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Jesus is the Lord of the harvest! He is not hold up somewhere, a recluse pew-sitter! He is Mercy, He is Love and that love and mercy is in the fields, the highways, the by-ways, in homes, areas and overseas! How does He go? He goes through us! Jesus was all about compassion and that was why He would show up in synagogues, homes, graveyards, wherever there needed to be a miracle or change! (Matt. 12:9-13) When you are moved with compassion, you will do something! When Jesus entered this synagogue this day He wasn't looking for their sacrificial laws, He was looking for mercy! There was NO mercy there but HE brought mercy! Mercy is better than sacrifice! Our sacrifices and our works are worthless without love and compassion! If He had not shown up at that synagogue there would have been no miracle for the man with the withered hand! Laws did not motivate Jesus! Mercy and compassion did! We must be motivated by the same!
Have you ever been to the place that Job was in Job 19:23-25? Job had lost his sons, his wealth, his health in 2 days time and now his so-called friends are condemning and accusing him of doing wrong, his wife is telling him to "curse God and die!" What sorry friends and even a more sorry wife! Job had very little knowledge of God and no knowledge of the devil. He thought all of this destruction was coming from God! Many people in the body of Christ have that same mentality, they are blaming God for all the bad stuff that happens to them! Job was innocent because he had no knowledge but there is no excuse for a Christian today to be blaming God for death, sickness or destruction! We have the Word, the knowledge and the Spirit of God! Yet Job begins to speak prophetically, begins to declare prophetically! "I KNOW that my Redeemer lives and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the Earth and though skin worms destroy my flesh, yet shall I see God!" What are you declaring and prophesying over your life with the knowledge that you have of God and his Word? Do you "know" that God is on your side, that your healing has been paid for, that you are already delivered, that God will supply your needs? Are you convinced, do you know in your heart because what you "know" will come out of your mouth! If you do not "know", the enemy will destroy you! How can you have faith if you are not convinced? If you are not convinced, not sure if you "know", get in the Word, get in prayer and get convinced! You must "KNOW"!
Have you been marching around something, circling your promise, a dream from God and your spiritual shoes are worn out? Have you become weary from making laps around your "Jericho"? THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO QUIT! You could be on lap 6 and the 7th lap will change everything! A shout of victory and the walls come down! 6 times around is man's ability but that in 7th lap you go in God's ability! 7...what God starts, He will complete! Your victory is not achieved in the struggling, it is achieved through your faith! There is an appointed time, a due season, a 7th time around, a time for all that has hindered and held you back will fall! The walls of adversity are coming down, so DON"T QUIT! (Joshua 6:1-20)
Un-godliness leads to spiritual drought in your life, your ministry, your church or a nation! Repentance will break the drought and cause the rain of the Holy Spirit to begin to fall! When God's people are dry and thirsty, A WORD, a word from God that rain is coming strengthens them and gives them hope! There are some Elijah's that are going up to the mountain top in the Spirit, some Elijah's that are listening with their spiritual ears for the sound of rain, some Elijah's that have humbled themselves before God, are on their knees in the dust of the un-godly drought, looking toward the sea! Some Elijah's that see something big in something small! They see "abundance of rain", they see a drought-breaking Holy Ghost rain! If you need to repent to break the drought in your life, in your ministry, your church or for this nation, REPENT! Then position yourself, receive A WORD from the Lord and get ready for the drought to be broken! (1Kings 18)
Just because we have needs in our lives does not mean we will obtain God's promise to meet those needs! God has promised "that He would supply all of our needs according to His riches in glory" but how do we get that promise to our need? It is by faith that we obtain the promises! (Heb. 6:12) Faith will get you from where you are to where you want to be! The Israelites had the promise of a land flowing with milk and honey but that generation did not obtain it because of their un-belief! (Heb. 3:19, Heb. 4:1-2) The Word of God, the promises of God will not benefit you if they are not mixed with faith! Sometimes there is time involved and you have to be long-spirited, have a "different spirit" (Numb. 14:24)! Our part is to believe, stay in faith and endure if need be! The "just are to live by faith" not by feelings! Neither will "hoping" get the promise to you! Doubt and un -belief is not pleasing to God! (Heb. 11:6) Inheriting all of the promises in Romans 4:16-21 is the outcome of your faith! You cannot be double-minded, one day believing, the next day doubting! You will not receive the promises with double-mindedness! (James 1:8) Get persuaded, stay persuaded, guard your heart and do not move off of your faith, for faith will obtain the promises!
You and I as Christians have an appointed season to reap the good spiritual seeds we have sown! (Gal. 6:9) There is a season of harvest, a "due season" but do not give up, do not dig up your seeds! "Due season" literally means "your time has come"!! Those that have kept on sowing of your time, your prayers, your finances, your love,the Word and you have not seen the harvest yet but you have been relentlessly sowing, God wants you to know that "your time has come!" You have wanted to give up but instead you have kept your faith! What you have sacrificially sown into other's lives and into the Kingdom of God has not been in vain! Your time has come! The devil has said "give up" but God has said "give more!" Come on now, let your net down one more time, pray one more prayer, give one more dollar, give one more hour, give one more bit of compassion, give one more word, preach one more message! Throw your net over the side one more time! (Luke 5) It is time for a "haul"! Some of you have "sown in tears", you have wept as you sowed your seeds and great joy is coming to you! "You will without a doubt come again rejoicing, bringing your harvest with you!! (Ps. 126:5-6) YOUR TIME HAS COME!!!!
The devil has asked: "Didn't I take what was so precious to them, break their hearts and their spirits but who is that man carrying them? Didn't I have people to talk about them, tear them down until they were in a pit but who is that man lifting them up? I thought I drove them so far away from the Father's house that they would never find their way home but who is that man leading them back? I thought they were dying on their death bed, that I would finally be rid of them but who is that man, the one with the stripes on his back that is raising them up? I thought I had them bound up and in a prison forever but does anyone else feel an earthquake that is opening the prison doors? I thought I drove them so far into sin that there was no forgiveness but who is that man that they are worshipping with their tears? I thought I had given them so many isssues, had drained the life out of them but who is that man they are touching in faith? Who is that man on the Cross between the two thieves that they are saying is the Son of God? I thought I had crucified that man, buried him in a tomb, so what is he doing here in Hell taking my keys away from me?" Well, who do you say that He is? (Matt. 16) He is the 4th man in the fire, he is the lion tamer and mouth shutter, he is your bridge over troubled water, he is the One carrying you, he is your Way home, he is the still small voice in the storm, he is the Lord, your Healer, he is the prison door opener, he is your forgiver, your Redeemer, your Savior! He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God!
Have you ever had a promise, your hearts desire, a dream or a vision that was birthed, it grew and then it looked like it was gone? So did the Shunamite woman in 11Kings 4-27! The Prophet Elijah prophesied a baby into her barren womb, she birthed it, it grew and then something happened and it seemed to be gone forever! The promise looked dead! "I had it right here in my arms, it had life, I cherished it and now it's gone!" That which GOD gave you, that you held near and dear to your heart, can appear to die BUT do not bury the promise!!!! The Shunamite woman did not talk death and was not burying what God had given her, she took it to God! Elijah saw her coming from afar and sent word "is all well?" Her reply, "all is well"! Friends, if you give up, it will stay dead! She grabbed Elijah's feet and would not let go until she got her promise back! Get hold of God! Get hold of His word! What is the bigger miracle, a birth or a resurrection??God is a miracle worker! Now, some things do not need reviving, they may have been man-made, our own plans or "strange fires"! Did God give it to you, bless you with it? Then we can say "All is well"! Don't bury your promise!
The sounds of Heaven are heard in your spirit, with your spiritual ears! I hear the sound of marching, God's host marching to battle! I hear the sounds of victory and the enemy scattering! I hear the sound of healing, dry bones are coming together, sickness and infirmity leaving! I hear the sound of deliverance, shackles coming off, chains hitting the floor! I hear the sound of restoration, past doors slamming and new doors opening, families being restored, ministries restored, life coming to dreams and visions! I hear the sound of salvation! Prepare ye the way of the Lord, repent for the King is coming! I hear the sound of new creations being born into the Kingdom! I hear the sound of revival! Do you hear the rain that's coming, do you hear the thunder in the distance, do you hear the wind blowing through the Mulberry trees? I hear the shouts of victory coming from God's army! Time for someone to start listening with your spiritual ears and give a shout of victory!
Many in the body of Christ have let down on their faith, not living by faith, not standing on the Word as they used to! They are now UNDER the circumstances, thinking like the world, have more faith in the government and world news than in the GOOD NEWS! Jesus ask in Luke 18:8 "would He find "persistent faith" on the Earth when He comes again?" In these last days, will you have an un-common persistent faith to rise above the circumstances, change the circumstances, not be deceived, do the work of the ministry and not lose your joy?? "The just are to live by faith" (Hab. 2:4), not live by "hope", not live by your "feelings"! Many are hoping things will change but hope will not move your mountains! Hope alone will not change anything! You cannot live by your feelings because your feelings will deceive you! You have to know God's word and believe it above everything else! 11Tim. 4:1-8 talks about the time that is coming (now) when many will not endure sound doctrine, they will turn aside from the Truth, turn aside from their faith, listen to ear-tickling messages that do not produce faith! Have you let go of your faith, let down the shield of faith and no longer live by your faith? Go back to the Word, build your faith, quit living out of your feelings and what the world says! Get some un-common faith for these un-common times!
In the beginning God implemented the natural and spiritual law of "seedtime and harvest"! (Gen. 8:22) Galatians 6:7-8 tells us that we are not going to fool God or stop this spiritual law from happening! We sow, we reap. good or bad! Most people have an understanding of sowing bad seeds in your life will produce a bad harvest but do you understand the plan of sowing good seeds? The seeds sown yesterday determine where you are today! You have the choice, the opportunity to change your life for good by sowing the rights seeds! OR you can continue to sow the same old seeds and reap decay, destruction, failure, sin, regret, shame or uncertainty! Sowing God's Word into your life, sowing love and forgiveness, sowing holy living will make your heart and life good soil that will produce "good"! This spiritual law of "sowing and reaping" works for everyone! Be merciful, receive mercy! Judge and be judged! Sow love, be loved! Sow strife, have strife! Do not forgive, you will not be forgiven! Be friendly, receive friends! Give and it shall be given back! If you have been sowing the wrong seeds, isn't it time to turn it around by sowing the right kind of seeds in your life? Time is involved to turn it around, so don't dig up your seed! You WILL reap in due season if you do not give up! (Gal. 6:9)
Where will Jesus be found? He will be found with you in the storms of life, He will be found in the prisons setting the captives free, He will be found in the wilderness places of your life, He will be found with you in the fire, He will be found combing the mountains for that one lost sheep, He will be found where the sinners are, He will be found as the Light in the darkness, He will be found in the midst of two or three, He will be found at the right-hand of the Father, He will be found in your heart if you invite Him in! (Is. 43:1-2) (1Kings 19:11-12) (Matt. 9:10-13) (Matt. 18:12-14) (John 1:1-5) (Rom. 8:10-11) (Col. 1:26-28) If you seek for Him with all of your heart, He will be found! (Jer. 29:13)
We make spiritual choices every day of our life! The choices that we make will bring blessings or a curse, life or death (destruction) in our lives! (Deut. 30:19) Adam and Eve were given a choice and look what their bad choice caused! All of the choices in our life, spiritually or naturally will make a difference in our happiness or spirituality. If we make deliberate choices not to fear God, not to serve God, act un-wisely and not obey God's commands, destruction comes! The right choice will bring different results! (Prov. 1:29-33) How do you have the strength to make the right choices? First; get your priorities right! God and His Word are first! Is that choice going to affect your relationship with God, hurt your family and bring destruction? Secondly; realize that God is your strength! (1Cor. 16:13) Repent if you have messed up and believe God to help you grow! (11Cor. 12:9) Thirdly; strengthen yourself spiritually by choosing to pray and stay in His Word. Submit yourself to God, lay down your life for Him and for others! Satan was defeated 2,000 yrs. ago, he has no control over you, over your future, unless you CHOOSE to allow him to! He has no control over what has happened in your past if you CHOOSE to release it to God! CHOOSE to go the way of the Lord!
There are millions of "powerless" people in the world, people blinded by the enemy of God, broken in spirit, wounded or crippled by life! Many are waiting on God to do something but God has already brought the power to them through His son, Jesus Christ! The impotent (powerless) man in John 5:1-14 had waited for 38 long years, struggling, trying to get to his power source but the power source came to him! It is never too late for your situation, it is never too late for change, it is never too late for a miracle! Making excuses and having a pity party is not going to get you your miracle! Jesus did not put this man in the pool to be healed, Jesus IS the Healer! It is time to get up, walk away from the past, the hurts, the bondage! Faith will get an immediate response from God! Have you felt "powerless"? Do you need healing? Have you been making excuses or having a pity party? The power has come to you through Jesus Christ! Take a step of faith!
Are you out of your mind?? The Apostle Paul said in Phil. 2:5-8 to "let this same mind be in you which was also in Christ"! What was on Jesus' mind when He was on the Cross? Was it his reputation, his recognition, his own life? No, we were on his mind, having a servants heart, full of love,he humbled himself and obeyed God! Obedient even to death! "Let this same mind"....does that suggest that we have something to do with it? What is your mind on? Is it eternal things or worldly things? The Word says to set our affections, your mind on things above, not things below! (Col. 3:2) Until you get born-again you have only one mind, the mind of the world but when you are saved you now have 2 minds, one is your old carnal mind and the other is the mind of the Spirit! So, you have to "LET" this same mind be in you that was in Christ! (1Cor. 2:16) (Ephes. 4:22-24) When you renew, change, re-program your mind with the Word of God, you will start living out of the mind of Christ! Living out of your old carnal mind will keep you in bondage and sin but living out of the mind of Christ will lead to abundant life and blessings!
Do you have a poor self-worth, a poor image of yourself and feel of very little value? Has your poor self-worth caused you to make bad choices and have you looked for acceptance in the wrong places? What is the truth about your worth? The Truth is, you are worth so much that Jesus was willing to suffer and die for you, God was willing to sacrifice His son for you! You are worth so much that He would leave 99 righteous people to go out and search for you! You are worth so much that God's Spirit will come to live in you! You are worth so much that Jesus himself has gone and prepared a place for you in Heaven! Your worth is not determined by who you are, what you can do or how good you are in the natural; it is determined by who you belong to in the Spirit! (Romans 5:6-8) To God, we are all diamonds in the rough! (Luke 15:4-10) You are God's workmanship if you belong to Him! (Ephes. 2:1-10) When we count ourselves as worthless it grieves God! Read Isaiah 53:3-5 and see if it sounds like wants you to feel worthless! You are the King's daughter, the King's son, he has given you all that pertains to life and godliness, you are more than a conqueror through Him that loves you, you are an over-comer by the blood of the Lamb and the word of your testimony, you were bought and paid for with a HIGH price, the blood of the spotless Lamb, Jesus, and you need to start believing the Truth!
March 2nd, 2015
We live in a house made of thoughts! If you think no one will like you, they probably won't, if you think you will always be poor, you probably will be, if you think you will always fail, you probably will! Whatever you think about yourself, so will you be! (Prov. 23:7) You have to tear down the negative thinking and build a new house based on the truth of God's Word! What kind of house do you want to live in? Maybe you were taught to think lousy thoughts, had a negative environment or had bad things to happen in your life. Take the Word of God and change your mind to conform to what God says about you, create new thoughts, a new way of thinking about yourself. Find the will of God for you! God's word has the power to change, heal and restore you! (Romans 12:2) If you are saved, has your salvation reached your mind? If you want what God has for you, the promises, your inheritance as His child, then you will have to think like Him! Conform your thinking to His! God sees what you can become and He wants you to see it! Stop agreeing with the thoughts of the devil and get in agreement with God! "Where the mind goes, the man will follow"! If you do not like your life, change your thinking! (Ephes. 4:22) Our thoughts are like bricks that that build our life. Renew, change your mind to conform to the Word of God and build a different house, a different world for you!
Some people never walk in victory after they get born-again (saved) because they never break old associations that have been a bad influence in their lives! Everyone is under some type of influence, either good or bad! Some are still living "under the influence" of their past or words that were continually spoken over them! God wants us to live "under the influence of his Word and his Spirit! Elisha,the servant of the Prophet Elijah, closely associated with Elijah and received a double anointing to become a great Prophet! Joshua received the same spirit as Moses had to lead the Israelites! Holiness is a choice that we make for our lives but un-holiness can be caught, can be infectious by associating with the wrong influences! (Haggai 2:11-13) If you are "under the influence" of an addiction, there is something better! You do not have to drown your problems in a bottle or with a needle! Getting "under the influence" of God's Spirit, his Word, people of faith and the anointing will get you set free! Getting OUT from "under the influence" of the things of God will result in you losing your victory! It is your choice, what influence will you live under?
As Christians, we are the Bride of Christ but when we mingle with the world, have a love affair with the world, we are committing spiritual adultery! You cannot have a good natural marriage without working at it, it will cost you your attention and time! Your commitment to Christ will cost you! He wants and deserves your love, your time, your life! If you make a sincere commitment to Him, God will empower you to be able to do it! He will give you the grace and the anointing! David said in Psalms 37:3-6 that if we commit our ways to the Lord that He will give us the desires of our heart! God is committed to you but how committed are you to Him? Leave no room in your mind for a thought to come in and break up your commitment to God! Commitment means "no compromise"! As Christians, we are in this world but not of this world! Are you committed with "no compromise" to Christ, to his Word or are you committing spiritual adultery with the world? (James 4:4)
In Galatians 2:11-14 Paul confronted Peter about compromising the Truth! Paul was actually correcting all Christians that fall into that trap of compromise. Peter did not want to lose relationships with certain people and that fear of loss caused him to compromise what he believed! Do you act differently around your friends or family, do you compromise your conscience, your beliefs, for fear of losing relationships? Compromise means "to make concession"! You are giving up what God has promised in His word! It also means to lay open to danger, lack of trust and having no respect! Compromise will bring danger to your spiritual life, people will not trust you and you will have a bad reputation! The eyes of the Lord are over the un-compromisingly righteous, His ears are open to their prayers but He is against them that do evil. Who can harm you if you fear God? If you suffer for righteousness sake, be happy and do not be afraid nor troubled! Sanctify the Lord in your heart, always be ready to give an answer for the hope that is in you, having a good conscience, so that if they speak evil of you, they may be ashamed that they falsely accuse you of your good conduct! Suffer for doing good rather than evil doing! (1Peter 3:12-17)
Those in ministry.....We do not need to make a "name" for ourselves, we do not need a "name", we need "The Name"! "The Name above all names, JESUS CHRIST! Our names hold no authority nor power, our names will not raise the dead, heal the sick, deliver the bound or save the lost! Devils will not flee at our name! (Acts 4:7-10) Seeking a "name" for yourself will only lead you further away from His name! When we decrease, He increases! (John 3:30) Are we willing to be "nameless"? SELAH!
Do you keep digging up others past, continually taking your judgmental "shovel" and throwing dirt on their lives? Be careful, my friends, because you may be shoveling through the blood of Jesus, the persons repentance and forgiveness! Dangerous! Do you want to be judged for that? We all have a "past" (former life of a person)! Do we seriously think we are so spiritual that we can get by with digging up sins that are "under the Blood"? Selah!
"To be, or not to be, that is the question".... The Word of God says that "we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus" as born again children of God, "new creations in Christ Jesus", "the redeemed of the Lord"! Why is it so hard "to be" who God and his Word say that we are? Because we do not really believe! We do not know who we really "be"! Our children are ours no matter what they do, right? Did you have a hard time being your parents child? No! Who we are is not determined by what we do! When we get born again, it is not what we do that determines who we are with God! He just wants us "to be" who we really are! The Apostle Paul said in Romans 7 "why do I keep doing the things that I do not want to do? Who will deliver me? Thank God, Jesus will!" We belong to Him! Take who you are, who God has created you "to be" by faith! When you begin to believe "who" you are in Christ and who you "be", the "who" will get bigger than all of your doubts
Your choices have basically put you where you are in life! You may have had a bad beginning in life but, praise God, you do not have to have a bad ending! Yes, bad circumstances beyond our control will cause us to be in a bad place but the right choices can get us out! If you find yourself in a hole, quit digging! You are a free agent, God has given you the ability to chose but your choices will lead you somewhere. (Deut. 30:19) God's "if's" in His word demand choices! There is a choice to be made to follow God and to be obedient, a choice to make whether we like it or not! Not making the choice is in reality "making the choice" to disobey! "What if" you had listened to God yesterday? "What if" you listen to God today? This choice will determine your future! "Choose this day whom you will serve!" (Joshua 24:15)
Dying to "self" is a lonely time but the results are to be honored by God! When God honors you, it is good! (John 16:32-33) While our Savior, Jesus Christ was dying on the Cross he cried, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me"? He died alone so that you and I would never have to! He was forsaken so they we would never be forsaken! When we are left with nothing and no one to turn to, Jesus is there! Jesus knew He would be alone on the Cross, dying to self, dying for our sins! He knew people would scatter, friends would leave, he knew that you would feel like that at some point in your life! The process of "dying to self" will put you in the wilderness and on the mountain top to pray alone as Jesus did! It is in those lonely times that you can clearly hear the voice of God. Those that stay in the process, willing to die to "self", will have a place by God, as Moses did, they will be called "the friends of God " and will have a place of honor!
A roaring, hungry lion will hunt for the vulnerable prey, the weak, defenseless and immature! (1 Peter 5:8) Satan is hunting those children of God that have no knowledge of who they are in Christ, what authority has been given to them, what their inheritance is, what the promises of God are and that makes them easy prey! Hosea 4: 6 says that "God's people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge"! Getting saved is just the beginning! John 8:32 says "you shall know the Truth and the Truth shall set you free"! When you have knowledge of God's word you become much harder prey for the enemy! Satan will get an advantage over you if you are ignorant of his devices! (11. Cor. 2:11) Some of his devices are spiritual ignorance, no knowledge of the Truth, deception, condemnation, lies and strife. If the enemy has been trying to devour your life, has brought in destruction and used devices against you, you can turn things around! Get spiritual knowledge, mature in the Word, build your faith and get persuaded about what God has promised! Retain that knowledge! Hear the Word, believe the Word, receive the Word, guard the Word in your heart and you will no longer be vulnerable to be devoured! (Romans 10:17)
What does the word "holy" mean in reference to a Christian? It means sanctified, pure, devoted, separated and dedicated! We are to yield our body, mind, will and emotions to God and to living a pure life. (Rom. 6:17-23) We all sin and there is none perfect but we should be striving toward perfection (completeness)! The Spirit of God on the inside of us is pure and holy and we cannot disregard that purity in our lives! (l Thes. 4:3-8) Our "holiness" comes from God! We cannot do anything in the natural to make ourselves "holy", how we dress or act does not make us "holy"! It is our relationship with a "holy" God! It comes by our salvation through Jesus Christ! The new nature, or the new creation we are in Christ Jesus should be producing right actions and "holy" living! (Ephes. 4:22-24) You have a "holy" calling as a child of God to live a holy life, not because of what YOU can do but by what HE can do through you! (11Tim. 1:9) When we get born again our obedience is to God and our conduct, how we live, should show forth HIS holiness through us! (1Peter 1:14-19) We are not saved by what we do but by what HE DID! It is the same with holiness; we are not holy, sanctified, righteous, a saint by what we do, but rather because we are in relationship with a "holy" God! Jesus is coming soon! Live your life pure from evil conduct, be obedient to the Word of God and follow Christ's example! Turn away from such things that dishonor God and His gospel! (11Peter 3:10-11) Maranatha!
When we entertain evil or negative thoughts, they take root in our hearts and produce sin! (Matt. 15:16-20) The thoughts of our heart, good or bad, will determine who and what you are! "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he"! (Prov. 23:7) The Apostle Paul said in Romans 12:1-2 to not be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of your mind! Re-new means to renovate, restore, clean-up or make better by removing faults! That will mean adjustment of your moral and spiritual vision and thinking to the mind of God, which is designed to have a transforming effect on your life! CHANGE YOUR THINKING and it will change your life for the better! Paul said in Ephesians 4:22-24 to be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind! In other words, it is not a one time deal! The battleground in your life is your mind and the enemy is CONSTANTLY coming against you in your mind! You must learn to take your thoughts captive and think on the truth of God's Word! ( 11Cor. 10:3-5) "You shall know the Truth and the Truth will set you free!"
It is easy to sing in the rain when everything is going good but do you sing in the fire? How we re-act in adversity tells us who is in control, us or the enemy! When you can praise and worship God in the fire, you are in control! The Apostle Paul was content in the fires of adversity; beaten, ship wrecked, imprisonment, stoned, persecutions, trials and tribulations! (Phil. 4:11-13) A song in the fire does not come from what God is doing for us but from a close relationship with Him! We KNOW that we can trust Him, no matter what! The 3 Hebrew children's relationship with God was first and fire could not touch them! They had a song in the fire! If you only sing in the rain, the fire may touch you when it comes! Do you praise Him in the bad as well as the good? Keep a praise on your lips, sing in the fire, whether you feel like it or not!
Praise brings God to the battle you are facing! What is your position when the battle seems too big for you? Jehoshaphat in 11 Chron. 20:1-22 got before God, began to thank and praise God for all He had done for him in the past and his fear turned into faith! Praise releases faith! It gets your eyes on something bigger than the problem and brings it down to size! The plan of God for Jehoshaphat's battle was to send the "praisers" out first! A crazy sounding plan but when the praises went up, the glory came down and the enemy scattered! The battle belongs to the Lord! Praise and worship totally confuse and binds the enemy! (Ps. 149:6-9) David knew how to get in God's presence through praise and worship! He sang praises TO God ABOUT God and when the battles came up he was ready! His faith was already built from his praise! So, when you are in a battle, send your "praises" out first!
If you learn to control your tongue, you can tame any area of your life! (James 3:2-10) Your tongue, the words that you speak have the ability to turn your life toward good or bad! You can dig a pit with your mouth and then end up falling into it! One word or sentence can start destruction like a match in the forest! You will never completely tame your tongue BUT you CAN learn to control it! "A good confession" in 1 Tim. 6:12 means to keep saying what God says! You cannot pray for God's help, then turn around and talk the opposite of what you have prayed! Listen to yourself, what are you saying? Are you speaking faith or doubt and un-belief? The Israelites "complained" in the wilderness and never made it to their promised land. "Complain" means to "remain"! Do you want to remain where you are at? Words have the ability to bring destruction or they can build you and others up; they can hurt, ruin relationships and create trouble, or they can bring peace and truth! Proverbs 18:21 says that you will have to eat your words, whether good or bad! Life and death are in the power of the tongue! (Prov. 18:21) CHOOSE LIFE!
We all start out with same spiritual opportunities in salvation but what you do with opportunities is up to you! The prodigal son in Luke 15 had an inheritance but made the choice to leave his Father's house! He left the safety, security, love, family, his position for the things of the world! Sin was fun for a season but when all he had was "spent", when he was all used up and it was payout time, the fun was over, he was now living in famine, experiencing spiritual, mental and emotional drought! The wages of sin are death and destruction! Satan will use you all up and leave you to die! Eating worldly "slop" will not satisfy! When you have made bad decisions and left your heavenly Father's house, what do you do? Come to your senses!!! Remember what you left, who you left, how much He loves you and GO HOME! He is waiting on you, He still loves you, He will forgive you when you repent! You may have to come with the "slop" of the world on you but He is still saying "Come home!"
Love (agape) is always on the "lookout"! God's love in you, when put into force, will always be looking out for the hurting, the poor, the rejected, the lost, the bound and the outcast! That love will also cause you to be "aware" of what you do, what you say and how it will affect others! The more you allow that love to have place in your life, the more "aware" you become! The more "aware" you become, the more you look like Jesus! Imitating Christ is not about your ministry, the gifts of the Spirit or even your faith! It is all about "the greatest thing", LOVE! (1 Cor. 12:31 & 1 Cor.!3:1-3 & 13) (Ephes. 5:1-2)
Jesus ask the impotent (powerless) man in John 4:6-8 "Wilt thou be made whole?" The man immediately went to telling JESUS what he needed, how it should be done and how nothing had ever worked! Do YOU want to argue with God (the Power) and His Word or are you willing to give up your "rights" for a miracle? Do you want to be "right" or do you want your marriage to be healed? Do you want a miracle in your finances, in your body or in your problems? Quit denying what God can do and swallow your pride! Start denying doubt and un-belief access to your mind and get in agreement with God! Your future depends upon it! You can stay powerless and never change, it is your decision BUT God is asking "wilt thou be made whole"?
January 18, 2015
King David was hunting for descendants of Saul or Jonathan in 11 Sam. 4 because he wanted to bless them out of the covenant that he had made with Jonathan!Mephibosheth, Jonathans son was not aware of the covenant with the King, therefore he was living in poverty, crippled from a fall while escaping, he had a poor self-image, felt handicapped! He had a "dead dog" mentality! How many of God's children feel that way about themselves? Do you feel handicapped because of your up-bringing, do not feel smart enough, are you crippled from the past? Do YOU have a "dead dog" mentality? Are you living in spiritual, emotional and physical poverty? Mephibosheth did not know what he was and who he was! Hosea 4:6 God says that His people are destroyed from a lack of knowledge! If you do not know that you are in covenant with the King, you will never dine on God's best for you, you will never obtain the promises of God that are in the covenant! Your "dead dog" mentality will put you under the table eating the crumbs instead of sitting at the table with the King! I Peter 2:9 and Rev. 5:9-10, we are called Kings and Priests unto God, a royal Priesthood! What are Kings and Priest doing under the table when the King has give them the invitation to "come and dine"? Find out what your covenant with God means and stop living with a "dead dog" mentality!
As witnesses for Jesus Christ, we are to live lives above reproach, our name should be good, not known as liars, we should keep our promises if at all possible, should never cheat, talk ugly, have foul mouths and pay our debts! Our witness is destroyed by a lack of integrity, character and honor! It is a reproach to God, to Jesus, to say we are Christians but have a bad name! God cannot trust any child of His that has no integrity, we cannot be considered to be His friend as Abraham was! You may be saved but you will miss many of the benefits of God! A good name is better than riches! The world system lies, is dis-honest, breaks vows and promises, cheats, steals, deceives and if YOU are not careful you will begin to think that is normal, even for a Christian! It is NOT okay with God! The Word of God is our standard, not the world! God will vindicate you in every situation as long as you keep your integrity! Do not fellowship with people that have no character, honor or integrity! Integrity will guide you and keep you out of messes! Riches do not make you secure, they can be gone tomorrow but honor, character and integrity will make you secure in God! Your children will even benefit from your "good name"! Be a "vessel of honor", so you can be used for the King's work! (Prov. 22:1) (Ec. 5:1-2) (Ps. 15 and 26) (Ps. 25:21) (Prov. 19:1) (Prov. 20:7) (1 Peter 3:15-17) (11Tim. 2:20-21)
David worshiped and praised God while he was guarding sheep, which prepared him to defeat giants, win battles and be King! He worshiped and exalted God until he saw God bigger than anything he had to face! Worship will produce faith in you! It also gets God's attention! After he became King (11 Sam. 6:12-21) he worshiped and danced before the Lord in total abandonment because he knew the glory of God was with him! Shouldn't we worship the same way, in total abandonment? David was called " a man after God's own heart!" David's worship got God's heart! Worship invites the presence of God into our lives, our Church, our ministry, our workplace! In Habakkuk 3: 17-19 it tells us what to do when nothing looks good, when nothing seems to be working....worship! Worship comes before the answer comes! Many have got it backwards! They only want to worship after the answer comes but just like the Israelites, they have got the right song but on the wrong side of the river! (Red Sea) They refused to worship God when things were tough and it kept them back from their Promised Land! Are you waiting to worship God when things change for the better, or are you worshiping Him in the battle? Are you getting God's attention, going after His heart with your worship?
Angels are mentioned 235 times in the Bible, they are created beings but they are not in the God-class as we are, as being created in God's image. They are servants of God and for God and they have a great interest in man's redemption, salvation and human affairs. There are several different classifications of angels; archangels, cherubims, seraphims, watchers, messengers, informers, guards, destroyers, warriors and worshippers. Their original purpose was and still is to declare God's holiness! When God's glory and power is manifested, angels show up! Any big spiritual event will bring angels on the scene! They are NOT fat little babies, nor beautiful women as portrayed by human but always appear or are named in the masculine sense or gender. They are beyond number, they battle for us and will ultimately cast the devil and his fallen angels into the lake of fire! In Matt. 18:10 it tells us that we have personal angels assigned to us as the heirs of salvation in Heb. 1:13-14. They minister to us and for us! They are NEVER to be worshipped! (Rev. 19:10 & 22:9) Angels respond to and listen for the word of God, doing what God commands and when they hear believers speaking the word. That is what moves them, sends them to work for us! ( Ps. 103:20) They have been sent by God to see that our covenant with God is carried out! So, what needs to come out of your mouth, as a child of God, when you need healing, provision, situations to change and etc.?? THE WORD!!! Put your ministering angels to work with the word of God! "Do not let the Word of God depart from out of your mouth!" (Prov. 4:21)
Dis-obedience to God's word produced sin, sickness, poverty, pain, shame and lost fellowship with God in Adam and Eve! Sin interrupted God's plan for man and it still does! Sin will interrupt God's plan for YOU, all the good plans that He has for your life! (Jeremiah 29:11) God hates sin and what it does to His children! Does sin separate you from God's love? No, He will never stop loving you! (Rom. 8:38-39) Jesus became our sacrifice for sin; He who knew no sin became sin for us! (Heb. 9:22) (11Cor. 5:19-21) God does not want us to be deceived about sins effects in our lives! Whatever we sow, (sin or obedience) we will also reap! Sowing to our flesh (sin) will reap corrupt things but sowing into our spirit will produce LIFE! (Gal 6:7-8) Hebrews 11:25 says that there is pleasure in sin for a season but then you will start reaping what you have sown, which is destruction! There is always a price to be paid for sin, naturally and spiritually! The wages (cost) of sin is death! Sin is deadly! (Rom. 6:23) God wants to walk with you, talk with you, fellowship with you. He asked Adam and Eve "where are you"? Sin will cause you to try to hide from God! Get rid of the sin, acknowledge, it, repent of it and turn away from it! It isn't worth it! (Ps. 51:1-2)
Jan 1st, 2015
If you do not know the Word of God, do not have it hidden in your heart, you will believe what the devil tells you! When you hear the Word of God and do it, you will build a strong foundation to build your life upon and when storms, temptations or deception comes, you will keep standing! (Matt. 7:24-27) Many have no strong foundation in the Word and are un-stable, have no victory nor strength in temptations! BUT it does not have to be that way! You can be free, walk in victory, live in blessings, live a stable life, pray in faith, have peace in the storms and live out of your God-given inheritance! God's Word produces (zoe) life, healing, comfort, conviction, counsel, wisdom, power, strength, deliverance, EVERYTHING you need for your life! You cannot substitute anything for the Word of God, not church meetings, prophetic words, music and etc.! Many try to do that but we must have the Word of God in us, we must continually be renewed in the spirit of our minds! (Rom. 12:2) (Col. 3:10) "You will know the Truth (God's Word) and the Truth (God's Word) will set you free!" (John 8:32) BUT IF you do not know the Truth (God's Word), the devil will hold you captive in areas, deceive you and steal from you! God said in Hosea 4:6 that His people were destroyed for a lack of knowledge! Knowledge of what?? His Word! The entrance of God's Word produces"light" but the absence of it produces darkness! (Ps. 119:130) Your choice, light or darkness!