Devotions - Prayer

EVER FEEL LIKE A FAILURE?

By Bob / July 14, 2024

 Two wonderful absolutes.

1. The first absolute: GOD REALLY LOVES ME.
*God is not in the business of condemning His children, failures or not. He is a loving Father, wanting only to lift us out of our weaknesses.
*Sometimes we recognize His great love only when we hit bottom. You will have won a great victory if you can be convinced God loves you even in your wounded, crippled condition.
*Our strength is renewed by His everlasting love.
*Just rest in that wonderful love. Don’t panic. Deliverance will come.

2. The second absolute: IT IS MY FAITH THAT PLEASES HIM THE MOST!
“Without faith, it is impossible to please him” (Hebrews 11:6).
*God counts our trust as righteousness.  “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness”. (Romans 4:3).
God delights in using failures—men and women who think they can do almost nothing right.
**God sends us to conquer nations but the first battle we have to win is the one against ourselves.
*That’s when we get to know him and we build the foundations of our relationship with him!   (JN 17:3)

*His strength is perfected in our weakness, our inability to obey His commandments in our own strength.

*God calls us to a life of holiness and separation.
*God tells us we can be free from the bondage of sin.

When our heart begins to cry, “Lord, how can we do such great, holy things?”

That is when our Lord takes over!
God comes with such a comforting message:

-”Lay down your weapons.
-Quit trying to be so self–sufficient and strong.
-I am your weapon and your strength.
-Let Me do what you never can do.
-I will give you My righteousness,
-I will give you My holiness, My rest, My strength.
You cannot save yourself or please Me in any way other than by receiving the blessings of the cross by faith.
Let Me be in charge of your growth in holiness.”

 
* Father take over the battle of my life ……… Isaiah 41:14-16

*God, Your Word speaks hope and life to me. It is always right on target and speaks into my life and current situation. I hold onto Your Word and pray for Your strength and courage, for health and peace as I walk through this. And I raise it all up to You, I lift it up to You, trusting and believing in You for what is to come. So I give You the praise, the honor, and the glory, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

 

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FEEL LOST AND ALL ALONE?

By Bob / July 13, 2024

Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications! Answer me in Thy faithfulness, in Thy righteousness! And do not enter into judgment with Thy servant, for in Thy sight no man living is righteous. For the enemy has persecuted my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground. Psalm 143:1–3

The psalmist there was struggling with a dark force that attacks almost every one of us at some time or another, the force of condemnation.
Each of us has an enemy, an accuser, one who seeks to make us feel guilty, unworthy, one who reminds us of our failures and our shortcomings and our unworthiness, and if we let him go on speaking to us he’ll crush our life down to the ground.

The answer is the answer that the psalmist found. He turned to God and he prayed. And he said, “Give ear to my supplications.  Answer me in Thy faithfulness and in Thy righteousness.”    

When we are facing condemnation (Guilt, separation from God, eternal punishment) and a sense of unworthiness, it is most important that we don’t listen to the enemy any longer; that we turn to God and that we appeal to God for help.  “Speak to Him-“PRAY”!
Not on the basis of our righteousness or our faithfulness, but on the basis of God’s righteousness and God’s faithfulness.
*That is the way out from condemnation.
*That’s the way back into victory.     (see 1 Jn 4:4)

Romans 8:1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.
Jesus was crucified, buried and rose on the third day that we might have eternal life.
*What could we possibly do in return for that?

Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Ro. 10:4).
This verse has brought freedom to all generations of believers:
Christ is the end. There is nothing else!
“So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy” (Romans 9:16).

When you feel lost and all alone remember God loves you!
“This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all.  But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.(1 Timothy 1:15-16)


Thank You Jesus, that You found me and extended Your Free Undeserved Grace to me.  I no longer feel lost or alone!   I have You Jesus, 24/7.Thank You for your word which is Truth and which is alive.   Please help me share this Great News with all that will listen. Amen

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THE SECRET SIN

By Bob / July 7, 2024

We are not responsible to change our negative feelings. Our responsibility is to put “in charge” the only Person who can change them, and that Person is God.
“Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it.”Psalm 37:5

Psalm 19:12 How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden(some trans say secret) faults. 13 Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin.

*Do you suffer with the sin of secret faults?

*Is there something in your life that is hidden from the eyes of man that is sin?

Romans 1:18 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.19 They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them.

*Are you living a life of falsehood?
*Do others think that you are something that you are not behind closed doors?

If so—it’s time for a “session of confession” and repentance, it’s time to seek the Lord and ask Him to cleanse you from your secret faults.

Ephesians 4:31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.

You see your “secret faults” are not so secret. Nothing is hidden from the eyes of the Father.
Nothing is secret to the Father.
Confess any secret faults/sins you have to the Lord and turn away from them, ask Him to take the desire for them away from you and tell Him you don’t want to do anything that does not please Him (and mean it).

Ask Him to cleanse you from those secret faults and He most assuredly will.

Psalms 19:14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

Father today I bring all of my faults before you, I confess each and every one of them. I bring my secrets faults before you Lord and I ask that you would cleanse me from these secret faults Lord. Amen

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GODLY SORROW

By Bob / July 6, 2024

I believe we can know our true spiritual state by how troubled we become ove our slightest sin against our Lord.

Some Christians only grieve over what they consider the “big sins”—adultery, drug abuse, drinking, cursing.

But the truly spiritual person knows that NO sin is small in God’s sight and so he grieves every time he gossips, tells a dirty joke or has a lingering evil thought.
We know these things spring from our heart, the very center of our being.

You can disobey God in such “small things,” excusing yourself and forgetting all about them.
**But if you do, you will never mature in Christ.

Your righteousness(moral orderliness) is measured by your unwillingness to accept anything that grieves your blessed Savior.

In each moment we sin, the enemy whispers to us, “That little slip-up was no big deal. It was such a small thing.”

**But the Holy Spirit must immediately rise up in my heart to refute the devil’s voice.
Be reassured,  the very fact you’re grieving over a sin is proof Jesus is at work in you.
*The more you grieve over even the smallest transgression against His love, the closer you get to victory.

God sent His Spirit to us to wage war against our flesh and its desires and lusts.

So, if you aren’t troubled when you fail—if you are able to shake off your sin with no sense of guilt, sorrow or regret—then the Holy Spirit is not in you doing warfare.

“ yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us.  Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” (2 Corinthians 7:9,10).

If you are being convicted by even the lightest transgression, you are close to true victory.  He is winning the battle in your heart by producing a godly sorrow that leads to true repentance.

Lord, Thank you that my sorrows have led me to repentance and have taken the walls down so that we could have a more personal relationship.  Amen

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FIGHT THE REAL BATTLE

By Bob / July 5, 2024

Colossians 2:12 For when you were baptized, you were buried with Christ, and in baptism you were also raised with Christ through your faith in the active power of God, who raised him from death.
The Training Ground of God

“Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.” – Psalm 144:1
* It is only when we are placed in the furnace of battle that we truly learn to fight the real battles.

*Practice doesn’t make you battle ready.

*War games won’t prepare you for facing your real enemy in the battlefield.
**The stark reality of being in the midst of the battle makes us effective warriors.

*Simply reading your Bible will not make you a warrior for the Kingdom.

*Knowledge without experience is mere folly.(see Hosea 4:6)
**Only when you are placed in situations where there is nothing or no one who can save you but God, will you learn the lessons of warrior faith.

This is the training ground of God, which will make you into a soldier for Christ.

Consider it to be suicidal faith – faith that says I want to be dead to anything that keeps me from fulfilling God’s purposes for my life.

2 Corinthians 12:10 I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
*GOD demonstrates his power in our weaknesses.

These are the real training grounds of God.

* Do not shrink back from the battle that God may be leading you to today.

*It may be a training ground that is necessary for the calling He has on your life.

Deut. 31:8 The LORD himself will lead you and be with you. He will not fail you or abandon you, so do not lose courage or be afraid.”

GOD USES ENLARGED TRIALS TO PRODUCE ENLARGED SAINTS SO HE CAN PUT THEM IN ENLARGED PLACES!

Father, today I give You my questions, frustrations, concerns and doubts. Have Your way in me. I trust that You are at work in every difficult situation  and hot spot in my life in Jesus’ name. Amen

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GOD GIVES STRENGTH

By Bob / July 4, 2024

*Have you ever wrestled with the events of life, feeling that God has deserted you?
* Have you been honest with God?
*He is the kind of Father who is willing to have those difficult conversations.
*He won’t always change things, but His purposes will be accomplished and peace will come if you trust.
*Trust Him this day with those things that are most difficult.


” Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10).

 

Bondage to sin — that is, your battle with the flesh.
Under the New Covenant, God will allow situations to show you how wholly dependent you are on Him to deliver you through faith.

 

God will never lead you into temptation but He will allow you to come to your wits’ end. If you have a  secretive sin, Satan will come against you continually with his lies: “You’re too weak! You’re never going to make it.”

You hear the rattling of chains as Satan tries to bind you to your habit once more and you wonder, “Lord, how will I ever get up from this? I’ve gone down so low!”

 

What can you do? You know you can’t outrun the enemy and you are no match for him in a fight, so you cower before him, trembling in fear.

You may say to yourself,
“I’ll just go back to my old ways. At least I’ll be spared from all this spiritual warfare. It’s too much for me!” But you know you can’t go back to your old master. If you turn back now and desert Christ, it will cost you your life.

Many Christians become caught in the hellish cycle of sinning and confessing, sinning and confessing. They run to friends, counselors, anyone who will listen to them as they cry and pray.

 

Such believers will do everything except stand still and trust the Lord to bring their deliverance.

 

We need to understand the battle: know your mission and learn to apply God’s weapons and strategies to your battle.  (Read Ephesians 6 for The Armor and Romans 12:2 the Renewing of the mind).

 

Lift me up dear God, help me see more, show me more light, and allow it to shine through me. Amen

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GOD OPENS OUR EYES

By Bob / July 3, 2024

Elisha prayed for him to receive sight,
“O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see” (2 Kings 6:17).
Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

When we can’t see our situation with clear spiritual vision then we tend to fixate on our earthly circumstances.

Each morning we get out of bed:  1. walking by faith in the Son of God or 2. wandering about in unbelief obsessed over our earthly circumstances.

When the eyes of our heart are wide open to God’s truth, then the light of his word cuts through the fog.

Paul prayed for the Ephesians to have spiritual eyes to see.
*He prayed that the Father of glory would give them the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of God, having the eyes of their hearts enlightened (Ephesians 1:17–18).

When God opens the eyes of our hearts then we can see Him for who He is.

And when we see who He is then we understand certain things that will change the way we look at ourselves and our situations.



​*We can know the hope to which God has called us (Eph. 1:18) and we can recognize the fake hope that slides out of our hands.
​*We can know the riches of God’s glorious inheritance in the saints (Eph.1:18) and we can dismiss the fake rewards of the world.
​*We can know the immeasurable greatness of God’s power toward us who believe (1:19) and we can reject the fake power offered to us by the enemy.
​*We can trust in God’s mighty power that raised Jesus from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places (1:19–20).
​*We can see Jesus as he truly is“far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come” (1:21)and happily submit anything and everything to him.

When you open your Bible then you can see the flashes of light refracting from the sword of the one who guards your soul from death.

The sword of God’s word can cut through even the most formidable morning fog of doubt or spiritual laziness.
Since faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ (Rom. 10:17), then we would do well to fill our ears with God’s word every day.

 

Thank You for Truth Lord.  Help me daily to read and meditate on Your Word.  Thank you Jesus that You are the Way, the Truth and the Life and help me start and finish each day giving you all the glory for what you are doing for your kingdom to come.  Amen

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Freedom and Boundaries

By Bob / July 2, 2024

“Now the serpent was craftier than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God really say, “You must not eat from any tree in the garden”?'” – Genesis 3:1

God is big on giving man freedom and boundaries!

*Freedom to manage what He has entrusted to us.

*Boundaries to protect us from evil.

The boundaries in the Garden of Eden were not set for the purpose of limiting Adam.

Man got into trouble when he questioned those boundaries.

God had provided everything he would need for life. He also entrusted man with responsibility to manage and work the Garden.

God gave him freedom in that responsibility. God knows we were made to express ourselves creatively through our work.

Both freedom and boundaries are always under the umbrella of God’s authority and our authorities at work. 

Jesus understood these boundaries.

When He was tempted for 40 days by the devil after being baptized, He was challenged by satan to go outside His freedom and boundaries. (See Matthew 4:1-11.)

*Satan said that He had the power to turn a stone into bread. Jesus was hungry and easily could have justified using His power to feed Himself.

However, Jesus understood He could do nothing outside the boundaries of God’s will for His life.

It was God’s will for Jesus to be tempted and to withstand the temptation.

*God was showing His Son that “man does not live on bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Mt. 4:4b).

 

You and I are tempted every day to go beyond our God-ordained boundaries.

Whether it is solving financial problems that have arisen through debt, making wrong decisions due to pressure, or manipulating someone in order to achieve our ends, it all represents rebellion toward God.

Ask God to show you His freedom and boundaries for your life. These are meant to enhance your life, not hinder it. (Start with the 10 Commandments—these are great boundaries set to keep us free—But if we go outside the 10 Commandments we will eventually get stung)

Look how far you have come!  The difficulties that you have endured and overcome have instructed you and driven you to find Jesus in a more meaningful and  concrete way.

Thank You Jesus for the difficulties I have gone through in my life, to get me to Know and Trust You more.  Forgive me of my sins Jesus.   Thank You for hearing me and for calling me (a sinner)—Your “Masterpiece”  (Eph. 2:10)  Thank You for the Freedom to manage what You have entrusted to me and  Your Boundaries(10 Commandments) to protect me from evil.  Amen

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Bible Study on the Armor of God

By Bob / June 25, 2024

Praying and Growing in your Relationship with Jesus Christ

 

Below is a 30-day plan created to help you in praying and growing in your relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

You may want to do this as couples, families, groups or as individuals and As you are consistent in this, God will respond!

1)  Every morning, for 30 days, read and react to the two texts from Ephesians:

a.  Ephesians 2:1-10: this describes our two possible conditions:

          1)  to be spiritually dead, 2:1-3, or

         2)   to be alive in Jesus Christ, 2:4-10.

As you read this, every morning look for a new truth  you can  focus on through the day.

  b.  Ephesians 6:10-20: this gives us the armor of God to be  victorious:

 

2)   Each day of the week, focus on a piece of God’s Armor:   Try this  for four weeks and see what God is saying to you.

___________________________________________________________

Day 1 – Truth – read John 8:31-58. Through the day, concentrate on being truthful and letting Jesus free you from whatever binds you.

Day 2 – Righteousness – read 2 Corinthians 5:14-21. Through the day be an Ambassador for Jesus, knowing that God accepts you because of Jesus’ righteousness.

Day 3 – Good News – read 1 Thessalonians 1. Through the day, thank God for all the good that is yours since you “turned from idols”) addictions, bad habits, wrong activities, to serve God!

Day 4 – Salvation – read 1 Peter 1:1-12. Through the day, celebrate what God has done and is doing for you!

Day 5 – Faith – read Hebrews 11. Through the day ponder how 3 or 4 “heroes of Faith” from Hebrews 11 pleased God. Can you?

Day 6 – The sword of the Spirit – the Bible – read Hebrews 4:12-16. Face whatever you are covering up that is against the Bible and give it to  God in confession. Ask God’s help to confidently move ahead.

Day 7 – Prayer – read Colossians 1:9-23.  Through the day pray Colossians 1:9-14 for yourself and another believer. Center on Jesus.

 

3) Every night: Pray about how your day went – give it all to God.

Read a Psalm, for example: 1; 23; 32; 90; 91; 103; 139.

4) Find a prayer partner, someone you know and trust and cares about you. Meet  at least one time per week. Read Philippians 2:1-18 together. Pray.

5) Meet at least once a week with fellow believers to worship, thank and praise God. Focus on Jesus. Read Revelation 4 or 5 or a Psalm: 90 – 100.

Pray on the Armor of God every day!

Lord, Thank You for Your Word which is Truth.  Help me take the time to spend some time in Your Word.  Speak to me through Your Word and show me more and more of Your Love.  In Jesus Name, Amen

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SIN BEGINS WITH A LIE

By Bob / June 20, 2024

 Temptation is a false promise–a promise that doesn’t deliver. When we give into temptation, we put our trust in a lie, we are believing a lie. (Lies VS Truth).

John 6:28 They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?”29 Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”

*Jesus was making the indisputable point that unbelief is the force that gives birth to all of our bad behavior and every moral failure. It is the root!

Thought: “Every Sin begins with a Lie”?

 

Believing 100% that “it is finished”, that EVERYTIHING we need in Christ is already ours and therefore we need NOTHING more, is the hardest thing (so much harder than modifying our behavior) because we are all seasoned “do-it-yourselfers.

“To be convinced in our hearts”, said Luther, “that we have forgiveness of sins and peace with God by grace ALONE is the hardest thing” because “the sin underneath all sins is the lie that we cannot trust the love and grace of Jesus and that we must take matters into our own hands.”

*Real freedom in “the hour of temptation” happens only when the resources of the gospel smash any sense of need to secure for myself anything beyond what Christ has already secured for me.

Hebrews 13:14 For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.

“God is patient.” Why, “because he wants everyone to turn from sin and no one to be lost.”

2 Peter 3:15 And remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved.

All afflictions are not sickness and poverty as some religious teachings suggest. These afflictions are described as the “fellowship of sufferings” that the believer will encounter for doing the will of God, or the sufferings brought on by one’s allegiance to Christ.


Persecution for righteousness’ sake is not something that we can rebuke (2 Tim. 3:12). We must remember that as we live godly lives, suffering will follow. The Apostle Peter reminds us that these trials of our faith will result in praise, honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ (1 Pet. 1:7). Jesus’ comfort, strength, help, and love are ready to “overflow” into every “trial” that we face if we will only look to Him (Heb. 12:2). Amen

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WHY THIS DARKNESS

By Bob / June 18, 2024

Sometimes in life when we pray we wonder if God is even there. But the more we learn about Gods character and heart we will realize that he is always there no matter how we may feel.



“Why, O Lord, do You stand far off? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble?” – Psalm 10:1
One of the great mysteries of God is His ways.
Some of  His ways almost appear to bring us into the most difficult places, as if He were indifferent to our circumstances.
It would appear that He is turning His head from our sorrows.

These events in our lives have a particular objective to perform for us.
That objective is to bring us to the end of ourselves that we might discover the treasure of darkness.

“Yet when I hoped for good, evil came; when I looked for light, then came darkness” (Job 30:26).

*When we are taken into these dark periods, we begin to see light that we never knew existed.
*Our sensitivities become heightened and our ability to see through spiritual eyes is illuminated.
Unless we are taken into these times, our souls never develop any depth of character.

We do not gain Wisdom, only knowledge.

*Knowledge is gained through understanding.
*Wisdom is gained through the experience of darkness.

After we go through these periods, we discover that God was, in fact, with us throughout the entire time.
It does not feel or appear that He is there when we are in the midst of the dark periods.
However, He is there walking with us. He has told us countless times that He will never leave us.
However, when we are in those dark periods, it does not feel like He is there because He does not rescue us from the circumstances.

***He does this for our benefit in order that we might become more like Jesus.

Jesus learned obedience from the things He suffered (see Heb. 5:8). What does that say about how you and I will learn obedience?

Embrace the dark times and gain the wisdom that God intends for you from these times.

Thank You Lord  for Your word— “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:8) Amen

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FREE FROM BONDAGE

By Bob / June 17, 2024

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

“Nevertheless I am continually with Thee; Thou hast taken hold of my right hand. With Thy counsel Thou wilt guide me, and afterward receive me to glory.” Psalm 73:23-24
How to stay free from bondage and captivity.

*How can we stay in victory?
*How can we walk in a constant flow of not having to return to the things that once plagued us?
Sometimes the emotional baggage that we grew up with can cause us to have certain patterns of living.
For instance, some might have experienced a series of disappointments that must be fought against.

*Is there a way not only to break free but to stay free?
*Is there a way not only to gain the victory but to keep the victory?
*Is there a way for us to find glorious, overcoming, sustained, powerful, lifelong victory in Jesus Christ?
You might think it will take ten years of counseling to attain victory, or twenty years for the maturation process to take place in your life, but Jesus can come in and instantly set you free.
Jesus will not only set you free but He will keep you walking in that freedom.
We need to have the kind of mindset that says,

***“It’s not about me, it’s all about Jesus.
*** It’s not about my purposes, plans and ambitions, it’s all about Him.”

 

Set your eyes on Jesus and He will cause you to be raised up and set free and He will enable you to stay free in the things of God.

“We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37).

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.  Amen

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STRONGHOLDS OF THE ENEMY

By Bob / June 14, 2024

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.
A stronghold is a fortress of thoughts that controls and influences our attitudes.

*Strongholds color how we view certain situations, circumstances, or people. When these thoughts and activities become habitual, we allow a spiritual fortress to be built around us.


Coming Out of the Stronghold


“Do not stay in the stronghold. Go into the
land of Judah… – 1 Samuel 22:

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.”

 

God is preparing each of us to be the vessel He wants to use in the life of another person, but we will never be that vessel if we give up and hide in our cave of discouragement.

God has no favorites-–we are all equal and have Gifts that need to be used for the Kingdom of God.


Our attitude must move from discouragement to praise.
*
It is when we move past discouragement to praise that we begin living above our problems.

 

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

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ANY DIFFICULTIES

By Bob / June 11, 2024

I believe through experience and trials– difficulties often are meant to bring us into maturity and out of childish bondages.

Consider the way children react; one minute they’re laughing and the next they’re screaming.
*They’re easily hurt and they cry a lot.

In spite of all this, godly parents love and comfort their children through all of life’s experiences.
Likewise, as Christians, we sometimes pout or throw fleshly tantrums when we face difficult times.

We cry, “Okay, God, if that’s the way You’re going to treat me, if You’re going to keep letting bad things happen, then why should I even pray to You?”

 

Yet our heavenly Father loves and comforts us through every tantrum, through our burdens, our childish ups and downs.
*His great desire is that in the midst of our trials we begin to grasp the knowledge of who we are and what we possess as His children.
*He knows that whenever we are tossed about by the winds and waves of our emotions, we often forget we are His children and we begin living far beneath our privileges.

Yet His Word tells us we are His heirs and joint heirs with Jesus!

“The heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all” (Galatians 4:1)
.

 

Paul says such a child illustrates those who are under the law.
*The law is the tutor that instructs us in God’s commands.
*But a time comes when our schooling ends and we are to take our places as heirs of God’s riches through the grace of Christ.

 

Yet, many Christians still live according to good works and rules without comprehending their position as sons of God.
“We, when we were children, were in bondage” (verse 3). They are still serving God as slaves, bound by fear, guilt and despair because they don’t understand their adoption.

 

Paul says to such believers, “You’re still childish in your thinking, laboring under the bondage of laws you established for yourself.

*You don’t see that you’re now lord over all things, able to partake in everything your Father owns.

*He adopted you, loved you and put you in school to prepare you.”

Here is the amazing thing about Jesus. When Peter began sinking, he cried out for Jesus to save him (Matt. 14:29).   And Jesus did.   Just as Jesus didn’t hesitate to pull Peter out of the rough waves, He will pull you and me back too as soon as we ask.

 

 

Life has stormy seasons. Unexpected health diagnoses’, years when children decide to walk away from the Lord, rough patches in our marriage … all cause waves of doubt, stress, worry or fear. These can cause us to stumble and fall if we only focus on them.

 

 

The best place to fix our eyes is on Jesus. He’s our peace, source of hope, and the One person we can trust will always be there for us.
And when we do fall, as soon as we call out to Him, He’ll pick us up.

 

Romans 8:28 And we know that  all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the  called according to His purpose.
Dear Jesus, I confess I lose focus on You while running through the distractions of life. I have fallen many times. Help me to trust and have faith in You, and avoid letting life distract me from Your truths.  Help me read Your word daily to find Truth!  In Jesus Name, Amen.

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FULL SURRENDER

By Bob / June 9, 2024

 “But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” Job 23:10

What if there were two doors to choose from;
1. Behind one door was the complete will of God for your life.
2. Behind the other door was how life could be according to your own preference.

Which door would you choose?

The struggle for most lies in the Desire to follow God completely and the Fear of what might be behind the door of full surrender.

*Most of us desire to follow God, but few of us will do it at any cost.

*We do not really believe that God loves us to the degree that we are willing to give Him complete permission to do as He wills in us.

 

If we desire to fully walk with Christ, there is a cost. We may give intellectual assent and go along with His principles and do fine; however, if we are fully given over to Him and His will for our life, it will be a life that will have adversity.

The Bible is clear that humans do not achieve greatness without having their sinful will broken.
*This process is designed to create a nature change in each of us, not just a habit change.

The Bible calls it circumcision. Circumcision is painful, bloody, and personal.
If God has plans to greatly use you in the lives of others, you can expect your trials to be even greater than those of others. Why?
Because, like Joseph who went through greater trials than most patriarchs, your calling may have such responsibility that God cannot afford to entrust it to you without ensuring your complete faithfulness to the call.
*He has much invested in you on behalf of others.
*He may want to speak through your life to a greater degree than through another.
The events of your life would become the frame for the message
*He wants to speak through you.

 

Jesus did much more than just obtain eternal life for us, He also paid all the wages of our sins (Rom. 6:23).
* God literally placed the condemnation, or judgment, that was against us upon His own Son. Jesus’ perfect flesh was condemned so our defiled flesh could go free.   (Read Romans 8)
*What a trade!  What Love!  Since Jesus bore our sentence (condemnation), we don’t have to bear it. The debt has already been paid.

Do not fear the path that God may lead you on. Embrace it. For God may bring you down a path in your life to ensure the reward of your inheritance.
“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Cor. 4:17).

 

Lord, I surrender All.  Increase my Faith so I really believe and know that You love me to the degree that I am willing to surrender and give You complete permission to do as You will in me.  Come and take all of me for Your Glory! Thank You for Your Love.    Amen

When we allow God to love others through us, it’s God they see in us and not ourselves.
“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me…”Galatians 2:20

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