2 CORINTHIANS 3:17-18 (read all of chapter 3 to understand the full context)
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
Whenever Moses met with God he would put a veil over his face when talking with the Israelites so as not to show the radiance of God that was shining brightly on his face. That was under the old covenant.(Exodus 34:29-35)
The veil remains under the old covenant. Under the new covenant with Christ we are to allow the radiance of God to shine for others to see. Christ removes the veil when we choose to follow Him. And when He does, others around us notice the "glow".
Have you ever noticed a pregnant woman's "glow"? Her face changes into a radiant shine that many notice. Many times, before her stomach begins showing signs of pregnancy, people notice the "glow" and assume that she is pregnant.
We need to have that same "glow" that radiates the glory of God in our lives. And as we become more and more like Him that glow should become brighter and brighter. People should be able to notice that "glow" before they even meet us.
Are you radiating the glory of God today? If not spend some time before God and allow Him to replenish that "glow". Let Him fill you with His Spirit to overflowing, spilling over onto others. God bless~
Wednesday
Saturday
Happy Valentine's Day
Happy Valentine's Day to the two loves of my life...my Father in heaven and my husband. I have been committed to my Father for 22 years and to my husband for almost 17.
Both tend to spoil me...way more than I deserve. I know if I need either on of them, which is always, that I have a strong hand to guide me and strong arms to hold me.
My heavenly Father is first in my life. I run to Him first, unless there is some rodent or bug in the house. Then I am screaming for the other strong arm in the house. Haha. I love my Father very much. He gave up everything for me. He loves me and disciplines me when needed. He is patient with me, not wanting me to perish. He gives me everything I need. Oh how I love my heavenly Father.
My husband comes in second. What a man! One thing he has learned and gained much of since entering this marriage is patience. He is a good man. He takes care of me and I would have no other man in my life than he.
Happy Valentine's Day all! Show someone you care today. This is a great opportunity to share the love of Jesus to someone who does not have it.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight with evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails...
Both tend to spoil me...way more than I deserve. I know if I need either on of them, which is always, that I have a strong hand to guide me and strong arms to hold me.
My heavenly Father is first in my life. I run to Him first, unless there is some rodent or bug in the house. Then I am screaming for the other strong arm in the house. Haha. I love my Father very much. He gave up everything for me. He loves me and disciplines me when needed. He is patient with me, not wanting me to perish. He gives me everything I need. Oh how I love my heavenly Father.
My husband comes in second. What a man! One thing he has learned and gained much of since entering this marriage is patience. He is a good man. He takes care of me and I would have no other man in my life than he.
Happy Valentine's Day all! Show someone you care today. This is a great opportunity to share the love of Jesus to someone who does not have it.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight with evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails...
Tuesday
Wise Fools
1 Corinthians 1:18
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
It is frustrating to witness to someone who clearly thinks Christianity is a joke. Having to deal with the ridicule and demeaning comments can be unbearable at times. It may even make you question whether you have the truth or not.
According to Paul, the wise will be made fools through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In 1Cor. 1:19 God said he would destroy the wisdom of the wise and frustrate the intelligence of the intelligent. Eventually scientists will have to bow their knee to Christ having to give up on their theories. Their intelligence will look foolish when it stands against the Word of God.
We as humans tend to think we know more than we do. We try to rationalize everything and if it doesn't fit into the logic box then it must not be so. But God and His Word is not rational...it is supernatural. God is beyond our natural minds. This is why Proverbs 3:5 says to trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean NOT on your own understanding...
The next time you come across an unrepentant person who thinks Christianity is wrong, remember that their mind can't comprehend God's grace. And since they are trying to rationalize with natural understanding they will not comprehend or grasp the true understanding of who God is. So instead of getting frustrated take a deep breath, present the Gospel, then put them in the hands of the Almighty God.
Get out there and witness! God Bless~
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
It is frustrating to witness to someone who clearly thinks Christianity is a joke. Having to deal with the ridicule and demeaning comments can be unbearable at times. It may even make you question whether you have the truth or not.
According to Paul, the wise will be made fools through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In 1Cor. 1:19 God said he would destroy the wisdom of the wise and frustrate the intelligence of the intelligent. Eventually scientists will have to bow their knee to Christ having to give up on their theories. Their intelligence will look foolish when it stands against the Word of God.
We as humans tend to think we know more than we do. We try to rationalize everything and if it doesn't fit into the logic box then it must not be so. But God and His Word is not rational...it is supernatural. God is beyond our natural minds. This is why Proverbs 3:5 says to trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean NOT on your own understanding...
The next time you come across an unrepentant person who thinks Christianity is wrong, remember that their mind can't comprehend God's grace. And since they are trying to rationalize with natural understanding they will not comprehend or grasp the true understanding of who God is. So instead of getting frustrated take a deep breath, present the Gospel, then put them in the hands of the Almighty God.
Get out there and witness! God Bless~
Friday
Hope Beyond Your Strength
Looking for hope in a hopeless situation? Are you not finding the "light at the end of the tunnel"? Does your mountain look to big to climb?
THERE IS HOPE!!
God knew before your situation came up what was going to happen. He began preparing the way beforehand. He even knows the ending result. Therefore He is prepared to impart wisdom upon you to be victorious.
PSALM 33:16-22 No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.
When a problem arrises our natural reaction is to fix it. If it becomes impossible for us to fix it we get anxious and lose hope. We have a tendency to grab at straws guessing the solution to our problems. The harm in that without God's guidance we tend to grab the wrong straw and make an even bigger mess.
We need to realize that no matter how big our mountain, no matter how deep our valley, God has all the tools we need to overcome any problem we have. It won't be in our own strength, or with our own hands (no warrior escapes by his great strength). But by God's mighty hand and protective shield, we can have victory over trials and our enemies.
Don't let the size of your mountain dictate the outcome of your trial. Don't rely on your own strength to win the battle. Put your hope in God, draw wisdom from Him, and use His tools to win the victory.
"In a valley you can find streams of living water. On a mountain you can touch the heavens" God bless~
THERE IS HOPE!!
God knew before your situation came up what was going to happen. He began preparing the way beforehand. He even knows the ending result. Therefore He is prepared to impart wisdom upon you to be victorious.
PSALM 33:16-22 No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.
When a problem arrises our natural reaction is to fix it. If it becomes impossible for us to fix it we get anxious and lose hope. We have a tendency to grab at straws guessing the solution to our problems. The harm in that without God's guidance we tend to grab the wrong straw and make an even bigger mess.
We need to realize that no matter how big our mountain, no matter how deep our valley, God has all the tools we need to overcome any problem we have. It won't be in our own strength, or with our own hands (no warrior escapes by his great strength). But by God's mighty hand and protective shield, we can have victory over trials and our enemies.
Don't let the size of your mountain dictate the outcome of your trial. Don't rely on your own strength to win the battle. Put your hope in God, draw wisdom from Him, and use His tools to win the victory.
"In a valley you can find streams of living water. On a mountain you can touch the heavens" God bless~
Wednesday
He Restoreth My Soul
Recently I had the opportunity to spend time at the altar in prayer. It's another week of prayer and fasting with our church.I love those weeks. It is during those times I can literally forget the outside world and focus solely on God. It is refreshing and definitely enlightening. God has alot to say if we would just listen.
As I was praying God brought to my attention what He has done for me in just this past year. It has been amazing. A year ago I was in the depths. I had wondered at times if God had remembered where I was. I am not sure I could have gone any deeper into the pit of despair.
I remember sitting at the altar a year ago in the dark. I had gone to church, locked the doors behind me, left the lights off and found myself at the altar wrapped in a ball and crying. I knew God could hear me. I knew that He loved me enough to answer my plea. But it was taking longer than I felt I could wait for.
I remember crying out, "God, what are you doing to me? I know you are pruning me...molding me, but this really hurts. Please get me out of this pit."
Did I get an answer that night? No. I had to be patient a little longer. God had to prune me some more. And that He did! If a plant could talk it would probably tell you that pruning is a painful process. But we know that it is necessary for the plant to grow properly and to look beautiful. So it is with us. God prunes us in order for us to grow properly.
Pruning is the process of taking off what would stunt our spiritual growth and later choke us to death. We may not like it during the process but we will later when we realize what God has done.
God has brought me to a beautiful place. He has brought me out of the pit and into a palace. He is daily restoring my soul, renewing my spirit, revealing His truth, refining me into His likeness. God is so good! He is worthy to be praised!
PSALM 23:3-4 He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me.
After giving God the worship due Him, which I love to do, I then got this burden to pray that others in our church and the lost in our community would have the opportunity to experience the love of God like I have. Oh the blessings He has for his children! My prayer is that they will draw from God and allow Him to pull them out of the pit and that they would allow Him to prune them into His likeness. I pray that they would be able to experience salvation, deliverance, healing, freedom from oppression, and blessings from on high. There is no way one can come out of this without feeling God's love. It may feel uncomfortable at first but with patience and relying on God's strength, we can find that it is well worth it.
I pray this same prayer for you today. Find a quiet place to pray and allow God to prune you, to refine you...to cut off what is not of Him and to burn out what is keeping you from experiencing His blessings. God Bless~
As I was praying God brought to my attention what He has done for me in just this past year. It has been amazing. A year ago I was in the depths. I had wondered at times if God had remembered where I was. I am not sure I could have gone any deeper into the pit of despair.
I remember sitting at the altar a year ago in the dark. I had gone to church, locked the doors behind me, left the lights off and found myself at the altar wrapped in a ball and crying. I knew God could hear me. I knew that He loved me enough to answer my plea. But it was taking longer than I felt I could wait for.
I remember crying out, "God, what are you doing to me? I know you are pruning me...molding me, but this really hurts. Please get me out of this pit."
Did I get an answer that night? No. I had to be patient a little longer. God had to prune me some more. And that He did! If a plant could talk it would probably tell you that pruning is a painful process. But we know that it is necessary for the plant to grow properly and to look beautiful. So it is with us. God prunes us in order for us to grow properly.
Pruning is the process of taking off what would stunt our spiritual growth and later choke us to death. We may not like it during the process but we will later when we realize what God has done.
God has brought me to a beautiful place. He has brought me out of the pit and into a palace. He is daily restoring my soul, renewing my spirit, revealing His truth, refining me into His likeness. God is so good! He is worthy to be praised!
PSALM 23:3-4 He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me.
After giving God the worship due Him, which I love to do, I then got this burden to pray that others in our church and the lost in our community would have the opportunity to experience the love of God like I have. Oh the blessings He has for his children! My prayer is that they will draw from God and allow Him to pull them out of the pit and that they would allow Him to prune them into His likeness. I pray that they would be able to experience salvation, deliverance, healing, freedom from oppression, and blessings from on high. There is no way one can come out of this without feeling God's love. It may feel uncomfortable at first but with patience and relying on God's strength, we can find that it is well worth it.
I pray this same prayer for you today. Find a quiet place to pray and allow God to prune you, to refine you...to cut off what is not of Him and to burn out what is keeping you from experiencing His blessings. God Bless~
Tuesday
Shout Your Walls Down
JOSHUA 20
verse 20 When the trumpets sounded, the people shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the people gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so every man charged straight in, and they took the city.
God gave Joshua a command that seemed insane and illogical to the human brain, a command that would rock the Israelite's world. Jericho was a sinful city and needed captured. It was protected by a strong wall. Joshua and his people couldn't break through in their own strength. It was going to take the supernatural.
God told Joshua to tell the Israelites to march around the walls of Jericho once each day while blowing the horn each day for 6 days. Then on the 7th day march 7 times and then on the 7th they were to shout. That is when the walls of Jericho will tumble.
I am sure that sounded insane to Joshua but he did it anyway. My point today is not the obedience though. You see, I taught this lesson in Sunday School last week and during church service later on God brought to remembrance the lesson during a song. I don't remember the song now but it had the word "shout" in it. And God spoke to me and said we tend to wait to shout the victory until we see evidence of it instead of "shouting the victory down." The Israelites didn't wait until after the walls crumbled to shout. It was the shouting that made the walls crumble.
It is our praises that crumbles those walls, those mountains, that have kept us from taking what belongs to us. Let us shout the walls down! God Bless~
verse 20 When the trumpets sounded, the people shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the people gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so every man charged straight in, and they took the city.
God gave Joshua a command that seemed insane and illogical to the human brain, a command that would rock the Israelite's world. Jericho was a sinful city and needed captured. It was protected by a strong wall. Joshua and his people couldn't break through in their own strength. It was going to take the supernatural.
God told Joshua to tell the Israelites to march around the walls of Jericho once each day while blowing the horn each day for 6 days. Then on the 7th day march 7 times and then on the 7th they were to shout. That is when the walls of Jericho will tumble.
I am sure that sounded insane to Joshua but he did it anyway. My point today is not the obedience though. You see, I taught this lesson in Sunday School last week and during church service later on God brought to remembrance the lesson during a song. I don't remember the song now but it had the word "shout" in it. And God spoke to me and said we tend to wait to shout the victory until we see evidence of it instead of "shouting the victory down." The Israelites didn't wait until after the walls crumbled to shout. It was the shouting that made the walls crumble.
It is our praises that crumbles those walls, those mountains, that have kept us from taking what belongs to us. Let us shout the walls down! God Bless~
Wednesday
Smart Zeal
PROVERBS 19:2
It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way.
There is nothing on earth that compares to the feeling you have when you first accept Christ as Lord and Savior. The excitement inside you feels like it could explode at any moment. Everyone around you notices that you are glowing. You are on top of the world.
We should feel like that no matter how long we have been saved. Unfortunately we can tend to allow the world's stresses to taint our fervor.
With the excitement of something new, whether it be our salvation, a new job, a new idea, we should never jump into an action or belief without knowledge. I have seen many people allow their zeal to overtake them and they say things or make decisions without the proper training.
For example, my husband and I met a young man a while back. His excitement and fervor was what we needed in our ministry. We needed someone who was willing to jump in and begin building the kingdom, and that he did.
In our lack of experience we didn't discern that this young man was far from educated in the Word inspite of his fervor. Oh, he loved the Lord. He desired to minister. But his lack of knowledge and wisdom quickly found him in trouble. The decisions he made were far from wise.
Needless to say we had a mess to clean up after we sent him on his way. Why did we send him away? He was unteachable. His zeal got in the way. He had become the all-powerful, all-knowing 20 year old that we didn't notice when we first met him.
We need to be zealous for God. Walking around like the character of Eeyore in Whinnie the Pooh trying to win souls for Christ will not entice anyone. But we must allow ourselves to be educated in the Word. Our zeal is not enough. It is too easy to take on a doctrine that is not from God and spread it like wildfire, later to find out we were wrong. It is dangerous...to us and to those who hear it and believe.
Desire God's Word with as much zeal as you had when you first accepted Christ as Lord and Savior. Make sure that what you profess and how you live is backed up with the Word of God. And if one wiser than you rebukes you for a wrong belief, then be willing to accept the rebuke. God Bless~
It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way.
There is nothing on earth that compares to the feeling you have when you first accept Christ as Lord and Savior. The excitement inside you feels like it could explode at any moment. Everyone around you notices that you are glowing. You are on top of the world.
We should feel like that no matter how long we have been saved. Unfortunately we can tend to allow the world's stresses to taint our fervor.
With the excitement of something new, whether it be our salvation, a new job, a new idea, we should never jump into an action or belief without knowledge. I have seen many people allow their zeal to overtake them and they say things or make decisions without the proper training.
For example, my husband and I met a young man a while back. His excitement and fervor was what we needed in our ministry. We needed someone who was willing to jump in and begin building the kingdom, and that he did.
In our lack of experience we didn't discern that this young man was far from educated in the Word inspite of his fervor. Oh, he loved the Lord. He desired to minister. But his lack of knowledge and wisdom quickly found him in trouble. The decisions he made were far from wise.
Needless to say we had a mess to clean up after we sent him on his way. Why did we send him away? He was unteachable. His zeal got in the way. He had become the all-powerful, all-knowing 20 year old that we didn't notice when we first met him.
We need to be zealous for God. Walking around like the character of Eeyore in Whinnie the Pooh trying to win souls for Christ will not entice anyone. But we must allow ourselves to be educated in the Word. Our zeal is not enough. It is too easy to take on a doctrine that is not from God and spread it like wildfire, later to find out we were wrong. It is dangerous...to us and to those who hear it and believe.
Desire God's Word with as much zeal as you had when you first accepted Christ as Lord and Savior. Make sure that what you profess and how you live is backed up with the Word of God. And if one wiser than you rebukes you for a wrong belief, then be willing to accept the rebuke. God Bless~
Tuesday
Depression Is Not My Decision
There is a catchy commercial on television that even my children know. As soon as it comes on we are saying the words along with the spokesman. You may know it also.
"Where does depression hurt? Everywhere! Who does depression hurt? Everyone!"
Depression is running rampant throughout the world. It doesn't help that everything around us is struggling and giving us no hope. The economy is tainted. Violence continues to be on the rise. Diseases are popping up everywhere. Where is the hope in that? No wonder a mass amount of people are on anti-depressants.
The commercial is so true. Depression acts like the common cold, in the fact that when people are around someone struggling with depression it becomes contagious. It is difficult to find joy amongst sorrow. Does this mean we avoid people who struggle with depression? No! We are to love and embrace those who struggle. Forget not where you came from.
I, too, have struggled with depression for many years. It is a daily battle; one of which I am winning. I desire joy. I have hope even when the world isn't giving me any. I have learned to praise God no matter how I feel. I will not be controlled by my emotions. I demand they line up with God's Word. God's Word is full of hope. It offers a bright future, an eternal happiness.
Psalm 42:5-6 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
As David did, sometimes we need to tell ourselves how to act. We need to remind our emotions who is in control. I remember the first time I was told that I did not have to be controlled by my emotions. It was liberating. For years I had assumed that if I woke up and felt depressed then that was how my day was going to be. If I felt angry then by all means I was going to be angry. If I saw no hope in the day then life was really hopeless.
To all this I say, "Stop!" Now I am at a crossroads. I could either follow my emotions or crucify my flesh and allow God's Spirit to take control in me. Do I choose to live by my emotions or do I choose to live by the Spirit? That is the question we all must ask ourselves.
Emotions can deceive us. You might say "But God gave us emotions. Therefore they can't be bad." God also gave us a tongue and hands. How many times have those body parts gotten us into trouble. We have said harsh words. We have used our hands for evil and not good at times. We must be alert at all times. We must remind our bodies to live by the Spirit, to obey God's Word.
There is hope in God. There is a peace that surpasses all understanding. It is reachable. God is waiting to give it upon your request. Once you take it, remind yourself who is in control. Then look yourself in the mirror and say "Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God." God Bless~
"Where does depression hurt? Everywhere! Who does depression hurt? Everyone!"
Depression is running rampant throughout the world. It doesn't help that everything around us is struggling and giving us no hope. The economy is tainted. Violence continues to be on the rise. Diseases are popping up everywhere. Where is the hope in that? No wonder a mass amount of people are on anti-depressants.
The commercial is so true. Depression acts like the common cold, in the fact that when people are around someone struggling with depression it becomes contagious. It is difficult to find joy amongst sorrow. Does this mean we avoid people who struggle with depression? No! We are to love and embrace those who struggle. Forget not where you came from.
I, too, have struggled with depression for many years. It is a daily battle; one of which I am winning. I desire joy. I have hope even when the world isn't giving me any. I have learned to praise God no matter how I feel. I will not be controlled by my emotions. I demand they line up with God's Word. God's Word is full of hope. It offers a bright future, an eternal happiness.
Psalm 42:5-6 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
As David did, sometimes we need to tell ourselves how to act. We need to remind our emotions who is in control. I remember the first time I was told that I did not have to be controlled by my emotions. It was liberating. For years I had assumed that if I woke up and felt depressed then that was how my day was going to be. If I felt angry then by all means I was going to be angry. If I saw no hope in the day then life was really hopeless.
To all this I say, "Stop!" Now I am at a crossroads. I could either follow my emotions or crucify my flesh and allow God's Spirit to take control in me. Do I choose to live by my emotions or do I choose to live by the Spirit? That is the question we all must ask ourselves.
Emotions can deceive us. You might say "But God gave us emotions. Therefore they can't be bad." God also gave us a tongue and hands. How many times have those body parts gotten us into trouble. We have said harsh words. We have used our hands for evil and not good at times. We must be alert at all times. We must remind our bodies to live by the Spirit, to obey God's Word.
There is hope in God. There is a peace that surpasses all understanding. It is reachable. God is waiting to give it upon your request. Once you take it, remind yourself who is in control. Then look yourself in the mirror and say "Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God." God Bless~
Friday
Struggling With Sin
Recently Jay called in to the prayer line looking for hope. He was struggling with sin and felt overwhelmed by it. He knew what was right; for he had been a Christian for some time now. But he felt chained by this sin that he could not overcome. He was desperate for answers, for freedom.
Do you know someone like that? Maybe you are the one struggling with sin. The Apostle Paul described his struggle like this:
Romans 7:14-20 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
No matter how long you have been a Christian, sin will continue to knock at your door. It is your job not to answer it. Then when sin begins to yell to get your attention, it is your job to turn your ear away. And when sin breaks the door down and announces "I am here!" it is your job to either walk away or command it to leave. Easier said than done? Yes, at times. But not impossible.
I find it easier to give in to sin when my "spirit-man" is not built up. Romans 8:5 says "Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what the nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires." If my mind is focused on anything but Christ and His Word then I am a target for sin.
I must, we must, fill our minds with the Word of God. We must fill our hearts with praise to Him. Psalm 119:11 "Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee."
So what do you do when sin comes knocking at your door?
2 Corinthians 10:5 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;
We will be tempted with sin. It is all around us, ever-increasing. We do not have to give in to it though. We shouldn't give in to it. Verse 9 of Romans 8 says if the Spirit of God lives in us then we are to be controlled by the Spirit, not the sinful nature.
Therefore, if we are to live by God's Spirit, which lives in us, then we need to take authority over the sin that lingers. When a sinful thought comes to mind cast it down and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Immediately think on the Word of God. Do not allow yourself to be in the place that your weakness resides. Don't tempt yourself. It's meaningless and you will most likely fail.
God deserves our best, our excellence. If you do not desire to walk away from sin then the Spirit of God does not reside in you according to Romans 8. Therefore your next step is to repent and accept Christ. And when God's Spirit enters in, the desire for sin will lessen. And the more you get into the Word of God your desires for godly things will increase. John 3:30 "He must increase, but I must decrease."God Bless~
Do you know someone like that? Maybe you are the one struggling with sin. The Apostle Paul described his struggle like this:
Romans 7:14-20 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
No matter how long you have been a Christian, sin will continue to knock at your door. It is your job not to answer it. Then when sin begins to yell to get your attention, it is your job to turn your ear away. And when sin breaks the door down and announces "I am here!" it is your job to either walk away or command it to leave. Easier said than done? Yes, at times. But not impossible.
I find it easier to give in to sin when my "spirit-man" is not built up. Romans 8:5 says "Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what the nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires." If my mind is focused on anything but Christ and His Word then I am a target for sin.
I must, we must, fill our minds with the Word of God. We must fill our hearts with praise to Him. Psalm 119:11 "Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee."
So what do you do when sin comes knocking at your door?
2 Corinthians 10:5 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;
We will be tempted with sin. It is all around us, ever-increasing. We do not have to give in to it though. We shouldn't give in to it. Verse 9 of Romans 8 says if the Spirit of God lives in us then we are to be controlled by the Spirit, not the sinful nature.
Therefore, if we are to live by God's Spirit, which lives in us, then we need to take authority over the sin that lingers. When a sinful thought comes to mind cast it down and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Immediately think on the Word of God. Do not allow yourself to be in the place that your weakness resides. Don't tempt yourself. It's meaningless and you will most likely fail.
God deserves our best, our excellence. If you do not desire to walk away from sin then the Spirit of God does not reside in you according to Romans 8. Therefore your next step is to repent and accept Christ. And when God's Spirit enters in, the desire for sin will lessen. And the more you get into the Word of God your desires for godly things will increase. John 3:30 "He must increase, but I must decrease."God Bless~
Thursday
Among The Wise
Proverbs 13:20
He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.
I love hanging around women who are older than I. Not that I like doing "old people" stuff. I do not sew and I do not know much of the old stuff they talk about. What draws me to them is their wisdom and knowledge. They have been around for a while and have learned from experience what works and what doesn't. What is even better is that they have known God longer than I and I can learn so much from them.
I know that if I am having a day of weakness, being around fools will not build me up. It may even cause me to stumble. A while back I had a day that was full of frustrations. Every time I turned away from one frustration another was there waiting patiently for me. My stress level was high.
I had a friend with me at the time. And although she was not a "fool", she was a very young Christian and not full of the wisdom I needed at the time. At my heightened point of stress her advice was "Go ahead and slip a cuss word. I won't tell. One won't hurt." Then later she said, "Go ahead and smoke a cigarette. One slip won't hurt."
My words to her were, "Get thee behind me, Satan!" Wow, I was not expecting that kind of encouragement. Yet, I could not blame her. She was a new Christian. I needed to seek the counsel and encouragement of some wiser, well-seasoned women.
After that day I was more careful who I spent my frustrating days with. It can be quite harmful to be a companion among fools. They do not know how to build up and encourage in the Word of God.
Proverbs says He who walks with the wise grows wise. That statement itself should make us desire to be among the wise. I surely want to grow wiser. God Bless~
He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.
I love hanging around women who are older than I. Not that I like doing "old people" stuff. I do not sew and I do not know much of the old stuff they talk about. What draws me to them is their wisdom and knowledge. They have been around for a while and have learned from experience what works and what doesn't. What is even better is that they have known God longer than I and I can learn so much from them.
I know that if I am having a day of weakness, being around fools will not build me up. It may even cause me to stumble. A while back I had a day that was full of frustrations. Every time I turned away from one frustration another was there waiting patiently for me. My stress level was high.
I had a friend with me at the time. And although she was not a "fool", she was a very young Christian and not full of the wisdom I needed at the time. At my heightened point of stress her advice was "Go ahead and slip a cuss word. I won't tell. One won't hurt." Then later she said, "Go ahead and smoke a cigarette. One slip won't hurt."
My words to her were, "Get thee behind me, Satan!" Wow, I was not expecting that kind of encouragement. Yet, I could not blame her. She was a new Christian. I needed to seek the counsel and encouragement of some wiser, well-seasoned women.
After that day I was more careful who I spent my frustrating days with. It can be quite harmful to be a companion among fools. They do not know how to build up and encourage in the Word of God.
Proverbs says He who walks with the wise grows wise. That statement itself should make us desire to be among the wise. I surely want to grow wiser. God Bless~
Wednesday
In All Chaos There Is Hope
In watching the news this last year I have many times felt like I was watching a movie out of Hollywood. It just didn't seem real! The massive amount of earthquakes, the hurricanes, the wildfires, the economy being threatened, the war still going on, and what TV is allowing to be shown is all more than enough to stir me to a realization that we don't have time to play anymore.
I have to wonder, does anyone else sense this urgency besides me? We still go about our daily lives as if all this is just rumor. Maybe we are just so scared that instead of preparing for Christ's return we are hiding in our closets praying it will all blow over. After all, it is quite unsettling. The thought of having to fight for gasoline just to get to work, or for food to feed our children, or wondering when the next storm or earthquake will claim our loved ones is all enough for anyone to fall into depression and lose hope.
God warned all this would happen. But there is a promise that we need to hold on to. He won't leave us here. REVELATION 22:20 says: He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." That is our hope! That should be enough to energize us so we can finish the race.
The finish line is near. Keep your eyes focused and along the way pull in those who have lost their way and are sitting on the sidelines watching. You cannot win unless you move your feet and no one can hear you unless you move your mouth. God Bless~
I have to wonder, does anyone else sense this urgency besides me? We still go about our daily lives as if all this is just rumor. Maybe we are just so scared that instead of preparing for Christ's return we are hiding in our closets praying it will all blow over. After all, it is quite unsettling. The thought of having to fight for gasoline just to get to work, or for food to feed our children, or wondering when the next storm or earthquake will claim our loved ones is all enough for anyone to fall into depression and lose hope.
God warned all this would happen. But there is a promise that we need to hold on to. He won't leave us here. REVELATION 22:20 says: He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." That is our hope! That should be enough to energize us so we can finish the race.
The finish line is near. Keep your eyes focused and along the way pull in those who have lost their way and are sitting on the sidelines watching. You cannot win unless you move your feet and no one can hear you unless you move your mouth. God Bless~
Tuesday
Is Your Hardship A Discipline From God?
DEUTERONOMY 8:1-5
Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land that the LORD promised on oath to your forefathers. Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you.
As I read this I can't help but wonder how many of my past hardships were actually God's discipline. And how many could have been avoided.
No doubt, Satan himself has a hand in hardships. Look at Job. Satan wanted to test Job's faithfulness to God so he poured on the hardship. Job was tested more than most will ever see in their life time.
It is easy to blame Satan for every hardship we endure. It makes us feel like the martyr. "Enduring for Jesus!" "I must be doing something right because Satan is reaking havoc in my life!" "Satan stole my job!"
How many of our hardships are really from Satan? How many are really God disciplining us due to our disobedience?
The Israelites were greatly disciplined by God when they were roaming in the desert. If they had obeyed God's Word and Moses' commands, they would have avoided all this. They roamed for 40 years and lacked food for a season. Satan wasn't doing this to prevent them from entering the Promise Land. God took food from them to humble them.
Why did God choose hunger as discipline? God's Word is "food" and in verse 3 God said He did it "to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." If the Israelites had listened to God's Word and obeyed they would not have lacked food.
God values His Word. Why? He knows how powerful it is. He knows His ways are better than our ways. He knows the beginning and the end of every situation. Therefore, many hardships could be avoided if we would just listen to the one who knows all instead of thinking we know all.
God isn't a mean Father either. He loves us so much He doesn't want us to continue on our road to destruction. Hebrews 3:4-6 says "In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."
If you are going through some hardships examine yourself. Are you the cause of it? Did you disobey or make poor choices to bring this on? If so, repent and dive into the Bible. Read what it has to say about your situation. Then do what it says. God does know more. His direction is there to guide you away from hardships.
Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land that the LORD promised on oath to your forefathers. Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you.
As I read this I can't help but wonder how many of my past hardships were actually God's discipline. And how many could have been avoided.
No doubt, Satan himself has a hand in hardships. Look at Job. Satan wanted to test Job's faithfulness to God so he poured on the hardship. Job was tested more than most will ever see in their life time.
It is easy to blame Satan for every hardship we endure. It makes us feel like the martyr. "Enduring for Jesus!" "I must be doing something right because Satan is reaking havoc in my life!" "Satan stole my job!"
How many of our hardships are really from Satan? How many are really God disciplining us due to our disobedience?
The Israelites were greatly disciplined by God when they were roaming in the desert. If they had obeyed God's Word and Moses' commands, they would have avoided all this. They roamed for 40 years and lacked food for a season. Satan wasn't doing this to prevent them from entering the Promise Land. God took food from them to humble them.
Why did God choose hunger as discipline? God's Word is "food" and in verse 3 God said He did it "to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." If the Israelites had listened to God's Word and obeyed they would not have lacked food.
God values His Word. Why? He knows how powerful it is. He knows His ways are better than our ways. He knows the beginning and the end of every situation. Therefore, many hardships could be avoided if we would just listen to the one who knows all instead of thinking we know all.
God isn't a mean Father either. He loves us so much He doesn't want us to continue on our road to destruction. Hebrews 3:4-6 says "In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."
If you are going through some hardships examine yourself. Are you the cause of it? Did you disobey or make poor choices to bring this on? If so, repent and dive into the Bible. Read what it has to say about your situation. Then do what it says. God does know more. His direction is there to guide you away from hardships.
Monday
Silence the Stones!
What is it? What is it that keeps us from professing God's goodness to others? What keeps us from sharing our testimony?
Our car breaks down, our neighbor gets sick, our boss is a thorn in our flesh, we are diagnosed with cancer, our finances are in shambles; when these things happen we tell our friends, the cashier hears more than their share, the prayer network gets a call or two, we wake our pastor up at 2 in the morning, and our co-workers hear us nag. Wow! What a testimony!
YET, when God provides the money to fix our car, heals our neighbor, saves our boss, heals our diseases, and blesses us with money, somehow our tongue fails to work properly. Our silence shakes the rocks.
In Luke 19 the Pharisees were upset and concerned that the disciples were loudly praising God for all the miracles He had done. The Pharisees said to Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!" (verse 39) Jesus replied by saying, "I tell you, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out." (verse 40)
God's praises need to be heard; not by nature but by us, His children. The least He deserves is our praise, our thanks. We should make use of every opportunity given us to tell of His wonderful miracles.
I encourage you to find an opportunity today to tell someone what God has done for you. Share your testimony. Silence the stones! God bless~
Our car breaks down, our neighbor gets sick, our boss is a thorn in our flesh, we are diagnosed with cancer, our finances are in shambles; when these things happen we tell our friends, the cashier hears more than their share, the prayer network gets a call or two, we wake our pastor up at 2 in the morning, and our co-workers hear us nag. Wow! What a testimony!
YET, when God provides the money to fix our car, heals our neighbor, saves our boss, heals our diseases, and blesses us with money, somehow our tongue fails to work properly. Our silence shakes the rocks.
In Luke 19 the Pharisees were upset and concerned that the disciples were loudly praising God for all the miracles He had done. The Pharisees said to Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!" (verse 39) Jesus replied by saying, "I tell you, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out." (verse 40)
God's praises need to be heard; not by nature but by us, His children. The least He deserves is our praise, our thanks. We should make use of every opportunity given us to tell of His wonderful miracles.
I encourage you to find an opportunity today to tell someone what God has done for you. Share your testimony. Silence the stones! God bless~
Wednesday
Cyber Participation
Blessings in the Lord!
I want to do something different the rest of the week. It includes cyber participation. I want to hear from you.
I would like for you to tell me what exciting things God did for you in 2008. Share your testimony with me and all who visit this blog. Revelation 12:11 says we overcome the enemy by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony.
Start typing and God Bless~
I want to do something different the rest of the week. It includes cyber participation. I want to hear from you.
I would like for you to tell me what exciting things God did for you in 2008. Share your testimony with me and all who visit this blog. Revelation 12:11 says we overcome the enemy by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony.
Start typing and God Bless~
Tuesday
The Key To A Long And Prosperous Life
Being the first of the year, I have tried to gear each devotion toward making changes for the new year. Many of us use January to ponder our past mistakes and vow to be different this next year. There is nothing wrong in that. God wants us to continually and consistently change to His likeness.
One of the most spoken resolutions is that of eating healthier. There is so much information out there about "super-foods" or "miracle foods" that it can get overwhelming. The point is that companies want to provide an ample amount of avenues to entice people to begin taking care of their bodies, as we should.
As I was sifting through the book of Proverbs recently I came upon a passage that, like many companies, stated the key to a long and prosperous life. Unlike those other companies, God isn't in it for the money and He doesn't make false claims. His Word is backed by truth and years of proven effectiveness.
Are you ready for the "key to a long and prosperous life?" It is not difficult to live by and does not monetarily cost. Although at times you may be ridiculed for your actions.
PROVERBS 3:1-2
My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart,
for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity.
Living under God's blessings requires us to live under the obedience of God's Word. If we step out from under that covering by living according to our fleshly desires we are no longer under God's protection. That gives Satan free reign to do with us as he pleases.
We can devour all the "super-foods" we want, take vitamins and exercise and still be a health risk. Yes, we need to take care of our physical bodies. I believe many illnesses can be avoided if we would choose our foods wisely. Unfortunately, a healthy physical body will not lead us into heaven. It will not protect us from Satan's snares here on earth.
Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.
"Living sacrifices!" Living! Living God's Word is worship to our Heavenly Father. God's Word should not lie dormant in our hearts and minds after reading it. We must allow it to come alive inside us. It is health to our souls and a witness to those who see us live it out.
In a physical diet we must make some sacrifices in order to lose weight or maintain a healthy body. We can't expect to eat a box of donuts and it not affect our body negatively. Therefore, choosing healthy food over junk is the sacrifice we must make to be healthy.
So it is in our spiritual bodies. There are sacrifices to be made. The weight we should focus on losing are the chains that have us bound to the enemy; chains of unforgiveness, bitterness, anger, hatred, sin, etc. As we live outside God's Word the chains will continue to pile on. As these chains pile on they begin to weigh us down to the point that we are no longer standing. What position are we in then? Bowed down in a fetal position before the King of Chains, Satan; right where he wants us.
The sacrifices we make to maintain a healthy spiritual life are worth the sacrifice. Choosing God's Word (healthy food) over sin (junk food) brings health to our spirit-man. A healthy spirit-man brings long life and prosperity.
I urge you to make a deep spiritual resolution this year. Resolve to build up your spirit-man. Feed on God's Word, which is your healthy food. Make healthy sacrifices. Allow God to take the chains of sin off you and replace them with His blessings. Jesus said in Matthew 11:29-30 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Allow Him to replace those chains with His yoke.
I pray many blessings upon you this year. And for you Star Trek fans I say, "Live long and prosper!"(Spock) God Bless~
One of the most spoken resolutions is that of eating healthier. There is so much information out there about "super-foods" or "miracle foods" that it can get overwhelming. The point is that companies want to provide an ample amount of avenues to entice people to begin taking care of their bodies, as we should.
As I was sifting through the book of Proverbs recently I came upon a passage that, like many companies, stated the key to a long and prosperous life. Unlike those other companies, God isn't in it for the money and He doesn't make false claims. His Word is backed by truth and years of proven effectiveness.
Are you ready for the "key to a long and prosperous life?" It is not difficult to live by and does not monetarily cost. Although at times you may be ridiculed for your actions.
PROVERBS 3:1-2
My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart,
for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity.
Living under God's blessings requires us to live under the obedience of God's Word. If we step out from under that covering by living according to our fleshly desires we are no longer under God's protection. That gives Satan free reign to do with us as he pleases.
We can devour all the "super-foods" we want, take vitamins and exercise and still be a health risk. Yes, we need to take care of our physical bodies. I believe many illnesses can be avoided if we would choose our foods wisely. Unfortunately, a healthy physical body will not lead us into heaven. It will not protect us from Satan's snares here on earth.
Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.
"Living sacrifices!" Living! Living God's Word is worship to our Heavenly Father. God's Word should not lie dormant in our hearts and minds after reading it. We must allow it to come alive inside us. It is health to our souls and a witness to those who see us live it out.
In a physical diet we must make some sacrifices in order to lose weight or maintain a healthy body. We can't expect to eat a box of donuts and it not affect our body negatively. Therefore, choosing healthy food over junk is the sacrifice we must make to be healthy.
So it is in our spiritual bodies. There are sacrifices to be made. The weight we should focus on losing are the chains that have us bound to the enemy; chains of unforgiveness, bitterness, anger, hatred, sin, etc. As we live outside God's Word the chains will continue to pile on. As these chains pile on they begin to weigh us down to the point that we are no longer standing. What position are we in then? Bowed down in a fetal position before the King of Chains, Satan; right where he wants us.
The sacrifices we make to maintain a healthy spiritual life are worth the sacrifice. Choosing God's Word (healthy food) over sin (junk food) brings health to our spirit-man. A healthy spirit-man brings long life and prosperity.
I urge you to make a deep spiritual resolution this year. Resolve to build up your spirit-man. Feed on God's Word, which is your healthy food. Make healthy sacrifices. Allow God to take the chains of sin off you and replace them with His blessings. Jesus said in Matthew 11:29-30 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Allow Him to replace those chains with His yoke.
I pray many blessings upon you this year. And for you Star Trek fans I say, "Live long and prosper!"(Spock) God Bless~
Monday
God Is Awesome!
God is awesome! Don't you agree?
I had an awesome week of prayer and fasting. I met God. I was stirred, shaken, refined in the fire, rejuvinated, rebuilt, and redeemed from the pit. What an awesome God!
I know that we will not all agree on all parts of doctrine. Therefore, I try to stick to the basics of God's wisdom and allow God to work out the rest in our personal lives as we seek Him. I pray that you read His Word daily and learn something new.
In saying this, I am going to step out on a fine line today and give my testimony of what happened in the last week of prayer and fasting. I pray that you will be blessed even if you don't agree with the doctrine.
My oldest daughter and I were blessed with the outpouring of God's healing last week. I know that many people believe that God's gifts are not for today but it is hard to agree when I have experienced it first-hand.
Everyday last week our family met at church, sat in our own corners of the sanctuary, and prayed. There was no big outward revival as many would think. There was no shouting, yelling or running. In our quiet time before God He reached down, touched us and brought healing. Praise God!
My daughter was healed of a birth defect in the brain. The doctor has the MRI's to prove it. And I was healed of Narcolepsy. I had begun the week struggling with prescription insurance over my anti-narcoleptic medication. Just a few days prior to that I prayed that God would help me get to a point to where I no longer needed the medication. Having been on it for a few years I knew the process of weaning myself off the medication would be trialsome.
Since the insurance company was being difficult I took the opportunity to begin trusting God to help me lay down the medication. Within a couple of days the withdrawals had completely disappeared. Not only that, I no longer had the symptoms of narcolepsy. Praise God!
God is so good. His desire is to meet with us. He wants that quiet time with us. He desires to pour His blessings on His children.
Psalm 103:1-6
Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-
who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
The LORD works righteousness justice for all the oppressed.
I encourage you to be still before God. Meet with Him. Allow Him to shake and stir you, to refine you in the fire. Then watch His blessings pour out to overflowing. God Bless~
I had an awesome week of prayer and fasting. I met God. I was stirred, shaken, refined in the fire, rejuvinated, rebuilt, and redeemed from the pit. What an awesome God!
I know that we will not all agree on all parts of doctrine. Therefore, I try to stick to the basics of God's wisdom and allow God to work out the rest in our personal lives as we seek Him. I pray that you read His Word daily and learn something new.
In saying this, I am going to step out on a fine line today and give my testimony of what happened in the last week of prayer and fasting. I pray that you will be blessed even if you don't agree with the doctrine.
My oldest daughter and I were blessed with the outpouring of God's healing last week. I know that many people believe that God's gifts are not for today but it is hard to agree when I have experienced it first-hand.
Everyday last week our family met at church, sat in our own corners of the sanctuary, and prayed. There was no big outward revival as many would think. There was no shouting, yelling or running. In our quiet time before God He reached down, touched us and brought healing. Praise God!
My daughter was healed of a birth defect in the brain. The doctor has the MRI's to prove it. And I was healed of Narcolepsy. I had begun the week struggling with prescription insurance over my anti-narcoleptic medication. Just a few days prior to that I prayed that God would help me get to a point to where I no longer needed the medication. Having been on it for a few years I knew the process of weaning myself off the medication would be trialsome.
Since the insurance company was being difficult I took the opportunity to begin trusting God to help me lay down the medication. Within a couple of days the withdrawals had completely disappeared. Not only that, I no longer had the symptoms of narcolepsy. Praise God!
God is so good. His desire is to meet with us. He wants that quiet time with us. He desires to pour His blessings on His children.
Psalm 103:1-6
Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-
who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
The LORD works righteousness justice for all the oppressed.
I encourage you to be still before God. Meet with Him. Allow Him to shake and stir you, to refine you in the fire. Then watch His blessings pour out to overflowing. God Bless~
Friday
Weekends With God
It's Friday! For many of you this means a weekend of fun and no work. That is great. God wants us to rest and get rejuvinated. Even He rested after working so hard to create the world.
I like my weekends. The whole family can gather at this time and enjoy life as a family. Many times we don't go anywhere special. We just hang out at home. Other times we venture out into the world and explore. Either way, it is nice to do anything but work.
What happens when we shove everything into a weekend, knowing there isn't enough time for it all before Monday comes around? What tends to suffer is our time with the Lord on Sundays. It gets shoved aside. We use the excuse of "I work all week and want to spend time with my family on the weekends."
There is nothing more important than a family worshipping the Lord together. As parents we are to be examples to our children. If we don't teach the importance of leading a Godly life, no one else will. Sunday worship should be of utmost importance.
Isaiah 58:13-14 says
If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath
and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight
and the LORD's holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,
then you will find your joy in the LORD,
and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land
and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob."
The mouth of the LORD has spoken.
Why are so many families falling apart? God is not top priority. He is no longer the foundaton that holds them together, if He ever was in the beginning. To survive in this ungodly world, we must make serving God a first priority. Our children's future depends on us leading them now.
I encourage you to have fun this weekend. Rest and enjoy your family. But do not forget God in the process. That is the best quality time you can give your children. God Bless~
I like my weekends. The whole family can gather at this time and enjoy life as a family. Many times we don't go anywhere special. We just hang out at home. Other times we venture out into the world and explore. Either way, it is nice to do anything but work.
What happens when we shove everything into a weekend, knowing there isn't enough time for it all before Monday comes around? What tends to suffer is our time with the Lord on Sundays. It gets shoved aside. We use the excuse of "I work all week and want to spend time with my family on the weekends."
There is nothing more important than a family worshipping the Lord together. As parents we are to be examples to our children. If we don't teach the importance of leading a Godly life, no one else will. Sunday worship should be of utmost importance.
Isaiah 58:13-14 says
If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath
and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight
and the LORD's holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,
then you will find your joy in the LORD,
and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land
and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob."
The mouth of the LORD has spoken.
Why are so many families falling apart? God is not top priority. He is no longer the foundaton that holds them together, if He ever was in the beginning. To survive in this ungodly world, we must make serving God a first priority. Our children's future depends on us leading them now.
I encourage you to have fun this weekend. Rest and enjoy your family. But do not forget God in the process. That is the best quality time you can give your children. God Bless~
Thursday
Joy Is Obtainable
PSALM 16:11
You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Joy! It is a foreign word to many; to others it is thought to be unobtainable. And yet to some it is a daily pleasure, a spiritual high, if I may.
Why does it seem so unobtainable? How can such a small word be so far out of reach? How have we allowed the pharmaceutical companies control over our emotions?
There is so much turmoil in our lives today that it can be almost impossible to find something to be joyous about. It is easy to fall prey to tunnel vision. To only see the negative in a day is only possible if our eyes have blinders on them. All we see is what is in front of us. We then forget the promises God has made to us and we focus only on the trial at hand.
If we can allow ourselves to recognize this we can alter our focus, put our eyes on Jesus and allow Him to restore our joy. There is joy in salvation. There is joy in God's promises. Circumstances can't change the availability of joy, but they can make it difficult to remember that it is there.
How does one attain joy after it has been lost or stolen? How do we find such a treasure amidst a chaotic situation? Is it even possible?
David said in Psalm 16:11 You will fill me with joy in your presence. How do we get in the presence of God? By getting before God in prayer, allowing ourselves to be fully stripped of everything that is not of Him, and allowing God to fill those voids with the Fruit of the Spirit, which includes joy. It is in the presence of God that we find joy. It is in the presence of God that we attain victory.
I encourage you to go before God in prayer. Spend some real time with Him and pray this prayer "Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me(Psalm 51:12). Bring joy to your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul(Psalm 86:4)."
God does not desire for His children to be depressed. His strong hand is there to lift you out of the miry pit; to set you on a solid rock. His love for you is mighty and unshakeable. Let Him restore your joy. God Bless~
You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Joy! It is a foreign word to many; to others it is thought to be unobtainable. And yet to some it is a daily pleasure, a spiritual high, if I may.
Why does it seem so unobtainable? How can such a small word be so far out of reach? How have we allowed the pharmaceutical companies control over our emotions?
There is so much turmoil in our lives today that it can be almost impossible to find something to be joyous about. It is easy to fall prey to tunnel vision. To only see the negative in a day is only possible if our eyes have blinders on them. All we see is what is in front of us. We then forget the promises God has made to us and we focus only on the trial at hand.
If we can allow ourselves to recognize this we can alter our focus, put our eyes on Jesus and allow Him to restore our joy. There is joy in salvation. There is joy in God's promises. Circumstances can't change the availability of joy, but they can make it difficult to remember that it is there.
How does one attain joy after it has been lost or stolen? How do we find such a treasure amidst a chaotic situation? Is it even possible?
David said in Psalm 16:11 You will fill me with joy in your presence. How do we get in the presence of God? By getting before God in prayer, allowing ourselves to be fully stripped of everything that is not of Him, and allowing God to fill those voids with the Fruit of the Spirit, which includes joy. It is in the presence of God that we find joy. It is in the presence of God that we attain victory.
I encourage you to go before God in prayer. Spend some real time with Him and pray this prayer "Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me(Psalm 51:12). Bring joy to your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul(Psalm 86:4)."
God does not desire for His children to be depressed. His strong hand is there to lift you out of the miry pit; to set you on a solid rock. His love for you is mighty and unshakeable. Let Him restore your joy. God Bless~
Tuesday
Keep Contact With The Commander
A church grounded in prayer will not only survive, but it will also thrive.
A young man joined the Army to have some excitement in his life. He desired to defend his country. Not long after boot camp was finished he was deployed into a mess of an angry enemy. He had to grow up quick.
During one of his shifts he was out patroling the area, looking for enemy hideouts. His orders were to take the east side of the land and meet up in the middle. He set out to do just that.
While he was out patroling he came upon a situation that required direction from his Commander. He reached to pull out his communication device and noticed it wasn't there. He remembered he had laid it down to gear up and had forgotten to hook it to his belt.
If he didn't gain contact with his Commander soon the whole platoon would be in serious danger. The enemy had baricaded themselves with more weapons than his company had expected. They were prepared for the attack.
Due to the young man's lack of communication device to warn his Commander, half of his platoon was wiped out. A warning could have prepared them for what was to come and could have avoided the outcome.
Back on homeland soil the young soldier was debriefed on the situation. When asked why he didn't warn his fellow soldiers of the upcoming situation, his response was, "I lost communication with the Commander. I had left my communication device back at camp."
Oh how important it is to have constant access to our Commander (God). God knows all, unlike that Commander in the story. God knows what lies ahead. Just as the Commander in the story could have redirected the soldiers away from the enemy, God too will guide us away from enemy territory. The problem is that people get too busy with other things like the soldier did and find themselves in a mess without having communicated with God. It could have been avoided.
This week is a week of prayer and fasting in my church. We are gathering every evening for an intense time of prayer. I love it! I love sitting before God and talking to Him. Not only is He a great listener but He is so full of Wisdom. He has so much to tell me, as long as I take the time to hear what He has to say.
Prayer is vital to our spiritual well-being. To not have constant communication with God is like walking into enemy territory blind. Do that and you won't last long! As believers we need to be grounded in prayer. As a body of Christ we need to be grounded and united in prayer. If we are not we will not survive.
Ephesians 6:11,12,18 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
And pray in the spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Are you praying daily; not just speaking but listening too? Are you seeking wisdom from God before you make decisions? Is your church grounded in prayer? Are you gathering regularly to unite in prayer? It is vital in order to obtain victory.
I encourage you to spend more time with God. Listen to Him. He knows what is ahead of you. He will guide you. He will fill you with wisdom if you ask. God bless~
A young man joined the Army to have some excitement in his life. He desired to defend his country. Not long after boot camp was finished he was deployed into a mess of an angry enemy. He had to grow up quick.
During one of his shifts he was out patroling the area, looking for enemy hideouts. His orders were to take the east side of the land and meet up in the middle. He set out to do just that.
While he was out patroling he came upon a situation that required direction from his Commander. He reached to pull out his communication device and noticed it wasn't there. He remembered he had laid it down to gear up and had forgotten to hook it to his belt.
If he didn't gain contact with his Commander soon the whole platoon would be in serious danger. The enemy had baricaded themselves with more weapons than his company had expected. They were prepared for the attack.
Due to the young man's lack of communication device to warn his Commander, half of his platoon was wiped out. A warning could have prepared them for what was to come and could have avoided the outcome.
Back on homeland soil the young soldier was debriefed on the situation. When asked why he didn't warn his fellow soldiers of the upcoming situation, his response was, "I lost communication with the Commander. I had left my communication device back at camp."
Oh how important it is to have constant access to our Commander (God). God knows all, unlike that Commander in the story. God knows what lies ahead. Just as the Commander in the story could have redirected the soldiers away from the enemy, God too will guide us away from enemy territory. The problem is that people get too busy with other things like the soldier did and find themselves in a mess without having communicated with God. It could have been avoided.
This week is a week of prayer and fasting in my church. We are gathering every evening for an intense time of prayer. I love it! I love sitting before God and talking to Him. Not only is He a great listener but He is so full of Wisdom. He has so much to tell me, as long as I take the time to hear what He has to say.
Prayer is vital to our spiritual well-being. To not have constant communication with God is like walking into enemy territory blind. Do that and you won't last long! As believers we need to be grounded in prayer. As a body of Christ we need to be grounded and united in prayer. If we are not we will not survive.
Ephesians 6:11,12,18 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
And pray in the spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Are you praying daily; not just speaking but listening too? Are you seeking wisdom from God before you make decisions? Is your church grounded in prayer? Are you gathering regularly to unite in prayer? It is vital in order to obtain victory.
I encourage you to spend more time with God. Listen to Him. He knows what is ahead of you. He will guide you. He will fill you with wisdom if you ask. God bless~
Monday
MASTERcard Bondage
It is great to start the new year debt-free. Many people can't say that. Visa and Mastercard companies have moved in and taken residence in their homes. They have become unwanted guests, reaking havoc. With them come chains of bondage wrapped so tight it chokes.
I don't think anyone sets a goal of being indebted for the rest of their lives. It is the enticing, worldly treasures that pull us in. Being a "now" generation, we tend to grasp onto every treasure that looks good whether we can afford it or not; only to find ourselves in bondage later on.
Imagine something for me. When you go to the store to shop and find something as basic as a nice shirt, you pull out your credit card and swipe it. As the cashier gives you a receipt and your bag she is also giving you a huge chain around your neck. It is about 50 pounds in weight. You now have to wear it everywhere you go until you pay off your debt. But hey, at least you can wear that chain with your nice shirt.
Now imagine having that happen every time you swipe your credit card. The weight of the chain increases as the price of your goods go up. Eventually you will be so weighted down with chains you will not be able to move.
Getting what you want when you want it doesn't sound as enticing anymore does it? It is just not as exciting. Waiting until you had the money now looks like a more logical decision.
Proverbs 22:7 The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
Any person that must use a credit card to purchase something is poor. No matter how many things they have accumulated, no matter how rich they look; if they can not purchase it without borrowing from a lender then they can not afford it.
A borrower is servant to the lender. A servant is a slave, one who is subject to their master. That is why they call it MASTERcard. These lenders now control the borrower's income, their life's ambitions, even their ministry. How? If the majority of their money is going to the lenders they are not free to put it where they want it to go.
Scenario: Your friend calls you on the phone and is in dire need. Their house just burnt down with all their belongings. She and her children are left with no where to go and have no clothes. She needs your help. The Red Cross can only do so much. Her family is long gone. She needs you.
You, on the other hand, just maxed out your credit cards on a flat screen TV, nice furniture, DVDs and video games for your children, and owe a huge debt to MASTERcard. You just spent your last dime on your monthly payment. What do you say? "Sorry friend, I like my 'toys' too much. I am choosing my worldly possessions over warmth for your children."
There is nothing wrong with having nice things. If you work hard for them, pay your tithes first, and take care of your family's needs, then enjoy them! The problem is when you buy them with money you do not have and are forever indebted to your lender. It hinders your future.
Do you know what is in store for the lenders whose job is to put people in bondage? Proverbs 22:16 says He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and he who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty. The credit card companies are not lending you money to be generous. They aren't thinking of how to make your life easier by lending you money. They know how to increase their wealth by enticing you to get what you want now and pay for it later. And you do pay for it later, for a very long time.
I encourage you to resolve to become debt-free this year. Spend only what you have at hand. Don't fall prey to the "gotta-have-it-now" motto. Save for emergencies. Most importantly, give to God what is God's. Allow Him to control your finances. Then watch the chains begin to fall off. Now that's a weight loss program! God Bless~
I don't think anyone sets a goal of being indebted for the rest of their lives. It is the enticing, worldly treasures that pull us in. Being a "now" generation, we tend to grasp onto every treasure that looks good whether we can afford it or not; only to find ourselves in bondage later on.
Imagine something for me. When you go to the store to shop and find something as basic as a nice shirt, you pull out your credit card and swipe it. As the cashier gives you a receipt and your bag she is also giving you a huge chain around your neck. It is about 50 pounds in weight. You now have to wear it everywhere you go until you pay off your debt. But hey, at least you can wear that chain with your nice shirt.
Now imagine having that happen every time you swipe your credit card. The weight of the chain increases as the price of your goods go up. Eventually you will be so weighted down with chains you will not be able to move.
Getting what you want when you want it doesn't sound as enticing anymore does it? It is just not as exciting. Waiting until you had the money now looks like a more logical decision.
Proverbs 22:7 The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
Any person that must use a credit card to purchase something is poor. No matter how many things they have accumulated, no matter how rich they look; if they can not purchase it without borrowing from a lender then they can not afford it.
A borrower is servant to the lender. A servant is a slave, one who is subject to their master. That is why they call it MASTERcard. These lenders now control the borrower's income, their life's ambitions, even their ministry. How? If the majority of their money is going to the lenders they are not free to put it where they want it to go.
Scenario: Your friend calls you on the phone and is in dire need. Their house just burnt down with all their belongings. She and her children are left with no where to go and have no clothes. She needs your help. The Red Cross can only do so much. Her family is long gone. She needs you.
You, on the other hand, just maxed out your credit cards on a flat screen TV, nice furniture, DVDs and video games for your children, and owe a huge debt to MASTERcard. You just spent your last dime on your monthly payment. What do you say? "Sorry friend, I like my 'toys' too much. I am choosing my worldly possessions over warmth for your children."
There is nothing wrong with having nice things. If you work hard for them, pay your tithes first, and take care of your family's needs, then enjoy them! The problem is when you buy them with money you do not have and are forever indebted to your lender. It hinders your future.
Do you know what is in store for the lenders whose job is to put people in bondage? Proverbs 22:16 says He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and he who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty. The credit card companies are not lending you money to be generous. They aren't thinking of how to make your life easier by lending you money. They know how to increase their wealth by enticing you to get what you want now and pay for it later. And you do pay for it later, for a very long time.
I encourage you to resolve to become debt-free this year. Spend only what you have at hand. Don't fall prey to the "gotta-have-it-now" motto. Save for emergencies. Most importantly, give to God what is God's. Allow Him to control your finances. Then watch the chains begin to fall off. Now that's a weight loss program! God Bless~
Friday
I Resolve...2
"No more work needed! You don't have to change anything! Just take this pill and sit back and watch the pounds fall off! No exercise necessary! Throw out the 'no pain no gain' motto!"
Every commercial that advertises the miracle weight-loss pill proclaims at least one of these statements. They lead you to think that if you take their pills you can still eat what you want, be lazy and still lose weight. This is why they are making so much money. Their formula of "Eat + lazy + pill = nice body" is enticing to most people.
The problem is that it is not true. It does not work. We know this but we still try it in hopes that some day scientists will come up with a miracle pill. I call that insanity. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results.
The only true way of losing weight and keeping it off is a complete lifestyle change. Choosing healthier foods, exercising regularly, eliminating things that would harm our body; all this will produce lasting results.
So why don't we choose the lifestyle change? One, it's difficult to give up things we desire (ie. cakes, cookies, no exercise, etc.). Two, society would rather obtain things the easy way than get up and work at it.
Unfortunately this motto flows over into our spiritual lives. We desire to see our loved ones saved so we water down the gospel by telling them they don't need to give up their selfish desires to be a Christian. Therefore these people go through the ritual of accepting Christ, thinking they can then continue their lives as they were.
Worse, many of us take on the same motto. We allow God to have control of most of our lives but we set a few habits aside and won't allow Him to touch those. We bear the name of Christ yet do not fully give our lives to Him.
Both are absolutely wrong and a lie from the devil. This is like saying "I am on a diet but I still eat the same amount of junk and don't exercise just as I did before I started my diet." So the question is "What have you changed to consider yourself on a diet?"
You say "I have accepted Christ and I am now a Christian." My question is "What have you changed to consider yourself a Christian?" Just confessing something does not change the situation. The confession of Christ is just the beginning of being a Christian. Then comes the real work. Anything worth having or being is worth working for.
This year, 2009, resolve to truly live the life of a Christian. Live a life worthy of bearing His name. How do you do that?
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
Lay down your old self. Resolve to get rid of the junk (sin) in your life. Replace it with fruit (the fruit of the Spirit-Galatians 5:22-23). Eat regularly (read the Bible regularly; if you eat physical food more than once a day don't you think it is just as important to feed on the Word of God more than once a day?). Exercise regularly (live the Word of God out; don't just confess it, do it).
Resolve to be a healthier Christian this year. God Bless~
Every commercial that advertises the miracle weight-loss pill proclaims at least one of these statements. They lead you to think that if you take their pills you can still eat what you want, be lazy and still lose weight. This is why they are making so much money. Their formula of "Eat + lazy + pill = nice body" is enticing to most people.
The problem is that it is not true. It does not work. We know this but we still try it in hopes that some day scientists will come up with a miracle pill. I call that insanity. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results.
The only true way of losing weight and keeping it off is a complete lifestyle change. Choosing healthier foods, exercising regularly, eliminating things that would harm our body; all this will produce lasting results.
So why don't we choose the lifestyle change? One, it's difficult to give up things we desire (ie. cakes, cookies, no exercise, etc.). Two, society would rather obtain things the easy way than get up and work at it.
Unfortunately this motto flows over into our spiritual lives. We desire to see our loved ones saved so we water down the gospel by telling them they don't need to give up their selfish desires to be a Christian. Therefore these people go through the ritual of accepting Christ, thinking they can then continue their lives as they were.
Worse, many of us take on the same motto. We allow God to have control of most of our lives but we set a few habits aside and won't allow Him to touch those. We bear the name of Christ yet do not fully give our lives to Him.
Both are absolutely wrong and a lie from the devil. This is like saying "I am on a diet but I still eat the same amount of junk and don't exercise just as I did before I started my diet." So the question is "What have you changed to consider yourself on a diet?"
You say "I have accepted Christ and I am now a Christian." My question is "What have you changed to consider yourself a Christian?" Just confessing something does not change the situation. The confession of Christ is just the beginning of being a Christian. Then comes the real work. Anything worth having or being is worth working for.
This year, 2009, resolve to truly live the life of a Christian. Live a life worthy of bearing His name. How do you do that?
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
Lay down your old self. Resolve to get rid of the junk (sin) in your life. Replace it with fruit (the fruit of the Spirit-Galatians 5:22-23). Eat regularly (read the Bible regularly; if you eat physical food more than once a day don't you think it is just as important to feed on the Word of God more than once a day?). Exercise regularly (live the Word of God out; don't just confess it, do it).
Resolve to be a healthier Christian this year. God Bless~
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Listen to this beautiful song- We Worship You In The Spirit -- Shekinah Glory Ministries
