"A Memorial Of Pain"

This morning I have another word from the Lord for someone-- a more specific word.  The Lord says-- somebody used you, abused you, took advantage of you or mistreated you and as a result you have made a "memorial" out of your pain. 

A memorial is: something, especially a structure, established to remind people of a person or event.  Instead of letting what was done to you go and leave it in the past, you have continued to hold on to it.  Instead of forgiving the person and what was done you wear your pain and hurt like a "badge of honor". 

The problem with memorials is that they will dictate your actions, feelings and emotions.  They will take control of your life.  They will never allow you to move forward because you keep visiting and revisiting them.  Each time you do they pull you a little further away-- from everything and everybody, including God and His plan for your life.  Each time you revisit it-- when you think about it-- you rehearse what was done and a stronghold is being set up in your life.    

You are at a standstill spiritually.  You can't seem to move any further with the Lord.  You are constantly going backwards.  You have prayed about it and prayed about it seeking an answer from the Lord but just can't seem to put your finger on what the problem is.  The Lord "sent" me to tell you that this is your problem.  You have made a "memorial" out of your pain. 

When you make a memorial to your pain, you are in fact "worshipping" it.  You give it your time, your attention, you let it hold you back, you let it stop you from moving forward, it basically runs your life.  It calls the shots.  When you say you "can't" let it go, you are really saying two things.  You are saying, "I won't let it go because of the attention it brings me".  Secondly, you are saying that God is not big enough to take care of your pain and hurt.

You have your answer.  Now it is up to you.  Either continue to worship your pain and feel sorry for yourself.  Or let it die-- pull down the "memorial".  Go to God, repent of holding on to it.  Then let Him help you have a funeral for it and bury it once and for all in His love and grace.

Have a great day.  You have made a memorial out of your pain; it is time to stop worshipping it.    

"Let The Chains Go"

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised".  Luke 4:18

Recently we talked about how Jesus sets us free and breaks the chains that hold us in bondage.  This morning I feel impressed that the Lord is saying that He wants to break some chains that are holding you captive.  But you are not letting go of them.  You are holding to those chains, even though you want to be free. 

 

I feel He is saying that you are holding on to them for several reasons.  The reasons:  these chains have been there for so long you have become accustomed to them and don't believe you can function without them.  Also, they have become a "security" to you.  You feel that without them you will not get the recognition, attention or even love that you desire.  The chains are also a tool that you are using to keep others close to you.  Without these chains you feel as if you will lose control of people and situations-- that is manipulation.  You feel that those chains identify you, without them you will "lose" who you really are.

 

None of the above is true.  Chains never "help" us.  They hold us back.  They keep us bound and weighted down.  They stop us from moving forward.  Though they may feel, in some "warped" sort of way, that they are "good" they are not.  Don't be afraid to let them go.  Don't let fear rob you of freedom.  Let the Lord deliver you from them.  When you do, He will open up a whole new world to you.  You will have a new perceptive on life.  You will accomplish and fulfill His plan for your life without hindrance.

Have a great day.  Let go of the chains that are binding you and stop holding unto them. 

 

"Renew Your Vow"

"I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people".  Psalm 116:14,18

Twice in this Psalm are the words above repeated, so let's talk about making a vow to the Lord.  The Bible tells us it is better not to make one than to make it and not keep it.  Vows, or rather the keeping of them, are important to God.  He doesn't take it lightly.  If you make a vow, you expect Him to keep His part.  He also expects you to do the same.

Many people make vows to serve the Lord if He will help them out of some difficult situation.  Some make vows as a "bargain" with God.  If He will "do this" request than they will "do that" act.  The greatest vow that we can make to God is the one to follow Him and serve Him all the days of our lives-- we make it at the moment we receive salvation.

This is the vow I want to talk about this morning.  Are you keeping that vow?  Are you still following Him?  Have you let the cares of this life pull you away?  Have you stopped acknowledging Him in your life?  Have you stopped reading your Bible, praying, going to church, in short, have you stopped fellowshipping and communing with Him?  Do you go for days without thinking about Him?  Are you involved in your own interest and not His?  Are you living according to His will or your own? 

If you are no longer keeping this vow, it is a dangerous place to be.  If you are no longer keeping it, you are missing out on abundant living.  If you are no longer keeping it, you are missing the blessings and peace that come with it.  Most importantly, if you are not keeping it you are missing out on fellowship with the One who loves you more than anything or anyone else. 

Is this you?  Are you the one I am talking about?  If it is, I have good news for you.  You can "pick up" your vow again.  You can renew it.  It is not too late.  He is still there.  He will still allow you to fulfill it.  Just go to Him and ask for forgiveness and start living it again. 

Have a great day.  If you are not keeping the vow you made to the Lord at salvation, it is time to renew that vow. 

"Staying Free"

"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound".  Isaiah 61:1

Jesus came to open prison doors to those who were bound and set the captive free.  When we think about His freeing of the captive, we usually think about those who are bound in some sort of addiction-- drugs, alcohol, pornography, sexual immorality, etc.  But those are not the only captives He sets free. 

He sets free and breaks the chains of all bondages.  He breaks the chains of unbelief, of self-condemnation, of fear and intimidation.  He breaks the chains of hopelessness, of materialism, of pride, arrogance, conceit and distress.  He breaks the chains of depression, sickness and disease, worry, fear, anxiety, murmuring and complaining.  Anything that can bind us, hold us captive, become a stronghold, imprisons us spiritually, mentally, physically or emotionally, He breaks the chains and sets us free.

When He sets us free, we are free indeed-- we are completely and totally free.  Have you been set free?  Are you still living in that freedom?  If not, it is because you have become entangled again in that yoke of bondage.  How?  By yielding to and giving into the temptation when it came.  By giving into the lust of your flesh when you were tempted.  You forgot that you have been empowered by the Lord Himself and His Holy Spirit to be able to stand and withstand the temptations, the attacks of the enemy and the weakness of your own flesh.  You did not stand in the power, grace, strength and victory that the Lord has already given you.  He has made us more than conquerors in all things.  We have been granted power-- His power-- over all the powers of the enemy.  Greater is He that is in us than He that is in the world. 

He sets us free.  He frees us completely.  We have to stand in that freedom and not be entangled again in the things that bind us.  We do that by renewing our minds with God's word, by submitting ourselves to Him and resisting the devil.  We do it by seeking Him first and His kingdom.  We do it also by putting on the full armor and using it when temptations come.  We do it by leaning upon His strength which is made perfect in our weakness.  We are strong in the Lord and the power of His might.  When we stand and when we walk in that freedom, the enemy cannot "re-chain" us because we have been set free.

Have a great day.  Jesus came to set the captive free.... once you are free, you are free... so stay free.

For further reading:
John 8:36
Galatians 5:1
1 John 4:4
Luke 10:19
Ephesians 6:11

"Show Me The Evidence"

"For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;  Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth. Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands: So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth".  Acts 19:24-27

The city of Ephesus was dedicated to the worship of the goddess Diana.  When Paul preached there, those who made their living by making statues and idols of Diana started a riot.  Why?  Their living was being threatened. Their sales were dropping off.  They were not making as much money.  The reason was because people were being won to the True and Living God through Paul's preaching.   

When the people turned to the Lord, there was a change that took place in them.  The change taking place was so obvious that those who merchandised this false idol took note because their business was beginning to suffer.  They had found the truth.  There was evidence that people were getting saved.  The biggest evidence was the transformation that took place in them.  This transformation caused them to stop following the ways of Diana.  They threw away their idols, shrines, trinkets and books.  They longed for the things of God and His teachings.  They desired to now follow Him. 

When Christ comes into our lives, there is a noticeable change that takes place.  Just because you walked an aisle, raised your hand to be saved, joined some church, did some sort of religious observance, believe in the existence of God and say you are saved/Christian but there is no change in you-- you are no different than you were before-- then may I suggest that you relook at your salvation. 

Along with change comes evidence.  Along with salvation comes evidence as well-- a changed and transforming life.  Are you still the same as you used to be?  Do you still think, act, speak and react the way you used to?  Are the things of God or the things of the world what is most important to you?  Are you living a transformed life-- hating what God hates, loving what He loves, living for His will, loving Him and others, throwing away your idols?  The fruit is the evidence of a life given to Christ.  The people at Ephesus had it.... do you?  

Have a great day.  What is your evidence that you are following Christ and that He is living in you?