It Takes More Than Feelings
(2Co 10:4) For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds
Many times, in our churches, we get caught up in the wrong things. And usually, once it starts, it becomes the religious norm these days. People seem to be getting so caught up in emotions that their faith begins to be built upon what and how they feel physically more than what they know definitely! There are some churches that, when there is no organist, drummer, or musician present, service cannot begin. Or if the preacher does not yell, hype the crowd, or become heart attack prone, he was not anointed. If the choir doesn't turn cartwheels down the aisle while marching in, or if super-saved people aren't squakin' all through the service making it sound like a rain forest, then church was not filled with the spirit. Well, we have to learn that God is Spirit and our emotions don't dictate his presence.
I would much rather go to church and allow the presence of God to move in a way that people have something to take home and live on rather than just getting an emotional fix during service with no substance or real word from above. We can dance and party all we want in the service, but if it's not God, then we will leave the same, only tired and worn out. Now, I do believe the Spirit of God moves upon us and we may shout, dance, sing, run, etc. to express our joy, but I also believe that when the Spirit of God comes, he brings more than a feeling. He also should bring healing, deliverance, blessings, direction, peace, love, etc. He can't show up in your service and only cause everyone to go crazy. There is always change after the presence of God is here. There should be attributes of his presence, not just emotional stuff, but deep, spiritual things should take place. The preacher yelling and mixing in your favorite R&B tunes in his message won't do it. The organist playing fast music on the organ won't do it. The soloist doing rolls and riffs that give you chills up your spine won't do it. It may make you feel good, but God is bigger than that. When his true presence fills the place, you will be changed.
Suggested Reading: 2 Cor. 10:1, 1 Tim. 3:15
Saturday, 31 December 2011
Saturday, 24 December 2011
Deny Yourself
Deny Yourself
Mark 8:34 - 'And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.'
Self promotion is the opposite of self denial. When you fight to be seen or to be known, you forfeit the promotion of God and chose your own means of exalting yourself and therefore, you become responsible for maintaining your image. In other words, when a person chooses to make their own way, God chooses to let them. And then you become your own source and must depend upon chance, luck, circumstance, and networking to achieve your goals rather than depending on God to make a way for you to be successful and excel.
Don't` get me wrong, I am not saying that we should not prepare for success by studying, schooling, learning, and becoming skilled at our abilities and talents, but we should only work towards those things that God has spoken to us about, and not just decide to do something, get out there doing it, and never getting God's opinion about it.
Here is what I'm trying to tell you. God has a plan for you and his plan will ultimately be pleasing to you. But the key is to deny what you feel you want out of life, and open yourself up to hearing and receiving direction from God. God will not lead anyone that will not follow him. He will not speak to anyone that will not listen to him and he will not waste time on anyone that is self focused and wants their own way. Being seen, known, and having your name made great are selfish motives and God is not in it. When you follow God, you must deny your flesh, say no to your own way, and purify your motives.
Remember, there are 2 ways to do everything. Your way or God's way. The way you choose will decide who you will serve. When you choose your own way, you become a slave to your agenda and a servant to your own will. Thus, you become your own master and God says you cannot serve 2 masters, but you will hate one or the other right? So, when it's self that masters you, then you are not mastered by God. But if you choose God's plan for your life, then you choose him as your master and can be led by him.
In order to do that, you must deny yourself. You must say no to what you want and say yes to what God wants. Then, it no longer is about you! Your prayers will change from "God give me this, give me that" to "God, what can I give you?" Your desires will change from "My season, my harvest, my favor, my miracle, my breakthrough" to "Your will, not mine! Please you not me Lord! Follow you, no matter what! You are God, not me!" Can you see what I'm saying here?
God is ready for us to move out of the attitude of selfishness that is being taught so prevalently by our TV Superstar preachers that seek to please themselves, and he is ready for a people that will seek to please him. People that will deny their own flesh and follow him. People that will stop doing what they want, and start seeking what he wants. God is wanting children that will obey and follow his plan, not people with their own agenda. To really know God requires that you deny yourself because you can't have his will and your own!
Mark 8:34 - 'And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.'
Self promotion is the opposite of self denial. When you fight to be seen or to be known, you forfeit the promotion of God and chose your own means of exalting yourself and therefore, you become responsible for maintaining your image. In other words, when a person chooses to make their own way, God chooses to let them. And then you become your own source and must depend upon chance, luck, circumstance, and networking to achieve your goals rather than depending on God to make a way for you to be successful and excel.
Don't` get me wrong, I am not saying that we should not prepare for success by studying, schooling, learning, and becoming skilled at our abilities and talents, but we should only work towards those things that God has spoken to us about, and not just decide to do something, get out there doing it, and never getting God's opinion about it.
Here is what I'm trying to tell you. God has a plan for you and his plan will ultimately be pleasing to you. But the key is to deny what you feel you want out of life, and open yourself up to hearing and receiving direction from God. God will not lead anyone that will not follow him. He will not speak to anyone that will not listen to him and he will not waste time on anyone that is self focused and wants their own way. Being seen, known, and having your name made great are selfish motives and God is not in it. When you follow God, you must deny your flesh, say no to your own way, and purify your motives.
Remember, there are 2 ways to do everything. Your way or God's way. The way you choose will decide who you will serve. When you choose your own way, you become a slave to your agenda and a servant to your own will. Thus, you become your own master and God says you cannot serve 2 masters, but you will hate one or the other right? So, when it's self that masters you, then you are not mastered by God. But if you choose God's plan for your life, then you choose him as your master and can be led by him.
In order to do that, you must deny yourself. You must say no to what you want and say yes to what God wants. Then, it no longer is about you! Your prayers will change from "God give me this, give me that" to "God, what can I give you?" Your desires will change from "My season, my harvest, my favor, my miracle, my breakthrough" to "Your will, not mine! Please you not me Lord! Follow you, no matter what! You are God, not me!" Can you see what I'm saying here?
God is ready for us to move out of the attitude of selfishness that is being taught so prevalently by our TV Superstar preachers that seek to please themselves, and he is ready for a people that will seek to please him. People that will deny their own flesh and follow him. People that will stop doing what they want, and start seeking what he wants. God is wanting children that will obey and follow his plan, not people with their own agenda. To really know God requires that you deny yourself because you can't have his will and your own!
Saturday, 17 December 2011
Turning Point
Turning Point
Gal. 4:9 - 'But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?'
When troubles come, it's good to know how to deal with them. It's good to have all the answers and know exactly how to come through every situation that arises in your life. But if you are like me, then you don't have all the answers. If you are like me, then there comes a time when you just don't know how you got where you are, and you don't know how to get out of it, and all you know is that you need help! You need someone to rescue you and pull you into safety.
There is nothing wrong with not knowing what to do. God will many times put us in position that requires his help so that we can learn to turn to him instead of ourselves. God will many times allow us to hit a brick wall and fix it so we can go no further except we heed his instructions. That is the turning point! The point were you have walked as far as you could on your own and now you must turn and follow God wholeheartedly!
You see, that choice can change your life forever. The choice to follow God's steps, or decide you will go your own way. Remember that decision? Remember when you were faced with a choice, Flesh or Spirit? When you saw what you wanted and you knew it wasn't for you or it wasn't time for it? That's the turning point in your life.
You can keep going on your own, but God will not be the center of your life if you keep heading in your direction. Aren't you tired of hitting that wall? Aren't you tired of this same thing happening over and over? Obviously, things are not going to change if you keep doing the same thing because you know that path leads back to where you started! It's time to turn to God and follow him. It's time to make a decision to rely on his guidance. It's time to turn to God and his will for you. The way you are going is a dead end if you are not following the footsteps of the Master. Repent and turn to God this time and you will find the peace and fulfillment that you have longed for.
Suggested Reading: Acts 26:20, John 1:43, John 10:27, 1Th. 5:15
Gal. 4:9 - 'But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?'
When troubles come, it's good to know how to deal with them. It's good to have all the answers and know exactly how to come through every situation that arises in your life. But if you are like me, then you don't have all the answers. If you are like me, then there comes a time when you just don't know how you got where you are, and you don't know how to get out of it, and all you know is that you need help! You need someone to rescue you and pull you into safety.
There is nothing wrong with not knowing what to do. God will many times put us in position that requires his help so that we can learn to turn to him instead of ourselves. God will many times allow us to hit a brick wall and fix it so we can go no further except we heed his instructions. That is the turning point! The point were you have walked as far as you could on your own and now you must turn and follow God wholeheartedly!
You see, that choice can change your life forever. The choice to follow God's steps, or decide you will go your own way. Remember that decision? Remember when you were faced with a choice, Flesh or Spirit? When you saw what you wanted and you knew it wasn't for you or it wasn't time for it? That's the turning point in your life.
You can keep going on your own, but God will not be the center of your life if you keep heading in your direction. Aren't you tired of hitting that wall? Aren't you tired of this same thing happening over and over? Obviously, things are not going to change if you keep doing the same thing because you know that path leads back to where you started! It's time to turn to God and follow him. It's time to make a decision to rely on his guidance. It's time to turn to God and his will for you. The way you are going is a dead end if you are not following the footsteps of the Master. Repent and turn to God this time and you will find the peace and fulfillment that you have longed for.
Suggested Reading: Acts 26:20, John 1:43, John 10:27, 1Th. 5:15
Saturday, 10 December 2011
Worshiping Things
Worshiping Things
Isaiah 2:8 - 'Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made:'
We as believers must be very careful about our worship. Our worship and adoration belongs to God and God alone. So many times we put things in God's place and allow them to steal his worship. Many things can override our desire to seek God and instead of seeking his plan, we create our own and try to drag God along for the ride. You see, anything you put in God's place is an idol and that makes your life fair ground to the enemy because without the true God in that place, you have no protection from the enemy. The enemy will work through it to make sure you cannot worship effectively, you cannot feel or sense the Spirit of God anymore, and you cannot enjoy or retain the Word of God! This leads to premature spiritual death and unfulfilled purpose.
The worship of idols or things will cause God to become angry! He does not want anyone or anything in his place. And it affects you in so many ways. There can be no other god in your life and your worship belongs to the most high God. How do you know when you have idols in your life? Well, that is very simple. Ask yourself these questions and if you answer yes to any of them, then there is something else in your life that you have put before God.
1. Is reading the Word of God a chore rather than a pleasure to you?
2. Is worshipping God difficult for you?
3. Do you spend most of your worship time repenting?
4. Do you get convicted every time you approach God in worship?
5. Is God's direction for you first and foremost, or do you consult him after your decisions are made?
These questions must be asked and dealt with because idolatry is a sure way to mess up with God. God is a very jealous god and he will not share his place with anything or anyone. So, sometimes, it's good to check things out and just be sure that we have not bowed down to anything or anyone other than our father God in heaven.
Shalom!
Isaiah 2:8 - 'Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made:'
We as believers must be very careful about our worship. Our worship and adoration belongs to God and God alone. So many times we put things in God's place and allow them to steal his worship. Many things can override our desire to seek God and instead of seeking his plan, we create our own and try to drag God along for the ride. You see, anything you put in God's place is an idol and that makes your life fair ground to the enemy because without the true God in that place, you have no protection from the enemy. The enemy will work through it to make sure you cannot worship effectively, you cannot feel or sense the Spirit of God anymore, and you cannot enjoy or retain the Word of God! This leads to premature spiritual death and unfulfilled purpose.
The worship of idols or things will cause God to become angry! He does not want anyone or anything in his place. And it affects you in so many ways. There can be no other god in your life and your worship belongs to the most high God. How do you know when you have idols in your life? Well, that is very simple. Ask yourself these questions and if you answer yes to any of them, then there is something else in your life that you have put before God.
1. Is reading the Word of God a chore rather than a pleasure to you?
2. Is worshipping God difficult for you?
3. Do you spend most of your worship time repenting?
4. Do you get convicted every time you approach God in worship?
5. Is God's direction for you first and foremost, or do you consult him after your decisions are made?
These questions must be asked and dealt with because idolatry is a sure way to mess up with God. God is a very jealous god and he will not share his place with anything or anyone. So, sometimes, it's good to check things out and just be sure that we have not bowed down to anything or anyone other than our father God in heaven.
Shalom!
Saturday, 3 December 2011
'Maybe'
'Maybe'
'...it may be that the Lord will work for us...' 1 Samuel 14:6
Jonathan, King Saul's son, was pursuing a Philistine garrison. No prophet had spoken. He had no word from the Lord to confirm that he was going to win the battle. He simply said to his armour bearer, 'Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the Lord will work for us.' Now, this doesn't give you licence to go off and do your own thing, then ask that God back you up. Clearly, Jonathan was fighting on the side of the Lord's people so he knew that God was with him. But without specific, detailed direction he stepped out on a 'maybe.' Did it work? Yes. When Jonathan and his armour bearer killed twenty of the Philistines, it threw the opposing force into such confusion that they started killing one another, and Israel came out on top.
Solomon said, 'He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap' (Ecclesiastes 11:4 NKJV). In other words, if you wait for perfect conditions you'll neither attempt nor accomplish anything. Yes, it would be wonderful if God always gave us specific directions. But often He leads by an idea or an impression that begins to grow inside you, and as it strengthens and persists you start to think, 'Maybe this is what God wants me to do.'
We like the guaranteed outcome (and income). We're comfortable with the certain, absolute deal, with no risk of failure or loss. But you're going to face a 'maybe' more times than you will have guarantees. And it's those times of uncertainty that strengthen your faith, your resolve and your courage.
'...it may be that the Lord will work for us...' 1 Samuel 14:6
Jonathan, King Saul's son, was pursuing a Philistine garrison. No prophet had spoken. He had no word from the Lord to confirm that he was going to win the battle. He simply said to his armour bearer, 'Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the Lord will work for us.' Now, this doesn't give you licence to go off and do your own thing, then ask that God back you up. Clearly, Jonathan was fighting on the side of the Lord's people so he knew that God was with him. But without specific, detailed direction he stepped out on a 'maybe.' Did it work? Yes. When Jonathan and his armour bearer killed twenty of the Philistines, it threw the opposing force into such confusion that they started killing one another, and Israel came out on top.
Solomon said, 'He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap' (Ecclesiastes 11:4 NKJV). In other words, if you wait for perfect conditions you'll neither attempt nor accomplish anything. Yes, it would be wonderful if God always gave us specific directions. But often He leads by an idea or an impression that begins to grow inside you, and as it strengthens and persists you start to think, 'Maybe this is what God wants me to do.'
We like the guaranteed outcome (and income). We're comfortable with the certain, absolute deal, with no risk of failure or loss. But you're going to face a 'maybe' more times than you will have guarantees. And it's those times of uncertainty that strengthen your faith, your resolve and your courage.
Saturday, 26 November 2011
Giving Your Best
Giving Your Best
2 Timothy 2:15 - 'Work hard so God can approve you. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.' NLT
Are you really giving God your best? It is so easy for us to get settle for where we are in Christ and never strive for more. Many people get a touch from God and hang on to it forever, never expecting or striving to get more from God. You see, when you stop trying your best and start settling for less, then the enemy will come and sew spiritual seeds of inferiority.
And when others come around you that are giving their all to God, they will seem very deep to you and it will cause you to feel less than them. This brings about those crazy spirits that cause people to want to be seen, want attention, or just want their way in the church. They start worrying about what people are saying or what people think about them. Fighting to protect a reputation that they have had for years instead of moving forward. These are the consequences of not staying in the word of God to find your own identity, or not striving to be a better Christian and living accordingly. When you give God less, you get less in return, and then you have to make up some deepness, or perpetrate a fraud in the church.
Our churches are now being plagued with spirits like these. Attention getters, deceivers, hypocrites, false prophets, insecure ministers, etc. are all results of people that did not study to show themselves approved of God, or in other words, study to find who they are in God! Let God have your best. Don't settle for who you are now, but keep striving to hear God, see God, know God, and learn of God! He is the answer to your questions.
If you submit to God and delight yourself in him, he will give you your hearts desire. He will fill the void and show you who you are. It's not easy at all. And when you feel like giving up don't do it. Just keep striving and you will get your approval from him. Hang in there and give your very best to him. What you give is what you will get!
2 Timothy 2:15 - 'Work hard so God can approve you. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.' NLT
Are you really giving God your best? It is so easy for us to get settle for where we are in Christ and never strive for more. Many people get a touch from God and hang on to it forever, never expecting or striving to get more from God. You see, when you stop trying your best and start settling for less, then the enemy will come and sew spiritual seeds of inferiority.
And when others come around you that are giving their all to God, they will seem very deep to you and it will cause you to feel less than them. This brings about those crazy spirits that cause people to want to be seen, want attention, or just want their way in the church. They start worrying about what people are saying or what people think about them. Fighting to protect a reputation that they have had for years instead of moving forward. These are the consequences of not staying in the word of God to find your own identity, or not striving to be a better Christian and living accordingly. When you give God less, you get less in return, and then you have to make up some deepness, or perpetrate a fraud in the church.
Our churches are now being plagued with spirits like these. Attention getters, deceivers, hypocrites, false prophets, insecure ministers, etc. are all results of people that did not study to show themselves approved of God, or in other words, study to find who they are in God! Let God have your best. Don't settle for who you are now, but keep striving to hear God, see God, know God, and learn of God! He is the answer to your questions.
If you submit to God and delight yourself in him, he will give you your hearts desire. He will fill the void and show you who you are. It's not easy at all. And when you feel like giving up don't do it. Just keep striving and you will get your approval from him. Hang in there and give your very best to him. What you give is what you will get!
Saturday, 19 November 2011
Copy Cat Christian
Copy Cat Christian
Acts 19:15 - 'And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?'
The devil knows what kind of power you have in the spirit. He knows exactly what you are dealing with and how much you know about your place in the Kingdom. How does he know that? Because he is the one that tempted you before you fell that time. He is the one that gave you the jealous feelings and the insecurity that you may be battling. He is the one that tried to mess up your childhood or your youthful days by causing you to have problems accepting how God made you.
So, basically, he has been there all along, wreaking havoc on your life and moving you into emotional problems that you cannot seem to shake. So, since he is behind most of your temptations, then he knows what kind of power you have. He knows when you are operating under the power of God and when you are operating in the flesh. The key is to know it yourself and not pretend to be what you are not. So many of us these days are copying what we see others do for God and we desire to be like someone instead of being who we are called to be!
There is a serious danger to this.
People that pattern their lives after others because they want the fame, the prestige, or the accolades that others get, will give birth to a demon that will ultimately pull their cover off and leave them naked and ashamed. The demon is jealousy! Jealousy will cause a person to commit murder! Trying to be what you are not will always cause you to become overtaken with jealousy and you will begin to abuse others with your words, attack others with your actions and eventually kill someone! This story of the sons of Sceva is illustrating to us the story of a group of men that wanted what Paul and the disciples had, but did not abide in who they really were. This ultimately lead to them being exposed for who they really were by the enemy.
The bible says that the enemy did not know them! Wow! If the enemy does not know you then that means you are not a threat to him. If he does not know you, then there is not enough God operating in you to even threaten him. If you are not a threat to the enemy, then you are no good for the Kingdom of God. The devil must recognize you and your authority before you can exercise power over him. You must tap into who you are and not try to be someone else. You have a unique call and the body of Christ needs you.
Stop seeking to be someone else and be what God has said you should be. It's okay to desire spiritual gifts and the anointing on someone else's life, but it's dangerous to chase after the prestige of the flesh. Make sure your motives are correct and you are not seeking the fame or fortune of others. The truth will be revealed when you come face to face with the enemy.
Acts 19:15 - 'And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?'
The devil knows what kind of power you have in the spirit. He knows exactly what you are dealing with and how much you know about your place in the Kingdom. How does he know that? Because he is the one that tempted you before you fell that time. He is the one that gave you the jealous feelings and the insecurity that you may be battling. He is the one that tried to mess up your childhood or your youthful days by causing you to have problems accepting how God made you.
So, basically, he has been there all along, wreaking havoc on your life and moving you into emotional problems that you cannot seem to shake. So, since he is behind most of your temptations, then he knows what kind of power you have. He knows when you are operating under the power of God and when you are operating in the flesh. The key is to know it yourself and not pretend to be what you are not. So many of us these days are copying what we see others do for God and we desire to be like someone instead of being who we are called to be!
There is a serious danger to this.
People that pattern their lives after others because they want the fame, the prestige, or the accolades that others get, will give birth to a demon that will ultimately pull their cover off and leave them naked and ashamed. The demon is jealousy! Jealousy will cause a person to commit murder! Trying to be what you are not will always cause you to become overtaken with jealousy and you will begin to abuse others with your words, attack others with your actions and eventually kill someone! This story of the sons of Sceva is illustrating to us the story of a group of men that wanted what Paul and the disciples had, but did not abide in who they really were. This ultimately lead to them being exposed for who they really were by the enemy.
The bible says that the enemy did not know them! Wow! If the enemy does not know you then that means you are not a threat to him. If he does not know you, then there is not enough God operating in you to even threaten him. If you are not a threat to the enemy, then you are no good for the Kingdom of God. The devil must recognize you and your authority before you can exercise power over him. You must tap into who you are and not try to be someone else. You have a unique call and the body of Christ needs you.
Stop seeking to be someone else and be what God has said you should be. It's okay to desire spiritual gifts and the anointing on someone else's life, but it's dangerous to chase after the prestige of the flesh. Make sure your motives are correct and you are not seeking the fame or fortune of others. The truth will be revealed when you come face to face with the enemy.
Saturday, 12 November 2011
Itchy Ears
Itchy Ears
2 Timothy 4:3 - 'For the time will come when they will not endure sound
doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves
teachers, having itching ears.'
Are your ears itching? Mine definitely are, but they are itching for the truth. Most people today want to hear what makes them feel better and they seem to want a word from God without wanting the Word of God. I tell people all the time, if you don't like the bible, then you don't like God! But people today would rather hear a man, watch a man, trust a man, rather than trusting what the Lord says in his Word. The reason we have such a problem with carnality in the church is because people don't read the Word of God for themselves.
They want someone to break it down so they can understand it, but then eventually they just begin to depend on what the preacher says without ever really searching out the Word. This leads to what we have now. A nation of conferencegoers that will follow anything, believe anyone, and give their money to anything that says it's from God. Most of these national evangelists have churches that support them and yet they are constantly asking you to register, send in a love gift, or become a covenant partner! Don't you know that your money belongs in your local ministry? And why would you give to these people anyway when most of them will not even come to your church unless you have $20,000 to spare?
People are getting crazy out here! They are selling the gospel like it's the latest fad and they are causing you to chase their personalities. We buy up their books and tapes and yet we are hunting for a Word that should come from God's Word and our prayer time! But you can't keep chasing these celebrity ministers in search of the Word you need because when they speak, they are blanketing the whole crowd and speaking the same things they speak everywhere!
So, when are your ears gonna itch for the truth about you and only you? When are you gonna seek out God and find who you are? Some are hunting down these national conferences and these conference hosts don't even take the time to talk to anyone in their own congregations, so you know you will NEVER hear from them on a personal level. You need to support your local pastor and financially support your home church. That's where God will bless you and keep you safe from the TV lies and the radio lies!
Everyone is not following God and just because they have a camera pointed at them does not mean that they have your best interest in mind. God wants you to be faithful to him first, then to your local church. You can't keep allowing the TV to pastor you or these conferences to pastor you. Conferences are money makers and attendance motivated, but your local assembly is consistent and will be there! So, hear me people, find the church where you can be fed consistently and begin to sow your time, your money, and your ministry there. Make sure the pastor is on the up and up by checking with God's Word! Watch God open up doors for you and begin to richly bless you. He wants us to itch for his truth and his principals and no longer chase after the lies that are deceiving many.
Suggested Reading: Is. 56:11, Ezek. 13:3, Jer. 22:13, Jer. 50:6, Ezek. 34:2
2 Timothy 4:3 - 'For the time will come when they will not endure sound
doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves
teachers, having itching ears.'
Are your ears itching? Mine definitely are, but they are itching for the truth. Most people today want to hear what makes them feel better and they seem to want a word from God without wanting the Word of God. I tell people all the time, if you don't like the bible, then you don't like God! But people today would rather hear a man, watch a man, trust a man, rather than trusting what the Lord says in his Word. The reason we have such a problem with carnality in the church is because people don't read the Word of God for themselves.
They want someone to break it down so they can understand it, but then eventually they just begin to depend on what the preacher says without ever really searching out the Word. This leads to what we have now. A nation of conferencegoers that will follow anything, believe anyone, and give their money to anything that says it's from God. Most of these national evangelists have churches that support them and yet they are constantly asking you to register, send in a love gift, or become a covenant partner! Don't you know that your money belongs in your local ministry? And why would you give to these people anyway when most of them will not even come to your church unless you have $20,000 to spare?
People are getting crazy out here! They are selling the gospel like it's the latest fad and they are causing you to chase their personalities. We buy up their books and tapes and yet we are hunting for a Word that should come from God's Word and our prayer time! But you can't keep chasing these celebrity ministers in search of the Word you need because when they speak, they are blanketing the whole crowd and speaking the same things they speak everywhere!
So, when are your ears gonna itch for the truth about you and only you? When are you gonna seek out God and find who you are? Some are hunting down these national conferences and these conference hosts don't even take the time to talk to anyone in their own congregations, so you know you will NEVER hear from them on a personal level. You need to support your local pastor and financially support your home church. That's where God will bless you and keep you safe from the TV lies and the radio lies!
Everyone is not following God and just because they have a camera pointed at them does not mean that they have your best interest in mind. God wants you to be faithful to him first, then to your local church. You can't keep allowing the TV to pastor you or these conferences to pastor you. Conferences are money makers and attendance motivated, but your local assembly is consistent and will be there! So, hear me people, find the church where you can be fed consistently and begin to sow your time, your money, and your ministry there. Make sure the pastor is on the up and up by checking with God's Word! Watch God open up doors for you and begin to richly bless you. He wants us to itch for his truth and his principals and no longer chase after the lies that are deceiving many.
Suggested Reading: Is. 56:11, Ezek. 13:3, Jer. 22:13, Jer. 50:6, Ezek. 34:2
Saturday, 5 November 2011
Mastering Sin
Mastering Sin
Genesis 4:7
If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
Sin is always around the corner, waiting to overtake you. But you have to be smarter than sin. Sin is really dumb and predictable because it rarely comes at you in a new way. It's usually the same old way every time. That same old late night phone call, that same old song that you used to like, that same old place you shouldn't go, that same old friend that you should have dropped, or that same old relationship that keeps coming around.
Sin is not very smart, but it doesn't have to be when we are foolish. The bible says that we have to master sin. That means that we have to master the art of avoidance! You can resist sin, and it will leave you alone. Resist really means to not allow it to lay hold on you. That means, before it gets to the point of no return, out smart it and escape.
The biggest mistake you can make is to make a mistake and think that you are the way you were! A mistake cannot change you back into the old creature because the Word says if you are in Christ, you are a "new creature" and "old things" are gone! So even if you have a set back, you are not back! To master sin, you must know that it has no victory over you and God has power over it! Sure you may be tempted and you may have even stumbled, but that doesn't mean it's over my friend.
You cannot allow sin to have power over you in any way. Remind the sin that it's defeated and keep moving forward. That's how you master it. Don't give it the room that it's requesting and deny it the power that it's trying to have over you. And when you get weak, ask God to have mercy on you and to make a way for your escape! You'll find that with practice, it will get easier to resist. Master sin, don't let it master you!
Suggested Reading: Rom. 6:12, 2Cor. 5:17, 1John 4:4, 1John 5:4
Genesis 4:7
If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
Sin is always around the corner, waiting to overtake you. But you have to be smarter than sin. Sin is really dumb and predictable because it rarely comes at you in a new way. It's usually the same old way every time. That same old late night phone call, that same old song that you used to like, that same old place you shouldn't go, that same old friend that you should have dropped, or that same old relationship that keeps coming around.
Sin is not very smart, but it doesn't have to be when we are foolish. The bible says that we have to master sin. That means that we have to master the art of avoidance! You can resist sin, and it will leave you alone. Resist really means to not allow it to lay hold on you. That means, before it gets to the point of no return, out smart it and escape.
The biggest mistake you can make is to make a mistake and think that you are the way you were! A mistake cannot change you back into the old creature because the Word says if you are in Christ, you are a "new creature" and "old things" are gone! So even if you have a set back, you are not back! To master sin, you must know that it has no victory over you and God has power over it! Sure you may be tempted and you may have even stumbled, but that doesn't mean it's over my friend.
You cannot allow sin to have power over you in any way. Remind the sin that it's defeated and keep moving forward. That's how you master it. Don't give it the room that it's requesting and deny it the power that it's trying to have over you. And when you get weak, ask God to have mercy on you and to make a way for your escape! You'll find that with practice, it will get easier to resist. Master sin, don't let it master you!
Suggested Reading: Rom. 6:12, 2Cor. 5:17, 1John 4:4, 1John 5:4
Sunday, 30 October 2011
Abel's Acceptable Worship Sacrifice, by Faith
Abel's Acceptable Worship Sacrifice, by Faith
By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks. (Heb_11:4)
The Lord desires that people become true spiritual worshipers of Him. "The hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him" (Joh_4:23). This can only become a reality through faith in the Lord. One helpful example of this is Abel's acceptable worship sacrifice, by faith.
Cain and Abel were two sons of Adam and Eve. The time came when they both offered sacrifices unto the Lord. "And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. Abel also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat" (Gen_4:3-4). The sacrifice of Cain was rejected by God, whereas Abel's sacrifice was accepted. "And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering" (Gen_4:4-5).
Our primary verse tells us why Abel's gift of worship was acceptable to the Lord. "By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain." Abel's sacrifice was given by faith. It came from a heart that believed in the Lord and trusted in His righteous ways. "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD . . . but He loves him who follows righteousness" (Pro_15:8-9). When the Lord accepted Abel's offering, He was declaring that Abel was righteous in His sight: "through which he obtained witness that he was righteous." Elsewhere, the word confirms that Cain was an unbeliever; whereas, Abel walked in righteousness. "Cain . . . was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother's righteous" (1Jo_3:12).
When we offer worship sacrifices to the Lord, He is looking on our hearts. Are we trusting in Him? Are we yielding to the righteous paths that His word has set forth? Whether we are offering praise, giving thanks, doing good deeds, or sharing our resources with others, we are to do it all by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased . . . you . . . are being built up a spiritual house . . . to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (Heb_13:15-16 and 1Pe_2:5).
Prayer
Dear heavenly Father, I want to be a true spiritual worshiper of You. I repent of any sacrifices that I have offered from self-interest or self-righteousness. I want to offer my worship to You through faith in Jesus Christ, my Lord, Amen.
By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks. (Heb_11:4)
The Lord desires that people become true spiritual worshipers of Him. "The hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him" (Joh_4:23). This can only become a reality through faith in the Lord. One helpful example of this is Abel's acceptable worship sacrifice, by faith.
Cain and Abel were two sons of Adam and Eve. The time came when they both offered sacrifices unto the Lord. "And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. Abel also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat" (Gen_4:3-4). The sacrifice of Cain was rejected by God, whereas Abel's sacrifice was accepted. "And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering" (Gen_4:4-5).
Our primary verse tells us why Abel's gift of worship was acceptable to the Lord. "By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain." Abel's sacrifice was given by faith. It came from a heart that believed in the Lord and trusted in His righteous ways. "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD . . . but He loves him who follows righteousness" (Pro_15:8-9). When the Lord accepted Abel's offering, He was declaring that Abel was righteous in His sight: "through which he obtained witness that he was righteous." Elsewhere, the word confirms that Cain was an unbeliever; whereas, Abel walked in righteousness. "Cain . . . was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother's righteous" (1Jo_3:12).
When we offer worship sacrifices to the Lord, He is looking on our hearts. Are we trusting in Him? Are we yielding to the righteous paths that His word has set forth? Whether we are offering praise, giving thanks, doing good deeds, or sharing our resources with others, we are to do it all by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased . . . you . . . are being built up a spiritual house . . . to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (Heb_13:15-16 and 1Pe_2:5).
Prayer
Dear heavenly Father, I want to be a true spiritual worshiper of You. I repent of any sacrifices that I have offered from self-interest or self-righteousness. I want to offer my worship to You through faith in Jesus Christ, my Lord, Amen.
Sunday, 23 October 2011
Soul Winning
Soul Winning
Matthew 5:16 – ‘Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’
You are in the perfect position to win someone to Christ. Your job is full of people that need Christ and your family is filled with souls that are ripe and ready to be harvested. You have the power of life and death in your tongue and you can speak victory over sin to them! God is calling on us to be bolder and take a stronger stand in the coming year for him. Your life is a living testimony! Why are you hiding it? What you believe works for you and God is strengthening your relationship with him daily.
So, why not take some time to ask God for open doors to reach out to your coworkers or your family and associates? Are you saved just for you? God can turn your boss around, your coworkers, your friends, your family, etc. if you allow him to. Stop conforming to them and hold fast in your belief. They will inquire as to what is different about you.
The enemy loves for us to get involved with people and then fall into sin with them. The enemy sees this as opportunity to stop your witness and cause people to lose faith in your Christianity. And it's a terrible thing to always fall back in front of the world because it does lessen their confidence in your faith and your walk. But that is not the end! If you are in that position, what better time to show the power of God and his ability to take us from a sinful walk to a blessed walk? This is your time!
You can show your coworkers, your peers, your family, how you were once in darkness but now you are a child of light. Even though you may have claimed Jesus, you may not have been where you should have been. But thanks be to God for his mercy and grace and his ability to change us, even when we feel we have shamed his name! It really doesn't matter what you have done or how bad you may think you have been. God is able and once you decide to live for him wholeheartedly, then you can be a light to others.
Take some time to pray for your coworkers. Send them the daily word. Go after their souls like it was your own! Pray for them and ask God for ways to touch them. It's time that we get it together and stop spending our prayer time praying for ourselves. The world is dying around us and we are responsible because their salvation maybe alive in us.
God bless you!
Matthew 5:16 – ‘Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’
You are in the perfect position to win someone to Christ. Your job is full of people that need Christ and your family is filled with souls that are ripe and ready to be harvested. You have the power of life and death in your tongue and you can speak victory over sin to them! God is calling on us to be bolder and take a stronger stand in the coming year for him. Your life is a living testimony! Why are you hiding it? What you believe works for you and God is strengthening your relationship with him daily.
So, why not take some time to ask God for open doors to reach out to your coworkers or your family and associates? Are you saved just for you? God can turn your boss around, your coworkers, your friends, your family, etc. if you allow him to. Stop conforming to them and hold fast in your belief. They will inquire as to what is different about you.
The enemy loves for us to get involved with people and then fall into sin with them. The enemy sees this as opportunity to stop your witness and cause people to lose faith in your Christianity. And it's a terrible thing to always fall back in front of the world because it does lessen their confidence in your faith and your walk. But that is not the end! If you are in that position, what better time to show the power of God and his ability to take us from a sinful walk to a blessed walk? This is your time!
You can show your coworkers, your peers, your family, how you were once in darkness but now you are a child of light. Even though you may have claimed Jesus, you may not have been where you should have been. But thanks be to God for his mercy and grace and his ability to change us, even when we feel we have shamed his name! It really doesn't matter what you have done or how bad you may think you have been. God is able and once you decide to live for him wholeheartedly, then you can be a light to others.
Take some time to pray for your coworkers. Send them the daily word. Go after their souls like it was your own! Pray for them and ask God for ways to touch them. It's time that we get it together and stop spending our prayer time praying for ourselves. The world is dying around us and we are responsible because their salvation maybe alive in us.
God bless you!
Sunday, 16 October 2011
Protection from the Devil through Faith
Protection from the Devil through Faith
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith. (1Pe_5:8-9)
As we walk by faith, God's grace is imparted into our lives, bringing us many blessings in our Lord. We have seen that among these heavenly delights are assurance of salvation and security of salvation. "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life . . . who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time" (1Jo_5:13 and 1Pe_1:5). Related to these is protection from the devil through faith.
Godly Christian living involves a spiritual gravity and a spiritual attentiveness. "Be sober, be vigilant." These necessary traits that the Lord wants to develop in us do not nullify the reality of joy and peace in the Lord. However, such earnestness is mandatory due to the enemy that we have. "Because your adversary the devil walks about." We do have a committed and intimidating spiritual opponent, and he has an organized army of fallen, rebellious, demonic cohorts.
"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Eph_6:12). The intention of our spiritual foe is deadly. He goes about "like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." Our enemy is not merely desiring to frustrate us or make us miserable. He wants to devour us, to devastate our lives. Jesus stated the matter this way. "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy" (Joh_10:10).
Although our adversary is relentless and imposing, God's gracious remedy is simple and effective. "Resist him" We are to oppose him. We are to stand against him. How are we to accomplish this? Are we to pit our own strength against his? Never! We effectively stand against him by being "steadfast in the faith." We simply continue trusting in the great truths of God's word, which declare Christ as victor over our foe. "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil . . . Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it [the cross] " (1Jo_3:8 and Col_2:15).
By faith, we renounce the enemy and submit to our Lord. Thereby, God promises us that the enemy will flee. "Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you" (Jam_4:7).
Prayer
Dear Lord, mighty conqueror, what a joy it is to know that You have defeated the enemy and his demonic conspirators. What grace You offer in providing protection from the devil as I simply resist him by trusting in You. Praise Your victorious name!
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith. (1Pe_5:8-9)
As we walk by faith, God's grace is imparted into our lives, bringing us many blessings in our Lord. We have seen that among these heavenly delights are assurance of salvation and security of salvation. "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life . . . who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time" (1Jo_5:13 and 1Pe_1:5). Related to these is protection from the devil through faith.
Godly Christian living involves a spiritual gravity and a spiritual attentiveness. "Be sober, be vigilant." These necessary traits that the Lord wants to develop in us do not nullify the reality of joy and peace in the Lord. However, such earnestness is mandatory due to the enemy that we have. "Because your adversary the devil walks about." We do have a committed and intimidating spiritual opponent, and he has an organized army of fallen, rebellious, demonic cohorts.
"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Eph_6:12). The intention of our spiritual foe is deadly. He goes about "like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." Our enemy is not merely desiring to frustrate us or make us miserable. He wants to devour us, to devastate our lives. Jesus stated the matter this way. "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy" (Joh_10:10).
Although our adversary is relentless and imposing, God's gracious remedy is simple and effective. "Resist him" We are to oppose him. We are to stand against him. How are we to accomplish this? Are we to pit our own strength against his? Never! We effectively stand against him by being "steadfast in the faith." We simply continue trusting in the great truths of God's word, which declare Christ as victor over our foe. "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil . . . Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it [the cross] " (1Jo_3:8 and Col_2:15).
By faith, we renounce the enemy and submit to our Lord. Thereby, God promises us that the enemy will flee. "Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you" (Jam_4:7).
Prayer
Dear Lord, mighty conqueror, what a joy it is to know that You have defeated the enemy and his demonic conspirators. What grace You offer in providing protection from the devil as I simply resist him by trusting in You. Praise Your victorious name!
Sunday, 9 October 2011
Hopeful Living
Hopeful Living
Job 14:7 - 'For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.'
Hope is a wonderful thing to have inside of you. The hope that things will be okay even though they look terrible. The hope that your money will add up sooner or later. The hope that your body will be healed. The hope that your life will take a turn for the better after the trial and tribulations that you are facing are turned around. The hope that your marriage will be restored. The hope that your children will get past their rebellious stages.
Hope is good to have. But hope is not enough if it is only inside of you. There has to be an outward hope applied to your situation. You must speak your hope and live according to your hope so that your hope will produce! Faith is the substance of things "hoped for"! That means that you must have substance with your hope. In other words, your hope must have something more to it than just a gut feeling or wishful thinking. There has to be wishful speaking and wishful living involved.
Job is saying in this passage that if the tree is cut down, then hope can be applied! In other words, if the tree is still standing, there is no hope for the tree needed. You can stand around wondering whether or not it will grow again. You can write books about it growing again. You can tell everyone you know that it will grow again. But until it is cut, there is no hope needed! Until it is cut down, your hope has no substance. The same with your daily walk with the Lord. You have to walk in the hope that things will get better. They had to get bad for you to exercise your hope.
Your hope is only tried when things go wrong. And your hope must be tried so that it can be strengthened, and your hope in the invisible God of heaven and his righteous return will be solid. When God brings you out of all this you are going through, your hope will have produced what could not be seen.
In other words, your hope, when it's tested, will produce what it did not have. So, keep your hope in your words and your actions, not just inside of you. Don't just know it, but speak it and act on it. You will survive and live past this test and your hope will be fulfilled.
God richly bless you.
Shalom!
Suggested Reading: Psa. 16:9, Psa. 39:7, Rom. 8:25, Rom. 12:12
Job 14:7 - 'For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.'
Hope is a wonderful thing to have inside of you. The hope that things will be okay even though they look terrible. The hope that your money will add up sooner or later. The hope that your body will be healed. The hope that your life will take a turn for the better after the trial and tribulations that you are facing are turned around. The hope that your marriage will be restored. The hope that your children will get past their rebellious stages.
Hope is good to have. But hope is not enough if it is only inside of you. There has to be an outward hope applied to your situation. You must speak your hope and live according to your hope so that your hope will produce! Faith is the substance of things "hoped for"! That means that you must have substance with your hope. In other words, your hope must have something more to it than just a gut feeling or wishful thinking. There has to be wishful speaking and wishful living involved.
Job is saying in this passage that if the tree is cut down, then hope can be applied! In other words, if the tree is still standing, there is no hope for the tree needed. You can stand around wondering whether or not it will grow again. You can write books about it growing again. You can tell everyone you know that it will grow again. But until it is cut, there is no hope needed! Until it is cut down, your hope has no substance. The same with your daily walk with the Lord. You have to walk in the hope that things will get better. They had to get bad for you to exercise your hope.
Your hope is only tried when things go wrong. And your hope must be tried so that it can be strengthened, and your hope in the invisible God of heaven and his righteous return will be solid. When God brings you out of all this you are going through, your hope will have produced what could not be seen.
In other words, your hope, when it's tested, will produce what it did not have. So, keep your hope in your words and your actions, not just inside of you. Don't just know it, but speak it and act on it. You will survive and live past this test and your hope will be fulfilled.
God richly bless you.
Shalom!
Suggested Reading: Psa. 16:9, Psa. 39:7, Rom. 8:25, Rom. 12:12
Warning Signs
Warning Signs
Psalm 19:11 - 'There's more: God's Word warns us of danger and directs us to hidden treasure.' - The Message Bible
When it comes to relationships, we often times ignore God to get what we feel we need at the time. We want someone cause we are lonely, or we want to marry because everyone else is getting married. Many times people seek marriage or engagements because they need to feel wanted or they are trying to prove something to their family or friends. But no Christian on earth should ever form relationships until "GOD gives the thumbs up!" I know that's hard to swallow because we like to feel in control of our own relationships.
But only God knows the end as well as the beginning, so his advice is priceless when it comes to marriage and family. And God will always give you warning signs before you ever commit to the wrong person. He will show you what's up, but you must take heed and listen to him. If your fiance' is abusive to you now, then it will get much worse when you marry them! If your boyfriend got a little sugar in his tank now, marrying him is not going to make the sugar go away! If he or she is not saved now, then please don't expect them to get saved after you say I do, especially after they see you disobey God by being unequally yoked to them. If you can't stand them now, chances are, you won't be able to stand them after the wedding!
We must learn to ask God before we decide to do things like marry, date, or even search for a mate. God has the answer and he will show you very clearly. But you must learn to hear him and obey what he says. Multiple divorces, abusive relationships, and long separations, are all signs of selfishness and sure signs of disobedience. God does not take us through bad relationships to teach us a lesson or give us a powerful testimony! God does not glory in divorce and he would that no man put asunder their marital vows.
So, he is in the business of warning us before we ever get into these situations. God wants to protect you from a bad relationship so he sends warning signs. But because of loneliness, low self worth, or stubbornness, we decide to go our own way and ignore God's warning signs. The saddest part is that we get ourselves into a place where we have ignored the voice of the Lord so much, we can't hear him anymore. And at that point, we are on our own, bumping our heads, trying to fix what we have messed up.
Children get involved and destroyed, our home gets torn apart, and drama begins to follow us everywhere, all because we did not heed the warning signs, Please, do not ignore God's warning signs about your relationships. You must understand that God wants the best for you and he does not glory in you being abused and hurt from a bad relationship. You deserve better and you must allow him to bring the best to you. If you see yourself as God's child, then you must allow him to choose who he feels is right for you.
Suggested Reading: Jer. 6:10, 2Cor. 6:14 , Matt. 5:32, Matt. 19:6
Psalm 19:11 - 'There's more: God's Word warns us of danger and directs us to hidden treasure.' - The Message Bible
When it comes to relationships, we often times ignore God to get what we feel we need at the time. We want someone cause we are lonely, or we want to marry because everyone else is getting married. Many times people seek marriage or engagements because they need to feel wanted or they are trying to prove something to their family or friends. But no Christian on earth should ever form relationships until "GOD gives the thumbs up!" I know that's hard to swallow because we like to feel in control of our own relationships.
But only God knows the end as well as the beginning, so his advice is priceless when it comes to marriage and family. And God will always give you warning signs before you ever commit to the wrong person. He will show you what's up, but you must take heed and listen to him. If your fiance' is abusive to you now, then it will get much worse when you marry them! If your boyfriend got a little sugar in his tank now, marrying him is not going to make the sugar go away! If he or she is not saved now, then please don't expect them to get saved after you say I do, especially after they see you disobey God by being unequally yoked to them. If you can't stand them now, chances are, you won't be able to stand them after the wedding!
We must learn to ask God before we decide to do things like marry, date, or even search for a mate. God has the answer and he will show you very clearly. But you must learn to hear him and obey what he says. Multiple divorces, abusive relationships, and long separations, are all signs of selfishness and sure signs of disobedience. God does not take us through bad relationships to teach us a lesson or give us a powerful testimony! God does not glory in divorce and he would that no man put asunder their marital vows.
So, he is in the business of warning us before we ever get into these situations. God wants to protect you from a bad relationship so he sends warning signs. But because of loneliness, low self worth, or stubbornness, we decide to go our own way and ignore God's warning signs. The saddest part is that we get ourselves into a place where we have ignored the voice of the Lord so much, we can't hear him anymore. And at that point, we are on our own, bumping our heads, trying to fix what we have messed up.
Children get involved and destroyed, our home gets torn apart, and drama begins to follow us everywhere, all because we did not heed the warning signs, Please, do not ignore God's warning signs about your relationships. You must understand that God wants the best for you and he does not glory in you being abused and hurt from a bad relationship. You deserve better and you must allow him to bring the best to you. If you see yourself as God's child, then you must allow him to choose who he feels is right for you.
Suggested Reading: Jer. 6:10, 2Cor. 6:14 , Matt. 5:32, Matt. 19:6
Sunday, 2 October 2011
Humility and the Fear of the Lord
Humility and the Fear of the Lord
By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches and honor and life . . . with the humble is wisdom . . . The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. (Pro_22:4; Pro_11:2; and Pro_9:10)
Walking in humility is the pathway for living by the grace of God. "God . . . gives grace to the humble" (1Pe_5:5). In our present verses, we see that humility and the fear of the Lord are related.
Humility and the fear of the Lord result in the same blessings. "By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches and honor and life." The closing trio ("riches and honor and life") are an Old Testament description of a life that is fully blessed by God. The New Testament counterpart would be fullness of spiritual life. "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly" (Joh_10:10).
Humility and the fear of the Lord also result in wisdom. "With the humble is wisdom . . . The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom."
Humility is the candid acknowledgment of our absolute need for the Lord to work comprehensively in our lives day by day. The fear of the Lord is respect and reverence toward our great God. It is not a fear involving terror or apprehension.
Rather, it is based upon profound admiration and dependent devotion.
Those who humbly fear the Lord (by placing their admiration and devotion in Him) also embrace His perspectives and values. They develop a hatred for the things that He hates. "The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate" (Pro_8:13). Correspondingly, those who have respect and reverence for the Lord develop a love for all that He loves. The Lord loves for His people to walk in righteousness and justice. "The LORD loves the righteous . . . the LORD loves justice" (Psa_146:8 and Psa_37:28).
The Lord loves Israel, His chosen nation. "The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples" (Deu_7:7). The Lord loves His church, the children of God. "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!" (1Jo_3:1). The Lord loves the world, those who need to know Him. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (Joh_3:16).
Prayer
Lord God almighty, I humbly bow before You, acknowledging my absolute need for You to work comprehensively in my life day by day. I want to walk in the fear of the Lord, placing my admiration and devotion in You. I want to hate all that You hate and love all that You love, in Jesus name, Amen.
By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches and honor and life . . . with the humble is wisdom . . . The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. (Pro_22:4; Pro_11:2; and Pro_9:10)
Walking in humility is the pathway for living by the grace of God. "God . . . gives grace to the humble" (1Pe_5:5). In our present verses, we see that humility and the fear of the Lord are related.
Humility and the fear of the Lord result in the same blessings. "By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches and honor and life." The closing trio ("riches and honor and life") are an Old Testament description of a life that is fully blessed by God. The New Testament counterpart would be fullness of spiritual life. "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly" (Joh_10:10).
Humility and the fear of the Lord also result in wisdom. "With the humble is wisdom . . . The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom."
Humility is the candid acknowledgment of our absolute need for the Lord to work comprehensively in our lives day by day. The fear of the Lord is respect and reverence toward our great God. It is not a fear involving terror or apprehension.
Rather, it is based upon profound admiration and dependent devotion.
Those who humbly fear the Lord (by placing their admiration and devotion in Him) also embrace His perspectives and values. They develop a hatred for the things that He hates. "The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate" (Pro_8:13). Correspondingly, those who have respect and reverence for the Lord develop a love for all that He loves. The Lord loves for His people to walk in righteousness and justice. "The LORD loves the righteous . . . the LORD loves justice" (Psa_146:8 and Psa_37:28).
The Lord loves Israel, His chosen nation. "The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples" (Deu_7:7). The Lord loves His church, the children of God. "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!" (1Jo_3:1). The Lord loves the world, those who need to know Him. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (Joh_3:16).
Prayer
Lord God almighty, I humbly bow before You, acknowledging my absolute need for You to work comprehensively in my life day by day. I want to walk in the fear of the Lord, placing my admiration and devotion in You. I want to hate all that You hate and love all that You love, in Jesus name, Amen.
Sunday, 25 September 2011
False Prophets
False Prophets
Ezekiel 34:2 - 'Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?'
Ever feel like something strange is going on in the body of Christ? Do you feel like the vast majority of people you know are going in the wrong direction as a believer? It's like, they are floating towards the "light" rather than being a light. It's like, instead of reading the bible and having their own relationship with God, they are chasing after speakers and preachers that will make them feel good like they are.
This is not a dream or a nightmare that you had, but it's what is going on! The body of Christ has cancer right now, not in the sense of it being fatal, but in the sense of God getting ready to perform an operation. The operation is HIS RETURN and he will definitely straighten things out then. But what are we suppose to do now, while we wait on him? Well, we must speak the truth and let the body of Christ know what thus saith the Lord. We cannot be silent anymore, and we cannot be foolish either. We must stand up for righteousness and declare HOLINESS WITHOUT, NO MAN SHALL SEE HIM!
Aren't you tired of the fads and gimmicks that are going on in the body of Christ? Aren't you tired of the national speakers preaching 10 minutes about God and taking up a 1 hour offering? Aren't you tired of the $1000.00 line, the $500.00 line, and the $250.00 line, and then the embarrassing last call, "whatever you have, bring it now"? Aren't you tired of the prayer cloths, the emergency prayer kits, and the "send in your prayer requests (with some money) gimmicks? Aren't you tired of the 100 fold financial return lie? (has anyone got 100 times what they gave in offering yet?)
Aren't you tired of everything that you are hearing preached being about your miracle, your season, your harvest, your favor, and your breakthrough, but no one is preaching: Live right, obey God, stop sinning, stop following your own way, read the bible, fast, pray, seek God, turn from your wicked ways, repent, Jesus is coming back, give your offering to your local church, speak out against sin, be faithful to your local pastor, and if he ain't right, leave your local pastor,etc.
Where are the truth speakers? Where are the people that will take God's side and not man's side? Where are the people that will seek the face of God? Where are the ones that, no matter how bad it gets, they are going to endure til the end? They are reading this one and getting spiritually charged up! They are thinking right now,
There is a remnant that is going to stand. There is a people that will not bow to the false gods and false prophets. There is a Holy group of people that will see Christ when he returns, but are seeking to see his face even now. You are not crazy my friend, you are on the right track!
Suggested Reading: Ezek. 34:10, 2Cor. 11:14, 2Tim. 3:6, Jude 4
Ezekiel 34:2 - 'Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?'
Ever feel like something strange is going on in the body of Christ? Do you feel like the vast majority of people you know are going in the wrong direction as a believer? It's like, they are floating towards the "light" rather than being a light. It's like, instead of reading the bible and having their own relationship with God, they are chasing after speakers and preachers that will make them feel good like they are.
This is not a dream or a nightmare that you had, but it's what is going on! The body of Christ has cancer right now, not in the sense of it being fatal, but in the sense of God getting ready to perform an operation. The operation is HIS RETURN and he will definitely straighten things out then. But what are we suppose to do now, while we wait on him? Well, we must speak the truth and let the body of Christ know what thus saith the Lord. We cannot be silent anymore, and we cannot be foolish either. We must stand up for righteousness and declare HOLINESS WITHOUT, NO MAN SHALL SEE HIM!
Aren't you tired of the fads and gimmicks that are going on in the body of Christ? Aren't you tired of the national speakers preaching 10 minutes about God and taking up a 1 hour offering? Aren't you tired of the $1000.00 line, the $500.00 line, and the $250.00 line, and then the embarrassing last call, "whatever you have, bring it now"? Aren't you tired of the prayer cloths, the emergency prayer kits, and the "send in your prayer requests (with some money) gimmicks? Aren't you tired of the 100 fold financial return lie? (has anyone got 100 times what they gave in offering yet?)
Aren't you tired of everything that you are hearing preached being about your miracle, your season, your harvest, your favor, and your breakthrough, but no one is preaching: Live right, obey God, stop sinning, stop following your own way, read the bible, fast, pray, seek God, turn from your wicked ways, repent, Jesus is coming back, give your offering to your local church, speak out against sin, be faithful to your local pastor, and if he ain't right, leave your local pastor,etc.
Where are the truth speakers? Where are the people that will take God's side and not man's side? Where are the people that will seek the face of God? Where are the ones that, no matter how bad it gets, they are going to endure til the end? They are reading this one and getting spiritually charged up! They are thinking right now,
There is a remnant that is going to stand. There is a people that will not bow to the false gods and false prophets. There is a Holy group of people that will see Christ when he returns, but are seeking to see his face even now. You are not crazy my friend, you are on the right track!
Suggested Reading: Ezek. 34:10, 2Cor. 11:14, 2Tim. 3:6, Jude 4
Sunday, 18 September 2011
False Security
False Security
Mark 10:24 - 'And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!' KJV
This is a very interesting story. I encourage you to read it thoroughly because I don't have time to go into all of it. But basically, there was a man that claimed to have obeyed all God's commandments since his youth! And he had great possessions, or a lot of things. But Jesus told him, since he has obeyed all of the commandments, to give away what he had and then come and follow him.
Well, of course the man went away and felt horrible because what Jesus showed him was that, what he thought he had, he really didn't have. Jesus was basically showing this man that his security was in what he had and not what God has for him! This is powerful because right after that, Jesus said that it's very hard for a person that has earthly riches to enter into the Kingdom of God. This is not talking about heaven, but it's talking about our place in the Kingdom of God here on earth! And riches is not just about money.
But it's whatever we deem valuable. You see, when a person is insecure and doesn't really know who they are in Christ, they will use positions, wealth, reputations, etc. to prove to people who they are. Their confidence is built upon what people think about them instead of what they know about themselves. This man in the story obviously had that problem because he basically told Jesus that he had done no wrong since his youth. I'm sure there were people around him that would have agreed with that because he had great possessions and felt he was somebody.
Let me break it down for you. Many of us struggle with false security. These are positions we have in the church, positions we have on our jobs, things we have accomplished, and reputations we have earned, and we consider these to be things of value. But, they are not of any value to God! YOU are of value, not what you have or what you have accomplished. Until you know that, you will never be satisfied! What you have can be taken away from you instantly. God loves YOU! You are who he made and he put something special in you that only he can bring out. You can't do it without him. So you must face your false securities and let them go.
You must become transparent before him and allow him to show you who you really are. Listen to what he said about this man that came to him bragging about how good he has been. The word says in Mark 10:21, "Then Jesus beholding him loved him..." Wow! Jesus loved HIM! Not his things or his possessions. Not his reputation or his position. Jesus loved him and wanted him to know that by asking him to give up everything that he was using as false security and be secure in him! So what we have to realize is that we cannot attach ourselves to things for security in this life. Our security is only based on who God made us, not things.
(Please read this entire story! Mark 10: 17-31)
Mark 10:24 - 'And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!' KJV
This is a very interesting story. I encourage you to read it thoroughly because I don't have time to go into all of it. But basically, there was a man that claimed to have obeyed all God's commandments since his youth! And he had great possessions, or a lot of things. But Jesus told him, since he has obeyed all of the commandments, to give away what he had and then come and follow him.
Well, of course the man went away and felt horrible because what Jesus showed him was that, what he thought he had, he really didn't have. Jesus was basically showing this man that his security was in what he had and not what God has for him! This is powerful because right after that, Jesus said that it's very hard for a person that has earthly riches to enter into the Kingdom of God. This is not talking about heaven, but it's talking about our place in the Kingdom of God here on earth! And riches is not just about money.
But it's whatever we deem valuable. You see, when a person is insecure and doesn't really know who they are in Christ, they will use positions, wealth, reputations, etc. to prove to people who they are. Their confidence is built upon what people think about them instead of what they know about themselves. This man in the story obviously had that problem because he basically told Jesus that he had done no wrong since his youth. I'm sure there were people around him that would have agreed with that because he had great possessions and felt he was somebody.
Let me break it down for you. Many of us struggle with false security. These are positions we have in the church, positions we have on our jobs, things we have accomplished, and reputations we have earned, and we consider these to be things of value. But, they are not of any value to God! YOU are of value, not what you have or what you have accomplished. Until you know that, you will never be satisfied! What you have can be taken away from you instantly. God loves YOU! You are who he made and he put something special in you that only he can bring out. You can't do it without him. So you must face your false securities and let them go.
You must become transparent before him and allow him to show you who you really are. Listen to what he said about this man that came to him bragging about how good he has been. The word says in Mark 10:21, "Then Jesus beholding him loved him..." Wow! Jesus loved HIM! Not his things or his possessions. Not his reputation or his position. Jesus loved him and wanted him to know that by asking him to give up everything that he was using as false security and be secure in him! So what we have to realize is that we cannot attach ourselves to things for security in this life. Our security is only based on who God made us, not things.
(Please read this entire story! Mark 10: 17-31)
Sunday, 11 September 2011
The Power of Prayer
The Power of Prayer
Are you close enough to God to hear His warnings when danger approaches? Noah was, and he saved his family. Are you close enough to your family for them to have confidence in what God has spoken to you?
You can change the direction of your family without argument or discussion. How? Through prayer. Your loved ones need to be sheltered under the covering of your prayer life. If you don't have one, get down on your knees and say, '...Lord, teach me to pray...' (Luke 11:1).
We are emotionally overwhelmed and spiritually depleted because we haven't learned the power of prayer. The lack of it has left us weak and anxious.
We blindly make decisions for our businesses, our relationships and our ministries without taking time to talk it over with the Lord. The story of Noah teaches that you can't prepare for trouble without a warning from God. That means staying close to Him and hearing what He has to say.
You can do great things after you've prayed, but you can do nothing of eternal value until you've prayed.
'If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land' (2 Chronicles 7:14).
God promises to intervene on behalf of the person who prays in His will. '...if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him' (1 John 5:14-15 NIV)
God bless you!
Are you close enough to God to hear His warnings when danger approaches? Noah was, and he saved his family. Are you close enough to your family for them to have confidence in what God has spoken to you?
You can change the direction of your family without argument or discussion. How? Through prayer. Your loved ones need to be sheltered under the covering of your prayer life. If you don't have one, get down on your knees and say, '...Lord, teach me to pray...' (Luke 11:1).
We are emotionally overwhelmed and spiritually depleted because we haven't learned the power of prayer. The lack of it has left us weak and anxious.
We blindly make decisions for our businesses, our relationships and our ministries without taking time to talk it over with the Lord. The story of Noah teaches that you can't prepare for trouble without a warning from God. That means staying close to Him and hearing what He has to say.
You can do great things after you've prayed, but you can do nothing of eternal value until you've prayed.
'If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land' (2 Chronicles 7:14).
God promises to intervene on behalf of the person who prays in His will. '...if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him' (1 John 5:14-15 NIV)
God bless you!
Sunday, 4 September 2011
Joshua and Caleb Entering the Promised Land
Joshua and Caleb Entering the Promised Land
Surely none of the men who came up from Egypt, from twenty years old and above, shall see the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, because they have not wholly followed Me, except Caleb . . . and Joshua . . . for they have wholly followed the LORD. (Num_32:11-12)
Those who live by humble faith enter into the fullness of God's provisions of grace. "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble . . . we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand" (Jam_4:6 and Rom_5:2). Joshua and Caleb illustrated this truth by entering the Promised Land.
As we have seen, God's great salvation is both "from" and "unto." "We have passed from death to life" (1Jo_3:14). Also, this life we have been given is to be experienced in abundance. "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly" (Joh_10:10). Israel's calling by the Lord from bondage in Egypt to fullness in the land pictures this truth. "So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey" (Exo_3:8).
Joshua and Caleb were the only adult Israelites in that first generation who went "into the fullness" of God's calling. They alone went into the land. "Surely none of the men who came up from Egypt, from twenty years old and above, shall see the land . . . because they have not wholly followed Me, except Caleb . . . and Joshua." Joshua would not only enter the land, he would lead Israel into God's victory. "Then Moses called Joshua and said to him . . . you must go with this people to the land . . . and you shall cause them to inherit it" (Deu_31:7). Caleb would not only enter the land, he would still be strengthened by faith even in his old age. "Here I am this day, eighty-five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as I was on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war" (Jos_14:11).
Unlike Joshua and Caleb, the other Israelites followed the Lord's calling out from Egypt, but they did not follow Him into the land. Many Christians repeat this same error today. They have followed the Lord as He led them out of the spiritual death of sin and guilt. They are "out of Egypt." They are forgiven of their sins. They have new life in Christ. However, they do not follow the Lord on "into the land." They do not follow by faith into abundance of life. They do not follow the Lord in humble dependence for transformation, for fruitfulness, for a life of spiritual victory.
Prayer
Dear God of Israel, Thank You for bringing me out of the Egypt of my own spiritual bondage. Now, as Joshua and Caleb did, I long to follow You wholly into the fullness that you desire me to walk in, in Jesus name, Amen.
Surely none of the men who came up from Egypt, from twenty years old and above, shall see the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, because they have not wholly followed Me, except Caleb . . . and Joshua . . . for they have wholly followed the LORD. (Num_32:11-12)
Those who live by humble faith enter into the fullness of God's provisions of grace. "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble . . . we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand" (Jam_4:6 and Rom_5:2). Joshua and Caleb illustrated this truth by entering the Promised Land.
As we have seen, God's great salvation is both "from" and "unto." "We have passed from death to life" (1Jo_3:14). Also, this life we have been given is to be experienced in abundance. "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly" (Joh_10:10). Israel's calling by the Lord from bondage in Egypt to fullness in the land pictures this truth. "So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey" (Exo_3:8).
Joshua and Caleb were the only adult Israelites in that first generation who went "into the fullness" of God's calling. They alone went into the land. "Surely none of the men who came up from Egypt, from twenty years old and above, shall see the land . . . because they have not wholly followed Me, except Caleb . . . and Joshua." Joshua would not only enter the land, he would lead Israel into God's victory. "Then Moses called Joshua and said to him . . . you must go with this people to the land . . . and you shall cause them to inherit it" (Deu_31:7). Caleb would not only enter the land, he would still be strengthened by faith even in his old age. "Here I am this day, eighty-five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as I was on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war" (Jos_14:11).
Unlike Joshua and Caleb, the other Israelites followed the Lord's calling out from Egypt, but they did not follow Him into the land. Many Christians repeat this same error today. They have followed the Lord as He led them out of the spiritual death of sin and guilt. They are "out of Egypt." They are forgiven of their sins. They have new life in Christ. However, they do not follow the Lord on "into the land." They do not follow by faith into abundance of life. They do not follow the Lord in humble dependence for transformation, for fruitfulness, for a life of spiritual victory.
Prayer
Dear God of Israel, Thank You for bringing me out of the Egypt of my own spiritual bondage. Now, as Joshua and Caleb did, I long to follow You wholly into the fullness that you desire me to walk in, in Jesus name, Amen.
Sunday, 28 August 2011
Living by God's Grace in the Old Testament
Living by God's Grace in the Old Testament
And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes . . . "If the LORD delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us . . . Only do not rebel against the LORD, nor fear the people of the land . . . the LORD is with us." (Num_14:6, Num_14:8-9)
Throughout the Old Testament, we can find examples of people living by the grace of God. They may not have been able to describe their experience in terms of grace. Yet, their reliance upon God to work on their behalf was just as valid as ours. Living by grace involves God at work in people's lives. Even though they may have been born under the law, they could not live by means of the law. The law supplied no resource for life. Without God at work, the only resource is from the flesh, from natural human sufficiency. This has always been inadequate for living as God intended. Joshua and Caleb were two men who realized that God's sufficiency (His grace) was the only reliable hope.
Twelve Israelites had just returned from spying out the Promised Land. Ten of them had a similar perspective. "We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey . . . Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large . . . We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we" (Num_13:27-28, Num_13:31). Their bad report was based upon what they saw, measured against their own resources. By this evaluation, they concluded: "We are not able to go up against the people." They were comparing two sets of human resources. "They are stronger than we."
Joshua and Caleb were deeply distressed by this inappropriate evaluation. "And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes." They knew that this outlook ignored what God had promised and what God could do. "If the LORD delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us." They realized that this majority report, which was based on human sight and human capabilities, was actually a form of rebellion against the Lord. "Only do not rebel against the LORD, nor fear the people of the land." Their rebellion was in fearing man and not trusting God. All the children of Israel needed to do was remember the Lord was committed to them. "The LORD is with us." The Lord was willing and able to give them the land.
Prayer
Lord God almighty, I am reminded that the majority report is so often based on human sight and earthly resources. Help me to be like Joshua and Caleb. I want a perspective that is based upon what You have promised and what You are able to do, Amen.
And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes . . . "If the LORD delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us . . . Only do not rebel against the LORD, nor fear the people of the land . . . the LORD is with us." (Num_14:6, Num_14:8-9)
Throughout the Old Testament, we can find examples of people living by the grace of God. They may not have been able to describe their experience in terms of grace. Yet, their reliance upon God to work on their behalf was just as valid as ours. Living by grace involves God at work in people's lives. Even though they may have been born under the law, they could not live by means of the law. The law supplied no resource for life. Without God at work, the only resource is from the flesh, from natural human sufficiency. This has always been inadequate for living as God intended. Joshua and Caleb were two men who realized that God's sufficiency (His grace) was the only reliable hope.
Twelve Israelites had just returned from spying out the Promised Land. Ten of them had a similar perspective. "We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey . . . Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large . . . We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we" (Num_13:27-28, Num_13:31). Their bad report was based upon what they saw, measured against their own resources. By this evaluation, they concluded: "We are not able to go up against the people." They were comparing two sets of human resources. "They are stronger than we."
Joshua and Caleb were deeply distressed by this inappropriate evaluation. "And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes." They knew that this outlook ignored what God had promised and what God could do. "If the LORD delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us." They realized that this majority report, which was based on human sight and human capabilities, was actually a form of rebellion against the Lord. "Only do not rebel against the LORD, nor fear the people of the land." Their rebellion was in fearing man and not trusting God. All the children of Israel needed to do was remember the Lord was committed to them. "The LORD is with us." The Lord was willing and able to give them the land.
Prayer
Lord God almighty, I am reminded that the majority report is so often based on human sight and earthly resources. Help me to be like Joshua and Caleb. I want a perspective that is based upon what You have promised and what You are able to do, Amen.
Sunday, 21 August 2011
Deny Yourself
Deny Yourself
Mark 8:34 - 'And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.'
Self promotion is the opposite of self denial. When you fight to be seen or to be known, you forfeit the promotion of God and chose your own means of exalting yourself and therefore, you become responsible for maintaining your image. In other words, when a person chooses to make their own way, God chooses to let them. And then you become your own source and must depend upon chance, luck, circumstance, and networking to achieve your goals rather than depending on God to make a way for you to be successful and excel.
Don't` get me wrong, I am not saying that we should not prepare for success by studying, schooling, learning, and becoming skilled at our abilities and talents, but we should only work towards those things that God has spoken to us about, and not just decide to do something, get out there doing it, and never getting God's opinion about it.
Here is what I'm trying to tell you. God has a plan for you and his plan will ultimately be pleasing to you. But the key is to deny what you feel you want out of life, and open yourself up to hearing and receiving direction from God. God will not lead anyone that will not follow him. He will not speak to anyone that will not listen to him and he will not waste time on anyone that is self focused and wants their own way. Being seen, known, and having your name made great are selfish motives and God is not in it. When you follow God, you must deny your flesh, say no to your own way, and purify your motives.
Remember, there are 2 ways to do everything. Your way or God's way. The way you choose will decide who you will serve. When you choose your own way, you become a slave to your agenda and a servant to your own will. Thus, you become your own master and God says you cannot serve 2 masters, but you will hate one or the other right? So, when it's self that masters you, then you are not mastered by God. But if you choose God's plan for your life, then you choose him as your master and can be led by him.
In order to do that, you must deny yourself. You must say no to what you want and say yes to what God wants. Then, it no longer is about you! Your prayers will change from "God give me this, give me that" to "God, what can I give you?" Your desires will change from "My season, my harvest, my favor, my miracle, my breakthrough" to "Your will, not mine! Please you not me Lord! Follow you, no matter what! You are God, not me!" Can you see what I'm saying here?
God is ready for us to move out of the attitude of selfishness that is being taught so prevalently by our TV Superstar preachers that seek to please themselves, and he is ready for a people that will seek to please him. People that will deny their own flesh and follow him. People that will stop doing what they want, and start seeking what he wants. God is wanting children that will obey and follow his plan, not people with their own agenda. To really know God requires that you deny yourself because you can't have his will and your own!
Mark 8:34 - 'And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.'
Self promotion is the opposite of self denial. When you fight to be seen or to be known, you forfeit the promotion of God and chose your own means of exalting yourself and therefore, you become responsible for maintaining your image. In other words, when a person chooses to make their own way, God chooses to let them. And then you become your own source and must depend upon chance, luck, circumstance, and networking to achieve your goals rather than depending on God to make a way for you to be successful and excel.
Don't` get me wrong, I am not saying that we should not prepare for success by studying, schooling, learning, and becoming skilled at our abilities and talents, but we should only work towards those things that God has spoken to us about, and not just decide to do something, get out there doing it, and never getting God's opinion about it.
Here is what I'm trying to tell you. God has a plan for you and his plan will ultimately be pleasing to you. But the key is to deny what you feel you want out of life, and open yourself up to hearing and receiving direction from God. God will not lead anyone that will not follow him. He will not speak to anyone that will not listen to him and he will not waste time on anyone that is self focused and wants their own way. Being seen, known, and having your name made great are selfish motives and God is not in it. When you follow God, you must deny your flesh, say no to your own way, and purify your motives.
Remember, there are 2 ways to do everything. Your way or God's way. The way you choose will decide who you will serve. When you choose your own way, you become a slave to your agenda and a servant to your own will. Thus, you become your own master and God says you cannot serve 2 masters, but you will hate one or the other right? So, when it's self that masters you, then you are not mastered by God. But if you choose God's plan for your life, then you choose him as your master and can be led by him.
In order to do that, you must deny yourself. You must say no to what you want and say yes to what God wants. Then, it no longer is about you! Your prayers will change from "God give me this, give me that" to "God, what can I give you?" Your desires will change from "My season, my harvest, my favor, my miracle, my breakthrough" to "Your will, not mine! Please you not me Lord! Follow you, no matter what! You are God, not me!" Can you see what I'm saying here?
God is ready for us to move out of the attitude of selfishness that is being taught so prevalently by our TV Superstar preachers that seek to please themselves, and he is ready for a people that will seek to please him. People that will deny their own flesh and follow him. People that will stop doing what they want, and start seeking what he wants. God is wanting children that will obey and follow his plan, not people with their own agenda. To really know God requires that you deny yourself because you can't have his will and your own!
Sunday, 14 August 2011
Coming to the Lord for Edifying Grace
Coming to the Lord for Edifying Grace
Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1Pe_2:4-5)
Coming to Jesus habitually for the grace that we need daily is at the heart of growing in grace. The spiritual impact in view here is edification: "being built up." As we saw earlier, God's grace is the edifying resource for our lives. "And now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up" (Act_20:32). Now, we will look at the relational path that God has designed for accessing that edifying grace.
Jesus is likened here to "a living stone." He is solid and reliable, like a rock. Yet, a rock is lifeless, insensitive, unresponsive. Jesus is a "living stone." He is alive, tender, lovingly responsive. The Lord wants to build us up to be like Him (solid and stable, yet loving and caring). The Lord's way to build us up "as living stones" is to call us to an ongoing process of coming to Himself: "Coming to Him as to a living stone... you also, as living stones, are being built up." In order to practically grow "as living stones," we must be coming to the one who already is innately what He wants us to become. He alone can provide what is needed in our lives.
How do we come to Jesus in this manner? Well, again, it is a matter of relating to Him. When we get into the word of God, we are not merely looking for more biblical information. Jesus is the one we are to be seeking. When we are praying, we are not merely "saying our prayers." Jesus is the one in whose name we are praying and whose will and work we are seeking. When we are worshiping, we are not merely singing songs, we are singing to the Lord Himself. When we are going forth in ministry, we are not merely carrying out a valid task. We are looking to the Lord for enablement, while desiring to please and honor Him.
The more we come to Jesus in this way, to that extent His edifying grace will be building us up "a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."
Prayers
Dear Lord, You are the true living stone, stable and loving. So often I am unstable and unloving. I need to be built up as a living stone. I need to be more like You. Lord, help me to come to You daily, habitually. When I am studying the scriptures, praying, worshiping, or serving, help me to seek You in and through it all, in Your mighty name I pray, Amen.
Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1Pe_2:4-5)
Coming to Jesus habitually for the grace that we need daily is at the heart of growing in grace. The spiritual impact in view here is edification: "being built up." As we saw earlier, God's grace is the edifying resource for our lives. "And now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up" (Act_20:32). Now, we will look at the relational path that God has designed for accessing that edifying grace.
Jesus is likened here to "a living stone." He is solid and reliable, like a rock. Yet, a rock is lifeless, insensitive, unresponsive. Jesus is a "living stone." He is alive, tender, lovingly responsive. The Lord wants to build us up to be like Him (solid and stable, yet loving and caring). The Lord's way to build us up "as living stones" is to call us to an ongoing process of coming to Himself: "Coming to Him as to a living stone... you also, as living stones, are being built up." In order to practically grow "as living stones," we must be coming to the one who already is innately what He wants us to become. He alone can provide what is needed in our lives.
How do we come to Jesus in this manner? Well, again, it is a matter of relating to Him. When we get into the word of God, we are not merely looking for more biblical information. Jesus is the one we are to be seeking. When we are praying, we are not merely "saying our prayers." Jesus is the one in whose name we are praying and whose will and work we are seeking. When we are worshiping, we are not merely singing songs, we are singing to the Lord Himself. When we are going forth in ministry, we are not merely carrying out a valid task. We are looking to the Lord for enablement, while desiring to please and honor Him.
The more we come to Jesus in this way, to that extent His edifying grace will be building us up "a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."
Prayers
Dear Lord, You are the true living stone, stable and loving. So often I am unstable and unloving. I need to be built up as a living stone. I need to be more like You. Lord, help me to come to You daily, habitually. When I am studying the scriptures, praying, worshiping, or serving, help me to seek You in and through it all, in Your mighty name I pray, Amen.
Saturday, 6 August 2011
Answered Prayer Promised in Jesus Name
Answered Prayer Promised in Jesus Name
And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. (Joh_14:13-14)
We who belong to the Lord have a great invitation to thoroughly express our hearts to Him in humble, dependent prayer. "Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him" (Psa_62:8). We also have a great need to be speaking to Him. "Without Me you can do nothing" (Joh_15:5). We also have great promises of answered prayer. "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do . . . If you ask anything in My name, I will do it."
When the people of God are prayerless, they do not receive from the Lord all that He wants to give to them. "You do not have because you do not ask" (Jam_4:2). At times, God's children pray, but they still do not receive from the Lord. "You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures" (Jam_4:3). Their prayers are anchored in their own will and interests.
True praying is to be anchored in the will of God. "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him" (1Jo_5:14-15).
At this juncture, the scriptures are vital in our daily prayer life. God's word directs us in praying according to the will of God. "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you" (Joh_15:7).
As we are abiding in (depending upon) Christ, we will be wanting His word to have full sway in our lives. As we are consistently getting into His word, the scriptures are shaping our thinking and our desiring. Consequently, we ask what the Lord is teaching us to desire. In that beautiful biblical setting, He promises to give us whatever we ask.
All of this describes the essence of praying in the name of Jesus. Praying in Jesus name is not merely a formula of words with which to conclude our prayers. Whether we verbalize that phrase or not, it is about praying as Jesus would pray (always concerned about the will of His Father). It is about praying based on all that the word teaches about the person and work of the Lord Jesus on our behalf. Those who pray this way enjoy the certainty of these great promises of answered prayer, and they see much glory brought to God. "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it."
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You for these great promises of answered prayer. Teach me to pray in Your name. Please shape my praying by all that Your word reveals concerning Your will and Your work on my behalf. In Your precious name, I pray, Amen.
And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. (Joh_14:13-14)
We who belong to the Lord have a great invitation to thoroughly express our hearts to Him in humble, dependent prayer. "Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him" (Psa_62:8). We also have a great need to be speaking to Him. "Without Me you can do nothing" (Joh_15:5). We also have great promises of answered prayer. "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do . . . If you ask anything in My name, I will do it."
When the people of God are prayerless, they do not receive from the Lord all that He wants to give to them. "You do not have because you do not ask" (Jam_4:2). At times, God's children pray, but they still do not receive from the Lord. "You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures" (Jam_4:3). Their prayers are anchored in their own will and interests.
True praying is to be anchored in the will of God. "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him" (1Jo_5:14-15).
At this juncture, the scriptures are vital in our daily prayer life. God's word directs us in praying according to the will of God. "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you" (Joh_15:7).
As we are abiding in (depending upon) Christ, we will be wanting His word to have full sway in our lives. As we are consistently getting into His word, the scriptures are shaping our thinking and our desiring. Consequently, we ask what the Lord is teaching us to desire. In that beautiful biblical setting, He promises to give us whatever we ask.
All of this describes the essence of praying in the name of Jesus. Praying in Jesus name is not merely a formula of words with which to conclude our prayers. Whether we verbalize that phrase or not, it is about praying as Jesus would pray (always concerned about the will of His Father). It is about praying based on all that the word teaches about the person and work of the Lord Jesus on our behalf. Those who pray this way enjoy the certainty of these great promises of answered prayer, and they see much glory brought to God. "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it."
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You for these great promises of answered prayer. Teach me to pray in Your name. Please shape my praying by all that Your word reveals concerning Your will and Your work on my behalf. In Your precious name, I pray, Amen.
Saturday, 30 July 2011
The Spirit Promised to Glorify Jesus
The Spirit Promised to Glorify Jesus
When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all the truth . . . He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you . . . Now we have received . . . the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. (Joh_16:13-14 and 1Co_2:12)
The promised teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit involves His guiding us into all the truths of the word of God. "When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all the truth." As the Spirit is fulfilling this promise, He especially wants to unfold God's truth in ways that will glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. "He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you." The desire of the Holy Spirit is to bring glory and honor, not to Himself, but to the Lord Jesus Christ. "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me" (Joh_15:26).
One of the primary ways the Spirit glorifies Jesus is to reveal to us (and bring into our growing experiential knowledge) the free heavenly riches that are ours in Christ. "Now we have received . . . the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God." This is the language of grace: "freely given to us." The wonders of God's grace are poured out freely: "being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus . . . to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed upon us in the Beloved" (Rom_3:24 and Eph_1:6).
What man deserves (and has earned by his own sin and offenses) is judgment. However, Christ supplies at His cost (His death for us) the free remedy of eternal life. "But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many . . . For the wages of sin is death, but the (free) gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom_5:15; Rom_6:23).
These freely given things of everlasting life include far more than the precious gift of forgiveness. "He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" (Rom_8:32). From a river of blessings (including, peace, hope, fruit, gifts, victory, etc.) we are to freely drink throughout time - - and even for all eternity. "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts . . . and let him who thirsts come. And whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely" (Rev_21:6; Rev_22:17).
Prayer
Lord Jesus, these freely given things of God, revealed to me by Your Spirit through Your word, cause me to glorify You greatly. Please teach me to freely drink of these riches yet more and more, through humble dependence upon You, Amen.
When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all the truth . . . He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you . . . Now we have received . . . the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. (Joh_16:13-14 and 1Co_2:12)
The promised teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit involves His guiding us into all the truths of the word of God. "When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all the truth." As the Spirit is fulfilling this promise, He especially wants to unfold God's truth in ways that will glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. "He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you." The desire of the Holy Spirit is to bring glory and honor, not to Himself, but to the Lord Jesus Christ. "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me" (Joh_15:26).
One of the primary ways the Spirit glorifies Jesus is to reveal to us (and bring into our growing experiential knowledge) the free heavenly riches that are ours in Christ. "Now we have received . . . the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God." This is the language of grace: "freely given to us." The wonders of God's grace are poured out freely: "being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus . . . to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed upon us in the Beloved" (Rom_3:24 and Eph_1:6).
What man deserves (and has earned by his own sin and offenses) is judgment. However, Christ supplies at His cost (His death for us) the free remedy of eternal life. "But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many . . . For the wages of sin is death, but the (free) gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom_5:15; Rom_6:23).
These freely given things of everlasting life include far more than the precious gift of forgiveness. "He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" (Rom_8:32). From a river of blessings (including, peace, hope, fruit, gifts, victory, etc.) we are to freely drink throughout time - - and even for all eternity. "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts . . . and let him who thirsts come. And whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely" (Rev_21:6; Rev_22:17).
Prayer
Lord Jesus, these freely given things of God, revealed to me by Your Spirit through Your word, cause me to glorify You greatly. Please teach me to freely drink of these riches yet more and more, through humble dependence upon You, Amen.
Sunday, 24 July 2011
Truth to Deliver Us from the Law
Truth to Deliver Us from the Law
The law has dominion over a man as long as he lives . . . But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. (Rom_7:1, Rom_7:6)
In the word of God, the Lord has promised truth which brings spiritual liberation. "The truth shall make you free" (Joh_8:32). We have considered such truths that set people free from bondage to sin, from bondage to the fear of death, and from bondage to the influence of the evil one. Now, we will look at another category of liberating truth: truth to deliver us from the law.
This issue pertains to everyone initially, because we all begin under bondage to the law. "Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God" (Rom_3:19).
Everyone who has ever lived, is living now, or will live in the days to come ("all the world") is initially held in a state of condemnation ("guilty before God"), because of their sin. This guilty condition would persist for a lifetime, if God did not supply a remedy. "The law has dominion over a man as long as he lives."
However, this condition need not persist, because the Lord's word proclaims liberating truth for this drastic need. "But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by." The person we were at physical birth died on the cross with Christ, when we believed in Him. The new creature in Christ now stands justified by faith in Christ (not by law performance). "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified (declared not guilty, pronounced righteous in Christ) by faith apart from the deeds of the law" (Rom_3:28).
All of God's children have experienced these liberating truths, as they apply to justification (our eternal righteous standing before God in heaven). However, many of God's people are unaware of the need to be delivered out from under the bondage of the law concerning sanctification (our daily growth in personal, practical godliness on earth). Yet, the word of God addresses this matter repeatedly. Here, in one of our primary verses for meditation, we see these truths given a sanctification implication. "Now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter."
Yes, understanding the truth of being delivered from the law determines whether we will struggle daily in bondage to law performance, or live freely by the ongoing, fresh work of the Spirit of God.
Prayer
Dear Lord of deliverance, I worship You for delivering me from the condemnation of the law, by grace through faith. Teach me how to live daily by grace through faith, that i might be practically delivered from law performance as I serve You, Amen.
The law has dominion over a man as long as he lives . . . But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. (Rom_7:1, Rom_7:6)
In the word of God, the Lord has promised truth which brings spiritual liberation. "The truth shall make you free" (Joh_8:32). We have considered such truths that set people free from bondage to sin, from bondage to the fear of death, and from bondage to the influence of the evil one. Now, we will look at another category of liberating truth: truth to deliver us from the law.
This issue pertains to everyone initially, because we all begin under bondage to the law. "Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God" (Rom_3:19).
Everyone who has ever lived, is living now, or will live in the days to come ("all the world") is initially held in a state of condemnation ("guilty before God"), because of their sin. This guilty condition would persist for a lifetime, if God did not supply a remedy. "The law has dominion over a man as long as he lives."
However, this condition need not persist, because the Lord's word proclaims liberating truth for this drastic need. "But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by." The person we were at physical birth died on the cross with Christ, when we believed in Him. The new creature in Christ now stands justified by faith in Christ (not by law performance). "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified (declared not guilty, pronounced righteous in Christ) by faith apart from the deeds of the law" (Rom_3:28).
All of God's children have experienced these liberating truths, as they apply to justification (our eternal righteous standing before God in heaven). However, many of God's people are unaware of the need to be delivered out from under the bondage of the law concerning sanctification (our daily growth in personal, practical godliness on earth). Yet, the word of God addresses this matter repeatedly. Here, in one of our primary verses for meditation, we see these truths given a sanctification implication. "Now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter."
Yes, understanding the truth of being delivered from the law determines whether we will struggle daily in bondage to law performance, or live freely by the ongoing, fresh work of the Spirit of God.
Prayer
Dear Lord of deliverance, I worship You for delivering me from the condemnation of the law, by grace through faith. Teach me how to live daily by grace through faith, that i might be practically delivered from law performance as I serve You, Amen.
Sunday, 17 July 2011
The Truth Promised to Set Us Free
The Truth Promised to Set Us Free
If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (Joh_8:31-32)
The Holy Spirit is promised as our guide into all of the truths of God's word. "When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all the truth" (Joh_16:13). A related promise assures us that this truth will have a liberating impact upon our lives. "The truth shall make you free." This promise of spiritual liberation through the truths of God's word is such a vital one for man, because various forms of spiritual bondage threaten us all.
Everyone needs liberation from bondage to sin. Those who first heard this promise of Jesus needed instruction on this. "We are Abraham's descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say, 'You will be made free'? Jesus answered them, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin' " (Joh_8:33-34). This "whoever" includes us all, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom_3:23). However, we can all praise God that His liberating truth can set us free from the bondage to sin.
All who trust in the Lord Jesus are justified from their sins (declared righteous in God's sight) through the redemption price of the blood of Christ: "being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth to be a propitiation (satisfactory payment for sin) by His blood, through faith" (Rom_3:24-25).
The fear of death is another bondage from which people need liberation. Hebrews speaks of those "who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage" (Heb_2:15). What a tormenting bondage is the fear of death! Yet, Jesus' liberating truth can deal with this bondage as well. "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (Joh_11:25-26).
All who believe in the one who is resurrection life will live forever. Even if they should experience physical death, the grave has no grip on them. In fact, though their body may go into a tomb, they would go immediately into the presence of the Lord. "We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord" (2Co_5:8).
Prayer
Dear God of truth, I rejoice in the freedom that comes through Your truth! Thank You for setting me free from the bondage of condemnation and judgment that I deserved because of my sin. I praise You for liberation from the fear of death. May I live victoriously by these truths and pass them on to others who need to be set free, in Your holy name, Amen.
If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (Joh_8:31-32)
The Holy Spirit is promised as our guide into all of the truths of God's word. "When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all the truth" (Joh_16:13). A related promise assures us that this truth will have a liberating impact upon our lives. "The truth shall make you free." This promise of spiritual liberation through the truths of God's word is such a vital one for man, because various forms of spiritual bondage threaten us all.
Everyone needs liberation from bondage to sin. Those who first heard this promise of Jesus needed instruction on this. "We are Abraham's descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say, 'You will be made free'? Jesus answered them, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin' " (Joh_8:33-34). This "whoever" includes us all, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom_3:23). However, we can all praise God that His liberating truth can set us free from the bondage to sin.
All who trust in the Lord Jesus are justified from their sins (declared righteous in God's sight) through the redemption price of the blood of Christ: "being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth to be a propitiation (satisfactory payment for sin) by His blood, through faith" (Rom_3:24-25).
The fear of death is another bondage from which people need liberation. Hebrews speaks of those "who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage" (Heb_2:15). What a tormenting bondage is the fear of death! Yet, Jesus' liberating truth can deal with this bondage as well. "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (Joh_11:25-26).
All who believe in the one who is resurrection life will live forever. Even if they should experience physical death, the grave has no grip on them. In fact, though their body may go into a tomb, they would go immediately into the presence of the Lord. "We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord" (2Co_5:8).
Prayer
Dear God of truth, I rejoice in the freedom that comes through Your truth! Thank You for setting me free from the bondage of condemnation and judgment that I deserved because of my sin. I praise You for liberation from the fear of death. May I live victoriously by these truths and pass them on to others who need to be set free, in Your holy name, Amen.
Sunday, 10 July 2011
It Takes More Than Feelings
It Takes More Than Feelings
(2Co 10:4) For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds
Many times, in our churches, we get caught up in the wrong things. And usually, once it starts, it becomes the religious norm these days. People seem to be getting so caught up in emotions that their faith begins to be built upon what and how they feel physically more than what they know definitely! There are some churches that, when there is no organist, drummer, or musician present, service cannot begin. Or if the preacher does not yell, hype the crowd, or become heart attack proned, he was not anointed. If the choir doesn't turn cartwheels down the aisle while marching in, or if super-saved people aren't squakin' all through the service making it sound like a rain forest, then church was not filled with the spirit. Well, we have to learn that God is Spirit and our emotions don't dictate his presence.
I would much rather go to church and allow the presence of God to move in a way that people have something to take home and live on rather than just getting an emotional fix during service with no substance or real word from above. We can dance and party all we want in the service, but if it's not God, then we will leave the same, only tired and worn out. Now, I do believe the Spirit of God moves upon us and we may shout, dance, sing, run, etc. to express our joy, but I also believe that when the Spirit of God comes, he brings more than a feeling. He also should bring healing, deliverance, blessings, direction, peace, love, etc. He can't show up in your service and only cause everyone to go crazy. There is always change after the presence of God is here. There should be attributes of his presence, not just emotional stuff, but deep, spiritual things should take place. The preacher yelling and mixing in your favorite R&B tunes in his message won't do it. The organist playing fast music on the organ won't do it. The soloist doing rolls and riffs that give you chills up your spine won't do it. It may make you feel good, but God is bigger than that. When his true presence fills the place, you will be changed.
Suggested Reading: 2 Cor. 10:1, 1 Tim. 3:15
(2Co 10:4) For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds
Many times, in our churches, we get caught up in the wrong things. And usually, once it starts, it becomes the religious norm these days. People seem to be getting so caught up in emotions that their faith begins to be built upon what and how they feel physically more than what they know definitely! There are some churches that, when there is no organist, drummer, or musician present, service cannot begin. Or if the preacher does not yell, hype the crowd, or become heart attack proned, he was not anointed. If the choir doesn't turn cartwheels down the aisle while marching in, or if super-saved people aren't squakin' all through the service making it sound like a rain forest, then church was not filled with the spirit. Well, we have to learn that God is Spirit and our emotions don't dictate his presence.
I would much rather go to church and allow the presence of God to move in a way that people have something to take home and live on rather than just getting an emotional fix during service with no substance or real word from above. We can dance and party all we want in the service, but if it's not God, then we will leave the same, only tired and worn out. Now, I do believe the Spirit of God moves upon us and we may shout, dance, sing, run, etc. to express our joy, but I also believe that when the Spirit of God comes, he brings more than a feeling. He also should bring healing, deliverance, blessings, direction, peace, love, etc. He can't show up in your service and only cause everyone to go crazy. There is always change after the presence of God is here. There should be attributes of his presence, not just emotional stuff, but deep, spiritual things should take place. The preacher yelling and mixing in your favorite R&B tunes in his message won't do it. The organist playing fast music on the organ won't do it. The soloist doing rolls and riffs that give you chills up your spine won't do it. It may make you feel good, but God is bigger than that. When his true presence fills the place, you will be changed.
Suggested Reading: 2 Cor. 10:1, 1 Tim. 3:15
Sunday, 3 July 2011
Reaching vs. Teaching
Reaching vs. Teaching
John 6:44 - 'For people can¹t come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them from the dead.' NLT
There is a big difference between reaching people for Christ and teaching people about Christ. We hear all the time about people that are doing things to reach the lost. Many Gospel artists use this word to describe why they cross their music over and promote themselves.
Many youth pastors and leaders I meet as I travel across the country use all kinds of things to try to reach the lost youth. But have you ever noticed that, whenever we use methods to reach the lost, they are never really successful? Have you noticed that when we make up things, plans, schemes, etc. to reach the lost, it never really works? Jesus said that God draws the sinner and we teach them. The bible never said reach the lost, but it said to go ye therefore and "teach" all nations. Where did reach come from?
God's Spirit draws the sinner man unto repentance and unless we are flowing in that, we will only play on their emotions but they won't change. Music cannot do it alone! Music cannot win a soul to Christ unless the sinner is drawn by the Spirit. Kirk Franklin even told me that his attempt to reach the Hip Hop Culture by merging Gospel and Hip Hop artists was unsuccessful! Christian parties, games, cultures, that try to be like the world, does not draw the world. It only promotes the world! Only God can draw the world. His word, his power, his Kingdom is what attracts the sinner, not us being like the sinner.
I know we always hear Paul quoted, "I become all things to all men, that I may reach them" but that's not what he said. In 1 Corinthians, chapter 9, Paul was talking about money! Getting paid for his work. And he stated that even though he deserved to be compensated, he would do it for free if he had to. He then stated that because he was a Jew, he would be as a Jew and obey the law when he ministered to them. And because he was called to preach to the gentiles, he would not share his Jewish customs with them, but he would still observe them.
And if they were in trouble, he would share their burdens and help them out of trouble to win them for Christ's sake. This does not mean if they were on crack he would use some crack to make them feel comfortable. Or if they were a gangster, he would become a Gospel Gangster and preach to them in gang signs! Or if they were a prostitute, he would reach them by preaching in his underwear! God forbid. We are never to become like the world to reach the world. We must be the answer for the world.
They are the way they are because of sin and we have to show them change and how to follow God. We must teach the sinner the way. The way is Jesus Christ. Not some plot to show them how you can still do everything you are doing as a sinner, but claim Christ with it! Wake up people. We don't reach the lost, but we teach the lost. Reaching is not what Jesus taught. Reaching is not what Paul taught. God's Spirit does the drawing, and then we are to minister the Word of God to them. If God's word alone can't win them, then they will not be won!
Suggested Reading: I Corinthians 9, Matt. 28:19, Matt. 11:1
John 6:44 - 'For people can¹t come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them from the dead.' NLT
There is a big difference between reaching people for Christ and teaching people about Christ. We hear all the time about people that are doing things to reach the lost. Many Gospel artists use this word to describe why they cross their music over and promote themselves.
Many youth pastors and leaders I meet as I travel across the country use all kinds of things to try to reach the lost youth. But have you ever noticed that, whenever we use methods to reach the lost, they are never really successful? Have you noticed that when we make up things, plans, schemes, etc. to reach the lost, it never really works? Jesus said that God draws the sinner and we teach them. The bible never said reach the lost, but it said to go ye therefore and "teach" all nations. Where did reach come from?
God's Spirit draws the sinner man unto repentance and unless we are flowing in that, we will only play on their emotions but they won't change. Music cannot do it alone! Music cannot win a soul to Christ unless the sinner is drawn by the Spirit. Kirk Franklin even told me that his attempt to reach the Hip Hop Culture by merging Gospel and Hip Hop artists was unsuccessful! Christian parties, games, cultures, that try to be like the world, does not draw the world. It only promotes the world! Only God can draw the world. His word, his power, his Kingdom is what attracts the sinner, not us being like the sinner.
I know we always hear Paul quoted, "I become all things to all men, that I may reach them" but that's not what he said. In 1 Corinthians, chapter 9, Paul was talking about money! Getting paid for his work. And he stated that even though he deserved to be compensated, he would do it for free if he had to. He then stated that because he was a Jew, he would be as a Jew and obey the law when he ministered to them. And because he was called to preach to the gentiles, he would not share his Jewish customs with them, but he would still observe them.
And if they were in trouble, he would share their burdens and help them out of trouble to win them for Christ's sake. This does not mean if they were on crack he would use some crack to make them feel comfortable. Or if they were a gangster, he would become a Gospel Gangster and preach to them in gang signs! Or if they were a prostitute, he would reach them by preaching in his underwear! God forbid. We are never to become like the world to reach the world. We must be the answer for the world.
They are the way they are because of sin and we have to show them change and how to follow God. We must teach the sinner the way. The way is Jesus Christ. Not some plot to show them how you can still do everything you are doing as a sinner, but claim Christ with it! Wake up people. We don't reach the lost, but we teach the lost. Reaching is not what Jesus taught. Reaching is not what Paul taught. God's Spirit does the drawing, and then we are to minister the Word of God to them. If God's word alone can't win them, then they will not be won!
Suggested Reading: I Corinthians 9, Matt. 28:19, Matt. 11:1
Daily to Weekly Devotional messages
Beloved in Christ,
I'm sorry to inform you that, because of my busy schedules in the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ, i might not be able to bring to you daily devotional messages for sometime. Henceforth, it's going to be weekly devotional messages.
God richly bless you for understanding. Shalom.
Your beloved in Christ.
Andy Otabil
I'm sorry to inform you that, because of my busy schedules in the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ, i might not be able to bring to you daily devotional messages for sometime. Henceforth, it's going to be weekly devotional messages.
God richly bless you for understanding. Shalom.
Your beloved in Christ.
Andy Otabil
Sunday, 26 June 2011
Itchy Ears
Itchy Ears
2 Timothy 4:3 - 'For the time will come when they will not endure sound
doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves
teachers, having itching ears.'
Are your ears itching? Mine definitely are, but they are itching for the truth. Most people today want to hear what makes them feel better and they seem to want a word from God without wanting the Word of God. I tell people all the time, if you don't like the bible, then you don't like God! But people today would rather hear a man, watch a man, trust a man, rather than trusting what the Lord says in his Word. The reason we have such a problem with carnality in the church is because people don't read the Word of God for themselves.
They want someone to break it down so they can understand it, but then eventually they just begin to depend on what the preacher says without ever really searching out the Word. This leads to what we have now. A nation of conferencegoers that will follow anything, believe anyone, and give their money to anything that says it's from God. Most of these national evangelists have churches that support them and yet they are constantly asking you to register, send in a love gift, or become a covenant partner! Don't you know that your money belongs in your local ministry? And why would you give to these people anyway when most of them will not even come to your church unless you have $20,000 to spare?
People are getting crazy out here! They are selling the gospel like it's the latest fad and they are causing you to chase their personalities. We buy up their books and tapes and yet we are hunting for a Word that should come from God's Word and our prayer time! But you can't keep chasing these celebrity ministers in search of the Word you need because when they speak, they are blanketing the whole crowd and speaking the same things they speak everywhere!
So, when are your ears gonna itch for the truth about you and only you? When are you gonna seek out God and find who you are? Some are hunting down these national conferences and these conference hosts don't even take the time to talk to anyone in their own congregations, so you know you will NEVER hear from them on a personal level. You need to support your local pastor and financially support your home church. That's where God will bless you and keep you safe from the TV lies and the radio lies!
Everyone is not following God and just because they have a camera pointed at them does not mean that they have your best interest in mind. God wants you to be faithful to him first, then to your local church. You can't keep allowing the TV to pastor you or these conferences to pastor you. Conferences are money makers and attendance motivated, but your local assembly is consistent and will be there! So, hear me people, find the church where you can be fed consistently and begin to sow your time, your money, and your ministry there. Make sure the pastor is on the up and up by checking with God's Word! Watch God open up doors for you and begin to richly bless you. He wants us to itch for his truth and his principals and no longer chase after the lies that are deceiving many.
Suggested Reading: Is. 56:11, Ezek. 13:3, Jer. 22:13, Jer. 50:6, Ezek. 34:2
2 Timothy 4:3 - 'For the time will come when they will not endure sound
doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves
teachers, having itching ears.'
Are your ears itching? Mine definitely are, but they are itching for the truth. Most people today want to hear what makes them feel better and they seem to want a word from God without wanting the Word of God. I tell people all the time, if you don't like the bible, then you don't like God! But people today would rather hear a man, watch a man, trust a man, rather than trusting what the Lord says in his Word. The reason we have such a problem with carnality in the church is because people don't read the Word of God for themselves.
They want someone to break it down so they can understand it, but then eventually they just begin to depend on what the preacher says without ever really searching out the Word. This leads to what we have now. A nation of conferencegoers that will follow anything, believe anyone, and give their money to anything that says it's from God. Most of these national evangelists have churches that support them and yet they are constantly asking you to register, send in a love gift, or become a covenant partner! Don't you know that your money belongs in your local ministry? And why would you give to these people anyway when most of them will not even come to your church unless you have $20,000 to spare?
People are getting crazy out here! They are selling the gospel like it's the latest fad and they are causing you to chase their personalities. We buy up their books and tapes and yet we are hunting for a Word that should come from God's Word and our prayer time! But you can't keep chasing these celebrity ministers in search of the Word you need because when they speak, they are blanketing the whole crowd and speaking the same things they speak everywhere!
So, when are your ears gonna itch for the truth about you and only you? When are you gonna seek out God and find who you are? Some are hunting down these national conferences and these conference hosts don't even take the time to talk to anyone in their own congregations, so you know you will NEVER hear from them on a personal level. You need to support your local pastor and financially support your home church. That's where God will bless you and keep you safe from the TV lies and the radio lies!
Everyone is not following God and just because they have a camera pointed at them does not mean that they have your best interest in mind. God wants you to be faithful to him first, then to your local church. You can't keep allowing the TV to pastor you or these conferences to pastor you. Conferences are money makers and attendance motivated, but your local assembly is consistent and will be there! So, hear me people, find the church where you can be fed consistently and begin to sow your time, your money, and your ministry there. Make sure the pastor is on the up and up by checking with God's Word! Watch God open up doors for you and begin to richly bless you. He wants us to itch for his truth and his principals and no longer chase after the lies that are deceiving many.
Suggested Reading: Is. 56:11, Ezek. 13:3, Jer. 22:13, Jer. 50:6, Ezek. 34:2
Saturday, 25 June 2011
Abundant Life
Abundant Life
John 10:10 - 'The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.'
Many times as believers we feel like we are entitled to abundant life only after we are dead and are in heaven. But that is not the case. To understand this properly, you must understand Jesus' teachings. Jesus taught the Kingdom of heaven, the Kingdom of God, and the Kingdom of darkness.
He wanted us to know that while we are here on earth, we can either have abundant life, or we can be dead. The abundant life that he spoke of is life in the midst of a dark world. Jesus mentioned heaven after death a few times, but he taught the Kingdom constantly because he wants us to move into a different mindset. Being blessed on earth, having an abundance of him on earth, and having peace on earth. This is the abundant life in Christ.
Antichrist is the opposite of abundant life. Antichrist is death! That's why, when we think of the devil we think of murder, death, kill! But there is more to it than that. The devil, being antichrist or anti abundant life, means not enough, cursed, bound, hurt, sick, etc. Not just hell after death, but hell on earth. Your situations, circumstance, pains, etc. are designed to bring hell and death to you on earth. But because of Christ, he has enabled us to have life in the midst of it all. He came to bring us a way to live in peace in the midst of what is going on in our lives.
He came to bring us hope when hope seems unattainable. This is what the world seeks after. Even when there is no money, there can be peace. Even while there is turmoil surrounding your circumstance, there can be joy. While you go through your wilderness experience you can have an abundance of his love to pull you through and lead and guide you out! Yes, heaven is gonna be good. But Jesus came to bring us some of that heaven right here on earth. Abundant life is what he has to offer if you would only seek his kingdom and your proper place in it.
Suggested Reading: Matt. 4:17, Matt. 13:11, Matt. 20:1
John 10:10 - 'The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.'
Many times as believers we feel like we are entitled to abundant life only after we are dead and are in heaven. But that is not the case. To understand this properly, you must understand Jesus' teachings. Jesus taught the Kingdom of heaven, the Kingdom of God, and the Kingdom of darkness.
He wanted us to know that while we are here on earth, we can either have abundant life, or we can be dead. The abundant life that he spoke of is life in the midst of a dark world. Jesus mentioned heaven after death a few times, but he taught the Kingdom constantly because he wants us to move into a different mindset. Being blessed on earth, having an abundance of him on earth, and having peace on earth. This is the abundant life in Christ.
Antichrist is the opposite of abundant life. Antichrist is death! That's why, when we think of the devil we think of murder, death, kill! But there is more to it than that. The devil, being antichrist or anti abundant life, means not enough, cursed, bound, hurt, sick, etc. Not just hell after death, but hell on earth. Your situations, circumstance, pains, etc. are designed to bring hell and death to you on earth. But because of Christ, he has enabled us to have life in the midst of it all. He came to bring us a way to live in peace in the midst of what is going on in our lives.
He came to bring us hope when hope seems unattainable. This is what the world seeks after. Even when there is no money, there can be peace. Even while there is turmoil surrounding your circumstance, there can be joy. While you go through your wilderness experience you can have an abundance of his love to pull you through and lead and guide you out! Yes, heaven is gonna be good. But Jesus came to bring us some of that heaven right here on earth. Abundant life is what he has to offer if you would only seek his kingdom and your proper place in it.
Suggested Reading: Matt. 4:17, Matt. 13:11, Matt. 20:1
Friday, 24 June 2011
Crazy Folks
Crazy Folks
Galatians 3:3
Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
Some folks are just crazy! Being raised in the church as the son of a pastor taught me many things. I have observed a lot and learned a lot. But the one thing I feel I have learned more than anything is, there are some crazy people in church! Folks that profess Christianity, but act just as crazy as the sinner man sometimes. What am I talking about you may ask? Well, I'm talking about people that try to use the church as a platform to overcome their insecurities.
You know, the people that come to church and shout the whole aisle, make all kinds of rain forest sounds during the service, get up and testify about how good they are, and then go right outside and curse you out over a parking space! I always wondered how they could be so spiritual in church and then get to their job and no body is influenced by them or even respects their so called Christianity! I often wondered why people would try so hard to appear to be something in church that they are not at home.
When you feel like you are better than others, then you automatically have to act this way. You see, insecurity in the church has caused people to pretend to be things they are not. It's hard to fake being rich, because the car you drive and the home you live in will tell the true story. It's hard to fake being smart, because if a person talks to you long enough, they will know how smart you are. It's impossible to fake good looks, because folks can see the truth on your face. But, when it comes to the things of the spirit, it's easy to fake them when you are in a "religious" setting because all you have to do there is practice the church "traditions" and you will appear righteous.
Some shallow Christians feel like when you speak in tongues, wear certain clothes, let your hair get nappy, and allow your face and lips to ash over, it means that you are saved and sanctified. And many churches and pastors entertain these notions and allow it to go on in the body of Christ, so people begin to act out their Christianity instead of living it. But the sad thing is that this totally cuts out God's power to perfect you and make you what you should be!
When you practice foolishness and craziness to appear like you are something, then you don't need God to make you something. When you use the church as a platform to boost yourself then God does nothing for you. When you want to win favor of men, look better than you really look, and make people think that you are something that you are not, then you delete God and accept the responsibility of making your own way. God has no part in this foolishness.
And really spiritual people can see right through you anyway. The beauty of serving the true and living God is the power he has to take nothing and make something out of it. Don't take that away from him! That's God's job. You can't do it by faking it. You will never receive what God really has for you if you pretend you already have it when you don't. God wants the glory out of your life and he wants it to be genuine. If you are his, then he will show through you and you won't have to pretend anymore. Then people around you will want what you have and you will then be an asset to the kingdom instead of dead weight!
Suggested Reading: Matt. 6:1, Mark 7:9, Phil. 3:12, 1Pet. 5:10
Galatians 3:3
Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
Some folks are just crazy! Being raised in the church as the son of a pastor taught me many things. I have observed a lot and learned a lot. But the one thing I feel I have learned more than anything is, there are some crazy people in church! Folks that profess Christianity, but act just as crazy as the sinner man sometimes. What am I talking about you may ask? Well, I'm talking about people that try to use the church as a platform to overcome their insecurities.
You know, the people that come to church and shout the whole aisle, make all kinds of rain forest sounds during the service, get up and testify about how good they are, and then go right outside and curse you out over a parking space! I always wondered how they could be so spiritual in church and then get to their job and no body is influenced by them or even respects their so called Christianity! I often wondered why people would try so hard to appear to be something in church that they are not at home.
When you feel like you are better than others, then you automatically have to act this way. You see, insecurity in the church has caused people to pretend to be things they are not. It's hard to fake being rich, because the car you drive and the home you live in will tell the true story. It's hard to fake being smart, because if a person talks to you long enough, they will know how smart you are. It's impossible to fake good looks, because folks can see the truth on your face. But, when it comes to the things of the spirit, it's easy to fake them when you are in a "religious" setting because all you have to do there is practice the church "traditions" and you will appear righteous.
Some shallow Christians feel like when you speak in tongues, wear certain clothes, let your hair get nappy, and allow your face and lips to ash over, it means that you are saved and sanctified. And many churches and pastors entertain these notions and allow it to go on in the body of Christ, so people begin to act out their Christianity instead of living it. But the sad thing is that this totally cuts out God's power to perfect you and make you what you should be!
When you practice foolishness and craziness to appear like you are something, then you don't need God to make you something. When you use the church as a platform to boost yourself then God does nothing for you. When you want to win favor of men, look better than you really look, and make people think that you are something that you are not, then you delete God and accept the responsibility of making your own way. God has no part in this foolishness.
And really spiritual people can see right through you anyway. The beauty of serving the true and living God is the power he has to take nothing and make something out of it. Don't take that away from him! That's God's job. You can't do it by faking it. You will never receive what God really has for you if you pretend you already have it when you don't. God wants the glory out of your life and he wants it to be genuine. If you are his, then he will show through you and you won't have to pretend anymore. Then people around you will want what you have and you will then be an asset to the kingdom instead of dead weight!
Suggested Reading: Matt. 6:1, Mark 7:9, Phil. 3:12, 1Pet. 5:10
Wednesday, 22 June 2011
Giving Your Best
Giving Your Best
2 Timothy 2:15 - 'Work hard so God can approve you. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.' NLT
Are you really giving God your best? It is so easy for us to get settle for where we are in Christ and never strive for more. Many people get a touch from God and hang on to it forever, never expecting or striving to get more from God. You see, when you stop trying your best and start settling for less, then the enemy will come and sew spiritual seeds of inferiority.
And when others come around you that are giving their all to God, they will seem very deep to you and it will cause you to feel less than them. This brings about those crazy spirits that cause people to want to be seen, want attention, or just want their way in the church. They start worrying about what people are saying or what people think about them. Fighting to protect a reputation that they have had for years instead of moving forward. These are the consequences of not staying in the word of God to find your own identity, or not striving to be a better Christian and living accordingly. When you give God less, you get less in return, and then you have to make up some deepness, or perpetrate a fraud in the church.
Our churches are now being plagued with spirits like these. Attention getters, deceivers, hypocrites, false prophets, insecure ministers, etc. are all results of people that did not study to show themselves approved of God, or in other words, study to find who they are in God! Let God have your best. Don't settle for who you are now, but keep striving to hear God, see God, know God, and learn of God! He is the answer to your questions.
If you submit to God and delight yourself in him, he will give you your hearts desire. He will fill the void and show you who you are. It's not easy at all. And when you feel like giving up don't do it. Just keep striving and you will get your approval from him. Hang in there and give your very best to him. What you give is what you will get!
2 Timothy 2:15 - 'Work hard so God can approve you. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.' NLT
Are you really giving God your best? It is so easy for us to get settle for where we are in Christ and never strive for more. Many people get a touch from God and hang on to it forever, never expecting or striving to get more from God. You see, when you stop trying your best and start settling for less, then the enemy will come and sew spiritual seeds of inferiority.
And when others come around you that are giving their all to God, they will seem very deep to you and it will cause you to feel less than them. This brings about those crazy spirits that cause people to want to be seen, want attention, or just want their way in the church. They start worrying about what people are saying or what people think about them. Fighting to protect a reputation that they have had for years instead of moving forward. These are the consequences of not staying in the word of God to find your own identity, or not striving to be a better Christian and living accordingly. When you give God less, you get less in return, and then you have to make up some deepness, or perpetrate a fraud in the church.
Our churches are now being plagued with spirits like these. Attention getters, deceivers, hypocrites, false prophets, insecure ministers, etc. are all results of people that did not study to show themselves approved of God, or in other words, study to find who they are in God! Let God have your best. Don't settle for who you are now, but keep striving to hear God, see God, know God, and learn of God! He is the answer to your questions.
If you submit to God and delight yourself in him, he will give you your hearts desire. He will fill the void and show you who you are. It's not easy at all. And when you feel like giving up don't do it. Just keep striving and you will get your approval from him. Hang in there and give your very best to him. What you give is what you will get!
Tuesday, 21 June 2011
Spiritual Amnesia
Spiritual Amnesia
Romans 2:1 - 'Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.'
We, as the body of Christ, must learn to be patient with people. We must learn that every one is not gonna get it right all the time. And when they are babes in Christ, they will behave like babies! One of the worse things that can happen to a believer is spiritual amnesia and forgetting their infant years! When a saint of God forgets their flaws and past mistakes, they are of no good use to the Kingdom.
One reason is because you lose your sensitivity to people and that causes you to think and act like you are better because of where you are now versus where you came from. That is wrong! Don't you know that when you behave that way you lose opportunity to help or minister? If you cannot feel or understand the people that you are surrounded by on a daily basis, then how can you help them or be in position to be approached by them?
Here is something that we must always remember. We are only where we are by the grace of God. We are only what we are by the grace of God. And had it not been for God, we would be a sinner, on our way to hell! That is the "check yourself" phrase that we must apply to our lives on a daily basis. The world needs us and they are dying without us. So, we cannot afford to lift ourselves up and feel like they are better than others in anyway. That's when you are in danger of a fall.
When you feel that you are better than others, then be prepared to be proven wrong! God does not support our efforts to get glory before men, so when we get to that point, the enemy has legal ground to sabotage us and knock us back down to earth! Again I say, be patient with people. Yeah, they may get it wrong over and over, but so did you. Sure, they may not follow your plan to the "t", but neither did you! Okay, they may get on your nerves and make you sick because of their constant disobedience to the things you are telling them, but so did you! What you are judging is usually what you were doing. So be careful, and don't lose your sensitivity to the fact that you are blessed to be where you are and you must allow others the opportunity you had to get it together.
Suggested Reading: Matt. 18:6, 2Tim. 2:24, Gal. 6:1
Romans 2:1 - 'Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.'
We, as the body of Christ, must learn to be patient with people. We must learn that every one is not gonna get it right all the time. And when they are babes in Christ, they will behave like babies! One of the worse things that can happen to a believer is spiritual amnesia and forgetting their infant years! When a saint of God forgets their flaws and past mistakes, they are of no good use to the Kingdom.
One reason is because you lose your sensitivity to people and that causes you to think and act like you are better because of where you are now versus where you came from. That is wrong! Don't you know that when you behave that way you lose opportunity to help or minister? If you cannot feel or understand the people that you are surrounded by on a daily basis, then how can you help them or be in position to be approached by them?
Here is something that we must always remember. We are only where we are by the grace of God. We are only what we are by the grace of God. And had it not been for God, we would be a sinner, on our way to hell! That is the "check yourself" phrase that we must apply to our lives on a daily basis. The world needs us and they are dying without us. So, we cannot afford to lift ourselves up and feel like they are better than others in anyway. That's when you are in danger of a fall.
When you feel that you are better than others, then be prepared to be proven wrong! God does not support our efforts to get glory before men, so when we get to that point, the enemy has legal ground to sabotage us and knock us back down to earth! Again I say, be patient with people. Yeah, they may get it wrong over and over, but so did you. Sure, they may not follow your plan to the "t", but neither did you! Okay, they may get on your nerves and make you sick because of their constant disobedience to the things you are telling them, but so did you! What you are judging is usually what you were doing. So be careful, and don't lose your sensitivity to the fact that you are blessed to be where you are and you must allow others the opportunity you had to get it together.
Suggested Reading: Matt. 18:6, 2Tim. 2:24, Gal. 6:1
Monday, 20 June 2011
Positioned For Soul Winning
Positioned For Soul Winning
Matthew 5:16 - 'Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.'
You are in the perfect position to win someone to Christ. Your job is full of people that need Christ and your family is filled with souls that are ripe and ready to be harvested. You have the power of life and death in your tongue and you can speak victory over sin to them! God is calling on us to be bolder and take a stronger stand in 2011 for him. Your life is a living testimony! Why are you hiding it? What
you believe works for you and God is strengthening your relationship with him daily.
So, why not take some time to ask God for open doors to reach out to your coworkers or your family and associates? Are you saved just for you? God can turn your boss around, your coworkers, your friends, your family, etc. if you allow him to. Stop conforming to them and hold fast in your belief. They will inquire as to what is different about you.
The enemy loves for us to get involved with people and then fall into sin with them. The enemy sees this as opportunity to stop your witness and cause people to lose faith in your Christianity. And it's a terrible thing to always fall back in front of the world because it does lessen their confidence in your faith and your walk. But that is not the end! If you are in that position, what better time to show the power of God and his ability to take us from a sinful walk to a blessed walk?
This is your time! You can show your coworkers, your peers, your family, how you were once in darkness but now you are a child of light. Even though you may have claimed Jesus, you may not have been where you should have been. But thanks be to God for his mercy and grace and his ability to change us, even when we feel we have shamed his name! It really doesn't matter what you have done or how bad you may think you have been. God is able and once you decide to live for him wholeheartedly, then you can be a light to others. Take some time to pray for your coworkers. Send them the daily word. Go after their souls like it was your own!
Pray for them and ask God for ways to touch them. It's time for our focus to shift from us to them in 2011. It's time that we get it together and stop spending our prayer time praying for ourselves. The world is dying around us and we are responsible because their salvation is alive in us.
Suggested Reading: Matt. 5:13, Matt. 5:14, Rom. 12:2, 2Tim. 4:5
Matthew 5:16 - 'Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.'
You are in the perfect position to win someone to Christ. Your job is full of people that need Christ and your family is filled with souls that are ripe and ready to be harvested. You have the power of life and death in your tongue and you can speak victory over sin to them! God is calling on us to be bolder and take a stronger stand in 2011 for him. Your life is a living testimony! Why are you hiding it? What
you believe works for you and God is strengthening your relationship with him daily.
So, why not take some time to ask God for open doors to reach out to your coworkers or your family and associates? Are you saved just for you? God can turn your boss around, your coworkers, your friends, your family, etc. if you allow him to. Stop conforming to them and hold fast in your belief. They will inquire as to what is different about you.
The enemy loves for us to get involved with people and then fall into sin with them. The enemy sees this as opportunity to stop your witness and cause people to lose faith in your Christianity. And it's a terrible thing to always fall back in front of the world because it does lessen their confidence in your faith and your walk. But that is not the end! If you are in that position, what better time to show the power of God and his ability to take us from a sinful walk to a blessed walk?
This is your time! You can show your coworkers, your peers, your family, how you were once in darkness but now you are a child of light. Even though you may have claimed Jesus, you may not have been where you should have been. But thanks be to God for his mercy and grace and his ability to change us, even when we feel we have shamed his name! It really doesn't matter what you have done or how bad you may think you have been. God is able and once you decide to live for him wholeheartedly, then you can be a light to others. Take some time to pray for your coworkers. Send them the daily word. Go after their souls like it was your own!
Pray for them and ask God for ways to touch them. It's time for our focus to shift from us to them in 2011. It's time that we get it together and stop spending our prayer time praying for ourselves. The world is dying around us and we are responsible because their salvation is alive in us.
Suggested Reading: Matt. 5:13, Matt. 5:14, Rom. 12:2, 2Tim. 4:5
Sunday, 19 June 2011
Copy Cat Christian
Copy Cat Christian
Acts 19:15 - 'And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?'
The devil knows what kind of power you have in the spirit. He knows exactly what you are dealing with and how much you know about your place in the Kingdom. How does he know that? Because he is the one that tempted you before you fell that time. He is the one that gave you the jealous feelings and the insecurity that you may be battling. He is the one that tried to mess up your childhood or your youthful days by causing you to have problems accepting how God made you.
So, basically, he has been there all along, wreaking havoc on your life and moving you into emotional problems that you cannot seem to shake. So, since he is behind most of your temptations, then he knows what kind of power you have. He knows when you are operating under the power of God and when you are operating in the flesh. The key is to know it yourself and not pretend to be what you are not. So many of us these days are copying what we see others do for God and we desire to be like someone instead of being who we are called to be!
There is a serious danger to this.
People that pattern their lives after others because they want the fame, the prestige, or the accolades that others get, will give birth to a demon that will ultimately pull their cover off and leave them naked and ashamed. The demon is jealousy! Jealousy will cause a person to commit murder! Trying to be what you are not will always cause you to become overtaken with jealousy and you will begin to abuse others with your words, attack others with your actions and eventually kill someone! This story of the sons of Sceva is illustrating to us the story of a group of men that wanted what Paul and the disciples had, but did not abide in who they really were. This ultimately lead to them being exposed for who they really were by the enemy.
The bible says that the enemy did not know them! Wow! If the enemy does not know you then that means you are not a threat to him. If he does not know you, then there is not enough God operating in you to even threaten him. If you are not a threat to the enemy, then you are no good for the Kingdom of God. The devil must recognize you and your authority before you can exercise power over him. You must tap into who you are and not try to be someone else. You have a unique call and the body of Christ needs you.
Stop seeking to be someone else and be what God has said you should be. It's okay to desire spiritual gifts and the anointing on someone else's life, but it's dangerous to chase after the prestige of the flesh. Make sure your motives are correct and you are not seeking the fame or fortune of others. The truth will be revealed when you come face to face with the enemy.
Suggested Reading: 1Cor. 1:26, Eph. 4:4 , Col. 3:1, 2Pet. 1:10
Acts 19:15 - 'And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?'
The devil knows what kind of power you have in the spirit. He knows exactly what you are dealing with and how much you know about your place in the Kingdom. How does he know that? Because he is the one that tempted you before you fell that time. He is the one that gave you the jealous feelings and the insecurity that you may be battling. He is the one that tried to mess up your childhood or your youthful days by causing you to have problems accepting how God made you.
So, basically, he has been there all along, wreaking havoc on your life and moving you into emotional problems that you cannot seem to shake. So, since he is behind most of your temptations, then he knows what kind of power you have. He knows when you are operating under the power of God and when you are operating in the flesh. The key is to know it yourself and not pretend to be what you are not. So many of us these days are copying what we see others do for God and we desire to be like someone instead of being who we are called to be!
There is a serious danger to this.
People that pattern their lives after others because they want the fame, the prestige, or the accolades that others get, will give birth to a demon that will ultimately pull their cover off and leave them naked and ashamed. The demon is jealousy! Jealousy will cause a person to commit murder! Trying to be what you are not will always cause you to become overtaken with jealousy and you will begin to abuse others with your words, attack others with your actions and eventually kill someone! This story of the sons of Sceva is illustrating to us the story of a group of men that wanted what Paul and the disciples had, but did not abide in who they really were. This ultimately lead to them being exposed for who they really were by the enemy.
The bible says that the enemy did not know them! Wow! If the enemy does not know you then that means you are not a threat to him. If he does not know you, then there is not enough God operating in you to even threaten him. If you are not a threat to the enemy, then you are no good for the Kingdom of God. The devil must recognize you and your authority before you can exercise power over him. You must tap into who you are and not try to be someone else. You have a unique call and the body of Christ needs you.
Stop seeking to be someone else and be what God has said you should be. It's okay to desire spiritual gifts and the anointing on someone else's life, but it's dangerous to chase after the prestige of the flesh. Make sure your motives are correct and you are not seeking the fame or fortune of others. The truth will be revealed when you come face to face with the enemy.
Suggested Reading: 1Cor. 1:26, Eph. 4:4 , Col. 3:1, 2Pet. 1:10
Saturday, 18 June 2011
THE POWER OF HIS TOUCH
THE POWER OF HIS TOUCH
Matthew 8:1-4
When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
Intro: Humans, at least when things are working as they should, possess 5 senses. These are sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch. All of them are important to our existence in and understanding of the world around us. While they are all important, and I wouldn't want to be without any, the sense of touch is one that places us into direct contact with our world. When we touch something, we are becoming intimately involved with that thing. While I have heard of people losing some, or all of the other senses, I have never heard of a person losing their sense of touch. Can you imagine not being able to touch your world? Can you imagine not being able to touch those you love? To not to be able to touch them might be worse that to not be able to see them!
We all touch thousands of things every day of our lives. Most, we do not even think about. But, there are times when we reach out and deliberately touch objects because we want to connect with that object. Our touch might be that of love, of passion, of tenderness, of compassion, of help, of deliverance or of curiosity. Our touch could involve many other emotions and processes that I didn't mention. Often, our touch can effect change in the objects we touch. Today, I want to talk about a touch that is far superior to any other human touch. I want to talk about the touch of Christ, and remind you that His touch is the touch of God! When He extends His hand into your life and purposely touches you, He will produces changes that no other touch can duplicate.
There are several aspects of His touch that I would like to point out by way of introduction.
1. His Touch Is An Intimate Touch - When Jesus touched this leper, it demonstrated a desire on His part to become intimately involved in this man's life!
2. His Touch Is A Powerful Touch - He touches a Simon and he becomes Peter. He touches a Jacob and the old trickster becomes Israel, the Prince of God. His touch transforms Abram into Abraham. His touch transformed the defeated Elijah into Elijah, The Man of Good. His touch changed Moses the murderer into Moses the leader of the people of God. His touch transformed a nobody named Jeremiah in the Weeping Prophet of God. His touch changed James and John, the Sons of Thunder, into and early martyr and the Apostle of love, respectively. His touch is a powerful touch.
3. His Touch Is A Transforming Touch - Humanity is mere clay, biding its time between the birth and the grave with no hope and purpose, until He touches us. When He does, everything changes!
This morning, I want to spend some time looking at a few events from the life of Christ that showcase the power of His touch. I want to show you what He can do for you if you do not know Him. I want to show you that there is power in the touch of the Lord Jesus Christ. Go with me for just a few minutes as we explore that thought:
The Power Of His Touch.
I. IT TRANSFORMS THE DISEASED
(Matt. 8:15)
(Ill. The context. Jesus touches and heals Peter's mother-in-law.) (In her condition, she represents those afflicted by the blight of sin. She was in a useless, hopeless condition, until she experienced the touch of Jesus upon her life.) (Ill. Rom. 3:23; Isa. 59:2) (Ill. His touch cleanses sin and transforms the sinner from a wasted to life! Psa. 103:12; 2 Cor. 5:17.)
II. IT TRANSFORMS THE DEAF
(Mark 7:33)
(Ill. The context. Here was a man who could not communicate with anyone. He could not hear nor speak. But, when Jesus touched him, all that changed!) (Ill. He does the same for lost sinners as well! Those who saved by God are given the ability to hear Him clearly and the privilege to speak to Him openly, 1 Cor. 2:14; Heb. 4:16.)
III. IT TRANSFORMS THE DARKENED
(Matt. 9:29; John 9:6)
(Ill. Here is a man born blind at birth. He is miraculously touched and healed by the touch of the Lord Jesus. Now, he can see, John 9:25.) (Ill. He opens the spiritual eyes when He touches our lives, Isa. 42:5-7; 1 Pet. 2:9-10.) (Ill. His children see things they had never thought about before.)
IV. IT TRANSFORMS THE DOOMED
(Matt. 8:3)
(Ill. The context. Jesus touched this leper and delivered him from a life that was doomed. He was doomed to be ravaged by his disease and he was doomed to spending a life separated from other men. Jesus changed all that!) (Ill. In his condition, he pictures the situation of every lost soul today. Separated from God now by a gulf of sin and doomed to an eternity in Hell, 2 Thes. 1:8-9. The lost person also lives each day enjoying the Lord's blessings, but with no relationship with God at all. All the while, the wages of sin work themselves out in the life of the lost person, Rom. 6:23; Pro. 13:15; Gal. 6:7.)
V. IT TRANSFORMS THE DEAD
(Luke 8:54)
(Ill. The Context. Jesus merely touched the hand of this dead girl and she lived again! That is the power of His touch!) (Ill. There is nothing worse than death! It takes with it everything we have. In the spiritual realm, there is nothing worse than spiritual death! Yet, it is the condition of every person who is lost, Eph. 2:1-3. Thank God for the touch of Jesus Christ, Eph. 2:4-10. Ill. "But", v. 4!
VI. IT TRANSFORMS THE DECEIVED
(Luke 22:51)
(Ill. The context. Malchus was running with the wrong crowd. He lost his ear and Jesus ministered to Him and healed him for the glory of God. Ill. There is no indication that Malchus ever got saved.) (Ill. The compassion of Christ for the need of Malchus broke down all the barriers that stood between them and Jesus touched him with a touch of pure, life-changing grace!) (Ill. That is what He does for all those who are trapped and deceived in sin. He comes to them and offers them life within Himself! Matt. 11:28-30; Isa. 55:1-3; John 7:37; Rev. 22:17.)
VII. IT TRANSFORMS THE DISMAYED
(Matt. 17:7)
(Ill. The Context. The disciples were cowering in fear, but Jesus touched them and brought courage to them in their distress!) (Ill. He excels in lifting the fallen and encouraging the downcast, Ill. 3 Hebrews, Dan. 3; Ill. Daniel in the lion's den - Dan. 6; Ill. The disciples in the storm, Mark 6:45-51.) (Ill. He will do the same for you too! - Heb. 13:15; Matt. 28:20!) (Ill. He knows how to meet your need and bring you out of your distress, Rom. 8:37; 2 Cor. 2:14; 1 Cor. 15:57.)
Conc: Can you testify today that you have felt the power of His touch firsthand in your life? Do you know what He can do? Or, would you have to say, "Preacher, I really need Jesus to touch me today! I need His powerful touch in my life right now."? I don't know the kind of touch you need in your life today, but I know Who can give it to you! Jesus is His name and touching lives is His fame. Whether you are lost, backslidden, burdened, discouraged, or just want to learn to love Him more, you need His touch. Come get it!
God bless you.
Matthew 8:1-4
When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
Intro: Humans, at least when things are working as they should, possess 5 senses. These are sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch. All of them are important to our existence in and understanding of the world around us. While they are all important, and I wouldn't want to be without any, the sense of touch is one that places us into direct contact with our world. When we touch something, we are becoming intimately involved with that thing. While I have heard of people losing some, or all of the other senses, I have never heard of a person losing their sense of touch. Can you imagine not being able to touch your world? Can you imagine not being able to touch those you love? To not to be able to touch them might be worse that to not be able to see them!
We all touch thousands of things every day of our lives. Most, we do not even think about. But, there are times when we reach out and deliberately touch objects because we want to connect with that object. Our touch might be that of love, of passion, of tenderness, of compassion, of help, of deliverance or of curiosity. Our touch could involve many other emotions and processes that I didn't mention. Often, our touch can effect change in the objects we touch. Today, I want to talk about a touch that is far superior to any other human touch. I want to talk about the touch of Christ, and remind you that His touch is the touch of God! When He extends His hand into your life and purposely touches you, He will produces changes that no other touch can duplicate.
There are several aspects of His touch that I would like to point out by way of introduction.
1. His Touch Is An Intimate Touch - When Jesus touched this leper, it demonstrated a desire on His part to become intimately involved in this man's life!
2. His Touch Is A Powerful Touch - He touches a Simon and he becomes Peter. He touches a Jacob and the old trickster becomes Israel, the Prince of God. His touch transforms Abram into Abraham. His touch transformed the defeated Elijah into Elijah, The Man of Good. His touch changed Moses the murderer into Moses the leader of the people of God. His touch transformed a nobody named Jeremiah in the Weeping Prophet of God. His touch changed James and John, the Sons of Thunder, into and early martyr and the Apostle of love, respectively. His touch is a powerful touch.
3. His Touch Is A Transforming Touch - Humanity is mere clay, biding its time between the birth and the grave with no hope and purpose, until He touches us. When He does, everything changes!
This morning, I want to spend some time looking at a few events from the life of Christ that showcase the power of His touch. I want to show you what He can do for you if you do not know Him. I want to show you that there is power in the touch of the Lord Jesus Christ. Go with me for just a few minutes as we explore that thought:
The Power Of His Touch.
I. IT TRANSFORMS THE DISEASED
(Matt. 8:15)
(Ill. The context. Jesus touches and heals Peter's mother-in-law.) (In her condition, she represents those afflicted by the blight of sin. She was in a useless, hopeless condition, until she experienced the touch of Jesus upon her life.) (Ill. Rom. 3:23; Isa. 59:2) (Ill. His touch cleanses sin and transforms the sinner from a wasted to life! Psa. 103:12; 2 Cor. 5:17.)
II. IT TRANSFORMS THE DEAF
(Mark 7:33)
(Ill. The context. Here was a man who could not communicate with anyone. He could not hear nor speak. But, when Jesus touched him, all that changed!) (Ill. He does the same for lost sinners as well! Those who saved by God are given the ability to hear Him clearly and the privilege to speak to Him openly, 1 Cor. 2:14; Heb. 4:16.)
III. IT TRANSFORMS THE DARKENED
(Matt. 9:29; John 9:6)
(Ill. Here is a man born blind at birth. He is miraculously touched and healed by the touch of the Lord Jesus. Now, he can see, John 9:25.) (Ill. He opens the spiritual eyes when He touches our lives, Isa. 42:5-7; 1 Pet. 2:9-10.) (Ill. His children see things they had never thought about before.)
IV. IT TRANSFORMS THE DOOMED
(Matt. 8:3)
(Ill. The context. Jesus touched this leper and delivered him from a life that was doomed. He was doomed to be ravaged by his disease and he was doomed to spending a life separated from other men. Jesus changed all that!) (Ill. In his condition, he pictures the situation of every lost soul today. Separated from God now by a gulf of sin and doomed to an eternity in Hell, 2 Thes. 1:8-9. The lost person also lives each day enjoying the Lord's blessings, but with no relationship with God at all. All the while, the wages of sin work themselves out in the life of the lost person, Rom. 6:23; Pro. 13:15; Gal. 6:7.)
V. IT TRANSFORMS THE DEAD
(Luke 8:54)
(Ill. The Context. Jesus merely touched the hand of this dead girl and she lived again! That is the power of His touch!) (Ill. There is nothing worse than death! It takes with it everything we have. In the spiritual realm, there is nothing worse than spiritual death! Yet, it is the condition of every person who is lost, Eph. 2:1-3. Thank God for the touch of Jesus Christ, Eph. 2:4-10. Ill. "But", v. 4!
VI. IT TRANSFORMS THE DECEIVED
(Luke 22:51)
(Ill. The context. Malchus was running with the wrong crowd. He lost his ear and Jesus ministered to Him and healed him for the glory of God. Ill. There is no indication that Malchus ever got saved.) (Ill. The compassion of Christ for the need of Malchus broke down all the barriers that stood between them and Jesus touched him with a touch of pure, life-changing grace!) (Ill. That is what He does for all those who are trapped and deceived in sin. He comes to them and offers them life within Himself! Matt. 11:28-30; Isa. 55:1-3; John 7:37; Rev. 22:17.)
VII. IT TRANSFORMS THE DISMAYED
(Matt. 17:7)
(Ill. The Context. The disciples were cowering in fear, but Jesus touched them and brought courage to them in their distress!) (Ill. He excels in lifting the fallen and encouraging the downcast, Ill. 3 Hebrews, Dan. 3; Ill. Daniel in the lion's den - Dan. 6; Ill. The disciples in the storm, Mark 6:45-51.) (Ill. He will do the same for you too! - Heb. 13:15; Matt. 28:20!) (Ill. He knows how to meet your need and bring you out of your distress, Rom. 8:37; 2 Cor. 2:14; 1 Cor. 15:57.)
Conc: Can you testify today that you have felt the power of His touch firsthand in your life? Do you know what He can do? Or, would you have to say, "Preacher, I really need Jesus to touch me today! I need His powerful touch in my life right now."? I don't know the kind of touch you need in your life today, but I know Who can give it to you! Jesus is His name and touching lives is His fame. Whether you are lost, backslidden, burdened, discouraged, or just want to learn to love Him more, you need His touch. Come get it!
God bless you.
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