Devotions - Prayer
Loving God with “all our willpower” simply means making continual faith choices to obey His Will rather than our own.
“I have called upon Thee every day, O Lord; I have spread out my hands to Thee.”Psalm 88:9
Thank Offerings to God
God desires for us to call on Him in times of trouble. It’s not selfish or a sign of defeat.
*God wants us to call on Him so that we will praise and love Him all the more when He rescues us.
*God desires to show us His heart of mercy and grace in our weakness.
Psalm 50:14-15. Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.
I never noticed this before, but according to the context here, asking God for help is an act of worship.
The whole section here is talking about God’s total sufficiency, and proper and improper worship.
God then comes to verses 14 and 15 and tells us the kind of worship He wants:
1. Be Thankful (acknowledge that He is the Source).
2. Perform your vows (acknowledge that He is Lord by being obedient).
3. Ask for Help (acknowledge that He is Good).
So, bringing our problems to Him is not a burden, or a waste of time. It is an act of worship! Amazing!
At some time or other in our lives, we all face trouble. The psalmist speaks about the day of trouble.
There is not one of us that does not, at sometime or other, pass through a day of trouble.
BUT here the psalmist tells us the way out of trouble, the way of deliverance. *And let me tell you, I’ve had to prove this many times in my own experience.
What is the way out of trouble? *“Sacrifice thank offerings to God.” In the very midst of your trouble, exercise your faith and begin to thank God.
Offer Him that sacrifice of thanking Him and praising Him.
Then call upon Him in the day of trouble and His promise is, “I will deliver you,” and not merely that, “You will honor Me.”
God’s deliverance will work out to His Glory; it will become a Testimony in our lives of how God has delivered us in the day of trouble.
And then, further on in that psalm, the psalmist says, “He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God” (v. 23).
So, when we’re in trouble and we make that sacrifice of beginning to thank God although we may see no way out, we prepare a way that God shows us His salvation.
God opens the way for those who offer Him the sacrifice of thank offerings. So when you’re in the midst of trouble, remember, that’s the way out!
After Jesus was crucified and raised from the dead, He appeared to the disciples. His first words to them were, “Peace be with you!” The word grace means “unmerited favor.” When someone loves you unconditionally, without regard to your behavior in return, it becomes a powerful force in your life.
Such was the case for the disciples when Jesus appeared to them. They could have expected reprimand.
Instead, they received unconditional love and acceptance. He was overjoyed to see them. They were equally overjoyed to see Him.
Jesus understood that the disciples needed to fail Him as part of their training. It would be this failure that became their greatest motivation for service.
Failure allowed them to experience incredible grace for the very first time. Grace would transform them as human beings.
Have you experienced this grace in your life? Have you extended grace to those who have hurt you? Can you let go of any wrongs that have come through friends or associates? The grace you extend may change their lives – and yours
Thankfulness is always part of true celebration.
* Are we properly thankful?
* Do we give thanks every day to God for the blessings we are enjoying at the moment?
We are so trained by the media to grumble and complain, to insist on something we do not have, to focus on that instead of on all we do have.
One of the first signs of a growing, maturing spirit in young Christians is that they begin to give thanks to God for what He has poured into their life; *for the opportunities that are before them;
*and for the present blessings and liberties that they do enjoy.
So there are the elements that make up celebration: joyfulness, purity, and thanksgiving.
Lord, forgive me for so often forgetting all that I have to celebrate. Teach me to celebrate all You have done for me with joy, purity, and thanksgiving.
Read MoreReplace old habits, instincts with new ways!!
There is no doubt that we have deeply rooted relationship instincts. But those instincts do NOT have us.
Your past constantly vies for control of your future, but at the end of the day YOU and I have a CHOICE.
Your domain is this moment, and every
moment, when you can DECIDE to write a new script. “Moving Forward”
At any time, in every time, YOU can
decide to be the master(with the Lord’s Truths) of your destiny; rather than a victim to your past.
This, by the way, is the real value in
understanding your past and your childhood roots.
So that you can consciously REJECT what you know doesn’t work and replace old habits with new ways.
This, of course, is no simple task. Not only because it’s hard to break old habits and learn new ways,
BUT also because most people, if like me, are more comfortable doing what’s familiar yet destructive rather than what’s constructive but unfamiliar.
In other words, most people are happier doing what they know doesn’t work **than they are working on something that they don’t know.
But that’s what it takes to be a “transition person.”
A transition person is someone who
breaks free from unhealthy relationship patterns that have been in their family for generations.
We are by no means a product solely of our heredity or environment.
There is a third element: YOUR DECISION!!!!
And that trumps ALL past events.
By the way, this, in my opinion, is the real meaning of counseling education…educating someone
to acquire the ability to CHOOSE their behavior by the Renewing of their Minds in God’s Truths Found in our Bible.
A successful situation is not something that just happens; you have to craft it. It’s a result of deliberate and conscious decisions to make a new way in your relationships or circumstances.
These kinds of decisions tend to have multiple acceptable options within the scope of God’s revealed moral will, his commandments.
Yet God cares deeply about the details and course of our lives.
So what guidance does God give to help us navigate ambiguous decisions?
God says,
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:2).
What does this mean? It means that God has a design in the difficulty of discerning.
The motives and affections of our hearts, or “renewed minds,” are more clearly revealed in such decision making.
If God made more things explicit, we would tend to focus more on what we
do rather than what we love.
* Like Pharisees, we would tend to whitewash our tombs with the appearance of obedience — to impress others — rather than deal with the dead bones of our self-righteous pride.
But in decisions that require discernment, the wheat is distinguished from the tares.
*We make such decisions based on what we really love.
If deep down we love the World, this will become apparent in the pattern of decisions that we make — we will conform to this world.
But if we really love JESUS we will increasingly love what HE loves — we will be transformed by renewed minds. And our love for him and his kingdom will be revealed in the pattern of small and large decisions that we make.
I say “pattern of decisions” because all of us sin and make mistakes.
But conformity to the world or to Jesus is most clearly seen in the pattern of decisions we make over time.
That’s why God makes us wrestle. He wants us to mature and have our “powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil” (Hebrews 5:14).
*The wonderful thing to remember in all of our decisions is that Jesus is our Good Shepherd.
* Jesus laid down his life for us so that ALL of our sins (including every sinful or defective decision) are covered.
*God will never leave or forsake us. He has a staff long enough to pull us out of every hole and a rod to guide us back when we stray.
And someday we will see that it really was him leading us through the confusing terrain of difficult decisions.
The “new willpower” we receive when we give our Lives to Christ, is the key to our Christian walk. We can now choose to either live God’s Life…or our own.
* “So choose life in order that you may live…by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him.” Deuteronomy 30:19-20
Be transformed by the renewing of your mind, in other words, get in to and study the word of God.
*”Pray without ceasing” (1 Thes. 5:17). *”Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit” (Eph. 6:18a).
* Talk to the Father about everything. *Give thanks to the Father for everything.
* Sing songs of praise and make melody in your heart lifting up the name of Jesus.
* Live a true real sacrificed holy life before Almighty God, when you do this He will lead you into and you will come into the knowledge of what is His perfect will.
For it is the Lord’s desire to lead you to complete freedom from bitterness and ungodliness. I am speaking to you, beloved. Don’t ignore your responsibility to look at yourself and not others in this regard.
Father in heaven I bless your wonderful name today. I thank you Lord for all your
goodness and all your mercy upon my life. I give you Lord all the praise, all the
glory, all the honor for you Lord are worthy, worthy, worthy. I bless you Lord for being my help in the time of need. I give you praise Lord for protecting me from the enemy of my soul. I want to be
ever so close to you. I want to hear your voice and follow your leading by the renewing of my mind. Dear Lord, help me step outside my world and to see people with Your eyes. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Let Go of the Past! Put aside such thoughts and ALLOW God to do a NEW thing in your life.
The atmosphere you create determines the product you produce.
Our past should only be viewed for what we can Learn from it. Don’t let it be your Identity! Don’t let it be a stronghold that holds you back from All that God wants YOU to BE!
Each new day provides a brand New opportunity to do something Great in life. Let GO and Let God!
*”When your memories are bigger than your dreams, you’re headed for the grave!!!!!”
*The key to being great is your ability to forget about the PAST success and failures. Let go of what use to be in expectation of what will be.
“Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13b-14
Our past can be a hindrance or a help in moving toward God’s purposes for each of us.
For some, the past has meant pain and heartache, and Grace is required so that we do not let our PAST DICTATE our responses to the future.
*If we allow our past to make us a VICTIM, then we have NOT entered into the grace that God has for us.
*If we live on memories of past successes and fail to raise our Vision for New Things, we again are VICTMINS of our past.
It is the way a believer should operate. We should forget the way we used to be, forget the habits and the paths we used to take and keep on running toward the Lord’s paths (3:14).
* He would not have us bound up in addiction, gluttony or affliction, but He gives us the Freedom to follow HIM and continue on doing His will.
Whether you are battling drugs, alcohol, rage, food, stealing, pornography or any other type of addiction/old nature, remember that God IS with YOU.
* God IS there with you helping you through this…whatever it is.
God has created YOU new if you are a believer and if you are not a believer…He CAN create you into a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).
“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland” (Is. 43:19).
***Our past should only be viewed for what we can learn from it.
**We must “Move Forward” and avoid viewing the negative or the positive for more than what we can learn.
*Many of us have allowed our PAST to dictate our future.
God is always about doing NEW things in our lives. He gives fresh revelation of His purposes in our lives.
* Do not live in the past.
* Do not hold onto bitterness and unforgiveness that may hinder God from doing new and exciting things in your life.
God turns our wastelands into streams of water to give life, not death.
*How have you viewed your past?
*Has it hindered you in some areas of your life?
*Are You still holding on to things you have repented for and trusted that God has forgiven it?
*Are still holding on to the Guilt and Shame?
*Have you relied on past successes to dictate what you will do in the future? ***Put aside such thoughts and ALLOW God to do a New thing in your life.
*Ask Him to help you see the new things He wants to do in and through you today once you trust God to handle the past mistakes and sins.
“When your memories are bigger than your dreams, you’re headed for the grave!!!!!”
Look forward to where you want to be on the road of Life. When you see a pothole coming, looking forward, you can veer around it still pressing forward and thus get to your destination.
WANT A NEW LIFE?
Jn 12:24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.
*You need to let OLD things(past) die to break into your new life.
*New life takes boldness and faith.
Romans 12:1-2 changing the way you think allows us to live a new life.
**2 Timothy 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
**Proverbs 3:6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
* We must not be wise in our own eyes but we be willing to listen to and be corrected by God’s Word and wise counselors. Bring your decisions to God in prayer; use the Bible as your guide; and then follow God’s leading. He will direct your paths by both guiding and protecting you.
Matthew 9:12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Are we being broken by the cornerstone that is Christ Jesus?
God knows who we are, he sees our faults he sees our failures. He knows us for who we are BUT desires us to come before him broken, humble before HIS throne so that we may be made new. Christ doesn’t come for those that think they are well, but for those that know they are unwell.
He wants us to come before him broken desiring him and knowing that we are in need of his salvation because we know there is no way that we can be put back together if we haven’t been broken yet.
The tools necessary to defeat every work of darkness and to overcome the works of the flesh and your past have been made available to you.
*Don’t forget that you can access by Faith the Grace to overcome and gain the victory.
*Refuse to become a victim of your circumstances or Past or succumb to the fear that has been sent to paralyze you and to undermine your faith in the Lord. Be strong and maintain spiritual integrity and courage. Victory is assured! You have JESUS!
Romans 5:2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in HOPE of the glory of God.
Pray with Me:
Come Lord Jesus- COME! Set me FREE from my past. Allow me to see Your Grace each New Day. Renew my heart, mind, soul for your Glory and my joy, Trusting You remember my repented sins no more, they are as far away as the East is of the West. Thank you Jesus for the Cross, may I give You All the Glory and Praise for this New Person You are Making Me. I Surrender ALL! Amen
GO TO THE STOREHOUSE!
“For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things” (1 John 3:20).
God knows all about you—and he still loves you enough to say, “Come on in and get all you need. The storehouse is open!”
*The “Heart of the matter, is the matter of the Heart”
The doors to his storehouse are wide open, and his riches are full to overflowing.
God is urging you: “Come boldly to the throne of grace, that [you] may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).
Here is how you go to God’s storehouse and get what you need;
1. Come boldly to his throne and ask largely for all the grace and mercy you need to see you through every temptation and trial.
The devil has a million ways to make you feel guilty, fearful, condemned and confused and he’ll tell you, “You feel this way because you’ve got junk in your heart!” But I stopped looking in my heart a long time ago, because it’s always black.
Yet it is white to my Father because it is covered with the blood of the Lamb! It does not matter how you feel.
Simply look to God’s Word for what Jesus has done. He has wiped your slate clean!
2. Remind God that it was his idea for you to come in.
You did not go to the Lord saying, “Father, I want everything you have!”
God invited you in saying, “All I have is yours. Come and get it!”
3. Take God at his Word!
The Bible says that everything he has for us is obtained by faith.
2 Corinthians 5: 7 We live by faith, not by sight.
You need only say in faith, “Lord Jesus, flood me with your peace because you have said it is mine! I claim rest for my soul.”
*You cannot work this up.
* You cannot sing or praise it down.
** It comes from being rooted and grounded in a revelation of God’s love for you.
**This comes not in a feeling but rather in the Word that he himself has spoken: “In my house is bread enough to spare!”
4. Take God’s Word and hammer all your fear, guilt and condemnation to pieces! *Reject it all—it is not of God!
You can say, “Let the devil come at me with his lies. My Father knows it already, and he has forgiven and cleansed me. There is no guilt or condemnation toward me. I am free!”
Romans 8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.
I believe that if you ask the Spirit right now to help you seize this truth—to get rooted and grounded in it—the coming days will be the greatest you have ever had. You can say, “Lord Jesus, I know I am going to make mistakes, but nothing is going to shake me because you have everything I need to attain the victory and to live in it.”
Galatians 4: 6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba , Father.” 7 So you are no longer slaves, but God’s children; and since you are his children, he has made you also heirs.
Come into his storehouse and claim all that is yours from your loving Father!!
There is nothing you cannot do as long as you walk in the Spirit!
Galatians 5:16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
In order to accomplish what is set before you it is imperative that you follow the Lord’s leading instead of trying to fulfill the lusts of your flesh.
If you will do this, there is no power of darkness too big to overcome and nothing too daunting that you cannot gain the victory over.
Put your faith, hope and trust in the Lord, and you will not be disappointed.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Let’s pray this out loud: Cleanse me dear Lord of all unrighteousness. Keep me clean Lord by the washing of your word. Cause my eyes to be open to see in your word, to see You. Cause my ears to be open to hear your voice Lord. Continue to lead and guide my footsteps Father. Keep me on a right path Lord, don’t allow me to stray. I will keep my eyes set on you I will not look to the right or to the left. I thank you Lord. Thank you for your mercy. Thank you for your grace. Thank you Father for your love and your kindness to me, I love you Lord. In Jesus name I pray. Amen
Read MoreThe Life now in our hearts is totally pure, incorruptible and holy because it is God’s Life and not our own.
“And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach…”
Colossians 1:21-22
“And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19
Is God enough?
Read Colossians 3:1-3
“If you then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”
What is affection? The dictionary says that affection is fond attachment, devotion, the emotional realm of love.
Words that describe affection, (attachment, care, concern,
desire, devotion, love, passion), so now we see and know and understand what affection/affections mean.
The scripture says:
* “if you then being risen with Christ”
* if you have excepted
Christ into your heart and asked Him to become Lord and savior of your life
* if you have asked for forgiveness of your sins and have repented (turned away from) those sins and now you are in Christ the old man is dead and you have risen alive in Christ, seek those things which are above.
What are the things that are above?
Number 1, Jesus is above, seek Him with diligence don’t let go of Him until He blesses you and I dare say even after He blesses you don’t let go.
Hold on to Him for dear life, because LIFE is holding on to Jesus. All that you see around you is temporal.
*This is not the real thing. The real thing is when we see Jesus and enter into the
kingdom, so don’t set your all and all on these earthly things, what we have here can be destroyed, stolen, broken but if our affection are on those things that are above, they can never be lost.
Matthew 6:19-20 says: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break. through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither. moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:”
Yes it is fine to have things here, but don’t let them rule you. Don’t let them be what your love and passion is set on, they are temporary and in the end they will mean nothing the only thing that will be of the greatest importance will be —– am I going to be with the Lord for eternity.
Jesus said “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:2-3).
You have a mansion in heaven
dear ones claim it, set your love, your desire, your passions on Jesus. Hide your life IN Christ.
One of the greatest problems we have in our culture today is that we have turned our back on any “divine” design for the civil government and have basically decided that we want a “savior” state. This is very similar to what Israel was asking for in 1 Samuel 8. God said that the people had rejected Him. In rejecting God, we have turned our faces to the political golden calf.
This “deification” of the state has led to a belief that the state can therefore determine what is right and what is wrong. And if it is a true god-state, then who can dare say “you do wrong?”, or caution restraint when it demands continual growth, unbounded power and no limits on its ability to tax and spend.
But there is a steep price to this and a stern warning from both the Scripture and the rubble of history. This approach to civil government will lead to massive spending that will be nearly impossible to curb. Massive spending will eventually sap the production of a people and create a growing debt that will be impossible to reign in because the populous will be dependent upon it.
Whenever a citizenry believe that the state is fulfilling a “savior” role, then they will demand that it do so even while it is killing them.
We must live with a character in this world.
“Personality” is easy to understand. Your
“personality” is how people experience you. It’s your public persona.
But what is “character?” And why is “character”so crucial in your Life?
Character is who you are when no one is watching!!!!!!!
As with the depths of a diamond, the
interior is twice as important as the surface.
There are people who are all facade, like a house left unfinished when the funds run out. They have the entrance of a palace but the inner rooms of a
cottage.
I thank you Lord for your shield of protection. Thank you for surrounding
me with your mercy and your grace. I bless your holy name Father God you are wonderful and I love you. I love you Lord. There is truly none like you Lord and I worship, honor, glorify and adore you this day. In Jesus name I pray. Amen
A spiritual exam.
The Bible says, “Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine.
Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith” (2 Corinthians 13:5).
In other words, are you really a Christian? Or are you just pretending? You are really a Christian when you have put your faith in Jesus Christ and Christ alone to save you, and you are trusting in Him and walking with Him.
It will show itself in the way that you live.
Sometimes when people go through hardship, they say that event or tragedy has shaken their life; it has shaken their faith. In fact, they say they have lost their faith.
BUT the faith that can’t be shaken is the faith that has been shaken. If it is genuine faith, then it will stand up to the test.
We do not need to fear entering the presence of God even if it means entering through a period of darkness. Above all else we must believe that God is a God of love. If He calls us into darkness in order to enter His presence, then that darkness will become an entry to new levels of relationship with a God who longs for fellowship with you and me.
It is of utmost importance that you understand that your authority in any given situation is the direct result of carrying out YOUR responsibilities.
If you are reluctant to take responsibility for your:
* motives
* actions
* and attitudes, your ability to progress will be greatly inhibited.
Don’t forget that you reap what you sow; it is an immutable spiritual law.
Are you willing to live a sacrificed life unto the Lord?
I hear many say, “What is God’s purpose in my life?”
Many look for others to tell them God’s purpose for them instead of seeking the Lord for their “purpose”.
If you want to know and fulfill God’s purpose – live a sacrificed life unto the Lord, present your bodies a living sacrifice, seek to be holy – “Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16).
This is what is acceptable to God and
it is your reasonable, (honest, fair, feasible, proper), service, (duty, responsibility).
Now is the time to make adjustments where necessary so that you will reap a good harvest.
Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
*Do you have a problem that is perplexing to you?
*Do you see no way of meeting your need?
* God may have already given you the skills and talents to meet your need. However, He may be waiting for YOU to mix them with faith.
Ask God to show you the steps necessary to solve your problem. Be willing to take the next step.
Matthew 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. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
The ROOT stronghold of a person who is argumentative is Pride and Fear.
*This person(which I used to be) is not secure in who they are as a person.
* They mask their inadequacies through a need to always be right.
As we hear so often: “Negative behavior is like the warning light on your car dashboard. It’s telling you there is something going on under the hood”.
Realize this person is in a prison guarded by a root stronghold that has been a part of his/her life for along time.
Unfortunately, it usually takes a significant crisis for that person to examine themselves and become free.
I thank you Lord for touching me this morning and waking me up. I thank
you Lord for a mind to seek you early and a mind to pray and read your word. I praise you this day Lord and honor you
Lord. I exalt and lift you up Father God. I bless your wonderful holy, wonderful
awesome, wonderful so wonderful name. I pray today Lord that you would give me wisdom, wisdom to use the time you have given me wisely. I want to use my time to bring you glory and honor Lord, teach me how to do this.
In Jesus Name, Amen
The Bible is very clear that the purpose for our work life is to reflect Christ in and through our lives.
“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
Again, The Bible is very clear that the purpose for our work life is to reflect Christ in and through our lives.
* It is an attitude that says our work is to have an overriding “ministry” objective to it.
*Our work is our worship to God.
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us…” Ephesians 3:20
* Do you want to love Jesus with an insatiable love?If you want to, then
Humble yourself before the Lord and ask Him to help you love Him.
He will give you immeasurably more than you can imagine. Over time the emptiness in your heart will be filled with a love for Jesus you have never known.
* Your heart will praise Him for what He has done and for who He is—your Lord.
When the Spirit of God indwells us, we receive a new power source (Spirit) along with a new heart.
* “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
2 Corinthians 5:17
Five Ways to Make God Known at Work
When one of these is missing, the witness to the truth of Christ suffers.
1. The excellence of the products or services you render in your job shows the excellence and greatness of God.
2. The standards of integrity you follow at your job show the integrity and holiness of God.
3. The love you show to people in your job shows the love of God.
4. The stewardship of the money you make from your job shows the value of God compared to other things.
5. The verbal testimony you give to the reality of Christ shows the doorway to all these things in your life and their possibility in the lives of others.
“Ah, Sovereign Lord, why did You ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us?” (Josh. 7:7a)
In this case, the people fell short because they failed to uphold the standard God had set for them.
*God had told them not to take any plunder from their first battle.
*However, Achan hid some forbidden treasures, and God was now judging the entire nation for one man’s sin.
Whenever we act without God’s complete blessing on our activity, we can expect God to thwart our plans. God’s word to Joshua was that he could not stand against his enemies as long as there was disobedience among his troops.
Whenever we launch any endeavor, we should make sure there are no unclean things in our dealings that would allow us to be vulnerable to a failed effort: unforgiveness, Anger, unpaid vendors, disgruntled people who were not treated fairly, lawsuits, dishonesty. Many of these things can hinder God from blessing our endeavors.
These things can remove the shield of protection from our workplace, which God wants to bless, but cannot because He is committed to upholding righteousness.
His name is blemished when unrighteousness is allowed to permeate our lives.
Is the Lord able to bless your endevors today? If not, you may need to go back and clean up a few things before He can do so. Take whatever steps are needed to ensure the blessing of God today.
Lord I am nothing. I need you Father. I put all my trust, all my hope, I put everything that I have everything that I need or desire in your hands Lord, I lay it all at your feet Father. I can’t make things right in my life on my own, using my strength, but I know that I can do all things through you Lord Jesus because you give me strength. Pour on me your Spirit Lord. Pour on me your Spirit so that I can live. Pour on me Lord your Spirit of compassion, pour on me Lord your Spirit of mercy, pour on
me Lord your Spirit of love, pour on me Lord your Spirit of prayer. Pour out on
me Your Spirit Lord. I want to walk like you walk, I want to talk like you talk
I want to love like you love Lord.
Thank You Jesus, Amen
It’s not what you see on the outside, its what you KNOW on the inside.
Where do you receive your Wisdom?
My speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith wouldn’t stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. 1 Corinthians 2: 4-5
I have heard many say lately that “God never intended to be studied, but to be experienced”.
I think there’s an element of truth to that statement. However, BOTH positions … taken to the “Extreme” can be equally damaging. I have been in both camps at one point in my I life!
It seems like there are those who gravitate more towards seeking God through their intellect and through academia; and others lean more towards an intuitive approach.
I think what Paul is stating in this passage is that he is ultimately trusting in the Holy Spirit to be the one to convince people about Christ as well as regenerate them when they believe.
The leadership of Paul:
* Leaders must find their IDENTITY IN Christ, not in themselves or their work.
*1 Cor 2:1-5 Jesus is enough, He is all you need. Jesus is the answer, and the Word has truth that will change lives.
*Don’t keep count, let God do the counting.
***God says “I am enough!”, and if you will be who He wants you to be, it will be amazing what He can do through you.
*When “Your Identity” is IN Jesus, when people see you, they see Jesus!!!!
** Leaders must possess a God perspective that allows them to endure.
*Why do you want to be a leader?
* For your own glory or God’s.
* To add VALUE to people’s lives or for our own benefit?
*We are just cracked pots, BUT when we have God on the inside, Even when things look like they are falling apart in the outside, on the inside where God makes New Life, not a day goes by without God’s unfolding grace.
*When we are “bigger in the inside” than we are on the outside, what’s on the outside won’t control what’s on the inside.
*Leadership begins on the inside, and it begins with me!!!!
*It is much easier to lead others than it is to lead yourself!!!!
*Its not what you see on the outside, its what you KNOW on the inside.
We may not be certain about alot of things but what we can be certain about is this:
*That what God has begun in you, He can certainly bring to completion!
*If jesus is “your identity”, you can be certain that when things look like they are falling apart, what’s on the” inside” is under the control of the Holy Spirit.
*The God that you know & love, and the God that you serve wants to fill your life to overflowing to extreme proportions, if we would only just let him.
That’s just the kind of God we have!!!
As much as you try to keep all of your ducks in a row, so to speak, you still feel out of sync. This is because you are sensing the turmoil in the spirit.
* There is a clamoring for position in the unseen realm as powers of darkness station themselves to take advantage of opportunities to rule in the political arena on earth.
The spiritual atmosphere is one of chaos and confusion at this time, but you can find your peace in the Lord’s presence as you trust in HIS guidance and protection. Be still and draw near to Jesus!
* Psalms 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!
Sin makes our armor vulnerable to attack from satan, who then gains permission from God to attack us in the area where we have failed to uphold righteousness.
*If we break down in “Moral Purity”, satan comes in and establishes a Stronghold.
* If we give place to bitterness and unforgiveness, we will break fellowship with God and others.
*If we become money-focused, we will fall into greed and deception. It is a vicious cycle.
Examine your armor today.(Read Eph. 6) Make sure you are not susceptible to attack. Begin from a solid spiritual foundation and your chances of success will be great.
I thank you Lord for writing your WORD on the table of my heart. I thank you Lord for giving me a heart that loves you, a heart that seeks you, a heart that loves you. Thank you Lord for creating in me a clean heart, thank you Lord for renewing a right spirit within me. I thank you Lord Jesus for being my Savior.
You Lord are magnificent, great and awesome. I bow down before you and give you the praise. What a mighty God we serve. Jesus, You brought me out of darkness into Your marvelous light, what a mighty God we serve! In Jesus name. Amen and Amen!!
~His Grace is Sufficient~
Because of Jesus we have an eternal inheritance.
* “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:9
What Makes for an “Authentic” Christian?
Five earmarks of authentic Christianity, taken from 1 John.
*First, an authentic Christian confesses Jesus Christ as Lord (1 John 4:15). Christianity must begin with a verbal acknowledgment of Jesus Christ as the Lord of your life. The Bible says that even the demons believe and tremble (James 2:19).
True Christians should be able to say that Jesus Christ is their Lord.
*Second, if you are a true Christian, you will be unhappy or miserable when you’re sinning (1 John 3:9).
This doesn’t mean you will never sin if you are a Christian (1 John 1:8).
But there is a difference between recognizing that we will fail in some way, shape, or form in the future and going on a willful, continual track of sin.
If you really are a child of God, you will have a sense of discomfort when you sin, because you know in your heart of hearts that what you are doing is wrong.
*Third, an authentic Christian enjoys fellowship with other believers (1 John 5:1).
A true Christian will want to be around other Christians. Those who isolate themselves from other believers do so at their own peril, because the Bible tells us that it is important to get together, encourage one another, and correct one another (Hebrews 10:24-25).
After all, why should God go to your house if you won’t go to His? A lot of us want all of the fringe benefits of Christianity without applying ourselves.
*Fourth, an authentic Christian obeys the commands of Jesus Christ. If you are a true believer, then you will obey the commands of Jesus Christ (1 John 5:3).
I will not deny that the Bible is filled with so-called rules, but their purpose is not to make our lives miserable. Rather, they protect us from potential harm. The person who blatantly and continually breaks the commandments of God simply does not know Him.
5. An authentic Christian loves and obeys the Word of God (
1 John 2:5).
You cannot effectively live the Christian life without a love for, and obedience to, God’s Word.
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.
We have to do it!!!
God brings every person who is committed to Him out of their normal routine into a new revelation of Himself that impacts others.
Is the move of God so evident in your life that it invites scrutiny from friends or coworkers?
Jesus confronted the issues of His day without fear of being rejected.
A life of obedience will be an affront to the systems of this world. When God begins His deeper work in you, it will be a stumbling block to those around you.
When you are rejected for Christ, consider that Christ is affirming His call on your life and you are becoming a threat to the kingdom of darkness.
How many of satan’s workers do you suppose have been assigned to thwart God’s activity in your life?
Those who sit in a pew from week to week and NEVER speak the name of Christ in the workplace require few opponents because they represent no threat to the kingdom of darkness.
How are you impacting the kingdom of darkness? (Read 1JN 1:5-10)
God has called you and me to impact the lives around us for His Kingdom. Your words may be an affront to those around you; do not fear this. God will use your words and life to draw others to Himself.
*You are His ambassador in the workplace.
*He has placed you there for this time to extend life to those who live in darkness.
Beloved, in your point of desperation, hold on to your faith and seek the Lord’s face. God is not far from you, and God knows the details of your struggle. God’s ears are not dull of hearing, nor is His arm to short to bring deliverance. You are the Lord’s own special treasure, and He IS vitally interested in every phase of your existence. It is the Lord’s will for you to overcome and succeed. Trust Him to help you in your times of need.
Psalms 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Father, increase my love for, and obedience to, Your Word. Help me be a true disciples of Jesus Christ and be. A better student of Scripture and walk according to Your teaching to live the life of an authentic Christian!
In Jesus Name, Amen
The “Heart of the matter, is the matter of the Heart”
God Himself (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) dwells within the born-again believer. Our spirit has been united with His Spirit, and we have become one.
* “He that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit [with Him].”1 Corinthians 6:17
Walk with God in His light and we will have eternal life. Why not live for God… if not, you will be searching for something that will never satisfy you. The only thing that can fulfill that satisfaction is God.
1 John 1:3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us. Yes, and our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 And we write these things to you, that our joy may be fulfilled.
Evangelism is done in the hope of creating new people whom it will be a pleasure to be with because they
admire most the one we admire most.
What is the Goal of Evangelism?
Evangelism is a word used to describe the different ways God uses us, along with His Word and Spirit, to transform unbelievers into people whose great delight in life is to know and trust in him.
Therefore, under God, our goal in evangelism is to be his instruments in creating new people who delight in God through Jesus Christ and who thus bring us great joy.
There is no escape: if we, by God’s grace, are successful in evangelism we will be happier.
Our joy in God will be increased.
Does this imply that we are only out to get notches on our fishing pole that we can boast about without really caring for the other person’s good?
No! ***It is that person’s infinite and eternal welfare that makes us happy.
The only boasting we care for is in the glorious grace of God.
*He is at work in us and in the new convert to make us gradually into the kind of people who love God more and who, therefore, will inevitably make each other glad.
God is love! Don’t get stuck in routine. Be bold and intentional. You would not physically let a child walk into oncoming traffic, so why would you allow them to do so spiritually? Don’t bury your talents.
Do we not admire people who have the virtues we value most?
And is not admiration a tremendous pleasure? (Witness how people love to cheer and talk about their heroes).
Can you not then feel a desire kindling in your heart for God to use you to create out of unbelievers people who have the virtue you value the most—a joyful trust in God?
It is a tragic thing to let so many people go on without admiring God. We could be enjoying their worship of God instead of lamenting the dishonor they do to him.
So evangelism is not necessarily aimed at people we like; it is aimed to create people we like—people we admire for their love of God.
Evangelism is done in the hope of creating new people whom it will be a pleasure to be with because they admire most the ONE we admire most.
There is every reason for a Christian Hedonist to bear witness to his faith and thus be like the Apostle John in his first letter, who said, “we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete” (1 John 1:4)
Evangelism is simply:
* Telling people how great Jesus is!!!!
* IT is also telling them about what we have seen.
What we have seen and heard, what we have experienced – that is what we share with others.
* I was once lost but now I am found,
* I was bound but now I am free, and it is all because of Jesus!!!!!!
When one knows Jesus as their Lord and Savor, We will not be running with people that willing live in SIN and Don’t want to change, instead they will be telling them about Jesus ; and what He has done for them.
*Darkness and light cannot go together, nor can sin and righteousness go together.(1JN 1:5-7)
*Yes we will sin but not as a rule in our life.
*I’m a child of God, and I have the exciting assurance of being with the Lord now, and forever in Heaven when I die. Exciting enough? “Go shout it from the mountain!”
When the Word is opened up, people begin to understand themselves. When you know God you begin to understand yourself, because you are made in the image of God. The people in Jerusalem were soon growing in self-knowledge as they began to hunger for the Word of God.
The great tragedy of our day is how few churches and people seem to understand this power of Scripture.
Lord, create in me a hunger for Your Word. Forgive me for so often taking it for granted. Thank You Lord Jesus for giving us the comfort and joy of Your Holy Word. To know that You wrote these testaments for us as a guide to be happy and free of satan. I know that without Your word I would be lost and confused. I thank You for Your love, caring and understanding and for wanting me to live a life of joy. Amen.
Read MoreDoes our heavenly Father favor certain of his children?
When it comes to salvation and his wonderful promises, God treats ALL alike but he also puts his special favor on those who respond wholeheartedly to his calling and yield their lives to him entirely!
Job said: “Thou hast granted me life and favour” (Job 10:12). David said: ” For you bless the godly, O Lord; you surround them with your shield of love.” (Psalm 5:12).
God is all knowing, therefore He knows the good and the bad, those who seek him an those who don’t. If you truely seek him with your heart and through your actions then he will have a place for you in heaven!
Our heavenly Father puts a special garment on those who completely give him their heart:
“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness” (Isaiah 61:10).
* True saving faith’s object is Jesus alone
* True saving faith results in a changed life.
*Stop judging and evaluating yourself, for this is not your role. Above all, stop comparing yourself with other people. *This produces feelings of:
* Pride
* or inferiority;
sometimes, a mixture of both.
Beloved, you are to be looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of your faith! When Satan comes and points at some weakness in your heart, you have every right to answer, “My God already knows it all and he still loves me! He has given me everything I need to attain victory and keep it.”
(See 1JN 4:4 for Fighting From Victory)
“For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things” (1 John 3:20). He knows all about you—and he still loves you enough to say, “Come on in and get all you need. The storehouse is open!”
The doors to his storehouse are wide open, and his riches are full to overflowing. God is urging you: “Come boldly to the throne of grace, that [you] may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).
How many years have you been on the outside? YOU HAVE a Father who has been laying up a great treasure of provision for YOU and yet you have left it unclaimed.
The Lord leads each of His children along a path that is uniquely tailor made for him or her. Comparing is not only wrong; it is also meaningless.
**Don’t look for affirmation in the wrong places; your own evaluations, or those of other people.
*The only source of real affirmation is the Lord’s unconditional Love. Many believers perceive Jesus as an unpleasable Judge, angrily searching out their faults and failures.
Nothing could be farther from the truth!
JESUS died for your sins, so that He might clothe you in His garments of salvation. This is how the Lord sees you: radiant in HIS robe of righteousness.
When the Lord disciplines you, it’s never in anger or disgust; it is to prepare you for face-to-Face fellowship with HIM throughout all eternity.
* Immerse yourself in HIS loving Presence.
*Be receptive to HIS affirmation, which flows continually from the throne of grace.
Joseph responded to the Spirit’s call, surrendering all, and as a favor from his father he received a robe that set him apart. But that favor of his father was costly! It cost Joseph relationships and brought him rejection, misunderstanding and mockery: “All his brethren . . . hated him” (Genesis 37:4).
Why did Joseph’s brothers turn on him? “His brethren envied him.” When they saw the robe Joseph wore, they knew it spoke of favor, righteousness. And they hated it, because it reminded them of the Spirit’s call they had rejected! Joseph was a reproach to their halfhearted lifestyle!
You see, Joseph’s brothers sat around indulging in petty gossip and self-centered talk. Their hearts were occupied with lands, possessions, the future, but Joseph’s was elsewhere. He spoke of the things of God, of supernatural dealings.
God had given him dreams, which in that day was synonymous with hearing the voice of God.
*Lukewarm believers around you will want to talk about their cars, houses, Toys and jobs, but you’d rather talk about eternal things, about what God is saying to you.
* Soon you’ll become a reproach to their halfheartedness. They will envy you because you represent the CALL of the Holy Ghost they turned down!
Yes, Joseph was of a different cloth and that difference made him hated and envied among his brothers. And, beloved, the same will happen to you if you are sold out to Jesus!
Romans 8: 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?
* Paul provides us with a very descriptive manifestation of all that is for those who are in Christ Jesus;
Romans 8:
1. No condemnation! (vs. 1)
2. Live in the Spirit (vs. 9)
3. Life because of righteousness (vs. 10)
4. Are children of God (vs. 14 & 15)
5. Have hope (vs. 23-25)
6. Experience God’s good working (vs. 28)
7, Are called, justified, and glorified (vs. 30
8. Are more than conquerors! (vs. 31 &37)
9. Will never be separated from the love of God! (vs. 35)
This is an amazing Chapter full of the promise that God gives us- His children.
Psalms 145:13
God is faithful. He is faithful to fulfill every promise in His Word. Sometimes we think God isn’t faithful because it appears He has not fulfilled a desire that we have. Sometimes we think He is not faithful because of a crisis event that seems to say God isn’t faithful.
** We must remember that God is more concerned about accomplishing His ultimate purpose in the life of every believer than giving us the desires of our heart. Sometimes this results in hardship.
The Bible is full of accounts of God’s faithfulness that was often accompanied by hardship.
*He brought Joseph out of slavery to be greatly used in a nation.
* He delivered the people from Egypt and brought them into the Promised Land.
* He gave Abraham the son of promise late in his life.
*He delivered David from his enemies and made him a king. In story upon story, we learn of God’s faithfulness.
Are you a faithful man or woman? The world needs faithful men and women. Take an inventory of your life today and ask God if you have been faithful with what He has entrusted to you.
I pray that i 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. Amen Thank You Jesus!
Read MoreGod wants us to become so “at one” with Him that whatever pours forth from us is no longer our life, but His Life.
“In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” John 1:4
Must we wait for heaven?
Do our lives reflect the glory of Jesus today as well as our hope to behold His glory in the future?
Jesus Prayer
John 17:24-26 Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world (John 17:24).
Jesus closes His prayer with a great, heartfelt expression of His desire that we may be with Him in glory, that all who believe in His name, from the beginning of Pentecost until the end of time, may be with Him in His glory.
*What a magnificent basis for our hope of heaven!
* And yet heaven is heaven only because we will be with Christ.
* This is the hope of every believer, that one day we will be with Him. As Paul said, “We … would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8-9).
And in many places Scripture brings that hope before us.
The joy of the Christian is that in heaven we behold the glory of Jesus, the face of Jesus, the manifestation of all the glory that is in Him.
It is a great hope! In the Scriptures we are not told a lot about heaven just enough to make us want to be there. *But the hope set forth for us is that we will be with Jesus to behold His glory in answer to this prayer.
* But we don’t have to wait for heaven. There is a sense in which this prayer is being answered right now.
I think our Lord intended it this way, for in the Spirit we are able, right now, to behold the glory of Jesus.
And it is the vision of that glory, of who Jesus is, that changes us.
Paul tells us that we are now seated with Christ in the heavenly places. In 2 Corinthians he says,
“And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18).
So the more we see and behold the glory of Jesus, the more we are being made like Him even though we may not be aware the change is taking place.
What is this glory?
Our Lord defines it for us in John 17 verse 26:
“I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the LOVE you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”
*The glory of Jesus is the glory of love–*The love of God for people.
That is what grips our hearts and changes our lives and makes us different people, forgives our sins, lifts us up again, and encourages our hearts. *It is the realization that God indeed loves us as He loves Jesus.
Hearing and doing God’s will are two important steps that often get confused as one step. However, these are two distinct processes.
* When we hear God’s voice, this is only 50 percent of the process.
*The next important step is to know when to move.
*It is one thing to hear; it is another to know when to act.
As we say in Moving Forward: “A vision without Action is a Delusion”.
God is always on time. He is never late, and He is seldom early. Ask God for the wisdom to discern His will and His timing for the events in your life.
Discern your point of stress, and apply faith and trust in the Lord. Stress comes when you lack understanding and need wisdom.
Ask for what you need, and Jesus will give it.
Refuse to be afraid of failure, for the Lord will lead you through even the most difficult maze to attain your goal. But, you must rely on the Lord for guidance and direction.
Do not fall back on trusting yourself or your own good ideas.
Seek JESUS instead!
John 15:16 “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.”
The Lord has given you a brief glimpse or an inkling of what lies ahead. The things that the Lord has shown you are for the purpose of establishing you in greater peace so that you can take things as they come in stride without overreacting either positively or negatively. You must live day by day in spiritual reality and present truth. Stay current and trust the Lord to direct your every step.
*Proverbs 16:9 A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.
Thank You, Lord, that You have gripped me with this great love and given me the hope of glory! May we ALL continue to seek You Daily and grow our Personal Relationship with You-knowining-trusting-and wanting- You Lord to Direct our every step!
In Jesus Name, Amen
How much do you love God? Are you willing to lay down your will and your life for Him everyday?
“…I die daily.”. 1 Corinthians 15:31
God has given you a “will” and he expects you to use your willingness to bring Him glory.
We have the will to do everything that
our heart’s desire.
* Does our heart desire to do and be what it pleasing to the Lord?
*Are you willing to take the blows that you may receive for your actions to do what you know to be right before God? *Can you bend your knees and say to the Lord “thy will be done in my life”?
Here is a prime example of willingness to do the will of the Father.
*In Luke 22:42, (read the whole chapter when you can), our Lord
Jesus was in agony over what was about to take place and he went to pray to the Father, He told his disciples to pray and he went to a solitary place a little away
from them to pray in the 42nd verse this is what He said, “…Father, it thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”
*So often we are seeking to do our own will in our lives and when we do we falter and cry and ask the Lord, why is this or why is that happening?
Some things happen to us sometimes we are tormented because of disobedience to what the Lord has instructed us to do.
No matter what it sounds like to us we must learn to Listen and Heed the instructions of the Lord, for the Lord will never tell us to do anything that is not for our good.
He knows what is best for us in every place we find ourselves to be in.
* Want to be called a Friend of God? Be willing to do what is His will not your own.
*Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
God uses work to develop character qualities that He plans to use at the appropriate time. In the small things we develop trustworthiness with God. The day-in and day-out grind of working life molds us and makes us into what God desires.
God may still be preparing you for something far greater. For now, however, you are learning the daily lessons of small things. Pray that you will be faithful.
Often we must go through a messy period of our lives in which all aspects of it are in disarray. It is in these times that God builds a new structure. He might remove some structural timbers in our lives and replace them with new ones. He might even add on another room. And unless this process takes place, we will never see the end product.
** The goal is more Christlikeness.
* In order to achieve this in us, He requires a period of removing ALL that is not of Him. It can be a painful process.
* God may be allowing a mess in order to ensure a fruitful harvest in your life. Learn from Him so that you might experience the fulfillment of His purposes for you in these times
“As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things” (Eccl 11:5).
God will often use circumstances in our lives to direct us in making and confirming decisions.
I have often discovered this to be the case – but only after a situation has occurred. I later look back and see how God worked in the situation.
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:1). All guilt and condemnation are clearly of the devil.
One meaning of the word condemnation is wrath. This is saying you won’t come under his judgment—that on the Judgment Day you will be free from his wrath.
But condemnation also means “the feeling of never measuring up to standards.” And the Word is teaching us that the believer shall not come under the feeling of never measuring up!
God remains in control. God allows bad things to happen, because he is preparing us for greater things.(Eccles. 7:14)
* Nothing can separate you from His love.
* God wants to turn your test into a testimony. Trouble is inevitable but misery is optional. IT IS ALSO TRUE THAT GOOD PEOPLE OVERCOME BAD THINGS.
Have you ever questioned God’s activity in your life? Have you questioned His love for you based on circumstances that came your way?
The cross at Calvary answers the love question. God sent His own Son in replacement for your sin.
If you were the only person on earth, He would have done the same.
God’s ways cannot always be understood or reconciled in our finite minds. That must be left for a future time when all will be understood. For now, entrust your life to Him completely. Embrace Him in the hard times and the good.
Ecclessiates 7:14 On a good day, enjoy yourself; On a bad day, examine your conscience. God arranges for BOTH kinds of days So that we won’t take anything for granted. Stay in Touch with Both Sides.
Father In the name of Jesus, Lord I thank you for this, another day. I thank you
Lord for your mercy and your grace, your love and your kindness. I bless you Lord this day. I thank you Lord for being the captain of my soul for leading and guiding me in a right path. Thank you Lord for setting my feet on a rock and I thank you Lord that I am shielded and protected by you.
I thank you Lord for restoration. I thank you Lord for rest. I thank you Lord for
healing. I thank you Lord for provision. I thank you Lord for your love.
Lord I pray today that not my will but your will be done in my life.
I want to be and do what is totally pleasing in your eyesight. I want to be called a Friend of God, for you dear Lord are my true heart’s desire and I want to be all that you have made me to be, I want to do all that you have called me to do. In Jesus name I pray. Amen
No one — no counselor, no pastor, no friend — knows as much about you as JESUS does!!!!!!
We should be slow to treat Jesus as if he doesn’t know what he is doing. He is not naïve in the way he deals with our anxiety.
In Matthew 6:25-34 he tells us three times not to be anxious (vv. 25, 31, 34) and gives us eight reasons not to be anxious.
Evidently Jesus thinks this will help. So don’t call it simplistic. Call it grace. Believe him. Take every reason and preach it to your soul as true.
Say, Soul, this is true. Jesus Christ says so. Trust him. He died for you. He loves you. He created you. He knows you. No one — no counselor, no pastor, no friend — knows as much about you as he does.
Listen to him. Let these reasons sink in. Bank on them. Now, let’s get up and do what we need to do. Be gone anxiety.
Here’s a summary of what he said:
1. Life is more than food and the body more than clothing (Matthew 6:25).
2. God feeds the birds and you are more valuable than they are (Matthew 6:26).
3. It’s pointless. It adds not one hour to your life (Matthew 6:27).
4. If God clothes ephemeral grass, he will clothe eternal you (Matthew 6:28-30).
5. Unbelievers are anxious about stuff. And you are not an unbelieve r(Matthew 6:32a).
6. Your father (!) knows that you need all these things you’re anxious about (Matthew 6:32b).
7. When you seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness, what you need is added to you.
8. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Tomorrow’s trouble stays there (Matthew 6:34)
Fearfulness is also called anxiety or worry.
* Worry means to strangle.
* Panic attacks & anxiety comes from being tired and worrying yourself!!
1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has punishment. He who fears is not made perfect in love.
2 Tim. 1:7 For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.
*Fear is not only an emotion,it is a Spirit. Spirit of fear opens you up to other bad things.
You overcome fear by:
1. Rejecting what God did not give you.
2. Receiving what God does give you
3. Resting even when you do not understand!!!
Romans 8:28 We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.
Jesus loved His Father so much that He allowed Himself to be crucified in obedience to God’s Will.
“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who…humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
Philippians 2:5-8
You are on a fast track of preparation to be equipped and positioned to take the next step in your progression to kingdom destiny. The Lord will take you every step of the way, but whether the journey is easy or hard depends on your willingness and obedience. The more completely submitted your heart is to the Lord, the easier it will be to flow with His Spirit. The Lord will give you wisdom along the way, and HE will make the path clear. Trust Him and let the Lord lead.
Psalms 31:3 For You are my rock and my fortress; therefore, for Your name’s sake, lead me and guide me.
Lord, everything Good is Your work. Help Us Lord to be part of ALL things, not just OUR things. God, we know You have a bigger plan for our lives, we are meant for bigger things. Jesus- you put us on this earth to show others about You and what You have done. Thank You Jesus for the Cross-defeating ALL things there, including my fears and anxiety. Help me Trust You more this Day!!!!!!
Amen
 Who knows you Best?
Reply
No one — no counselor, no pastor, no friend — knows as much about you as JESUS does!!!!!!
We should be slow to treat Jesus as if he doesn’t know what he is doing. He is not naïve in the way he deals with our anxiety. Evidently Jesus thinks this will help. So don’t call it simplistic. Call it grace. Believe him. Take every reason and preach it to your soul as true. Say, Soul, this is true. Jesus Christ says so. Trust him. He died for you. He loves you. He created you. He knows you. No one — no counselor, no pastor, no friend — knows as much about you as he does. Here’s a summary of what he said: 1. Life is more than food and the body more than clothing (Matthew 6:25). Fearfulness is also called anxiety or worry. Romans 8:28 We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. Jesus loved His Father so much that He allowed Himself to be crucified in obedience to God’s Will. You are on a fast track of preparation to be equipped and positioned to take the next step in your progression to kingdom destiny. The Lord will take you every step of the way, but whether the journey is easy or hard depends on your willingness and obedience. The more completely submitted your heart is to the Lord, the easier it will be to flow with His Spirit. The Lord will give you wisdom along the way, and HE will make the path clear. Trust Him and let the Lord lead. Lord, everything Good is Your work. Help Us Lord to be part of ALL things, not just OUR things. God, we know You have a bigger plan for our lives, we are meant for bigger things. Jesus- you put us on this earth to show others about You and what You have done. Thank You Jesus for the Cross-defeating ALL things there, including my fears and anxiety. Help me Trust You more this Day!!!!!!
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The First and foremost goal/mission is to spread the gospel.
There should be more peace in God’s house than any where else.
Acts 6: 1-7. Spreading the Gospel FIRST
“God’s organizational chart”
In these short 7 verses it is Awesome how God lays out the roles that fulfill both the Spiritual and Physical needs of the church Body.
If we take this serious and organize our churches and ministries according to God’s organizational chart we can expect verse #7 to describe our ministry results.
Acts 6:7 So God’s message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.
Of course this is as long as the leadership does not forget that they are simply servant leaders and start to prance around like pharisaical peacocks. *Pride is one of the sneakiest and deadliest sins and has destroyed many churches/Ministries whom were once strong beacons of light.
In Acts–A the jewish community were being converted to Christianity there were a huge number of widows and orphans. The “Christian Community”. (the flock) developed a system to help the NEEDY.
There were Greek speaking jews who grew up outside of Jerusalem who felt that they were receiving smaller portion of the money, food, etc.
* What COULD have happened was a church split like many modern day churches. The effect of that would have been the death of the church because there would be NO UNITY.
The needs were not being met. Have you ever felt like that? You feel as if your being neglected even though you ARE part of the church Body.
The Greek speaking Jews complained. The result of this complaint, really set in Motion the Growth of the church.
** The complaint became an “Opportunity” for the church to bring more people in Leadership and Prioritize the need of the church because what was at stake was the GOSPEL-NOT personal achievements or programs.
What we see is that the apostles were running the foods program but as it was expanding there was just too much work on their hand.
The need was there so they passed out bread but eventually they realized that all they did was Caring for the needy and NOT Preaching.(Bandaide to problem).
We are so easily convinced that those placed in leadership already have control etc.
The temptation of those who serve is that they feel like without them the church would not run.
The apostles could have done that. Saying we ARE the original 12 and yes we should be the ones to take care of this. The church relies on us. But led by the spirit they rechecked the reason for the existence if a church.
****Yes we need to help the needy but our first and foremost goal/mission is to spread the GOSPEL.
Here in Acts 6 shows us how we need to duplicate ourselves. We need to realize that we are replaceable at all times……Sometimes we are selfish when it comes to ministry and not share, teach or mentor others…
The apostles gathered everyone and told everyone:
* that preaching the gospel supersedes keeping the needy (not replace it)
* They acknowledged the important of helping the needy as well.
*They called in those who are filled with the spirit to take leadership.
The leaders were not picked because the position was in need and to simply full the empty body.
*These leaders were also filled with the spirit. These were the first deacons. Deacons simply mean servants. That was the solution.
*These seven men of good and attested Character and Repute, full of the [Holy] Spirit and Wisdom.
It’s so apparent when you come on the sunday morning are the praise team and the pastor. But what are YOU doing? It’s highlighted by this passage is that no ministry is minor.
Serve the church not with the mindset if “they need me” but work the heart to serve the Lord our God.
**But always realize, the primary purpose of the church is the GOSPEL and this supersedes everything.
The result in Acts 6, was that the church spread and even the temple priests who were against the church became converted.
Sometimes God will allow problems to come into your home, marriage, with your children, on your job, etc. to take you higher.
We always want the numerical over the biblical when we should concentrate more on the Word versus the numbers.
Being one with God simply means following Jesus, who willingly chose to suffer rejection and lay down His very life.
“…fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Hebrews 12:2
How does God reveal His Will to us? He speaks to us and guides us as we read and meditate upon His Word.
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet; and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105
Matthew 13:23 The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”
*If Jesus needed the 12 disciples in His ministry who are WE to think WE can do it alone? We need the entire Body and we need to be a part of it!
Lord guide us all and speak to us on how You want us to serve. Put it upon our hearts Lord, knowing we are serving You First then man. Help us to help the Body keep the Gospel number 1 in all we do and say. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet; and a light unto my path”.
In Jesus Name I Pray, Amen.