Another Call to Pray without Ceasing
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. (Eph_6:18)
Through His word, God calls us to lives of continual prayerfulness. "Pray without ceasing" (1Th_5:17). Jesus also calls us to this life of prayer, both by His teaching and His example. "Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart . . . in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed" (Luk_18:1 and Mar_1:35). Our present verse is another call to praying without ceasing.
The context concerns appropriating by faith the powerful spiritual resources that are ours in the Lord. "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil" (Eph_6:10-11). These heavenly provisions are put on by looking to the Lord unceasingly in prayer: "praying always." This constancy in prayer can be done with "all prayer and supplication." God has arranged many appropriate ways for us to pray to Him: such as, confession, repentence, request, thanksgiving, rejoicing, praise, adoration, and more. Note however, that every type of praying is to be done "in the Spirit." As in all areas of life, we must depend upon the Spirit. He will grant us guidance and wisdom for praying according to the will of God.
Godly praying also includes spiritual alertness: "being watchful to this end." When prayer is especially needed, we can be tempted to slumber. In Gethsemane, the disciples were not alert to the great need to pray. "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation" (Mar_14:38). Again, this highlights our need to be led of the Spirit. Further, a part of our need for the Spirit pertains to perseverance: "with all perseverance." Praying requires all kinds of spiritual persistence. Praying amounts to demanding spiritual labor.
The Holy Spirit must sustain us in God's strength, if we are to engage in prayer to the extent that our Lord often desires. Some of this call to persevering prayer involves the battles and needs that others are facing: "with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints." It is not wrong for us to cry out to God concerning our own needs. Our Lord invites us to do such. "Let your requests be made known to God" (Phi_4:6). Still, the Lord wants to use us in the lives of people near and far through the wonderful avenue of intercession.
The vision for prayer given here is quite expansive: "Praying always . . . all prayer . . . all perseverance . . . all the saints."
Dear Lord, this extensive call to prayer humbles my heart. I see much room to grow in my prayer life. Yet, it stirs my faith as well. By Your Spirit of grace at work in me, such praying is possible. O Lord, please make of me such a prayer warrior, Amen.
Money Cometh From Working!
Job 1:10 - 'Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? <span>thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.'</span>
I like this story about Job. But this particular verse is very relevant to some things that we face today as modern day believers in the "financial miracle" era. Many of us are constantly attending conferences, reading books and calling out to money, and doing everything to get that wealth that we were promised! But we must realize 1 thing. If you don't work, you don't eat!
Food and money doesn't come from just getting in that 500 dollar line at the revival, or somebody rolling around on prayer shawls pretending to be a prophetess and then charging you for the sweat! Stop giving under false pretenses and give for the right reasons.
Stop giving money to these pulpit pimps thinking you are one day gonna have a jet and a group of fans following you around like them. Stop getting ripped off thinking that you owe them money for the shallow word they preach.
Find God, find a job and you will unlock a mystery of the modern day church. If you work, you will have money!!!!
Job was wealthy and blessed. But Job had a job!
The bible says that God blessed the work of his hands and his substance increased in the land. God blessed his work! So many of us are not working and wanting to be rich! So many of us are not managing money right and believing God will bless our mess!
So many of us are trying to take the fast road to wealth and prosperity instead of working hard in the gifts that God gave us. We must get some Holy balance here. We cannot pray for money, but we must work to get money. We can call out to money all we want, but if we don't work, we won't have. And if we won't work, the bible says we won't eat.
Stop being so crazy about this stuff. We need balance in the body of Christ. We need to better ourselves so that money will be managed by us properly. We need self control too. I know people that can't pay their rent, but dress like a million bucks. I know people that eat at fine restaurants while their utilities are disconnected at home.
I know people that drive fancy cars and park them in front of their ghetto homes! Wake up people.
Balance is the key. God wants to bless you, but you need to get it together. That wealth is yours, but it must be earned and deserved. Don't just go to the conference, yell "Money commeth to me now!" and then go sit in front of the tv all day waiting for it! Work! Be diligent! Get an education! Operate in your God given calling! Don't just sit there, do something! God will bless the work of your hands and you will prosper in due time, but you must do what the Word says do and that is WORK!
I pray that the Spirit of God will give you more insight as you read and meditate in Jesus name.
God richly bless you.
Shalom!
Suggested Reading: Ex. 20:9, Gen. 3:17, Prov. 22:29, Prov. 27:23, Prov. 13:4, Prov. 10:4.
The Feel Good Syndrome
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; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
2 Ti 4 : 3 - 4 KJV
Sometimes I get frustrated watching certain ministers and teachers of the Gospel. Many times there is too much hype attached to sermons. Emotions, commercialism, marketing strategies, etc. turn me off.
Not to put anyone down, but there is so much we miss sometimes in the body of Christ because of selfish ministers that focus on money, prosperity, sales, and self promotion!
In the process, the Gospel gets twisted! You see, in order for a person to sell himself, he must edit the Gospel and turn it into a feel good message.
The consequences of sin cannot be preached because that doesn't prosper the preacher's feel good sermons. The topics that generate the money are prosperity, breakthrough, coming out, going to the next level, etc. But the truth of the matter is, your breakthrough, your coming out, your prosperity, and your money can all be held up if you are not living right!
Can I tell you the truth? The bible holds the answers for every question that we may face. The word of God does not need our help! I know people that read Christian books instead of the bible. They feel like there is a formula or pattern to follow, but there is not.
God gave you all you will ever need in the Word of God. Stop trying to plug up a hole in your life with all these feel good sermons and daily guides to living. Read the Word!
The word will tell you what is what. It's good to have preachers and teachers. It's good to be motivated by ministers, but make sure the motivation is to read the Word and not just hear the man!
Being purpose driven or adapting formulas to live by are not new. But God doesn't require you to follow a man's path daily. What He requires is your total surrender to him and his Word. If you pray to God, read and understand the word, and fast, you will be Christ lead instead of purpose driven!
You see, all you need is already built in you. Just like God calls others into their position in the Kingdom, he can call you! Sure, we follow leadership and submit to the authority of our pastors and teachers. But we must never try to follow the plan they have for their own life. It's not about a man's word, but it's about God's word and how it applies to you! And prosperity from God is not man's methods, but based on our obedience.
Obey God and you will prosper. Not prosper yourself, but God will prosper you. He will promote you if you continue to do what he is calling you to do. Consecrate your life, offer it to him and you will receive "all these other things!" Don't believe the hype and don't mistake talent for God's anointing.
Talent can make you feel good, make you shout and rejoice, make you cry, make you fill a stadium to hear, make you wanna be like them, etc. But the anointing changes you into who you were destined by God to become!
Suggested Reading : Rom. 1:25, 1John 4:1, Hos. 14:9
Can't Make It On My Own
Romans 7:18 - 'For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.'
To attempt to make it without the Spirit of God is impossible. I know preachers and teachers that pretend that they are perfect and never make mistakes. They come down harsh on those that error and yet they are not spiritual at all. Well, we know that if you are not walking in the Spirit, then you are walking in the flesh and if you are walking in the flesh, you will sin! There is no if, ands, or buts about it. You cannot do both.
If you take your eyes off Christ, you will put them on the enemy! You see, we don't have the power to make it without God's power operating in us. His power takes over and gives us power to live according to his will. The anointing that dwells in us is a leader and guider.
It is this power that gives us the direction to serve him. Yes, our flesh wars against it and we will find ourselves, at times, leaning towards the flesh or serving the flesh. That is why we must continue to renew a right Spirit by the power of God's Spirit.
Plain and simple, this is a daily walk. The church, especially the old school church, made walking with God look so easy when I was a kid. They acted like they never sinned or did anything wrong. They acted like they had it down packed and the Holy Ghost would not let them sin! But I have news for you saints of God. It's not about trying to look perfect in front of others.
It's not about trying to make this walk seem easy or make it look like you got it down. It's about living the best you can and bringing others into the kingdom of God. It was almost like some of the older saints were trying to put folks in hell. But I want God's Spirit to get me into heaven! I don't want to attempt to make it on my works. I don't want to be judged on my ability to do right or my power to be sinless. I want to be justified.
And my pastor always says that to be justified is to be just-as-if-I'd never done it! That's what I want. God give me mercy and grace. Don't judge me by my deeds, I'm not good enough. This is the attitude we need as believers and this attitude will make others that are not up to par feel that there is hope for them to get better. Remember this.....We should never use grace as an occasion to sin! But when sin occurs, grace is there.
This anointing that teaches us, can work on our insides and lead us into the path of righteousness. The more we follow, the easier it is to be lead by the Spirit. But, we won't make it on our own. We cannot get beside ourselves and act like we are better than others. Remember, Jesus died, so we won't have to. That being said, to act perfect and sinless is to make the death of Christ in vain. After all, if you can make it on your own, by your own good works, or by your perfect sinlessness, then you don't need the blood of Jesus and he didn't have to die for you!
Rom. 7:18, Rom. 3:20, Rom. 5:1, Gal. 2:16
God richly bless you and give you more insight in His word.
Shalom!
Did Jesus go to hell between His death and resurrection?
Answer:
There is a great deal of confusion in regards to this question. This concept comes primarily from the Apostles' Creed, which states, “He descended into hell.” There are also a few Scriptures which, depending on how they are translated, describe Jesus going to “hell.” In studying this issue, it is important to first understand what the Bible teaches about the realm of the dead.
In the Hebrew Scriptures, the word used to describe the realm of the dead is sheol. It simply means the “place of the dead” or the “place of departed souls/spirits.” The New Testament Greek word that is used for hell is “hades,” which also refers to “the place of the dead.”
Other Scriptures in the New Testament indicate that sheol/hades is a temporary place, where souls are kept as they await the final resurrection and judgment. Revelation 20:11-15 gives a clear distinction between the two.
Hell (the lake of fire) is the permanent and final place of judgment for the lost.
Hades is a temporary place. So, No, Jesus did not go to hell because hell is a future realm, only put into effect after the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11-15).
Sheol/hades is a realm with two divisions (Matthew 11:23, 16:18; Luke 10:15, 16:23; Acts 2:27-31), the abodes of the saved and the lost. The abode of the saved was called “paradise” and “Abraham's bosom.” The abodes of the saved and the lost are separated by a “great chasm” (Luke 16:26).
When Jesus ascended to heaven, He took the occupants of paradise (believers) with Him (Ephesians 4:8-10). The lost side of sheol/hades has remained unchanged. All unbelieving dead go there awaiting their final judgment in the future.
Did Jesus go to sheol/hades? Yes, according to Ephesians 4:8-10and 1 Peter 3:18-20.
Some of the confusion has arisen from such passages as Psalm 16:10-11 as translated in the King James Version, “For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption....Thou wilt show me the path of life.” “Hell” is not a correct translation of this verse. A correct reading would be “the grave” or “sheol.” Jesus said to the thief beside Him, “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). Jesus’ body was in the tomb; His soul/spirit went to the “paradise” side of sheol/hades. He then removed all the righteous dead from paradise and took them with Him to heaven. Unfortunately, in many translations of the Bible, translators are not consistent, or correct, in how they translate the Hebrew and Greek words for “sheol,” “hades,” and “hell.”
Some have the viewpoint that Jesus went to “hell” or the suffering side of sheol/hades in order to further be punished for our sins. This idea is completely unbiblical. It was the death of Jesus on the cross and His suffering in our place that sufficiently provided for our redemption. It was His shed blood that effected our own cleansing from sin (1 John 1:7-9). As He hung there on the cross, He took the sin burden of the whole human race upon Himself. He became sin for us: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). This imputation of sin helps us understand Christ's struggle in the garden of Gethsemane with the cup of sin which would be poured out upon Him on the cross.
When Jesus cried upon the cross, “Oh, Father, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46), it was then that He was separated from the Father because of the sin poured out upon Him. As He gave up His spirit, He said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46). His suffering in our place was completed. His soul/spirit went to the paradise side of hades. Jesus did not go to hell. Jesus’ suffering ended the moment He died. The payment for sin was paid. He then awaited the resurrection of His body and His return to glory in His ascension.
Did Jesus go to hell? No. Did Jesus go to sheol/hades? Yes.
Where was Jesus for the three days between His death and resurrection?
Answer:
1 Peter 3:18-19 states, "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison.
First Peter 3:18-22 describes a necessary link between Christ's suffering (verse 18) and His glorification (verse 22). Only Peter gives specific information about what happened between these two events. The word "preached" in verse 19 is not the usual word in the New Testament to describe the preaching of the gospel. It literally means to herald a message. Jesus suffered and died on the Cross, His body being put to death, and His spirit died when He was made sin. But His spirit was made alive and He yielded it to the Father. According to Peter, sometime between His death and His resurrection Jesus made a special proclamation to "the spirits in prison."
To begin with, Peter referred to people as "souls" and not "spirits" (3:20). In the New Testament, the word "spirits" is used to describe angels or demons, not human beings, and verse 22 seems to bear out this meaning.
Also, nowhere in the Bible are we told that Jesus visited hell. Acts 2:31 says that He went to "Hades" (New American Standard Bible), but "Hades" is not hell. The word "Hades" refers to the realm of the dead, a temporary place where they await the resurrection. Revelation 20:11-15 in the NASB or the New International Version give a clear distinction between the two. Hell is the permanent and final place of judgment for the lost. Hades is a temporary place.
Our Lord yielded His spirit to the Father, died, and at some time between death and resurrection, visited the realm of the dead where He delivered a message to spirit beings (probably fallen angels; see Jude 6) who were somehow related to the period before the flood in Noah's time. Verse 20 makes this clear. Peter did not tell us what He proclaimed to these imprisoned spirits, but it could not be a message of redemption since angels cannot be saved (Hebrews 2:16). It was probably a declaration of victory over Satan and his hosts (1 Peter 3:22; Colossians 2:15). Ephesians 4:8-10 also seems to indicate that Christ went to “paradise” (Luke 16:20; 23:43) and took to heaven all those who had believed in Him prior to His death. The passage doesn’t give a great amount of detail about what occurred, but most Bible scholars agree that this is what is meant by “led captivity captive.”
So, all that to say, the Bible isn’t entirely clear what exactly Christ did for the three days between His death and resurrection. It does seem, though, that He was preaching victory over the fallen angels and/or unbelievers.
What we can know for sure is that Jesus was not giving people a second chance for salvation. The Bible tells us that we face judgment after death (Hebrews 9:27), not a second chance. There isn't really any definitively clear answer for what Jesus was doing for the time between His death and resurrection. Perhaps this is one of the mysteries we will understand once we reach glory.
God richly bless you.
Shalom!
What is Christian meditation?
Psalm 19:14 states, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”
What then, is Christian meditation, and how should Christians meditate? Unfortunately, the word “meditation” can carry the connotation of something mystical. For some, meditation is clearing the mind while sitting in an unusual position.
For others, meditation is communing with the spirit world around us. Concepts such as these most definitely do not characterize Christian meditation.
Christian meditation has nothing to do with practices that have Eastern mysticism as their foundation. Such practices include lectio divina, transcendental meditation, and many forms of what is called contemplative prayer.
These have at their core a dangerous premise that we need to “hear God’s voice,” not through His Word, but through personal revelation through meditation. Some churches are filled with people who think they are hearing a “word from the Lord,” often contradicting one another and therefore causing endless divisions within the body of Christ.
Christians are not to abandon God’s Word, which is “God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
If the Bible is sufficient to thoroughly equip us for every good work, how could we think we need to seek a mystical experience instead of or in addition to it?
Christian meditation is to be solely on the Word of God and what it reveals about Him. David found this to be so, and he describes the man who is “blessed” as one whose “delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:2).
True Christian meditation is an active thought process whereby we give ourselves to the study of the Word, praying over it and asking God to give us understanding by the Spirit, who has promised to lead us “into all truth” (John 16:13).
Then we put this truth into practice, committing ourselves to the Scriptures as the rule for life and practice as we go about our daily activities. This causes spiritual growth and maturing in the things of God as we are taught by His Holy Spirit.
God richly bless you as you read and May the Holy Spirit grant you Utterance in Jesus name.
Shalom!
GET OUT BEFORE IT DRAGS YOU IN.
Proverbs 4:14 - 15 "Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away".
It's very hard to tell the devil no, once you are in the bed with him or her! It's very hard to turn off the internet porn while all the windows are continually popping up every time you try to click out of it! It's very hard to say no to drugs after they are in your hands or after you smell the smoke. It's very hard to back out of the wrong relationship once the relationship has started.
What am I trying to say? I'm saying that some things, no matter how "saved" you are, should just be avoided. You are not tough and God never tempts us with sin! You see, God wants us to run from temptations and not try to test ourselves or put ourselves through unnecessary strain and testing.
God considers us smart when we learn ourselves and when we know where to place our boundaries. Only a fool would continually put himself or herself in a position to be tempted by something they know they are vulnerable to. That's not a test or a trial, that is sheer stupidity! The bible tells us to abstain from "all appearance" of evil. That means, before it even tempts you, you need to go the other way!
When James talks about God not being the one that is tempting us, it says that we are tempted when we are "drawn away" of our "own" lusts (James 1:13). To be drawn away from something means that we are leaving a place and pulled somewhere else. So, that place where we reside before we are pulled away from it is the safe place.
We must learn to see the temptation from a safe place first, so we can hold our ground and not be pulled away into the area of the tempter.
Let's be real for a moment, If you know he or she will get you in the bed, don't meet them or even see them for any reason. If you know you have a problem with internet porn, put a Praise and Worship cd into your computer each time you get on the internet. If that doesn't work, get rid of it! I know many preachers that don't have internet service because of that very reason and they are smart!
If you have a drug problem, why are your friends still drug users? Get some new friends, and stay away from the people that have access to drugs. If you have a problem choosing the wrong men or women to get involved with, or if you are not in the position to be involved with anyone right now, don't give your number out! Stop taking numbers and calls from the opposite sex if you are not able to follow through.
You are creating a temptation that you will soon give into.
Be a smart Christian. God knows we struggle with certain things because we have opened up certain things in our pasts and even though we have been delivered, deliverance only means that God did his part. Now we must do ours and be sure to get out before we are drag into it.
Suggested Reading: James 1:13, Heb. 2:18, 1Th. 5:22, 1Cor. 7:2)
It's Not What You See, But What You Believe
Luke 17:14 - 'And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.'
Many times we get discouraged because we expect instant results when we speak the Word. But we must learn that God is not in our time. Sometimes, our faith is tried. There are times when God will test us and there are times when he will do things instantly. There will be times when you will speak the Word and not see anything happen right away.
You will not see results for a while. That's not the time to give in, but that's the time to hold on. Hold on to what you believe, in spite of what you see! In this passage in Luke, Jesus, who is the master healer, told the 10 lepers to go and show yourselves to the priests, which means that they were healed. But when he said it, they did not see it! The Word says that "as they went" they were healed. But because Jesus was not concerned about the outward appearance, he told them to go and show, knowing that the healing had taken place. That's the way we must operate as believers today.
We must believe the Word in spite of what we see. We must believe that in time, what we believe will come to pass.
God has levels and he takes us through growing times in our lives. He operates at his own pace and he considers everything. So, at times, delays are there because he is looking at things differently than we are. He is considering everything so that "All Things" may work "together" for our good and our purpose. So, that being said, we must understand that when we believe it, it's already in motion.
When we speak his Word, it's just like him speaking it and it starts the process into motion and things begin to conform to our words. Understand that just because you don't see it doesn't mean that it's not happening. You have to wait at times because the process may require your patience. And other times, things may happen right away.
But either way, God is God and his Word cannot lie. And when we speak his Word, it sets things in motion and the thing we called to be will be! Don't give up on what you spoke, but go on your way expecting what his Word says and you will have it! Your words shaped your life and has given you all that you have. So, since your words are that powerful, imagine if your words were God's Words. Imagine if you began to speak his Words over your life, over your children, over your home, over your marriage, or over your sickness. Try it. Once you begin speaking and believing, you will see that "as you go" you will have what his Word said!
Suggested Reading: John 14:13, John 15:16, Mark 11:24, Matt. 21:21, Mark 11:23.
I hope and believe the Word of God will be of a blessing to you.
Stay Bless.
Shalom!
How can I take control of my thoughts?
Many Christians struggle with this issue, especially in our highly technological world, but taking control of our thoughts is essential. Proverbs 4:23 states, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." The “heart” includes the mind and all that proceeds from it. Someone said that every sin we commit, we commit twice, once in our thoughts and again when we act upon those thoughts. It is easiest to rid our lives of sin if we attack it at this fundamental thought level rather than waiting for it to become rooted in our lives by our actions and then try to pull it out.
There is also a difference between being tempted (a thought entering into the mind) and sinning (dwelling upon an evil thought and wallowing in it). It is important to understand that when a thought enters our mind, we examine it based upon God's Word and determine if we should continue down that path or reject the thought and replace it with another thought. If we have already allowed a habit to form in our thought lives, it becomes more difficult to change the path of our thoughts.Here are some biblical suggestions for taking control of our thoughts and getting rid of wrong thoughts:
1. Be in God's Word so that when a sinful thought enters our mind (a temptation), we will be able to recognize it for what it is and know what course to take. Jesus in the wilderness (Matthew 4) responded to each of Satan's temptations with Scripture that applied to the direction He knew His mind should take instead of beginning down the path of the sinful thought. When tempted to meet His physical need (turn stone into bread), He recited the passage about the importance of relying upon God. When tempted to serve Satan in order to obtain the glory of the world, He brought up the passage that says we are to serve and worship God alone and speak of the glory that belongs to Him and those who are His.
When tempted to test God (to see if God was really there and would keep His promises), Jesus responded with passages that stress the importance of believing God without having to see Him demonstrate His presence. Quoting Scripture in a time of temptation is not a talisman, but rather serves the purpose of getting our minds onto a biblical track, but we need to know the Word of God AHEAD of time in order to accomplish this. Thus, a daily habit of being in the Word in a meaningful way is essential. If we are aware of a certain area of constant temptation (worry, lust, anger, etc.), we need to study and memorize key passages that deal with those issues. Looking for both what we are to avoid (negative) and how we are to properly respond (positive) to tempting thoughts and situations—before they are upon us—will go a long way to giving us victory over them.
2. Live in dependence upon the Holy Spirit, chiefly through seeking His strength through prayer (Matthew 26:41). If we rely upon our own strength, we will fail (Proverbs 28:26; Jeremiah 17:9;Matthew 26:33).
3. We are not to feed our minds with that which will promote sinful thoughts. This is the idea ofProverbs 4:23. We are to guard our hearts—what we allow into them and what we allow them to dwell on. Job 31:1 states, "I have made a covenant with my eyes; Why then should I look upon a young woman" (NKJV). Romans 13:14 states, "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts." Thus, we are to avoid periodicals, videos, websites, conversations and situations that will set us up for a fall. We should also avoid spending time with those who would encourage us down these wrong paths.
4. We are to pursue hard after God, substituting godly pursuits and mindsets for sinful thoughts. This is the principle of replacement. When tempted to hate someone, we replace those hateful thoughts with godly actions: we do good to them, speak well of them, and pray for them (Matthew 5:44). Instead of stealing, we should work hard to earn money so we can look for opportunities to give to others in need (Ephesians 4:28). When tempted to lust after a woman, we turn our gaze, praise God for the way He has made us—male and female—and pray for the woman (for example: "Lord, help this young woman to come to know you if she does not, and to know the joy of walking with you"), then think of her as a sister (1 Timothy 5:2). The Bible often speaks of "putting off" wrong actions and thoughts but then "putting on” godly actions and thoughts (Ephesians 4:22-32). Merely seeking to put off sinful thoughts without replacing those thoughts with godly ones leaves an empty field for Satan to come along and sow his weeds (Matthew 12:43-45).
5. We can use fellowship with other Christians the way God intended. Hebrews 10:24-25 states, "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Fellow Christians who will encourage us in the changes we desire (best if of the same gender), who will pray for and with us, who will ask us in love how we are doing, and who will hold us accountable in avoiding the old ways, are valuable friends indeed.
God Bless You.
Shalom!
What is the central thing about Christian faith?
Is it our view of man, the unity of humanity as one race here in the world under God?
Is it the ethical demands that Christianity raises, the moral standards we hear of these days?
Is it the emphasis on marriage and the family which is central to all of life?
Is it our hope in the hour of death and in overcoming the great enemy of mankind when we come to the end of life?
Well, the answer of course, is very clear. Both the Old and New Testaments indicate that the "main thing" about Christianity is Jesus Christ himself.
He is the center of our faith, he himself as a living Being who imparts to us new life by faith in his name.
His life, his death, and his resurrection are the central themes around which all truth gathers.
All truth, whether of a religious, a scientific, a moral or a polemic or political nature, whatever it may be, all truth must center around that. That is the central truth of Christianity.
Therefore, the fundamental question of life from the Bible's point of view is, "What is your relationship with Jesus?
One of the main reason why Peter was able to fall back into his place among the twelve and Judas was not after their betrayal of Jesus was a matter of relationship.
Peter had a close relationship with Jesus Christ as compared to Judas and that helped him. Because of the relationship they had, Peter was able to fall back.
Beloved we need to build a firm relationship with Jesus.
God Bless you.
Shalom!
The Weapon Of Prayer
Ephesians 6:12 - 'For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.'
It's time to pray saints of God. When people harm you, or misuse you. When they slander your name, lie on you, or disregard your very own desire to do the right thing.
When you have changed, yet they will not let you live down your past, or when you stand for the truth and yet they tear you down, it's time to pray! Prayer is our weapon, not gossip, backbiting, slander, or violence! We as believers don't react to a spiritual devil by fighting in the physical realm.
You can always tell a very immature Christian, because when they get upset or hurt, they will always revert back to worldly methods of revenge. But God said "HE" would fight our battles. Let's grow up Christians and not allow the devil to beat us up in the spirit realm while we shadow box him in the natural. You will get no where like that.
Prayer is your weapon! You can deal with the devil through prayer and if you are strategic, you can overcome his attacks! And when you develop a strong warfare prayer life, those enemies will reap the very attacks they are casting upon you!
In other words, praying for them and wishing them no harm will cause God to react! God said in Prov. 6:17 , he hates "hands that shed innocent blood" and that's not just talking about death, but it's talking about hurting people that mean you no harm!
We must never forget that God requires us to pray for those that do us wrong and that's not a weak cop out, but that puts your enemies in the hands of God for him to take revenge for you! So, again I say, pray instead of retaliating. When you are attacked and you feel that you have been wronged, pray for them and watch the vengeance of the Lord set it straight. Remember, God said "Touch not my anointed" and if you are chosen by him, the anointing resides within you! That means harm will come to them that harm you!
Suggested Reading: Psa. 105:15, Phil. 4:6, Rom. 12:19, 2Cor. 10:4
God Bless you.
Shalom!
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.
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)
God Said No!
I asked God to take away my habit. God said, No.
It is not for me to take away, but for you to give it up.
I asked God to make that handicapped child whole.
God said, No. His spirit is whole, his body is only temporary
I asked God to grant me patience. God said, No.
Patience is a by-product of tribulations; it isn't granted, it is learned.
I asked God to give me happiness. God said, No.
I give you blessings; Happiness is up to you.
I asked God to spare me pain. God said, No.
Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares and brings you closer to me.
I asked God to make my spirit grow. God said, No.
You must grow on your own! , but I will prune you to make you fruitful.
I asked God for all things that I might enjoy life. God said, No.
I will give you life, so that you may enjoy all things.
I ask God to help me LOVE others, as much as He loves me.
God said...Ahhhh, finally you have the idea.
May God Bless You,
"To the world you might be one person, but to one person you just might be the world"
Keep the Fire burning always.
Shalom !
LOGOS & RHEMA
There are two primary Greek words that describe Scripture which are translated word in the New Testament. The first, logos, refers principally to the total inspired Word of God and to Jesus, Who is the living Logos.
LOGOS - Word of God
Biblical Examples of Logos
The following passages of Scripture give examples of the logos of God:
“In the beginning was the Word [logos], and the Word [logos] was with God, and the Word [logos] was God” (John 1:1).
“The seed is the word [logos] of God” (Luke 8:11).
“Holding forth the word [logos] of life” (Philippians 2:16).
“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word [logos] of truth” (II Timothy 2:15).
“For the word [logos] of God is quick, and powerful” (Hebrews 4:12).
“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word [logos] of God, which liveth and abideth forever” (I Peter 1:23).
RHEMA - The Spoken Word
The second primary Greek word that describes Scripture is rhema, which refers to a word that is spoken and means “an utterance.”
A rhema is a verse or portion of Scripture that the Holy Spirit brings to our attention with application to a current situation or need for direction.
Every word of God is inspired, and “all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (II Timothy 3:16).
It is the Holy Spirit Who illuminates particular Scriptures for application in a daily walk with the Lord. The words of Jesus are significant on this point.
“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word [rhema] that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).
Jesus also stated, “The words [rhema] that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63).
When God gives a rhema for us to act upon, He often confirms it by a second rhema, that “in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word [rhema] be established” (II Corinthians 13:1).
Biblical Insights Into Rhemas
The following passages of Scripture provide insight into the rhemas of God:
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word [rhema] of God” (Romans 10:17).
“And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word [rhema] of God” (Ephesians 6:17).
“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word [rhema]” (Ephesians 5:25–26).
“If ye abide in me, and my words [rhema] abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” (John 15:7).
Biblical Examples of Rhemas
The following passages of Scripture give examples of the rhemas of God:
When Jesus told Peter to cast the fishing nets on the other side of the boat, Peter answered, “Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word [rhema] I will let down the net” (Luke 5:5).
When the angel told Mary that she would have a child, “Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word [rhema]” (Luke 1:38).
Simeon recalled the promise that he would see Christ before he died: “Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word [rhema]” (Luke 2:29).
God gave John the message he was to preach as a forerunner to Christ: “The word [rhema] of God came unto John” (Luke 3:2).
God reminded Peter of His Word: “Then remembered I the word [rhema] of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost” (Acts 11:16).
Jesus told Peter he would deny Him. “Peter remembered the word [rhema] of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice” (Matthew 26:75).
How do I “get” a rhema?
In the regular course of our daily reading of God’s Word (logos), we need to ask God to speak to us through His Word and give us insight into it. The Holy Spirit can cause certain passages to stand out with significant meaning or application for our lives. These are the rhemas of Scripture and should become a part of our daily thoughts and actions.
God Richly Bless You.
Shalom!
