Devotions - Prayer
“The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah, and He struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God.”1 Chronicles 13:10
A business friend of mine confessed that he did not like to read. He found it a difficult discipline. I replied, If you do not commit yourself to knowing what is in God’s Word and following it, you will fail to know and experience God.
God’s Word is life to our souls. It provides knowledge that leads to life.” The prophet Hosea tells us, “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as My priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children” (Hos. 4:6).
God has given us His Word that has specific laws and principles that must be followed if we expect His blessing. King David forgot to follow one of those laws related to the ark. “…But they must not touch the holy things or they will die…” (Num. 4:15). When they were transporting the ark, Uzzah innocently reached to steady the ark but was immediately stricken dead when his hands touched the ark of God.
- Did David know this law or did he simply forget?
- Did Uzzah know this law?
- If so, did he really believe it? David thought it was okay to carry the ark the way Uzzah did. A man lost his life for his presumption.
Many workplace believers I know take God’s Word lightly. They believe they can violate His Word without consequence. This is not true; the Lord stands by to uphold His Word. It can be life, or it can bring death. When God provides instructions, we need to follow them.
- Knowing this about God brings a healthy fear of the Lord. “David was afraid of God that day and asked, ‘How can I ever bring the ark of God to me?’ ” (1 Chron. 13:12)
- We must all have a fearful respect of God’s Word. For truly, it is life or death.
- Do you take God’s Word seriously? Is it life or death for you?
- Do you feed upon His Word daily so that you might know Him and know His precepts? Feed upon this knowledge and be blessed of God.
- Any lust harboured in the heart, in time will eat out all its strength and vigour. Some have a liking for some secret lust, which takes away their hearts.
Thank you Lord for Your Word!
Read MoreJesus said “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life”!
.. the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15b).
Paul describes the role of the church in two dramatic words: the church is the
1. “pillar”
2. The “foundation” of the truth.
The great reason for the existence of the church is to:
*** Introduce Truth back into a world saturated with error and fantasy. WE WILL ALL DIE SOMETIME & THERE IS A HELL-THERE IS A HEAVEN!
The church recovers truth when it is lost. (And boy are we lost).
That is why all Moral Recovery in a nation always begins with the church, with the people of God.
***Their Testimonies of what Jesus has done for them personally!!!(Rev. 12:11).
Any Hope that we in this country will ever recover from this downhill slide into despair lies in the presence of the church(Body of Christ) in our midst.
So the church is “the pillar and foundation of the truth.” The Church is not a denomination-It’s all believers in Jesus Christ.
All believers are the household of God and are crucial pillars in representing the truth of God.
Without the Church:
*There is no conduit for truth
*Without truth, there is no hope.
* God has ordained that through the Church; His Bride, He will reveal Himself to the world.
***Let us not lose sight of this, and let us hold fast to Jesus and His Word (John 17:17).
Hebrews 12: 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.
We need God’s anointing in the place called church to help us to conduct ourselves.
Romans 12:5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.(His Church)!
We all need to be part of the fruit-bearing stage. In it, God’s power is manifested in your life like never before.
***God takes ALL our experiences and uses them to build His Kingdom in and through your life.
*** Your obedience to this final call results in fruitfulness you could never imagine without the long preparation process.
What does God want to achieve through our lives?
*God has a plan that is so incredible we cannot comprehend it.
*It requires only that we love Him and follow Him.
Then we will become fishers of men like the world has never known.
“‘Come, follow Me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will make you fishers of men.'” Matthew 4:19
Matthew 6:33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
” May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.”
God is Able, and God bless America! AMEN
Read More“Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me. Take up shield and buckler; arise and come to my aid. Brandish spear and javelin against those who pursue me. Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.””Psalm 35:1–3
That was a prayer of David in a time of deep distress, a time when he felt himself surrounded by enemies pressing in against him and he saw no way to keep them out.
So He cried out to the Lord and said, “Lord, take Your stand against my enemies. Take up Your mighty spiritual weapons and block the way against them.”
The great conclusive answer to that prayer of David came through David’s greater son, the Lord Jesus Christ, about a thousand years later.
On the cross, Jesus did just that.
- He blocked the way against all the enemies of our soul.
- He stopped the way.
- He put an end to Satan’s claims.
- He set a limit to Satan’s territory.
- He created a boundary that Satan cannot pass over.
Remember this: the cross is God’s great stop sign.
The devil may be moving in against us at full speed, but when we put up the cross, he slams on his brakes and comes to a screeching halt because he cannot pass the cross. That’s where Jesus stopped the way against all our enemies. Now that is victory! SEE 1 JOHN 4:4
Eph. 6:11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.
2 Corinthians 10:3 We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. 4 We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.
God will come to my rescue against my enemies. But David also spoke to God about praying for his enemies.
*I will put faith in God regarding the evil powers of this world. I know that HE will protect me and my family.
*I will also pray for my enemies.
Lord thank you for this glorious day of your protection. Thank you for your unfailing love and your mercy never seize. Again thank you and we love you. We bring back all the honor and glory through the beautiful name of Jesus Christ. Amen
Read MoreBe humble and give more honor to others than to yourselves” (Philippians 2:3b ).
Pride destroys relationships. It shows up in a lot of different ways, like criticism, competition, stubbornness, and superficiality.
The problem with pride is it’s self-deceiving. Everybody else can see it in us but us. When you have a problem with pride, you don’t see it in your life.
Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride leads to destruction; a proud attitude brings ruin”. I love this verse in the Message paraphrase: “First pride, then the crash — the bigger the ego, the harder the fall.”
- Pride destroys relationships, but humility is the antidote to pride.
- Humility builds relationships.
The Bible says in 1 Peter 3:8, “Live in harmony, be sympathetic, love each other, have compassion, and be humble”.
How are you and I going to grow in humility?
It happens by letting Jesus Christ begin to control our thoughts and hearts and attitudes and reactions. He’s got to be a part of this. Ephesians 4:23-24 says, “Let the Spirit change your way of thinking and make you into a new person” .
How do you become a new person? How do you start to think in a different way?
The basic law of relationships is this: You tend to become like the people you spend time with.
- If you spend time with grumpy people, you get grumpier.
- If you spend time with people in addictions, you get addicted.
- If you spend time with people that have gratitude, you have gratitude.
- If you spend time with happy people, you get happier.
- If you spend time with selfish people, you become selfish.
- If you spend time with people who do not respect others, you will not respect others.
If you want to have more humility, spend time with Jesus Christ. He is humble. He wants a relationship with you. He wants you to spend time with him in prayer and reading his Word and talking to him. He is humble, and as you get to know him, you’ll become more like him.
“Be humble and give more honor to others than to yourselves … You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to” (Philippians 2:3b, 5-6.
No one has done anything more humble than Jesus, coming from Heaven to Earth to become a man, live for us, give his life for us, and be resurrected for us.
When you spend time with him, it makes you more humble, and that builds your relationships.
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They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah. Acts 5:40b-42
The apostles did not stop. They counted themselves fortunate to suffer dishonor for his name. It seems to take Christians so long to face up to the simple declaration of Scripture that, when they were called to be a Christian, they were called to suffer.
As Paul said in his letter to the Philippians, For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him. (Philippians 1:29). We are called to this.
Suffering is an integral part of the Christian experience. It is not something that is unusual or reserved for just a few; it is for all. Peter wrote, Do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.(1 Peter 4:12). Don’t think it is strange. You go through problems, difficulties, heartaches, disappointments, ostracism and coolness from others, all for the sake of the Name. Don’t think that is strange. It is that to which we are called.
In a world that is run by illusions, governed by deceptions, and is a victim of lies and maliciously evil falsehoods, what else can we expect if we stand for the truth?
- People will think we are strange, at times.
- People will think we react in funny ways. There will be some degree of coolness, even among those who are, in many other ways, friendly toward us.
- They will think we are a little odd. But it is they who are odd; it is we who are normal. When a normal person lives in a world full of oddballs, they think he’s odd. But that is the suffering to which he is called.
Like these disciples, we ought to thank God for it and rejoice in it. Jesus said that, didn’t he? Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my name’s sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad, … for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you... (Matthew 5:11-12 KJV).
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Join us tonight for communityfestmn.com from 5 to 8 for prayer, healing free food and music!
A stronghold is a fortress of thoughts that controls and influences our attitudes.
Some of the things God brings up from our hidden chambers have been lifelong strongholds of the enemy. They may appear as “giants” when we seek to break free of them, but God is already the Victor! You will see His salvation if you faint not.
“But Moses said to the people, ‘Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever.'” Exodus 14:13
Remember:*EACH person is given something to do that SHOWS who God is! This gifting God has given each one of us is an OUTLET for the OVERFLOW of GOD’S LOVE in our lives for others.
Coming Out of the Stronghold
“Do not stay in the stronghold. Go into the land of Judah“… – 1 Samuel 22:5
David and his fighting men had been hiding in the cave of Adullam. He was fleeing Saul. Many of life’s down-and-out had come and joined David’s army.
David was content to stay in the stronghold of safety.
Then, God’s prophet came to David and told him that he must leave the stronghold and go into the land of Judah.
When life beats down on us and we get to the place where we want to hide in a cave, God often places people around us who prod us into moving in the right direction.
God does not want us to remain in the place of discouragement. He wants us to move into the land of “praise.” Judah means “praise.”
Our attitude must move from discouragement to praise.
*It is when we move past discouragement to praise that we begin living above our problems.
The way is open for you to come boldly before the Lord’s throne of grace.
Do not be afraid or hesitate. Come and let Him speak to your heart, for you need wisdom and direction for the days ahead.
Listen for the Lord’s still small voice, and you will hear. “I will guide your steps, and lead you to victory.”
Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
God help me to put my trust in You today. To trust in my relationship with You and my knowledge of Your love, justice and righteousness. Amen
Read MoreLet us test and examine our ways. Let us turn back to the Lord. Let us lift our hearts and hands to God in heaven and say, ‘We have sinned and rebelled’”Lamentations 3:40-42a.
The path to a fresh start and a clear conscience begins with repentance. First, review every area of your life, and then repent of every sin.
What does it mean to repent? It means three things:
- First, you take responsibility for your sin.
- Second, you turn away from those things.
- And third, you turn toward God and his grace.
Repentance does not mean rationalizing your sin. You don’t say, “It was no big deal.” It was a big deal, or you wouldn’t have remembered it. You don’t say, “It happened so long ago” or “It was just a stage I went through” or “Everybody does it.” It doesn’t matter! You cannot rationalize sin, minimize it, excuse it, or blame others. That is not true repentance.
Pay attention to this: The greatest holdup to the healing of your hang-up is you.
You’re not waiting on God; you’re not waiting on anybody else. God wants to heal the hang-up in your life, but the greatest holdup to your hang-up is you.
The Bible says in 1 John 1:8, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us”(NIV).
Would you like to get rid of the self-defeating habits in your life?
- You will stop defeating yourself when you stop deceiving yourself.
- It all starts with gut-level honesty and recognizing that something is wrong, no matter how much you want to rationalize it and excuse it.
- You need to admit it, confess it, and get it out of your life.
E’s of Decision Making”…Glorifying God in the Gray Areas…(got this from a Bible Study friend, not sure of author)
Edification…Will this activity produce a spiritual benefit?
Enslavement…Will this activity lead to spiritual bondage?
Exposure…Will this activity expose my mind or body to defilement?
Esteem…Will this benefit others, or cause them to stumble?
Evangelism…Will this activity further the cause of the Gospel?
Ethics…Will this activity violate my conscious?
Exaltation…Will this activity bring glory to God?
Armed with these basic principles every believer can navigate the gray areas with integrity. Amen
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Luke 23:18 “And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas:”
What happened to Barabbas is a picture of what happens when a person is born again. Barabbas was guilty; Jesus was innocent. Yet Jesus suffered the death that Barabbas should have experienced, and Barabbas went free.
Likewise, we were all guilty (Rom. 3:23) and condemned to death (Rom. 6:23), yet Jesus suffered our punishment so that we may go free (2 Cor. 5:21). Just as Barabbas didn’t ask for this substitution, so “God commended his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).
Barabbas was freed, but he had to choose whether or not to accept this new start and remain free, or go back to his old ways and come under the judgment of Rome again.
Likewise, we have all been freed through the substitutionary death of Jesus, but we have to choose whether to accept our freedom by putting faith in Jesus or to reject it, by denying Him.
Our death to sin and resurrection to life with Christ, is already a reality in our spirits but will only become a physical reality when we know and believe it.
In the same way that Jesus died unto sin once, and death no longer has dominion over Him, the person who recognizes their death with Christ unto sin, will not allow sin to rule over him anymore. Any Christian who is struggling with sin has not recognized that they are dead unto sin.
“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse” (Rom 1:19-20).
You can be a believer yet act as though there is no God.
*Whenever you fret over life circumstances, you immediately demonstrate unbelief.
*Whenever you move out of fear or anxiety, you believe a lie about God’s nature.
Each day your actions affirm or convict you of your belief system.
*It reveals who the central focus of your life really is – you or God.
*It reveals who you place your ultimate trust in – you or God.
It is one of the great paradoxes for believers. One day we can believe Him to move mountains. The next day we can question His very existence.
We’ve lost our passionate embrace of the magnificent. Our appreciation for noticing God and His provision had been strangled by what the world begs us to pay attention to.
But I’m not interested in what the world classifies as important.
I’m interested in where God wants to point my focus. I’m interested in humbling myself in childlike awe of all that He is.
How might we remember to embrace the magnificent on this ordinary day?
Dear Lord, I praise You today for Your magnificence in all things. Humble me as Your child and guide me as I follow hard after You instead of the world. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Read More“Let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes” (Ephesians 4:23 ).
Change requires new thinking. In order to change, we must learn the truth and start making good choices, but we also must change the way we think.
The way you think determines the way you feel, and the way you feel determines the way you act.
If you want to change the way you act, you start by changing the way you think. In addition, if you want to change the way you feel, you must start with the way you think.
For instance, you can say, “I need to love my husband more,” but that isn’t going to work. You can’t fight your way into a feeling. You must change the way you think about your husband, about your kids, about your wife. That will change the way you feel, which will then change the way you act. The Bible says, “Let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes” (Ephesians 4:23).
The battle for sin, the battle to deal with those defects in your life that you don’t like, starts in your mind. If you want to change anything in your behavior or anything in your emotions, you start with your thoughts and your attitude.
The renewal of your mind is related to the word “repentance.” I know repentance is a dirty word for a lot of people. They think it means something bad, something they don’t really want to do, something painful. They think of a guy standing on a street corner with a sign that says, “Repent! The world’s about to end!”
Repentance is about more than changing your behavior. It is about changing your mind and learning to think differently. “Repent” simply means to make a mental U-turn.
- You turn from guilt to forgiveness.
- You turn from frustration to freedom, from darkness to light, from hatred and bitterness to love.
You may also need to change the way you think about God. He’s not mad at you; he’s mad about you! You’re deeply flawed, but you’re deeply loved.
Start with your mind, and change the way you think about your relationships, the economy, the world, and your past, present, and future.
Changing the way you think will then affect your emotions and your behavior.
Read Romans 12:1-3. Amen
Read MoreMark 4:7 7 Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain.
18 The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word, 19 but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced.
Don’t allow the things of the world to steal the Word of God from You. There is so much that surrounds us it is so easy to fall into wanting and desiring the things of this world—-everyone wants a nice home, nice cars, nice clothes, everyone wants more money so that they can get more and more and more and more, (again I tell you, there is nothing wrong with wanting to have nice things, it’s when we allow the desire to have these things to take precedence over God the Father is when it becomes wrong).
When these things are allowed to become more important than seeking the Father then we have made them to become idols in our lives.
*It’s not just the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches that choke the word of God out of us: it is the lust of other things as well.
Because of the finished work on the cross, we have Jesus within us—which we need to keep the word from being choked.
When our prayer goes unanswered, or we get the answer we do not want we like little children throw temper tantrums and say “God does not answer my prayers” or “God does not care”.
Do not allow the things of this world to steal the treasure that God has given to you.
Ephesians 4:31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.
32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
***Do not believe the lies the enemy whispers do not allow him to choke the Word from you.
*Pray asking the Lord every day to cleanse us of ALL unrighteousness, to wash in His blood, ask Him to keep our mind right and help us to resist the devil. Amen
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God Has A Greater Plan for Me—Since this is true — since nothing happens outside God’s will and plan(Read Ecclesiastes 7:14) — then my daily challenges are under his sovereign control, too.
*God knows about my tantrums, Sickness, and the everyday-stress of getting through each day.
*He is not surprised—All the events of our lives that feel out of our control are actually in God’s control.
Lamentations 3:37–38 says, “Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come?”
*God is in control of every circumstance and every event of our lives, and he uses them, often in some mysterious way, to change us more into the likeness of Christ.
When my days are long and everything seems to go wrong, I know it has all happened for a reason. (Romans 8:28–29).
This is what God is about. He is not in the business of making my life comfortable and free of any stress. He has something greater planned for me: my holiness.
In the midst of the chaos, I see Jesus and how much I need the gospel each and every moment.
The God of grace who saved me from sin is the God of grace who will help me have patience.
Every challenging situation becomes an opportunity for me to trust him — to obey, to learn, to grow, to rely more on his grace.
So when the air condition breaks and I get a flat tire, instead of despair there is hope. Life doesn’t feel out of control if we know “Who is in control”.
We can trust and rest in God’s sovereignty, knowing that he is using our every stress for our transformation and his glory.
“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-1
Lord, help me Focus on encouraging love in one another, not pointing out their faults. Let love cover my mistakes because Jesus forgives all mistakes and sins– that is why Jesus died for us. Thank You Jesus! Amen
Read MoreWe must realize that the battleground for this invisible war that we’re in is actually between our ears – in our minds.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12)
This is why God wants us to be prepared for the spiritual attacks that come our way.
He wants to equip and prepare us in the strength of his power to stand against the enemy’s schemes and defeat him in the specific battles in our life.
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. (Eph 6:14-15)
Notice that to protect ourselves from the evil:
We must do something. We must take action and stand. We’re commanded to consciously and vigorously make a decisive act to stand our ground firmly against the enemy’s assaults.
This means becoming aware of the devil’s schemes and putting on the full armor of God.
The armor of God is a metaphor to help us understand the general thinking of how we’re to prepare ourselves for spiritual battle. READ EPHESIANS 6 FOR TOTAL ARMOR. BELOW IS 2 OF 6 PIECES OF ARMOR.
First, we need to put on the belt of truth.
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4)
In response, our strategy is to protect our minds from Satan’s lies by knowing and believing what God’s word says is true of us: We’re accepted and deeply loved, bought with a price, part of God’s family, and sealed with the Spirit.
Putting on the belt of truth also means we’re honest with ourselves and with God. We’re open to correction when the Spirit of God speaks to us. We don’t hide or shift blame. We own our stuff.
Second, we need to put on the breastplate of righteousness.
Satan’s second tactic is condemnation. This is not the kind of condemnation we feel when we knowingly do something wrong and feel guilty. This is the kind of guilt that shames.
Satan condemns us by saying things like, “You’re a terrible person!” “God will never use you!” “If anyone knew what you did and found out who you really are!” “You call yourself a Christian!”
By putting on the breastplate of righteousness we can protect our heart against the enemy’s condemnation. What does this look like? It’s the practical application of God’s truth for our lives.
We’re already righteous before God because of Christ. But we need to apply this truth by living it out. This means living uprightly in our lifestyle and character.
When we’re living outside of God’s will, we open ourselves up to demonic attack.
So if God shows us a specific area of our lives that we need to get right, then we need to do what He says.
Jesus thank you for the cross that we Have Victory. Thank You for your Word that we can be ready to stand firm against the attacks of the evil one. Thank you-Thank you-AMEN
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The phrase “lust of the eyes” is found in 1 John 2:15-17: “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”
What is this “lust of the eyes”? Simply put, the lust of the eyes is the desire to possess what we see or to have those things which have visual appeal.
This coveting of money, possessions, or other physical things is not from God, but from the world around us. John emphasizes that these physical things do not last; they will pass away. In contrast, the child of God is guaranteed eternity.
The Ten Commandments addressed the lust of the eyes in its prohibition against coveting.
Exodus 20:17 commands, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.” Coveting can include a desire to have people, possessions, or status.
Satan uses the lust of the eyes as one avenue of temptation. Part of the reason Eve listened to the serpent in the Garden was that she looked at the forbidden fruit and saw that it was “pleasing to the eye” (Genesis 3:6). Satan used a visual image to help entrap her.
Satan tried a similar tactic on Jesus. One of his temptations in the wilderness was an attempt to make Jesus covet earthly power. Satan used a visual: he “showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor” (Matthew 4:8). He then promised to give them to Jesus—for a price. Of course, Jesus did not succumb to the lust of the eyes, and Satan was defeated (verses 10 and 11).
We must follow Jesus’ example and, in the power of the Holy Spirit, resist the lust of the eyes.
All that glitters is not gold, and the child of God knows that fame, fortune, and finery quickly fade (Proverbs 23:5). Our focus is not the newest product or latest fashion. Our goal is not to keep up with the Joneses.
Instead, our goal is “to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings” (Philippians 3:10). Our eyes are set on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2).
Our view is to eternity NOT the temporal pleasures here.
Again: The phrase “lust of the eyes” is found in 1 John 2:15-17. But our goal is “to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings” (Philippians 3:10). Our eyes are set on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2). Our view is to eternity! Amen
Psalm 126:5-6 Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.
The Bible is 100 percent Truth, so faithful to life. It doesn’t give us a rosy, false picture of what life is like.
It shows us both the dark and the light, the evil and the good, the hard and the enjoyable, the bitter and the sweet.
And the Bible says that, in effect, if we want to reap we are going to have to sow.
That’s a law of life; it’s a law of the universe.
It says that sowing will be done with tears, but reaping will come with joy.
That’s faith, you see. You’ve got to go out with your seed even in tears, to scatter the seed and be willing to wait, and to wait upon God and let Him bring forth the harvest which He’s promised.
But the promise is so beautiful, “He that goes out weeping carrying seed to sow will return with songs of joy carrying sheaves with him.”
Let this be a message to you and me. If we are feeling discouraged, if we are feeling that somehow things aren’t going the way we want them to, that we are working and seeing so few and such indeterminate results, just be prepared to weep.
But go on sowing, because God has promised that if you sow the good seed, even weeping, there will come a day when you’ll carry back your arms full of sheaves with songs of joy.
Don’t be afraid to sow even in tears, you’ll reap with songs of joy.
The Bible has the best remedy for us to help overcome the dark days.
Psalm 92:1-2 tells us that: “It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night…”
**Do you need to see some “good” right now because you’re going through a challenging time?
**Or do you also struggle to notice the simple blessings in the midst of your hectic days?
Psalms 61:2 From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. “
Today, let’s begin to look for the blessings(gratitude)He’s given us and praise Him for them.
Dear Lord, please turn our “bad” days into praise. Help us notice Your blessings all around us. Open our eyes to Your promises–In the Bible. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
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.
Read MoreOnly 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
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
MATTHEW 26:41 Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!”
*The Bible presents salvation as a life transforming experience.
*Change is one of the distinguishing characteristics of a true believer.
***Yet, failure to understand that this change takes place in the spirit first, and then is reflected in our outward appearance through our thoughts and actions in direct proportion to the way we renew our minds, causes much confusion. “Character”
This change has to take place in our born-again spirit first.
Why is that?
If we were over-weight before we got saved, we will be over-weight after we get saved, unless we go on a weight loss program. Your body doesn’t instantly change and neither does your soul or mind.
It is your spirit that is instantly changed at salvation. It is perfect (Heb. 12:23). It cannot sin (1 Jn. 3:9). Everything that is true of Jesus is true of our born-again spirit.
*Your spiritual salvation is complete.
*At salvation, you receive the same spirit that you will have throughout all eternity.
It will not have to be changed or cleansed again. It is sealed with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13) and therefore, is sanctified and perfected forever (Heb. 10:10, 14; 12:23).
For the remainder of our Christian life, we must not try to obtain faith, joy or love from God, but rather Release what we already have in our spirits (Gal. 5:22-23) into our soul and body.
Failure to understand this has caused some people to despair when they don’t see sufficient change in their life after coming to the Lord for salvation.
It must be understood that the change is internal in our spirit and the outward change will take place as we renew our minds through God’s Word.
Romans 12:2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Lord, I know that through you all things are possible and I want to do what is pleasing to you, so I ask that you transform my mind by the renewing of your word in this regard, that I might live holy and acceptable in your sight for Your Glory and my joy! Amen