Devotions - Prayer
Darkness is the absence of light like apathy is the absence of action.
Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them (Ephesians 5:11).
* Paul exhorts us to walk in the light of the Lord, to avoid works of darkness.
* We should let the light of Christ shine in our lives, transforming us to produce fruit that is good and right and true.
* Ephesians 5 Refers to how we should be set apart, to live differently than the rest of the world.
You cannot expose something and indulge in it at the same time. It is utterly inconsistent.
The church of Jesus Christ is directed by the Holy Spirit to be a source of correct information on all matters.
Paul says the church is “the pillar and foundation of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15).
I do not hesitate to say today that it is only the church (body of believers by example) that can teach the world the true nature of sex.
*Therefore, we cannot accept statements from the world in these matters without checking them against the Truth of Scripture.
*But the job of Christians is to speak up in these areas. They should challenge these false ideas. They are to tear away the mask from these wrong concepts and reveal the truth. If we needed any justification at all for a message like this, here it is: The apostle says,
“Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them” to the light, make them visible.
*He does not mean to denounce them. The world is utterly unimpressed by people who go around denouncing.
*What the church ought to do is to show the truth helpfully about these things, tear away the lies, and let the world see that what God has intended for sex is wholesome, beautiful, wonderful, and properly protected by the bonds of marriage.
*Marriage is good and should be a decision if you decide to be sexually active.
*To be Married or to be single is a choice we must make on our own, no one should make the decision for us but whatever is our decision we must follow it fully.
*We can’t be married and act single or vice versa. (Read 1 Corinthians 7 -This Scripture teaches us a lot about marriage.).
Ephesians 5:1 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
Young people, in common with much of our society, they want to rebel against something. May I suggest something? Rebel against the rebellion! Tear away the veils from these delusions that grip people today, making them hope that they will find something beautiful and healthy and wonderful in the exploitation of sex.
*They will not find it at all. Help them to see that. Tear away these veils.
* But wake yourself up first!
* Alert your minds and hearts!
* Realize that in the Word of God you have the TRUTH as it really is.
*Christ will give you light. Then tell somebody about it.
*Help people to see that this is part of God’s great yearning heart of redemptive love that is ever seeking to draw people away from that which destroys and ruins and creates unhappiness and misery, back into wholeness and fullness and joyfulness and the living of life as God intended people to live. Expose these things.
“…Everything exposed by the light becomes visible” (Eph. 5: 13). Anything that tears away the masquerade and exposes the facts is light.
*Darkness can appear for a season like light. Be careful, and discerning of the times and situations. Do not be fooled or deceived!
2 Corinthians 2:14 But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume.
We need to walk in the light and away from darkness.
Ephesians 5:3 Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people.
* Behaviour– reflect upon ourselves why we are doing something. If we don’t abstain ourselves from darkness, it will corrupt our mind.
* Focus – one way to abstain from sin and darkness is to obey God and His word.
* Relationship – belong to light. if we don’t follow the light and belong to it, then we are not Christians.
* The mind – Always thinking of the Truth.
*Obedience is the main key to remain in God and away from darkness.
*1 Thessalonians 4:3 God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. 4 Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor.
*”But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness”.(Romans 1:18)
*Don’t conform to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind (through salvation). Then, you will be able to discover what God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will is. (Romans 12:2).
* God’s will is to unite all of us in heaven and earth under Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 1:7-10)
-God’s will is for us to be joyful always, in constant contact with Him in prayer, and thankful in all circumstances. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
* It is God’s will that we stay sanctified, avoid sexual immorality, and control our bodies in a holy and honorable way.(Eph. 5)
* God’s will is for us to silence those against us by doing what is good.
**Don’t throw away your confidence, because you need to persevere and, after doing God’s will, be rewarded.(Hebrews 10:35)
* Those who suffer in accordance with God’s will should remain faithful and continue to do good.(1 Peter 4:19)
**Don’t love anything of this world and it’s desires, because it will all pass away. But, those who do the will of God (believing in His Son, Jesus Christ) will live forever!!! (1 John 2:15).
Father, may I walk as a shining light in a dark place. Thank you for the privilege of it in this day of darkness. Dear Father, help us to walk as children of light, to understand what is pleasing to you and to do it because your light is shining on us. Amen.
” This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.
If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts”. (1 John 1:5-10)
Christians are called to unity because we have one God and one faith. Should we not be one people?
Have we allowed our prideful thoughts, wounded emotions and self-centered desires to quench God’s Love in our hearts and separate us from each other?
* “If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is still living in darkness.” 1 John 2:9
What did Jesus do to you when He cleansed you?
*He wiped away all your guilt and made you clean and whole.
* He put joy in your soul and filled you with such love for Him that you would follow Him anywhere and do anything for Him.
***That is the secret of unity– When you take up the towel of mercy for a
hurting, fallen brother, you encourage him by embracing him in his hurt. By
washing that person’s feet, you construct a firm foundation for true unity and glorious fellowship.
*You are made one by your common experience.
This message is for me as much as for anyone else. I have just recently come
into this convicting knowledge of what foot washing is truly about. And by
God’s grace, I will take up the towel of mercy along with others and seek out
those hurting ones whose feet need cleansing.
Jesus said, “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also
ought to wash one another’s feet. . . . If ye know these things, happy are ye
if ye do them” (John 13:14, 17).
Now that we “know these things,” as Jesus said, we can do them. I ask you: Are you willing and ready to take up your towel in love?
There is one body and one Spirit just as you were called to one hope when you were called… (Ephesians 4:4).
**Therefore, the way to create unity is simply to bring people to Christ, and the unity of the Spirit will be produced in them by the Spirit.
As we apply this great truth there are certain things that are evident:
First, we cannot classify Christians by organizations.
*We cannot say that all those who belong to this Denomination, for instance, are Christians, but all those who are THIS Denomination, are not.
*God’s Spirit forever over-leaps human boundaries. The unity of the Spirit will be found in people in many different groups.
*We will find Christians everywhere, and it becomes our responsibility to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace with Christians wherever we find them.
A second conclusion suggests that those who have entered into this unity of the Spirit cannot possibly join in an evangelistic endeavor with those who deny this fundamental unity. Why not?
*Because our actions are determined by our beliefs.
*These are such fundamental beliefs that they set the direction of our life.
*Where one person accepts these and has experienced them and someone else does not, you have two fundamentally separate directions.
*It is impossible for one person to ride two horses going in opposite directions.
There comes a third practical application of this.
The efforts of Christians are not to be directed toward creating unity BUT toward maintaining peace in the body. That is the way Paul puts it:
**“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Eph. 4: 3).
* It is important that Christians not be quarreling, bickering, and struggling against one another.
* A church that is like that is a totally ineffective body in its community.
* It is important that when Christians meet together they recognize that they are called to understand one another, to forbear one another, to pray for one another, to forgive one another, to be kind, tenderhearted, not holding grudges, not being unforgiving, bitter, resentful, and hateful toward each other.
*This is where the Spirit aims when He comes into our midst, at the healing of long-standing grudges, deep-seated resentments, and bitter hostilities that are harbored against one another.
*We must fulfill what the apostle tells us to do, to maintain the unity of the Spirit.
Ephesians 5:1. Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
*Being a Christian isn’t about making a weekly trip to church. We need to move forward and develop the character of God so others can actually see Jesus working in a practical way.
Ephesians is all about unity in diversity. At the core of this short letter is a simple statement of God’s intent —to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. (Ephesians 1:10).
But unity doesn’t come easily. It requires reconciliation to achieve it, and submission to sustain it. The first is God’s work, the second, ours.
*First, Paul revels in the glorious mystery of reconciliation of God with His creation – making us His children.
*He goes on to joyously describes the reconciliation of ‘insiders’ and ‘outsiders’ – the people of Israel, and the rest – making us all His people.
*He then describes the importance of right relationships in the church- making us His family.
*And finally, Paul shows how all this is sustained – through the spiritual armour with which God so marvellously clothes us, and the mighty power of prayer!
Wonderful! We’re all One!
Your plans, ideas, and religious ideals are about to be challenged. There are things you thought you knew or understood, but you will find out that some of your concepts were rough constructions. Now, you will get to see those thoughts come under the scrutiny of experience. When this process is complete, you will see and know
the point of error and come to truth. In so doing, our spiritual and experiential
foundation will be more solid.
*1 Corinthians 3:11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Father, may Your Spirit search my heart about my attitude toward others. Thank You that it is not my calling to produce a union of Christians but rather to discover that unity produced only by the Holy Spirit. Amen
Check out the new web page, www.movingforwardwithhope.com and for Moving Forward,
www.movingforwardinitiativesllc.com
IN A STORM TODAY? Storms will come throughout our life time. Some will be trivial and barely even move us, then the hurricane ones come in different categories or sizes if you wish to call them that way.
These storms, though none of us likes them, reveals where we really stand with the Lord.
Yes I agree, that I wish I could do without them, because they really show where we stand, but that is not the case so I have to accept them knowing that what they reveal will only help me.
I can’t even describe how reading this chapter 107 of Psalms makes me feel. *God loves us so much that even when we turn our backs on Him and disrespect Him, all we have to do is just turn to Him and cry out for His help, and He is with us, no questions asked.
Are you facing trouble in your business or career?
*As you read the following verses, be reminded that career people and businessmen here are likened to seamen in ships.
The great waters signify the big world of competition, an ocean of activity.
” Some went off to sea in ships, plying the trade routes of the world. They, too, observed the LORD’s power in action, his impressive works on the deepest seas. He spoke, and the winds rose, stirring up the waves. Their ships were tossed to the heavens and plunged again to the depths; the sailors cringed in terror. They reeled and staggered like drunkards and were at their wits’ end.” (Psalm 107:23-27).
***These people are God’s beloved saints.
*They are in awe of His greatness and power, but a storm breaks out that is beyond their control. It is not judgment for sin, yet suddenly waves are swamping them, swallowing up their boat.
They are staggered by problems on all sides, and it looks as if their ship is going down.
***Suddenly they are confused and perplexed: “Their soul is melted because of trouble” (verse 26).
*Many career people have told me, “It looks bad. I don’t know what happened, but suddenly I’m in a mess.” They were able to solve their own problems in the past, and to escape one crisis after another.
*With this trial, however, there seems to be no way of escape. They are mentally and physically exhausted.
How easily we forget that our loving heavenly Father is our partner in our
work, regardless of our career or calling.
*Indeed, nothing happens to us without His involvement. He has power over all our difficulties and He has a reason and purpose behind them all.
*What can you do when your business partner has no advice and consultants cannot help you?
*Where do you turn when your spouse, your pastor, your best friend has
nothing to say to you?
* I am not an expert, but I can point you to the seamen in Psalm 107:
**”“LORD, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He calmed the storm to a whisper and stilled the waves. What a blessing was that stillness as he brought them safely into harbor!”
(Psalm 107:28-30).
Acts 27:18-19 And because we were exceedingly tempest-tossed, the next day they lightened the ship. On the third day we threw the ship’s tackle overboard with our own hands.
The beginning of peace in our lonely hearts is to get the light on in each room of our lives. The light of God will drive out the fear, the loneliness, the unsettledness, the uncertainty, the void the misery that tries to overwhelm our lives.
God never promised us a smooth ride, but He did promise us that He would never leave us or forsake us.(Heb. 13:5)
1.) Take Heed to Godly Council
• You don’t see the end from the beginning
2.) Measure depth of the situation
3.) Don’t jump ship
• God promises a safe landing
• Just because your sinking doesn’t mean your sunk
4.) Let go of your cargo
*Joshua 1:8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.
*Revelation 21: 7 Those who win the victory will receive this from me: I will be their God, and they will be my children.
Thank You Jesus for the Victory. Thank You for the Peace that is there during our Storms in Life, knowing You are always there with us. Help us to call out to You inALL circumstances! Amen
Read Psalm 91 to find Rest, Refuge, Safety, and be Rescued and Protected!
Read More Talking to God is considered Prayer.
* So take time out of everyday AND all through out the day to talk toYour Father in Heaven.
“Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
4 ways that prayer will help you:
1. It will help you not fall into temptation.
2. It will keep you humble.
3. It will help you have Determination, Strength, Willpower, and Character.
4. It will help you discover Gods Will/Purpose for your life.
If I asked you the purpose for which God made you, what might you say?
*You might give a lot of answers that required some action on your part.
**However, the simplest answer to that question relates to one primary thing: FELLOWSHIP!
The most important thing God desires from us today is to have a deep and intimate fellowship with each of us.
The apostle Paul said he wanted to know Christ, and by knowing Christ he could experience the power of His resurrection.
*”I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection….” – Philippians 3:10
**So often it is much easier to be busy with the urgent (or even Christian) activity than spending quiet moments before the Lord. Think about it–Jesus is with us 24/7. What would it take to give Him a few minutes of Every awaken hour we have?
Now to me, that would be a True Healthy Relationship rather than taking Only a 15 minute time in AM or PM(which is great)—BUT –to Know and Acknowledge Him and Communicate in and about ALLthings–ALLDAY! This would be FELLOWSHIP! Amen
Sometimes, before we realize it, days have passed since our last quiet time with Jesus. This is the First step to backsliding!
Ephesians 6:18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.
Jesus understood how important quiet moments were with the Father. “After He had dismissed them, He went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone” (Mt. 14:23).
The more mature I become in my relationship with the Lord, the more precious this time becomes to me.
* It is a time I look forward to almost daily.
* It offers me a time to reflect, to share my concerns with my Lord, and to hear Him speak.
** In the last few years I have begun to communicate in prayer during my work, during activities, mowing the lawn, driving etc. which accomplish two things: Fellowship and Prayer. It has changed my prayer life. It has taken loneliness out. It has taken temptations and worldly thinking out, it has……It has….. because Jesus Lives IN me 24/7!
*I have come to understand that Jesus views us as His friend and He wants to spend time with us- 24/7.
*We are depriving Him of His time when we put Him aside for the urgent or just wait till our quit time at home.
*An interesting thing happens when we make prayer a priority: Urgent things seem to wane as we focus on Him. He makes all these other things fall into place.
* ” This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. The LORD says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. 15 When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. ” (Psalm 91:2-3, 14-15).
*Are you taking the time to get to know Him today?
Psalms 34: 6 In my desperation I prayed, and the LORD listened; he saved me from all my troubles.
We need a Vision as Joel:
*The Ability to see beyond the natural realm. This Produces Passion.
* If you want to see your Visions come true put a PLAN to it.
Four Components of Vision 1. Think Big—Jeremiah
*Our Vision is limited by our thinking. We have to see God Big.
*Knowing God through the Word> (Book of John).
*Once you know God through His Word, you’ll know how Big He is.
* Knowing God through Prayer. (Ephesians)- Having Conversations with God. *Knowing God through Praise and Worship, Tithing and Giving– (Psalm)
*Knowing Him through Troubles. (Philippians) God can solve your troubles.
2. Ask Big
You would not intimidate God by asking big. All for His Glory!.
3. Risk Big
If you’re not careful in life you’ll get so complacent.
*Aim for Perfection and you’ll always do great.
* Need to learn how to step out in faith and dream Big.
4. Speak to your vision (Proverbs).
*”Your Vision is only as Big as you think It”
*Speak to the dry bones in your life. “Dry Bones Live Again”
*If you speak faith to your vision it will come to life.
**Vision needs to outlive you, let your vision go from generation to generation it’s one of the most powerful things in your life.
* John 14:13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.
*James 4:3 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.
*Ask with the right motive. *God wants us to spend time with Him.
Prayer is essential for life! This Relationship with Jesus, gives us purpose, provision, joy and peace.
Lord Jesus I invite You in and pray You will be in my thoughts hourly and that You show me Your will every hour so that I may fulfill things according to Your word for Your Glory and my Joy of continuous Fellowship with You. Amen
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
We aren’t called to be Christians just so we can be happy and content. We are called to be living channels of God’s Love upon this earth.
* “…constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 1:3
How do you get out of the trap of Temptation and Sin? To whom do you cry out, “I want my freedom back”?
Whenever we move from playing Christianity to having a genuine encounter with the living Christ, we are confronted with our Own Humanity and Sin compared to the unmerited Love and Power of Jesus Christ that is personally directed to us.
*It should bring us to our knees. It is an awesome experience to transition from Religion to Relationship.
*Life is never the same when you have a personal encounter with our Savior.
Picture yourself as a bird in the fowler’s trap. Stand still. Don’t flap your
wings; don’t struggle. There is a secret of deliverance for you, and it is not
complicated:
“Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth”
Psalm 124: 7 We escaped like a bird from a hunter’s trap. The trap is broken, and we are free! 8 Our help is from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
What a wonderful promise! Your escape to Freedom is in the name of Jesus, in
His incredible, glorious, all-powerful name!!!!
All you have to know is that Jesus is on your side. He is not mad at you for
falling into the trap. Jesus is not against you. No, never!
JESUS hears your cry because not even a sparrow falls to the ground without His knowing about it!
There have been many times in my life when I feel as if the enemy is gleefully enjoying an open season on me and God isn’t blocking anything.
*I have talked to many others that have felt this same way at times and have asked me questions like ‘where was God when my son was killed’; ‘where was God when my daughter was violated by someone who should have been protecting her’; ‘where was God when my spouse decided I was not worth loving anymore’; ‘where was God when the Twin Towers were attacked’; ‘where was God when…’
We see events from our own limited perspective of only the here and now, focusing on what did happen and getting Lost in the magnitude of Despair.
*God sees the whole picture, what did happen and what could have happened.
*It’s not about the glass being half empty or half full, BUT being able to look past the overwhelming emotions and find God– Knowing He is in Control!
When trials and tragedy come it often feels like God has forgotten us or is being cruel by putting us through more than we can handle. This Psalm 124 is a reminder that if God hadn’t been watching over us the trial or tragedy would have destroyed us.
*Instead, we come through to the other side Stronger and More Equipped to face the next step.
Here is what the bird of freedom sings to himself: ” This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. The LORD says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. 15 When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. ” (Psalm 91:2-3, 14-15).
*Rest assured, that God will deliver you. No matter what your failure, your hardship, your trap, He is on your side.
*Stand still and see His salvation. Even if you are weak, you can cry out to Him because He promises to come and tear the net away!
He has come to bring you out of your despair, to break the snare that binds you and set you FREE. “Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the
fowlers” (Psalm 124:7).
God is the Author of all our deliverances, and he must have the glory.
*The enemies lay snares for God’s people, to bring them into sin and trouble, and to hold them there. *Sometimes they seem to prevail; but in the Lord let us put our trust, and we shall not be put to confusion.
*The believer will ascribe all the honor of his salvation, to the power, mercy, and truth of God, and look back with wonder and thanksgiving on the way in which the Lord has led him.
*Let us rejoice that our help for the time to come is in Him who made heaven and earth!
The strength of your life and health is not only found in joy but in dealing
with things as they come.
* Diligence is the operative word here. Quiet and steady perseverance will benefit you greatly and keep you moving forward.
**This is no time to get stuck in circumstances that seem to be overwhelming. When something seems to be beyond your ability to deal with, trust the Lord for the help that you need.
*The Lord will give you direction, wisdom and strength in all things.
*Psalm 120:1-2 I will lift up my eyes to the hills-From whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.
We can call on His name in our times of need. He created everything and is the only One who can meet our needs.
** When I am in trouble, frustrated, or discouraged, I need to turn to Him first. He is the only one who can meet all my needs.
* I am often tempted to put my hope in a pile of different things and people other then God. I will remember why my hope is in God today. “I’m FREE!”
Father, you know where my heart is right now. Help me deal with these feelings, and help me to be patient and wait on You for the answers, not man. Your Word and Truth is Perfect for the soul and I put my Trust in You. God, thank You for creating me. Thank You for loving me enough to listen to me and help me through my troubles. Protect me today, use me today. Thank You for Victory in YOU and YOU ALONE! Amen
Read MoreARE WE THE SALT AND THE LIGHT OF THIS WORLD?
**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
Sometimes being different from others because of our faith in Christ is difficult.
*But Jesus desires us to stand up for the Truth He proclaimed so that people will see a flavorful difference in us.
*That difference will begin to add some flavor to their life and can begin to change lives.
*Jesus desires us to shine his love in a way that is so different that people can’t help but see the flavor of our faith.
God’s Love eternally embraces the poor, the afflicted, the broken and the unlovely.
* “…the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, and freedom to prisoners…”Isaiah 61:1
“IS it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?”
Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,” He said to them, ” ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a ‘den of robbers’ ” (Matthew. 21:12-13).
*People would come to the temple and present sacrifices to God. *Merchants were selling doves and calves to the people of the temple to present to the Lord.
*Jesus found the workplace believers of the day seeing His house as a place for profit, not prayer. *Jesus got angry, turned over the tables, and said that His house was a house of prayer.
*They had stepped into a place of complacency that was not acceptable to the Lord.
*Instead, Jesus wants us to present ourselves as a gift to God. Use your life to honor Him.
When we begin to blend in with the moral condition of an ungodly world, we begin losing God’s perspective on life.
It is easy to begin blending in with our culture and to accept what is being modeled by the ungodly.
*God called us to be salt in a world that needs much salt. “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men” (Mt. 5:13).
Each of us must ask ourselves if we have lost our salt. Are we having an impact on our world? Or is our world having an impact on us? Ask God to give you a vision for how you can be salt to your world today.
When we become a Christian we are full of God. We never really “lose God” but we gain other things, good and bad. Salt is salty, right? In order for salt to lose IT’S flavor, you have to Add other things to it.
We have God all our lives as a Christian but when we Add things like sin and other lifestyles that don’t bring glorify to God, He kinda gets watered down and crowded out by the other things in life. Not necessarily bad things, but things that keep God from sticking out.
God’s Love expressed through us is the only thing that will bring our spouses, children, relatives and friends to Christ.
* “…may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all men…”Colossians 3:12
*Let God’s Agape Love and Light radiate from within you today!
* “..for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness…But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love…”
1 Thessalonians 5:5-8
The Lord’s banner over you is Victory. If you will look and if you will spiritually connect with Jesus, you will see you are destined to victory. No matter what the odds, no matter how intense the war, no matter the level of correction that is necessary, no matter what it might be that you are going through at this time, understand that it is a time of war and the enemy is after you. Your enemy is chaos, and he will create those situations and those things that will be a deterrent to you. But, make the determination today to win because the “I am” is with you, always leading you in triumph, always bringing you through, and watching over you. You are not alone in this battle. I encourage you to continue to fight the good fight of faith. Rise up and declare your victory into the heavenlies. Write a decree of victory over your life. Arise and go forth into the battle. The Lord is with you and remember, we as believers Fight FROM Victory. (Cross)
1John 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.
Lord help us to have this same Kind of zeal and righteous indignation so that when you reveal to us sinful things lingering in our lives, we get rid of them. Help us to immediately cast them out! Help us to “give no place to the Devil” and “make no provision for the flesh. Lord, help me to follow You so closely that my life will add flavor to those I have an opportunity to encounter on this journey of life for Your Glory. Lord keep reminding us that “As God’s chosen people”: We have a New identity -we have the Power to overcome and we are chosen for a Kingdom purpose! Thank You Jesus! Amen
Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. “Let the Light in US Shine”!
Do we need a Foot Washing?
*We are to help people come to
salvation by sharing the correcting, healing, washing, comforting Word of God.
God’s Love is as necessary to human life as the air we breathe or the water we drink.
* “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for Thee, O God.”Psalm 42:1
God’s Love eternally embraces the poor, the afflicted, the broken and the unlovely.
* “…the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, and freedom to prisoners…”Isaiah 61:1
We are to take up the towel of God’s mercy and go to that hurting one.
* In the special love of Jesus we are not to judge him, expose him, lecture or find fault.
* Instead we are to commit to being his friend. We are to help him come to
salvation by sharing the correcting, healing, washing, comforting Word of God.
“And be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).
If you want to be kindhearted—to take up the towel to restore a brother or
sister—you do not need to know the details of how that person got dirty.
*Jesus did not ask His disciples, “How did you get such filthy feet?” He wanted
only to get the dust off of them. His love for them was unconditional.
Likewise, those who walk in the fullness of Jesus Christ must have this
Attitude of love toward those with dirty feet. We are not to ask for details.
Instead, we are to say, “Let me wash your feet.”
Too often Christians want to dive into all the gory details of a situation.
They come to a believer who has dirty feet, saying, “I want to wash your feet.
BUT tell me, what happened? How’d you get so dirty?”
At some point in the story of failure, the curious comforter realizes, “Oh, my,
this is worse than I thought. I can’t get involved in this.” And after a few
more details, he comes to the end of his puny human mercy.
** He judges the person as too evil, beyond help, and he drops his towel and goes his way.
***We cannot wash feet in a judge’s robes. *We have to take off our self-righteous garments before we can do any cleansing.
Paul says we are to be gentle and patient with all people:
“And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth” (2 Timothy 2:24-25).
Paul is saying, “You must be tenderhearted with everyone, willing to wash their feet. God will have mercy on them and deliver them from their sin.”
In a famous passage in John 13, Jesus took a towel and a basin and washed the feet of His disciples. He told them “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have
washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you” (John 13:14-15).
The disciples were twelve men beloved of God—precious in His eyes, full of
love for His Son, pure of heart, in full communion with Jesus. Yet they had
dirt on their feet!
Jesus, in essence, was saying to these men, “Your hearts and hands are clean,
but your feet are not. They have become dirty in your daily walk with Me. You do not need your whole body to be washed—only your feet.”
**The dirt Jesus mentions here has nothing to do with natural dirt. It is about SIN—our faults and failures, our giving in to temptations.
I wonder how many of us this past week fell into a temptation or failed God in some way?
It is not that we have turned our
back on the Lord. On the contrary, we love the Savior more passionately than
ever, BUT we fell and now we are grieving—because our feet are dirty.
Scripture tells us: “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who
are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself
lest you also be tempted” (Galatians 6:1).
The Greek word for trespass here
means “a fall, a sin.” We are to restore every Christian who falls into sin
if there is a repentant heart.
Foot washing, in its deepest meaning, has to do with our Attitude about the
dirt we see on our brother or sister. So I ask you: What do you do when you are
face to face with someone who has fallen into a sin or transgression?
As Jesus served His disciples, He calls us to serve others. He is calling us to see people through the eyes of God and with His love meet their needs.
But how?
(John 13: 3) Jesus was profoundly anchored in the love of the Father. His identity was secure.
We need a radical receiving of His love!
** We need to be Filled with God’s love (our cup overflowing) in order to give others our richness of love.
Jesus was teaching us how important it is to Humble ourselves before one another and also that we are all equal in Gods eyes. He said that we are to love one another unconditionally– this is how we will know the ones who are called and annointed of God. They will be Love.
1 John 2:9 If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is still living in darkness. 10 Anyone who loves another brother or sister is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble.
The Lord is always near to the broken and contrite heart.
* “He gathers the outcasts…He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:2-3
Jesus, You showed true humility by washing the disciples feet. Jesus, Help each one of us to be more humble this day and follow Your example of Truth and Love so others may be set FREE for Your Glory. Amen
Mark 9:41 If anyone gives you even a cup of water because you belong to the Messiah, I tell you the truth, that person will surely be rewarded.
John 8:31 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. (Romans 12:1)
*Total Commitment is the conduit for God’s biggest and best blessings.
*In securities are acts of bondage.
*Excuses are things that fog our Dreams.
Haggai 1:4 “Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins?
There is a crisis of grand proportions in the spiritual house of God today. The moral fiber of our world has eroded. Greed, idolatry, addictions and pleasure are the gods of our day. And it is no different in the Body of Christ.
The prophet Haggai wrote about a people who had lost concern for the need to build God’s house because they were so focused on their OWN worldly needs.
It is a dangerous place to get with God. When our world begins to focus around increasing our pleasure, building bigger and better homes, and failing to make what is important to God important in our own lives, this should be a warning to each of us.
1 Thessalonians 4:3 God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. 4 Then each of you will CONTROL his own body and live in holiness and honor 5 not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways.
*We must be people of God who live in complete holiness and honor to God in ALL areas of our lives. Even in our bodies.
SELF-CONTROL–Be in control; know what you stand for and WHO you serve!! The apostle assumes that ***Believers are able to control their passions.
**The unbelievers follow whatever passions they crave,
**But Believers are characterized by their self-control.
-Have self-control in order to receive the prize in the end.
-There is no temptation that you can’t overcome with self-control since God always provides a way out.
-Have self-control over your mind and think about what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy.
-Have self-control over your body and avoid sexual immorality.
-The Holy Spirit in us doesn’t make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-control.
-God’s grace, which offers salvation to all, also teaches us to have self-control and live upright, godly lives.
-Jesus is coming again, so be self-controlled and sober so you can pray to God.
-Have self-control by being alert and sober since the devil looks for anyone he can succeed in tempting.
-Have self-control by offering your body to God and not conforming to the world in order to have your mind renewed and have God’s will be done in your life.
ARE WE DEVOTED TO JESUS?
Our need to love is every bit as strong as our need to be loved.
* “And I will most gladly spend and be expended for your souls. If I love you the more, am I to be loved the less?
2 Corinthians 12:15
Devotion to Jesus means “Trusting Him Alone” to meet every need of your body, soul and spirit. It means giving up looking to any other person or source to
meet those needs.
Many single people say, “I’m sick of being lonely. I need a mate. If only God would give me someone!”
No, a mate would never be able to meet such a need. In fact, a mate could
possibly make you twice as miserable because you would have not only your own headaches but his (or hers) as well!
Until Jesus is Your FOCUS, until you see
Him as your only True Satisfaction, you will sink deeper and deeper into
despair. (For hope read Psalms 42).
At one point, Jesus wanted to prove to His disciples that He was on top of any
situation, so He called Peter to get out of the boat and walk on the water to
meet Him. Peter obeyed—and as long as he remained focused on Jesus, he was above everything, actually walking on water!
* But when the disciple began to
focus on his surroundings, he started to sink (see Matthew 14:28-31).
The lesson here is elementary. Yet, I ask you: What do you do when you get that
sinking feeling? Do you call out to a friend for help or go back to an addiction?- Or do you keep your eyes focused on Jesus and cry out, “Lord, save me”?
The bride of Christ will be comprised of those who have given up trying to find
help, comfort or satisfaction from anything on this earth.
**They have learned to depend wholly on the One they love to fully satisfy their Every hunger and thirst.
Do you have this kind of walk with Jesus?
*I urge you to keep your eyes focused on your Bridegroom.
*** Expect His return at any moment and do not look to anyone or anything else to fulfill you.
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.
Rejoice and be grateful for the challenges that prove that you still have what it takes to face difficulties and overcome. It takes discipline and hard work, but you are well able to do what the Lord has set before you.
This is a time when you can come face to face with fear and presumption and walk away knowing the truth.
Renew your confidence and trust, and be convinced that you can do all things through the Lord and His anointing. Move Forward and Do Not be afraid!
Mark 10:27 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”
*The truth is, God has given each one of us gifts, talents and abilities. He has a great plan for you and has equipped you to do great things for His Kingdom. BUT until you see Yourself the way JESUS sees you and trust Him to enable you to use your gifts, you won’t live up to your God-given potential.
If you’re struggling with low self-esteem, a poor self-image and lacking confidence, I want you to know that God created you with amazing potential. And when you trust God and Believe you can do whatever He says you can do, you will fulfill His destiny for your life.
Remember, “all things are possible with God.” When you put your confidence in Him, you will be free to live up to your potential.
Galatians 5:13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.
God, help me to see myself through Your eyes, with the gifts and talents You’ve given me. I believe that You made me with great potential because You are a great God. Today, I put my confidence in You and believe that all things are possible with You!
*When my strength is gone, show me Your grace.
*When the enemies come to tempt, let Your strength within me overcome the pressure without.
*I ask for grace to overcome my addictions to sin.
*Keep me continually in Your love
As much as I keep my outlook new and ordered, teach me to keep my inner man refreshed by your word.
*Make me the kind of person You want me to be.
*Let the love of Christ enrich my very soul.
Give me Self-Control in All areas of my Life and give You all the Glory!
This I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen!
***Galatians 5:22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
*Storms will come throughout our life time.
*These storms, though none of us likes them, reveals where we really stand with the Lord.
*Storms are to test our standing in the Lord, accept them!
*Yes, I could not said it any better than what James did! Storms shows where we stand in our faith and then helps us grow more and more like Jesus! (James 1: 2-4).
Mark 4:37 But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.
*Well as you see, we have a problem here or as the old cliche states “Houston we have a problem.”
*Some of us work very hard to hide & suppress the storms in our lives.
The Bible says: “But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.” Romans 1:18
* Try to internalize the storms. They come despite our best attempts.
*Some give into the storm and then our life, faith and relationships are BATTERED.
**** DONT IGNORE THE PRE-STORM WARNING SIGNS! Acts 27
The whole chapter of Acts 27 is filled with bad things happening-the outlook on the whole situation is a shipwreck. *What is a spiritual shipwreck in my life? Negativity. Loneliness. Speaking & thinking negatively about others and self.
*God knows about our turbulence. He knows everything even the secret storms.
*We have to let God be God in our lives.
God has always been there throughout the storm. I believe God has the power to overcome the storm.
Acts 27 Vs 4 – winds were against us
Vs 7 – the wind did not allow us to go
Vs 9 – dangerous
Vs 11 – injury and loss predicted by Paul
*This is obvious in how we are doing in some relationships .
*We choose to ignore the signs. Ignore our friends.
1 Thess. 5:14 Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.
Vs 18 – violently storm tossed.
We give way to the tempest. To be just driven along.
A life resigned –we may say. ” I can’t change. They are not going to change. It doesn’t work. It is what it is. The things that I’ve done. Things done to me. This is my life. This will always be my life.”
Vs 20- despair. “all hope was gone”.
Given up on your marriage.
Given up on besetting sin.
Given up on reconciling a relationship.
This is a frightening place to be when all hope is gone!!
When despair hits we say–“Leave me alone to self medicate and put on my mask. I don’t even know whom I am anymore.”
In despair we need to Move Forward in Wisdom which refers to Actions that are controlled by the revelation of God.
In Romans 12:2 Paul says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world [do not run after all the attractive, illusive dreams shouted at you constantly by the world], but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
Think Christianly about life! Look at what you are going through, not from the standpoint of what seems right but upon what IS Right(Truth) according to the Word of God. Here is True Wisdom:
*“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Acts 27 vs 12 can be the place where GRACE INVADES.
Finally we are ready to listen to the voices we have been ignoring so long.
Sometimes we need desperate times before we are ready to let grace invade. But Know Victory has been won for us!
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.
GOD WILL NOT WALK OUT ON YOU!
Psalm 107 has been called “the Old Testament love feast.” One of the most
encouraging passages in all of God’s Word, it is for those needing
forgiveness, deliverance or restoration.
The final verse promises us an
understanding of who God truly is:
“ Those who are wise will take all this to heart; they will see in our history the faithful love of the LORD.” (Psalm
107:43).
” Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Has the LORD redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies. For he has gathered the exiles from many lands, from east and west, from north and south. Some wandered in the wilderness, lost and homeless. Hungry and thirsty, they nearly died.” (Psalm 107:1-5).
* Storms cause us to realize that Jesus enters our storms. His peace invades our storms. He takes our place In the greatest storms.
** God has provided a solution. “LORD, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he rescued them from their distress. He led them straight to safety, to a city where they could live. Let them praise the LORD for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them.” (Psalm 107:6-7).
Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out! God has done so much for us, and we have so much to thank him. He wants us to tell everyone all that he has done.
Psalm 107 speaks of sharing your joy. It says we should give thanks to the Lord. It is an entreat for us to offer thanksgiving to Him for His goodness and His mercy. It initiates a recollection of how good and merciful He has been to us.
*Its second verse offers us a simple how-to on sharing our joy. It says those who have been redeemed showed say so. “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so…” No one else can say it like us. No one else can express like we can. We know He’s done a miracle on our behalf and has saved us from the clutches of the enemy and an eternity in darkness.
*Now we have joy. We have a newfound joy. Are you really excited about what God has done for you? Can you recall what an effort He made to redeem you? If so, say so. If it is real to you, say it and share it. Only those who truly know can say so.
*Because of the Son of God and the sacrifice He made for our sins, we are Redeemed this day..
*Redeemed- Understand it (we were once all held captive of something).
” And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony……” Revelation 12:11
*Know and believe what Jesus did for you on the cross.
*Be prepared to tell your story of what Jesus has done for YOU.
Friend,”Stay with the ship.” God promises to never leave us, never to forsake us, no matter how ugly the waves of life get, Stay with your faith anchored IN Christ who knows right where you are.
Day-break is coming, God will allow the sun to shine again, no matter how bad things may be, Stay with the ship, even if its on a broken plank, God will use it to get each of us safely to the shore.
How wonderful to know that we are loved – all the time – by our Father. I am in awe of all the miracles I have personally experienced – the first being saved by my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and I tell everyone about the power, grace, and mercy there for us if we just open to this powerful Love.
Thank you Jesus for showing me the way and directing me through the storms of life and through those storms I now have Testimonies of Your Perfect Love to Glorify You. The Lord’s Goodness and Mercy is like the Energizer Bunny…….It Keeps Going, and Going, and Going, and Going………..
Lord, You provide me with the wisdom that frees, though many reject it because it does not always make sense by the world’s standards. Renew our minds each day by the wisdom found in Your Word, through Your Spirit.
Thank you Jesus for Your Grace and saving a sinner like me. Amen!
Though God loves us while we’re yet sinners, His Love relentlessly guides us toward wholeness in Him.
**” I will make you my wife forever, showing you righteousness and justice, unfailing love and compassion. I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you will finally know me as the LORD.”
Hosea 2:19-20
* God’s love for us is unrelenting & unconditional. He doesn’t see us as we are, BUT what we can/will be.
*Gods way isn’t always the easiest way but the Best Way!!
*God will never stop loving, pursuing us. Surrender yourself to Him! “FREEDOM”
** The Pull of Sin and The Power of God
” Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, OLORD, my rock and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:13-14
I think we have all been here at one time or another. Due to the pull and power of sin on our flesh, we struggle with some behavior that we know is not pleasing to God.
Some really do struggle with gossip, negative attitudes, anger issues, pornography, adultery, and lying to mention a few.
*These sins are ALL controllable and yet they along with others pull on our flesh.
The Psalmist calls them deliberate sins; which could mean they are premeditated in one way or another.
The Psalmist gives to us, I believe, a key component to overcoming this battle. It is found in the word “meditation.” The Psalmist prayer was to have the meditations of his heart acceptable before God.
God certainly gives to each of us a free will, we are not puppets on a string. So, may God strengthen our ability to meditate upon Him because in doing so, He helps us to rise above sinful desires.
We meditate and He defeats. So stop trying to do what you can’t do (defeat) and work on what you can do (meditate).
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.
Sin is Also a “double pain” to God — The first part of God’s “double pain” is when we sin in His presence, against His light and love. The sin itself is not what grieves God, however, but the fact that He knows the consequences of our sin. God knows our sin is going to drive us to grief and misery!!!
The second part of God’s “double pain” is that our sin compels Him to keep His
Word in judging us. He has to stand by like a loving father and listen to our
cries of anguish as He disciplines us—ALL for the purpose of producing Godly
character in us!!!
At one time I came to a crisis—to the end of my rope. Slanderous things were
being said about me and after this had gone on for some time, I began to remind God of His Word:
* “A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who speaks lies shall perish” (Proverbs 19:9).
** Lord you know my heart and I cannot fool you. Renew my mind my Lord, make me anew so that I will know what is right and act on it.
* “A liar listens eagerly to a spiteful (destructive) tongue” (17:4).
** It is not only wrong to be the one gossiping but just as wrong to listen to gossip and slander!
**Make sure your goals line up with God’s.
After some time, I cried out in despair: “Oh, God, how long will You let this
go on? The lies keep changing so much, I don’t even know what they are from day to day.
God, You are my defender and You say You will avenge Your people. But
I don’t see You working any justice.”
There are many righteous people today who are enduring awful trials because evil words are being spoken against them.
“Why, Lord?” I prayed. “Why do You continue allowing Your people to be hurt?”
The Lord answered “David, I am merciful, longsuffering and slow to anger because it pains Me to mete out My justice. If you could feel My pain, you would never, ever, desire to see My judgment fall. You would understand why I wait so long to bring it down. You know how painful it is to discipline your
children. It is the same for Me. It pains Me to chasten those I love!”
John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
*The primary purpose of Jesus’ coming to this earth was not forgiveness of sins, but to give us eternal life.
Sin separated us from God so Jesus dealt with sin. However, His payment for sin was just a step toward His ultimate purpose of reconciling man to God.
If someone believes that Jesus died for their sins but doesn’t go on to enter into the close fellowship with God that Jesus made available, then they are missing eternal life.
Eternal life is not a length of life, but rather a quality of life. Eternal life is intimacy with the Father and Jesus (Jn. 17:3).
Many people have been done a disservice in being told that Jesus came to forgive us of our sins “period’. If it had been all that He did, it would have been wonderful–and much more than we deserved–but much less than what He actually accomplished.
Today, take full advantage of your salvation and go beyond the basic forgiveness of your sins into intimacy with Almighty God.
Be careful what you share with others. Your words will either build up or tear down everyone who hears you. Expressing your worry, discouragement, disappointment, and anger will result in defiling those around you, and you will be held accountable for every negative or idle word spoken. (Mt. 12:36) Set a new standard for yourself to only speak as led by the Spirit, and refuse to backbite, gossip, Lie, criticize, judge, or tear people down. The Lord is calling us, His Church, to a new spiritual level that can only be attained through righteousness and integrity. Don’t miss the opportunities to access these greater heights.
James 3:6 And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.
*Why is our tongue so important? What makes it do powerful?
*** The tongue reveals our sin.
*My new goal is to not handle myself like unbelievers when I am faced with problems, temptations to sin and stressful situations– BUT to be an example of a victorious overcoming believer— because people are watching me and I don’t want my actions to turn people away from God! I pray that God helps me be an example of faith everyday! And Know–We fight From Victory–Not for Victory! (1 John 4:4).
*David knew that I can be the biggest obstacle in my walk with Christ. I do not see my own faults nearly as well as I see others. This is why David asks God to declare him innocent of these. I pray that God will do the same for me.
* My power to keep from sinning is limited, but I can do all things through Christ. I need to remember to ask the Lord to keep my words and heart focused on Jesus!!!
Lord Forgive the sins I fail to see and keep me from hurting You and others by feeling my desires are more important than loving You and my brother or sister. God,There are things in my mind that seem innocent, but could be discerned as an error. I am aware that hidden faults exists – please help me continue in Your Word and stay on the course! Not only forgive my hidden faults, but keep me from those willful ones as well — although I may be tempted — please don’t let them rule over me so I can be innocent of great SINS. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight. In Jesus Name, Amen!
Read MoreYou are the only one who can unlock the door of your heart and allow God’s Love to enter in.
* ” So cut away the thick calluses from your heart and stop being so willfully hardheaded.” Deuteronomy 10:16
**YOU ARE JUSTIFIED BEFORE GOD!
Picture yourself standing before God’s throne with no excuse, no alibi.
* Satan, your legal adversary, is reading off the list of charges, with times, places, every shameful detail. He makes accusations of pride, prayerlessness,
covetousness, unfaithfulness, and your heart smites you because you have to
admit, “Yes, that’s me. I did it all.”
It looks hopeless for you. You know God’s eyes are too holy to look upon sin,
and His justice demands that you pay for your crimes against His holiness. You
are helpless.
BUT suddenly, here comes JESUS, your Lawyer, your Advocate. He stretches forth His nail-scarred hands and you know something is about to happen.
**JESUS smiles and whispers, “Don’t be afraid; none of these charges will stand. You’re going to walk out of this courtroom free and fully pardoned. When I’m finished, your accuser won’t have ONE charge left against you!”
**Best of all, JESUS, your Lawyer tells you He has adopted you as His brother. Then He tells you He is the Son of the Judge so you now belong to the Judge’s family, as well!
But there is still the matter of justice. What about the charges against you?
You listen in absolute wonder as your Advocate pleads your case:
*”Judge, You know that I fulfilled the law, living a sinless life.
*And then I took this person’s place, taking on all the punishment for his crimes.
* Through these nail-scarred hands and My pierced side, blood came forth to blot out ALL of his transgressions.
* All these charges were put on My back and I, JESUS paid the penalty for every one of them.”
Your Advocate then looks at your accuser and says, “Satan, you have no grounds to accuse My child. Each of his sins was placed on Me and I have fully pardoned them ALL.
He is not guilty because his faith in the victory of My sacrifice gives him full pardon. You have no case!”
“NOT GUILTY”!-Yes-“NOT GUILTY”!
As the devil slinks out of God’s court, you can hear the Lord cry out: “Who
shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies” (Romans
8:33).
*The Lord chose you and will keep you.
* When you turn your heart over to Jesus– He says, “Your debt, created by your sin is paid in full and you need not make any more payments on it! Final Verdict– Not Guilty—Go in Peace”!
We have mistakenly given Satan too much credit. He does not have a limitless number of temptations that he can pull on us.
As 1 Jn. 2:16 says, there are three areas where the devil tempts us:
(1) the lust of the flesh,
(2) the lust of the eyes,
(3) the pride of life.
Jesus’ three temptations correspond to these.
By ascribing to Satan limitless temptations and abilities, we have built up our adversary to be bigger than he is. The truth is, “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” (I Cor. 10:13).
Satan would like you to think that he is tougher than he really is. One of his greatest weapons is Intimidation, BUT he has been defeated. His teeth have been pulled— Now he can only roar as a lion seeking to devour uninformed souls who don’t know their authority in Christ (1 Pet. 5:8).
“So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up”. (Gal. 6:9)
You will find yourself glancing back at past things for a moment before moving forward. However, there will be a temptation to relive old rejections and places of isolation and loneliness. **Refuse to allow these memories to cause you to get stuck in oppression or condemnation.
**The past has no power unless you remember so clearly that you put yourself in the same situation again.
*But, the purpose of looking back is to see how far you’ve come and how much you have overcome.
* Rejoice in this opportunity to take stock before taking the next step moving forward. You are an overcomer!
Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Since Jesus was the Word of God (Jn. 1:1), anything he would have spoken would have been the Word.
Jesus could have said “scat” and the devil would have had to go, yet He quoted the written Word of God three times. (Matthew 4:1-11).
This gives us great assurance that the written Word of God is sufficient for us. Jesus, in the face of the greatest temptations that Satan had to offer, did not need to say anything that was not already recorded in scripture.
It is likely that when Jesus returns to this earth and destroys His enemies, He will just speak the Word that has already been given in scripture. No wonder Satan tries to keep us from studying and knowing God’s Word.
* Even our good works will hurt us if they keep us from really knowing the scriptures.
God has given us this mighty weapon of His Word! When we speak the Word in faith, hell shakes. Satan and his minions have already experienced what the Word can do. They know its power. We need to know it, too.
1John 4:4 My dear children, you come from God and belong to God. You have already won a big victory over those false teachers, for the Spirit in you is far stronger than anything in the world.
Knowing God loves us is the only thing that will give us true identity and security in this life.
* “Whom have I in heaven but Thee? And besides Thee, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever…” Psalm 73:25
Lord, Thank You for allowing me to dwell In Your Strength, and Your Power, and Your Might. Because your strength is in me I am blessed! (Psalm 84:5). Because YOUR strength in me, I can do all things! Because I have put on Your whole Armour (Faith, Truth, Peace, Righteousness, Salvation, Spirit, The Word), I am able to stand against the attacks of Satan. (Ephesians 6:11-17). For Greater are You that is in me that he that is in the world.
Lord, As I travel on this journey of life, You sometimes send me up mountains and through the valley of weeping. But You also provide comfort while passing through the valley of weeping by making it a well and providing rain as nourishment to restore my soul.(Psalm 84:6) You provide me direction and protection. You show me your goodness. You give me grace,mercy and glory. You promise not to withhold one good thing from me as long as I abide in you, obey you and trust you. (Psalm 84:11-12). These trials along the journey only take me from strength to strength and one day my journey will end at your throne! Praise Your Name! (Psalm 84:7)
AMEN
Revelation 3:20 “Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I’ll come right in and sit down to supper with you.
*I want to hear His voice. I want to understand His plan for me. Let me be still and hear His voice!
Standing in the Gap… we can pray for the people who are affected by the every day occurrences in life. For example: situations you HEAR about on the radio (floods, tornadoes, etc.), things you SEE on the street (people in need, people in fights, lonely people, children who are lacking proper care and instruction, homeless, etc), car accidents you pass on the freeway, ambulances that blare own the street, things you TALK about with family and friends. . . the things that disturb you and the people who challenge your patience . . . you get the idea. Pray right then . . . at the very moment you realize the need.
*God is looking for people to see a hole in society & step into the gap on His behalf.
*God is looking for people to stand up for Him.
*God is looking for partnerships in reaching out for His people on earth.
*May we strive for excellence in all that we do for the Master of the universe.
***Oh God give us Your heart for people so we can see their need and intercede!
1 Corinthians 3:7 It’s not the one who plants or the one who waters who is at the center of this process but God, who makes things grow.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving (Colossians 3:23-24).
I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before Me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none. – Ezekiel 22:30
The people of Israel fell into sin when they worshiped the golden calf. It would not be the last time God’s people would fall into idol worship.
** They had forgotten the great things God had done for them.
** This angered God so much that He was going to destroy the whole nation.
*Only one thing changed God’s mind in the matter — Moses. Psalm 106:23 says, “…had not Moses, His chosen one, stood in the breach before Him to keep His wrath from destroying them.”
Moses was a man willing to stand in the gap, sacrificially, for those who were not deserving of such sacrifice. This sacrificial love by Moses is called for among His people today.
*Jude 23 Go after those who take the wrong way. Be tender with sinners, but not soft on sin. The sin itself stinks to high heaven.
The prophet Ezekiel described another situation in which God’s people fell into sin. God was ready to destroy the nation when He spoke to Ezekiel, asking him if there is a man willing to stand in the gap so that God would not have to destroy His people.
*Judah was a man who stood in the gap on behalf of his younger brother Benjamin.
* Joseph held his brother Simeon hostage as insurance that the other brothers would bring Benjamin to Egypt. Judah had a long history of a me-focused life, but in this instance he came forward to stand in the gap for his younger brother. He responded to the anguish of his father, Jacob, by personally guaranteeing the safe return of both Simeon and Benjamin. Judah’s sacrifice was rewarded (see Gen. 42-43).
Just as Christ did, we are to be those who will stand in the gap on behalf of others who are not aware of their own vulnerable condition.
It is a proactive sacrificial position.
Who is God calling you to stand in the gap for? Perhaps it is a mate, family member; perhaps it is a coworker who has not come to know the Savior; perhaps it is a wayward child!!
Are you willing to become the sacrificial offering to God to change His plans of judgment because of your willingness to stand in their place? Pray-talk to Jesus!
*This is a hard teaching. This is what Jesus did for each of us. When we stand in the place of another, God moves because of our willingness to stand on their behalf.
** If we don’t, His plans will go forward because He is a righteous and holy God who will honor His own word, even if it means destruction.
Are you willing to stand in the breach of the wall for someone today? Perhaps you are the only person who will stand on someone’s behalf
We all long to hear Jesus say “Well done, good and faithful servant!”
When we hear those words, it’s because of our intimate relationship and time spent with Him…. more so than what we DID for Him!
* “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
Be reminded that the Lord has given you authority and power over all the works of darkness. The Lord has called you to rise up and defend your kingdom position against every attack of the enemy. Do not hesitate to do all that is necessary to bring destruction to the destroyer. The Lord has opened the way for you to move to a more productive level of spiritual warfare and victory. Go forth by the Holy Spirit to do battle.
*Luke 10:19 “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”
*One desire – to see the Devil defeated not people.
*Minimize your losses, draw the line against the Devil. Don’t complain about past things move forward!
*The Devil knows the power of God’s word spoken to you and comes to test that Word.
*Don’t meditate on ungodly words spoken over you and circumstances surrounding you.
*You do not battle against circumstances, sickness, and people, but FOR faith in God’s Word spoken to you.
The Devil does not question God speaking a Word to you, but he tries to convince you it’s not true.
*Do not provide an opportunity or door for the enemy to gain a foothold.
Though the apostles had been given much authority and power to partner with Jesus in accomplishing the supernatural, they were not to lose sight of what truly mattered.
And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God. (1 John 5:5)
What is truly important is that people experience Salvation!!!!
We cannot be so distracted with the ‘work’ of our ministry that we lose sight of this. All the knowledge, spiritual authority, experiences and power do not mean anything if people miss the opportunity to spend eternity with Jesus.
Of all the things I can accomplish– being a part of someone’s ‘day of salvation’ is by far the most important!
God requires our obedience, we are forever in his presence when we obey.
(See Colossians 3:22).
Jesus, may I always remember what You value most. Help me to always remember that Salvation and someone gaining Eternity with You is by far the most important thing! Thank You Jesus for Your Perfect Love for Us. Thank you Jesus for standing in the Gap between humanity and God. Thank you Jesus for loving me even though I put you in second place at times. Thank you Jesus for embracing me with your arms of redeeming grace. Amen
Read MoreGod’s Love is faithful to the absolute. He will never leave you or forsake you.
* “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE:
Luke 1:37, “For with God nothing shall be impossible.”
God’s Love is one-sided. God doesn’t say, “I’ll love you if you’ll love Me”. Instead He promises, “I’ll love you no matter what”!
* “…neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39
What a statement! If we just believed this, how different our lives would be!
From birth we are trained to know our limitations. You can’t have this. Don’t touch that. Don’t put things in your mouth. You can’t touch the fire. On and on the list goes.
As we grow up, it’s actually a sign of maturity to recognize our limitations and learn to live within them. There are limits to everything. It’s a fact of life.
**BUT God has no limits. When we enter into the realm of the supernatural, we have to take off all the limits. We have to Renew our minds(Ro. 12:1-3) with the Truth that God is not like us. God can do anything!!!
Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
*The power that God is using to work in and through us is the same power that was used to raise Christ from the dead! It’s not that we need more of Gods power to accomplish His will, we simply need to be surrendered and yielded to the power that’s already there.
We have an awesome God whose power is so great that we can’t even comprehend it. He created the universe and it didn’t even tax His ability. Yet many times we find ourselves wondering if our situation is too hard for the Lord. We can’t see how even God can pull us through.
*Philippians 1 :29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.
*When we go through hardship, we always feel that it’s been inflicted on us. We won’t think it’s been granted to us.
*Think of it as—We are building bridges from earth to heaven. There will be difficulties and challenges. Are we going to face it or run away from it?
1 Peter 4:1 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,
*We have to arm ourselves to suffer. So that we can sail through the difficult times.
The Lord said to Jeremiah, “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?” (Jer. 32:27) The answer is a resounding NO! The only thing that limits God is our unbelief.
Deuteronomy 7:1-26:
*Very powerful! This scripture shows us how powerful God is, shows that he brought victory to our lives.. God chose you and I cause we were literally nothing..God made us something, something victorious, a child of the mighty God that is from ever lasting to ever lasting! Praise God!
Today, let’s honor God by believing that nothing is too difficult for Him.
Romans 8:37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
*Jesus faced the greatest Goliath of all, our sin and failure.
*The Cross tells us that God is Faithful even in our failure.
*God has made us to be conquers. More then that He has made us to love and worship Him. God wants us to trust in Him and love others like He loves us.
God chose You—–His Masterpiece!
Nothing in this world or under the world can separate us from the love of God.
*Faith gives us the assurance we can’t see.
*He never stops loving you. He is absolutely committed to you.
God I praise you for the love…your perfect love you have for us….it truly casts out all fear….I will accept God’s unconditional love for me even though I have done stupid things in the past in which I think that I shouldn’t deserve His love. Yes Lord-Thank You for loving me unconditionally. Nothing can separate me from You. I have tripped up many times and yet You still love me. That is amazing and I thank You for Your Grace. Lord, may I not always take the path of least resistance, may I take the path that brings you the most glory. If suffering comes because of my obedience, may I count it a privilege. Father, thank You that You are for me and not against me, that in You I have a future and a hope! I long to bring glory and honor to Your name, Jesus, and You said that when I bear much fruit then I would do so. Lord, teach me and help me enter in to all that You have for me, and let my life be an encouragement to those who need Hope for a brighter day. I recognize that it is only by faith in Your great name that I can ever fulfill Your destiny for my life. I will trust in You Lord! Amen.
Read MoreControl is at the core of that which is opposite the cross—-Self-Rule.
The Lord desires to increase our faith if we will continue to ask, trust and believe.
* “If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself.”
2 Timothy 2:13
“Jacob named the place Peniel (which means “face of God”), for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.” The sun was rising as Jacob left Peniel, and he was limping because of the injury to his hip” Genesis 32:30-31
*Jacob was broken to be Blessed; crippled to be Crowned!!!!
*God is the Potter and we are the clay. He will shape us according to His design for us.
When God puts us on the wheel, He begins to apply the pressure of circumstances–sometimes gently caressing the clay and often more firmly. The Potter may even have to break us and start over.
Jacob was a man who was a controller. He connived and manipulated his way to get what he wanted.
It was a generational stronghold passed down through his mother, who encouraged her son to play a trick on his father, Isaac, by pretending to be Esau.
This trick led Isaac to give the family blessing to Jacob, which meant Jacob would eventually inherit the land God had promised to Abraham’s seed.
Jacob also learned control from his uncle Laban who caused Jacob to work for 14 years to take Rachel as his lifelong mate.
One must ask which was more ugly in God’s sight, the self-centered nature and worldliness of Esau, or the control and manipulation of Jacob?
Control is a problem for men and women. As an example some women use sex to control their husbands. Many men use power and force to control their wives.
** Control is at the core of that which is opposite the cross—-self-rule. “The ME”
What delivers us from this fleshly nature of control?
*************A crisis!!!!!
* Jacob’s crisis came when he was faced with the prospect of meeting a brother who said he would kill him the next time he saw him.
* Esau had built his own clan and was about to meet Jacob and his clan in the middle of the desert. Jacob was fearful, so he retreated. There he met a messenger from God who wrestled with him.
*Jacob clung to God and refused to let go of this angel.
* It is the place where Jacob was given a painful but necessary spiritual heart transplant.
**From that point on, Jacob would walk with a limp, because God had to dislocate his hip in order to overcome Jacob’s strong will.
For believers, God often has to “dislocate our hip” through failure and disappointment.
Sometimes it is the only way He can get our attention. Our nature to control and manipulate is so strong that it takes a catastrophic event to wake us up.
Yet God did not reject Jacob for these character traits. In fact, God blessed him greatly because He saw something in Jacob that pleased Him. He saw a humble and contrite heart beneath the cold and manipulative exterior of Jacob’s life, and it was that trait that God needed to develop.
*God did this by bringing about the crisis in Jacob’s life that led to total consecration.
This event was marked by Jacob getting a new name, Israel.
* For the first time, Jacob had a nature change, not just a habit change.
* What will God have to do in our lives to gain our complete consecration to His will and purposes?
*As we cry out to the Lord repeatedly concerning our situations, we shall see Him move on our behalf.
A new day dawns! Jacob–Israel–walks on the rest of life’s journey with a limp. *Every step was a painful reminder of the transformation in his life.
* Each step was to be a step of faith and not self-reliance.
**He was broken to be blessed; crippled to be crowned.
That painful circumstance in your life, the frustrated plans, the family strife, the financial struggle, the physical sickness–it could be a host of things–pressures you have prayed and asked God to remove. You think your prayer is unanswered and the blessing has been withdrawn. Well Maybe– It might be that your prayer is being answered in a better way and the blessing you desire is coming disguised as a burden.
**The darkest night in your life may yield to the dawn of your brightest day! It did for Jacob.
Watch for the temptations that suck you back into an old spiritual condition, particularly that of fear or obsession. You will recognize it when it comes because you will feel restricted by it. Refuse to allow anything to cause you to retreat emotionally, mentally, or spiritually. Maintain your liberty. The price has been paid for your freedom at the Cross.
* Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
The Christian faith operates through love; and the measure of one’s love is demonstrated by the extent to which one keeps Christ’s commandments. “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (Jn. 14:23). The Father’s love is conditional; it is based upon our obedience to His Word.
A similar hope is given to us in the sixth beatitude: “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” (Mt. 5:8). Let us therefore cry out as David did in Psalm 51:10, “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”
After this experience with God, Jacob became lame because the Lord had touched him in his thigh.
Jacob was originally very strong-willed and independent, but from this time onwards he had to “depend on the Lord”.
This dependency upon the Lord is also seen in the Song of Solomon 8:5, “Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved?” Certainly, the purpose of the wilderness is to bring us to that place of holy dependence upon our Beloved.
Also, Isaiah 33:23 is a wonderful promise to those who are so afflicted. It declares: “the lame take the prey.” This verse implies that those who have been weakened by God can win the battle and obtain the spoils.
Isaiah 33: 22 For the LORD is our judge, our lawgiver, and our king. He will care for us and save us.
If you feel that your far from God, pray to God and ask him to give you a new heart.
Guard your heart with; Prayer, hearing the truth and reading the Bible.
I need to learn how to repent like David but not just repent but do my very best not to repeat the same sin over and over. I need GOD to take control and for Him to help me take control of my flesh and learn not to let my flesh defeat me, but I must learn how to defeat my flesh.
Prayer Today: Read and meditate on Psalms 51….Amen
“Do not be angry and frustrated!
Do not fret! That only leads to trouble!”
(Psalms 37:8).
James 4:1-10 James addresses the “Root Issue” of all frustration here.
*” Where do the conflicts and where do the quarrels among you come from? Is it not from this, from your passions that battle inside you”? (James 4:1).
“What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that the spirit God has placed within us is filled with envy?”. (James 4:5).
*When reading James this AM-it hit me that– The same Spirit at work in me is the same Spirit at work in you.
*“For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:18 NIV)
*Did you catch that? The same Spirit at work in me is the same Spirit at work in you. There is only One Spirit. Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit throughout the body of believers to accomplish HIS purpose for HIS glory.
“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you too were called to the one hope of your calling,”(Eph. 4:4).
*Is there another believer with whom you have trouble getting along? Remember, the same Spirit at work in you is the same Spirit at work in him or her.
The Holy Spirit has been sent to be our teacher, but we have to show up at class and expect to receive (Jn. 14:26). He’ll even show us things to come (Jn. 16:13).
“When the disciples saw Him(Jesus) walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.” Matthew 14:26
Have you ever had some unexpected event happen in your life that caused great fear?
*Sudden calamities can result in great fear unless we know WHO is behind the event.
*Such was the case for the disciples when they were out in their boat at night. Suddenly, they saw a figure walking on the water and assumed it was a ghost. They feared for their very lives. But as the figure got closer and closer, they could see that it was Jesus. **Their Fear turned to joy because now they knew whom they were confronting.
This seemingly life-threatening event turned into one of the great miracles of the Bible.
*Peter was invited to walk on the water — and he did just that.
Many times we have events in our lives that appear to be ghosts. For me, it was a period in my life when I experienced family loss, loss of my finances, and my business’s — all in a matter of a few months.
These were the ghosts that instilled fear and great turmoil in my life. Feelings of unworthiness, shame and guilt. But after 10 years in a desert experience, God revealed His true purposes for these events.
*God turned them from being a place of fear, to a place of miracles.
*He led me to a totally new calling in my life, and He demonstrated to me that He was behind the storm that led to these new discoveries. God never left me—He was Leading me into a deeper Relationship with Him.
* The events were real. The emotions I went through were real. I had to hold fast to the reality that Nothing can touch us without passing through God’s sifter.
***Through all this I now have the Faith and Trust that what God allows, is only that which is necessary to touch us. And if it does, it has a Purpose. But we may not know it for a while.
Are there some “ghosts” in your midst? Look beyond the appearance and let God turn your ghosts into a miracle!!!
God said to Moses, “I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may perform these miraculous signs of Mine among them that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed My signs among them, and that you may know that I am the Lord” (Exodus 10:1b-2).
God has a reason for everything He does.
These delays were designed to bring greater Glory( a display of God’s perfection–Jesus IS the Glory of God) and were to be a lasting legacy of God’s miracle-working power for generations to come.
When the people were freed, God again hardened Pharaoh’s heart to go after them. This action of God to harden Pharaoh’s heart was to set the stage for an even greater miracle — the parting of the Red Sea.
*The people were angry with Moses for bringing them to the desert “to die.” But God said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the Israelites to move on” (Ex. 14:15b).
There was only one place to go by this time — the Red Sea.
As we know, God parted the Red Sea, and another greater miracle took place.
Moses learned several lessons that each of us must learn.
* God’s Promises are True, but His timing is not the same as ours.
* God always wants Greater Glory than what we might be willing to give Him. * * God puts obstacles and adversity into our lives in order to build perseverance and faith.
Why has God put the mountain in your life at this time?
***To demonstrate His power through your life. To show His glory!!!! Jesus!
When we become Christians, our identity changes forever as we become identified as “Children of God”.
*Our value no longer depends on things like athletic skill, beauty, brains, or the opinions of others, because it is rooted in Christ.
*When we understand His work on the cross and accept His love, we can weather challenges to our identity on earth.
* Our “True identity” is as a perfectly loved and accepted child of the living God!
*Allow God to direct your mind, your life, your heart, your all.
*God wants to move US from wanting for my pleasure to wanting for His glory.
* God is committed to your development.
*Don’t be ashamed of the hole God dug you out of. Talk about where you came from and save a soul. “Your Testimony”
” Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”. (Romans 5:1).
Verse that explains our Antidote to frustration:
“You are from God, little children, and have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world”.(1JN 4:4).
Psalms 34:18 The Lord is near the brokenhearted; he delivers those who are discouraged.
Isaiah 41:10 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you! Don’t be frightened, for I am your God! I strengthen you – yes, I help you – yes, I uphold you with my saving right hand!
Your Love for each of us is SO amazing God and I thank You for showing me it in Your word trough the Holy Spirit. Thank you for choosing to give us knowledge but also for giving us free will to fully accept and love You as our Heavenly Father giving us that Peace.
Lord, today I claim the victory I have in you. I have faith that I am victorious because You live in me. Amen
***Jan. 24 at Christ Church at 7PM will be an informational meeting to kick off our NEW Moving Forward Group. Come for a great night of testimonials of “what God is doing in and through individuals.
**Revelation Bible study starting Jan 26. Go to web address below and go to calendar-scroll down to Thurs. And open “Community Wide Bible Study”.