It is very common for us Christians to veer off in our walk with the Lord when faced with situations. Some of us tend to just stop everything we are doing for God while others will give up altogether. There are many levels of faith given to each one but one faith In God. When God looks at you and me, He sees giants or more so conquorers in through His son Jesus. I have on numerous occassions looked at what I was facing and instantly without even thinking twice conclude that it wasso big to find a way out of it. I know many out there who are facing situations and it seems as you appear to be like a grasshopper in it midst.
Allow me at this point to encourage you. God will never give up on you! But God will NEVER override our will either. the scriptures are clear that God has given us authority and that we have victory over the enemy. DO NOT let situations cause you to think that you are a grasshopper. We need to get rid of the grasshopper mentality and take our place in God! For as long as we maintain the grasshopper position, we will only experience defeat. The devil would have you believe that your situation is to big for God to handle. That is a LIE from the pits of Hell!! All power belongs to God
After Moses led the Israelites out of Egyptian slavery, they were led by God to the edge of Canaan - the land promised to Abraham. God instructed Moses to send twelve men to explore the land; "See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many" (Numbers 13:18).
The twelve "spies" traveled through the entire length of Canaan and brought back their report. All twelve traveled the same path, but Joshua and Caleb saw the land and its inhabitants through the promises of God: "The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the Lord is pleased with us, He will lead us into that land" (Numbers 14:7-8). The other ten saw great danger and an enemy who was too big to be defeated.
Numbers 13:31-33
"We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are. The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them."
The promised land was truly a land flowing with milk and honey, but it was also a land with many enemies. Joshua and Caleb saw the same enemy as the other ten, but they had a much clearer view and understanding of God. They knew if God was on their side, the size and strength of the enemy didn't matter - God would provide the victory.
We often face the same fears as the other ten. God wants us to enter into His promised land, take possession, and reside there for the rest of our days; but there are often enemies which fill us with fear and make us feel small and insignificant. Enemies may come in the form of addictions, entertainment choices, finances, or worldly priorities. We may even face more tangible enemies who threaten to cause us physical or emotional pain. All these enemies keep us out of the promised land; all appear to be undefeatable giants; but with God on our side, ALL can be overcome!
Without a clear understanding of who we are in Christ, every enemy appears to tower over us; "apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). But when we place our trust in God and allow Him to work through us, our posture before the enemy is greatly strengthened; "In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us" (Romans 8:37).
God's land of promise - the contentment of His presence - is waiting for us to enter in and take possession. God did not create us to be fearful insects, but an image of the Most High! Let's know the One who gives us strength and victory in battle. Let's better understand that when God leads, we are much more than grasshoppers!
There is no situation too big for God! All power belongs to Him! Let us boldly without fear face the giants remembering that God is on our side.
THIS IS OUR GOD!!
Have a blessed day!!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Are you Going Through Spiritual Confusion?
I had a friend years ago who went through a really tough time (for a long time) in her life. She was part of my click of friends at church and we were involved in Drama, the youth band and several other ministries. she didn't know where to turn at a certain stage in her life. It just seemed like her whole world had come down. Not long after that did severe depression hit her so bad. She always looked up to the Heavens and cried out to God for a way out. One day, she came to the conclusion, that God had put her file with all her prayers in a "filing cabinet" and had gone on vacation. She got so depressed about everything to the point that she gave up on her walk with the Lord (for a long while). But friends, the Bible gives no indication whatsoever that God goes some place or even has a 'filing cabinet'. Are you one of those who has been waiting on God for something for a while now and it really does seem like God has forgotten?. Are you at cross-roads in your life and it sure feels or even seems that there is no way out of your situation? I pray and hope that this write-up will encourage and bless you at the place where you are.
As mentioned in my previous message, the book by Oswald Chambers called 'My Highest For the utmost' has blessed me so much. I have been so encouraged and now it is your turn to be encouraged as well. Many of us in our walk with Lord Jesus, are currently at the 'Red Sea' in our lives where we are faced with Red Sea in front and the enemy coming from the back (chaos and turmoil in our lives). So here we are faced with this enormous problem at this place in our lives. Our trust is in the Word of God and our faith is in Him? After walking with the Lord all these years or whatever time period it has been for all of us, we arrive at this place that will test our faith in God in great proportions like never experienced before. Are you at this place in your life? I know I am! What do we do? Maybe its not the 'Red Sea' but just a time of Spiritual confusion...not knowing which way to go or turn at this very crucial point in our lives. It seems as though we have been waiting 'forever' to hear from on high for direction. Some would even say..."the Clock is ticking". Question: Is God's Clock the same as ours? Isn't time in His hands?
There are times in my life and your life when there is confusion, and the way out of it is not simply to say that you should not be confused. It is not a matter of right or wrong, but a matter of God taking you and me through a way that we we temporarily don't understand. And its only by going through the spiritual confusion that we will come to an understanding of what God wants for us.
In Luke 11:5-8, Jesus gave the illustration of a man who appears not to care for his friend. He was saying, in effect that is how the heavenly Father will appear to us at times. We some times think that He does not hear us or that it is because of some sin in the past that we committed and that's the reason we hear nothing from Him. Quite Frankly, there are times when the heavens are VERY SILENT, when we hear nothing but...silence. The time will come when everything will be explained. When God appears to be completely silent about our situations, are willing to hang on with confidence in him? I can tell you now that some times, its very difficult but that is what Faith in God is all about.
When we read Luke 11:11-13, we hear Jesus saying that there are times when our father will appear as if He were an unnatural father-as if He were callous and indifferent-but remember, He is NOT!! "everyone who asks, receives..." (Luke 11:10). Friends, if all we see is the SHADOW ON THE FACE OF THE FATHER right now, lets HANG onto the fact that HE will ULTIMATELY give you and me clear understanding and will FULLY JUSTIFY Himself in everything that He has allowed into our lives. I, like you have more than a million questions as to why things happened the way they did in my life or why they didnt happen. We ask "Why me or why this or that?" God ALONE has the answer and...its all part of HIS PLAN for our lives. NO WITCH OR WIZARD CAN EVEN TELL THIS!!! NOT EVEN READING THE HOROSCOPE OR THE STARS(like many desperate Christains do) can reveal or foretell the FUTURE!!! CHRISTIANS NEED TO FIND THEIR WAY BACK TO GOD AND THEN...Like Jeremaiah 33:3 says, He will show us great things we know not!
A question is posed in Luke 18:8. "...when the son of man comes, will He find faith on the earth?" Where is our faith? in what or in whom have we placed our trust? Will the Lord find the kind of faith that counts or banks on Him in spite of the confusion in our lives? Friends, let us stand firm in faith, believing that what the Lord Jesus said is true, even though in the meantime, we don't understand what God is doing.
Psalm 77 is one of favorite because like the psalmist, I have been to the place (I'm sure you too) where God seemed to so silent. In verses 10 and 11 the writer comes to himself and declares that He will remember God's wonders of old. God HAS NOT FORGOTTEN US but rather He has THE perfect plan for our lives. His ways ARE HIGHER than ours!!! Be encouraged, He will turn our darkness into light (Psalm 18:27).
THIS IS OUR GOD!!
Have a blessed day!!
As mentioned in my previous message, the book by Oswald Chambers called 'My Highest For the utmost' has blessed me so much. I have been so encouraged and now it is your turn to be encouraged as well. Many of us in our walk with Lord Jesus, are currently at the 'Red Sea' in our lives where we are faced with Red Sea in front and the enemy coming from the back (chaos and turmoil in our lives). So here we are faced with this enormous problem at this place in our lives. Our trust is in the Word of God and our faith is in Him? After walking with the Lord all these years or whatever time period it has been for all of us, we arrive at this place that will test our faith in God in great proportions like never experienced before. Are you at this place in your life? I know I am! What do we do? Maybe its not the 'Red Sea' but just a time of Spiritual confusion...not knowing which way to go or turn at this very crucial point in our lives. It seems as though we have been waiting 'forever' to hear from on high for direction. Some would even say..."the Clock is ticking". Question: Is God's Clock the same as ours? Isn't time in His hands?
There are times in my life and your life when there is confusion, and the way out of it is not simply to say that you should not be confused. It is not a matter of right or wrong, but a matter of God taking you and me through a way that we we temporarily don't understand. And its only by going through the spiritual confusion that we will come to an understanding of what God wants for us.
In Luke 11:5-8, Jesus gave the illustration of a man who appears not to care for his friend. He was saying, in effect that is how the heavenly Father will appear to us at times. We some times think that He does not hear us or that it is because of some sin in the past that we committed and that's the reason we hear nothing from Him. Quite Frankly, there are times when the heavens are VERY SILENT, when we hear nothing but...silence. The time will come when everything will be explained. When God appears to be completely silent about our situations, are willing to hang on with confidence in him? I can tell you now that some times, its very difficult but that is what Faith in God is all about.
When we read Luke 11:11-13, we hear Jesus saying that there are times when our father will appear as if He were an unnatural father-as if He were callous and indifferent-but remember, He is NOT!! "everyone who asks, receives..." (Luke 11:10). Friends, if all we see is the SHADOW ON THE FACE OF THE FATHER right now, lets HANG onto the fact that HE will ULTIMATELY give you and me clear understanding and will FULLY JUSTIFY Himself in everything that He has allowed into our lives. I, like you have more than a million questions as to why things happened the way they did in my life or why they didnt happen. We ask "Why me or why this or that?" God ALONE has the answer and...its all part of HIS PLAN for our lives. NO WITCH OR WIZARD CAN EVEN TELL THIS!!! NOT EVEN READING THE HOROSCOPE OR THE STARS(like many desperate Christains do) can reveal or foretell the FUTURE!!! CHRISTIANS NEED TO FIND THEIR WAY BACK TO GOD AND THEN...Like Jeremaiah 33:3 says, He will show us great things we know not!
A question is posed in Luke 18:8. "...when the son of man comes, will He find faith on the earth?" Where is our faith? in what or in whom have we placed our trust? Will the Lord find the kind of faith that counts or banks on Him in spite of the confusion in our lives? Friends, let us stand firm in faith, believing that what the Lord Jesus said is true, even though in the meantime, we don't understand what God is doing.
Psalm 77 is one of favorite because like the psalmist, I have been to the place (I'm sure you too) where God seemed to so silent. In verses 10 and 11 the writer comes to himself and declares that He will remember God's wonders of old. God HAS NOT FORGOTTEN US but rather He has THE perfect plan for our lives. His ways ARE HIGHER than ours!!! Be encouraged, He will turn our darkness into light (Psalm 18:27).
THIS IS OUR GOD!!
Have a blessed day!!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Individual Discouragement And Personal Growth
There are times when things get really tough in life...from all angles. I have been battling discouragement which hit me so bad (the last few weeks). Discouragement comes along with its 'friend' depression. I know I am not the only one going through a tough time. I look at people every day and I can tell that they too have struggles and are battling things in their own lives. The Bible does not promise a 'bed of Roses' but actually predicts times such as these. My biggest and main one is what I call "Emotional desert place'. Its a battle I have been fighting and have surrendered to God and taken back like a million times. Even though I very well know that God wants me to surrender all to him. 1 peter 5:7 encourages us to cast all our cares on Jesus for He cares. He sees our emotional struggles not to mention the others that we don't even want to talk about.
When we sometimes look around and seem to see no hope coming, hear the sound like a mighty rushing river heading our way, we tend to go into 'discouragement mode' (at least I do, that much I will tell you). Have you felt lately like you were drowning and that no one seems to care or even notice what you are going through? Well, God does see and He knows about it all. 2 Samuel 22:17 says that "God draws us out of deep waters". I have been feeling very strongly like I was drowning. The 'emotional desert place' can be very dry, lonely, cold which may bring about severe depression.There are are many reasons that cause all this but I wont delve into it right now. A few weeks a go, my dear friends Paul and Anne gave me a book called " My utmost for the Highest" by Oswald chambers...it helped me tremendously.
"...when Moses was grown...he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens" (Exodus 2:11).
When Moses saw the oppression of his people and felt and felt certain that He was the one to deliver them, and in the righteous indignation of his spirit, he started to write their wrongs. After he launched his first strike for God, He(God) allowed Moses to be driven into empty DISCOURAGEMENT, sending him into the desert to feed sheep for fourty years. At the end of that time, God appeared to Moses and told him "...bring my people...out of Egypt.' But Moses said to God, ' Who am I that I should go...?' (Ex. 3:10-11).
When called called Moses, he Moses realized that he was the one to deliver the people out of bondage, but he had to be trained and disciplined
by God first. He was right in his individual perspective, but was not the person for the job until he had learned true fellowship and oneness with God.
We may have the vision of God and very clear understanding of what God wants, and yet when we start to do it, there comes to us something equivalent to Moses' fourty years in the wilderness. This is many times a place of DISCOURAGEMENT. It is as if God had ignored the entire thing, and when we are thoroughly DISCOURAGED, God comes back and revives His call to us.
We must learn that our individual effort to God shows nothing but disrespect for Him- our individuality is to be rendered radiant through a personal relationship with God so that He may be "well pleased" We tend to focus on the right individual perspective of things; we have the vision and can say " I know this is what God whats me to do" But we have not yet learned to get into God's stride.
If you are going through a time of DISCOURAGEMENT, there is a time of great personal growth ahead. Its seems like a life time when waiting on God for certain things in our lives...BUT God is more than able to do much more than we even ask of him. He is the "on time God"!!
THIS IS OUR GOD!!
Have a blessed day!!
When we sometimes look around and seem to see no hope coming, hear the sound like a mighty rushing river heading our way, we tend to go into 'discouragement mode' (at least I do, that much I will tell you). Have you felt lately like you were drowning and that no one seems to care or even notice what you are going through? Well, God does see and He knows about it all. 2 Samuel 22:17 says that "God draws us out of deep waters". I have been feeling very strongly like I was drowning. The 'emotional desert place' can be very dry, lonely, cold which may bring about severe depression.There are are many reasons that cause all this but I wont delve into it right now. A few weeks a go, my dear friends Paul and Anne gave me a book called " My utmost for the Highest" by Oswald chambers...it helped me tremendously.
"...when Moses was grown...he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens" (Exodus 2:11).
When Moses saw the oppression of his people and felt and felt certain that He was the one to deliver them, and in the righteous indignation of his spirit, he started to write their wrongs. After he launched his first strike for God, He(God) allowed Moses to be driven into empty DISCOURAGEMENT, sending him into the desert to feed sheep for fourty years. At the end of that time, God appeared to Moses and told him "...bring my people...out of Egypt.' But Moses said to God, ' Who am I that I should go...?' (Ex. 3:10-11).
When called called Moses, he Moses realized that he was the one to deliver the people out of bondage, but he had to be trained and disciplined
by God first. He was right in his individual perspective, but was not the person for the job until he had learned true fellowship and oneness with God.
We may have the vision of God and very clear understanding of what God wants, and yet when we start to do it, there comes to us something equivalent to Moses' fourty years in the wilderness. This is many times a place of DISCOURAGEMENT. It is as if God had ignored the entire thing, and when we are thoroughly DISCOURAGED, God comes back and revives His call to us.
We must learn that our individual effort to God shows nothing but disrespect for Him- our individuality is to be rendered radiant through a personal relationship with God so that He may be "well pleased" We tend to focus on the right individual perspective of things; we have the vision and can say " I know this is what God whats me to do" But we have not yet learned to get into God's stride.
If you are going through a time of DISCOURAGEMENT, there is a time of great personal growth ahead. Its seems like a life time when waiting on God for certain things in our lives...BUT God is more than able to do much more than we even ask of him. He is the "on time God"!!
THIS IS OUR GOD!!
Have a blessed day!!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
What Are We Doing At this Place?
As I continue to walk with the Lord, I have come to a place of realization that God is willing to help melt the mountains in my life as well as many others out there, BUT...We have to re-evaluate, position, and where we stand in God. If God were to ask 'what is your location?', What would your answer be? Are we where we are supposed to be and are we doing what we are supposed to be doing? I felt the Holy Spirit convicting me on all that I was preaching about in this message.
Here are a few notes that will help us to become effective Christians in our daily walk with the Lord. We are daily faced with obstacles that are a hindrance to our growth which in return causes us not to have the kinds of breakthroughs that we desire. The sooner we wake and realize that we are in a battle and that God is wants us to have victory like He promised, then we shall see it. We blame God for delayed answers to prayer and yet we don't own up to say that we play a big role in the hindering. Our lives ARE NOT RIGHT with God! God is calling us back to a place of repentance then we shall see restoration.
1 Kings 19:19-21 So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. “Let me kiss my father and mother good-by,” he said, “and then I will come with you.” “Go back,” Elijah replied. “What have I done to you?” So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant.
2 King 2:1-6 When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the LORD has sent me to Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel... Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, Elisha; the LORD has sent me to Jericho.” And he replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho. The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?” “Yes, I know,” he replied, “but do not speak of it.” Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.” And he replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them walked on.
Vs 9. And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
There are Four Keys that will bring about a Breakthrough.
1.Hunger After Spiritual Things READ- Matthew 5:6 ‘‘Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled’’· There are all Kinds oh hunger, but the only Hunger God wants us to have is- The hunger for righteousness.
· People don’t flow with the Holy Spirit because they do not hunger for the things of God.
· Too many Christians are playing games with God, not thirsting and hungering after His righteousness. Have a foot in the World or in other things and playing Church.
· We need to want more of God-enjoying what we have now but constantly hungering for more. We need to want is presence, His glory, and His power.
· We need to want Him in every area of our lives (family, finances etc…).
· Spiritual hunger will cause things in the natural realm to be less significant in our lives.
· If we hunger after the things of God, we must be militant in getting them. Tear down the walls of darkness. Matthew 11:12 (“And from the days of John the Baptist….)
· If we want to be blessed in the natural realm, we need to get our eyes on God AND OFF cars, homes, bank accounts or the other material things.
· PSALM 42:7 “DEEP CALLS UNTO DEEP”…HOW FAR IN GOD DO YOU WANT TO GO??? Deep calling is equal to Deep answer! If you want to catch BIG Fish, its is recommended to go to the deep of the sea (deep sea fishing). Casting your net or hook in the shallow waters will only let you catch the small Fish. Likewise, if we want to receive BIG from God, we MUST be willing to deep in Him. WE must seek His face and answer the CALL.
· Some people say they don’t have joy or happiness but the question is how much time do you spend with God? “In the presence of God, there is Fullness of Joy”.
· It is interesting how when we go to apply for jobs, we talk about ALL our skill and the things we can do BUT why is it that we can not tell God what we can do for His Kingdom? Are we kingdom minded?
2. Lay Aside All Weights (READ Hebrews 12:1-2 )
· We need to lay aside the things that bind us to the things of the world. Be free from anything that would keep us from fulfilling the call of God in our lives.
· Every believer and the whole church body must SHAKE loose from every entanglements of the world to be able to respond to God’s call. Many people take a few steps in the spirit realm but fail to remain there. Because they have not let go the worldly entanglements, they are not able to receive the FULLNESS OF GOD’S SPECIFIC PLANS FOR THEIR LIVES. What is your entanglement? Food, Sports, job, family, wrong friendships, television, Internet, FACEBOOK (FARMVILLE…Where do people find time for all that?) pride, Anger, Bitterness, inferiority complex, or Fear? Could it be something else perhaps? Ask God to help set you free. God will provide a way of escape for you.
· Avoid the kind of friends who walk in the flesh because they will discourage you. They might even call you weird. Friends that want you to be like them and to be where they are…OVERBEARING FRIENDS!
· THE TIME WE SPEND GOSSIPING AND TEARING EACH OTHER DOWN COULD BE SPENT IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD.
· QUESTION: HOW MANY HOURS OUT OF THE 24 DO YOU SPEND WITH GOD???????? I WILL LET YOU ANSWER THAT FOR YOURSELF!
3.Crucify Self(READ Romans 13:14 “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."and READ Galatians 5:16-17 “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would ), · Every Person has to pay a price to step into the fullness of God’s anointing. (Not your mom, dad, pastor, friend but you) Have a relationship with God…
· Some people love God and desire His presence, his miracles, His blessings, and His glory without limitations or Boundaries but are NOT willing to pay the price.
· You and I must die on our own Crosses. ARE YOU WILLING TO PAY THE PRICE?
· Let God have His way in our lives. Surrender your will and way to Him.
4. Yield To the Holy Spirit James 4:10… “Humble yourself in the sight of God and He shall exalt you up. · The Holy Spirit does not take directions from man… WE NEED TO STOP TELLING GOD HOW WE WANT OUR LIVES TO BE OR WHERE WE WANT TO GO. LET GOD LEAD US IN THE WEAY WE SHOULD GO.
· No person or ministry can succeed because of education, great financial success or connections made by man. (Titles I am Dr., Bishop, Rev…). Sad how people think that those with these titles can help them access the throne of God… These things DO NOT entice the Holy Spirit. Access if FREE and EASY!
· The only way to stay in the realm of the Spirit is to Spend time with God ALONE!
· God is looking for ordinary, yielded vessels. It takes dying to the flesh and learning to walk in the Spirit.
· WE NEED TO STOP BOASTING ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE ACHIEVED AND BUILT FOR GOD (SOMETIMES WE EVEN TAKE GOD’S GLORY AND CREDIT OURSELVES). WE NEED TO YIELD AND NOT BE PRIDEFULL!!
CONCLUSION · Vs 9-13 ELISHA ASKED FOR A DOUBLE PORTION OF THE SPIRIT … HE HUNGERED AFTER GOD…GOD WILL REWARD US ALSO IF WE DESIRE AND HUNGER AFTER HIM. All will be added ( Matthew 6:33)
· What would your answer be if God asked what He should do for you? Would it be financial blessing, a husband, wide, car, house, a child…or Anointing, wisdom, knowledge, gifts of the Spirit…?
· Listen: God will open doors of blessings for you in the natural if will Hunger after Him, Lay Aside Weights, Crucify Self and Yield to the Holy Spirit. The Sky will NOT be the limit FOR YOU as they say…There is NO LIMIT IN GOD.
· GOALS THAT ARE NOT ALIGNED IN GOD’S WILL NOT BE ACHIEVED…COMMIT THEM TO GOD (cars, Homes, Husband, Wife…etc..)
· God Will reveal The plans of the enemy to you BUT only if you are in tune with The Holy Spirit and in the centre of His will.
· GOD will lead you by His Holy Spirit in the way you should go. This is possible after yielding to Him. NO MORE CONFUSION OF WHERE TO TAKE A TURN IN LIFE.
ARE YOU WONDERING AND WORRIED ABOUT THE FUTURE? LET GOD LEAD YOU.
So…What are you doing here? At this place in your Life?
Will you hunger after Him, Will you lay Aside ALL weights, Will you Crucify Self, Will you Yield to His Holy Spirit? If yes then Pray this prayer with me:
Father in Jesus’ name, I humbly ask that you forgive me for the things I have done, said and thought that have not pleased you. Help me to develop a hunger for you, lay aside all the weights in my life, crucify the flesh and yield to your holy Spirit. Lead me Lord in the way I should go. In Jesus’ name Amen!
THIS IS OUR GOD!!
Have a blessed day!!
Here are a few notes that will help us to become effective Christians in our daily walk with the Lord. We are daily faced with obstacles that are a hindrance to our growth which in return causes us not to have the kinds of breakthroughs that we desire. The sooner we wake and realize that we are in a battle and that God is wants us to have victory like He promised, then we shall see it. We blame God for delayed answers to prayer and yet we don't own up to say that we play a big role in the hindering. Our lives ARE NOT RIGHT with God! God is calling us back to a place of repentance then we shall see restoration.
1 Kings 19:19-21 So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. “Let me kiss my father and mother good-by,” he said, “and then I will come with you.” “Go back,” Elijah replied. “What have I done to you?” So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant.
2 King 2:1-6 When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the LORD has sent me to Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel... Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, Elisha; the LORD has sent me to Jericho.” And he replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho. The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?” “Yes, I know,” he replied, “but do not speak of it.” Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.” And he replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them walked on.
Vs 9. And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
There are Four Keys that will bring about a Breakthrough.
1.Hunger After Spiritual Things READ- Matthew 5:6 ‘‘Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled’’· There are all Kinds oh hunger, but the only Hunger God wants us to have is- The hunger for righteousness.
· People don’t flow with the Holy Spirit because they do not hunger for the things of God.
· Too many Christians are playing games with God, not thirsting and hungering after His righteousness. Have a foot in the World or in other things and playing Church.
· We need to want more of God-enjoying what we have now but constantly hungering for more. We need to want is presence, His glory, and His power.
· We need to want Him in every area of our lives (family, finances etc…).
· Spiritual hunger will cause things in the natural realm to be less significant in our lives.
· If we hunger after the things of God, we must be militant in getting them. Tear down the walls of darkness. Matthew 11:12 (“And from the days of John the Baptist….)
· If we want to be blessed in the natural realm, we need to get our eyes on God AND OFF cars, homes, bank accounts or the other material things.
· PSALM 42:7 “DEEP CALLS UNTO DEEP”…HOW FAR IN GOD DO YOU WANT TO GO??? Deep calling is equal to Deep answer! If you want to catch BIG Fish, its is recommended to go to the deep of the sea (deep sea fishing). Casting your net or hook in the shallow waters will only let you catch the small Fish. Likewise, if we want to receive BIG from God, we MUST be willing to deep in Him. WE must seek His face and answer the CALL.
· Some people say they don’t have joy or happiness but the question is how much time do you spend with God? “In the presence of God, there is Fullness of Joy”.
· It is interesting how when we go to apply for jobs, we talk about ALL our skill and the things we can do BUT why is it that we can not tell God what we can do for His Kingdom? Are we kingdom minded?
2. Lay Aside All Weights (READ Hebrews 12:1-2 )
· We need to lay aside the things that bind us to the things of the world. Be free from anything that would keep us from fulfilling the call of God in our lives.
· Every believer and the whole church body must SHAKE loose from every entanglements of the world to be able to respond to God’s call. Many people take a few steps in the spirit realm but fail to remain there. Because they have not let go the worldly entanglements, they are not able to receive the FULLNESS OF GOD’S SPECIFIC PLANS FOR THEIR LIVES. What is your entanglement? Food, Sports, job, family, wrong friendships, television, Internet, FACEBOOK (FARMVILLE…Where do people find time for all that?) pride, Anger, Bitterness, inferiority complex, or Fear? Could it be something else perhaps? Ask God to help set you free. God will provide a way of escape for you.
· Avoid the kind of friends who walk in the flesh because they will discourage you. They might even call you weird. Friends that want you to be like them and to be where they are…OVERBEARING FRIENDS!
· THE TIME WE SPEND GOSSIPING AND TEARING EACH OTHER DOWN COULD BE SPENT IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD.
· QUESTION: HOW MANY HOURS OUT OF THE 24 DO YOU SPEND WITH GOD???????? I WILL LET YOU ANSWER THAT FOR YOURSELF!
3.Crucify Self(READ Romans 13:14 “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."and READ Galatians 5:16-17 “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would ), · Every Person has to pay a price to step into the fullness of God’s anointing. (Not your mom, dad, pastor, friend but you) Have a relationship with God…
· Some people love God and desire His presence, his miracles, His blessings, and His glory without limitations or Boundaries but are NOT willing to pay the price.
· You and I must die on our own Crosses. ARE YOU WILLING TO PAY THE PRICE?
· Let God have His way in our lives. Surrender your will and way to Him.
4. Yield To the Holy Spirit James 4:10… “Humble yourself in the sight of God and He shall exalt you up. · The Holy Spirit does not take directions from man… WE NEED TO STOP TELLING GOD HOW WE WANT OUR LIVES TO BE OR WHERE WE WANT TO GO. LET GOD LEAD US IN THE WEAY WE SHOULD GO.
· No person or ministry can succeed because of education, great financial success or connections made by man. (Titles I am Dr., Bishop, Rev…). Sad how people think that those with these titles can help them access the throne of God… These things DO NOT entice the Holy Spirit. Access if FREE and EASY!
· The only way to stay in the realm of the Spirit is to Spend time with God ALONE!
· God is looking for ordinary, yielded vessels. It takes dying to the flesh and learning to walk in the Spirit.
· WE NEED TO STOP BOASTING ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE ACHIEVED AND BUILT FOR GOD (SOMETIMES WE EVEN TAKE GOD’S GLORY AND CREDIT OURSELVES). WE NEED TO YIELD AND NOT BE PRIDEFULL!!
CONCLUSION · Vs 9-13 ELISHA ASKED FOR A DOUBLE PORTION OF THE SPIRIT … HE HUNGERED AFTER GOD…GOD WILL REWARD US ALSO IF WE DESIRE AND HUNGER AFTER HIM. All will be added ( Matthew 6:33)
· What would your answer be if God asked what He should do for you? Would it be financial blessing, a husband, wide, car, house, a child…or Anointing, wisdom, knowledge, gifts of the Spirit…?
· Listen: God will open doors of blessings for you in the natural if will Hunger after Him, Lay Aside Weights, Crucify Self and Yield to the Holy Spirit. The Sky will NOT be the limit FOR YOU as they say…There is NO LIMIT IN GOD.
· GOALS THAT ARE NOT ALIGNED IN GOD’S WILL NOT BE ACHIEVED…COMMIT THEM TO GOD (cars, Homes, Husband, Wife…etc..)
· God Will reveal The plans of the enemy to you BUT only if you are in tune with The Holy Spirit and in the centre of His will.
· GOD will lead you by His Holy Spirit in the way you should go. This is possible after yielding to Him. NO MORE CONFUSION OF WHERE TO TAKE A TURN IN LIFE.
ARE YOU WONDERING AND WORRIED ABOUT THE FUTURE? LET GOD LEAD YOU.
So…What are you doing here? At this place in your Life?
Will you hunger after Him, Will you lay Aside ALL weights, Will you Crucify Self, Will you Yield to His Holy Spirit? If yes then Pray this prayer with me:
Father in Jesus’ name, I humbly ask that you forgive me for the things I have done, said and thought that have not pleased you. Help me to develop a hunger for you, lay aside all the weights in my life, crucify the flesh and yield to your holy Spirit. Lead me Lord in the way I should go. In Jesus’ name Amen!
THIS IS OUR GOD!!
Have a blessed day!!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Be Anxious About nothing
Goodness, this is something that happens to me all the time. Even when I am equipped with scriptures and promises from the word. The pressure from the situations in our lives and the circumstances around us make it worse when we see or even hear what is going on. It kind of sounds like a 'mighty river' coming to wash us away. So when we hear, we start to worry and fret. BUT...the good news is that our God is more than able to help us overcome. When you find yourself in this state, talk to someone a close friend or even your pastor. I have learned from experience, that when we find ourselves in such situations, it is always advisable to talk to someone, seek couselling by all means. Short of that, the next stage of this will be severe depression (depending on how bad it is)
The definition of being anxious, or having anxiety is mentally troubled with worry or concern. Thing is, we have all been battling anxiety ever since Adam ate the forbidden fruit and tried in vain to hide from God; "I heard You in the garden, and I was afraid" (Genesis 3:10). The negative effects of anxiety were understood three thousand years ago when King Solomon wrote his proverbs of wisdom; "An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up" (Proverbs 12:25).
Paul preached a lot about anxiety during his teachings and preachings about the Good News of Jesus. Almost in the same breath that he gave instruction to "Rejoice in the Lord always!" (Philippians 4:4), Paul taught on removing anxiety from our life; "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" (Philippians 4:6).
it is quite easy to find ourselves being overly concerned or mentally troubled about ANYTHING, we must go to God (with thanksgiving) and give our burdens to Him. This doesn't mean we ignore our problems, but we must learn to view the things of this world against the backdrop of eternity. The concerns of this life always fade as we compare them to the eternal glory of His Kingdom.
Matthew 6:25,34
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry {or be anxious} about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
When we feel weighed down, pressured, or stressed - when concerns are coming in fast motion from all directions and we don't know where to begin - we must stop and take a long, deep breath! We must refocus on Jesus and His Word. We must be reminded of eternity in the presence of a loving God and diligently seek His Kingdom; "make every effort to enter that rest" (Hebrews 4:11).
As we draw closer to our Heavenly Father, our eyes become adjusted to His light and we see He has already given all we really need. As we love Him more, all fear is removed: "perfect love drives out fear" (1 John 4:18). And as we trust Him more and more, we will receive His gift of peace and no longer live with the burdening weight of an anxious heart.We need to offload ALL our burdens onto Jesus for HE CARES FOR US (1 Peter 5:7)
THIS IS OUR GOD!!
Have a blessed day!!
The definition of being anxious, or having anxiety is mentally troubled with worry or concern. Thing is, we have all been battling anxiety ever since Adam ate the forbidden fruit and tried in vain to hide from God; "I heard You in the garden, and I was afraid" (Genesis 3:10). The negative effects of anxiety were understood three thousand years ago when King Solomon wrote his proverbs of wisdom; "An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up" (Proverbs 12:25).
Paul preached a lot about anxiety during his teachings and preachings about the Good News of Jesus. Almost in the same breath that he gave instruction to "Rejoice in the Lord always!" (Philippians 4:4), Paul taught on removing anxiety from our life; "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" (Philippians 4:6).
it is quite easy to find ourselves being overly concerned or mentally troubled about ANYTHING, we must go to God (with thanksgiving) and give our burdens to Him. This doesn't mean we ignore our problems, but we must learn to view the things of this world against the backdrop of eternity. The concerns of this life always fade as we compare them to the eternal glory of His Kingdom.
Matthew 6:25,34
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry {or be anxious} about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
When we feel weighed down, pressured, or stressed - when concerns are coming in fast motion from all directions and we don't know where to begin - we must stop and take a long, deep breath! We must refocus on Jesus and His Word. We must be reminded of eternity in the presence of a loving God and diligently seek His Kingdom; "make every effort to enter that rest" (Hebrews 4:11).
As we draw closer to our Heavenly Father, our eyes become adjusted to His light and we see He has already given all we really need. As we love Him more, all fear is removed: "perfect love drives out fear" (1 John 4:18). And as we trust Him more and more, we will receive His gift of peace and no longer live with the burdening weight of an anxious heart.We need to offload ALL our burdens onto Jesus for HE CARES FOR US (1 Peter 5:7)
THIS IS OUR GOD!!
Have a blessed day!!
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Satan Is Already Defeated
Many of us Christians today have failed to fully realize what Jesus did on the Cross for us. The cross propelled us into a new dimension of power and authority. Not only did Jesus defeat the old devil on our behalf but He also gave us authority over him.
There have been times in my own life when I quickly forgot how God had put me in a place of authority...in Him. By Him making me His son, following my acceptance of His offer (the free gift of salvation through Christ), made a pathway for the greatest opportunity for my freedom and victory. Sometimes, we have to go through quite a few bumps in life but God will keep showing or reminding us through His Word that we have the key to victory. Not only do we have the key, but the weapons too in form of: The blood of Christ, The Word of God and The name of Jesus. With these 'weapons of mass destruction' to the kingdom of darkness, we are able to take on whatever Satan tries to throw at us through prayer and generally living lives of purity anf Holiness. We as Christians, need to come to a place of realization that we have THE POWER TO OVERCOME because Jesus already did the biggest part of it...Overcame for us!. If God said we have victory through His son Jesus, then we do indeed have it. Lets just use the weapons and CLAIM the victory. YOU AND I SHOULD NOT LIVE IN DEFEAT BUT VICTORY!! NOT UNTIL WE REALIZE WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST, THE ENEMY WILL KEEP SMILING AND LAUGING OUT LOUD.
As Joshua led the Israelites out of the desert and into the promised land of Canaan, the first enemy they faced lived in the mighty walled city of Jericho. When spies were sent to Jericho to determine the enemy's strength, Rahab told the spies, "all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you" (Joshua 2:9). Rahab said the people of Jericho had heard how God parted the Red Sea and how He had been with the Israelites in previous battles.
Joshua 2:11
"When we heard of it, our hearts melted and everyone's courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below."
Can you imagine the look the many faces when they were told that all they had to do was march and blow the trumpet? God caused the walls of Jericho to collapse and allowed the Israelites to take the city, but the first enemy in the promised land was conquered long before the Israelite army arrived. The people of Jericho knew of God's miraculous power and were already defeated. The only thing necessary for victory was for the Israelites to show they were willing to walk in the strength God provided.
It has NEVER been God's desire and will NEVER BE for us to remain in the desert place. The desert place is dry and dusty. He has "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11). But in order to enter the promised land, we must be prepared to face our enemies and trust in the strength of our Heavenly Father.
The enemy "prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). This enemy is very real and ready to attack our areas of weakness. But the enemy is also well aware of God's power and will turn away any time we make a stand; "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7). The enemy's fate has been sealed - his end has already been determined - but we must resist daily by trusting in the power of God.
The one thing we need to do is to submit our lives into the loving hands our Heavenly Father and boldly enter the peace-filled land He has promised. The lion will continue to roar and try to bite, but we must never forget that Jesus has already assured complete victory. When we trust Him with all our heart and daily walk in His strength, we truly face a defeated enemy. This is not to say that we wont make mistakes and fail, but that when we do, we will get up, repent (which means completely turning around and moving away from sin) and move on in the Lord live victorious lives.
THIS IS OUR GOD!!
Have a blessed day!!
There have been times in my own life when I quickly forgot how God had put me in a place of authority...in Him. By Him making me His son, following my acceptance of His offer (the free gift of salvation through Christ), made a pathway for the greatest opportunity for my freedom and victory. Sometimes, we have to go through quite a few bumps in life but God will keep showing or reminding us through His Word that we have the key to victory. Not only do we have the key, but the weapons too in form of: The blood of Christ, The Word of God and The name of Jesus. With these 'weapons of mass destruction' to the kingdom of darkness, we are able to take on whatever Satan tries to throw at us through prayer and generally living lives of purity anf Holiness. We as Christians, need to come to a place of realization that we have THE POWER TO OVERCOME because Jesus already did the biggest part of it...Overcame for us!. If God said we have victory through His son Jesus, then we do indeed have it. Lets just use the weapons and CLAIM the victory. YOU AND I SHOULD NOT LIVE IN DEFEAT BUT VICTORY!! NOT UNTIL WE REALIZE WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST, THE ENEMY WILL KEEP SMILING AND LAUGING OUT LOUD.
As Joshua led the Israelites out of the desert and into the promised land of Canaan, the first enemy they faced lived in the mighty walled city of Jericho. When spies were sent to Jericho to determine the enemy's strength, Rahab told the spies, "all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you" (Joshua 2:9). Rahab said the people of Jericho had heard how God parted the Red Sea and how He had been with the Israelites in previous battles.
Joshua 2:11
"When we heard of it, our hearts melted and everyone's courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below."
Can you imagine the look the many faces when they were told that all they had to do was march and blow the trumpet? God caused the walls of Jericho to collapse and allowed the Israelites to take the city, but the first enemy in the promised land was conquered long before the Israelite army arrived. The people of Jericho knew of God's miraculous power and were already defeated. The only thing necessary for victory was for the Israelites to show they were willing to walk in the strength God provided.
It has NEVER been God's desire and will NEVER BE for us to remain in the desert place. The desert place is dry and dusty. He has "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11). But in order to enter the promised land, we must be prepared to face our enemies and trust in the strength of our Heavenly Father.
The enemy "prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). This enemy is very real and ready to attack our areas of weakness. But the enemy is also well aware of God's power and will turn away any time we make a stand; "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7). The enemy's fate has been sealed - his end has already been determined - but we must resist daily by trusting in the power of God.
The one thing we need to do is to submit our lives into the loving hands our Heavenly Father and boldly enter the peace-filled land He has promised. The lion will continue to roar and try to bite, but we must never forget that Jesus has already assured complete victory. When we trust Him with all our heart and daily walk in His strength, we truly face a defeated enemy. This is not to say that we wont make mistakes and fail, but that when we do, we will get up, repent (which means completely turning around and moving away from sin) and move on in the Lord live victorious lives.
THIS IS OUR GOD!!
Have a blessed day!!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Lets Trust In The Grace Of God
When I gave my life to Christ years ago, I was not sure of what I had gotten myself into. The pastor preached a great message and the I felt the conviction of my sins piercing into me. I knew I needed the savior Christ Jesus to take over my life, and had He not done so, I would NEVER have made it to this point. From this point on now, I was moving into the unknown but as I sat in fellowship and Bible study groups, I began to gain confidence in the Word of God and understood better the story of salvation. Also my faith started to grow more each day because of hearing the Word, and listening to the testimonies of other Christians whose lives God had transformed, which placed me in a more trusting position (It was not instant growth). From there, I learned to boldly go into the presence of God by myself and to share with others about His truths... which have been made real in many lives today. As we continue to walk with our Heavenly Father, and better understand His love, we ought to experience a sense of awe which we can't help but share with others. How Loving is our God that He made a way through Jesus by way of His Grace which is all sufficient for us.
The complete story of Jesus Christ - which began before the creation of the world and continues for all eternity - is a love story whose central theme is grace; "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8). The moment we believe in Jesus for the forgiveness of our sin, God looks upon us with love and welcomes us into His Family - this is His gift of Salvation! This means our Salvation is never something we earn or deserve - it is a gift of grace.
Romans 11:6
"And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace."
If we come before our Heavenly Father thinking we can do ANYTHING which makes us deserving of Salvation, then we do not yet understand His gift of forgiving grace. God's grace is extended to all who believe, but we are called to believe His grace is both absolutely necessary AND completely sufficient.
If we truly believe, our life will produce fruit and we will do good works; "Faith, if not accompanied by action, is dead" (James 2:17). But our good works will never save us - Salvation is a gift. If we truly believe, we will desire to obediently follow; "We know that we have come to know Him if we obey His commands" (1 John 2:3). But our obedience will never save us - Salvation is a gift.
If we've never settled the issue of Salvation, then today is the day to "trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding" (Proverbs 3:5). We must come before God with empty hands, acknowledge our sin and need for a Savior, and receive the gift of grace offered through Jesus.
As we then continue our walk with Christ, we learn to love Him with all our heart and strive to present our very best, bringing Him glory and honor in ALL we do. But while we walk, love, and strive, we must remember that our "best" is not what earns His favor. Our "successes" will not make us more worthy, and our "failures" will not cause us to lose His love. His gift is everything! Let's give Him everything in return as we continue to live each moment of this wondrous journey by trusting in His grace.
We need to trust in the Lord's grace every step of the way in our walk with God. It is only by way of this trust that we shall see God move more on our behalf (To God be the glory). AMEN!
THIS IS OUR GOD!!
Have a blessed day!!
The complete story of Jesus Christ - which began before the creation of the world and continues for all eternity - is a love story whose central theme is grace; "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8). The moment we believe in Jesus for the forgiveness of our sin, God looks upon us with love and welcomes us into His Family - this is His gift of Salvation! This means our Salvation is never something we earn or deserve - it is a gift of grace.
Romans 11:6
"And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace."
If we come before our Heavenly Father thinking we can do ANYTHING which makes us deserving of Salvation, then we do not yet understand His gift of forgiving grace. God's grace is extended to all who believe, but we are called to believe His grace is both absolutely necessary AND completely sufficient.
If we truly believe, our life will produce fruit and we will do good works; "Faith, if not accompanied by action, is dead" (James 2:17). But our good works will never save us - Salvation is a gift. If we truly believe, we will desire to obediently follow; "We know that we have come to know Him if we obey His commands" (1 John 2:3). But our obedience will never save us - Salvation is a gift.
If we've never settled the issue of Salvation, then today is the day to "trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding" (Proverbs 3:5). We must come before God with empty hands, acknowledge our sin and need for a Savior, and receive the gift of grace offered through Jesus.
As we then continue our walk with Christ, we learn to love Him with all our heart and strive to present our very best, bringing Him glory and honor in ALL we do. But while we walk, love, and strive, we must remember that our "best" is not what earns His favor. Our "successes" will not make us more worthy, and our "failures" will not cause us to lose His love. His gift is everything! Let's give Him everything in return as we continue to live each moment of this wondrous journey by trusting in His grace.
We need to trust in the Lord's grace every step of the way in our walk with God. It is only by way of this trust that we shall see God move more on our behalf (To God be the glory). AMEN!
THIS IS OUR GOD!!
Have a blessed day!!
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Do we Labor In Vain?
It is very exciting to see God move on our behalf with miracles, signs and wonders happening but it is very important that we don't spend so much time trying to get these things instead of putting God first. There is a tendency for ministries or and individuals to be totally engrossed in pursuing goals and leave out the one who holds it all...God.
I, like many other Christians out there spend so much time trying to accomplish certain things for God. But in the process of all this happening, we leave God out. We get so busy trying to do way too too many things for God but the end result is negative. We may achieve all we can but if we leave or ignore God, it will all crumble at some point. It will be like the builder who built his house on the sand. We need God to build the 'house' for us.
As we are "crucified with Christ" (Galatians 2:20) and live "united with Him in His resurrection" (Romans 6:5), we begin to view more and more of our life through the eyes of God. What we once saw as critically important begins to fade; and what we once neglected, we now begin to see as beloved by our Heavenly Father.
We can no longer build according to our old set of priorities. In fact, when we truly come in full submission to the cross of Jesus, we find we can no longer build anything according to our own design or in our own strength. We discover we must make God the Master Builder of every area of our life or we are wasting precious time, energy, and resources.
"Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain"(Psalms 127:1)
Our life goes by so fast and our eternal vision is so very limited. Many of us are frantically building our castle and have failed to see we are building with sand which will crumble with the swell of the next tide. We may be struggling to build in our marriage, children, parents, job, school, friends, or even our ministry. But if we are expending great effort without results which are pleasing to God, we must honestly ask the question: "Who is doing the building?"
Even if our effort meets with apparent success, we must ask the same question and relinquish controls to God. Our greatest projects, if built in our own strength, will one day pass through the fire and be consumed; "the fire will test the quality of each man's work" (1 Corinthians 3:13). The standard of quality is determined by God, not man! It will be a sad day if we find we have spent a lifetime building that which is consumed by fire; "he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames" (1 Corinthians 3:15).
In order for God to properly build, we must first submit to the refining He desires to accomplish within us. He will mold us into the likeness of His Son as we are fully devoted to loving Him, learning His Word, and applying His Truth as the absolute foundation of our life: "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says" (James 1:22-24).
God is not just the best solution, He is the ONLY solution worth pursuing. Heavenly Father, help us to not waste another moment of this precious life you have given. Help us see where we have taken too much control and give us the strength and courage to turn over ALL to You. Dear Lord, work through us to build what will last for eternity! Beginning right now, help us to stop laboring in vain!
THIS IS OUR GOD!!
Have a blessed day!!
I, like many other Christians out there spend so much time trying to accomplish certain things for God. But in the process of all this happening, we leave God out. We get so busy trying to do way too too many things for God but the end result is negative. We may achieve all we can but if we leave or ignore God, it will all crumble at some point. It will be like the builder who built his house on the sand. We need God to build the 'house' for us.
As we are "crucified with Christ" (Galatians 2:20) and live "united with Him in His resurrection" (Romans 6:5), we begin to view more and more of our life through the eyes of God. What we once saw as critically important begins to fade; and what we once neglected, we now begin to see as beloved by our Heavenly Father.
We can no longer build according to our old set of priorities. In fact, when we truly come in full submission to the cross of Jesus, we find we can no longer build anything according to our own design or in our own strength. We discover we must make God the Master Builder of every area of our life or we are wasting precious time, energy, and resources.
"Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain"(Psalms 127:1)
Our life goes by so fast and our eternal vision is so very limited. Many of us are frantically building our castle and have failed to see we are building with sand which will crumble with the swell of the next tide. We may be struggling to build in our marriage, children, parents, job, school, friends, or even our ministry. But if we are expending great effort without results which are pleasing to God, we must honestly ask the question: "Who is doing the building?"
Even if our effort meets with apparent success, we must ask the same question and relinquish controls to God. Our greatest projects, if built in our own strength, will one day pass through the fire and be consumed; "the fire will test the quality of each man's work" (1 Corinthians 3:13). The standard of quality is determined by God, not man! It will be a sad day if we find we have spent a lifetime building that which is consumed by fire; "he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames" (1 Corinthians 3:15).
In order for God to properly build, we must first submit to the refining He desires to accomplish within us. He will mold us into the likeness of His Son as we are fully devoted to loving Him, learning His Word, and applying His Truth as the absolute foundation of our life: "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says" (James 1:22-24).
God is not just the best solution, He is the ONLY solution worth pursuing. Heavenly Father, help us to not waste another moment of this precious life you have given. Help us see where we have taken too much control and give us the strength and courage to turn over ALL to You. Dear Lord, work through us to build what will last for eternity! Beginning right now, help us to stop laboring in vain!
THIS IS OUR GOD!!
Have a blessed day!!
Love As Jesus Loved
I work part time in a busy kitchen of a somewhat big restaurant and have for a while now. I was thinking the other day how we many times as christians dont really give a helping hand or share the love of Christ in us by availing ourselves to help those in need. A case in sight is my own: There is a man who comes to clean, scrub and basically wipe down everything. Over the past year or so, he kept coming to ask me (in the middle of a busy shift) to help him lift tables so he could mop or scrub the floor. I helped him a couple of times and thereafter started to say no to him. And each time I said no, this guy wore a very sad face which is understandable given the fact that the only one person who could have helped said no to him. He really needed help as the tables are not light at all. Each time I said no to him, the Spirit of God convicted me. The excuse I gave God was that I had to finish my own work quickly. Then came the question: "What about him? Dont you think he has to finish his work as well"?.
Now, I wonder why I didnt cheerfully help this guy when he needed help. It always took (still does)2 minutes of my time to help. Even in the middle of a busy shift, we can still have time to assist others. It took me a few months with the constant conviction by God to realize how selfish I had been and yet if I had been in his shoes, Im sure this guy would have helped me. I now happily help this guy and the smile on his face is wide but I also know that I do it for God when I help like this. Im also happy to take a few minutes of my time to help.
Are we as christians doing all we can to potray Christ through our lives? What kind of fruites are we bearing for the Kingdom of God or are we just busy trying to make ends meet?
The above is an excellent example of how we miss the chance to share the love of Christ with people just because we are in a hurry to complete or accomplish stuff in our own lives. This can only mean one thing: We tend to put ourselves before others which is a direct contrast to what Jesus taught. Is the Love of Christ that is in us overflowing into other people's lives?
God loved us long before we ever knew Him, and loved us far more than we deserved; "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Our Heavenly Father sent His Son to die for the forgiveness of our sins "that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). And He sent His Spirit to comfort, guide, and strengthen us all the rest of our days.
God's love has created a debt we can never fully repay, but it's a debt of love we now honor by loving others; "Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another" (Romans 13:8). As we reach out to those around us, we are actually reaching up and loving our Heavenly Father; "He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people" (Hebrews 6:10). We know we should love one another, but what is the proper expression of our love?
Jesus had gathered with His disciples for what would be their last meal together. While they were eating in the upper room, Jesus "showed them the full extent of His love" (John 13:1).
John 13:4-5
"He got up from the meal, took off His outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around His waist. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around Him."
In this, His clear demonstration of love, the Creator of the Universe lowered Himself to the position of a common house servant and washed the feet of His disciples. His example of love was completely void of pride or selfish motives. There was no agenda in His actions other than to pour out pure love. Only moments later Jesus told His disciples; "As I have loved you, so you must love one another" (John 13:34).
Jesus was able to love with true humility and self-sacrifice because He was absolutely secure in His Heavenly relationship; "Jesus knew He had come from God and was returning to God" (John 13:3). Jesus knew who He was and where He was going; His self-esteem was independent of feedback from the world - independent of any appreciation He may have received in return. Jesus was sent to love, so He loved!
We are now sent to love with this same servant's heart - a heart that simply considers the needs of others and then reaches out to "take care of My sheep" (John 21:16). Let's secure our Heavenly relationship through faith in the sacrifice of Jesus and then live each day with a humble heart that only His security allows. Let's love our Heavenly Father as we reach out to the world and love as Jesus loved.Let the cup of God's Love in us overflow to touch and change other lives.
THIS IS OUR GOD!!
Have a blessed day!!
Now, I wonder why I didnt cheerfully help this guy when he needed help. It always took (still does)2 minutes of my time to help. Even in the middle of a busy shift, we can still have time to assist others. It took me a few months with the constant conviction by God to realize how selfish I had been and yet if I had been in his shoes, Im sure this guy would have helped me. I now happily help this guy and the smile on his face is wide but I also know that I do it for God when I help like this. Im also happy to take a few minutes of my time to help.
Are we as christians doing all we can to potray Christ through our lives? What kind of fruites are we bearing for the Kingdom of God or are we just busy trying to make ends meet?
The above is an excellent example of how we miss the chance to share the love of Christ with people just because we are in a hurry to complete or accomplish stuff in our own lives. This can only mean one thing: We tend to put ourselves before others which is a direct contrast to what Jesus taught. Is the Love of Christ that is in us overflowing into other people's lives?
God loved us long before we ever knew Him, and loved us far more than we deserved; "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Our Heavenly Father sent His Son to die for the forgiveness of our sins "that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). And He sent His Spirit to comfort, guide, and strengthen us all the rest of our days.
God's love has created a debt we can never fully repay, but it's a debt of love we now honor by loving others; "Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another" (Romans 13:8). As we reach out to those around us, we are actually reaching up and loving our Heavenly Father; "He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people" (Hebrews 6:10). We know we should love one another, but what is the proper expression of our love?
Jesus had gathered with His disciples for what would be their last meal together. While they were eating in the upper room, Jesus "showed them the full extent of His love" (John 13:1).
John 13:4-5
"He got up from the meal, took off His outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around His waist. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around Him."
In this, His clear demonstration of love, the Creator of the Universe lowered Himself to the position of a common house servant and washed the feet of His disciples. His example of love was completely void of pride or selfish motives. There was no agenda in His actions other than to pour out pure love. Only moments later Jesus told His disciples; "As I have loved you, so you must love one another" (John 13:34).
Jesus was able to love with true humility and self-sacrifice because He was absolutely secure in His Heavenly relationship; "Jesus knew He had come from God and was returning to God" (John 13:3). Jesus knew who He was and where He was going; His self-esteem was independent of feedback from the world - independent of any appreciation He may have received in return. Jesus was sent to love, so He loved!
We are now sent to love with this same servant's heart - a heart that simply considers the needs of others and then reaches out to "take care of My sheep" (John 21:16). Let's secure our Heavenly relationship through faith in the sacrifice of Jesus and then live each day with a humble heart that only His security allows. Let's love our Heavenly Father as we reach out to the world and love as Jesus loved.Let the cup of God's Love in us overflow to touch and change other lives.
THIS IS OUR GOD!!
Have a blessed day!!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Let Us Not Be Afraid
As a Christian, I have been faced (still do) with situations that wont seem to go away. These mountain looking like situations are so steep to climb and usually when they appear or surface, they cause fear to grip me (I'm sure you too) depending on how big the problem is.
We must come to a place of trust and confidence that God is on our side and that even mountains melt like wax and scatter (Habakkuk 3:6). God is MORE than able to calm the storms in our lives no matter how powerful! He is CREATOR of ALL things, therefore, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR HIM. He fights our battles even though we may not see how and when. If God were to open our spiritual eyes, we then would see how fierce the battle is between the angels of war and the powers of darkness (all on our behalf). Guess what we get to enjoy after all is done? Victory!!
As wars continue around the world, we must remember our true battles are not against flesh and blood - not against terrorism or weapons of mass destruction, nor against an oppressive boss or unappreciative spouse - but “against the spiritual forces of evil in the Heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12). The real battles occur in a world which is real, but unseen; and yet, the battles we see and hear everywhere we turn are the ones which tend to consume our thoughts and cause us to fear.
As Jesus was teaching and healing around the Sea of Galilee, large crowds of people began to come out to Him. One evening, Jesus decided to leave the crowds behind and sail with His disciples to the other side of the sea. As Jesus slept in the back of the boat, a terrible storm soon developed. The disciples woke Jesus and cried out in fear, “Teacher, don’t You care if we drown?” (Mark 4:38).
Mark 4:39-40
“He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to His disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?’”
The disciples had seen Jesus cure a man with leprosy, heal a paralytic, and teach with the authority of Almighty God. They had witnessed miracle after miracle but now thought Jesus didn’t care. When Jesus rose, He rebuked the storm as well as His disciples. These men who were chosen to walk with the Son of God were now accused by Jesus of being afraid and living without faith.
This same event occurs in our life today. Jesus climbs into our boat and directs us to a distant shore. We’ve heard about His miracles so we joyfully cast off, expecting a smooth sail. Suddenly, the wind begins to blow and the waves turn white - this is probably not the voyage we had in mind. No longer able to see the shore, we begin to wonder why we ever set sail. Did we really hear His voice? And in our desperation we pathetically cry out, “Don’t You care if we drown?”
Is our faith really so weak?
In the midst of our fears, we must remember: He is the same God who created the Heavens and the earth, sent His Son to die for our sins, and gave us His Spirit “with whom we were sealed for the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30). He is the same God who chose us to walk by His side!
Jesus is still committed to our journey, and still in complete control. In His perfect timing He will calm ALL the wind and waves - ALL the roaring seas. When doubts begin to surface, we must draw even closer, hold on even tighter, and trust Him even deeper. No matter what battles we see with our eyes and hear with our ears, we must be determined to live each moment by faith and refuse to be afraid. There is a lot we don't see with our natural eyes, but we MUST thank God that He takes care of that for us.
THIS IS OUR GOD!!
Have a blessed day!!
We must come to a place of trust and confidence that God is on our side and that even mountains melt like wax and scatter (Habakkuk 3:6). God is MORE than able to calm the storms in our lives no matter how powerful! He is CREATOR of ALL things, therefore, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR HIM. He fights our battles even though we may not see how and when. If God were to open our spiritual eyes, we then would see how fierce the battle is between the angels of war and the powers of darkness (all on our behalf). Guess what we get to enjoy after all is done? Victory!!
As wars continue around the world, we must remember our true battles are not against flesh and blood - not against terrorism or weapons of mass destruction, nor against an oppressive boss or unappreciative spouse - but “against the spiritual forces of evil in the Heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12). The real battles occur in a world which is real, but unseen; and yet, the battles we see and hear everywhere we turn are the ones which tend to consume our thoughts and cause us to fear.
As Jesus was teaching and healing around the Sea of Galilee, large crowds of people began to come out to Him. One evening, Jesus decided to leave the crowds behind and sail with His disciples to the other side of the sea. As Jesus slept in the back of the boat, a terrible storm soon developed. The disciples woke Jesus and cried out in fear, “Teacher, don’t You care if we drown?” (Mark 4:38).
Mark 4:39-40
“He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to His disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?’”
The disciples had seen Jesus cure a man with leprosy, heal a paralytic, and teach with the authority of Almighty God. They had witnessed miracle after miracle but now thought Jesus didn’t care. When Jesus rose, He rebuked the storm as well as His disciples. These men who were chosen to walk with the Son of God were now accused by Jesus of being afraid and living without faith.
This same event occurs in our life today. Jesus climbs into our boat and directs us to a distant shore. We’ve heard about His miracles so we joyfully cast off, expecting a smooth sail. Suddenly, the wind begins to blow and the waves turn white - this is probably not the voyage we had in mind. No longer able to see the shore, we begin to wonder why we ever set sail. Did we really hear His voice? And in our desperation we pathetically cry out, “Don’t You care if we drown?”
Is our faith really so weak?
In the midst of our fears, we must remember: He is the same God who created the Heavens and the earth, sent His Son to die for our sins, and gave us His Spirit “with whom we were sealed for the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30). He is the same God who chose us to walk by His side!
Jesus is still committed to our journey, and still in complete control. In His perfect timing He will calm ALL the wind and waves - ALL the roaring seas. When doubts begin to surface, we must draw even closer, hold on even tighter, and trust Him even deeper. No matter what battles we see with our eyes and hear with our ears, we must be determined to live each moment by faith and refuse to be afraid. There is a lot we don't see with our natural eyes, but we MUST thank God that He takes care of that for us.
THIS IS OUR GOD!!
Have a blessed day!!
God Will Be Found By You
All of us have been at this place in our lives when at some point, we thought God was not hearing us at all. There are things in my own life that I asked God for and sought His face for direction and guidance by the Help of His Holy Spirit. Friends, it took me a while to learn that I had to seek God and after His Holiness and righteousness as well. there are things I had done that I knew were wrong but still wanted God to move fast on my behalf. I awakened by the very fact that God can not be rushed and that HE WANTS TO ESTABLISH A RELATIONSHIP WITH US and NOT one of just asking him for stuff or even calling upon Him ONLY when we are in trouble.
I learned that God is Holy God and loves us so very much. But as much as He wants us to have the things we ask Him for (if they are in line with His will for us), WE MUST CONSTANTLY AND CONTINUOUSLY SEEK HIM. AND the promise is...HE SHALL BE FOUND BY US!!
The Psalm writer longed to be close to God; "my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God" (Psalm 84:2). The writer knew his heart would only be satisfied by being in the presence of God; but unfortunately, not many of the children of Israel shared this same understanding.
The Israelites continually rebelled and failed to devote their hearts to God. They sought pleasure and security in the world, and turned to worship idols and false gods. And though God sent many messengers to call His children home, they refused to change. Finally, God allowed the armies of Babylon to destroy the temple and lead the people into seventy years of captivity. But even in this most severe discipline, God demonstrated His love and true desire for His Children to return Home.
Jeremiah 29:10-13
"'I will come to you and fulfill My gracious promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.'"
God's plan has always been to give us hope and a future, to prosper us and keep us from harm, but His plan can never be separated from a life devoted to Him. There is no hope - no future or security - apart from resting in His arms. And the only lasting prosperity and peace comes as we walk in step with His Spirit. Why do we not trust Him to fully guide our path? And why do we seek His plan for our life without bothering to first seek Him?!
God's plan is for us to be restored to Him and glorify His name as we love Him with all our heart. All other plans regarding the specific circumstances of our existence flow out of His plan for a loving relationship filled with worship; "seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6:33). Seek Him first!
Yes, He has promised us a glorious future - not necessarily a future free of trouble, but a future filled with "the peace of God which transcends all understanding" (Philippians 4:7); a future where we can learn real prosperity by "being content in any and every situation" (Philippians 4:12). But this future can only be had by those who seek Him with all their heart.
Let's allow God to be the all-consuming top priority of our life. Let's diligently seek Him in times of quiet as well as in the midst of the endless multitude of daily activities. And let's be filled with hope and encouraged by His promise that as we faithfully seek Him with all our heart, He will be found!
THIS IS OUR GOD!!
Have a blessed day!!
I learned that God is Holy God and loves us so very much. But as much as He wants us to have the things we ask Him for (if they are in line with His will for us), WE MUST CONSTANTLY AND CONTINUOUSLY SEEK HIM. AND the promise is...HE SHALL BE FOUND BY US!!
The Psalm writer longed to be close to God; "my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God" (Psalm 84:2). The writer knew his heart would only be satisfied by being in the presence of God; but unfortunately, not many of the children of Israel shared this same understanding.
The Israelites continually rebelled and failed to devote their hearts to God. They sought pleasure and security in the world, and turned to worship idols and false gods. And though God sent many messengers to call His children home, they refused to change. Finally, God allowed the armies of Babylon to destroy the temple and lead the people into seventy years of captivity. But even in this most severe discipline, God demonstrated His love and true desire for His Children to return Home.
Jeremiah 29:10-13
"'I will come to you and fulfill My gracious promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.'"
God's plan has always been to give us hope and a future, to prosper us and keep us from harm, but His plan can never be separated from a life devoted to Him. There is no hope - no future or security - apart from resting in His arms. And the only lasting prosperity and peace comes as we walk in step with His Spirit. Why do we not trust Him to fully guide our path? And why do we seek His plan for our life without bothering to first seek Him?!
God's plan is for us to be restored to Him and glorify His name as we love Him with all our heart. All other plans regarding the specific circumstances of our existence flow out of His plan for a loving relationship filled with worship; "seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6:33). Seek Him first!
Yes, He has promised us a glorious future - not necessarily a future free of trouble, but a future filled with "the peace of God which transcends all understanding" (Philippians 4:7); a future where we can learn real prosperity by "being content in any and every situation" (Philippians 4:12). But this future can only be had by those who seek Him with all their heart.
Let's allow God to be the all-consuming top priority of our life. Let's diligently seek Him in times of quiet as well as in the midst of the endless multitude of daily activities. And let's be filled with hope and encouraged by His promise that as we faithfully seek Him with all our heart, He will be found!
THIS IS OUR GOD!!
Have a blessed day!!
Our Hearts Cry Out
Deep inside every heart is a longing but even deeper than that, there is a CRY. Sometimes we tend to think that material things or even people (a relationship) is what will make us whole. We all read about the rich and famous people who actually have all they need on earth BUT are still longing for something more. Even the richest man in the world today has a longing and a cry deep inside.
God has tried to reveal Himself to the Human race in numerous ways the main one being Jesus Christ whom He sent to save us. FRIENDS, THAT LONGING IN THE HEARTS OF MEN IS ONE THAT IS SEEKING AFTER THE CREATOR. The creator will NOT be found in material things or the worldly things that tend to draw us.
WE NEED THE SAVIOR TO QUECH OUR THIRST AND TO SATISFY OUR EVERY LONGING!
In the beginning, after the creation of the heavens and the earth, "God created man in His own image" (Genesis 1:27). The image of God did not refer to our physical appearance but rather the character of our spirit. The spirit of man was created in the image of God for the purpose of dwelling with Him for all eternity; "God saw all that He had made, and it was very good" (Genesis 1:31).
But when man sinned, a separation immediately formed with God; "they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden" (Genesis 3:8). Though man was physically banished from the garden and forbidden to experience the joy of walking side by side with his Creator - and though sin, and the resulting separation, was inherited by all future generations - there forever remains a damaged spirit which longs to return home.
Psalm 84:1-2
"How lovely is Your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God."
This passage was written by one who knew God and the joy of His presence. But the author also knew of man's inability to be satisfied with anything less.
Before we know God we attempt to stop the cry with all sorts of pacifiers, but nothing satisfies. We pursue pleasures of the flesh, challenges of the mind, and advancement in status, but the cry remains. Sooner or later (Oh Lord, may it be sooner!) we realize that Solomon was correct when he said; "I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind" (Ecclesiastes 1:14).
Many things of this world are worthwhile as they are done for the glory of God, but in the sense that they attempt to satisfy, they are all meaningless. The ONLY answer to the unsettled and restless longing deep within our soul is to return to a restored relationship with God. When we place our life in the Father's Hands through faith in Jesus, He gives us His Spirit and says, Welcome Home! "The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children" (Romans 8:16). And as we learn to walk in this restored relationship, we will finally be at peace.
There are so many things of this world which can occupy our time and consume our thoughts, but none that will truly satisfy. Our search can continue until our time on earth is gone but the emptiness will remain. Let's return to the Father today and live the rest of our days fully devoted to loving Him. Let's put an end to the chasing and wandering, and finally allow Him to satisfy the cry of our heart. He is God the lover of of our souls, our provider, protector, Healer and prince of Peace.
THIS IS OUR GOD!!
Have a blessed day!!
God has tried to reveal Himself to the Human race in numerous ways the main one being Jesus Christ whom He sent to save us. FRIENDS, THAT LONGING IN THE HEARTS OF MEN IS ONE THAT IS SEEKING AFTER THE CREATOR. The creator will NOT be found in material things or the worldly things that tend to draw us.
WE NEED THE SAVIOR TO QUECH OUR THIRST AND TO SATISFY OUR EVERY LONGING!
In the beginning, after the creation of the heavens and the earth, "God created man in His own image" (Genesis 1:27). The image of God did not refer to our physical appearance but rather the character of our spirit. The spirit of man was created in the image of God for the purpose of dwelling with Him for all eternity; "God saw all that He had made, and it was very good" (Genesis 1:31).
But when man sinned, a separation immediately formed with God; "they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden" (Genesis 3:8). Though man was physically banished from the garden and forbidden to experience the joy of walking side by side with his Creator - and though sin, and the resulting separation, was inherited by all future generations - there forever remains a damaged spirit which longs to return home.
Psalm 84:1-2
"How lovely is Your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God."
This passage was written by one who knew God and the joy of His presence. But the author also knew of man's inability to be satisfied with anything less.
Before we know God we attempt to stop the cry with all sorts of pacifiers, but nothing satisfies. We pursue pleasures of the flesh, challenges of the mind, and advancement in status, but the cry remains. Sooner or later (Oh Lord, may it be sooner!) we realize that Solomon was correct when he said; "I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind" (Ecclesiastes 1:14).
Many things of this world are worthwhile as they are done for the glory of God, but in the sense that they attempt to satisfy, they are all meaningless. The ONLY answer to the unsettled and restless longing deep within our soul is to return to a restored relationship with God. When we place our life in the Father's Hands through faith in Jesus, He gives us His Spirit and says, Welcome Home! "The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children" (Romans 8:16). And as we learn to walk in this restored relationship, we will finally be at peace.
There are so many things of this world which can occupy our time and consume our thoughts, but none that will truly satisfy. Our search can continue until our time on earth is gone but the emptiness will remain. Let's return to the Father today and live the rest of our days fully devoted to loving Him. Let's put an end to the chasing and wandering, and finally allow Him to satisfy the cry of our heart. He is God the lover of of our souls, our provider, protector, Healer and prince of Peace.
THIS IS OUR GOD!!
Have a blessed day!!
Waiting On The Lord
Waiting on God, is something not many people like to do including myself. My human wisdom has always dictated that it was better to take shortcuts and not wait or try to resolve whatever it was by myslef. That also is evident in our day to day lives while driving on the road. How many times have you and I not waited or been patient enough to let someone else go a head of us? While in Walmart or a store somewhere, have you been tempted to jump the cue? I know I have....many times.
When it comes to things we have asked God for, we tend to want God to answer real quick so we can be on our way. I have come to realize that this is the most painful period of one's walk in Christianity and yet when we are in the centre of God's will, He gives peace, wisdom and makes a way out. I know for sure in my own life that I have had to wait on God and it was not easy. There are still many things that I desire God to help me with. So what do we do in the meantime? WE WAIT and be thankful and believe that He is working on our issues, that He is fighting our battles. We also need to understand that in His perfct time, It will ALL come together for us. OUR BREAKTHROUGHS!
In the message " The Perfect Will of God" we saw that God's will is for us to live a life of thanksgiving and prayer; a life of contentment and peace independent of circumstances. It is also "God's will that we should be sanctified {set apart, made holy}; that we should avoid sexual immorality" (1 Thessalonians 4:3). These are general aspects of God's will, given to every one of His Children. His specific direction will come as we obediently align our life with His general will...and wait.
We live in a generation where waiting is viewed as a waste of time, but learning to wait is how we grow: "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31 KJV).
This is a powerful and encouraging passage: if we wait on the Lord, we will be strengthened, soar like the eagles, and not grow weary. But what does it really mean to wait? We were not called to "take up the cross of Salvation" so we can then live our lives sitting on the couch. Rather, as believers in Jesus Christ, we have been invited to a wonderful lifetime journey - a journey which is sometimes difficult, but one always filled with adventure and purpose.
1 Timothy 6:11-12
"But you, man of God, flee from all this {evil}, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses."
As we look on, we notice that these are words of action: flee, pursue, fight, take hold. This is definitely a call to actively move forward in our journey of faith.
QUESTION: So do we wait, or do we fight and take hold? Do we rest and hope in the Lord, or do we flee and pursue? The answer is a simple but absolute yes! We are called to a life of action - to a life where we "bear much fruit" (John 15:8) - but we must learn to "act" while waiting and trusting God for every result. We must give Him all our effort while remaining "in the vine" (John 15:4), and allowing the life of Christ to flow through us and produce the fruit.
This means we are to boldly share the gospel message, but then to wait on God for the harvest of belief. It means we are to seek opportunities and diligently prepare for service, but then continue to listen and trust Him to reveal His desired path.
God calls us to a faith of complete trust; a faith which produces both action and patience. Let's take hold and fight the good fight of faith as we learn to actively wait. And As we wait, God requires or expects us to continue with ministry. We should NOT let everything else that God has called us to do come to a standstill. We will see and understand God better in due season.
THIS IS OUR GOD!!
Have a blessed day!!
When it comes to things we have asked God for, we tend to want God to answer real quick so we can be on our way. I have come to realize that this is the most painful period of one's walk in Christianity and yet when we are in the centre of God's will, He gives peace, wisdom and makes a way out. I know for sure in my own life that I have had to wait on God and it was not easy. There are still many things that I desire God to help me with. So what do we do in the meantime? WE WAIT and be thankful and believe that He is working on our issues, that He is fighting our battles. We also need to understand that in His perfct time, It will ALL come together for us. OUR BREAKTHROUGHS!
In the message " The Perfect Will of God" we saw that God's will is for us to live a life of thanksgiving and prayer; a life of contentment and peace independent of circumstances. It is also "God's will that we should be sanctified {set apart, made holy}; that we should avoid sexual immorality" (1 Thessalonians 4:3). These are general aspects of God's will, given to every one of His Children. His specific direction will come as we obediently align our life with His general will...and wait.
We live in a generation where waiting is viewed as a waste of time, but learning to wait is how we grow: "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31 KJV).
This is a powerful and encouraging passage: if we wait on the Lord, we will be strengthened, soar like the eagles, and not grow weary. But what does it really mean to wait? We were not called to "take up the cross of Salvation" so we can then live our lives sitting on the couch. Rather, as believers in Jesus Christ, we have been invited to a wonderful lifetime journey - a journey which is sometimes difficult, but one always filled with adventure and purpose.
1 Timothy 6:11-12
"But you, man of God, flee from all this {evil}, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses."
As we look on, we notice that these are words of action: flee, pursue, fight, take hold. This is definitely a call to actively move forward in our journey of faith.
QUESTION: So do we wait, or do we fight and take hold? Do we rest and hope in the Lord, or do we flee and pursue? The answer is a simple but absolute yes! We are called to a life of action - to a life where we "bear much fruit" (John 15:8) - but we must learn to "act" while waiting and trusting God for every result. We must give Him all our effort while remaining "in the vine" (John 15:4), and allowing the life of Christ to flow through us and produce the fruit.
This means we are to boldly share the gospel message, but then to wait on God for the harvest of belief. It means we are to seek opportunities and diligently prepare for service, but then continue to listen and trust Him to reveal His desired path.
God calls us to a faith of complete trust; a faith which produces both action and patience. Let's take hold and fight the good fight of faith as we learn to actively wait. And As we wait, God requires or expects us to continue with ministry. We should NOT let everything else that God has called us to do come to a standstill. We will see and understand God better in due season.
THIS IS OUR GOD!!
Have a blessed day!!
Monday, March 1, 2010
The True Meaning Of Forgiveness
We previously saw how we MUST forgive others and that it should be based on recognizing the magnitude of forgiveness we've been given through faith in Jesus. A true understanding of God's mercy toward us compels us to be merciful to others. But still, forgiveness remains difficult and somewhat ambiguous. Some hurts last sooooo long!
Like I shared with you, it was very hard for me to forgive people from my childhood but I did . Then the next stage was to forget. people say its hard and that they cant forget. I understand that it is hard BUT when we give our lives to Christ, the old is gone and new comes (1Cor.5:17). Its not easy at all but it takes an effort but first, we need to focus our attention to the CROSS and remember that Jesus paid the price for us and required nothing in return except for us to accept Him as Lord of our lives. had Jesus turned around and said 'now since I shed my blood at the cross for you, I need you to do ABC...in order to receive complete forgiveness'. His forgiveness and the price He paid was to free us, to make us whole, to redeem us, to give us life and by the way...HE FORGETS OUR SINS when we ask for forgiveness.
The last two years were years have been full of guilt, pain, anger (at myself) because of what I had done and said to someone. I said things I didn't mean to say and did things I didn mean to do and in the process, I hurt the person so very bad. I was strongly convicted by the spirit of God and I repented, asked God to forgive me. I lived with that guilt and pain for so long. I asked the person to forgive me a million times as well(I hope the person did). It made me realize how easy it is for us to hurt people without consideration of any sensitivity to their feelings whatsoever. The same will happen to you or someone you know somewhere down the road. But what should we do when this happens?
There are those today trying to forgive child abusers, murderers, habitually unfaithful spouses, and a whole list of emotional and physical pain. How do we truly forgive when it hurts so much? And how do we know when we've properly forgiven?
"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."(Ephesians 4:31-32)
All forgiveness begins with a belief that God desires us to forgive in any situation; "If you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins" (Matthew 6:15). If we are unable, or unwilling, to forgive, we need to spend more time reflecting on the forgiveness of Christ. Do we really understand? Do we really believe? Our ability to forgive identifies our focus: Is our priority on Christ or on our own needs and desires, hurts and pain?
But forgiveness is not simply saying the words "I forgive you." Rather, forgiveness is canceling the emotional debt. It means we love and earnestly pray for blessings in their life; "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:44). We should be able to think about the other person without bitterness, rage, or anger. We should be able to pray for an increase in their ministry or business, more peace in their family, and a closer relationship with Jesus. It's amazing how much healing takes place in our own heart when we pray for those who have caused us pain.
However, forgiveness does not necessarily mean a relationship must continue as if the hurt never occurred. Our heart may be free of all anger and bitterness - we may earnestly pray for the one who caused us pain - and yet, we no longer trust or enjoy their company. My forgiveness of a child abuser does not require me to leave my children in their care. I can love with a Christ-like love and pray without anger and yet guard my physical body and emotional and Spiritual heart.
It's unfortunate that even Christians are caught up in this state of bitterness, anger and unforgiveness. Most of us are carrying some bitterness of some sort toward another person today. These burdensome emotions should not continue in the heart of a Child of God, and the only road to release them is through the gate of forgiveness. Let's ask God to purify our heart. Let's refocus on the cross and release our burdens to Him. Let's honor our Father by showing the world what it means to forgive. He commands us to LOVE our enemies (its not a request by the way).
THIS IS OUR GOD!!
Have a blessed day!!
Like I shared with you, it was very hard for me to forgive people from my childhood but I did . Then the next stage was to forget. people say its hard and that they cant forget. I understand that it is hard BUT when we give our lives to Christ, the old is gone and new comes (1Cor.5:17). Its not easy at all but it takes an effort but first, we need to focus our attention to the CROSS and remember that Jesus paid the price for us and required nothing in return except for us to accept Him as Lord of our lives. had Jesus turned around and said 'now since I shed my blood at the cross for you, I need you to do ABC...in order to receive complete forgiveness'. His forgiveness and the price He paid was to free us, to make us whole, to redeem us, to give us life and by the way...HE FORGETS OUR SINS when we ask for forgiveness.
The last two years were years have been full of guilt, pain, anger (at myself) because of what I had done and said to someone. I said things I didn't mean to say and did things I didn mean to do and in the process, I hurt the person so very bad. I was strongly convicted by the spirit of God and I repented, asked God to forgive me. I lived with that guilt and pain for so long. I asked the person to forgive me a million times as well(I hope the person did). It made me realize how easy it is for us to hurt people without consideration of any sensitivity to their feelings whatsoever. The same will happen to you or someone you know somewhere down the road. But what should we do when this happens?
There are those today trying to forgive child abusers, murderers, habitually unfaithful spouses, and a whole list of emotional and physical pain. How do we truly forgive when it hurts so much? And how do we know when we've properly forgiven?
"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."(Ephesians 4:31-32)
All forgiveness begins with a belief that God desires us to forgive in any situation; "If you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins" (Matthew 6:15). If we are unable, or unwilling, to forgive, we need to spend more time reflecting on the forgiveness of Christ. Do we really understand? Do we really believe? Our ability to forgive identifies our focus: Is our priority on Christ or on our own needs and desires, hurts and pain?
But forgiveness is not simply saying the words "I forgive you." Rather, forgiveness is canceling the emotional debt. It means we love and earnestly pray for blessings in their life; "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:44). We should be able to think about the other person without bitterness, rage, or anger. We should be able to pray for an increase in their ministry or business, more peace in their family, and a closer relationship with Jesus. It's amazing how much healing takes place in our own heart when we pray for those who have caused us pain.
However, forgiveness does not necessarily mean a relationship must continue as if the hurt never occurred. Our heart may be free of all anger and bitterness - we may earnestly pray for the one who caused us pain - and yet, we no longer trust or enjoy their company. My forgiveness of a child abuser does not require me to leave my children in their care. I can love with a Christ-like love and pray without anger and yet guard my physical body and emotional and Spiritual heart.
It's unfortunate that even Christians are caught up in this state of bitterness, anger and unforgiveness. Most of us are carrying some bitterness of some sort toward another person today. These burdensome emotions should not continue in the heart of a Child of God, and the only road to release them is through the gate of forgiveness. Let's ask God to purify our heart. Let's refocus on the cross and release our burdens to Him. Let's honor our Father by showing the world what it means to forgive. He commands us to LOVE our enemies (its not a request by the way).
THIS IS OUR GOD!!
Have a blessed day!!
We MUST Forgive As He Forgave Us
There are countless times in my life (and I am sure yours too) when someone or people wronged me. It has also happened the other way round whereby I wronged someone and asked for forgiveness. For as long as we are still living on earth with this human/fleshly clothing, we are bound to be wronged or for us to wrong someone. God desires that we forgive those who wrong us and the reverse is also true.
Some have carried this burden for years maybe even decades. Up till the time I gave my life to Christ and was taught from the Bible that I had to forgive those who hurt me, I held bitterness, anger and unforgiveness towards even my parents (who are long gone but still blamed them). I still remembered things that were said and done to me by many people. As I grew up, I held this position of unforgiveness. So so many years, I was a prisoner in this state of unforgiveness which resulted in God dealing and working with me. I thank God that because of His UNCONDITIONAL LOVE for us, we can come and talk to Him about anything. When someone wrongs or hurts our feelings, He is the only one who understands. BUT HIS STANDARD OR POSITION IS THAT WE MUST FORGIVE!!
It seems like sooner or later everyone gets mistreated and hurt. Many times the actions against us are unintentional, but other times they can be extremely malicious. Suddenly, this hurt begins to invade every other area of our life. We carry a heavy burden which we know we don't deserve - and which we certainly don't desire to keep - but it's a burden we can't seem to let go.
There is only one true way to relieve the burden of our hurt, and it always begins with FORGIVENESS. True forgiveness can be difficult and require great humility. We want the other person to first ask (maybe even beg) for our forgiveness. We would like them to admit the hurt they caused; and, if we are honest, we probably would prefer them to suffer...just a little. But this is not in God's plan.
Colossians 3:13
"Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."
If we have come to a saving faith in Jesus Christ, we have first come face to face with our sinful nature. Without an understanding that we are full of sin, we will never reach out for a savior. And if we have experienced the true meaning of God's love, "while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8), we will be compelled to forgive others. When we truly understand His forgiveness, we WILL forgive others!
Jesus told a parable of a man who failed to forgive a small debt when his master had just forgiven him a much greater debt: "'Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed" (Matthew 18:33-34). Do we really understand how much we have been forgiven? Or our inability to repay? Yet our debt has been completely forgiven by grace through faith in Jesus, and we are now commanded to forgive others.
God established the standard for forgiveness. We are not called to forgive because someone deserves or has earned our forgiveness, we are called to forgive simply because God first forgave us. When we forgive, we must strive to make the forgiveness complete; "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more" (Hebrews 8:12). Though we may carry a healthy level of new caution as the relationship continues, we must never place conditions on maintaining our forgiveness.
There WILL be times when we are burdened with hurt. But let's not seek revenge or try to withdraw and hide our pain. Let's follow the commands of God's Word and be set free! Let's grow closer to our Heavenly Father and see through His eyes. Let's share His love and forgive as He forgave. The question to be asked is: WHAT DO WE GAIN BY NOT FORGIVING OTHERS? Answer is: NOTHING AT ALL!!! If we don't forgive, we separate ourselves from God and miss out on what He has for us in store.
THIS IS OUR GOD!!
Have a blessed day!!
Some have carried this burden for years maybe even decades. Up till the time I gave my life to Christ and was taught from the Bible that I had to forgive those who hurt me, I held bitterness, anger and unforgiveness towards even my parents (who are long gone but still blamed them). I still remembered things that were said and done to me by many people. As I grew up, I held this position of unforgiveness. So so many years, I was a prisoner in this state of unforgiveness which resulted in God dealing and working with me. I thank God that because of His UNCONDITIONAL LOVE for us, we can come and talk to Him about anything. When someone wrongs or hurts our feelings, He is the only one who understands. BUT HIS STANDARD OR POSITION IS THAT WE MUST FORGIVE!!
It seems like sooner or later everyone gets mistreated and hurt. Many times the actions against us are unintentional, but other times they can be extremely malicious. Suddenly, this hurt begins to invade every other area of our life. We carry a heavy burden which we know we don't deserve - and which we certainly don't desire to keep - but it's a burden we can't seem to let go.
There is only one true way to relieve the burden of our hurt, and it always begins with FORGIVENESS. True forgiveness can be difficult and require great humility. We want the other person to first ask (maybe even beg) for our forgiveness. We would like them to admit the hurt they caused; and, if we are honest, we probably would prefer them to suffer...just a little. But this is not in God's plan.
Colossians 3:13
"Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."
If we have come to a saving faith in Jesus Christ, we have first come face to face with our sinful nature. Without an understanding that we are full of sin, we will never reach out for a savior. And if we have experienced the true meaning of God's love, "while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8), we will be compelled to forgive others. When we truly understand His forgiveness, we WILL forgive others!
Jesus told a parable of a man who failed to forgive a small debt when his master had just forgiven him a much greater debt: "'Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed" (Matthew 18:33-34). Do we really understand how much we have been forgiven? Or our inability to repay? Yet our debt has been completely forgiven by grace through faith in Jesus, and we are now commanded to forgive others.
God established the standard for forgiveness. We are not called to forgive because someone deserves or has earned our forgiveness, we are called to forgive simply because God first forgave us. When we forgive, we must strive to make the forgiveness complete; "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more" (Hebrews 8:12). Though we may carry a healthy level of new caution as the relationship continues, we must never place conditions on maintaining our forgiveness.
There WILL be times when we are burdened with hurt. But let's not seek revenge or try to withdraw and hide our pain. Let's follow the commands of God's Word and be set free! Let's grow closer to our Heavenly Father and see through His eyes. Let's share His love and forgive as He forgave. The question to be asked is: WHAT DO WE GAIN BY NOT FORGIVING OTHERS? Answer is: NOTHING AT ALL!!! If we don't forgive, we separate ourselves from God and miss out on what He has for us in store.
THIS IS OUR GOD!!
Have a blessed day!!
The Perfect Will of God
It took me so many years before I could pray telling God to let His will be done in my life. I had been told by people who had been on the Christian walk longer than I had. They always told me never to ask God to have His will done because many things would happen (good and bad). I have since learned, that God is not out do bad things to me or to us. I am now able to tell God to let His will be done because when you come to think of it, He created us and He can do whatever He wishes without even consulting us. He owes us NOTHING meaning He is NOT answerable to us. But the greatest news is, that He loves us and wants us to have the very best in this life (and of course after). He has a great plan for all our lives(Jer.29:11). However, for us to know what that plan is, we must establish a relationship with Him by way of salvation through Christ.
Much of our Christian walk seems to involve searching for God's will. We search for His perfect will for our job, home, school, church, and relationships; and we're often frustrated because God seems silent regarding the details of our life. But God is not silent! His Word reveals much of His will, and a large portion of His will for our life today is the same as for every past generation.
"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
We often gloss over such passages, thinking we already understand and ought to search for "deeper" truths. But in God's plan for us to be "conformed to the likeness of His Son" (Romans 8:29) there is no greater challenge to our faith. Do we really believe God is in control? Does our life - our attitude - reflect this belief?
Our Heavenly Father desires us to live each moment with a thankful heart, full of joy - regardless of our circumstances. Why? Because this reveals our trust in a loving God. He wants us to continually commune with Him in prayer and refuse to leave His presence to pursue concerns or pleasures of the world. This portion of God's will has been clearly revealed!
Some are facing situations today which make following this portion of God's will very difficult. They see absolutely no reason for rejoicing and can't understand how God can be directing their path. How is it possible to remain by His side when being pressed down from all directions and when the pulls of the world seem relentless?
We must begin by viewing our life from an eternal perspective rather than the temporary nature of the world; "The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever" (1 John 2:17). All our trials will soon be gone (do we really believe this?). God is in control and, in the end, ALL will glorify His name; "In all things God works for the good of those who love Him" (Romans 8:28). As we trust and love Him with all our heart, He works ALL things for the good - no matter how bad our situation may appear or how difficult it may be to understand His plan. He IS in control! This level of trust is what Paul referred to as "the secret of being content" (Philippians 4:12).
There are certainly times when God will give us very specific direction, but perhaps He's waiting until we follow His general will for our life. Let's come before Him today with a thankful and loving heart. Let's enter His presence and refuse to be taken away by circumstances which will soon fade. Let's trust Him without compromise and joyfully walk each step by faith according to God's perfect will.
THIS IS OUR GOD!!
Have a blessed day!!
Much of our Christian walk seems to involve searching for God's will. We search for His perfect will for our job, home, school, church, and relationships; and we're often frustrated because God seems silent regarding the details of our life. But God is not silent! His Word reveals much of His will, and a large portion of His will for our life today is the same as for every past generation.
"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
We often gloss over such passages, thinking we already understand and ought to search for "deeper" truths. But in God's plan for us to be "conformed to the likeness of His Son" (Romans 8:29) there is no greater challenge to our faith. Do we really believe God is in control? Does our life - our attitude - reflect this belief?
Our Heavenly Father desires us to live each moment with a thankful heart, full of joy - regardless of our circumstances. Why? Because this reveals our trust in a loving God. He wants us to continually commune with Him in prayer and refuse to leave His presence to pursue concerns or pleasures of the world. This portion of God's will has been clearly revealed!
Some are facing situations today which make following this portion of God's will very difficult. They see absolutely no reason for rejoicing and can't understand how God can be directing their path. How is it possible to remain by His side when being pressed down from all directions and when the pulls of the world seem relentless?
We must begin by viewing our life from an eternal perspective rather than the temporary nature of the world; "The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever" (1 John 2:17). All our trials will soon be gone (do we really believe this?). God is in control and, in the end, ALL will glorify His name; "In all things God works for the good of those who love Him" (Romans 8:28). As we trust and love Him with all our heart, He works ALL things for the good - no matter how bad our situation may appear or how difficult it may be to understand His plan. He IS in control! This level of trust is what Paul referred to as "the secret of being content" (Philippians 4:12).
There are certainly times when God will give us very specific direction, but perhaps He's waiting until we follow His general will for our life. Let's come before Him today with a thankful and loving heart. Let's enter His presence and refuse to be taken away by circumstances which will soon fade. Let's trust Him without compromise and joyfully walk each step by faith according to God's perfect will.
THIS IS OUR GOD!!
Have a blessed day!!
God Given Compassion
Every time something goes wrong in my life or I am badly pressed with a situation, I tend to want God to hurry and come to my rescue. But more times than I can remember, God has always brought people my way who were in a worser situation than I was. Whenever this happens, I always wonder why God would not help me first, then give me the strength and provision to help others. Having been faced with all kinds of situations, God has helped teach me that His way is NOT my way. When this happens, God wants us to have compassion towards other people even though we are going through situations. It is from the basis of our obedience that God will work wonders in our own lives. I have learned over the years the best way to get God to help me, is for me to do His business (ministry) then He ALWAYS takes care of my issues.
Since we profess Christ and claim that Christ lives in us, there comes a time when God will put you and me to test. Just to see how much we love and care about other people's problems and not just ours. There are so many people hurting out there, we need to love and care about them. Which means that even in the midst of our own storms, we need to have a listening ear to others around us. As sure as God is the God of Love, I guarantee you that He will bring people our way that are in need of help.
As we open our hearts to minister to those around us, we soon discover we live in an imperfect world full of sickness, heartache, and frustrations. Many of us (many more than we realize) are facing trials which are sometimes quite severe. When we are finally invited into some one's private world and allowed to hear of their pain, it can be difficult to know what to do or say.
As we grow in grace and knowledge of Jesus, we learn of His truths: "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). We understand and usually have some actual experience with God's loving plan and purpose; "in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him" (Romans 8:28). But there are times when this type of advice - even this type of truth - can be a little cold and fail to comfort or draw someone closer to God.
While it's absolutely true that God will use our pain and suffering for His glory, it may not be the first response someone needs to hear when they enter a difficult trial; "There is a time for everything...a time to be silent and a time to speak" (Ecclesiastes 3:1,7). We must learn to be more sensitive to the real need.
When Lazarus became very sick, Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus but He did not arrive until after Lazarus had died. Mary fell at Jesus' feet and cried: "Lord if You had been here, my brother would not have died" (John 11:32). At that moment, Jesus did NOT begin preaching "Rejoice in the Lord always!" (Philippians 4:4). There would be other opportunities for sermons, other opportunities to speak about faith and trust, but this was a time for compassion.
John 11:33,35
"When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled...Jesus wept."
The Creator of the Universe wept! From the beginning of time, Jesus knew He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead; He knew many lives would soon be changed through this miracle. But "Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus" (John 11:5). Though this pain and sorrow was necessary in the context of God's sovereign plan, these were real people who were grieving and Jesus took time to show He truly cared and understood their pain.
The world we live in is in great need of the healing power of Jesus Christ. Sin has caused great separation from God and left many lives in shambles. As we minister through encouragement and the truth of God's Word, we are called to do so while "speaking the truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15). But we must always remember that love does not exist outside of a relationship. And in a loving relationship we will often best demonstrate God's truth by listening and comforting with a Godly compassion. What other better is there to share Christ than to listen and care for those who are really in need and hurting? If you and I profess Christ to be our Lord and Savior, then this is our chance! God is watching and waiting to see what excuse we come up with not to have compassion.
THIS IS OUR GOD!!
Have a blessed day
Since we profess Christ and claim that Christ lives in us, there comes a time when God will put you and me to test. Just to see how much we love and care about other people's problems and not just ours. There are so many people hurting out there, we need to love and care about them. Which means that even in the midst of our own storms, we need to have a listening ear to others around us. As sure as God is the God of Love, I guarantee you that He will bring people our way that are in need of help.
As we open our hearts to minister to those around us, we soon discover we live in an imperfect world full of sickness, heartache, and frustrations. Many of us (many more than we realize) are facing trials which are sometimes quite severe. When we are finally invited into some one's private world and allowed to hear of their pain, it can be difficult to know what to do or say.
As we grow in grace and knowledge of Jesus, we learn of His truths: "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). We understand and usually have some actual experience with God's loving plan and purpose; "in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him" (Romans 8:28). But there are times when this type of advice - even this type of truth - can be a little cold and fail to comfort or draw someone closer to God.
While it's absolutely true that God will use our pain and suffering for His glory, it may not be the first response someone needs to hear when they enter a difficult trial; "There is a time for everything...a time to be silent and a time to speak" (Ecclesiastes 3:1,7). We must learn to be more sensitive to the real need.
When Lazarus became very sick, Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus but He did not arrive until after Lazarus had died. Mary fell at Jesus' feet and cried: "Lord if You had been here, my brother would not have died" (John 11:32). At that moment, Jesus did NOT begin preaching "Rejoice in the Lord always!" (Philippians 4:4). There would be other opportunities for sermons, other opportunities to speak about faith and trust, but this was a time for compassion.
John 11:33,35
"When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled...Jesus wept."
The Creator of the Universe wept! From the beginning of time, Jesus knew He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead; He knew many lives would soon be changed through this miracle. But "Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus" (John 11:5). Though this pain and sorrow was necessary in the context of God's sovereign plan, these were real people who were grieving and Jesus took time to show He truly cared and understood their pain.
The world we live in is in great need of the healing power of Jesus Christ. Sin has caused great separation from God and left many lives in shambles. As we minister through encouragement and the truth of God's Word, we are called to do so while "speaking the truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15). But we must always remember that love does not exist outside of a relationship. And in a loving relationship we will often best demonstrate God's truth by listening and comforting with a Godly compassion. What other better is there to share Christ than to listen and care for those who are really in need and hurting? If you and I profess Christ to be our Lord and Savior, then this is our chance! God is watching and waiting to see what excuse we come up with not to have compassion.
THIS IS OUR GOD!!
Have a blessed day