Prayer has been defined as a sincere desire of one’s heart, but many have asked why do we pray??
-We pray to have one on one communication with God. You don’t need a middle man or go between to get your prayer requests over you just have to open up your mouth and talk to Him. There are many ways you can do this. Most commonly you will see people on their knees, heads bowed and eyes closed but this is not the only way to pray.
-However you feel comfortable talking to Him is the best way to pray It is truly awesome to know that there is not a specific way to come to Him. God will always look past your faults and see your needs so if you go to him with a sincere heart and open mind your prayers will not fall on deaf ears. (See Psalms 86 for the prayer of David to God.) This is just an example of a personal prayer. You can pray to Him to give thanks, to ask for help or to even ask for the help of others. The bible says where two or three touch and agree he will be in the midst.
DOES PRAYER ACTUALLY WORK???
-So much of the answer to this question is based on the individual. The bible says in Thessalonians 5:17-“Pray without ceasing”. Many times we feel that prayers should be answered on our time table and so once we pray about something for so long we give up or stop. When you are asking God for help it is always ok to keep talking to him, keep communicating with Him no matter how long it takes to get an answer. God is and has always been an on-time God and always seem to show up just when we need him most. We may feel that he has forgotten about us but all our prayers are recorded. God’s people should always pray and not “give up” or “lose heart” because we are appealing to a perfectly just and righteous Judge. One way faith expresses itself is in the persistent, fervent practice of prayer.
-As Christians we need to understand that prayers are also answered according to our faith. We all share different relationships with God and are on different levels in our Christian walk. You have to truly believe that he will answer your prayers, which is hard for us sometimes. As humans so much of what we believe is based on what we can see, touch or feel. When you are praying to God you are asking him to step in on your behalf no matter what the situation. You have to trust him enough to know that he will do that for you and that no circumstance is too big for Him.
-While it is important for all Christians to pray it is especially important for men to pray. The bible says In Luke 18:1-Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart. I urge you to read this story about a judge, a widow and an adversary. The judge“did not fear God nor regard man”. Judges have the position, but they do not have the godly character, compassion and sense of justice that should qualify a man to be a judge.
In closing, Warren E. Berkley says the following. This is very poignant in today’s society and we should always keep this in mind.
Prayer should not be like a “fire extinguisher.” This equipment hangs on the wall and you may pay little attention to it until there is an emergency. Then you want it! Some treat prayer the same way. If there is no “emergency” in life, they don’t use it. But in time of crisis they want God to listen and respond at once! The teaching of Christ is exceedingly plain – we ought to pray regularly, “always,” knowing that God is perfectly just and will answer according to His wisdom.
2/23/10
If God is always present, why do we as Christians still suffer?
To suffer is defined in Webster’s as the following
a: to submit to or be forced to endure
b : to put up with especially as inevitable or unavoidable
c :to allow especially by reason of indifference
Scripture reference:2 Corinthians 1:5-7
5For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
6And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
7And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
When faced with tragedy have you ever asked:
Why me?
How can a loving God let this happen?
Has God withdrawn His love from me?
Was it my fault?
Why did God allow this?
Many people both believers and non-believers ask this question every single day. In fact, many times Christians are mocked when they are made to go through earthly trials. When I have dealt with suffering in my own life I recall being asked “where is your God now?” I am here to tell you guys that He is still present and still in control. Through the prophet Isaiah God tells us, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways" (Isaiah 55:8). God thinks and acts on a level different from ours. He sees things in an entirely different way. From our perspective, it's as though we were putting together a jigsaw puzzle with many of the pieces missing. What part of the picture are we failing to see? Let’s explore that……..
-First, we need to understand that God ALLOWS us to suffer for many reasons. Many times we blame things on Satan and all of our troubles and problems are his fault but we have to understand that even if Satan is active in all suffering, his presence does not minimize the responsibility of either others or ourselves. Satan can never be used as a way to share responsibility for the wickedness of one’s sin. No one can say, “The Devil made me do it.” We cannot use Satan as an excuse for personal sin, and we can’t use Satan as a way to minimize other’s sin either. We should never suggest that something is over God, like there is some constant grudge match between the two because the bible says that even Satan has to operate under God’s rule. God is king over all. God is not the author of sin and suffering, but He is over all things, even our suffering. He “works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will” (Ephesians 1:11). People forget that God is sovereign (supreme ruler). He is the creator and has the absolute right to do all things according to his own good pleasure.
-Second, we need to understand that believing in God does not excuse you from trials and tribulations, in fact it guarantees you that you will have them. Some will be small and some will shake you all the way down to your foundation. Without these trials there is no testimony to give about what God has done for you. There is no purpose in life, nothing happens after death, and our progress, achievements, and time on earth is soon forgotten after the we have passed on. That would also mean there is no point in living according to His will. Romans 8:18 says “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” This basically means that suffering for Christians is par for the course but it does let us know that there is a heavenly reward in suffering as long as we look to God for our help.
-Lastly, we need to know that suffering is temporary. Many times we wallow in suffering. We get down on ourself, we give up hope and truly believe that things will not get better. We are limiting God when we do this. Suffering gives us yet another opportunity to lean on him and not our own selves. We need to understand that there is a great testimony in dealing with something bad, giving it over to of and coming out of it. It not only raises your trust in God but it also raises his trust in you. : “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28
In closing I want to say that we have heard the phrases many times that “if it were too easy I wouldn’t want it” or “anything worth getting is worth fighting for” We should apply those same principles when dealing with suffering in our lives. If God didn’t value you there would never be any issues to deal with which would be shame. Suffering gives us yet another chance to give him the glory he deserves. Always keep these things in mind when going through:
Know that God is with you and loves you.
God says, “Know that I am God.”
There is a purpose in suffering.
Christ suffered and paid the ultimate sacrifice.
He is in control.
What can I learn from this?
3/9/2010
What does Salvation mean, and how do we accomplish it??
Scripture reference:Romans 10:9-13
because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
For a Christian, this word means knowing who you are and who’s you are. You are able to live your life with no doubt of what you inherit not only after death, but also the blessings you experience when you give your life to Christ while still living. The Bible is very clear about the inheritance of those
The word “salvation” is used in many ways throughout the bible and carries many meanings. It is generally used when referencing the deliverance from evil or danger. Thisisnot only for physical danger but also spiritual, emotional or mental danger. In Exodus 14:13 this word is used in reference to the deliverance of the Israelites from the Egyptians. In the New Testament it is specially used with reference to the great deliverance from the guilt and the pollution of sin wrought out by Jesus Christ, "the great salvation" (Hebrews 2:3). This is when Jesus paid the ultimate price for our sins.
We have to understand that sacrifice is often a very big part of salvation. You have to give up yourself and give control to the Lord. Many times, this is what we wrestle with as human beings. Most of the time we feel we are going to miss out on something, so we don’t give all of ourselves to Him and thus don’t reap all the benefits. You can not half heartedly do anything in regard to God. You can not half believe, half trust or half represent him. God will always see the heart of a man so we have to make sure that when we are seeking salvation we have to provision not only our hearts but also our minds on what truly is important. Living by kingdom principles is often not the popular or easy thing to do but it is always the best practice. See Titus 2:11-14
How do we attain salvation??
While salvation is a gift from God as expressed in Epheshians 2:8-9, the scripture reference above (Romans) illustrates to us that there is work that we must do.You not only have to confess with your mouth which is giving reverence to the almighty you also have to believe in your heart. Doing one without the other is moot. Whether we see God or not he is always present so we must know that whatever we are asking of Him he can and will deliver on. See I Peter 1:9.
What is important to know is at the time of gaining salvation that the real work begins, once you become saved you carry more responsibility to not only represent the Christian walk but you also are responsible for bringing others to Christ. It is not only your duty to do so but it is an expectation of the Lord. It is great to know that we all serve one living God so there is no distinction or discrimination with color, creed, sex, age or economic background. For we all have sinned and fallen short and we all need to be saved.
In closing I want to say that Salvation should be the ultimate goal for any Christian. It is the end-game so to speak. Although doing good works and helping others is important and may be fulfilling knowing that your soul and life have been saved empowers you to do greater works. Being “saved” means that you have given not only your earthly life to Him but also your eternal soul. It means that you trust Him to watch over you and in turn he trusts you to live according to His holy will. It is this two way display of faith that helps build your relationship with God which is always important.
OTHER SCRIPTURES TO REFERENCE ABOUT SALVATION:
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.
because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,
And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” 14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed[d] in heaven.” 20 Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ.
Last week we began to dive into salvation and how we attain it. We also talked about why it was important to gain salvation. Today I want to talk about the different tools we must use to be saved and the covenant relationship we gain with God once we are saved. The scripture above illustrates to us many of these tools and the blessings that come from using them. What are some other things we should do??
ACTIVELY SEEK GOD
Being saved doesn’t mean that you no longer sin or that you are the model Christian. It simply means that you are giving your life (mind, body and soul) over to the Lord. You are handing him the keys to take control and trusting that he will watch over you and direct your path. Salvation is not only an ongoing act but to be done right it should be a progressive one. This simply means that you should always be trying to seek God and learn more about him, lean on him more and also be His mouthpiece so you can bring others to him. You should never be satisfied with where you are in Christ because he can always take you higher and farther than you can imagine. Although we are not prepared to deal with the trials that come from being saved right off, the Lord will provision our hearts to accomplish the task at hand. Many times it is the Lord convicting our hearts on many things that lead to positive changes in our lives. In the scripture above no person or thing or book gave Peter his answer but it was revealed by God to him-in Peter's spirit and in his holy word to Peter.The rock was Peter's faith in Jesus and the rock of confession of who Jesus was.That is the rock foundation of the church today. Had Peter not been seeking God and wanting to know more he may have missed this
BE OBEDIENT TO HIS WORD/WILL
Although it is hard for us sometimes to do this we need to understand that we have great power and with this power comes a great responsibility. Salvation is a way for us to align both heaven and earth. Verse 19 above shows us the correlation between heaven and earth and what role we play as Christians in this connection. Doing what God ask us to do many times is confusing to us and sometimes very scary but the bible gives us many examples of why we should always trust him, no matter what the circumstances. Deuteronomy 28:1-3 says “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. 2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God: 3 “Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country.
This is yet another promise given to us in his word that we can hold onto and should be motivation for being obedient towards him.
PRAY
This should always go hand in hand with salvation. If you are saved it is because you have opened up your mouth to God and surrendered to him. You have confessed that he is Lord. This line of communication should always stay open. It allows us to have supernatural power on earth. It also allows him to give us direction for what he wants us to do. God has to fine tune our hearing so that when we hear his voice we don’t harden our hearts. To maintain your salvation you should always talk to the Lord and always be open to him reaching out to you. We have to understand that sometimes this will be audible (actually hearing a voice) and also can be in signs and through other people. As we have discussed in previous lessons, there is no right and wrong way to pray to him. As long as your heart and mind is in the right place he will always hear your cry. (2 Samuel 2:23)
In closing, We must understand that the keys referenced in Verse 19 are given to the saved to enter into the kingdom of heaven and receive the blessings.The door is locked to the unsaved but the saved can use the keys to unlock and enter in.
Who do you say God is?
3/23-The covenant, connection and covering that comes from salvation??
Scripture reference: Exodus 34:10
10 And He said: “Behold, I make a covenant. Before all your people I will do marvels such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation; and all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the LORD. For it is an awesome thing that I will do with you.
Covenant
Webster’s defines covenant as
1: a usually formal, solemn, and binding agreement 2 a: a written agreement or promise usually under seal between two or more parties
In biblical terms a covenant is that and so much more. The Lord has been operating under covenant relationships since Noah (Genesis 9:8-10). Since God is not a God of confusion there are very clear terms of His covenant relationships which also means that there are distinct rewards and punishments in regards to those terms. As Christians, we have to understand that God’s covenant with his people has no limits or boundaries. The same promise made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob still applies today. (See Genesis 17:6-8). This covenant is generational. It doesn’t have an expiration date or lose value over time. Being in covenant with the Lord is being on one accord. It is believing who He is and what He can do for not only you as an individual but also your family and your descendants after you.
We have to understand that the covenant is a privilege only given to those who have given their lives to Christ. It is only after you have been saved that you relationship with the Lord can be fruitful. Up until the point of your own salvation you may have heard about God or read about Him but when you take that step you begin to have your own testimony about who he is to you. This allows you begin your walk and allows you to be in covenant with the Lord which simply means that you trust in His word and you trust Him to do exactly what he says he will do. There will be nothing too big or small that you can’t take to him. In order to keep the covenant strong you must always be in constant prayer and keep yourself open for the Lord to come in and do what he needs to do. Submitting to the will of God makes you a stronger Christian. It teaches you not only how to follow but how to lead.
While there are great blessings and rewards for abiding by covenant relationships (See Genesis 12:2-4), there are also dire consequences for choosing to break these bonds. (See Genesis 3:17). This illustrates that being in a covenant relationship with God takes obedience to His will and word and not man. Whether we understand it or not we should always be obedient as curses are just as generational as covenants. We have to understand that as Christians we are responsible for not only our own well being but the well being of God’s people which means your family and anyone attached to you. It is up to us to make sure that what we are doing lines up to kingdom principles and not earthly rule. We also have to understand that it is possible and sometimes very necessary to re-establish and strengthen our covenant relationships if they have been broken. This can sometimes save us from God’s wrath. (See Genesis 8:21)
Now that we have a better understanding of the covenant I want to dive a bit into the connection that comes from it……
Connection
Once you are savedyou automatically become connected to something bigger. You are not only connected to God and to the kingdom of heavenyou are alsoconnected with other Christians. The bible says “where two or three touch or agree in His name He will be in the midst.” Having a strong network of believers makes you stronger in Him. It is always easier when you don’t feel that you are alone. The same principles apply when making covenants with people here on earth, whether it is a marriage covenant or prayer covenant we are looking to connect with someone that shares our same belief and desires. It is truly pleasing to God when many gather or are on one accord in reverence to him. (See Romans 12:15-17). Being connected to God also means that we serve as a vessel between heaven and earth and should be the constant that connects these two.
Covering
When you accept Christ as your Lord and personal savior you begin to operate under his umbrella. All phases of your life then become covered by God’s grace and mercy. He will begin to order your steps and give you power that you didn’t think existed. This covering is maintained by keeping him the head of your life, constant prayer and being obedient to His will. You will face many trials and tribulations and many storms that will force you to question him. Understand that just because you have to deal with these things it doesn’t mean that God isn’t still covering you. He will never put more on us than we can bear and as long as we are saved his covering will never leave us. (See Joshua 1:5-6). Yet another promise form the Lord.
In closing I want everyone to understand again that Salvation is a gift from God that takes work, discipline and love to accomplish. You have to love yourself, love the Lord and love your fellow man to be where He wants you to be. The covenant from God is a promise that never fails us and is accompanied by being connected and being covered by Him. While salvation does take work the reward is much more bountiful.
4/13-Salvation-The Download-What we need to know and what we need to share
All Humans are sinners from birth.
No parents find it necessary to instruct their children how to misbehave, rebel, lie and so on. It comes naturally.
"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." 1 John 1:8.
"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God." Romans 3:10-11.
"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" Jeremiah 17:9.
"He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning." 1 John 3:8.
"Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" Romans 6:16.
So what?
After we leave this life we will live somewhere forever. Sin makes one ineligible to live with God so, by default, the natural man is bound for an eternity with Satan. You think life is tough now, imagine what it will be for those who are condemned to spend eternity with Satan with no possibility of parole.
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" Romans 3:23.
"But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear." Isaiah 59:2.
"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea." "And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life." Revelation 21:1 and Revelation 21:27.
",,,it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:" Hebrews 9:27.
"And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever." Revelation 20:10.
"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." Revelation 21:8.
No human can save himself by doing good deeds.
Sin leaves a permanent stain. Mere cessation from sin does not erase the stain which has already been acquired.
"For by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." Galatians 2:16.
"For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.". James 2:10.
"There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." Proverbs 14:12.
Only Jesus Christ can wash away our sin and make us pure.
Jesus Christ, the son of God, loves us and stands as our substitute, taking the penalty of our sins upon himself so that we may be made righteous before God.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16.
"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:6.
"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." 2 Corinthians 5:21.
"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God," 1 Peter 3:18.
"Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." Revelation 1:5-6.
Illustration: If a person is being swept away in a flood and a helicopter appears overhead trailing a rope, the natural instinct is to grab the rope. If the person chooses to ignore the rope he disregards his opportunity for rescue. So it is with our eternal salvation. Jesus Christ gave his life for us to purchase our redemption from sin. He rose again and offers eternal life to all who believe in him and commit themselves to him. Although available to all, salvation is not automatic. We must choose to receive Jesus' gift.
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23.
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6.
"For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:12-13.
How to receive the salvation which Jesus offers us.
God knows our very thoughts so we can speak to him anywhere, anytime. If you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that he died for your sins and offers salvation to you, you may pray right now and ask him to forgive your sins and give you new life.
If you are a little uncertain regarding what to say, here is a template which you may follow.
Dear Jesus,
I realize that I am a sinner and need to be saved. I believe that you are the Son of God and that you died for me as my substitute so that through you I might have forgiveness of sin. I believe that you rose again and at this moment are in Heaven waiting to make intercession for me with the Father. I wish to commit myself to you and to receive the salvation which you purchased for me. Please forgive me for my sins and grant me eternal life. Thank you.
4/27-FAITH-The two way street
Scripture reference: Matthew 17:20
20He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.
What is Faith? There are many definitions in the dictionary on this very powerful word and they all hold true to some extent.
1 a: allegiance to duty or a person :loyaltyb (1):fidelity to one's promises (2): sincerity of intentions 2 a (1): belief and trust in and loyalty to God (2): belief in the traditional doctrines of a religion b (1): firm belief in something for which there is no proof (2): complete trust 3: something that is believed especially with strong conviction; especially: a system of religious beliefs
For Christians we have heard that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of the things unseen. As human beings it is natural for us to struggle with believing in God. Many times it’s because we can not reach out and touch him with our own hands or we can not identify something concrete that represents him. It is this endless pursuit for those types of examples that leaves us many times missing the mark in the terms of our Christian walk. I ask myself all the time how can we as a body get better and want to examine that.
First off, we need to get into our word (The Bible). The bible illustrates to us over and over again many examples of God’s presence and works of miracles but many people still discard those things as pure fiction when in all actuality it is the most accurate account of the Lord and a virtual handbook for Christians. Just reading the bible is not enough though. It is not until you are saved and start to establish your relationship with God that the bible begins to really start making sense. The parables and stories go from being entertaining to something deeper. They begin to convict your heart and make you more conscious of God’s plan for your life and how he operates for those who follow him and live according to His will and way.
Second, we need to understand that faith is something that needs to be exercised. It is an action word. It requires us to put forth effort. The verse following our scripture reference is an example of this. (Matthew 17:21) says “But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting”. In this verse God is telling his disciples that having the faith is great but to reach the level he wants us/them to be at we have to tie in prayer and fasting. We also have to take the initiative to want to serve God which many times means serving others. (See James 2:14-24). This is just another example of how faith and deeds go hand in hand when you are doing Kingdom work and living Kingdom principles.
Last, we need to understand that faith is a TWO-WAY street. Not only is it important for us to have and exercise faith in the Lord but this should be and is reciprocated by Him. The most poignant example of God’s faith in us was sending His son to die on the cross for our sins. God had faith in man that we would get it right at some point and start to see the bigger picture of life and not just the earthly possessions and material things. While this was the ultimate display of faith we need to always stimulate and re-establish that faith and confidence that God had in us by staying in constant prayer and communication with him and by giving our lives over to Him. Always keeps in mind that the Lord will reward our faithfulness and we will be richly blessed in our obedience to him. His faithfulness to us has no bounds and ours shouldn’t either. (See Psalms 57:10 and Psalms 86:14-16)
In closing we should always keep in mind that our faith can sometimes be the light in someone else’s storm. With our faith comes great power (Psalms 54:4-6). Always KEEP the faith, EXERCISE the faith and SHARE the testimony of your faith, for it may make a difference in the life of another believer or even more important a non-believer.
5/4: Blessings of Obedience
Scripture reference: Romans 5:19
19For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous
Obedience-an act or instance of obeying b: the quality or state of being obedient
Obey-to follow the commands or guidance of
As human beings many times we hear the word obedience and cringe or even worse we get defensive. Society has taught us to be our own person, make our own rules and do what makes us happy. This has caused us to lose focus on the importance of Kingdom principles however and get further away from God’s will. The word is often times associated with a slave/master relationship or even a pet/pet owner relationship. I am here to tell you that being obedient to God is very, very different than those situations for many reasons but most important is-CHOICE. (Joshua 24-21-23)
God gives us the power to choose whether we want to follow him or not. It is not a forced commandment from God it is our own free will. You have to choose to be saved and understand as a Christian that obeying God’s word is part of that Christian walk. It is more than just hearing God’s voice and doing what you are instructed to do, it is also following what the bible says to do and not deterring from His holy word. While we have that power to chose to be obedient once you are saved there are expectations that God has of us and there is no compromise in them. (Deuteronomy 4:1-3)
WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW??
-We should be obedient to God at ALL times. Even though he is not seen he is always present. This is a classic example of the parent/child relationship. Many times we stray or discard the importance of obedience because we don’t think anyone is around to police us. Understand that your Father is always watching.
-Use the bible as a guide to what you should be doing. You do not have to go far to get an outline of what God wants from you. There are many examples to follow and rules and regulations for your Christian walk in the word. Get into the word more.
-Understand that obedience is not about control-Being obedient to Christ does not mean he controls you but you do become a servant to Him. It means that he starts to order your steps so that you make better decisions and live your life according to His will which in turn leads to you serving him.
-Being obedient to God leads to abundant blessings. (See Deuteronomy 28:1-3) This is a perfect example of how you being obedient to God leads to him being obedient to what he says. Always understand that he will do just what he says in his word and that the same promises he made the Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are still present and prevalent to us today. We are entitled to the same blessings that were promised as long as we do what we are supposed to be doing.
-We should always be in constant prayer. Being in constant communication with the Lord makes it much easier to follow him and makes it much easier for Him to speak to us and for us to hear him.
Finally, UNDERSTAND THE CONSEQUENCES for not being obedient. Many times knowing the outcome for our disobedience will keep us on the path of righteousness. (Not ALL the time but most times)-See Romans 6:15-17.
In closing please know that is critical for us to understand that our obedience/disobedience has the ability to affect more than just us as our scripture reference illustrates. We must be accountable not only to the Lord but also our fellow Christians as we are all in this together and our blessings and curses all intertwine. We are all part of God’s body and must work in coordination with each other so that we can reach the common goal.
5/18-The Power of Reconciliation
Scripture Reference: II Corinthians 5:11-21
11Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. 12We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. 13If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
16So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!18All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21God made him who had no sin to be sin[a] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
As simple as this verse seems we as Christians miss the mark on this. Many times, instead of giving our entire lives over to Him, we try to incorporate God into our old way of doing things. We try to figure out just how much of our earthly selves we have to give up to live in HIS will. It’s almost like playing a game of Russian roulette. How many times do you have to roll the dice before you are finally caught on the outside looking in?? What are we missing??
UNDERSTAND
First off, we have to understand what reconciliation is. It is to restore or make consistent. These are exactly the same objectives God wants us to achieve through the ultimate reconciliation project (SALVATION). To get to this point though it takes 100% total commitment and it takes an understanding of Kingdom principles. It is here where we sometimes fall short. We either are not ready to accept him and turn our lives over to him completely or we continue to hold on to the past hurts and experiences and not only stop progressing but in some regards start to digress. Both of these handicap or hinder God’s ability to make you new. When you reconcile with the Father it is done. You do not have to worry about him changing his mind or revoking the privileges of salvation, you do however have to continue to work and do your part in the process. (Romans 5:10-11)
KNOW THE FIGHT
We need to understand that before we can fix anything else or anyone else we have to fix ourselves. In most cases you first have to reconcile with your own self. We are sometimes our own worst enemy in this regard. If we do not forgive ourselves for our past actions and find that peace within ourselves we can not truly be restored in Christ Jesus. (See Colossians 19-23). This is a very tough one because it forces us to take responsibility. When the Lord forces you to look internally He knows that a change is going to come one way or another. While it is very, very hard to be your own worst critic it is a necessity if you want to live in Gods will. With His direction you can make honest assessments of yourself and others which guides you on the path to righteousness. Keep in mind there is a difference between being righteous and SELF righteous. God only gets the glory in one of those.
KNOW HOW TO FIGHT
Knowing who to fight is important as a Christian but knowing how is even more important. In the Christian walk we will be faced with lots of trials and tribulations and each one may have to be addressed in a different way. It is important for us to be prepared to face these challenges by being open minded but also being obedient to the word. We need to stay in the word of God and continue to pray and strengthen ourselves in Him.(See Ephesians 6:11-13)
To closeout, we have to understand that when our sins are forgiven, we're not just an "improved" version of our old self--we're a completely new person! We're no longer bound to any of the guilt or shame that previously bound us; we are, spiritually speaking, a new creation so we need to start acting like it. Mankind needs to be reconciled with God, because we can't do it ourselves. Keep in mind that Reconciliation takes maturity and wisdom and it takes power but in the end it transfers that power. It is the power to choose, the power to enhance, the power to reinvent and the power to change.
5/25-STANDING FIRM WITH CHRIST
Scripture Reference: 1 Corinthians 15:58
58Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
This is a powerful scripture and sometimes very, very difficult to do. As Christians it is more or more trying in today’s society to live the right way, do the right thing and be witness to others. Many times our trials and tribulations shake us down to our foundation and we have a choice to either give in to our worldly fears or to hold on to God’s unchanging hand. While it is human nature sometimes for us to move away from God during times of trouble, the word shows us that this is the time that we should give the Lord even more praise and worship him even more. We should do whatever it takes to hold him even closer and tighter. This is where your testimony begins and where you can possibly transform from just a mere person into a beacon of light, a chosen vessel that the Lord can use as an example of His power.
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO STAND FIRM WITH CHRIST??
Faith-We must believe that the Lord will deliver us from what we are dealing with. We also must believe that he is greater and more powerful than our situations.
Love-We should exercise the same Agape love that Christ had for the church and has for us today. We have to love Christ above all things. Always remember that God is love.
Trust-We must give the Lord total control. We must turn over our lives to him and know that he will put us on the right path.
Obedience-We must do what the word says to do and we must also always be listening for God’s voice, then once we get that direction we must not waver from it but embrace it and follow through with the enthusiasm and fire that your Christianity deserves.
Prayer-We must always be in constant communication with God. We must always talk to Him, invite him into our lives and situations and allow him to manifest himself.
Understanding-It may be difficult to grasp but know that our ways are not his ways. He is the author and the finisher of all things while we are just pieces to the puzzle. Knowing this will make it easier to stand. (See Proverbs 3:4-6)
The story of Moses is a perfect example of all these principles. (See Exodus 14:13-25)
WHY SHOULD WE STAND FIRM WITH CHRIST??
As Christians, it is not only a requirement it is our responsibility to stand in the gap for God here on Earth. We should always represent him not only in our actions and speaking but we should be a living example of the Lord. We have the power to bridge heaven and Earth with our relationship with not only God but all His people here. This is very important because you may be the tool that God uses to bring others to Christ or you may also save someone else’s life. You may also be the genesis for generational blessings for your own family. The Lord rewards those who live according to His will not only here on Earth but in Heaven after this life is done. Always remember that the body of Christ is bigger than you and that Kingdom building as long as it is for the Lord is ok. (Matthew 12:25-27)
WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DO NOT STAND FIRM IN CHRIST??
This could have many negative ramifications. You never know who is looking at you for guidance and for direction so it is important to always stand firm no matter what the outcome. Whether it is fair or not many people are waiting on Christianity to fail so they can cheapen or soften God’s impact on the world today. We must have discipline to go through the fires that are thrown our way all the while acknowledging God’s soverighn power and presence. Yes, we will have to deal with hurt and pain and sometimes we will be confused or lack the understanding we need but the alternative is so much worse. (See Ezekiel 22:30-31)
In closing always remember that standing firm means you have to be a listener AND a doer. It will not work if you are not practicing both.
19My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. 21Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.
6/1-The power of your Gifts from God
Scripture Reference: 1 Corinthians 12:1-4 (but also read through verse 31)
1Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. 2You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.
4There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.
As human beings we all have talents, interests and skills that are a very big and important part of our lives. As Christians we interpret those things as gifts from God and rightfully so. We have to understand that it is the Lord that has blessed us with this ability and also understand the power that these gifts bring. It is also important to not only understand and identify your gifts but to also identify the gifts in others as the Lord wants us to be on one accord in regards to our work for Him. (See 1 Corinthians 12:12-13)
HOW DO WE EFFECTIVELY USE OUR GIFTS? Let’s explore……………….
Understand and Develop our relationship with God
This will allow us to have a correct understanding of who we are in Christ and how we are to go before God. This does not mean we are to hate ourselves; rather, it means to have a right respect and relationship with God (See Proverbs 3:5). Our attitude toward God will greatly affect our attitude in how we communicate and how we act. These will be revealed by the motives of our heart. We develop in Christ by the spiritual disciplines of being in His Word, and practice--before God--our dependence on Him, seeking of His will, and being in prayer.
Humble ourselves to Him
One thing needs to be cleared out of the way for us to move in His Way- our pride! We must be honest about ourselves and seek Him as Lord not by who we are and what we can do. Your gifts can only be realized and the full potential reached if you have a relationship with Christ. While you may be able to use those gifts in a worldly manner it is only after he has directed your path and ordered your steps that your gifts become GREATER. They become more significant as they are now being used in reverence to Him instead of our own agenda. Being humble allows you to see the bigger picture. You begin to look past just yourself and your walk here on Earth and start to look further and deeper than you have before. (See Philippians 2:1-11) Remember that pride comes before the fall.
Teamwork
The last thing we need to do before effectively using our gifts is learning and knowing we are all interconnected to one another in Christ and we are called to work together and function in cooperation not against or in antagonism with other Christians.
Spiritual Gifts are much more than the talents and abilities we have. They are the means for the Body of Christ to function in health and in distinction. They separate us from the evil ways of the world, yet if they are misused they will inflict the very things they are meant to prevent. They are to empower us for the service of our King, and to cooperate and build relationships with other Believers without pretension or pride. When we work together in unity we will discover and execute a synergetic reaction for good and service and for the building of the Kingdom. (See Romans 12:3-13).
To close, we must always keep our gifts in perspective. While they are from God and to be used for His Kingdom we must always remember that they can also cause hurt, harm or danger if not used properly. Keep in mind, there is a danger in wrapping too much of our identity around a particular talent or skill. When we and others focus too much on an individual talent, we risk valuing the gift over the person employing it. As a Christian, you face a dilemma: While using your gift will help others, it will also draw attention to yourself. Always ask yourself these questions:
Will this attention be spiritually unhealthy for you?
Will it cause you to think more highly of yourself than you ought to think?
And will it cause others to honor you above Christ?
Is it best just to refrain from using your gift altogether–to avoid any ego problems, and so that Christ will be glorified in your weakness and not in your strength?
These are not always easy questions. It’s clear that God sometimes does call a Christian to avoid using a gift for a time. I believe it’s more typically because one is insecure than conceited. Someone who thinks poorly of himself- or herself in general may be basing self-worth too strongly on a particular talent. It may be beneficial to put that gift aside for a while, particularly if there is fellowship where people genuinely care about that person. Finding that others love and appreciate us whether or not we are using our gift, will be a big boost to our morale and confidence in Christ. Using the tools above and your constant communication with God will help us avoid the pitfalls of self righteousness and use our gifts in the method that God intended..
Online article of interests: http://nehemiahministries.com/motivetrap.htm
6/8-Identifying your help-The Living Water
Scripture Reference: Deuteronomy 8:1-20
2 Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. 3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.
In this day and time we as Christians are faced with many issues. Some are worldly issues and some go even deeper to spiritual warfare or internal condemnation. Many times we ask ourselves why we must struggle and go through these trials and tribulations if we have a relationship with God. Some of us have even seen people close to us struggle for long periods of time and go through things and those experiences begin to make our faith waver. It is a domino effect that the devil loves to see. Anytime he can make the problems of one, the problems of many he begins to draw us further and further away from Christ. I am here to tell you that it is in these times that we must hold on even tighter to God’s word. Although it is tough, our faith must become bolder and more confident during these times. Let’s explore further…..What do we need to know??
FIRST-WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT GOD IS A RESERVOIR, NOT A FAUCET!!
What does this mean?? Many times we treat God like a faucet. We turn it on or off when we need him. Nothing happens until you flip the switch. What this does is cheapens your relationship with Christ. You are basically telling God that he is only relevant to you when you need him which is a shame. Have you ever thought about the fact that maybe if you were closer to him your hardships would lessen?? As Christians we do not understand that concept. We would rather tap into to him in times of trouble than to give Him the respect and honor He deserves. If you think about a reservoir, it is always there, it is always present and it is used to source all of the faucets. That is how big our God should be. We should go to him to supply ALL our needs from the greatest to the smallest. Make your God bigger than your problems not vice versa. What you will start to see is that blessings will increase and pain and issues will decrease.
The Bible reminds us, as those Arab men had to be reminded in the scripture above, that what we need comes from the Reservoir, not the faucet. And God is your Reservoir. Everything you need originates from Him - money you need, the friends you need, a place to live, transportation, love, spiritual support. He sends it through earthly faucets - like paychecks, special people, pastors - systems or people we've always looked to. But that manna in the desert - manna means "what is it?" - shows that God can deliver what we need all kinds of ways!
Our problem is that we suffer from faucet fascination. We start to put our faith in the means. Then suddenly our faucet is gone - people move, people die, people let you down, jobs and companies change, things break down or disappear. Just remember, The water never came from that faucet anyway!
NEXT-UNDERSTAND THAT WE GO THROUGH THESE TRIALS SO THAT GOD CAN MAKE OUR REALTIONSHIP CLEARER AND MORE DEFINED!!
Many times God can ONLY reach you when you are going though trouble because that is the only time you trust Him with anything or even talk to Him. Sometimes we are also questioning who He is and he brings forth situations to show you. And other times we question if His power is real and he also reveals Himself to us. (See Ephesians 3:19)
Based on what God says in the word for today, God has two means of upgrading our faith from trusting the faucet to trusting the Father. First, "causing you to hunger." He allows your usual system to fail. You may be anxious right now because of a need with no obvious supply to meet it. The faucet is gone - the Reservoir is still there. God just has another delivery system. We don't learn that God is our security until our usual supply dries up. Secondly, God feeds you with something "neither you nor your fathers had known." Some surprising, miraculous circumventing of the usual system. God will show you a new, unimagined means of meeting your need. It comes in a surprising form, from a surprising place. And you stand back and say, "God, it's You that it all comes from, isn't it?" It is at this point that your relationship with God becomes closer and evolves into a ongoing and ever changing adventure. It is only then that you can step into a wonderful new security - one that can peacefully accept the loss of any faucet in your life. It was only a means that God came through. God is your Reservoir - and He never dries up. So don't sweat the faucet. Your Father has lots of ways to see that you have what you need.
LAST-UNDERSTAND THAT GOD IS THE “LIVING” WATER.
This may be the most important part. Living means active, moving and in many ways changing, developing. This is how we should be in Christ. We want to always keep the lines of communication open and keep the faithfulness with both ourselves and God fresh. Never rest on your laurels. Being saved isn’t enough, it is merely the beginning. Do your part to make sure that the water stays flowing not only through you but the body of Christ. It is only then that you can step into a wonderful new security - one that can peacefully accept the loss of any faucet in your life. It was only a means that God came through. God is your Reservoir - and He never dries up. So don't sweat the faucet. Your Father has lots of ways to see that you have what you need.
6/15-6/22-Fishers of men
Scripture Reference: Matthew 4:18-20
18As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." 20At once they left their nets and followed him.
This scripture above is an illustration of what God wants from us as Christians. This is actually the calling of the first disciples in the bible. This is powerful because it gives us a model for how to not only be a Christian and say you believe in God, it also shows us that there is work to be done. As human beings there are many times that god calls on us to do something for Him but many times because of our lack of faith or past experiences we do not answer that call. Most times we try to figure out any reason to NOT do what we are called to do. This is not pleasing to God at all. It is very important to understand what is expected of us and then to understand that while we may not have all the tools within us to reach those expectations we have a resource to call on to assist us at all times.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE FISHERS OF MEN??
As a Christian, your top priority is to be a witness to others about God and prayerfully you will be a beacon of light for others to follow into salvation. You can do this by giving a testimony or by writing about it but the best way is to be a living testimony because your Christianity is being looked at by more people than you know. Many people respond and react to what you do more than what you say. Although none of us are perfect we should all be striving to be more like Him. Always keep in mind that you can not save people but you can only put them in a position for God to do things in their lives.
Just like a regular fisher man, being fishers of men takes certain tools and attributes to be successful. Let’s explore some of those………….
Discipline: To be a good fisherman this is a must. You have an outline from the Lord in His word and although it sometimes hard to follow that path it is necessary for the success of catching those that are lost.
Patience/Endurance: These two go hand in hand when fishing. The Fishing experience is a marathon, not a sprint. You need to understand that just because you are not seeing results immediately doesn’t mean that progress isn’t being made. Also keep in mind that you are on God’s time table and not vice versa.
Practice: The only way to get better at fishing is to practice it. It will be very difficult to be a fisher of men if you never put your pole in the water. Always be congnisent of your surroundings and listen for Gods voice and he presents you with opportunities to minister every day.
Studying/Learning:Always be open to learning more about God. You can do this by reading His word (the Bible) and also by tapping into other Christians that have experience in those things you may be lacking. We are all part of one body and should work in unison for the betterment of the kingdom.
Prayer: Being in constant communication with God puts you on one accord with his agenda. This will also fine tune your listening skills and heighten your awareness so that when those chances to be a fisherman present themselves you will not be worried or scared to jump in. In fact the more you talk to him the more he requires you to do so never be afraid of getting a big assignment from God.
Obedience: To be a good fisher of men you must be obedient because you are serving an almighty God. Your assignments will come from Him and if you are not following his direction you may miss a chance to fulfill the destiny he has already put in motion in your life. Don’t forget that you being obedient to God makes him in turn obedient to His word and the blessings and rewards that come from that.
A perfect example of most of these is present in Luke 5:1-7, Matthew 5:1-12
In closing always keep in mind that although being a fisher of men is a tough and ever changing task, the blessings are more abundant. Everything that you need the Lord will provide and as you continue along your journey as a Christian you will gain far more precious gifts than material things. (See Proverbs 11:1-30)
6/29-The Power of Love
Scripture Reference: Romans 8:31-39
31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."[a]37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[b] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Many of us hear he word “Love” and we think of family or close friends or our children because in society today we have been taught and trained to only love those that love you or only care for those that care for you. For a long time Christians have been wallowing in this eye for an eye attitude which has us missing the mark as a body of Christ. As human beings it is popular for us to put limitations or boundaries on love because of past experiences and to provide ourselves with a false sense of protection. More importantly as men, it is often times difficult for us to let other people in and especially other men which put us at a huge disadvantage as we view God most times as a mere man. This keeps us from expressing our admiration and LOVE for him which begins a cycle in which we can never fully reach our optimal potential in our relationship with Christ Jesus. I said this is a cycle because if we can not express love for the Lord, ourselves, and other Christians we obviously can’t teach someone else how to do it. How do we turn this around????? LET’S EXPLORE
First-CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE
To do this we have to get a better understanding of God’s love and how he wants us to practice that. He is our father and we are his children and his past actions and current grace are a living testimony and perfect example of what he expects from us. (See Ephesians 5:1-2). We have to understand that God is love and if we are going to operate under Kingdom principles and follow God’s word then love is not only a requirement it is a necessity for the Lord to manifest himself in our lives.
Second-BE OBEDIENT
Whether you believe it or not this is a huge component in strengthening the power that love has in not only your own life but also anyone connected to you. As Christians we take direction from God either from His spoken word or written word and sometimes both. We can not thrive if we are constantly struggling with doing as we are instructed. (See Deuteronomy 11:1-3)
Third-BE ACTIVE
Understand that Love is an action word. You have to show it and not just assume that anyone knows your thoughts and overtures. To harness that power that Love gives us we must use itand exercise it. We should not only show it to God in the way we live our lives and the example we are to others we should know that it is transferrable and needs to be expressed in your actions not only with Christians but non-believers alike. (I John 3:17-19)
Fourth-BE FLEXIBLE
Love is an evolving creature that is ever changing and we as Christians should be the same way. We should always be able to adapt to the situations and trials that God puts before us. We have to understand that the basic principles of love can be applied to ever aspect of your Christian walk and life. (See I John 2:15-16)
Fifth-BE FAITHFUL
In almost any case Love and faithfulness go together hand in hand as both have to be excercised and both are tools that we should equip ourselves with as Christians. God loves us and is faithful to us and to His word and we should be the same way to not only Him but to all His people. As Christians many times the measure of both these attributes is what defines us. There are blessings that come with using both. (See Deuteronomy 11:13)
Sixth-SACRIFICE
The power of love does not come at an easy price sometimes. Because we are human we sometimes short change God and even others of the love they deserve because we do not want to give up anything in return. This is an act of selfishness that is frowned upon by the Lord. Keep in mind that any sacrifice that we have to make will always pale in comparison to the ultimate one made before us. That sacrifice saved mankind and your sacrifice could have similar ramifications but you first have to be willing to give in to the Lord and give up the control over your own life to realize that.(See John 3:16-17)
WRAP UP
Always keep in mind that the application of Love in your life is what separates you from the non believer. It is not only important to know how to love but it is also important to know who to love. Keep in mind that it is not always a good thing to be loved by the world, as many times it means we are identified in worldly things. Be more like Christ and always show that Agape love which is constant, steady and true and most of all PURE. Always allow God to order your steps in matters of Love for that is where everything just and right comes from. (See I Corinthians 13:1-13) Love extends to all people regardless of race, nationality, religious beliefs, financial status, or sexual orientation. Our command is to love regardless as God loves us regardless of our short comings and faults because the bible declares "love covers a multitude of faults". We should love one another because we all have faults and short comings.
7/13-How BIG is your God
Scripture Reference: Joshua 17:13-18
13When the Israelites became strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor but did not utterly drive them out 14The tribe of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, Why have you given [us] but one lot and one portion as an inheritance when [we] are a great [abundant] people, for until now the Lord has blessed [us]?15Joshua replied, If you are a great people, get up to the forest and clear ground for yourselves in the land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim, since the Ephraim hill country is too narrow for you.16The Josephites said, The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who dwell in the valley have iron chariots, both those in Beth-shean and its villages and in the Valley of Jezreel.17And Joshua said to the house of Joseph, to Ephraim and to Manasseh, You are a great and numerous people and have great power; you shall not have only one lot18But the hill country shall be yours; though it is a forest, you shall clear and possess it to its farthest borders; for you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots and are strong.
Believe it or not, the answer to this question varies amongst all Christians. You may ask yourself how the answer can be different if we are all serving the same God. There are many variables that come into play when you start to examine your own personal relationship with Christ. Some are internal like the measure of your faith and some are external factors like worldly doubters that affect your outlook. In any regard this is a very important subject and it is paramount that you know the answer. Let’s look into some ways to find that answer and some pitfalls to avoid along the way….
FIRST…..STOP PUTTING LIMITS ON GOD
This is a tough one because as humans we live our lives with limits both self imposed and society driven. Our own pre-judgments and prejudices have handicapped our ability to fulfill our destiny as Christians. We talk more about what God can’t do instead of what he can and will do. We need to separate God from these limits. We have to understand that what God can do in our situations and trials is limitless. There is no boundary that God can not cross and no wall that he can not tear down. (See Ephesians 2:10-16)
SECOND…..STOP PUTTING FAITH IN MAN
We all have people in our life that we put our faith in for numerous things but since we can’t see Christ face to face we do not give him the same honor. It is actually sad when you think about the fact that we are so quick to put our all into a human being not knowing what the outcome is but give so little to God even though His word is so clear about the rewards for doing so. We have to always keep in mind that he is always present and prevalent in our lives no matter the circumstances and should be our only true source when a need needs to be met. Remember that even though a man may help you through things in your life it was God who put that person in your path. (See Galatians 2:15-16)
THIRD….STOP GIVING YOUR PROBLEMS MORE POWER, INSTEAD GIVE YOUR GOD THE GLORY
An unfortunate fact is that we often times give our problems more power by feeding into them, being defeated before we ever get started and only going to God as a last resort it seems when everything else we try fails. We should strive to reverse that trend. Have you ever thought about this cycle? What is you praised God for the test while going through it and not just when he brings you out of it? This is where your faith comes in. If you can only believe God for what he has already done and shown you that is a sad testimony to give. Always remember that God will never put more on you than you can bear. Don’t turn your problems into GIANTS or put your problems on a pedestal. At that point you lose all the power that God already equipped you with and give it over to the enemy. GIANTS, whether they are real or perceived are meant to be brought down. (See Psalms 18:16-18)
FOURTH…BE OBEDIENT
Many times we do all of the above and get to the point of confronting the test and forget one very important piece to the puzzle…We do not do EXACTLY what he tells us to do. Many times we take the direction from God and then we add our own two cents in which pollutes his instructions altogether. We must understand that the Lord has already determined our destiny and many times wants to test us to see if we will do what he says. Never think you are smarter than the Lord. He sees all and knows all and even though we don’t see how it’s going to work out he has already paved the way. We need to stay the course he has given us and stop detouring ever time life throws us a curveball. In the end we will have a rich reward while our disobedience will lead to strife. (See Deuteronomy 4:29-31)
FIFTH….ALWAYS LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE
This may be a shock to some people but everything is not about you. Ashuman beings we are so close minded to the point of fault. We live our life in the saying that “you can’tsee the forest through the trees.” This simply means that many times we cling so much to what we want that we sometimes overlook the fact that God is giving us exactly what we need. We must understand and operate in the fact that God will supply all our needs and sometimes if we are following His will and way the desires of our hearts. We also need to understand that God blesses you with what you have either showed or what he already knows you can handle. What we think we deserve and what we truly deserve will always vary. (See Romans 2:5-7)
In closing always remember to tell your problems how big your God is and not vice versa. If you are having trouble with your troubles maybe you are not where God wants you to be. Always stay in constant contact and communication with the Father so that when you get your direction you will not only understand it, you will not doubt it or fear it. The time has passed for Christians to play with their faith. Stop worrying about being accepted and loved by man and start positioning yourselfto be in God’s favor. (See Matthew 17:19-21)
IF GOD IS FOR YOU WHO CAN BE AGAINST YOU-ROMANS 8:31
7/20-Sowing
Scripture Reference: Matthew 13:3-9
3And He told them many things in, saying, a sower went out to sow. 4And as he sowed, some seeds fell by the roadside, and the birds came and ate them up. 5Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they had not much soil; and at once they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. 6But when the sun rose, they were scorched, and because they had no root, they dried up and withered away. 7Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them out.8Other seeds fell on good soil, and yielded grain--some a hundred times as much as was sown, some sixty times as much, and some thirty.9He who has ears [to hear], let him be listening and let him [a]consider and [b]perceive and comprehend by hearing.
Many times as Christians we hear the phrase “sow a seed” and we automatically assume that money or something material is needed or required of us. This sometimes leads us to shy away or pause in our walk as our human selfish side comes to the forefront and overshadows the obedience we should have to Christ Jesus. Although this is a common occurrence in our everyday lives and a necessary requirement for Christians (i.e. tithes and offerings), it is not the only sowing that we should be doing. There are many, many ways to contribute to the kingdom of heaven without every writing a check. In different stages in our walk we go though different levels of faith, obedience and trusting of God which directly dictates how much we sow back into the body of Christ. Using the scriptures above let’s explore the different levels and figure out where we are and where we need to be….
WHAT KIND OF FARMER ARE YOU????
Are you a verse 4 farmer?-You hear the word from the Lord but you do not grasp and comprehend it, the devil comes and snatches it away from you so fast and it is lost. Many times when we are trying to get closer to God we hear from him in certain ways but because we do not get it or were not expecting it we completely miss the opportunity. This also happens sometimes when we are looking for God to respond in one way instead of being COMPLETELY open to him and understanding that he may come to you in many forms and forums. How do we stop this from happening again? Open our minds and hearts to the Lord so that none of our seeds fall by the wayside. We want everything we seed to get where it can be nourished and developed and never want the seed to not be in God’s will. (See Deuteronomy 28:37-39 and Deuteronomy 22:9)
Are you a verse 5/6 farmer?-Your seeds fall on rocky ground with very little root. You hear the word and you welcome and accept it with joy but as soon as trouble comes your way you begin to doubt God. That’s seed doesn’t last long either. You can not be a farmer that only trusts God in good seasons. You have to trust the Lord in all situations and know that he will bring you through. He is the same God in feast and in famine. In 2010 we have to stop being temporary Christians. It is important for us to be deeply routed in God and not just with Him on the surface. Trials and tribulations will come in our life but always remember that planting seed and Harvest will also be a part of our lives. (See Genesis 8:21-22)
Are you a verse 7 farmer?-You hear the word but you are so caught up in the way of the world and all its delight and glamour that you allow it to completely suffocate and in essence choke the Word out of your life. This type of farmer allows outside influences that are in every aspect of worldly living become like a God to them. They start to worship that instead of the Lord. What they fail to understand as that the world is just another device used by the enemy to drive a wedge between Christians and the Lord. This type of farmer will NEVER bear any fruit. His seeds will never be fruitful in any way. (See Leviticus 19:1-10)
Are you a verse 8 farmer?-You not only hear the word, you grasp it and comprehend it. You hold onto it for you believe in its truth and power. This farmer always reaps a big harvest. The Lord multiplies this farmers’ fruits over and over and continually blesses them. They are obedient, faithful, righteous and of pure heart. They give the Lord all of the respect and honor he is due while also bringing others to him. They are a blessing to not only themselves but other members of the body of Christ. Everything they touch seems to be great and they never worry about their needs being met. They know beyond the shadow of a doubt that the Lord will protect them and keep them and always provide for them. Their harvest will never run out and it will always be plentiful even when it seems that everything else around them is going bad. This type of farmer has changed their perspective on their seed and truly understands the importance of it to the Lord. (See Psalms 97:10-12)
WRAP UP
Always be careful to sow your seeds on good soil. To be an effective farmer for Christ you will have to practice patience, obedience, perseverance and love to not only God but to other people both believers and non believers alike. Keep in mind that it is not an easy task to be a disciple for the Lord but if you stay the course and follow his Word you are sure to reap a harvest you can not imagine. He will truly pour out more blessings to you than you will have enough room to receive both here on earth and in heaven. Be the best farmer you can be and always look to God for the help you need.
(See Matthew 9:35-40)
7/27-The POWER of PRAISE
Scripture Reference: Psalm 9:1-9
1I WILL praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will show forth (recount and tell aloud) all Your marvelous works and wonderful deeds! 2I will rejoice in You and be in high spirits; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High! 3When my enemies turned back, they stumbled and perished before You.4For You have maintained my right and my cause; You sat on the throne judging righteously.5You have rebuked the nations, You have destroyed the wicked; You have blotted out their name forever and ever. 6The enemy have been cut off and have vanished in everlasting ruins, You have plucked up and overthrown their cities; the very memory of them has perished and vanished.7But the Lord shall remain and continue forever; He has prepared and established His throne for judgment.(A)8And He will judge the world in righteousness (rightness and equity); He will minister justice to the peoples in uprightness.(B)9The Lord also will be a refuge and a high tower for the oppressed, a refuge and a stronghold in times of trouble (high cost, destitution, and desperation).
Webster’s defines praise A. to express a favorable judgment or B. to glorify especially by the attribution of perfections. For Christians it should be this and so much more. For a believer praise should be another form of communication with God. Many times we get so comfortable with God always doing for us that we do not give Him what he deserves. It’s almost like we are expecting God to provide for us over and over while we give him nothing in return. If we are going to be expectant of the Lord to always rescue us from our trials (many self inflicted) then he should and does expect us to always give Him the praise and glory that is due to Him. Let’s explore PRAISE a little further……….
WHO SHOULD PRAISE GOD?
Well, this is an easy one. (See Psalms 150:1-6). This is a very poignant group of verses. It is very clear that PRAISE has no barriers and no restrictions. It does not matter your age, race, sex, or socio-economic background. We ALL should praise God. Many times as humans we feel that we can not do this for lots of reasons. For some, it is a lack of faith in believing that praise will actually work. For some it is a lack of discipline in not wanting to put the work in and for others it’s another sign of not wanting to give God full control. When you constantly praise him you are saying that He is your all and more importantly you are saying HE is in charge. As men, we really struggle with this. We do not want to acknowledge that there is something greater and more powerful than us. In 2010, it is time for more men to humble themselves and start to realize that Praising God actually makes your stronger and more powerful than you could ever imagine,
WHY SHOULD WE PRAISE GOD?
This question has numerous answers. First, we praise him to honor Him for whom He is. Next, we praise Him for what he is doing in our lives. We also praise Him so that we can show others how good he is to those that believe in Him. This is important for believers. So many people are examining and watching Christians today to see just how they react to certain things. What happens many times is that we don’t show Him as much love and respect for what He is which makes it harder for nonbelievers to try Him out. It is a sad testimony to give when someone tells you they didn’t know you were a Christian nor had a relationship with God. Maybe it is time for you to start being more open with God which will in turn make you more open to talking to others about Him. You have to reverence Him. Always let others know how BIG your God is. (See Exodus 15:2)
WHEN SHOULD WE PRAISE GOD?
The answer to this question is ALL THE TIME. We should not only praise him when he is doing something for us which is a common occurrence for Christians. We only seem to talk about the goodness of the Lord when he has delivered us from something or brought us out of a storm. We need to start practicing universal praise. Praise him not only for what he is doing (present), praise him also for what he has done already (past) and for what he will do moving forward (future). God is the same God yesterday, today and forever more and we need to remember that on a minute by minute basis. Always remember, he is the reservoir that NEVER runs out so stop treating Him like that faucet that you only turn on when you need it. The more we praise Him, the more blessings we receive. Never forget to praise God for the little things in your life. You never know when that little thing may have turned into a big catastrophe. (See I Chronicles 16:8-10)
WHERE SHOULD WE PRAISE GOD?
No, the answer to this question is not only at church but society would have us think so. Nonbelievers do their best to make sure that God is not an acceptable topic in public places outside of churches and synagogues but I am hear to tell you this is false. It is just another way for the enemy to limit the power of our tongues in places that it knows could have a major impact. There is generally a time and place for everything but praising God is different. It is much like prayer in that wherever you are is an ideal place to praise Him. You do not have to have a designated area. Many times we are faced with opportunities to witness and minister that fall by the wayside as we try to conform to society. As a Christian always think bigger. Maybe it is time for a change in the rules? (See 2 Chronicles 7:2-4, Luke 23:46-48, Philippians 1:10-12)
LASTLY, HOW SHOULD WE PRAISE GOD?
Praise is not only the words you say or the songs you sing. Being a living testimony is the best and most lasting way to praise him. It not only shows your commitment to Him it also shows your commitment to the kingdom of God and shows that you would rather live by His principles than by the world’s. Always keep in mind that actions will always speak louder than words so show your respect, honor and love for Him by doing greater works. Always praise Him with your whole heart. For anything we do in Christ with our whole heart and being will be truly blessed. (See Psalms 119:6-8)
DEVELOP THE PSALMS 119:163-165 ATTITUDE TOWARDS PRAISE AND SEE GOD WORK IN YOUR LIFE
