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!
Saturday, 26 November 2011
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
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