  Spirit and your willingness to receive this great refreshment.

Mark 2:22 “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.”
*Jesus was the new wine, the old ways weren’t for him it shows us to remove the old and take on the new.
* When you look at the death of Christ, what happens?
*Does your joy really come from translating this awesome divine work into a boost for self-esteem?
***Or are you drawn up out of yourself and filled with wonder and reverence and worship that here in the death of Jesus is the deepest, clearest declaration of the infinite esteem of God for his glory and for his Son?

Here is a great objective foundation for the full assurance of hope: the forgiveness of sins is grounded, finally, not in my finite worth or work, but in the infinite worth of the righteousness of God.

Grant to me, Lord, that I may understand the truth counting on You. Help me to discover Your promises to change and heal and restore and forgive.   I thank you Lord that when I feel as if my prayers are not adequate and I push and pray anyway, you are always near. I thank you Lord that you hear me. I thank you Lord that my prayers don’t hit the ceiling
and bounce back, but they reach into the heavens and come to your throne of grace and mercy. I thank you Lord that you hear my prayers you dry my tears in the desert and you bring me peace.
In Jesus name, Amen

Mark 12:30 And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’

Scripture makes it clear that our heavenly Father hears and answers prayer.
Yet we all experience times when, though we pray for God to act right away, He does not.

What are some reasons for the delay?

1. At times the Lord sees that our attention is misdirected.
Our relationship with Him should have priority over any earthly matter (Mark 12:30).
Yet minds and prayers can become so fixed upon a NEED that our gaze shifts away from Him.
*The Father may delay His answer until we refocus on Him.
* In other situations, God waits because the timing is not right for granting our request.
* Perhaps certain events must happen first, or people’s thinking needs to be changed.

2. There are also seasons when the Lord wants to stretch and grow our faith.
* One of the ways He accomplishes that is by having us watch for His response. *The Holy Spirit will work in these times of waiting to MATURE us and bring forth righteous fruit (Galatians 5:22-23).

3. Other reasons are a wrong motive for our request (James 4:3) and the practice of habitual sin.
* We ALL fall short when it comes to God’s standard of holiness, but some of us persist in a lifestyle of disobedience.

The Lord may delay His answer so He can prompt us to confess our sin and turn back to Him.
*Waiting on the Lord isn’t easy—faith and trust are needed (Hebrews 11:1).
If His answer is delayed, check that 1) your focus is on Him, 2) your motive for asking is God-honoring, and 3) you aren’t practicing habitual sin.
*** Then believe that His response will be for your good and His glory.

*Do you have a problem that seems to be a continually unresolved issue?
* Have you asked God to tell you the reason for the problem?
*It may have a Spiritual Root that is still unresolved with God.
*He may be allowing this pressure to bring attention to an issue He wants YOU to take care of.
**Ask the Lord today to give you revelation on your problem! Listen.
As a loving Father, He desires to make known anything that stands in the way of fellowship between you and Him. However, His righteousness must always be upheld!!

When you are loving God with all your heart, you can trust His plans for your life.
* ” ‘For I know the plans that I have for you’, declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.’ “Jeremiah 29:11

** GOD SEES EVERYTHING!

God asks, “Do you truly believe that I see exactly what you are enduring
right now?”
Perhaps as you read this, you are going through something that calls for Him to act on your behalf. The very nature of your problem demands an answer.

*Do you believe God monitors your every move, as a father does his
infant child?
*Do you know in your heart He is interpreting every thought you
think?
*Do you believe He is at work—bottling every tear, hearing every sigh,
hovering over you, loving and caring for you?

The Bible describes Him as doing just that!

“The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their
cry . . . . The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of
all their troubles” (Psalm 34:15, 17).

“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show
Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him” (2 Chronicles
16:9).

Do you believe God is absolutely, totally aware of your every thought, grief,
pain, trial, addiction, financial burden, family problem—and that He wants to see you through them all?

The psalmist tells us, “As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities
those who fear Him” (Psalm 103:13).

The Hebrew word for pity here means “to fondle, to cuddle, love, be
compassionate.
” Scripture is saying the Lord cuddles in His arms those who fear Him. God puts His arms around you, He strokes your cheeks, He holds you.
He says, “I know your thoughts, your concerns, every battle you face and I
care!”
No matter what you are going through, no matter how you feel, the Lord
sees it all!
* He feels the very feelings of your infirmities.
* He knows every move you make—all you say and do.

God is not mad at you right now. No! He is thinking precious, cuddly, loving
thoughts about you.
* He knows the way you feel—and He cares! God is saying, “Yes, you are going through a great trial; you are being tempted and tossed. But you are My child and I will never allow the enemy to ensnare you. I am going to bring you through!”

…”Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the Lord Almighty. Zechariah 4:6
God’s people should be the most positive, joyful people on earth. This joy should be a by-product of a healthy, intimate relationship with Jesus.

We should see these problems as opportunities to display a different lifestyle and release in our own lives a quiet power that will keep our hearts at peace, because we know that an adequate God is handling the situation; He will take us safely through.

God is calling you today to get your eyes off all circumstances. Do not judge
anything by your present condition. Do not try to figure it all out. Do not let
fear cast you down. God will meet you in prayer!

Don’t Let Your Past Stop You From Going Into Your Future!
*You need to keep on moving forward.

Thank You, Lord, for the example of Jesus, who became poor that I might become rich. May I learn to extend that same grace to those around me who are in need.
Lord, help me to stop my griping and complaining and believe that You have sent these situations deliberately to show me a better way out, a peaceful way, so that my heart is at rest because I am counting on a living God to do something that I cannot do. Jesus, thank you for being our priceless Treasure.
In Jesus Name, Amen

Do you feel STUCK in a rut and can not seem to Move Forward???
*Don’t Let Your Past Stop You From Going Into Your Future!
**A thought is not a desire. It is a thought—A desire implies ACTION to achieve.

A true “overcomer” is one who knows how to make faith choices.
* “All who are victorious will become pillars in the Temple of my God, and they will never have to leave it….”
Revelation 3:12
*Jesus speaks that overcoming is possible. That should be our goal and what our eyes are fixed upon. He promises a reward for those who do.
*Once we overcome we are stable. We know the battle we have fought valiantly to win and we do not revert. *We are a necessary component in God’s temple. Others shall plainly see Whom we have served and why we are honored.
* Good reasons to overcome. Good reasons to not give up.

If you do not yet have the mindset to overcome for yourself, can you do it for God? Can you do it because others have their eyes and hope set upon you? *Wouldn’t it be delightful to think of yourself as a pillar and not a bruised reed?
* Wouldn’t it be wonderful if others fled to you for strength, rather than away from you for fear that bondage is contagious?
*God will do what He promises. You must have the genuine DESIRE. *Working up the desire may be what is holding you back.
***A thought is not a desire. It is a thought.
*A desire implies ACTION to achieve.

Have you ever felt stuck? Not, been stuck, but felt stuck? I’ve been stuck in the mud, stuck in the snow and stuck in a rut… but all those places are easy enough to get out of. A chain, a push a pull and you’re out and on your way!
*But when YOU feel stuck it’s a different story!
*Depressed. Addicted. Oppressed. Abused. Exhausted. Confined. Stuck. *And no matter how hard you are pushed, how desperately you are pulled you still feel stuck.
*You’re sure everyone is out to get you, that God hates you and that the end is near.

Don’t Let Your Past Stop You From Going Into Your Future!
*You need to keep on Moving Forward.  *Don’t let your past stop you from Moving Forward.
* You have to move straight into your destiny.

** Whatever you were running from… or running to has landed you smack dab between the baggage that follows and the uncertainty of what’s to come.
That’s where the Israelites were as a nation. Stuck.
What did God do for them?
Let’s call it “The Butterfly Principle”.

“The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly.” Exodus 14:8

Overprotective parents do their children a great injustice!!
The caterpillar that lies inside the cocoon will never become the beautiful butterfly if someone cuts open the cocoon prematurely.
It is the struggle itself that allows the butterfly to emerge as a strong, new creature of nature.

God understands how necessary this process is. That is why we are allowed to experience difficult, often life-changing events.
God even orchestrates them-all for our benefit.

What the Israelites thought was a cruel joke when Pharaoh sent troops to pursue them after they had been freed and penned against the shore of the Red Sea became the stage for the most publicized miracle of all time-the parting of the Red Sea.
Generation after generation has heard this incredible story of deliverance.

God puts us against the “Red Seas” in order to show His power in and through us.
*If we do not know God can deliver, then we can never learn to trust Him. *Circumstances that go beyond our capabilities of solving them place us at God’s complete mercy.
This is how He likes it.

Do not fear the calamity that comes your way. If you are faithful to Him in the test, you will see God’s power manifested like never before.

Just as the Israelites were able to sing a song of deliverance, you too will have your own testimony of the Lord’s faithfulness; and you will be able to recall it for others to build your faith and theirs.

Are you stuck? No where to go? No hope? No way out?
Then you’re in just the right position for God to reveal Himself to you and show you that no matter what your past or the path you’re heading on, He can not only rescue you but save you from it all!
God wants to give you a new start! He wants to give you a new life! He wants to give you a new land and place to call home!
Here’s what YOU need to do:
*Tell God the truth – God I’ve screwed up my life ’cause I thought I could do it on my own without you but I’ve only made a mess for myself and those I love.
*Ask God to help – God I recognize that I need You to help me, to take away the junk and baggage in my life and give me a fresh clean start because I can’t do it on my own.
*Give all of yourself to Him – So I give you myself, all that I am, I trust You to direct and lead me and I’ll follow You from now on.
*Thank Him – God I thank You for giving your Son to die for me so that I might live for You.
*Please accept His sacrifice in my place.
*Tell someone and get plugged in – Get up and tell someone you’ve made a decision to give your life to Jesus.

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.  17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
I ask this day Lord that you would teach me your word. As I read your word Lord open my eyes to see you, open my ears to hear you, open the eyes of my heart Lord to see and understand your word. Give me understanding Lord and I will keep your law, yes I will observe it with my whole heart. I will take delight in doing your commandments. I will take delight Lord in pleasing you.
You brought me out of darkness into your marvelous light, you didn’t have
to do it but you did and I am so grateful Lord. I bless you Lord, I bless your holy name and give you all the praise all the glory and all the honor. In Jesus name I pray. Amen

**see info at bottom on NEW MOVING FOWARD CLASS Starting Tuesday!

Ever wonder:” Why did this happen to me”?

Only God searches the heart, so only He knows the real motives behind our choices.
*  “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts…”Luke 16:15

Our heart is the place where all thoughts, emotions and desires originate.
* “Watch over your heart with all diligence; for from it flow the springs of life.” Provers 4:23

A good Read: 2 Corinthians 5:18-6:2

That God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:19).

This is the message above all else, that the world needs to know.
The problem with people everywhere is they have NO security, NO sense of acceptance, and NO sense of worth.

Many people have a poor self-image–they feel worthless–even the blustering people who try to portray that they are self-sufficient.

*Deep inside they know their actions are a cover-up; (I was there-I know)
* they know they do not really feel as confident as they would lead others to believe.
*They are often scared and frustrated. *They have to pretend that they are able to handle everything, but at the end of the day they know they did not.

I learned after a few years that all I need to do is go to people, taking for granted that they are hurting inside from their sins, just as I was hurting from my sins, and talk about a God who understands that, who wants to relieve them from that hurt and has done something about it. (My/your testimony of what Jesus has done in my life).
Therefore, Jesus was not ready to throw me into hell; He was opening His arms and inviting me to come to a loving Father and be RESTORED. That is the message.

How can I get over the past?
Here’s the key.
*The first step is to realize what you’re REALLY trying to accomplish.
*What does it REALLY mean to get over the past?
*You can’t change what happened. There’s no time machine that can send you back to relive the past. What’s done is done.

Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that your situation is hopeless. What I’m saying is that you first have to be clear about what you can and cannot change.
You CAN get over your past. But you canNOT change events that already occurred.
**The good news though, is that you
don’t have to change the past in order to get over it.

*** What you have to change is the MEANING of the past.

Think for a moment. Was there ever
a time in your life when something horrible happened and you thought, “Why is this happening to me?”
But then a few years later you looked
back and you could answer that question.
In retrospect, you understood why it happened. At first, it seemed like the world was caving in.
*Later, it all made sense.
*In fact, very often, we eventually realize that bad times are part of a process that leads to something good!
*Romans 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

**It’s the events that FOLLOW bad times that determine the ultimate meaning of
those times.
***In other words, it’s your future
that determines your past; not the other way around.
And since YOU are in charge of your
future, then YOU determine the meaning of your past.

Ecceles. 7:8 The end of a thing is better than its beginning; The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

God deals you a hand. There’s nothing you can do to change that. But you get to play that hand.
*You get to respond to the events of your life.
*And it’s your response, your actions in the future, which determine the meaning of the events in your past.

2 Peter 3: 9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.

So how do you get over the past?
*You don’t have to get over the past. The past is over!  The past is over!
What’s important is the MEANING the past has for you NOW. And the MEANING of your past is determined by your actions in the future.

God has given every believer “supernatural willpower” to make choices that go against what we naturally think, feel or desire. These “contrary choices” are what I call “faith choices”.
* “…for we walk by faith, not by sight…”
2 Corinthians 5:7

The people I know who have handled their past are people who went through hell in their struggle. They “got over” their past because they used it as a catalyst to IMPROVE their situation.

In other words, the painful events
inspired them to change themselves.

* If you make the right moves, you
will come to view certain events as birth pains that led to a new AND IMPROVED LIFE.
THAT’S how you “get over” the past.

Isaiah 43: 18 “But forget all that—it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. 19 For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness.

*Life is a balancing act battling through the already & not yet….
*God is not hung up on yesterday but focused on what we can do tomorrow! The BEST is yet to come!
*Nothing is out of bounds with God! He can still make the crooked places straight!
*We need a fresh start, Thank God for the things to come in our lives!

Phil 3:13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,  14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

Jesus help me to keep my eyes on YOU, and stay in really close communion with you… help me to see where you are moving and working… and where you want me involved and partner with YOU in doing a new thing… in my life and my community for Your Glory and my Joy. Amen
NEW MOVING FOWARD CLASS! An introduction  this Tuesday at 6:30 at Christ Church. Please come and hear how you can Move Forward.
Much that we do seems open ended, incomplete, not quite the way we had envisioned the final outcome.
How can we re-do it, fix it, make it better, get it done?
May all that we have done not hold us back, stall us, or stunt the growth that is our destiny!!!!!!
May we not camp on the incomplete and seek satisfaction there, but entrust it to God and press on!!!!
*We fix our eyes on Christ, the author and completer of our faith.
* We are faithful to the heavenly vision and reach for the highest of goals: to be eternally occupied in the glory of Christ’s on-going, ever-expanding Life.
***Come Join us and Move Forward together in finding out more on pursuing your vision or dream in what our true Identity looks like from a Biblical View!

Test yourself. What is your mindset? Do you begin with God and his rights and goals? Or do you begin with yourself and your rights and wishes?

Loving God with “all our heart” doesn’t just mean inviting Him into our hearts. It also means allowing Him to be the motivation for all our choices.

*  “Nevertheless I am continually with Thee; Thou hast taken hold of my right hand. With Thy counsel Thou wilt guide me, and afterward receive me to glory.”
Psalm 73:23-24
*The unsaved have no hope. They will medicate their pain and emptiness with material possessions, relationships, sex, drugs, false idols, etc.
They appear to prosper, but will have nothing but eternal pain and separation from Abba. They will not experience Abba’s grace nor the love of Jesus.

Life is just a vapor. Endure your trials well and live a life that glorifies your Father. Nothing else has eternal value.

Who Are the Meek?

*MEEKNESS– is power under constraint.
*Meekness is not weakness!!!!
Sometimes we confuse the two. But the difference between a meek person and weak person is this:
* A weak person can’t do anything.
* A meek person, on the other hand, can do something but chooses not to.

Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5).

The word “Meek” from the original language was used to describe reining in a stallion. It is the idea of a horse being controlled by a bit and bridle. The horse is choosing to submit to authority.
* That is meekness.
*MEEKNESS– is power under constraint.

Although Jesus said, “Blessed [happy] are the meek,” we don’t celebrate meekness in our culture. Instead:
* We celebrate assertiveness.
* We celebrate getting things from other people, sometimes even taking advantage of other people.

* When is the last time you saw a movie that celebrated the virtue of meekness? *When is the last time the big buildup for the movie was the moment when the good guy meekly restrains himself, even though he was wronged?

We don’t want to go to a movie like that. We want to see a payback movie in which the first half consists of bad things happening to the hero, and the last half consists of bad things that come to the people who did those things to the hero.
That is what entertains us. That is what our culture celebrates.

How different this is from what the Bible teaches!!!!
*The Bible celebrates meekness!!
*The biblical worldview says:
* Last is first.
* Giving is receiving.
* Dying is living.
* Losing is finding.
* The least is the greatest.
* Meekness is strength.
* The idea is that we are living by God’s truth—not by what our culture says should make us happy!!

If poverty of spirit is a broken pride and mourning reflects a broken heart, then meekness expresses a broken will.
The master passion of Jesus’ life was to do the will of His Father. It should be our ruling passion also.
There is absolutely no limit to what God can do through a soul wholly committed to Him!
*MEEKNESS– is power under constraint.
God allows your trial because He wants to make you “devil-proof”! That does
not mean you will not be attacked again but you will be trained to stand! It is
all part of His preparing you for greater service, greater anointing and
expanded usefulness in His kingdom.

Furthermore, the Lord is trying to strengthen you against the devil’s wiles.
He is raising up a body of believers who have faced the devil, who have been
strengthened against him, and who know his devices and are not afraid of him!
God is saying, “Once you understand why you are going through this, you will
have taken back all the ground you lost. You will be in control again—by the
power of the Holy Spirit!”

Once Elijah’s trial was over (see 1 Kings 19) he would never run again. He
now had a sense of direction and he was reassured in his spirit.
You see, God was about to send him to nations to raise up kings, leaders and prophets!
*God told Elijah: “Go, return on your way…anoint Hazael as king over
Syria…anoint Jehu…as king over Israel. And Elisha…you shall anoint as
prophet in your place” (1 Kings 19:15-16).
Elijah had been given fresh
anointing power. He was in control again!

“So he departed from there” (verse 19). Elijah came out of the cave to do
God’s will! He did not have to shed a river of tears. No, he simply had heard
the Word of the Lord!

**The only hold the devil can have on you is fear. And you must shake it
off in faith!
You have to say, “I am not going down. God is going to give me a
fresh anointing from heaven—He is going to use me!”

Do you believe that God is not finished with you—that He is teaching and
training you for better things? He wants to speak to you in your cave of
despondency. He wants to tell you what to do and where to go—and He wants to
bring you out!

*So get up out of your despair and shake off the bondage of fear and depression!
*Depart from your cave. You will discover that the moment you get up and walk out, the anointing will flow!

Dear Father, deliver me from going my own way!
Take out of my heart anything that is disobedient to Your blessed will. Grant me today to have a spirit of perfect, willing obedience at all times and under all circumstances, what ever the price or cost. Let my testimony today reflect the words of the preincarnate Christ, “I delight to do your will, yes, Your Law is within my heart!”
“Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.”
(Revelation 5:12 )
The Word of GOD is alive!
•HEBREWS 4:12
The Word of GOD is living!
•PSALM 119:105
*JOHN 10:10
Without the Word of GOD, I won’t experience the abundant life that GOD has for me! It’s not enough to read GOD’s Word! I must *DO HIS Word!
•GALATIANS 3:13

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. (3 John 1:2)
The Aointing will lead me to prosper in every area of my life.
•ROMANS 8:2
•1 CORINTHIANS 6:20
•DEUTERONOMY 29:9
The Anointing will take you into places that Money cannot.
•2 CORINTHIANS 8:9
•MARK 10:23-27
•PSALM 1:1-3
•JOHN 15:7
I activate the anointing for the Prosperity of GOD in my life by obeying The Father.
•ISAIAH 1:19
•JOSHUA 1:8
•JOB 36:11
Thank you Lord-for Your Living and Active Word!!
In Jesus Name, Amen

*If you want to understand Jesus, treasure His Word.
*If you want to understand God, treasure His Word.
*If you want to understand Holy Spirit, treasure His Word.
*If you want to understand Kingdom and Kingdom principles, treasure His Word.
*….And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me.

*Lets us remember to keep God’s laws
… one reason why many of us have no clearer understanding of God’s word is, we close our eyes to the TRUTH which WE do not wish to practice.

“Then they said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt'” (Ex 32:4).

Moses had gone up onto Mount Sinai to meet with God and receive the Ten Commandments. He left his brother Aaron in charge.
Aaron had been mentored by his brother Moses. However, we learn that Aaron still has vestiges of Egypt residing in him. He had not had a complete conversion from the ways of Egypt to the ways of God.
His leadership was not strong enough to thwart a rebellion in the camp and he allowed the people, and even encouraged the people, to make an idol of gold.
Later, he tried to justify his actions by saying the idol was a God of Israel.

Today we see such mixture in the body of Christ!!!
* We promote guaranteed prosperity without the CROSS. (When you rejecting knowledge, you’re rejecting God.)
* We call adversity a sign of a lack of faith.(So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.)

*We promote New Age philosophies mixed with the scriptures and call it a new freedom in Christ.
*This is only mixture. It is an abomination to the Lord.

And because Aaron has mixture in his own life, he was unable to be truthful to Moses when confronted with his actions. “He said to Aaron, ‘What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?’ So I told them, ‘Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.’ Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!'” (Ex 32:21-24).

Did you notice Aaron’s explanation? Out came this calf! – all by itself??????
* Aaron attempted to deceive Moses. Aaron failed to fulfill his role as a strong, Godly leader. He allowed “mixture” to have power over the people of God.

Pray that you will be faithful to the Word of God and not allow new philosophies to distort its ageless absolute truths.

Philippians 3: 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.

IS GOD WILLING TO COME TO MY HELP?
Do you believe God is willing to come quickly to solve our problems?

Here is where many Christians fail. They know God has all they need—they
admit He cares but they are not convinced He is willing to come quickly to help them.

When God does not answer their cry right away, they imagine hindrances and inner blockages in themselves. They think of all kinds of reasons why the Lord must not be willing to come to their aid.

*We pray, we cry aloud to God, but we go our way not believing He has heard us!
* We walk away from the Lord’s presence—away from the church, away from the secret closet—wondering
if He has even paid attention!

The Lord is always ready to hear and answer our cry for help!!!!

I love what David said of Him: “For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You… In the day of my trouble I will call upon You, for You will answer me” (Psalm 86:5, 7).

David said, “My God is ready and willing to answer me in the very moment I cry
out to Him! I do not stop and contemplate my trouble. I do not grieve over it or try to figure it out. I go to my Lord and cry, ‘Help!'”

That is all God is waiting for—your heartbroken cry, uttered in child-like
faith!

The Lord has called You and Me to be His witnesses.  Be aware, however, that it is hypocritical to only speak the truth without demonstrating the kingdom.

The Greatest witness is that of Example, and it is more crucial than ever that you be an example of your faith in every detail. (Three paths which faith come through:1. Hearing—–2. And hearing
3. Hearing the Word of God)

Let your behavior become a model that others can follow!!!!
Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’  And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'”

– Rather than dwelling on how to escape your struggles, focus on your relationship with the Savior. (Phil 3:8)
The only way you can rise above painful circumstances is if you will raise your focus to the One who holds the universe in His hands.
* Trust that He will do something good within you and through you.
* Do what is necessary to resolve the situation, but refuse to let the problem become the focus of your life.
* Surrender to God and trust Him to work all things together for your good. Then, like the apostle Paul, you simply cannot lose.
Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Freedom is set by God’s boundaries!!
**Boundaries are to protect us from sin!
*Jesus has set us free from sin (Rom 6:6-7, Gal 5:1)
*Jesus has not set us free to sin (Rom 6:1-6, 13)
**Our purpose is to be His hands and feet to the hurting.
*Slavery = bondage to our sins (Gal 5:16-21)
*Jesus has set us free to live for Him! (Gal 5:1, 22-25)
Thank You Jesus for the Cross that has Given Us FREEDOM to live for YOU!
AMEN!!!

Only God searches the heart, so only He knows the real motives behind our choices.

“You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts…Luke 16:15
*It is sobering to know that God knows. He doesn’t just know what I do but he knows my motives behind what I do. That is a scary thing.  God help my motives to be pure.

What do I value? What fills my heart? What do I dream about?
If it mirrors the world, then I’m missing it.
The world lusts after a “Front cover of Sports Illustrated, Vogue, GQ, lifestyle.” Beauty, riches, flash, glamour, no restraints, do as you please, worship self, praise me, buy what I’m selling – can’t afford it then credit it.
*When you think about it- We live in a more idolatrous age today – right now – than ever before.
This world serves many god’s and lives with a different value system and God looks on it with disgust.

But we must never, ever forget that God IS the blessing! He is our inheritance!

Jesus calls the Pharisees on their hypocrisy (v15). He accuses them of self-righteous justification.
* They were consumed with the appearance or veneer of religion.
** But there was no internal change. Christ warned His hecklers that “God knows your hearts.”

*Here is a theme repeated all throughout the Bible. God looks at the heart. He knows our true motives (2Chron 6:30).
*In Jeremiah, the LORD announces that He not only searches the heart of man, but knows that “the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick” (Jer 17:9-10).

Jesus reminds them, “For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.”
This is a powerful reminder that God’s ways are not our ways. His ways are higher than our ways.

Luke 16:15 And He said to them,  “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.(NKJV)
* Luke’s use of the term “abomination” carries the idea of something that stinks. Our attempts at self-righteousness are a horrible stench in the nostrils of God.

Christ tells these religious bullies that they had better check themselves before they wreck themselves!!!!
* Stop using God as a heavenly vending machine and start worshiping as Almighty Yahweh.

We need to ask our self daily–What is happening with the spiritual fruit of God’s blessing on our life?
Is it clogged, or is it freely flowing to others?
* Ask the Lord to free you to be a blessing to those in your circle of influence.

Galatians 6:3 If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.
*Someone out there needs YOUR friendship and needs to hear YOUR testimony…
*True friends bring us closer to Jesus.
* What God has called us to do, is part of our identity…
*Our success in what we do is not seen in what we do compared to others; but in our sincerity and genuine heart.
*What we do will be known… Maybe not on a large scale, but it will be known…

Galatians 6:9  So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.  10 Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.

We need to make a special effort to stay focused and not allow distractions to keep us from efficiency and effectiveness in the kingdom.
There are any number of things that could take us off course or interrupt the flow of the Lord’s Spirit in and through us.
Our concentration on our relationship with the Lord is vital to our spiritual health.
Rise above the issues of life and the cares of the world and trust Jesus to lead you in peace.

Proverbs 4:23 Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.
*How we take care of our heart is directly relative to how issues spring about. Good or bad.
With God’s power in our heart at work imagine the beautiful things that will spring forward from our heart.
If the devil and our flesh be at work, what defilement would come from our heart.
Be in the Word, be in prayer, be in fellowship, be sharing the good news. To keep the heart is to be close to God.

Lord today, get us back to our own status, and help us to recognize Your identity just as you are. May you continue to help us, as we truly want to understand Your values. We want to see with Your eyes and feel with Your heart. So that we know what is detestable and what is worthy.  Lord I pray for Your Holy Spirit to open up Your Word (66 perfect love letters inspired by the Holy Spirit in the Bible) in my heart each day to bring You Glory in ALL my thoughts and words!  As your word says: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties;  And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting”.
In Jesus’ Name,Amen!

Holiness means we are set apart for God’s use!

1 Thessalonians 4: 7 God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives.
*We are being reminded here that our body is holy and created by God, and even more so once we invite Jesus into our lives.
*do we realize that when we sin we aren’t just hurting ourselves but God and the other person.
* God wants us to be pure, holy and follow him.
*When we don’t follow these rules we aren’t sinning against humans only but we are also hurting God.

*The fact that I have accepted God should make me want to live for him more and more.
* Growing in my time with him should be a daily joy.
*In my growth I need to learn how to be more self-controlled, deal with issues with God as they come up  and this is all to become closer and closer to God’s will for me to be made holy.

Being a Christian is more than just lip service. It’s living your life in such a way that others see a difference in you. So as you go throughout your life, let others see God’s grace and love in you!

THE POWER OF A CLEAN AND
BLAMELESS LIFE

When you set your heart to walk blameless before God—living in a way that is pleasing to the Lord—you will be feared and despised by those who have lost the favor and blessing of God.

Lukewarm or compromised Christians will be absolutely disturbed and repelled by your life!

We see this illustrated vividly in 1 Samuel: “Now Saul was afraid of David,
because the Lord was with him, but had departed from Saul… And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the Lord was with him. Therefore, when Saul saw that he behaved very wisely, he was afraid of him” (1 Samuel 18:12-15).

David’s blameless behavior struck fear in Saul’s heart! Whenever Saul was
around David, he remembered the time he had enjoyed the favor of God and the high esteem of men.
** But disobedience, envy, pride and self-will had cost Saul every bit of power with God. And it robbed him of all respect of the people.

Now, Saul had come face to face with a younger man—a less experienced,
probably less articulate, man—who exuded the power and integrity of holiness.
He was pure in heart, full of the Holy Spirit and Saul was afraid of him!

Keep in mind that this was no idolatrous pagan who was afraid of David. No,
Saul was a man who had known the power of the Holy Spirit!
He had once been God’s anointed, a mighty man chosen of God!

David was simply living a clean life and God was pouring out favor upon him!
“All Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them” (1 Samuel 18:16).

Saul did not want to be around David. Scripture says “Therefore Saul removed
him from his presence” (1 Samuel 18:13).
* Sadly, Saul represents the
compromised church of today, those Christians who have compromised and lost the anointing of God.
* He is a type of the believer who once was full of the Holy Spirit, baptized, on fire for God, but has been robbed of everything they once knew of God by their disobedience, pride and lust.

There is nothing scarier to a compromised Christian than a holy blameless life!!!!

And the more your life lines up with the Lord’s will and His holiness, the
more repelling you will become to backslidden believers.

Taking up Our Cross?

Jesus said that if we are to truly be His disciples we are to “take up our cross daily and follow Him” (Luke 9:23). But what does that mean?

Jesus’ call on the disciples’ lives is complete. He reminds them of who is in charge, then he calls them to a lifestyle of self-sacrifice.
Hosea 6:6 I want you to show love,
not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.

**To lose one’s life IS to really live and find ‘life’ in the kingdom of God.

I am reminded of how easy it is to default into a place of self-centeredness and avoid the life of sacrifice.
Yet, I know that it is the place of freedom, joy and service in the kingdom of God.

God wants us to be holy in an unholy world. Easier said than done.
* God sent Jesus to walk on this earth with man.
* Jesus was sinless  and different from normal people in every way.
* God wants us to be that way, different from normal in every way possible.
* He wants us to live our lives on earth just as Jesus did.
**Jesus dedicated his life to serving others, loving others, and spreading the gospel. And at the end, he died on the cross for my sins and the world’s sin.

* God doesn’t want us to die on a cross for everyone’s sin, but he does want us to act like Jesus did while on earth.
* God doesn’t expect us to do this alone, he sends his Holy Spirit to guide us in Christ ways and help us to avoid sin.
* It’s very difficult to be holy in an unholy world when we rub shoulders with sin daily.
** But it can be done with God’s help and the Holy Spirits guidance.
Galatians 5:16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.
Dear Heavenly Father, help me to be holy, like you, in an unholy world. God help me to block out the sins of the world and be set apart, different from normal. Allow my desire to follow you to continue to grow and to always be on track for you. God you’ve blessed me with so much and I don’t deserve it. Thank you for my salvation.
Help me Lord, to follow you by living a life of loving self-sacrifice! Help me renew my mind with Your word because it’s the way how we have permanent change from our former self? Thank you Lord for showing me that following You is not religion it’s a relationship and a lifestyle.  Lord, help me see the body you given me the way you see it. Change my heart so I can learn to appreciate and respect your temple. Lord give me more Holiness in order to be more  set apart for Your use for Your Glory! Amen
Hebrews 10:10 For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.
22 let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.

*Only complete surrender will lead to true satisfaction!
*God is into breaking down walls! He wants ALL OF YOU!!!

****Fishing—- Fishing for Souls?
And He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19)
Jesus asked His disciples to follow Him and fish for eternal souls at perhaps the loveliest spot on earth, a lake in a land called Galore.  The spot is a blue-green lake called the Sea of Galilee.

**Come…meant that the disciples had to leave what they were doing. If you want to make a difference for God you have to let go of your own agenda and priorities.

**Follow me…meant that they had to allow Jesus to set the agenda, allow Jesus to lead them. To be his follower they needed to accept Jesus as their leader.

**I will make you…meant that Jesus was the coach, he would teach them the way to share the Good News. Apparently there is a right way and a wrong way to do it.

**Fishers of men…Jesus was using an image that would connect with these professional fishermen, but the point is their objective would be to attract and capture the hearts and minds of many people for the Good News.

Jesus told them to follow Him, but he didn’t leave it at that.

Jesus spoke these words as He walked around that beautiful lake and demonstrated what fishing for eternal souls of mankind was all about.
Against the background of these cities lining the Sea Jesus performed 60% of all His earthly ministry.
*He raised the dead,
*He gave sight to the blind,
*He gave health to the sick,
* He replaced the decay of the lepers,
*Jesus  unshackled the demonized.
**All this as Jesus fished for the eternal souls of mankind.

We are to learn from Jesus, and ask Him to show us how to do discipleship, evangelize, etc. — Not just rely on our own techniques, thoughts, creative ideas, etc.

**To a handful of these men came JESUS who asked them to use their skills in becoming fishermen of the eternal souls of mankind.
*Jesus still is extending the same call to us as His followers.
**** It is a call to believe!!!
*Do you believe? It is a call to repent. *Do you need to repent? It is a call to follow him. Have you made this commitment?

*Be alert to situations and issues that will serve as a platform from which to deal with old mind sets that will not serve you well in your current journey to higher spiritual ground. (Renew the Mind: Romans 12:1-3)
* Make a review of the things that the Lord will punctuate in your current environment, but do so Without allowing Rejection or Condemnation to cloud your vision.
*The enemy will do whatever he can to keep you from looking at things objectively and with clarity.
**But if you will see this time as being necessary for instruction leading to greater understanding instead of a personal attack against who you are, it will serve as a springboard to the next phase of your journey.
Otherwise, it could just become a trap.

Mark 8:25 Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly.

*Begin to apply by faith God’s word to every circumstance.
*Learn to apply by faith the words that God gives you so that they will become a light unto your path.
* Let your faith now arise and come higher.
*Begin to exercise that spiritual muscle that the Lord has given to you.
* Learn to walk by faith and believe with a faith that is greater than you have ever  exercised before.
*Your faith will come by hearing and by hearing the word of the Lord and your faith will work through the love of Jesus Christ.
*Allow faith to become the substance of the things that you hope for.
Let this become the evidence of that which you cannot perceive or  see.  *Allow it to become a witness to you that the Lord indeed is with you and I and Jesus will bring US through to victory as we walk with th Lord in this season of Glory.

* Refuse to evaluate the details of your circumstances according to how you feel.
This is not a time of mourning, but a time of rejoicing at being established solidly on spiritual ground so that you will be able to progress rapidly from here.
Luke 21:28 “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”

If we are to be effective in anything we do for the Lord, the Lord must be in the midst of it.
*** Unless the Lord’s power is seen among us, we will be just another person who has religion.
**** Unless we manifest His life to others, they will see only good behavior that is easily counterfeited by moral people.
*Moving out in presumption will end in failure and frustration.
* Ask the Lord today to assure you of His presence and power in your activities.
Then you will be assured that you will be distinguished among all the other people on the face of the earth.

True discipleship cannot be the intermingling or sprinkling of Christ or Christ-like attributes into and throughout our lives.
CHRIST must have control to lead and guide for His Kingdom’s sake.

In order to properly follow Jesus we need to reach out to those in need. Jesus Himself says that those who hear the Word and do it are the ones that are blessed. James says, “Be doers of the Word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.”

So what do we need to do to make sure that our lives are in the “following” mode?
I think we need to get out and exercise our faith a little more.
*We need to take advantage of the opportunities that the Lord lays before us to speak and act as ambassadors of the Good News.
*We need to make sure we take the time to let our light shine to the world around us.
*Show a little compassion.
* Bless someone’s day.
* Meet someone’s need just because.

There is certainly a lot more that can be said about this very important phrase from Jesus, but let this be enough for now.
Today, let’s reach beyond our doctrinal assent and try to mirror some of His caring acts.  “Let’s Take Some ACTION!”

I pray that I would be bold and be able to follow Jesus with all of my being, and not be luke-warm about my commitment to Jesus each and Every Day!  Lord keep me to stay on Your path and help me Always to give You ALL the Glory.  Amen

All our relationships, actions and attitudes depend upon the “life” that resides in our heart.
“The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.”Luke 6:45

The Verse below reminded me a lot of how God sent his beloved son Jesus down to earth, to provide the ultimate sacrifice for our sins and transgressions. We no longer have to offer animals or ourselves as sacrifices to God in order to redeem ourselves of our sins. It’s already been done through the shedding of Jesus’ blood on the cross. A worthy sacrifice indeed.

“So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, ‘On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.’” Genesis 22:14 (NIV)

*Have you ever been in a situation so desperate that it looked hopeless?
*Have you ever sat at the kitchen table wondering how you were going to pay the electric bill?
*Have you ever stood at a door that’s been slammed in your face by an angry teenager and despaired at having a relationship with him again?
*Have you ever had your heart broken so deeply that you wondered if you would feel whole again?

Sadly, we live in a broken world where desperate situations happen every day. I know someone reading this devotion is wondering how they will make it through the day because their situation looks hopeless.
If that is you, I encourage you to keep reading. I believe God has a message of Hope for us ALL today.

That message is found in the Bible, in the story of a man who was dealing with his own desperate situation. His name was Abraham and he faced the greatest testing of his life. After longing for a son for many years, God finally gave Abraham a boy, whom he named Isaac.

Abraham never imagined God would test his faith by asking him to sacrifice his son. But it happened.

It had to have been the darkest day of Abraham’s life as he trudged up the mountain, with firewood strapped to his son’s back.
Every step took Abraham closer to what he believed to be the sad ending of a hopeless situation—the death of his son.
*Yet in spite of his sorrow, Abraham trusted God. His heart wasn’t soaring with joy. He wasn’t dancing up the mountain. But he put one foot in front of the other. Walking through the darkness of the situation; obeying His God’s commands.

Unbeknowning  to Abraham, something else was walking up that mountain. Quietly. Out of sight. On the other side of the mountain. Something else was putting one foot in front of the other. Only Abraham couldn’t see it.

For every step Abraham took, a ram on the other side of the mountain took a step.

All Abraham saw that day was his solitary journey of pain. As he got closer to the top of the mountain, his dread must have increased. I wonder if he asked himself any questions. I would have.
* I would have wondered why hadn’t God intervened?
* Why hadn’t God stopped this testing? *Couldn’t God see that Abraham was a man of faith?
*Why test him in this way?

**But there was no answer. There was no voice from heaven. And so Abraham kept obeying his God’s command. He put Isaac on an altar and prepared to sacrifice his one and only son.

And just at that very moment, at the very last second, when it looked like the end had come, God spoke, stopping the sacrifice.
Abraham looked up and there caught in the thicket was a ram. Abraham took his son off the altar, replaced him with the ram, and offered the sacrifice to God.

Abraham named that place “Yahweh-Yireh” or “The Lord Will Provide.” And the story was written down for generations of God-followers to read.
* It was written so that you and I today would read it as we face our own hopeless situations.
*It was captured in print so that you and I would know that God is already planning for our provision.

We don’t see it. We don’t hear it. But we can trust that our God is at work. On your behalf, and on mine.

I choose to trust God today. A ram is on the way.
* Moses, it was the burning bush.
*For Peter, it was walking on water.
*For Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, it was walking through the burning furnace untouched.
*For Paul, it was being blinded and spoken to by Jesus on the Damascus road.
*For Daniel, it was deliverance from the lions’ den.
*For Joshua, it was parting the Jordan River and crossing into the Promised Land.

There have been many defining moments in the lives of human beings that changed their lives forever. These defining moments often set the course for the balance of their lives.

We could go on and on. Each of these servants had years of preparation leading up to their defining moment. These moments forced the servants to be involved in something beyond their human experiences.
It took them outside their own paradigms of life. God had to move them outside their own boxes. And when He did, their lives were never the same.

You may be in one of three stages of life:
1. You may not have had your “defining moment” yet – God may be preparing you with many important life experiences.
2.  You may have had your defining moment and you are living out your call. 3.  You may be toward the end of your journey and you have already experienced what I speak of.
We are all called to a relationship with God; and we are all called vocationally, which is often ushered in by a defining moment.
And there can be more than one defining moment, each pointing you down a path that God foreordained from the foundation of the world.

The secret of a great life is often a man’s ability to discern the defining moments given to him, understanding them, and learning to walk in the path that leads him to his ultimate destination.

Once you have had a defining moment, you are never the same.
Pray that you have eyes to see and ears to hear when your Master brings a defining moment into your life

All true disciples of Jesus Christ will be students of Scripture and will walk according to its teaching.
This is vital to authentic Christian living, because the Bible is indeed the very textbook of life (2 Timothy 3:16).
Yet so many believers will not read the Bible.
**They don’t realize that success or failure in the Christian life depends on how much of the Bible they get into their hearts and minds on a regular basis.

God brings every person who is committed to Him out of their normal routine into a new revelation of Himself that impacts others.

Romans 8:24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
* It should be every person’s ultimate goal to belong to God…to know how to belong to Him. All of the promises He made are ready and available to you. Even in the midst of suffering, which is to be (for we must share in the suffering of Christ in order to receive the reward of God) we are to remain, by faith, assured that we are His children and He is our Father! Knowing even more, that nothing can separate us from God’s love for us when we walk in His belonging and truly give ourselves to Him. Only then are we in position to receive from Him.

Dear Lord, You know how desperate some of us are  today. You know that some of us are wavering in our faith. Although we want to trust You, we are having trouble doing so. We ask for Your intervention in our situation, and for an increase of our faith while we wait for You to speak.  Lord, we pray that we may live victorious, knowing that life is more than just bearing through.. but living fearlessly and victoriously through the amazing power that Christ gives me! Grace + Peace!!! In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Our heart is the place where all thoughts, emotions and desires originate.
*  “Watch over your heart with all diligence; for from it flow the springs of life.” Provers 4:23

JESUS, the Person, is the Word of God made flesh as the ultimate revelation of the triune God (John 1:1-5,18; Hebrews 1:1-3).
****The glory of God is a person and that person is Jesus!!!!

Scripture tells us God’s Spirit came forth from the Holy of Holies to fill Solomon’s Temple, and daily we must allow His Spirit to issue forth from the Holy of Holies (our hearts) to fill the inner court (our souls and bodies) with His Glory.

**  “…the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.” 1 Kings 8:11

As a follower of Jesus this is my fervent cry, that God would so show up in our midst that we could not even focus on our churchly duties, ie ministry. They would take a backseat to truly experiencing God(to Know Him, JN 17:3). In doing so, it would turn our churchly duties, into acts of obedience to a personal God.

Any believer who wishes to please God with his prayer life will have to settle
this question:
“Does God have all I need?
Or do I need to go elsewhere for my
answer?”

This appears to be a simple question—one that should not even need to be
asked.
And most Christians would immediately answer, “Yes, of course I believe God has all I need.”
But the fact is, many are not fully convinced!

We say we believe it. We sing hymns and preach about it. But when a crisis hits and God does not seem to answer, *we do not really believe He has what we need!

Paul states: “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches
in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).
The Lord has a storehouse of abundance with which to meet our every need!

Why did the troubled woman in Jesus’ parable keep bothering the unjust judge, asking him for justice?

** It was because she knew that he alone had the power and authority to solve her problem.
* She could go to no one else (see Luke 18:1-8).

Oh, if only we had such an inner knowledge that GOD ALONE has all we need, we would never turn in vain to any other source.
The Lord is a just and holy judge and He has ALL the Wisdom, Power and Authority to solve any problem we face.

God spent forty years trying to convince Israel they would never lack
anything—that He would be their constant source and supply:
“For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hand. He knows your trudging through this great wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing” (Deuteronomy 2:7).

God was saying, “There is no scarceness, no shortage with Me. I have all you will ever need!”

“For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land . . . in which you
will lack nothing . . . when you have eaten and are full . . .” (Deuteronomy
8:7-10, 12).

Today, the Lord has brought us into our Promised Land—Christ! Jesus is to us
an abiding place where there is never any lack. He represents the fullness of
the godhead bodily.

If we choose to walk after the Spirit, our bodies will be filled with “God’s Life”. (the new man), but if we choose to walk after the flesh, our bodies will reflect “self-life” (the old man).
*”For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another…”Galatians 5:17

*Be Biblically informed and Balanced!
**Can we Trust God to Give us ALL that we need to live a Life for His Glory?

God is continually trying to teach us how to set aside “self-life” so that His Life can reign supreme in our hearts.
* “For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our mortal flesh.”
2 Corinthians 4:11
*We are (or should be) constantly dying to self. Until we die to self on the cross we are sitting on the throne of our lives. And Christ is on the cross.

When there is divine order in our temple, for we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, we can anticipate and expect the glory of the Lord to descend on us and flow through us.
It is imperative that all believers allow the Holy Spirit and the word of God to order our lives.
Where we do not line up with the word or where we are disobedient to the Holy Spirit we must repent.

It is time for all of us to allow God to control Every aspect of our lives.
* Let us crucify our flesh and die to self.
* Let God rule and reign in every area and aspect of our lives. Remember He is looking for a bride without spot or wrinkle.

Lord Jesus. My prayer is Psalms 139:23-24.  Search me, O God, and know my heart!  Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
Let’s put ourselves on the cross and put Christ on the throne!!!! Jesus You are so in Control and You Loves US (His Masterpiece) dearly!!!! Thank You for saving a sinner as Me! Amen