"Real Life"

"Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?" Matthew 6:25 

I woke up this morning with a chorus I haven't heard in a long time repeating over and over in my thoughts. Let me share it with you. "Oh, my Jesus, rock of my salvation. Who bore the weight of Calvary's wood and shame. And cleansed my sin in the crimson flow of mercy. Precious Jesus, rock of my salvation"

 

I would like to remind you this morning that out of all that we think life is about- what to eat, what to drink, what to wear, where to live, what job to have, etc.- life really boils down to this one thing-- what you do with what God has done for you. God loved you so much that He sent His one and only Son Jesus to die on the cross to bear your sins in order that you might have salvation and eternal life. 

 

God purchased salvation for you, then He extended it to you as a free gift. What are you going to do with it? I said life really boils down to this one thing because this is the most important thing. Without salvation nothing else matters- "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Mark 8:36) All our hard work, all our worldly accomplishments, all the wealth we may acquire, are like treasures that moth and rust corrupt and thieves' steal. It is all temporary in the end. 

 

Sadly, we live our lives seeking after and working for the temporary and we neglect the eternal. We go about our business giving no thought to it. We are so busy with working on "life" that we miss out on "life" (real life, abundant life, eternal life that comes through Jesus Christ). 

 

So, I ask you- what will you do with what God has done for you? What will you do with this free gift of salvation? What will you do with Jesus; will you make Him your Savior? What will you do with your life? Will you spend it on temporary things and miss out on the eternal? Or will you receive God's free gift of salvation and enjoy real living?

 

Have a great day. What will you do with what God has done for you?

 

For further reading:

John 3:16; 10:10

Romans 5:8; 6:23

Matthew 6:19

2 Corinthians 4:18 

"Run To, Not From God"

"Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded." James 4:8 

What do you do when you fail the Lord? What do you do when you know you sinned? What do you do when you know you messed up or disobeyed the Lord? If you are not careful you tend to want to run. I am not talking about trying to run from the consequences of your actions, I am talking about running from God. Adam and Eve did that. They tried to run and hide from God after they had sinned. 

 

During the times I asked you about you can either make the choice to run from God or run to God. When you fail, shame and guilt will try to get you to run from Him. When you sinned, the guilt will try to make you run from Him. When you disobey, the condemnation will take to make you run from Him. 

 

Running from God is the worst thing you can do. It will only take you further down the road of guilt, shame, pain, etc. The enemy wants you to run from God. The last thing he wants you to do is run to Him. He knows it is when we run to God that we find peace, help, strength and forgiveness. As we draw near to the Lord, He draws near to us. The Bible says that God is ready to forgive. He longs to pour out forgiveness, grace, mercy and restoration on us.

 

Are you running from Him or to Him this morning? Are you letting what you have done take you further away from Him, or will you let it take you closer to Him and His forgiving embrace of grace? His desire is that you run to Him. Don't let anything stop you.

 

Have a great day. Don't run from God, no matter what you have done. Run to Him and let Him help you.

 

For further reading:

Genesis 3:8-10

Psalm 73:28; 86:5

Hebrews 10:30

1 John 1:9

"The Anchor"

"That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil." Hebrews 6:18,19 

There are times when we feel our faith slipping, when we are overwhelmed by the situation, and when we are bombarded by the cares of this life. During those times it often feels as though God is a million miles away. You can't feel His presence, you aren't hearing His voice, you don't sense that He is there, and you certainly can't see Him. Darkness shrouds any glimpse of Him. Fear shouts so loudly that it drowns out His voice. You see no end to the tunnel much less any light. You feel as though you are not going to make it but are going to drown instead. These times hit all of us- some are because we have opened the door to them, some are through no fault of our own, some are just a natural result of life, others are an attack of the enemy.

 

What do we do in those times? How do we "stay afloat"? How do we keep from going under? What can we do in order to not give up and throw in the towel? You hold fast your profession of faith without wavering. How do we do that? Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. You hold on to God's Word. 

 

Let me paint you a picture. There is a ship in the sea, there are waves and there is the shoreline. The shoreline is rocky. It has jagged rocks that are exposed on the shore and some that are hidden underneath. As the waves come the ship can be pushed into the shoreline. If it is, it can run aground, it can have its hull damaged, it can wreck on the rocks. 

 

The ship is us floating through life. At times the waves come (all the things we mentioned earlier). They try to push us into the shoreline on the rocks- the place of destruction.

 

Look back at the picture again with me. The ship doesn't seem to be moving closer to the shore. The waves are beating on it. It looks like it is swaying some, but it is not moving into the rocky area. It seems to be just "standing still" on the water. Why? The ship is strong and large, but the waves are equally as strong and fierce, so the ship's own strength is not holding it secure. It is because underneath the ship is an anchor. The anchor holds it in place. It keeps it from moving any closer to danger. It holds it save in a certain location. 

 

When the waves of life beat upon us, when we "feel" nothing, when we doubt and question, we too can hold steady, we don't have to be destroyed, we have an anchor that will hold us firm, secure and safe-- that anchor is God's Word. 

 

I know I have been lengthy this morning. But you can always count on God's Word when you can't see, hear, or feel anything else. God's Word will always be there, it is forever settled, it is quick, sharp and powerful, it is an invincible weapon, you can stand upon it and even though you may sway a little or be rocked somewhat by the waves, the anchor of God's Word holds firm and tight. So cast the "anchor" down today and let His Word hold you safely in place.

 

Have a great day. God's Word is the anchor that holds us in place when everything is beating upon us. 

 

For further reading:

Psalm 119:105;89

Hebrews 4:12; 10:23

Romans 10:17

"Guilt Free"

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Romans 8:1 

None of us are perfect. We have all made mistakes. We have all done things we should not have done, said things we shouldn't have said, and acted in ways we should not have acted. We have all been guilty of hurting someone else, making wrong choices, or having a bad attitude. We have all done things we wish we had done differently or could change. There are things we have said that we wish we had not said or could take back. The truth is that no matter how much we regret some things said or done, no matter how much we wish we had not done them, no matter how much we wish we could go back and do it over again, or how hard we try to correct them, what was done was done and what was said was said- you can't change it. 

 

While we can't change some things that we did or said, there is one thing that we can do about it and that is not allow the guilt of what was done to affect us now. Are you holding on to the guilt of past mistakes? Are you feeling guilty for not handling a situation in a different way? Are you being beat up by guilt over something you did last year, ten years ago, thirty years ago? Well, if you are then it is time to let it go. It is time to come out from under the guilt. It is time to release yourself and stop carrying it around. It is time you leave it back there in the past where it happened. 

 

Jesus gives you an invitation to come to Him and give Him your burdens. "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28) This invitation includes those who are laboring under guilt. It includes those who are bearing the burden of guilt. It includes those who are "loaded down" by guilt. Will you acknowledge His invitation today in the affirmative by giving the guilt to Him once and for all? Will you stop beating yourself up, stop blaming yourself, stop letting it rob you of peace and joy and receive His rest from the burden of guilt? 

 

Have a great day. We are all guilty of some offense, but we don't have to be guilty of holding on to guilt because of it. 

 

For further reading:

1 Peter 5:7

Psalm 51:2

John 8:36

"No Surprise"

"And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side." Mark 4:35 

Our scripture text is taken from the story of Jesus and the disciples when they were in the boat and a storm came up. The disciples were afraid for their lives but Jesus was asleep in the boat. When Jesus told them to get into the boat and go to the other side, He knew they would encounter a storm. When the Lord delivered the Israelites out of Egypt, He knew Pharaoh would pursue and they would be trapped between the sea and the army. When Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, the Spirit knew there would be temptations. When we walk with the Lord, we too will face these same kinds of trying times. But nothing that we face takes God by surprise. He doesn't back up and say, "Oh, no, where did that come from?" He is never blindsided, caught off guard or unaware of the surroundings. He always sees, He always knows, He always knows ahead of time even before we know it. 

 

In each instance above, we see God making a way through the trial. We see His presence on the scene. We see that He has the whole situation under control. If you are in a storm, if you are facing an enemy, if you are in a hopeless situation, if you are being sorely tempted, don't lose sight of the fact that the Lord is in the "boat" with you. Never forget that He is going ahead of you to make a way so that you can "cross over" safely. Don't forget that He is with you empowering you for what you are facing. 

 

Have a great day. God is never surprised by the things we face, and He is right there making a way for us. 

 

For further reading:

Mark 4:35-40

Matthew 4:1-11

Exodus 14

 

"Course Of Action"

"And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them." Acts 16:25 

When we are going through trials, trying times and difficulties, there are three courses of action that we can take.

 

1) We can use the weapon of God's word. When the devil came to Jesus in the wilderness to tempt Him to sin, Jesus used the "sword of the Spirit" (God's word/the scriptures) as His course of action to withstand the temptations and put the devil on the run. "It is written".

 

2) We can "stand still" and allow God to fight the battle for us. When Jehoshaphat was king of Judah, the Moabites, Ammonites and many other countries were coming against him in battle. The word that the Lord sent to him was- "Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you." (2 Chronicles 20:17) His course of action was to obey God's word to be still and let God fight for him. 

 

3) We praise the Lord. When Paul and Silas were in prison, they didn't whine and cry, they didn't murmur and complain, they didn't make loud threats to the jailors, they didn't get angry with God, instead they sang praises and prayed. There are times when a song isn't within us, when a praise is not felt, when praise seems like the last thing that you can do, that's when you just have to step out in faith and say, "Hallelujah any how". You just have to decide to praise the Lord in spite of the circumstance. These men were sitting in prison at midnight with their feet in stocks. Praise was the last thing a person could think about under those conditions, yet it was exactly what they did. 

 

You may be going through a midnight time- a time of darkness, grief and despair. You may be sitting in a prison- a prison of fear, dread, hopelessness. You may have your feet bound by stocks- unable to go forward or retreat, stuck in a situation with no freedom in sight. It is then when your course of action has to be to "praise the Lord". It is in these times that you have to look past your circumstances, past the conditions, past what you see and praise Him anyway. As you do, the darkness of hopelessness and despair will begin to break forth into the light of hope. As you do the chains of fear will begin to loosen. As you do the prison doors with shake, and you will experience an inner change and freedom even though the situation may not change but stay the same.

 

Have a great day. In trying times, you have a course of action to take. One course is that of praise. 

 

For further reading:

Acts 16:12-26

Psalm 46:10

2 Chronicles 20:1-17

Matthew 4:1-11

Ephesians 6:11-17

"He's Touched"

"For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." Hebrews 4:15 

Many people put their belief, trust and hope in many different things. Some put their trust in money; some in false gods; some in concepts; others in philosophies and some even put it in self. None of these things can give you comfort and hope. They don't have the power or ability to do so. There is only one that we can put our complete trust, faith, and hope in, and that is Jesus.

 

Why? What makes Him different? Why is He trustworthy? Why can we find help from Him when we can't find help in other things? It is because He is "touched with the feelings of our infirmities". He knows what it is like. He became a man and experienced what we experience. He knows what infirmities are-- He suffered times of physical weakness, He was hungry, He was thirsty, He was tempted. (But keep in mind that He never sinned though.)

 

This morning know this-- He is touched by your infirmities. He knows your body is feeble and lacks strength. He knows you don't always understand the things that happen to you. He knows you aren't always able to accomplish the things you would like to accomplish because of your inabilities. He knows that you are weak to combat the cravings of your flesh on your own. He knows that there are times you are not able to bear the trials you are going through. 

 

"He is touched". He sympathizes with you. He has compassion on you and feels in His heart what you are going through. And unlike anyone else, He doesn't just "feel for you", He is able to do something about it. He gives you His power and strength to continue to go forward when you are feeling weak. He gives you His grace to help you bear up under the trying times. He upholds you with His strong right arm. He fights your battles for you. He is the glory and lifter of your head. He bears your sorrows and carries your grief. He imparts His peace to your heart and mind.

 

He is touched this morning by your infirmities because He knows what you are going through. He is touched this morning in a very deep way. He is touched because He loves you and cares about you. So look to Him today and cast your infirmities on Him. He has already dealt with them and will help you deal with them today.

 

Have a great day. Jesus is touched by your feelings of weakness. 

 

For further reading:

Isaiah 53:3; 61:1

2 Corinthians 12:9

John 14:27

Matthew 9:36

"Our God And Our Father"

"Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father." Galatians 1:4 

"God and our Father". For thousands of years mankind has been serving gods. Each culture has had their gods that they have prayed to and worshipped. Of course, there is only one true and living God and all others have been and are false. But in man's worship of these false gods, we see a certain distinction that separates who/what they worship from the Christian God. Their gods are only an object of worship and service. That is all. They bow before them, they seek to make them happy, they call upon them for help... period, that is all. What sets our God apart is the fact that He not only is the object of our worship and service, but He is "God AND our FATHER". 

 

He is God who desires a relationship with us. He allows us to enter into a relationship with Him. He comes into a relationship with us through His Son Jesus that He refers to as a Father to children. Through our faith in Jesus Christ, God becomes our Father. The Father who loves us, who takes care of us, who provides for us, and who cares about what we are going through. It is not all just a "one way street" like those others where they can only hope to please their god by their acts. All the action is on the adherent's part in hopes that their god will do something for them. For us the action is more on the part of our God and what He has done and does for us-- He gave, He so loved, He called, He draws near, etc.

 

God is our God, never lose sight of that and give Him the honor and reverence that He is due. But also remember that He is your loving Heavenly Father who really loves you and cares about you and desires a close personal relationship with you as well. 

 

Have a great day. Our God is not just our God, He is also our Father who loves us.

 

For further reading:

John 1:12; John 3:16,17

1 John 3:1,2

Psalm 68:5

 

"There's Benefits"

"Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." 2 Corinthians 12:10 

Who would "take pleasure" in infirmities, persecution, distress? That is unheard of. We take pleasure in just the opposite- freedom from them. Yet the apostle rejoiced in the fact that he was going through such hardships. The word for pleasure means: to do willingly; to be well pleased with, to be favorably inclined toward. One might think that either Paul was crazy or he had discovered something good about them.

 

The fact is, he did find something beneficial. He understood that it was in those times that he discovered that the power of Christ rest upon him. It was in the times of infirmities that he discovered strength instead of weakness. It was during such trials that he saw the marvelous grace of God, the peace of God that passes understanding, the wisdom of God manifested, and the glory of God revealed. 

 

A friend and I were talking the other day about her son. He is still in high school and also has a part time job. She said he loves his job but not school. She wished he was equally as excited about school as he is about the job. The reason he likes his job more is because he sees the benefits from it-- a pay check. He doesn't see the benefits of school at the moment but the education he is getting now will benefit him throughout the rest of his life. We are like this young man, we see more benefits in having a carefree, easy, no problems life. We like those things that give us "instant gratification" and make us happy now. The things that Paul described don't. Yet, just because we don't see the benefits at the moment, just because we don't see how anything good can come from them, there are benefits that we receive that will sustain us for the rest of our lives.

 

While not everything we go through is good, there is something beneficial that can come out of it- God will see to it because He knows how to work all things together for our good. When we start looking at our trials in this light, then we too will find ourselves "taking pleasure" in them instead of complaining about them. 

 

Have a great day. Look at what you are going through in light of the benefits that are attached to it. 

 

For further reading:

Romans 8:28; 5:1-5

"The Place of Grace"

"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Corinthians 12:9 

Three times Paul prayed for the removal of the "thorn in his flesh". The scripture above was God's answer. The Lord didn't say He would remove it, instead He told Paul that His grace and strength would be there with him. To me this indicates that there are some things that we will have to walk through. There is no getting out of them. They are a part of life, a part of our spiritual journey, and a part of the process of developing Christ's character in our lives. But just because we have to go through them, it doesn't mean that we go through them alone.

 

God gave Paul, and us, a promise-- "My grace is sufficient, my strength is made perfect in your weakness". This is one of the most comforting promises in the Bible. It is God's own grace and His own strength that will be with us- not that of another person. His grace will always be enough- it will never fall short, it will never come up lacking, it will not run out. His strength will always be strong enough- it will not need any outside help; it will not grow tired or weary. 

 

God not only gives grace, but His very presence is also grace. He not only gives strength, He is strength. Where He is His grace and strength are. For the born-again believer He is dwelling inside of us so that means grace and strength are always present within us. Grace is not just an event. It is not something that only comes upon us when we are in need or going through a trying time. The grace of God is present with us always. Grace is a Person (the Lord), it is an endowment, it is our "traveling companion", but it is also a "place"- the place (state) in which we live.

 

It is grace that saves us. It is grace that keeps us saved. It is grace that gets us out of bed each morning and gives us the air we breathe. It is grace that keeps us from losing our mind when problems get more than we can bear. It is grace that keeps us from throwing in the towel. It is grace that gives us courage in the face of adversity. It is grace that gives us peace when confusion is present. It is grace that keeps us pressing forward when we think about retreating. It is grace that holds us together when we feel like falling apart. It is grace that gives us the ability to put one foot in front of the other and keep going on. 

 

Take time to thank the Lord for His grace today. It is ever present with you because He is ever present with you.

 

Have a great day. God's grace is the place in which we live. 

 

For further reading:

Ephesians 4:7

2 Corinthians 9:8; 13:14

 

"In Trying Times"

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33 

Life has a way at times of becoming more than we can bear. It is not always, "happy, happy, joy, joy". Sometimes it is more than you can bear. The Apostle Paul was experiencing one of those times when he cried out to God to remove the "thorn in his flesh". David faced those times as well. He was a man "without a country". The Philistines had sent him away and would not let him stay with them. When he got home to Ziklag, the enemy had captured his family. His heart was not only broken and overwhelmed at his loss but his own men who had faithfully followed him talked about stoning him. 

 

In each of these men's lives, and in the lives of countless others in the Bible, not only do we read about the continued afflictions, trials and testing that they endured, we also read about how they made it through them. We discover that their answer is our answer as well. Their answer was found in the Lord. They called out to Him. They didn't run from Him, but they ran to Him. They didn't get angry at Him, they didn't accuse Him, they didn't turn from serving Him. They knew their help was in Him. They knew they could trust Him regardless of the situation. They knew He was with them and had never and would never leave them. They sought Him for their strength and their answer. In both cases He answered them, He imparted His strength and grace to them, and He fought their battles with them and for them. 

 

When we face difficulties, no matter how often they come, our answer and ability to make it through them comes from our confidence in the Lord. It comes from remembering that He is with us, He is upholding us, He is watching over us, He is not to blame, He loves us and His presence will stay with us sustaining us at every moment.

 

Have a great day. We are often bombarded by difficulties and trials, but we never face them alone. 

 

For further reading:

Psalm 34:19

2 Corinthians 11:21-30; 1:4; 12:9

1 Samuel 30

Matthew 11:28-30

"Survival Mode"

"And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days." 1 Samuel 17:16

Every day for forty days, morning and evening each day, Goliath the giant came out before the Israelite army and made his threats. Can you imagine facing this scene day in and day out? I can because it seems as though this is the same thing the devil is doing to the saints today. He is trying to weary us and wear us out with his continual taunts and threats.  It seems as though his attacks have increased and intensified, but it stands to reason because the return of the Lord is drawing near, and he knows his time is short. 

Morning and evening without letting up, Goliath would make his accusations, his intimidations, his condemnations, his threats and cause the army to be confused, fearful and discouraged. We Christians are supposed to be an army of believers, but we are doing the same thing that the Israelite army did. We are listening to the words of the enemy and letting it cause us to stop advancing forward but instead hide in retreat.

The Bible says that the kingdom of heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force. That means that the army of heaven (Christians) is advancing, not standing still. For too long we have been in "survival mode" (just barely making it, just trying to maintain what we have and not lose anything else.) We have to "change gears" and get into battle mode. Is there not a cause?

Though Goliath looked and sounded intimidating, he was brought down and destroyed by a young shepherd boy with a sling shot and a stone. The enemy may seem fierce, he may talk a big talk, he might look bigger and more powerful than you, but he's been brought down, and his works have been destroyed by Jesus. That means that all he is is idle and meaningless threats. So why are we listening to him? Why are we being fearful and intimidated? Why are we in hiding? Why aren't we advancing and going forth? Jesus defeated the enemy and then gave us power and authority over anything he would use to try to defeat us or stop us with from bringing God's kingdom to the earth. 

Have a great day. Our enemy has been defeated, so get out of survival mode and start advancing to reach this world for Jesus.

For further reading: 1 Samuel 17:29, 40-51; Revelation 12:12; 1 John 3:8; Luke 10:19; 2 Timothy 2:4

"Where's Thanksgiving?"

"And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan." Luke 17:15,16

For over a month everywhere you looked was Halloween.  It was literally everywhere! November first, as soon as it was over, now Christmas is going up everywhere. I want to know... what happened to Thanksgiving? We seemed to have completely skipped it. 

Marketers have programed us to focus on holidays like Halloween and Christmas because that is the time when they can make more sales and in turn make more money. The more they "play these up" and put merchandise out there to entice us to buy, the more we will. 

While we are programmed toward these, we are being deprogrammed away from Thanksgiving-- like I said, this holiday has been skipped. It's not an oversight. It is intentional. This isn't just about holidays, it goes deeper. It is devised by the enemy of our soul. If we can neglect and move pass Thanksgiving without even giving it a thought, then it will flow into our spiritual life as well. Which is the goal of the enemy... stop us from being thankful to God. 

Sadly, many have lost a heart of thanksgiving. We pray and beg God to do things for us, but when He does, like the nine lepers, we never return to say, "Thank You". We see a lack of thankfulness in the world and in the church. We Christians, of all people, should be the most thankful. After all, our sins have been forgiven, we have been restored into fellowship with God, we have eternal life, and our names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. And all because God loved us and sent His Son Jesus to die for us. 

So, ask yourself... am I a thankful person? Do I give God thanks for answered prayers, for daily blessings, for His love for me? Or do you neglect and forget to thank Him?

Have a great day. We should be thankful to God everyday of our lives. After all, we have so much to be thankful for. 

For further reading:

1 Chronicles 16:34; Psalm 50:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:18; Ephesians 5:20; Colossians 3:15

"Eroding Words"

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue..." Proverbs 18:21a

There is power in our words. They have the power to encourage or discourage. They have the power to produce fear or faith. They can build up or tear down; comfort or distress; bring peace or confusion; wound or heal. They can bless or they can curse.

How much thought do you give to the words you speak? What kind of words are they? Our words have the power to produce either death or life. When we constantly speak negative, fearful words they produce an "erosion" of the thing, or person, they are aimed at. Gradually they bring destruction until they have done a lot of damage. 

How can we make sure that our words don't bring "death" and that they produce "life" instead? By speaking the Word of God. "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." (John 6:63b) God's word always produces faith, comfort, peace and life. When we speak them, we don't have to worry that we are speaking wrong things. While negative words cause an "erosion", speaking God's word reinforces and adds strength instead. 

Have a great day. When we speak God's Word, we are speaking life. 

For further reading:

Romans 10:8

James 3:10

Proverbs 31:26

"Speak The Powerful Name"

"That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:10,11

Most mornings I wake up with a song repeating over and over in my heart and thoughts. This morning the song is, "I Speak the Name of Jesus Over You".  Then in just a couple of moments the song switched to another song, "There Is Power In the Name of Jesus". 

There is power in the Name of Jesus. He has been given a Name that is above every name. If it has a name-- His Name is more powerful than it is. His Name brings victory over it. His Name is more powerful than the name of sickness, disease, fear, anxiety, bitterness, hate, confusion, mental illness, depression, etc., and so on. 

At His name every knee shall bow. If it has a name-- it has to bow at the Name of Jesus. All the things that we have already named, and more, has to bow before Him. He has authority over them. He is Superior to them. He is Supreme over them. 

We should never take the Power that is in the Name of Jesus lightly, or for granted. Are you going through some situation? Do you need victory in it? Do you need deliverance? Do you need guidance? Do you need wisdom? Do you need power over it? Then start speaking the Name of Jesus over it! At His Name demons flee. At His Name raging seas cease and are at peace. At His Name the mouths of lions-- accusations, intimidations, fear-- are shut. At His Name the destructive power of the fire is quenched. At His Name sickness is healed, the hand of death is stayed, miracles happen, darkness become light, fear becomes faith, and the impossible becomes possible!

Have a great day. Speak the Name of Jesus, because there is power above all powers in His Name!!

 

"Speak To This"

"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31 

The words "these things" are translated- these, these things, this. Have you ever been faced with "this"? Perhaps you are facing it now. What "this" is is not always the same for everyone. "This" may be a marriage that is in trouble. "This" may be a rebellious child. "This" may be a bad report from the doctor. "This" may be fear that is trying to grip you. There are a lot of things and situations that are "this" that we find ourselves in. 

 

"This/these things" are very real so we can't ignore them as if they don't exist. So, what do we do and how do we handle them? "What shall we then say to these things?" We pray and we "say". We have to do some "talking" to them. 

 

Jesus taught us to speak to the mountain. He never said to whine about it. He never said to shrink back in fear because of it. He said to speak to it. We have to speak to the situation and remind it (and ourselves in so doing) that God is for us, He is on our side, He is our helper, therefore, "this" cannot prosper against us. "This" may fight against us, it may look like it is winning, it may look like it is the victor, but keep speaking to it anyway. 

 

God has given us a weapon that is sharper and more powerful than a two-edged sword. It is His word. Jesus used the sword of God's word to defeat the enemy in the wilderness. The saints in the Book of Revelation overcame by the "word" of their testimony. Jesus is the Word that was made flesh and dwelt among us. When we speak God's word, we are speaking Jesus and placing Him in the midst of our situation.

 

So don't be overcome by your situation, don't ignore it, don't get fearful, don't give up, speak to "this/these things". As you speak God's word the devil will flee, your faith will become strong, you will become more aware of God's presence in your situation, and regardless, you will be the victor assured that all "this/these things" work together for your good.

 

Have a great day. What do you do about "this" that you are facing? You speak to it.

 

For further reading:

Matthew 21:21; 4:1-11

Proverbs 18:21

Romans 8:28; 10:17

John 1:1,14

Revelation 12:11

Hebrews 4:12

Ephesians 6:17

"Season Of Faith"

"Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter." Psalm 74:17 

There are four seasons that govern the earth- summer, winter, spring and fall. They each have their distinct characteristics and they each have their turn. It is that way in our lives, there are these same four spiritual seasons that manifest at different times. The spring time is when everything is growing and new- prayers are being answered visibly, you are getting more insight and revelation into spiritual matters, the rain of the Spirit is falling upon you almost continually, etc. The summer season seems to be a little dryer- your prayers seem to take longer to be answered, getting into that place of refreshing seems to take more effort, you feel a little on the "dull" side. In the fall time things have a hint of color but everything feels as if it is going in reverse- the prayers that were answered now seem to be unraveling, you seem to be loosing the ground you had obtained, it feels as though you are making two steps forward and three steps back. The last season is winter. This is the one I want to focus on for a moment.

 

Winter is that time when everything looks dead. The leaves are gone, the trees are bare, the grass has lost its color, it is cold and dreary. The spiritual winter season looks and feels the same way. It feels as if there is no life, just deadness, your desire to pray and reach for spiritual things is gone. But just like the natural winters life is still there. Those trees are not dead though they appear to be, life is still in them. 

 

If you are in a winter season, don't get discouraged. While you may not see any sign of "life" it is there. It is in the time when we see nothing that we have to live by faith. Faith that your spirit is still alive and well. Faith that all is well. Faith that this time will pass, spring will come again and productivity is on the way. Faith that prayers are still being answered. Faith that there is something good in this season even though you can't see what it is at the moment.

 

Have a great day. Seasons come to our lives, even the winter season. Winter is the season when our faith is put to the test and has the greatest opportunity to grow.

For further reading:

2 Timothy 4:2

Romans 1:17 

"The Beginning Step"

"Who dares despise the day of small things..." Zechariah 4:10a 

I read a quote the other day that stood out to me-- "The expert at anything was once a beginner." To get anywhere you have to start at the beginning. We have a tendency to want to skip the process that it takes to get "to the top". No one wants to start on "bottom". Newly weds want to start off with all the things that it took their parents years to acquire. Employees want the management position that their boss has their first day on the job. That boss didn't get their over night, it took lots of hard work and dedication; there was a beginning. 

 

The point I want to make is that in life there are processes that we have to go through. That process often seems meager, uninteresting, too time consuming, hard work. Why can't we just automatically get to where we are going? Because although we would like to think that we "know everything" and are that smart, we aren't and don't. We have to "learn" it. 

 

We can't bypass the process. Joseph could not go from his father's home straight to the palace in Egypt. He had to start at the beginning-- the pit. You may be in the "pit" place of the process, but don't give up, don't get anxious, don't get impatient, and don't get angry. Learn the lesson where you are because promotion to the next step doesn't come until you have passed this one. 

 

Have a great day. We all have to start at the beginning and go through the process before we become an "expert" at anything. 

 

For further reading:

Ecclesiastes 9:10

Proverbs 10:4; 12:24; 21:5; 22:29

"He Loves You Openly"

"The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing." Zephaniah 3:17 

For those who still aren't convinced that God is not against you, for those who think He just waits for you to mess up so that He can "let you have it", and that He doesn't love you, you should read this verse and take it to heart. This verse expresses exactly how He feels about you His child. It is a clear picture of a God who is not mad, who is not looking for opportunities to punish you, and who does not stay angry with you.

 

The verse says that God is in your midst- He is right there with you. He doesn't leave you and He doesn't forsake you. He is there all the time- good times and bad times.

 

He is mighty- there is nothing weak about God, and He uses His might and power on your behalf. He also imparts His power to you when you are weak and have no strength.

 

He will save- He won't turn those away who call on Him for His help. He knows we need Him because we can't do it on our own. No one can save themselves; no one can deliver themselves. But He can, and He will.

 

He will rejoice over you with joy and with singing- it literally means that He will display His joy and happiness about you openly. Think about it, God actually sings over you. He is open about His feelings for you. He doesn't hide them. He doesn't get embarrassed to show them. The God of the universe openly displays the fact that He loves you more than anything and He does it for all to see. What do you think the cross was all about? He loved you so much that Jesus died for you on the cross to secure that love relationship with you. He didn't die in the back room somewhere or in secret, but openly for all to see, high on a hill and then lifted up even higher on a cross.

 

He will rest in His love for you- He isn't forceful, pushing Himself on you. He keeps quiet about the mistakes you have made, not exposing your sins for all to see. He throws them into the depth of the sea and a place of forgetfulness and doesn't speak of them ever again. He doesn't remind you of your past sins and use them to condemn you. 

 

See how deeply and dearly He loves you. When you start feeling unloved, forgotten, neglected, as if He doesn't care, just remind yourself that He is with you and He is displaying joy, singing, strength and love over you.

 

Have a great day. God doesn't hide His love for you, He is very open with His display of how much you mean to Him. 

 

For further reading:

John 3:16,17

Romans 5:8

Jeremiah 31:3

"The Weapons Cannot Succeed Against You"

"No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord." Isaiah 54:17 

Never think that there aren't weapons that the enemy is forming against you, there are. They are formed against your spirit, soul and body. They are formed to destroy your health, your mind, your relationships, your spiritual wellbeing. But the weapons that are formed against you will not prosper. There is not even one weapon that will prosper against you. The scripture says "no" weapon, and the last time I checked, "no" means "no".

 

The word prosper here means: to succeed, to be successful, to make progress. When weapons form against us, it often looks like they have succeeded in hitting the target of our lives-- our children are in rebellion away from God, our marriage is falling apart, our health is deteriorating, our possessions are being taken away, and so on. 

 

We must remember that they don't prosper because all things work together for our good. It may look like defeat, but we can never be destroyed, we have eternal life. It may look like defeat, but we always triumph through Christ Jesus. It may look like defeat, but we are already dead to our flesh. It may look like defeat but the just live by faith not by sight. It may look like defeat but something of eternal value is being worked out in us through it. It may look like defeat but greater is He that is in us, therefore, He is still in control- not the weapon. It may look like defeat, but we are still here to fight another day.

 

So, when the battle rages remember that just because there are weapons that are trying to destroy you, they will not prosper. They can't win against you. They only work together for good on your behalf. 

 

Have a great day. The weapons that are formed against you will not succeed in their attempt to destroy you. 

 

For further reading:

Romans 8:28

1 John 4:4

Hebrews 10:38

Exodus 14:14