Ephesians 4:16 ~ from whom (Christ) the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
I had a revelation about this verse the other day and I would like to share it with you.
Posted in Victorious Living!
~~~~ Are you wise in your communications? Or are you one of those that need to carry a roll of Duct Tape around with you to keep you from sinning with your mouth? ~~~~
~~~~ Oh, I am not pointing fingers at anyone, I have been known to need some of that miracle-working, silver sticky stuff myself. J
~~~~ If you truly are a servant of…
Posted in Victorious Living!
If that were NOT true … He could NOT ask you to do the same. But He did …
Mark 12:30 ~ 29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
Luke 10:27 ~ And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
Posted in Love, Victorious Living!
Tagged Christianity, Love, Religion and Spirituality, Thoughts
Galatians 5:16-18 ~ 16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
There is always a battle with the flesh to keep it under, to deny its right to act out, to keep it from having dominance in our lives. Your flesh will always be warring against the things of the Spirit and your flesh will always have a sin nature until it is glorified. Everyone MUST deal with this, even Paul the Apostle had these battles and he describes them in Romans:
Romans 7:16-23 ~ 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
There is no magic pill or prescription that you can take so that you will avoid this struggle with sin but here is a little tip to help you in your battle with the flesh. First you need to understand where those fleshly desires are coming from and then how to deal with them when they do. If you are struggling with a certain area and your flesh seems to be exceptionally strong and persistent in the desire to “act out” in sin you need to ask yourself honestly:
“Is this just the sin NATURE or is it because I have been NURTURING the desires? Have I been doing anything to feed that desire and make it stronger?”
There is a basic law in nature that also applies to spiritual things and the law is:
”What you feed grows and what you starve dies.”
Denying your flesh the satisfaction of fulfilling its lust has the same results as if you stopped watering your plants, just like the plants get weaker and eventually die so will those fleshly desires.
The problem that most of us have is that we don’t realize that we are feeding our carnal fleshly desires or we think that what we are doing is no big deal. IT IS A BIG DEAL! Let me give you a some examples; If you have been delivered from drugs and you know that it has a strong pull on your flesh, any thing that would stir up old memories and desires should be avoided. Movies with drug abuse, fellowship with addicts, or even driving through the part of town where you used to buy drugs. If the shortest route to your destination is through an area that stirs up memories of past sins, TAKE ANOTHER ROUTE! Remember this saying, it has helped me:
“The long way is better than the wrong way.”
If you struggle with overeating, or eating junk food, it is much easier to win the battle if you stay out of the junk-food isle. If it stimulates ANY of your five senses, it WILL begin to pull on you.
If you think it is no big deal to be exposed to those things, or if you “think” you are strong enough to handle it. You WILL wake up one day and realize that the little fleshly desire that you used to have has grown into a monster and is demanding to be fed!
Remember that the flesh IS the sin nature and it is described as the enemy of the Spirit. So how are we going to win this war against the flesh? The rest of the passage from Romans 7 gives us the answer.
Romans 7:23-25 ~ 23But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
You must see your flesh as YOUR enemy. If you feed your enemy he gets stronger and has more power to do you harm. Remember, I am not talking about your physical body, but its sinful nature. DON”T FEED THE SIN NATURE.
The flesh is never satisfied, the flesh WANTS to sin. Remember:
“Sin takes you farther than you want to go, keeps you longer than you want to stay, and costs you more than you want to pay.”
Starve your enemy and FEED your spirit.
If you are loving God with ALL your Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength…. Loving people is easy.
If you are having a hard time loving people … you may want to check up on that first part.
If you can’t love with out feeling… you will have a hard time believing without seeing.
We know that the New Testament Commandment is Love, but I think we miss the fact that the commandment has 5 parts to it.
Mark 12:29-31 ~ 29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
Loving God with all your: 1) Heart. 2) Soul. 3) Mind. 4) and Strength. 5) And your neighbor as your self.
It may be safe to say that your relationship with God is 4 times as important than your relationship with people. There are specific instructions on how to love both and those instructions are very different. The thing is, you will never be able to love people as yourself if you are not loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
Have you ever thought of how to love God with your soul? Your Mind? Your strength? Those are expressions that most are not familiar with. We Have all heard the expression “love with all our heart”. but when it comes to loving God … that is not enough.
Love takes action to be expressed. The chief expression of love is to GIVE, so we need to learn how to give every part of our being to God, our heart, soul, mind, and strength. It is only when we achieve this level of love that we will be able love people the way Jesus did.
Love is not a mere feeling, but a commitment of devotion that is directed by the will. We must learn to love in spite of feelings. This is where true faith is birthed.
Galatians 5:6 ~ For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
A merry heart doeth good like medicine. – Proverbs 17:22
On Thanksgiving, too many people are preoccupied with turkeys, family gatherings, parades, football games, and even Black Friday sales. It seems that over time, this holiday has become more about getting things—whether that’s food, entertainment, chill time, or bargains—than about giving thanks for what we already have. Be grateful for what you DO have instead of focusing on what your life is missing. Just do it –don’t just think it- Give a voice to your Gratitude!
1 Chronicles 16:34 O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His loving kindness is everlasting.
Psalm 34:1 I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
Psalm 100:4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving, And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him; bless His name.
Jonah 2:9 But I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay Salvation is from the LORD.”
Psalm 107:29-31 -He stilled the storm and calmed the waves. They were happy that it was quiet, and God guided them to the port they wanted. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his love and for the miracles he does for people.
Ephesians 5:3-4 But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.
1 Chronicles 16:8 - Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples.
Psalm 28:7 -The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him.
Psalm 69:30 I will praise the name of God with song, And shall magnify Him with thanksgiving.
Psalm 95:1-2 – O Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving.
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Thanksgiving Holiday History *The purpose of Thanksgiving in America is to commemorate the good harvest of the Pilgrims in 1621 and in Canada, to give thanks for Martin Frosbisher’s safe journey from England 1578. We comemorate these events and give thanks for our friends, family and good fortune. For more information on the history of this holiday check (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving)
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Posted in The Christian Walk, Victorious Living!
Tagged bible verses, Christianity, faith, giving, goodness of God, gratitude, merry heart, saying thanks, Thanksgiving
Years ago, when I found out that God actually speaks to His people, I had this thought; “If I can learn to hear His voice and be led by His Spirit, I’ve got it made,” because I had already made up my mind that I was going to follow Him, and I believed that anything He would lead me to do would be the best thing for me regardless of how it may seem at the time. I still believe that.
What I have learned over the years, in my efforts to be sensitive to His voice and His leading, is that the primary way that God leads His people, aside from His written word, is with the inward witness of Peace. Not the inward voice, not the audible voice, no angelic messenger sent with a light show and a message from the Almighty, just a subtle witness, an impression, a feeling that something either seems right or seems wrong.
God still communicates with the inward voice, the audible voice, angelic visitations, dreams and visions, but that is not the norm, God leads us primarily through the Spirit of Peace. It is important to understand what Peace is and how it works so that we recognize when the Lord is trying to show us something. Jesus was trying to convey this to His disciples in John 14.
John 14 ~ 22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me. 25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Some would suggest that Peace, as mentioned in verse 27, is a separate subject than the previous verse where He talks about the Comforter, but it is not. Jesus is still on the same topic, and He is still answering Judas question about How He will manifest himself to believers and not the world. The answer is Peace.
Peace is the advantage that we have as Christians. It is the arbitrator of our decision-making process that works to lead us into the perfect will of God. It is the supernatural compass, the leader that is never wrong. It is the guide on the inside with a direct line to heaven, the connection to God’s thoughts and intents for your life.
Jeremiah 29:11 ~ For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Learning to be led by Peace is like learning anything else, you must practice. There is an old saying, “repetition is the mother of skill”. The more you do it, the better you get at it, it is as simple as that.
I believe that learning to recognize the subtle unction of peace is the first step in the learning process. Peace does not manifest with boisterous announcements and an earthshaking demonstration, it is soft, quiet, and serene like a gentle breeze or still waters.
We are all used to being stimulated to our 5 physical senses. It is important to learn how to shut out all external voices and noises in order to open up, and tune into, your spiritual ears. It is hard to hear a whisper if people, and problems are screaming at you from every direction and over-stimulating all your senses.
Tuning in to the Holy Spirit’s leading is like tuning into a radio station, and the frequency of the Holy Spirit is Peace. We have to move the tuning dial of our spirit in such a way that the static of outside stimuli gets weaker and weaker (tuned out) and the inward witness of our spirit becomes clearer and clearer (tuned in). Once we discipline ourself to tune in to the Peace frequency, there are some other techniques that will help us be more accurate in being led by Peace.
Emotions are the strongest and loudest voice you will have to quiet in the battle for silence in your mind. Sometimes, no matter how much we try to tune out the world so we can hear our own heart, there are situations and circumstances that elevate our emotions to a level that make it very difficult to tune them out. In a situation like this there are a few practical things that we can do to help us be more accurate in our decisions. First is what I like to call the RAD technique. RAD stands for Reduce All Decisions to a yes or no answer.
No matter how detailed or complicated a decision is, even if it has a multitude of possible answers, break it down to a two answer question, a yes or no, this way or that way, or go ahead or wait questions. In reality, you may have to reduce it down to many two answer questions to get your answer, but this helps you focus your soul and spirit.
Once you have used the RAD technique and have identified all of your “two answer” questions, take each question and use another little trick I call TIP.
TIP stands for TOUCH IT with PEACE. Here is an example of how to TIP something.
Years ago I felt like God was dealing with me to sell my house. I could not get clear on the time I was supposed to sell it. This was my first home and it was a pretty big deal. I did not want to miss it on such a big decision and yet I was not clear if I was to sell it now or in the near future. Then the Lord said to “Touch it with Peace”. I had never heard that before but I knew what the Lord meant. I immediately took a FOR SALE sign and placed it in my front yard, went back in the house, got quiet, and listened on the inside.
Quickly I realized that I had an uncomfortable, scratchy feeling on the inside, a little buzzer, a check, a feeling that what I had just done seemed wrong. I knew that I had violated my peace. A half hour later I pulled the sign up and my struggles to be clear were over. I knew I was to wait.
On another occasion, I lost a receipt to a battery that I had bought for a boat. The battery was the wrong size and I had spent about an hour ransacking my house and garage trying to find it. I was getting frustrated and finally asked the Lord to help me. ( yeah, I know, should have done that first Ding Dong.) The Lord said “why don’t you do what you know to do?” I knew He was talking about relying on the Holy Spirit to lead me with Peace.
God cares about all the little things in your life and desires to get involved and help you. He is a gentleman however and will only get involved if asked.
So I was standing in the middle of my living room, looking up at the ceiling, and I just got real quiet and “tuned in” to my heart. There were three directions I could go from where I stood, out the front door, down the hallway, or through the kitchen. I hadn’t been out the front door so I could eliminate that without thinking, so I looked down the hall while listening to my heart. I got that subtle yucky feeling from staring at the hall so I turned to the kitchen and it seemed right. I stepped into the kitchen looking around at the opened drawers, the papers I had scattered on the counter, the dreaded trash can that I had pilfered through repeatedly, and that scratchy, yucky feeling was there again.
I stepped to the backdoor and looked out the window at the garage and had a witness that this was the right way. It didn’t make sense to me. I had been through the garage several times. And then I got a revelation about a passage in Philippians.
Philippians 4:7 ~ And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
You must learn to trust Peace pass the limits of your understanding.
So I slowly walked outside, looking around, trying to be sensitive, and when I took the second step into the garage I knew I was in the right place. It seemed right, it felt good, I had a witness in my heart, … but I still didn’t see the receipt. I stood there with arms crossed and carefully scanned every area. I looked up to heaven to inquire of the Lord and … RIGHT THERE!
I was standing by a 6 ft. step-ladder that I had opened in the middle of the room to change a light bulb. As I look up to heaven I saw the corner of the receipt hanging over the edge of the top step, just over my head and out of sight. Peace had led me to it.
I use this TIP technique often, especially when I misplace my keys or phone, and this is great practice when learning how to be led by Peace. Repetition is the mother of skill. the more you practice on things like keys, phones and receipts, the easier it will be when the pressure is on.
Peace is one of my favorite topics, and what I believe to be one of the most valuable things to learn about if you are to live a life of the Spirit. Here are some scriptures to meditate on to help you grow in Peace.
Colossians 3:15 ~ And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
Philippians 4:5-7 ~ 5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 2:13-15 ~ 13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Isaiah 55:12 ~ For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
Posted in Being Led By The Spirit, Peace, Victorious Living!
Tagged Christianity, God, HolySpirit, peace, Thoughts
I continue to be involved in, and exposed to, many different denominations and thier doctrines. After a few decades of this something becomes glaringly obvious; No ONE denomination has all the answers, not YOURS, and not MINE.
To give you some background on myself, I am currently involved in the Foursquare denomination but my roots are in Full Gospel and Word Of Faith. Before I was married I led bible studies and mens groups that had a diverse mix of beliefs and was constantly challenged to examine what I believe and why I believe it. Sometimes it would serve to strengthen my belief, and sometimes I would be forced to change what I believe based on my new understanding of the Word of God. I think this is a healthy thing.
I have come to love being around people that challenge my beliefs because it always points me back to the Word, and that is where all the answers are. I have said this before, “If I am in a group of people that agree with every word I say, then I am probably in the WRONG place.” Not that I am just naturally contrary, but I see the value of relationships that challenge you to be better, stronger and clearer on what you believe.
Over a period of 25 years I have been taught that it is God’s will for you to prosper. Over that same period of time I have been challenged just as much that the “Prosperity Message” is a false doctrine, a wrong emphasis, even a doctrine of devils. Because of this, I have continued to revisit the scriptures concerning prosperity and have come to the conclusion that people who resist the GOOD NEWS that God wants you to prosper are completely ignorant of God’s Word concerning the matter. The bible is absoluetly LOADED with promises concerning finacial and material blessings.
Before I prove this with the scripture, let me say this: I understand the bad taste people get in their mouth when they see abuse in this area. I also know that most Christians in the world never grow past being a spiritual toddler so they are very impressionable and easily influenced by others. They have swallowed the religious tradition and ignorant assumptions handed down by their leaders without question, without seeing what GOD has to say about the matter themselves. Furthermore, there is to much focus, from too many TV preachers on the topic of prosperity that are NOT teaching it the right way. Do yourself a favor, don’t take thier word for it and don’t take my word for it, search the scriptures yourself.
So lets open this up with some “in your face” scripture about YOU being rich.
2 Corinthians 8:9 ~ For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
Thats right, RICH is a bible word. To understand this scripture you really need to read all of 2 Corinthians 8. Paul talking about ministry and liberal giving. This is bible. One of the principles of being prosperous is being a liberal giver.
The words “rich” used in this verse have been explained away as meaning spirtual blessing only. They are two slightly different words in the Greek, but look at the definition of rich in the latter part of the verse. This pertains to YOU.
RICH ~ plouteō 1) to be rich, to have abundance. a) of outward possessions. 2) metaph. to be richly supplied. a) is affluent in resources so that he can give blessings of salvation to all.
Notice the phrase, “is affluent in resources so that he can give blessings of salvation to all.” Does it take money to give salvation? In most cases, YES. It takes money to do ministry! Even Jesus had a treasurer. It took money to feed and equip his disciples, it took money for travel and lodging, and it still takes money today.
One of the greatest tragedies of our time is that ministers who have given their life to the call of God and the tending of His sheep live in poverty or struggle financially. In some cases it is the ministers fault for not embracing the gospel of prosperity, in others it is the church council, the deacon board, or the sheep in general for not thinking enough of the gift of God in their lives to insure that finances are NEVER a concern for the minister.
At the same time, it urks me to see so many TV preachers that teach a twisted “prosperity message”. To every “road of truth” there are ditches on each side, and the predominant message on prosperity has the tendency to get people in the ditch of either excess and abuse, or the ditch of avoidance. People need to find the truth for themselves so that they can stay on the road., not letting spiritually blind leaders guide them into the ditch.
On another note, I need to address the the popular doctrine of:
“It is God’s will for EVERYONE to prosper financially.”
Is this true? Yes, and no. Like any good Father, God wants only the richest and best for His kids. That being said, money may not always be the best thing for children, especially immature ones.
If you give a thirteen year old $1000. and told him/her to do whatever they want, spend it however they want, they would likely go crazy and buy a bunch of electronic devices, video games, useless toys, and enough junk food and candy to put them in a sugar coma. The money would not only be wasted, but none of these things are going to do anything to help them spiritually or give glory to God, and in truth, could actually hurt them.
I have a close relative that has been in and out of prison, never learned any responsibily, abused drugs, and has no respect for anyone. He only thinks of himself. The worst thing that could happen is for him to suddenly come into a large sum of money. He does not have the character or restraint to keep him out of trouble and money would just give him more opportunities to screw up and self destruct.
He believes that if he had money everything would change, but money doesn’t change your character, it only serves to magnify it and make it more evident. Look at a couple verses and you will see God’s heart on this matter.
3 John 1:2 ~ Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
This is not just a letter from the Apostle John to “the beloved Gaius”, But for ALL people, for ALL time.
Prospering in your soul is important. The more prosperous you are in your soul is a reflection of how mature and developed you are spiritually. A maturing soul indicates a growing likeness to the character of God and an increase in spiritual maturity. Notice that John stated his desire for Gaius to prosper and be in health AS HIS SOUL PROSPERS. John said this by the Spirit and it indicates that there is an imortant connection between YOU prospering and being in health and the prosperity of your soul. Look at another verse that makes this clear.
Joshua 1:7-8 ~ 7Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
In this passage we see that prosperity and success is dependant on keeping God’s Word in your mouth, meditating on it, and DOING IT. This is not just Old Testament Law, but a spiritual law, and a principle that we see throughout the bible that applies to us today. This causes you to grow spirtually, prosper in your soul, and develop strong Godly character, and when you do this, God said THEN you will make your way prosperous, and THEN you will have good success. Why is it that so many believers that are hot on the prosperity message choose to ignore this? It is THE KEY.
That being said, just because you are a Christian doesn’t mean you have good character. Just because God has an inheritance for you does not mean He will give it to you knowing it will hurt you. He is a better father than that. You may be thinking of the prodigal son mentioned in Luke 15, how he asked for his inheritance, the father gave it to him, and then he wasted it and brought himself to total ruin. What you need to realize is, the son was a grown young man not a child. He was mature enough to leave home on his own.
I have three boys from the age of 7 to 13 years old. Everything I have, they will inherit. If my 13 year old asked me for his portion of the inheritance now, should I give it to him and let him go and do as he pleases? I would be a terrible father if I did that. He has a lot to learn and a lot of maturing to do yet. I have to believe that God is at least as responsible as I am. :/
This raises another issue that most Christians are completely confused on. Spirtual maturity and just how mature that people THINK they are. I will just say this point blank; If you have been a Christian for only a few years, regardless of your commitment and how much you have learned, you are not a mature Christian. On the other hand, if you have been a Christian for 60 years, that does not mean that you are mature spiritually.
The point is, just because you have grown some spirtually and prospered in your soul a little doesn’t mean that you can handle the reponsability that comes with money. Regardless of that, the promise of prosperity is STILL yours.
Rarely will you see prosperity come all at once. When it does it is usually followed by destruction. Just look at most of the young entertainers in our culture.
Prosperity is a journey that is travelled in the vehicle of faith, navigated by wisdom, and fueled by love for God and His people.
The purpose of the journey is not prosperity in itself, but to ever be maturing into Christlikeness. All of the experiences, the ups and downs, good and bad times, the rich relationships, the successes and failures, are all tools to help shape and define the character of God that is just aching to rise to the surface and show up in our life.
It is the life of the Spirit IN CHRIST and adherence and commitment to God’s word in all these circumstances that prospers our souls and insures our prosperity.
2 Corinthians 1:20 ~ For all the promises of God IN HIM (in Christ) are yea, and IN HIM Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
If your focus is prosperity and not the journey of living the Spirit filled life in Christ…you may never arrive at your destination.
Here are some rich promises from God’s word to show you what God thinks of properity.
Psalm 84:11 ~ For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
Hebrews 11:6 ~ But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Proverbs 3:8-10 ~ 8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. 9 Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: 10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
Deuteronomy 8:18 ~ But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
Luke 6:38 ~ Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
Psalm 35:27 ~ Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.
Proverbs 22:4 ~ By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.
2 Corinthians 8:9 ~ For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
Matthew 19:29 ~ And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
Posted in prosperity, Victorious Living!
Tagged Christianity, faith, Prosperity doctrine, Thoughts
~One night I was laying in bed thinking, “why have I felt so dry the last couple days?” I believe the Lord spoke to me and said “you didn’t gather the manna like you were told.”
~I had to stop and think about that for a minute. I didn’t remember God mentioning manna to me, not recently, NOT EVER. Then I remembered the children of Israel. While in the Wilderness of Sin, God rained down manna from heaven to sustain them every day, for FOURTY years. They were required to go out daily and gather this manna that fell in the form of little pieces the size of coriander seeds.
You could only gather as much as you could eat in one day. Any more and it would rot and produce worms. It was useless.
Exodus 16:4 ~ Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not.
God provided food to sustain them in the natural and to test them. I believe this is a type of what He has done with us spiritually. Many places in the Word we are commanded to DAILY be in His Word. Joshua is my favorite.
Joshua 1:8 ~ This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
I know what the Lord was saying to me. I had not kept His Word in front of my face and in my mouth for the last couple days.
A few days ago I was up early, and while walking around in the dark I stubbed my toe and tore my little toenail completely off. If that has ever happened to you, then you know the degree of pain that kind of injury can produce. Being in pain and limping around, I really didn’t feel like doing anything. Including reading and confessing the Word of God which is my normal routine. I read a little here and there but I did not speak His word which is where the real power is.
~ So after two days of the “mullygrubs” I realized that the reason I was feeling dry and empty was not my toe being sore, but my spirit being empty.
The bible is GOD TALKING TO US. His words are Spirit and they are Life. They are needed daily for our spiritual health and development. The Lord feeding the children of Israel with manna is a type of what we should be walking in today. We must put forth DAILY effort to ensure our spiritual health and growth. I love how Job says it:
Job 23:12 ~ I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.
Look at the language, “… treasured the words of His mouth…” Every day should be a new treasure hunt. The value that you place on God’s Word is evident by the time you are willing to spend on it. One of the greatest investments you can make in this life is the attention that you give to His Word. We all need daily exposure and intake of the Word of God. Have you found your treasure today?
Posted in The Christian Walk, Victorious Living!
Tagged Christ, Christian, Christianity, faith, God
The Lord has been leading me on an amazing journey these last several years. For the most part it has been a journey of self-discovery, finding the truth of who I am in Christ, while also seeing the weaknesses and inadequacies in myself. As one revelation grows, so does the other.
Through this growth and discovery process I felt this constant need for MORE. More love, more faith, more power. As I asked questions of God and searched the scriptures for some kind of answer to my feelings of inadequacy, I found some shocking truths that have changed my entire perspective. Not to mention how I experience God on a daily basis.
To start with, my thought was that God should improve me. I prayed constantly for God to make me a better man, a better husband and father, a better minister, a better servant. I thought He should just download some love and power in my heart, some faith and holiness – and improve me.
Then it hit me: Self-improvement is NOT the answer, and God will NOT improve your “self”. He has asked you to DIE to “self”.
Colossians 3:3 ~ 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
I have spent years of effort trying to improve a dead man, when all along I should have been focusing on putting on the NEW MAN! Oh, how many Christians get caught in this trap.
Ephesians 4:24 ~ and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
Colossians 3:9-11 ~ 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
Christ is the NEW MAN! Instead of focusing on the dead man, we should be focusing on the new man. It is Satan who wants to resurrect the old man who is full of sin and death. He knows he can’t conquer the new man in Christ, so he distracts us from developing in the new man by keeping our attention on the old dead one. Pretty slick.
Romans 13:13-14 ~ 13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
Galatians 3:26-28 ~ For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
We are made to be containers of God, carriers of Christ, clothed in power and glory allowing God to live through us, to express His love and power to a lost and dying world. This can only be accomplished by taking our place “IN HIM”. This is the mystery that eludes most Christians, that keeps them from walking in the fullness of God, their identity IN Christ.
Colossians 1:27 ~ To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Galatians 2:20 ~ I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
IS CHRIST A PUT ON? …YOU BET!
Just like a hand slipping inside a glove, just like putting on a coat or a cloak, we put on CHRIST daily. Clothed in His glory! It IS the only way to improve a dead man.
Look at all the New Testament scriptures that mention “In Him, in whom, and in Christ” to see who you are and what you have when you choose to put on Christ.
Self discovery is a powerful thing. Finding out who you are in Christ is THE most powerful revelation you can attain after salvation.
Most of the Apostle Paul’s writings were focused on helping believers understand who they are in Christ.
In Christ you have been repositioned, relabeled, renamed, re-categorized, and redeemed. You have a new family, a new status, a new nature, a new purpose, and a new destiny. You have a new heritage, a new identity, with new rights, new power, new authority, and new responsibilities. The old is passed away, and all things are new!
2 Corinthians 5:17 ~ Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
The New Testament reveals the model of who we are supposed to be, what a living church should look like, and yet, if you search the earth you find very few bodies of believers living up to that model. Why? I believe that it stems from an identity crisis.
We, the church, don’t really know who we are. We don’t understand our heritage and the royal bloodline that we were birthed into when we made Jesus the Lord of our life. Jesus emptied himself of all His kingly privilege and power and LIVED HIS LIFE for us … then he GAVE HIS LIFE for us. Now He wants to live His life through us as the KING of KINGS!
We must awaken to the marvelous truth, that Christ is not in the heavens only, seated at the right hand of the Father, but Christ is in us. Our main function in this life is to manifest Christ to the world in all His glory. It is Christ’s body that validates Christ to the world. Without His body reigning in life as a king the world will be limited to only hearing about Christ instead of experiencing Him. There must be a SHOWING FORTH as well as a TELLING ABOUT. To Show Forth the kingdom we must function in the authority that has been given us.
1 Peter 2:9 ~ But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;
Romans 5:17 ~ For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.
Revelation 5:10 ~ And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
Revelation 1:6 ~ And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
The life that Christ lived qualified Him for the death that He died …. and the death that He died qualifies us for the life we now live … as Kings and Priests unto our God. Are you living like a King, with a King’s authority and resources? That is available to YOU AND I.
Understanding the kingdom will not only help you understand the parables of the kingdom spoken by Jesus, but help you see how the kingdom functions and grows in your life.
Without going into a lot of detail I think I can give you a couple of observations that will help you define exactly where YOUR rule and reign as a King is to be.
”The Kingdom of God is not just the place where God dwells, but the place in which, at any given time, God’s rule and reign is acknowledged.”
Luke 17:20-22 ~ 20And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. 22And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.
When we hear the phrase; “kingdom of God”, our minds immediately think of another place such as heaven. The truth is, according the verse above, the kingdom is within you.
Because of God’s grace and goodness, he has allowed me to experience some wonderful, supernatural, and even spectacular demonstrations of His Spirit. One was an open vision that I had in the middle of a home fellowship. It was about the kingdom of God and helped me understand some principles of His kingdom. I think it is pertinent to this teaching so I will share it.
A group of about 12 of us met for the fellowship at a friend’s house. We were worshipping the Lord with songs that were picked by an associate pastor. All of the songs were about The “King” or the “Kingdom”. After worshipping through 5 or 6 songs the presence of the Lord was very strong and everyone got quiet. After about a minute of the silence I see this picture materialize in front of me.
It was like a transparency that you would use in a projector. You know the clear plastic sheets with words on them? It looked similar to that, only it was in color and alive! hard to explain. As I was looking at this “transparency”, I reached up my hand to touch what I was looking at and my hand passed right through it and back. I could see this thing clearly yet I could see everyone in the room at the same time. Strange, but very cool. I had not experienced anything like this before or since.
In this vision I was looking down from a bird’s eye view, very high in the air. What I saw was an enclosure with high walls like you would see at a castle. Inside these walls were lush green vegetation, flowering plants and trees that were healthy and full of life and crystal clear streams. Not a blemish on any leaf, not one sign of decay on anything, absolutely perfect. Outside these walls was a dry desert with no sign of life as far as you could see.
As I looked I saw these huge letters appear written from one end of the enclosure to the other: ”KINGDOM” Suddenly it was as if I was flying down or zooming into this enclosure and as I got closer I saw that the high wall had many doors at intervals all around it. On each door was written the same word: “OBEDIENCE”.
As soon as I saw this, the Lord spoke to me and said; “This is the Kingdom of God in every believers heart. Every time my people obey my word, whether written or spoken, a door of obedience opens and my kingdom is expanded in their heart”. Then I saw one of the doors open up and all of the beautiful life filled scenery flooded like water immediately into another area and the same kind of walls, with the same doors of obedience, were raised up around it. I spoke this out to the group and the vision ended.
Note: Any vision should be judged in light of God’s Word and you should judge this one accordingly.
There have been many kings throughout the ages. Some with vast kingdoms, and some with very small kingdoms. The size of the kingdom determines the power of the king. The kings with the most land, resources, influence, and people were the most powerful and were able to overcome and overthrow other weaker kings and thereby expanding their own kingdom. The most powerful kings were respected and feared. Those with small kingdoms, very little resources, very little land and fighting men were not feared or even respected by some.
The point is: You have complete control over how big the kingdom of God is in your life. The King lives in you, but He is not a tyrant. He will only reign where His rule is acknowledged. If you acknowledge His rule in EVERY area of your life, then 100% kingdom authority resides in you and Jesus will be manifest to the world. The Kingdom of God is within you!
The expansion and advancement of the Kingdom of God on earth is directly tied to our obedience to His Word and the leading of His Spirit. We are instruments of His Kingdom. He bought us so that He could live through us. For Him to do that we must walk in obedience. How much Jesus we can expose people to can be helped or hindered by how much obedience we are walking in.
We must be carriers of the Kingdom of God, knowing that everywhere we go, people can encounter the King.
Luke 11:2 ~ And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
For the church to awaken out of their religious stupor that has the form of godliness but denies the power thereof (2 Timothy 3:5 ) we must embrace this truth and act on it.
I will leave you with a quote from one of the greatest healing evangelists of recent times. A person who really understood kingdom authority.
Posted in Victorious Living!
Tagged authority of the believer, Christ, Christianity, God, God's kingdom
Mark 11:12-14 ~ 12And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry: 13And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. 14And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.
In today’s society people who talk to trees run the risk of being put in a straight jacket and labeled a lunatic. In fact, there were many that thought Jesus was a lunatic so this shouldn’t surprise anyone.
The Bible records Jesus speaking to many things throughout the New Testament. In every case, the things He spoke to obeyed Him. What most people don’t realize is that He did this as a man, not as God. Jesus walked this earth and ministered as a man anointed and filled with the Holy Spirit.
Jesus was born of the incorruptible seed of God. That seed was placed in His virgin mother and He was born a man, completely void of any heavenly powers or privileges.
Philippians 2:6-8 ~ 6Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! ~NIV~
What we must grasp is that the same incorruptible seed that was in Christ is now in us if Jesus is our Lord. This understanding is essential if we are to function in the authority and power that Jesus did when He was on the earth. When Jesus spoke to things and exercised His Kingdom authority He was not doing it to show off, He was setting an example for His Church to follow. He was demonstrating what could be done as a man so that we would know who we were in Him.
Knowing who you are IN Christ is one of the most important revelations in your Christian walk.
Lets look at another instance of Jesus exercising His authority.
Mark 4:38-40 ~ 38And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? 39And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
Now this one really freaked the disciples out! They were fighting for their life while Jesus slept. I wonder how long this went on. I can see the disciples bailing water, tieing down everything that was loose, fighting with the rudder and the rope rigging. All the while, stealing glances at Jesus every few minutes thinking “when is He gonna get up and DO something?” Keep in mind that some of these guys were professional sailors and fishermen, they had been in bad storms before, so this must have been a real doosey!
As bad as it must have been, the truth is, they didn’t need to wake Jesus up. They should have been able to take care of it themselves. In fact Jesus rebuked them for being afraid and having no faith.
Mark 4:40 ~ And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
If Jesus expected them to exercise that kind of faith and authority BEFORE he went to the cross, how much more does He expect it from us as born again believers? The real question is why don’t WE expect to operate like that? Although the disciples had the power to do just what Jesus did, they were waiting on Jesus to do something.
Many prayers seemingly go unanswered because God has already done everything that He is going to do about the situation. He has given you the authority and power to do something about it yourself so stop waiting on Jesus to wake up and calm your storm, begin speaking to it!
What else did Jesus talk to? We have the account of Peter’s mother in law being healed of a fever. Notice what Jesus does.
Luke 4:38-40 ~ 38And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon’s house. And Simon’s wife’s mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her. 39And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them. 40Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.
Notice that Jesus did not pray for Peter’s mother in law, He spoke directly to the fever and rebuked it! He exercised His kingdom authority over the fever and the fever had no choice but to obey. Many times Christians are praying when they should have been SAYING.
When you get sick do you first run to the medicine cabinet, or the doctor, or do you use words of faith to take authority over the sickness? Don’t get me wrong, I am not knocking medicine. In fact, you will find it easier to stand in faith if you are not fighting as many symptoms. If medicine can calm the symptoms and make it easier to stand in faith, I say go for it! But let the sickness know who is boss and don’t let medicine and doctors be you first recourse.
Here is an interesting account of Jesus speaking to a dead person.
John 11:42-44 ~ 42And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. 43And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. 44And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave-clothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
This is an amazing account of Jesus demonstrating His kingdom authority and the power of the spoken word. There have been many confirmed, recorded accounts of people being raised from the dead in Jesus name. 14 accounts in the life of Smith Wigglesworth alone. This is available to YOU … TODAY!
So we see that He spoke to trees, to the elements, to sickness, and even to dead people. So ask your self this;
“Can a tree, a fever, a storm, or even a dead person hear?” Obviously THEY CAN!
These were just some of the mountains that Jesus had to move in His earthly ministry. What mountains are you facing in your life? If you don’t have faith enough to move your mouth, you will never have faith enough to move your mountain.
Mark 11:23 ~ For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
Summary:
Jesus was a man born of incorruptible seed and filled with the Spirit. Because of that He shook the world and performed amazing miracles. Signs and wonders were a way of life for Him after the Holy Spirit came upon Him. If you are Christ’s, then you are born of the same incorruptible seed.
1 Peter 1:23 ~ Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
The signs and wonders that followed Jesus should be following us if we truly believe.
Mark 16 ~ 17And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
The truth is we should be seeing greater works than Jesus did. That is what He told us in His Word.
John 14:12 ~ Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
The Bible is called the “Cannon” of scripture. Cannon means ruler, or measuring stick. We must judge our own lives and experience by the measuring stick of God’s written Word. If our experience does not measure up to what we see in scripture then we need to make adjustments and pray for God to help us elevate our experience to match His Word, not water down God’s Word to match our lack of experience.
Posted in The Fullness Of The Spirit, Victorious Living!
Tagged Christianity, faith, God, signs and wonders, Thoughts
There is a process toward the place of distress.
It looks something like this.
(1) DISBELIEF in the PROMISES requiring faith – And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Hebrews 11:6 **Other verses for encouragement -> Matthew 24:35 2 Corinthians 5:7, 1 John 5:4
(2) DISCOURAGED by the PROBLEMS opposing faith - I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 **Other verses for encouragement ->Proverbs 3:5-6, Galatians 6:9, James 4:7, 2 Thessalonians 3:13
(3) DISENGAGED from the PEOPLE and PLACE of faith – Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25 **Other verses for encouragement ->Proverbs 27:17, Mark 3:25
(4) DISTRESSED as a PERSON without faith -*Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.Psalm 43:5, *May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 **Other verses for encouragement ->Psalm 18:2, , Ecclesiastes 4:10-12, Prov. 12:25
ABOVE ALL ELSE guard your heart, for it determines the course of your life. Proverbs 4:23
Don’t you be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be dismayed,for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness. Isaiah 41:10
hc
Posted in Patience, The Christian Walk, Victorious Living!, Wisdom
Tagged anxiety, Christianity, distress, faith, faith in God, God is faithful, Gurad your heart., proverbs
You have probably heard the term “secret place” used in Christian conversation and may have even heard teaching on the subject. The term “secret place” comes from Psalm 91 and is a wonderful Psalm that holds promises of protection, salvation and deliverance. Lets take a look at the text:
Psalm 91:1-3 ~ He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” 3Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence.
When believers are standing in faith for protection and deliverance this is the “go-to” scripture that seems to come to mind, But to understand what the “secret place” is, you must first realize two things:
1st ~ This Psalm is a prophecy about our position in Christ Jesus.
2nd ~ The “secret place” is not a secret anymore.
As beautiful as this Psalm is, it is only a shadow of what we now possess in Christ Jesus. To dwell in the secret place is no big mystery, it is simply to live and walk in Him, in Christ, to be ever submitted to His will, His agenda, His work, and His direction. This is what the bible refers to as “entering into His rest”, and that rest IS THE SECRET PLACE.
Hebrews 4:1 ~ [ The Promise of Rest ] Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it.
Hebrews 4:10 ~ For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.
When you take up the Lords yoke and burden, the responsibility of protection and deliverance rests solely on Him. That doesn’t mean He won’t lead you into difficult situations that test your faith, your strength, your courage, and try your patients, but it does mean that He will walk through it with you and hold you up and keep you the entire way.
If you want to do an interesting study, look up all the phrases in the New Testament that refer to “in Him, in Christ, and in Whom.” This will help you understand the secret place, it will help you realize that it is not a secret anymore, but most importantly it will help you understand who YOU are. You really don’t know who you are as a Christian until you know who you are IN HIM.
Now read Psalm 91 in the light of this understanding and see what wonderful promises that you possess IN CHRIST JESUS.
Psalm 91 ~ He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”
3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. 4 He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. 5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, 6 Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you. 8 Only with your eyes shall you look, and see the reward of the wicked.
9 Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, 10 No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; 11 For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. 12 In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. 13 You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.
14 “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. 15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. 16 With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation.”
Posted in Religious COW Tipping!, Victorious Living!
Tagged Christianity, faith, God, the secret place
New Year advice~>
Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. Love doesn't strut, Doesn't have a swelled head, Doesn't force itself on others, Isn't always "me first," Doesn't fly off the handle, Doesn't keep score of the sins of others, Doesn't revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end.
Posted in Victorious Living!
God loves children. He does not discriminate against children. He does ask us parents, to train them. Do not underestimate your children’s faith. They can hear from God too. They can walk a victorious life in God’s love and grace just like adults. do
May your children grow up to be your brothers and sisters in Christ.
Matthew 19:14 But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”
Psalm 127:3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.
Matthew 18:10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
Proverbs 29:17 Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart.
Mark 10:13-16 And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.
Matthew 18:4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Proverbs 29:15 The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.
Proverbs 15:20 A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish man despises his mother.
Posted in Favor, Love, The Christian Walk, Victorious Living!, Wisdom
Tagged children bible verses, family, let the children come, Matthew 19:14, parents, Proverbs 22:6
~Godly Men Need Godly Men~
As men who have given our lives to Jesus, we may have second thoughts and doubts from time to time, but none of us wants to go back to the garbage we were redeemed from. One thing we’re sure of is that we have chosen the best thing possible to give our life to.
The question then becomes, what do we do when the world pulls us one way and our faith another? We can pray, and that helps, but rarely do we get an instant, emphatic answer that God loves us and everything is fine. We can read the Bible and learn from people like Joseph, John the Baptist, and Paul. That encourages us too, but sometimes it is just not enough.
We must also trust in those relationships that we have with other men who have the courage, and love us enough to give us a swift kick in the rear if we need it. If you don’t have that kind of relationship …. you need at least one. You should have men in your life that will hold you accountable to walk the walk.
Men can get uncomfortable baring their soul and being brutally honest with other men, exposing their weakness and being humble enough to ask for help. This has been a hinderance in the body of Christ, and I believe, has prevented the church from walking in the fullness of the Spirit.
The bottom line, as always, comes down to trust in Jesus Christ. Is He the way, the truth and the life, as He said, or not? Did He save us from our sins because of His tremendous love for us? Is He the best possible choice you can make on this planet, while the world offers only a shallow, temporary promise of enjoyment? … You know the answer to those questions.
It can be hard for men to trust other men with personal things. When we do that we become vulnerable and open ourselves up to the possibiliy of being hurt and betrayed. That is just part of relationship. These feelings come from fear and pride. To trust in Jesus is to trust in His body, to believe the best of others, to honor the relationships by letting them function as they were designed, in true fellowship.
1 John 1:7 ~ But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
JC
Posted in Being Led By The Spirit, Fellowship, Victorious Living!
Tagged Christianity, faith, Forgiveness, friendship, I John 1:7, men, relationships, trust
The source of many problems in our world today is the lack of men of character and integrity. The lack of Godly men leaves a mark that does not produce life. Sadly, godly living is no longer pursued by men or taught to children in many homes. Because of this, we have a society where right is wrong and wrong is right and many are caught in the middle not knowing which way to go. We need the wisdom of Proverbs in our homes! Wisdom for every member of the family as a unit and as part of the body of Christ in this world. We need more than a few good men. We need an army of Mighty MEN to lead the way for the next generation.We need the mark of a Proverbs Man. The mark of a man that makes a difference. Blessed Men that Fear God and Lead Responsible lives leave The Mark of a Proverbs Man where ever they go. With godly wisdom they train their children in godly living, just as their children will teach the next generation. Father-Friend-Son- Mentor-Brother-Husband– You are called to be A Proverbs Man!
Proverbs 13:22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.
Proverbs 29:17 Discipline your son, and he will give you peace; he will bring delight to your soul
Proverbs 13:24 He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly.
Proverbs 19:18 Discipline your son, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to his death
Proverbs 19:14 Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the LORD
Proverbs 29:17 Discipline your son, and he will give you peace.
Proverbs 3:13 Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding.
Proverbs 8:34 Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway.
Proverbs 3:33 The LORD’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous.
Proverbs 20:7 The righteous man leads a blameless life; blessed are his children after him.
Proverbs 23:24 The father of a righteous man has great joy; he who has a wise son delights in him.
Proverbs 17:6 Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.
Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 19:23 The fear of the LORD leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.
Proverbs 14:26 He who fears the LORD has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge.
Proverbs 12:2 A good man obtains favor from the LORD, but the LORD condemns a crafty man.
Proverbs 8:35 For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the LORD.
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hc
What is a Sluggard?Sluggard is defined by the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary as an habitually lazy person. *A few synonyms for sluggard are lazybones, deadbeat, do-nothing, drone, idler, lay about, loafer, lotus-eater, slouch, slug, slugabed, and couch potato.
Do you know anybody that fits this description? Shhhh! Don’t tell!
If you are not wise with your time you will find out how quick time flies. Observe the tiny ants and learn. Be a person with initiative, be a self-starter, and don’t waste time.
Start, finish, and do things right because time flies when you are not wise.
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Proverbs 6:6-11
Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider her ways and be wise!–Which, having no chief, overseer, or ruler, Provides her food in the summer and gathers her supplies in the harvest. How long will you sleep, O sluggard?
When will you arise out of your sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to lie down and sleep–So will your poverty come like a robber or one who travels [with slowly but surely approaching steps] and your want like an armed man [making you helpless].
Warnings for Sluggards or Lazy Peeps !!!!!
The Book of Proverbs is filled with wisdom concerning laziness and warnings to the lazy person. (Sorry but no easy links for these verses. This time you will have to actually use your Bible. ) 
A lazy peep hates work.~ Proverbs 21:25
A lazy peep loves sleep.~ Proverbs26:14
A lazy peep gives excuses.~ Proverbs 26:13
A lazy peep wastes time and energy.~ Proverbs 18:9
A lazy peep believes he is wise.~ Proverbs 26:16
The Book of Proverbs also tells us the end in store for the lazy peep:
A lazy peep becomes a servant or debtor. ~Proverbs 12:24
A lazy peep’s future is bleak.~ Proverbs 20:4
A lazy peep will come to poverty.~ Proverbs 13:4
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Ants are good team players, each doing their part always working together for the benefit of all.
you understand your gifts and work within your specific abilities.
-you don’t need to have an overseer pushing you each day to get your tasks done.
-you can work with others.
-you are single focused when needed.
-you can help and share with others.
-you take rest seriously.
-you understand and respect timing.
-you are self motivated.
-you are creative.
-you are not lazy!
Go to the ant consider her ways, learn, and be wise!!
hc
Posted in The Christian Walk, Victorious Living!, Wisdom
Tagged ants, Christianity, consider the ant, couch potato, diligent, lazy, proverbs, Proverbs 6:6, sluggard, time management
There is no need to throw your hands up in the air when things don’t go as planned. Resist the temptation to embrace frustration or to have a meltdown. There is no need to hide from the world to disconnect, and there is no need for you to try to find someone to blame for the failure. Frustration is the everyday bread to those who give up and that is not you!
Just get back up! Go back to the drawing board and do things God’s way. He is more than able to help and lead you to success if you follow His lead! He will make your path strait. Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.
There is one thing to keep in mind. We do need people in our world to speak truth and to council us as we prepare to make big decisions. We don’t know it all. If you ask God, He will lead you to these people so that you have all the insight you need. Even though you make your own decisions, remember as well that you can’t ignore God’s council and expect things to go right. A one-man band is only good for entertainment…
P.L.A.N.S.
P- Pray for direction.
L– Listen to counsel.
A- Always let God have the final word.
N- No need to rush. God’s timing is the right one.
S. Success should always be measured by God’s
standards and not men’s standards.
–>Wisdom from Proverbs
I drew the acronym for the word PLANS from these verses. It is not meant to be your ABCs of life, but more as key components that should be part of your decision making process.
hc
Posted in The Christian Walk, Victorious Living!
Tagged Christianity, faith, frustrations, never give up, plans, proverbs, temptations
If you have received something from God, YOU now have the right, ability, the anointing and the responsibility to give it away. Salvation, healing, blessing, the Holy Spirit. We see this biblical principle in the book of Matthew:
Matthew 10:8 ~ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
Remember Peter?
Acts 3:6 ~ Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”
What did Peter have that he was able to give away? The authority of Jesus name. You have been given that same authority.
The Chief expression of Love (God) is to give. If you receive a blessing from God, like a healing in your body, and you see a person that needs that same type of healing, YOU have an anointing and a right to freely give that person what you have received. I have seen this done hundreds of times in the last 23 years and just understood this principle this week. There is a ton of scripture that supports this too. MAN, GOD IS GOOD!
Revelation 12:11 ~ And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
How do we overcome? Part of the way we overcome is by our testimony. This is not just limited to the story of how you came to a relationship with Jesus Christ, in fact it is more about what you are TESTIFYING on a DAILY BASIS.
Do you testify about your illness and how you never have enough, or are you “calling those things that be not as though they were.” (Like God does … like Abraham did, Romans 4:17 ) and declaring the promises of God in the face of your adversity?
Search this site and find the biblical confessions that address your concerns. They are all organized and printable for your convenience. Begin speaking the promises of God every day and TESTIFY of what God is saying about you.
Things are WON in the spirit realm before you see them in the natural realm. Use the Sword of the Spirit and FIGHT for what is rightfully yours! WIN IT IN THE SPIRIT, THEN EXPECT IT IN THE NATURAL!
JC
Posted in The Christian Walk, Victorious Living!
Tagged confession, faith, faith confession, overcome by the word of your testimony, sermon notes on the power of your testimony, sermon on your testimony, testifying, testimony, the power of your words, the spirit of faith, word of faith, words, your testimony
The Lord has been leading me on an amazing journey these last several years. For the most part it has been a journey of self-discovery, finding the truth of who I am in Christ, while also seeing the weaknesses and inadequacies in myself. As one revelation grows, so does the other.
Through this growth and discovery process I felt this constant need for MORE. More love, more faith, more power. As I asked questions of God and searched the scriptures for some kind of answer to my feelings of inadequacy, I found some shocking truths that have changed my entire perspective. Not to mention how I experience God on a daily basis.
To start with, my thought was that God should improve me. I prayed constantly for God to make me a better man, a better husband and father, a better minister, a better servant. I thought He should just download some love and power in my heart, some faith and holiness – and improve me.
Then it hit me: Self-improvement is NOT the answer, and God
will NOT improve your “self”. He has asked you to DIE to “self”.
Colossians 3:3 ~ 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
I had spent years of effort trying to improve a dead man, when all along I should have been focusing on putting on the NEW MAN!
Ephesians 4:24 ~ and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
Colossians 3:9-11 ~ 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
Christ is the NEW MAN! Instead of focusing on the dead man, we should be focusing on the new man. It is Satan who wants to resurrect the old man who is full of sin and death. He knows he can’t conquer the new man in Christ, so he distracts us from developing in the new man by keeping our attention on the old dead one. Pretty slick.
Romans 13:13-14 ~ 13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
Galatians 3:26-28 ~ 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
We are made to be containers of God, carriers of Christ, allowing God to live through us, to express His love and power to a lost and dying world. This can only be accomplished by taking our place “IN HIM”. This is the mystery that eludes most Christians, that keeps them from walking in the fullness of God, their identity IN Christ.
Colossians 1:27 ~ To them God has chosen to make known among the
Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Galatians 2:20 ~ I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Psalm 3:3 ~But You, O LORD, are a shield for me, my glory and
the One who lifts up my head.
Psalm 8:9 ~ O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all
the earth!
Psalm 9:1-3 ~ 1 I will praise You, O LORD, with my whole
heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works. 2 I will be glad and
rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High. 3 When
my enemies turn back, They shall fall and perish at Your presence.
Psalm 139:14 ~ I will praise You, for I am fearfully and
wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.
Psalm 12:6 ~ The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver
tried in a furnace of earth, Purified seven times.
Psalm 13:6 ~ I will sing to the LORD, because He has dealt
bountifully with me.
1 Samuel 2:2 ~ “No one is holy like the LORD, For there is none besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God.
2 Samuel 22:32 ~ “For who is God, except the LORD?
And who is a rock, except our God?
Psalm 18:2 ~ The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my
deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Psalm 18:46 ~ The LORD lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let the God of
my salvation be exalted.
Psalm 19:7-9 ~ 7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; 8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; 9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
Psalm 23 ~ 1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for
His name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I
will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You
anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Psalm 24:8-10 ~ 8 Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. 9 Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. 10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah.
Psalm 25:4-6 ~ 4 Show me Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths. 5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day.
6 Remember, O LORD, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses, For they are from of old.
Exodus 15:2 ~ The LORD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him;
Psalm 27:1 ~ The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall
I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 28:7 ~ The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart
trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him.
Isaiah 12:2 ~ Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be
afraid; ‘ For YAH, the LORD, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.
Psalm 31:19 ~ Oh, how great is Your goodness, Which You have laid
up for those who fear You, Which You have prepared for those who trust in You In the presence of the sons of men!
Psalm 34 ~ 1 I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. 2 My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together.
4 I sought the LORD, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my
fears. 5 They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces were not ashamed. 6 This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles. 7 The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them.
8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! 9 Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. 10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing. 11 Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. 12 Who is the man who desires life, And loves many days, that he may see good? 13 Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit. 14 Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are
open to their cry. 16 The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. 17 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. 18 The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit. 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all. 20 He guards all his bones; Not one of them is broken. 21 Evil shall slay the wicked,
And those who hate the righteous shall be condemned.
22 The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who
trust in Him shall be condemned.
Ephesians 6:12 ~ For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
This clearly defines the target; our enemy is spiritual. Be very clear that the cause of most of your problems, and ALL of your attacks have a spiritual source.
So much of a believer’s time is wasted, energy expended, and injury incurred because we exhaust ourselves battling people (flesh and blood) instead of the spiritual forces at work in a situation. In the process of attempting to wrestle believers into defeat in their personal lives, the devil attempts to divert the force of our “spiritual” warfare toward others—in our families, our churches, our work place and community.
The devil knows full well these two things:
(1) if we start fighting other people, they will certainly oblige us and fight back.
(2) that if we start fighting each other, we will never get around to defeating him.
So, whatever (or whoever) you face today, make up your mind about the conflict. Our enemy is the devil. As we make war in prayer and make peace with those around us, the devil stands no chance of succeeding in our lives.
Posted in Spiritual Warfare, Victorious Living!
Tagged Bible, Christ, Christianity, God, Jesus, Knowing your enemy, spiritual warfare
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