Luke 4:5-7 (NKJV) Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.”
The devil comes to offer a short-cut. His purpose? To take the glory away from God. The world has a system and the devil is in control of it. The kingdom of God operates on a completely different level and the will of God is higher than the ways of the world. Jesus submitted to the will of God and we read in Revelation 11:15 that the kingdoms of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ. Had Jesus submitted to the devils system, He would have been taking a short-cut to receive the kingdoms of the world. He would have been cheating the plan of God. There would have been no healings, not multitudes fed, no blinded eyes seeing, no lame made to walk, no maimed given new limbs, no dead raised and no salvation for mankind.
The devil may be offering you an opportunity to excel or be promoted in life that involves you having to cheat, steal, lie or compromise. Don't stoop to his level. Don't go the way of the world. Follow and trust the will of God. Let God bring it to pass. God is interested in more than just promoting you. He wants to do it, but He wants others to be healed, saved, delivered and set free in the process. Don't go the way that seems right to man but the end is destruction. Go the way of God and let Him get the glory!
Have A Blessed Day
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
While We Sleep
Matthew 26:41 (King James Version) Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
As the Lord’s darkest hour approached, He asked His disciples to watch with Him, and to pray. Regrettably, they fell asleep when they could have been in prayer together on Jesus’ behalf. Within our futures, there are bound to be days of trouble. We would hope that during those times, others would be in prayer for us. We also hope that in the days of trouble of others, we would be in prayer for them. Regrettably, we are often so consumed by our own concerns that we are in effect sleeping while they suffer. Look around you. Humanity suffers, and we sleep. Lost souls die, and we sleep. The Master is returning soon--and we continue to sleep. We would prefer not to think about it, or perhaps to justify our behavior. And if that is in fact our attitude, we sleep all the more deeply. As Jesus asked once, He continues to ask, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”
Have A Blessed Week
As the Lord’s darkest hour approached, He asked His disciples to watch with Him, and to pray. Regrettably, they fell asleep when they could have been in prayer together on Jesus’ behalf. Within our futures, there are bound to be days of trouble. We would hope that during those times, others would be in prayer for us. We also hope that in the days of trouble of others, we would be in prayer for them. Regrettably, we are often so consumed by our own concerns that we are in effect sleeping while they suffer. Look around you. Humanity suffers, and we sleep. Lost souls die, and we sleep. The Master is returning soon--and we continue to sleep. We would prefer not to think about it, or perhaps to justify our behavior. And if that is in fact our attitude, we sleep all the more deeply. As Jesus asked once, He continues to ask, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”
Have A Blessed Week
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Have A Plan
May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. - Psalm 20:4
Everyone has a dream and a desire in their heart of something they are believing God for, or something they want to accomplish. God has created you with dreams and desires, and when you seek to put Him first place in your life, He refines those dreams and desires to match up with His ultimate plan for your life and to bring glory to Him. The question is, what are your plans that go along with those dreams and desires? Have you written the vision down on paper and made it plain to understand? If He provides you with that bigger house or piece of property, what are your plans for using it to bring glory to God? When your oil well comes in and the finances start rolling in, what are your plans and how are your going to put it to use to glorify God? You may not know how to dot every "I" and cross every "T" starting out, but if you'll decide to begin to make a plan, God will guide you along the way, one step at a time until you see the full picture. Many times we are waiting on God to bring our dreams and desires to pass, but we may actually be the one holding up the progress because we don't have a plan. Having a plan upfront will keep you from being side-tracked and knocked off course by the enemy with his evil schemes. The truth is, the devil does not want you to succeed. But when you have a plan, you can stay the course!
Have A Blessed day
Everyone has a dream and a desire in their heart of something they are believing God for, or something they want to accomplish. God has created you with dreams and desires, and when you seek to put Him first place in your life, He refines those dreams and desires to match up with His ultimate plan for your life and to bring glory to Him. The question is, what are your plans that go along with those dreams and desires? Have you written the vision down on paper and made it plain to understand? If He provides you with that bigger house or piece of property, what are your plans for using it to bring glory to God? When your oil well comes in and the finances start rolling in, what are your plans and how are your going to put it to use to glorify God? You may not know how to dot every "I" and cross every "T" starting out, but if you'll decide to begin to make a plan, God will guide you along the way, one step at a time until you see the full picture. Many times we are waiting on God to bring our dreams and desires to pass, but we may actually be the one holding up the progress because we don't have a plan. Having a plan upfront will keep you from being side-tracked and knocked off course by the enemy with his evil schemes. The truth is, the devil does not want you to succeed. But when you have a plan, you can stay the course!
Have A Blessed day
Friday, August 27, 2010
Focus On The Good
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NKJV) Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Complaining, being negative and focusing on problems never solved anything. If there's a problem to deal with, we can be thankful to God that He can and will show us the answer. It's a matter of perspective. Focus on the problem and complain about how bad it is and say every negative thought that comes to your mind, OR focus on God who provides the solution and be thankful that He is able to help you through it. For every evil and negative thing the devil brings about, there is a good and positive counterpart that God can bring about. Great big God and little bitty devil. Good overcomes evil and light extinguishes darkness. Focus on the good that God brings into your life and the negative will become smaller and smaller.
Have A Blessed Day
Complaining, being negative and focusing on problems never solved anything. If there's a problem to deal with, we can be thankful to God that He can and will show us the answer. It's a matter of perspective. Focus on the problem and complain about how bad it is and say every negative thought that comes to your mind, OR focus on God who provides the solution and be thankful that He is able to help you through it. For every evil and negative thing the devil brings about, there is a good and positive counterpart that God can bring about. Great big God and little bitty devil. Good overcomes evil and light extinguishes darkness. Focus on the good that God brings into your life and the negative will become smaller and smaller.
Have A Blessed Day
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Rehearsing Hurts
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart?…But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. - Psalm 13:2;5
The mind is the battlefield. Your thoughts can cause you to live in victory and peace, or worry and sorrow. One thought, if not taken captive, can take you down a path of anger, resentment, sorrow, worry and fear, and it is all based on fiction. It is something that has not even happened, yet it will pull our thoughts into the place where we rehearse hurts. We think about all the things we're going to do or say about a fictitious wrong done to us. Or, we may be in a situation that we don't know the outcome of and we begin to rehearse in our minds of how we will react to every negative thing we can possibly think of. All the while the devil is having a field day laughing while we mentally prepare for the worst. That is why God's Word says we must take our thoughts captive. Don't let your thoughts run wild and free when something negative enters your mind. Overcome it by meditating and thinking of the salvation of God! Think of His grace, His healing, His protection, His deliverance and the fact that He has made you whole through Jesus Christ. Don't live a life of worry and sorrow by letting your thoughts run wild. Take them captive and bring them into obedience to the Word of God!
Have A Blessed day
The mind is the battlefield. Your thoughts can cause you to live in victory and peace, or worry and sorrow. One thought, if not taken captive, can take you down a path of anger, resentment, sorrow, worry and fear, and it is all based on fiction. It is something that has not even happened, yet it will pull our thoughts into the place where we rehearse hurts. We think about all the things we're going to do or say about a fictitious wrong done to us. Or, we may be in a situation that we don't know the outcome of and we begin to rehearse in our minds of how we will react to every negative thing we can possibly think of. All the while the devil is having a field day laughing while we mentally prepare for the worst. That is why God's Word says we must take our thoughts captive. Don't let your thoughts run wild and free when something negative enters your mind. Overcome it by meditating and thinking of the salvation of God! Think of His grace, His healing, His protection, His deliverance and the fact that He has made you whole through Jesus Christ. Don't live a life of worry and sorrow by letting your thoughts run wild. Take them captive and bring them into obedience to the Word of God!
Have A Blessed day
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Take Off The Limits
Mark 11:24 (KJV) Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
Jesus has removed the limitations of access to God the father. In times past, only the high priest once a year could come before God, behind the veil, into the Holy of Holies. Jesus has taken it out of the way so we can come boldly before the throne and get what we need. There are now no limits in the kingdom of heaven. However, we limit what Jesus has provided to our own physical abilities. We limit what God can do based on what has happened in the lives of others. We limit the provision of God by walking by what we see and have seen, instead of by faith. All things are possible to him that believes, but we lack the perseverance to keep believing it until we see it. God has a will that it be on earth as it is in heaven. Dare to believe. Dare to look past the physical into the spiritual and bring the demonstrations of the kingdom of heaven into the earth. God is way bigger than the box we put Him in. If we're not believing for the impossible to be possible, if we're not believing to see the invisible become visible, then we are really not living by faith. Dare to knock down that fence today and take off the limits!
Have A Blessed Day
Jesus has removed the limitations of access to God the father. In times past, only the high priest once a year could come before God, behind the veil, into the Holy of Holies. Jesus has taken it out of the way so we can come boldly before the throne and get what we need. There are now no limits in the kingdom of heaven. However, we limit what Jesus has provided to our own physical abilities. We limit what God can do based on what has happened in the lives of others. We limit the provision of God by walking by what we see and have seen, instead of by faith. All things are possible to him that believes, but we lack the perseverance to keep believing it until we see it. God has a will that it be on earth as it is in heaven. Dare to believe. Dare to look past the physical into the spiritual and bring the demonstrations of the kingdom of heaven into the earth. God is way bigger than the box we put Him in. If we're not believing for the impossible to be possible, if we're not believing to see the invisible become visible, then we are really not living by faith. Dare to knock down that fence today and take off the limits!
Have A Blessed Day
Take Your Thoughts Captive
2 Corinthians 10:5 (KJV) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
The world says one thing, the Bible says another. The facts say one thing, but the word of God is truth. The circumstances look one way, but the promises of God state something different. The mind is the battleground. What you focus on is what is feeding your spirit. Winning the battle in your mind is the first step towards victory in your situation and in your life. Changing your thoughts will change your habits, and your habits will change your destiny. Choose to focus on the promises in the word of God. Make it a habit of making God's word the final authority, the final "say-so" in your life. Watch the word "work" and change your life. Proverbs 4:20-22 says it this way "My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh." Choose today to take those old negative thoughts captive. Put a stop to them and cast them from your mind, and bring your thoughts into the obedience of the Word of God by replacing those negative thoughts of doubt and fear with a promise from God's word.
Have A Blessed day
The world says one thing, the Bible says another. The facts say one thing, but the word of God is truth. The circumstances look one way, but the promises of God state something different. The mind is the battleground. What you focus on is what is feeding your spirit. Winning the battle in your mind is the first step towards victory in your situation and in your life. Changing your thoughts will change your habits, and your habits will change your destiny. Choose to focus on the promises in the word of God. Make it a habit of making God's word the final authority, the final "say-so" in your life. Watch the word "work" and change your life. Proverbs 4:20-22 says it this way "My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh." Choose today to take those old negative thoughts captive. Put a stop to them and cast them from your mind, and bring your thoughts into the obedience of the Word of God by replacing those negative thoughts of doubt and fear with a promise from God's word.
Have A Blessed day
Monday, August 23, 2010
Blessed
Ephesians 1:3 (NKJV) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ
There is much to praise God for this day. Every blessing that is in heaven, He has made available to us through Christ our Lord. In other words, God has made every provision for us to prosper because we belong to Christ. We have been redeemed. We have been empowered to prosper in every area of our lives, and redeemed from the curse. God's plan today is the same as it was four thousand years ago when He made a covenant with Abraham. God blessed Abraham to prosper. Abraham was blessed to be a blessing, so that people would see the goodness of God and turn to Him. Today, that same blessing is ours in Jesus Christ. We are blessed through Christ to be a blessing to others so they would experience the goodness of God and turn to Him. Give praise and thanks to God that He has blessed you to be a blessing, then go out and bless somebody!
Have A Blessed Week
There is much to praise God for this day. Every blessing that is in heaven, He has made available to us through Christ our Lord. In other words, God has made every provision for us to prosper because we belong to Christ. We have been redeemed. We have been empowered to prosper in every area of our lives, and redeemed from the curse. God's plan today is the same as it was four thousand years ago when He made a covenant with Abraham. God blessed Abraham to prosper. Abraham was blessed to be a blessing, so that people would see the goodness of God and turn to Him. Today, that same blessing is ours in Jesus Christ. We are blessed through Christ to be a blessing to others so they would experience the goodness of God and turn to Him. Give praise and thanks to God that He has blessed you to be a blessing, then go out and bless somebody!
Have A Blessed Week
You've Already Got It
John 19:29-30 (The Message)A jug of sour wine was standing by. Someone put a sponge soaked with the wine on a javelin and lifted it to his mouth. After he took the wine, Jesus said, "It's done . . . complete." Bowing his head, he offered up his spirit.
One of the most important and foundational truths of the Gospel.
It’s the knowledge that God has already done-completed His part. When Jesus cried “It is finished” (John 19:30), He meant just that. His work on earth was done. The atonement was complete. He provided everything we could ever need. We aren’t waiting on Him to give; He is waiting on us to receive. Any blessing you could ever need or desire from the Lord is not something to strive for, but something you already have. God made the provision before you had the need. It is just a simple matter of receiving what God has already done. The truth is that the Lord has already provided everything we will ever need, but His provision is in the spiritual realm. “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). God moves in the spiritual realm. Whether or not we see what He has done in the spiritual realm manifest in the physical realm is not dependent on Him giving, but rather on us receiving. Its like He is the transmitter and we are the receiver , it’s our reception that’s the problem.
Have A Blessed Day
One of the most important and foundational truths of the Gospel.
It’s the knowledge that God has already done-completed His part. When Jesus cried “It is finished” (John 19:30), He meant just that. His work on earth was done. The atonement was complete. He provided everything we could ever need. We aren’t waiting on Him to give; He is waiting on us to receive. Any blessing you could ever need or desire from the Lord is not something to strive for, but something you already have. God made the provision before you had the need. It is just a simple matter of receiving what God has already done. The truth is that the Lord has already provided everything we will ever need, but His provision is in the spiritual realm. “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). God moves in the spiritual realm. Whether or not we see what He has done in the spiritual realm manifest in the physical realm is not dependent on Him giving, but rather on us receiving. Its like He is the transmitter and we are the receiver , it’s our reception that’s the problem.
Have A Blessed Day
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Don't Limit God
Jeremiah 32:27 (KJV ) Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?
I feel all of us at one time or another have limited God, And sad to say some of us have limited Him all of our Christian walk. OK here is what I see as one of the Big problems. Here is what He said to me.
He said I was limiting what He could do with me because of my small thinking.
Well if that limits me for what He can do with me, then if we are small thinkers it limits what we can do as a body together.
We can’t fulfill all that He has for this ministry unless We remove more of the limits we’ve placed on Him through our thinking. So we need to be humbling ourselves before the Lord and start looking for ways we can think bigger. It’s time to grow again!
Luke 1:37 (Amplified Bible) For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment.
Have A Blessed Weekend
I feel all of us at one time or another have limited God, And sad to say some of us have limited Him all of our Christian walk. OK here is what I see as one of the Big problems. Here is what He said to me.
He said I was limiting what He could do with me because of my small thinking.
Well if that limits me for what He can do with me, then if we are small thinkers it limits what we can do as a body together.
We can’t fulfill all that He has for this ministry unless We remove more of the limits we’ve placed on Him through our thinking. So we need to be humbling ourselves before the Lord and start looking for ways we can think bigger. It’s time to grow again!
Luke 1:37 (Amplified Bible) For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment.
Have A Blessed Weekend
Friday, August 20, 2010
God's Provision
1 Kings 17:12 (KJV) And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.
Everywhere you turn these days there is talk of shortages, lack and rising prices. And while it's hard to ignore the obvious, this story of Elijah and the widow woman tells of something that is still very relevant even today. In 1 Kings chapter 17 the story tells of the widow woman and her son who were about to eat their last meal and die. Then the anointing of the Spirit of God that was on the prophet Elijah came and he said "make me a cake first." The result is that while the entire region was in famine, she never ran out. If Jesus is your Lord & Savior, then Jesus the Anointed One and His Anointing has come upon you and into your life. If you will choose to put Him first in your life, then He promises to meet all of your needs. So today, choose to focus not on the littleness of your supply or even the greatness of your need, but choose instead to put Jesus first and focus on God's promise of provision for your life!
Have A Blessed Day
Everywhere you turn these days there is talk of shortages, lack and rising prices. And while it's hard to ignore the obvious, this story of Elijah and the widow woman tells of something that is still very relevant even today. In 1 Kings chapter 17 the story tells of the widow woman and her son who were about to eat their last meal and die. Then the anointing of the Spirit of God that was on the prophet Elijah came and he said "make me a cake first." The result is that while the entire region was in famine, she never ran out. If Jesus is your Lord & Savior, then Jesus the Anointed One and His Anointing has come upon you and into your life. If you will choose to put Him first in your life, then He promises to meet all of your needs. So today, choose to focus not on the littleness of your supply or even the greatness of your need, but choose instead to put Jesus first and focus on God's promise of provision for your life!
Have A Blessed Day
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
How Do You Pray #2
Jesus is now the Mediator. A mediator is one who seeks to reconcile, or make peace between, two opposing parties. In the Old Testament, man had not yet been reconciled to God through Jesus. The people needed a mediator, someone to intercede with God on their behalf. That is where we find people like Abraham and Moses pleading with God.
In Genesis 18:23-25, Abraham interceded with God on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah:
In fact, Abraham actually negotiated with God until He agreed not to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for the sake of ten righteous people. But there weren’t ten righteous people in the whole city, and only some of Lot’s family survived. A similar account is recorded in Exodus 32:9-12 and 14. Here God was furious with the people, and Moses interceded for them:
Moses actually told God, “Repent!” What’s more amazing is that God repented. Modern-day “intercessors” believe we, too, must stand in the gap, or mediate, between God and man. they believe we must plead with God to save the lost, to withhold His wrath from those He is ready to judge, and to be merciful to those whose needs He is unwilling to meet because of their unworthiness.
That couldn’t be further from the truth, but it is what’s being taught in many churches today. It ignores the fact that Jesus is now seated at the right hand of the Father (Heb. 10:12), ever making intercession for us (Heb. 7:25). If Moses or Abraham could persuade God, don’t you think Jesus The SON could do at least as well?
In 1 Timothy 2:5, we read,
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”
We no longer get what we deserve; we get what Jesus paid the price for, if we will only believe.
Continued.
Have A Blessed Day
In Genesis 18:23-25, Abraham interceded with God on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah:
In fact, Abraham actually negotiated with God until He agreed not to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for the sake of ten righteous people. But there weren’t ten righteous people in the whole city, and only some of Lot’s family survived. A similar account is recorded in Exodus 32:9-12 and 14. Here God was furious with the people, and Moses interceded for them:
Moses actually told God, “Repent!” What’s more amazing is that God repented. Modern-day “intercessors” believe we, too, must stand in the gap, or mediate, between God and man. they believe we must plead with God to save the lost, to withhold His wrath from those He is ready to judge, and to be merciful to those whose needs He is unwilling to meet because of their unworthiness.
That couldn’t be further from the truth, but it is what’s being taught in many churches today. It ignores the fact that Jesus is now seated at the right hand of the Father (Heb. 10:12), ever making intercession for us (Heb. 7:25). If Moses or Abraham could persuade God, don’t you think Jesus The SON could do at least as well?
In 1 Timothy 2:5, we read,
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”
We no longer get what we deserve; we get what Jesus paid the price for, if we will only believe.
Continued.
Have A Blessed Day
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
How Do You Pray #1
Matthew 6:10-14 (KJV)
10 Thy kingdom come . Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. 14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
I believe that some of us have missed the boat on how to pray. We are full of religious views that have been passed down from generation to generation. First, we need to recognize that God isn’t angry at mankind anymore. ( Gods going to get you, how many times have you heard that?)He is no longer imputing or holding our sins against us. God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:19).
We are NOW reconciled to God through Jesus. That means we are in harmony and are friendly with God right now. He isn’t mad. The war between God and man is over.That’s what the angels proclaimed at the birth of Jesus.
Luke 2:14 says,
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
They were proclaiming the end of war between God and man. Jesus paid a price that was infinitely greater than the sins of the whole human race.
God’s wrath and justice have been satisfied. Jesus changed everything. God isn’t angry. His mercy extends to all people. He loves the world, not just the church, but the whole world. He paid for all sin. We no longer get what we deserve; we get what Jesus paid the price for, if we will only believe.
Continued.
Have A Blessed Day
10 Thy kingdom come . Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. 14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
I believe that some of us have missed the boat on how to pray. We are full of religious views that have been passed down from generation to generation. First, we need to recognize that God isn’t angry at mankind anymore. ( Gods going to get you, how many times have you heard that?)He is no longer imputing or holding our sins against us. God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:19).
We are NOW reconciled to God through Jesus. That means we are in harmony and are friendly with God right now. He isn’t mad. The war between God and man is over.That’s what the angels proclaimed at the birth of Jesus.
Luke 2:14 says,
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
They were proclaiming the end of war between God and man. Jesus paid a price that was infinitely greater than the sins of the whole human race.
God’s wrath and justice have been satisfied. Jesus changed everything. God isn’t angry. His mercy extends to all people. He loves the world, not just the church, but the whole world. He paid for all sin. We no longer get what we deserve; we get what Jesus paid the price for, if we will only believe.
Continued.
Have A Blessed Day
Monday, August 16, 2010
Pray for the Preachers
Philippians 1:18 (NKJV) What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice
“You are more interested in entertaining,” a man accused his pastor, “than preaching the Word.” The pastor smiled in return and gently stated, “I believe God’s Word is powerful enough to speak for itself. I’ve just tried to creatively find ways to soften the soil before the planting.” The pastor simply sought to use who God had made him to bring God’s Word to people as best he could. Is that any less than any of us could hope for? God has gifted us each uniquely and equipped us with the tools necessary to draw others unto Himself. It is far too often that concerned Christians question what they do not understand, and pass judgment because the work of God does not fit their own ideal. It may be hard for some of us to swallow, but we do not know everything about what God is doing. Do you have a complaint? Replace it with prayer--asking God to direct the efforts of the willing. And give glory to God that Christ is being preached.
Have A Blessed Week
“You are more interested in entertaining,” a man accused his pastor, “than preaching the Word.” The pastor smiled in return and gently stated, “I believe God’s Word is powerful enough to speak for itself. I’ve just tried to creatively find ways to soften the soil before the planting.” The pastor simply sought to use who God had made him to bring God’s Word to people as best he could. Is that any less than any of us could hope for? God has gifted us each uniquely and equipped us with the tools necessary to draw others unto Himself. It is far too often that concerned Christians question what they do not understand, and pass judgment because the work of God does not fit their own ideal. It may be hard for some of us to swallow, but we do not know everything about what God is doing. Do you have a complaint? Replace it with prayer--asking God to direct the efforts of the willing. And give glory to God that Christ is being preached.
Have A Blessed Week
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Fear Not!
Joshua 1:9 (NKJV) Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.
”There is a power and a presence working on the inside of you. It is brighter than any darkness, and though it is still and quiet, it is stronger than any raging river. It is the person of Jesus Christ via the Holy Spirit. When we choose to listen to His wisdom and guidance, and we are obedient to do and say the things in which He leads us, there is no reason to fear the things of this world. Today as you listen for His voice to guide you, be diligent to respond according to that "inner witness" and you'll find yourself living the life of peace!
Have A Blessed Day
Have A Blessed Day
”There is a power and a presence working on the inside of you. It is brighter than any darkness, and though it is still and quiet, it is stronger than any raging river. It is the person of Jesus Christ via the Holy Spirit. When we choose to listen to His wisdom and guidance, and we are obedient to do and say the things in which He leads us, there is no reason to fear the things of this world. Today as you listen for His voice to guide you, be diligent to respond according to that "inner witness" and you'll find yourself living the life of peace!
Have A Blessed Day
Have A Blessed Day
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Using Your Authority
Luke 10:19 (Amplified Bible) Behold! I have given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and [physical and mental strength and ability] over all the power that the enemy [possesses]; and nothing shall in any way harm you.
With authority comes responsibility. And this is where a lot of Christians fall short. They don’t like the responsibility that comes with the authority they have been given. By that I mean they want others to pray and speak for them. Christian laziness, I call it, I see it more and more as time goes by. We are told in James 4:7,”Resist the devil” This verse does not say anything about our pastor resisting the devil for us. It does not tell us to call every prayer group in the country and have them resist the devil for us. No, each one of us has to operate in our own authority. When we get into a tough situation, we must speak to it. We must talk to the mountain. Through Christ, we have the authority to speak to every enemy that comes against us. We have the power to walk on top of them.
Have A Blessed day
With authority comes responsibility. And this is where a lot of Christians fall short. They don’t like the responsibility that comes with the authority they have been given. By that I mean they want others to pray and speak for them. Christian laziness, I call it, I see it more and more as time goes by. We are told in James 4:7,”Resist the devil” This verse does not say anything about our pastor resisting the devil for us. It does not tell us to call every prayer group in the country and have them resist the devil for us. No, each one of us has to operate in our own authority. When we get into a tough situation, we must speak to it. We must talk to the mountain. Through Christ, we have the authority to speak to every enemy that comes against us. We have the power to walk on top of them.
Have A Blessed day
Stand Your Ground
2 Samuel 23:12 (NKJV) But he stationed himself in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So the LORD brought about a great victory
Any good soldier knows that unless he is skilled and knows how to use his weapon, that weapon is useless against a skilled enemy. If you're going to stand your ground against the enemy, the devil, when he comes looking to kill, steal and destroy you, you had better know how to use your sword - the Word of God. That's why it's important to know what the word of God says. That's why it's imperative that you know the will of God, the promises of God and what He says belongs to you through Jesus Christ. When you're skilled in the things of the spirit, you can stand your ground and defend it when the enemy comes with his attacks. You can speak out the word of God, run the enemy off and see the Word bring about a great victory in your life!
Have A Blessed Day
Any good soldier knows that unless he is skilled and knows how to use his weapon, that weapon is useless against a skilled enemy. If you're going to stand your ground against the enemy, the devil, when he comes looking to kill, steal and destroy you, you had better know how to use your sword - the Word of God. That's why it's important to know what the word of God says. That's why it's imperative that you know the will of God, the promises of God and what He says belongs to you through Jesus Christ. When you're skilled in the things of the spirit, you can stand your ground and defend it when the enemy comes with his attacks. You can speak out the word of God, run the enemy off and see the Word bring about a great victory in your life!
Have A Blessed Day
Monday, August 9, 2010
Not Just Words
Genesis 22:17 (KJV) That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
Those were not just words. They were words from heaven. and they were full of God’s miracle-working power. And still are!
Many people start out believing God, but when the answer doesn’t come in the next 30 minutes or next few days, they begin to have doubts. And start backing away from the promises of God’s Word. When we are believing God for something we need to plunge into the promises, not poke around the edges. We’ve got to plunge in! When the pressure is on- when lack, sickness, or impossibility stare us in the face-we need to plunge into the promises of God.
Mark 11:24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
Not just words
Have A Blessed Week
Those were not just words. They were words from heaven. and they were full of God’s miracle-working power. And still are!
Many people start out believing God, but when the answer doesn’t come in the next 30 minutes or next few days, they begin to have doubts. And start backing away from the promises of God’s Word. When we are believing God for something we need to plunge into the promises, not poke around the edges. We’ve got to plunge in! When the pressure is on- when lack, sickness, or impossibility stare us in the face-we need to plunge into the promises of God.
Mark 11:24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
Not just words
Have A Blessed Week
Saturday, August 7, 2010
There Comes A Time
Jeremiah 8:20 (New King James Version) The harvest is past, The summer is ended, And we are not saved!”
“There comes a time,” I’ve heard, “when all good things must come to an end.” That’s true of things on earth—but not things of Heaven. And while we understand that our time on this earth is limited, it is not something most of us give frequent thought. For some odd reason, the cares of this life often tip the scales as holding the weightier of matters, and we simply lose sight of the eternal realities. It is because of this I fear that we, as a people, will come to the end of the age and be filled with sorrow when we consider on what we have spent our lives. We will look around and see the many lost souls being left behind, and we will weep. You and I have our salvation—but so many do not. As of right now, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” The summer continues, and so very many are still not saved. Where are the workers??
Have A Blessed Day
“There comes a time,” I’ve heard, “when all good things must come to an end.” That’s true of things on earth—but not things of Heaven. And while we understand that our time on this earth is limited, it is not something most of us give frequent thought. For some odd reason, the cares of this life often tip the scales as holding the weightier of matters, and we simply lose sight of the eternal realities. It is because of this I fear that we, as a people, will come to the end of the age and be filled with sorrow when we consider on what we have spent our lives. We will look around and see the many lost souls being left behind, and we will weep. You and I have our salvation—but so many do not. As of right now, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” The summer continues, and so very many are still not saved. Where are the workers??
Have A Blessed Day
Friday, August 6, 2010
Worry Lines
Matthew 6:26-27 (King James Version) Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
“Worry lines,” some have called them; those creases that form on the forehead and face. Who knows how true that expression really is? Perhaps worry was written on my face the day I went to share a concern with a friend. After I explained my problem, he wrote something on a piece of paper and handed it to me: “Worry is interest paid on a loan that is never taken out.” How do you respond to that? “It’s not worry; it’s concern!” Or you might say, “God is in control;” while holding your breath until, “all things work together.” But these are the true worry lines—lines we recite when our faith is failing—lines to convince ourselves and others that we are feeling more secure than we really are. Whether or not worry is sin, some may not agree. It provides no comfort, no solution, no rest. It is only good when it is let go. And only enabling when it is entrusted to God.
Have A Blessed Day
“Worry lines,” some have called them; those creases that form on the forehead and face. Who knows how true that expression really is? Perhaps worry was written on my face the day I went to share a concern with a friend. After I explained my problem, he wrote something on a piece of paper and handed it to me: “Worry is interest paid on a loan that is never taken out.” How do you respond to that? “It’s not worry; it’s concern!” Or you might say, “God is in control;” while holding your breath until, “all things work together.” But these are the true worry lines—lines we recite when our faith is failing—lines to convince ourselves and others that we are feeling more secure than we really are. Whether or not worry is sin, some may not agree. It provides no comfort, no solution, no rest. It is only good when it is let go. And only enabling when it is entrusted to God.
Have A Blessed Day
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Don't Give Up
Galatians 6:9 (Amplified Bible) And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.
Standing in faith and believing for a miracle in your life will require you to be steadfast. Confessing the word of God over your life will bring about results, but it might not be instantaneously. The good news is that the promises of God are real and they are for the believer. You have a spiritual harvest coming if you remain steadfast in believing God at His word. Abraham believed God and it was credited him as righteousness. He simply believed God at His word and it kept Abraham on the right path to inherit the promise. The farmer doesn't physically see the harvest while he is planting and tending to his field. But although he can't see it right now, he knows it is coming so he remains steadfast to continue to work that field in faith knowing that the harvest will come. Don't give up - you're on the right track. Keep confessing, keep on doing what is good and right, and keep on believing!
Standing in faith and believing for a miracle in your life will require you to be steadfast. Confessing the word of God over your life will bring about results, but it might not be instantaneously. The good news is that the promises of God are real and they are for the believer. You have a spiritual harvest coming if you remain steadfast in believing God at His word. Abraham believed God and it was credited him as righteousness. He simply believed God at His word and it kept Abraham on the right path to inherit the promise. The farmer doesn't physically see the harvest while he is planting and tending to his field. But although he can't see it right now, he knows it is coming so he remains steadfast to continue to work that field in faith knowing that the harvest will come. Don't give up - you're on the right track. Keep confessing, keep on doing what is good and right, and keep on believing!
Have A Blessed day
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
He Must Increase
John 3:30 (KJV) He must increase, but I must decrease.
John the Baptist had a special work wherein he would be the one who came to prepare the way for the one yet to come. Simply put, John’s ministry pointed to Jesus. He did not consider his ministry something whereby he would get attention or glory for himself—it was all about Jesus. As John the Baptist’s disciples questioned John regarding the work that Christ was doing and the attention it was drawing; John simply reminded them for what purpose he had come. Just as John did, it is ours to do today and everyday: to point the way to Christ, and to see that our lives increase the glory to Jesus above anything we would ever gain for ourselves.
Have A Blessed Day
John the Baptist had a special work wherein he would be the one who came to prepare the way for the one yet to come. Simply put, John’s ministry pointed to Jesus. He did not consider his ministry something whereby he would get attention or glory for himself—it was all about Jesus. As John the Baptist’s disciples questioned John regarding the work that Christ was doing and the attention it was drawing; John simply reminded them for what purpose he had come. Just as John did, it is ours to do today and everyday: to point the way to Christ, and to see that our lives increase the glory to Jesus above anything we would ever gain for ourselves.
Have A Blessed Day
Monday, August 2, 2010
Holy Ghost Fire
Luke 3:16 (KJV) John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:
“Shine Jesus Shine,” a praise song exclaims, “fill this land with the Father’s glory. Blaze Spirit Blaze, set our hearts on fire!” Those last few words are hard to sing without imagining what it would be like for our hearts to truly be “on fire” for Jesus. But what kind of fire would it be? Would it be a fire kindled during worship but gone shortly after leaving the service? Would it be a fire that lights only certain areas of our hearts and cannot penetrate into the darker places because we refuse to give up some part of our lives? Imagine a spark that ignites into a long burning flame. One which stirs in us passionate living for Jesus. One which lights every part of who we are and spills over into a genuine love and concern for others. Imagine, a light that sparkles in our eyes and prominently proclaims, “Jesus lives here!” That, dear friend, is a fire not easily extinguished. As we start a new week lets see what kind of flame ignites from us.
Have A Blessed Week
“Shine Jesus Shine,” a praise song exclaims, “fill this land with the Father’s glory. Blaze Spirit Blaze, set our hearts on fire!” Those last few words are hard to sing without imagining what it would be like for our hearts to truly be “on fire” for Jesus. But what kind of fire would it be? Would it be a fire kindled during worship but gone shortly after leaving the service? Would it be a fire that lights only certain areas of our hearts and cannot penetrate into the darker places because we refuse to give up some part of our lives? Imagine a spark that ignites into a long burning flame. One which stirs in us passionate living for Jesus. One which lights every part of who we are and spills over into a genuine love and concern for others. Imagine, a light that sparkles in our eyes and prominently proclaims, “Jesus lives here!” That, dear friend, is a fire not easily extinguished. As we start a new week lets see what kind of flame ignites from us.
Have A Blessed Week
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)