"Limitations On God"

"Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died".  John 11:21

Martha believed Jesus could heal her brother while he was alive but wasn't able to do anything after he died.  She put limitations on Jesus.  We do the same thing.  We believe Jesus can do this but not that.  We believe He can heal this disease but not that disease.  We believe He can work in this situation but not in that one.  We believe He can handle the little problems but not the big ones.  We believe He can multiply what is already there but can't provide when there is nothing to work with. 

Why do we put limitations on the Lord?  The main reason is because we don't really know who He is.  We have placed Him on the same level of just another man.  We look at Him like we look at everyone else and each other.  We think about Him the way we think about everyone else.  We think He is a mere mortal.  We think He is limited in what He can do.  We don't really believe that He is God who can do the impossible.  We don't really believe He is all powerful.  If we did, what might we be doing differently? 

Would we go to Him as the first resort instead of the last one like we usually do?  Would we believe Him for greater things?  Would our faith be stronger?  The truth is that He is God!  He is not a mortal, or another man.  He has always been and will always be.  He has no beginning and no end.  He is more than able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think.  He is Omniscient, Omnipotent and Omni-present.  At His name every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord.  At the sound of His voice demons tremble and flee.  By His word all things were created-- visible and invisible.  All power and authority in heaven and earth belongs to Him.  He speaks and the winds obey.  He speaks and the fire is quenched.  He speaks and the mountains are brought low.  He speaks and the sea rolls back.  All of nature-- fire, sea, wind-- knows how powerful He is.  Why don't we? 

Have a great day.  The Lord is not like us.  He is the Creator; we are the creation.  So, stop limiting Him and making Him like everyone else.       

"Revive Us Again"

"O Lord, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy".  Habakkuk 3:2

We talk about revival.  We pray for revival.  We see the need for revival.  But we miss the object to whom revival is directed.  Revival is not for the world.  It is for the church/body of Christ.  The word revive means:  to restore to life, regain life, give new strength or energy to.  The world is dead in trespasses and sins.  They must first be "born-again" and receive life.  The church, however, has already received life- it is made up of the "living".  Therefore, you can only revive (restore life) what once was alive but is now either dead or dying. 

When you were "born-again" (brought to life), the Lord began a good work in you.  Through the course of time, because of situations you have gone through, because of neglect, whatever the reason, that work that He started in you, those works that He once did through you, have been "dying"-- they are not as evident as they once were. 

I believe He is asking you today-- What do you want revived in your life?  What work do you want revived?  Perhaps you need the joy of your salvation revived.  Maybe it is a gift of the Spirit that hasn't operated in your life in a while.  It could be that you need a hunger and thirst for the Word of God to be revived in your life.  Maybe you aren't as spiritually discerning as you were once and you need it revived.  It could be your faith needs to be revived.  Whatever it is, ask the Lord to revive it.  He is desiring to finish what He begun in you.  He is desiring that you walk in abundant and full spiritual life.  He is desiring that you-- in every and all areas-- come back to life (be revived).

Have a great day.  The Lord wants to revive you and revive what He once begun in you. 

John 5:4; Philippians 1:6

"Spiritual Starvation"

"But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God".  Matthew 4:4

When I have gone for periods of time without eating, I feel weak in my body.  I need nutrition which comes from food in order to sustain it and make it strong and healthy.  It's the same spiritually.  In order for me to be spiritually strong and fit, I need spiritual food.  What is the spiritual food that I need?  It is the Word of God.  It is like bread; it is sustenance to my spirit.

Are you feeling weak spiritually?  Does your faith feel weak?  Are you having a hard time spiritually?  Do you feel as though you have no spiritual energy?  Are you having a hard time fighting spiritual battles?  Are you having a hard time discerning spiritual matters?  Has your spiritual eyesight and understanding become dim?  Are you at a loss as to what to do in certain situations that require guidance from the Word of God?  If you have been answering "yes" to these questions, then I have another question for you.  "When was the last time you ate?".  When was the last time you picked up the Bible and read it?  When was the last time you meditated and pondered on it or rehearsed its verses?  If you aren't reading and studying it, then you may be suffering from spiritual malnutrition.  If you have spiritual malnutrition not only will you not know what to do, but you will be in danger of spiritual starvation. 

But there is a remedy.  It is called-- eating.  Start "eating" God's Word.  Take it into your spirit daily-- several times a day.  Start filling your heart with it.  And the weakness you are experiencing in your faith will begin to disappear and you will also begin to get stronger.  "So, then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God". (Romans 10:17)

Have a great day.  Are you feeling weak spiritually?  It could be because you are starving from not eating on God's Word. 

"Will With Conditions"

"Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven".  Mathew 6:10

"Thy will be done".  How many times have we prayed that?  But what are we really praying when we do?  What we usually pray is full of conditions.  "Thy will be done... if". 

We want His will if it doesn't cost us anything.  If it doesn't take us out of our comfort zone.  If it fits into our plans.  If it is part of our agenda.  If it is what we want.  If there is no test or trial attached to it.  If it lines up with our own will.  If we don't have to give up anything. 

"Thy will be done" means exactly what it says-- His will be done.  There are no conditions.  There is no argument.  There is no question about it.  The most perfect example of the meaning of this verse is found in Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.  He knew the will of God would cost Him, would bring Him pain, shame, beating and crucifixion.  He knew it would cost Him His life, but He made no bargains and set no conditions on it.  He simply submitted to it.  He removed His own will out of the way and obeyed the will of the Father.

The next time you are praying, "Thy will be done", check yourself and see if you truly mean "Thy" or "mine"?  Pay attention to see if you are placing conditions on it.  Or are you without question submitting to His will and without trying to bargain with Him no matter what the price of obedience?   Do you truly want His will and nothing but His will? 

Have a great day.  "Thy will be done", means just that. 

"The Warning Signs"

"So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth". Revelation 3:16

We live in a world of "signs".  Each indicates the state or level of something else.  For example, contractions for a pregnant woman are a sign that indicates the baby is soon to arrive.  A red light on appliances indicate that the power is turned on.  A "check engine" light in your automobile indicates that you need to have it checked for a problem.

If we have signs in the natural realm that give us an indication of something else, then we also have signs in the spiritual realm that serve as indicators as well.  These "spiritual signs" indicate our spiritual condition.  They let us know that we are in danger of becoming lukewarm in our relationship with the Lord.  Being lukewarm doesn't just happen overnight.  It is a process, and during that process there are signs that are trying to get our attention and warn us.

What are those signs?  The first sign is in our prayer life.  Our prayer times become less and less.  It begins to be "on the go" instead of "in the closet".  We once prayed when we first got up in the morning and we prayed about everything.  Now our prayer comes when we can "squeeze" it in, and we no longer pray for instruction in our situations-- we try to figure them out ourselves.

Bible study, or lack of it, is another indicator.  Watching television, playing sports, being entertained, etc., have become more desirable than sitting down and reading our Bibles.  That is a sure sign that indicates we are growing lukewarm. 

Lack of prayer and Bible reading are the first two signs.  There are others.  The lack of these are warning signs.  They indicate to us that our spiritual life is getting in need of attention.  These signs are not to condemn us and hold us to a strict set of rules and regulations.  They are there to warn us, help us and show us that we need to make some changes before it is too late. 

Are you experiencing either of these signs in your own life?  Is your prayer time getting less and less?  Are you reading your Bible and studying it like you once did?  Can you hardly wait to talk to the Lord in prayer?  Are these still the things you love to do?  If not, you should not ignore the "warning signs".  You need to heed them because they are telling you something.

Have a great day.  Don't ignore the warning signs.