Devotions - Prayer
THIS IS THE VICTORY
The true purpose of our Christian walk is to freely lay down our lives so God’s Love can pour through us to others.
“Greater love has no one than this; that one lay down His Life for his friends.” John 15:13
“This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1 John5:4). (see 1 John 4:4 also)
Have you failed?
*Is there a sin that easily besets you?
*Do you feel like a weakened coward, unable to get the victory over secret sin?
*But with that weakness in you, is there also a consuming hunger for God?
*Do you yearn for Him, reach to Him?
*That hunger and thirst is the key to your victory
That hunger sets you apart. You must keep that hunger alive. Keep thirsting after righteousness (moral orderliness). Never justify your weakness, never give in to it, and never accept it as a part of your life.
Faith is your victory.
Sure, you have failed. Maybe yesterday—or even today! We all have!
*But do you believe Jesus has the power to ultimately free you from sin’s power?
*Do you believe the cross of Jesus means sin’s bondage is broken?
*Do you accept the fact that He has promised to deliver you from the snare of Satan?
Where the victory lies.
***Let your heart accept all the promises of victory in Jesus.
**Then let your faith tell your heart,
* “I may not be what I want to be yet but God is at work in me, and He has the power to loose sin’s hold on me.
* I am not the devil’s puppet and I will not be his victim.
*I am a weak child of God, wanting the strength of Jesus.
*I am going to come forth as pure gold tried in the fire.
*God is for me! I commit it all to Him who is able to keep me from falling and present me faultless before the throne of God—with exceeding great joy.”
This is a universal truth. Wisdom comes from obedience, not knowledge. When we have been tested and proven, the reality of our faith results in possessions from God that we would never receive if we had not gone through those trials.
Christ beside me, Christ before me ,Christ behind me, Christ within me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me.
Dear Lord, thank You for calling us Your children. And for making a home within us, so we may rest secure in You. Because You are our dwelling place, we are never alone. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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One of the ways God’s goodness is revealed is through His mercy. We may describe mercy as “the readiness of God to relieve the misery of fallen creatures.”
• Many times, mercy is called compassion or lovingkindness.
• Mercy is expressed toward the sinner because of the misery that sin has brought upon him.
God’s mercy to the believer is revealed by His taking away the misery of sin’s consequences through the New Covenant of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Mercy is not something merited or earned, but as the Apostle Paul states, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to HIS MERCY He saved us.”
Our Heavenly Father is the author, originator, and source of all mercy.
Psalm 102:11–13 My days are like the evening shadow; I wither away like grass. But you, O Lord, sit enthroned forever; your renown endures through all generations. You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show favor to her; the appointed time has come.
There’s a picture of a man in deep loneliness, despair. He feels his life is fading away like the evening shadows and there’s so little time left for him. He says, “I’m withering away like grass.” Have you ever felt like that? And what do you do if you ever feel like that?
Do what that man did. He looked away from himself, his own situation, he lifted up his eyes to the Lord and he saw the Lord by faith, on His throne, and he realized that the Lord doesn’t change with our situations and circumstances.
The Lord is always on His throne. He’s always in total control.
And then he realizes that there’s going to come a time of compassion and mercy. He says, “It’s time to show favor to Zion; the appointed time has come.” I believe we are living in that time when God is determined :
• To show mercy to His people,
• To restore His people.
So let’s look away from our problems, our distresses, our anxieties. Let’s look, like the psalmist, up to the throne of God, see God there on His throne and realize He’s ready to show mercy.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, (1 Peter 1:3 ) Born Again to a Living Hope! Amen
Matthew 24:12 “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.”
The only reason that an abundance of iniquity would make anyone’s love for the Lord wax cold, is if he were not separated from that iniquity.
As with Lot, a righteous man can vex his soul from day to day by hearing and seeing the unlawful deeds of the ungodly (2 Pet. 2:8).
We have to deal with the world’s system and those in it, but we need to be careful and maintain proper balance. We should shun relationships with those who influence us negatively more than we influence them positively.
Marriage is one area where this principle is especially true. There is no closer union in life than the marriage relationship. A believer who marries an unbeliever is directly violating this scripture and is toying with disaster.
The Lord should be the most important person in our life.
*How could we possibly become “one” with a person who doesn’t love our Lord?
It is folly to think that after marriage an unbelieving spouse will accept the Lord. Although that does happen, it cannot be guaranteed.
In fact, statistics are overwhelmingly against this happening. Regardless of that possibility, a believer who marries an unbeliever is directly violating God’s instructions here. It is not a good start to any marriage to spurn God’s Word.
Being unequally yoked with unbelievers just doesn’t work. Believers and unbelievers are as different as :
- Righteousness and unrighteousness,
- Light and Darkness
- Jesus and Evil
- One has faith and the other has none.
- One is the temple of God and the other an idol.
- Any Christian who doesn’t see this conflict is deceived.
- Lord, Thank You for your Word and the hard truths that come from it to help us in our journey here on earth. Forgive me for the mistakes I have made and direct my feet onto your path. Give me more wisdom and discernment to do Your will. Amen
“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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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 MoreIt’s not easy to be the parent. It seems less and less popular to tell kids no.
I needed to know what Proverbs 22:6 teaches,
“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”
As parents, we need to set Biblical Boundaries.
*Teach them what the 10 Commandments mean and how they relate to boundaries. If we follow the Commandments by staying within it’s boundaries–our lives will go well. Going Outside the Commandments we will have major problems.
*Teach our kids the difference between realistic and unrealistic expectations. Not cater to their every whim.
*Draw lines between what’s appropriate and inappropriate for language, entertainment, internet, cell phones, games and the length of a hemline.
**Model manners. And what it looks like to seek a life of godliness, not just religious activity.
*Teach them the importance of Purity–Holiness (See 1 Thess. 4)
*Teach them the Character of Jesus (Matthew 5:1-12)
Glory knows I’ve been so imperfect with all this.
But holding the line on being the parent, even when done imperfectly, is good. And will be worth it.
Even in those seasons where you feel as if they’re doing everything the opposite of what you’ve taught them. All that parenting is in them. And the fruit of that will emerge one day.
Yes, be the parent. Teach biblical truths. Stand strong in saying no even when it’s not the popular choice.
*Recognize that a desire to please often prevents us from saying no.
*Remember, there are only 2 clear responses. Yes. No. Any other answer is an excuse to avoid commitment, or a wall to hide behind.
*You have a right to say no! Sometimes no is necessary to maintain respect.
*Keep your answer short. There is no need to justify your answer. Lengthy responses may result in your putting the same answer of for a future date and can even compromise your credibility.
That’s what our kids need so desperately.
And be encouraged, friend … you’re doing better than you think you are.
The Key is to TEACH our children the how and why to have a personal relationship with Jesus. Teach them the Eternal Perspective vs the temporal one here on this earth. Eternity is a long long time and my prayer is that each family member will know that they are going to Heaven. That is my life’s desire-People KNOWING JESUS AS LORD AND SAVIOR!
Dear Lord, You know better than all of us that parenting is hard. Help me to see each day as a teaching opportunity to raise up a child and/or grandchild who loves You and sees that they need a Persoanl Relationship with You. In Jesus’ Name, amen.
Read More“On the cross, Jesus broke the power and bondage of Satan over human lives.
Through Jesus our Lord, we now live in freedom and liberty as children of God!
Jesus has won the battle and we stand firm in Him — ‘It is finished!’”
WE DO FIGHT FROM VICTORY——–NOT FOR VICTORY!!!
1 John 4:4 But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.
Ephesians 6:10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
*What we are experiencing is a battle between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan, with man’s eternal destiny at stake.
Jesus warns that without him we are but helpless victims under the control of Satan, the strong man.
* But the good news is that through His cross and resurrection, Jesus has broken the power and bondage of Satan over human lives.
*Through Jesus our savior and Lord, we now live in freedom and liberty as children of God!
* JESUS “the Overcomer” has won the battle — “It is finished!”
Truth, Love, Righteousness, and Faith-Prayer. These are the weapons of our warfare.
They are not of the flesh, they are not of the world; but they are mighty. They have divine power to the eliminating of strongholds, pulling down high things that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God, bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.
They all work together. You can hardly isolate the one from the other; they are all necessary.
It is important, though, for our own personal benefit that we be aware that the children of the Wicked One are placed among the true believers.
Our best defense is to preach the Word of God without watering it down. See 1 Corinthians 4:6
*False brethren will not endure sound doctrine.
*They leave when the Word, which is sharper than any two-edged sword, begins to expose the thoughts and intents of the heart. Stick to the Word!
* Remember today that things start with a thought and it’s what you do with that thought that determines the outcome of the situation. Amen
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Jesus died so that we might live, therefore it is absolutely essential we receive (by faith) God’s forgiveness for whatever sins we may have committed.
“How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered!” Hebrews 12:15
Is your focus on gaining more knowledge or growing in intimacy and power with Jesus? He desires to know you intimately.
John 17:3 Now this is eternal life – that they KNOW you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent.
KNOWING WHO WE ARE—Our Identity
Read MT. 4:1-11
Matthew 4:3, ” The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.””
Two of Satan’s three temptations began with the words, “If you be the Son of God.”
Jesus was God, but he did have a human body that had to grow in the knowledge and wisdom of God (Jn. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:16; Lk. 2:52).
It took faith for the physical mind of Jesus to believe the witness of the Spirit within Him that he was the Messiah. Satan was attacking the most basic of His beliefs.
*This must have been a temptation to Jesus or Satan would not have used it.
Satan is very subtle in his temptations. It may have looked like he was trying to get Jesus to perform a miracle, but he was actually trying to make Jesus waiver in His faith of who He was. He tried to get Jesus to draw on the supernatural power of God to confirm it to the devil and Himself.
Unlike Jesus, we sometimes fall for this trick of the devil. We may say that we are arguing for some truth of the gospel, but many times we are hoping to convince ourselves.
Someone who really knows who they are and what they believe, doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone.
Isaiah 30:15 says, “For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength…” Let the Lord build your confidence in who you are in Christ.
Every time the devil tempted Jesus to sin while in the desert, Jesus used a scripture to silence the devil. As it also says in Ephesians 6:17, “have as the Sword the word of God which the Spirit gives you”.
*The Word is the Light to our Path
MT. 4: 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: ‘You are to worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’”11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and began ministering to his needs.
Lord God, You are good. I trust You are doing beautiful things in my life even when I can’t see them. Please help me trust when I don’t see Your eternal picture clearly and hold on tightly to You until a new season of clarity. Thank you Lord for the word of God which is the weapon for all believers. Thank you too for the thousands of promises in Your word to encourage me and give me hope till the day You return. Amen.
Read More “Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required” (Luke12:48, ESV).
Most Christians are powerless. To some readers, this statement will sound bold and to others it will sound obvious.
Consider what “normal” Christianity in the typical believer looks like today.
This person is a bit self-seeking and a little materialistic, and most
of his daily choices are about improving his life. ( that was and is me at times)
That includes his spiritual pursuits, from his church groups to the pod casts he downloads, to the seminars he attends.
There is nothing wrong with any of these things. Our Lord wants our lives to be blessed, but for some Christians these are nothing more than worldly pursuits.
****They are about self-improvement, not the kingdom of God, and they can drain a believer of true gospel power.
God calls the sin of unbelief “going back to Egypt.” “Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help . . . but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord!” (Isaiah 31:1).
“Woe to the rebellious children . . . that take counsel, but not of me . . . that walk to go down into Egypt” (Isaiah 30:1-2).
Isaiah was dumbfounded when he saw many of Israel’s leaders mount their horses and gallop to Egypt to try to get counsel on national policy and security.
These were the same men who told the prophet they had no time to seek the Lord or consult with Him.
But God didn’t take their actions lightly. He called it all rebellion and pronounced woe upon them!
Today, nothing has changed. Multitudes of Christians crisscross the country attending seminars and conventions with a “go to Egypt” mentality. They are networking, strategizing, borrowing worldly methods, getting flesh-inspired counsel. In short, they are looking for any new thing that might excite them. Read Amos 5: 21-27
But the praying servant who trusts God wholly knows he has no time for Egyptian concepts. The place he runs is to his secret closet—where he gets his counsel on his knees!
God who promises that vengeance is His, and He will repay—then taking matters into our own hands shows a lack of faith in God and His integrity.
“Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (from Dt. 32:35-36; Rom. 12:19; Heb. 10:30). Striving to vindicate self actually shows a lack of faith in God keeping this promise. It also indicates spiritual “nearsightedness” which is only looking at the present moment instead of seeing things in view of eternity.
Thank You Jesus that You are the counsel I need on a daily basses. Thank You for Your Holy Inspired word that can lead us all. Give us the hunger and Time to read and meditate daily on Your Word-to Know You and Your guidance and then put what we learn into action! Amen
Read MoreETERNAL HAPPINESS= NOT WHAT’S GOING ON AROUND ME—IT’S ABOUT WHAT GOD IS DOING IN ME
It is through the reading of the Word and the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit that Christ in His fullness is known.
*What a privilege it is today to have God’s Word in our own language.
Philippians 3:13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
THE BIG IDEA:
God wants to get me THROUGH whatever is grieving my heart. (God sympathizes with my weakness because he was tempted just like me…)
GOD SEES! GOD CARES! GOD HELPS!
EMOTIONAL BAGGAGE = rehashing hurts of past.
*RELEASE HURT TO GOD
*STOP FOCUSING ON PAST (Philippians 3:13-14)
*IT’S NOT ABOUT ME (get off SELFISH attitudes/behaviors).
Three options to pain:
1. Repress them
2. Rehearse them
3. Resent (retalliate) them
*RELEASE IT….Romans 12:19-21 (“I will repay……”)
I’ve been abandoned but I can repress my feelings and resent those who’ve hurt me OR I CAN GIVE IT ALL TO GOD! (Romans 1:18)
WE ARE COMFORTED BY:
1. THE WORD
2. THE CHURCH BODY
3. THE HOLY SPIRIT
Peter said “Save me Jesus” (walking on water, but started looking at storm and grew afraid).
Psalms 18:2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Father, I know You want me to share the love I have found in You. Forgive me for the many times I have been too busy to see the needs around me. Break my heart for those who are in pain and feel hopeless. Encourage them through me, Lord. Fill my heart with Your love so that I can give it away. In Jesus name, Amen.
* “And I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the Lord; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart.”. Jeremiah 24:7
Read MoreTherefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts, to sexual impurity, for the degrading of their bodies with one another. Romans 1:24 (read Read the Scripture: Romans 1:18-32)
The wickedness at work among human beings follows a process which is identified in this passage by the three time repeated phrase, “God gave them over.”
This phrase identifies what is going on in our culture.
The first mark of wickedness in a godless society is widespread sexual immorality — the degrading, or the dishonoring, of the body.
Because men run after other gods and refuse the testimony of their own hearts and do not glorify or thank the true God, God removes his restraints from society so that what is done in secret is allowed to break out into openness and acceptability.
That is the mark of the wrath of God at work.
The first sign of wickedness in a civilization is that sexual immorality becomes widely accepted.
You may ask, “Why is it that sex always seems to be singled out as the sign of God’s judgment”?
Romans passage above begins with sexual impurity and proceeds to sexual perversity.
But, the final result is not sexual sins, but sins of the spirit.
We all have witnessed how our current society has switched the labels that believers call sin to make sin seem less sinful.
• We call lying, exaggeration.
• We call fornication, safe sex.
• We call murder, a right to choose.
• We call drunkenness, illness.
• We call jealousy, ambition.
• We call pride, self-esteem.
• We call humility, weakness.
• We call money happiness.
• We call entertainment relaxing
People really want a sense of total fulfillment, a oneness, an identity.
- Only God can give that fulfillment.
- Only God can satisfy that deep sense of longing for complete identity and unity with another person.
That is why the highest description of the relationship with God possible to a believer is found in the words of Jesus in John 14-15, “You in me, and I in you” (John 14:20).
When people think that they are going to find that fulfillment in sex, God says to them,
“Look, it won’t work. But you won’t believe that until you try it out.”
So he removes the restraints and allows immoral sexual practices to become widely accepted, understanding that men indulging in these things will finally find themselves just as dissatisfied, empty and hopeless as they were when they started.
Thus they will learn that worshiping God is the only way by which people find fulfillment.
Worship is the submission of all of my nature (conscience, mind, imagination, heart & will) to God.
Father, thank you that You have not forsaken this world, and that the message of Truth and Light is still as available as ever. Help us all see, hear and know that YOU are the only Way, the only Truth and the only Life. Let us all Worship you! Amen
Read More If we are not loving with God’s Love, we are spiritually dead.
“He that loveth not…abideth in death.”1 John 3:14
The Bible without the Spirit leads to a dead, institutional Christianity. The Spirit without the Bible leads to groundless devotion. We need both the Spirit and the Word to effectively Adventure through the Bible.
God has made available to us the riches of this Bible — His Word — which reveals to us the riches of His kingdom and of our eternal life in Christ.
God longs for us to know Him, and has revealed Himself in His Son. He has redeemed us through the blood His resurrected Son shed on the Cross, and has called us into a Spiritual relationship with Him.
Into our soul and our life He pours all the riches of heaven — “good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over,” as Luke 6:38 tells us. But we must get to know Him as He reaches out to us through the pages of Scripture, led by His Holy Spirit. We cannot imagine a greater adventure!
A Few Results of the Resurrection!!!
* A savior who can never die again.
“For we know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again.” Romans 6:9.
*Repentance.
“The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel.” Acts 5:31.
*New birth.
“By his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” 1 Peter 1:3.
*Forgiveness of sin.
“If Christ has not been raised, your hope is futile and you are still in your sins.” 1 Corinthians 15:17.
*The Holy Spirit.
“This Jesus God raised up, and of that we are all witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this which you see and hear.” Acts 2:32–33.
* No condemnation for the believers.
” So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1.
“Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus who died, yes, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God.” Romans 8:34.
*The Lord’s personal fellowship and protection.
“Lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.” Matthew 28:20.
*Proof of coming judgment.
“God has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all men by raising him from the dead.” Acts 17:31.
*Salvation from the future wrath of God.
“We wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.” 1 Thessalonians 1:10; Romans 5:10.
*Our own resurrection from the dead.
“We know that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.” 2 Corinthians 4:14; Romans 6:4; 8:11; 1 Corinthians 6:14; 15:20
Re-establish your spiritual focus. I am alive, says the Lord, and My kingdom is already established. It is finished. It is real, and the way has been provided
for you to be one with Me in the invisible realm of the Spirit. Come and commune with Me in the secret place. Rise above your worldly concerns and let us have sweet fellowship together. Don’t delay. Come now that your joy may be full.
John 15:9-11 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.
If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.”
Jesus tells us that when we are living in Him and following His commands we will have great joy.
* Christians should be the happiest people on earth, we have Christ and all His promises and on our very worst day we get to meet Him face to face.
God thank you for Your resurrection, Our own resurrection from the dead and Your promises and love— give me strength to find joy in all things, in Jesus name, Amen
Read More All our flowery words about Jesus are not enough. Our actions must match our words in order for it to become Truth.
* “Even so you too outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.”
Matthew 23:28
2 Corinthians 1:4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. 5 For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ.
* Whether we are suffering by the hands of another or simply as a consequence to our own bad choices – if we turn to the Lord for comfort and view our sufferings as loving discipline from the master potter who is simply using the circumstances of our life to soften our heart so that HE can mold our character- then we will learn how to praise him even in the storms of life and attain the peace of God that surpasses all worldly understanding.
Thus with this peace and joy in our hearts we will then be used by God to come alongside of others who are experiencing hardship and share with them our testimony and point them home to Jesus so that they too can experience the comfort we have received from God.
*Anxieties keep us from hearing God …like a wall between his voice and our ears.
The word of God is all you need for every circumstance in your life, you need to listen to it and take Action.
Man (Mankind, Man or woman) shall not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
In the passage Mark 4:1-20 you will find what happens when a Christian hears the word of God.
* You will see who bears fruit (who applies the word of God in every situation and wins), and who does not bear fruit (who just reads and forgets about whose word he/she is reading and forgets that it is powerful to guide that person through anything).
*Don’t be like the person who just looks at the mirror and forgets what the mirror has shown him/her. Be a person who studies the word of God (2 Timothy2:15).
*If you seek God diligently He will help you produce thirty, sixty, or one hundred fold. Let us have a form of relationship with God that actually produces testimony so that others can see that our God is actually involved with our daily lives and praise God.
*Let us Not deny the power and authority of the word of God. God’s word is the lamp unto our feet and a light to our paths.
Seeking God diligently everyday, staying silent in His presence, singing to Him, studying His word and praying the word back to God is a great way to build a relationship with God and actually get results.
Many Christians don’t get results or don’t understand God because they don’t spend enough TIME with Him and His word (Mark 4:1-20). God welcomes you. Test and see that the Lord is Good!
Today. Millions of church people are trying to live holy lives, but they do not have a true faith in Jesus as their Savior.
If they were to stand before God and He was to ask them – “what they had done to deserve salvation”, they would immediately start recounting all their acts of holiness such as church attendance, giving receipts, etc.
Regardless of how good our actions are compared to others, they always come short of the perfect standard of God.
The only response to this kind of question that would grant us entrance to heaven is to say, “my only claim to salvation is faith in Jesus as my Savior.”
Let JESUS be the object of your faith today. He is all you need
All too often, as Christians endure the trials of life, this is the message
they believe. They see no hope beyond their difficult situation. All they can see is a stone permanently rolled into place separating them from hope.
* Yet they are seeing things from this side of the stone. If only they knew what God is doing for them on the other side of the stone.
Maybe life has presented you with a hard, impassable situation. As you read this do you wonder, “Is God at work in my circumstance? Is Jesus really triumphant — in me? Can He really save me from this situation? I just don’t see a way forward.”
I tell you, God is on the move in your life at this very moment. The stone isbeing rolled away. Light is breaking forth and your Hope stands there in thedoorway: Jesus! He has triumphed over all the powers of darkness and Hisvictory is yours by faith.
Hebrews 11:1 Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.
*Refuse to give up. Your walk in the Spirit will prepare and cause
you to overcome the flesh, the world, and the devil.
* Let us keep sharing our burdens and keep encouraging and lifting others up–giving all praise and Glory to our Heavenly Father!
Lord, show me today if I have had convictions for things that are meaningless and not important. And help me to make convictions for things that matter most and give You the Glory! Help me share your perfect Love with others. In Jesus Name, Amen.
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