I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Matthew 11:11
1 Corinthians 2:12
12We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.
Understanding What God Has Given
1 Corinthians 2:12 - We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.
God desires for us to know what He has freely given to us. One of the responsibilities of the Holy Spirit is to reveal His plans and purposes to us. They may be hidden for a time, but if we seek Him with our whole heart, we can know what He has given to us.
John the Baptist understood this principle. When asked if he was the Messiah, he replied, "A man can receive only what is given him from heaven" (Jn. 3:27).
John understood his role in the Kingdom of God. He came to pave the way for the Messiah; he was not the Messiah himself. His ministry on earth was very brief, yet Jesus described his life in this way: " 'I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he' " (Mt. 11:11).
Once we understand what God has given to us, we can walk freely in our calling. However, if we strive to walk in a role that He never gave us, it will result in frustration and failure. God wants to reveal His plan to us by His Spirit. This requires a willingness to seek and accept what He gives us. It may be different from what we thought. It may require adjustments to follow His path for our lives. As we learn from the life of John the Baptist, obedience requires death to our own wills.
Ask God to reveal what He has freely given to you. Pray that you receive and embrace only those things He has reserved for you to receive and to accomplish in your life. Then you can be assured of a life full of meaning and purpose, and you can look forward to hearing those all-important words someday, "Well done, My good and faithful servant."
2 Corinthians 10:4-5
4The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Don't Think Like the World
Kenneth Copeland
"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)If you think like the world thinks, eventually you will act like the world acts. Unrestrained thoughts produce unrestrained actions. So control your thoughts by bringing them into obedience to the Scriptures.
Program your mind with the Word of God. The Word is spirit and it is life. When your mind is totally saturated with the Word of God, your will becomes strong to exercise authority to overcome every ungodly thought and evil habit.
Don't let Satan deceive you into sacrificing the glory of God in your life for a few moments of self-indulgence and sin. Restrain your thought life. Meditate the Word instead of selfish, carnal thoughts. Keep your eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of your faith.
Scripture Study: Psalm 119:11-18
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Heaven & Hell
A holy man was having a conversation with the Lord one day and said, "Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like." The Lord led the holy man to two doors. He opened one of the doors and the holy man looked in. In the middle of the room was a large round table.
In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew which smelled delicious and made the holy man's mouth water.
The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles that were strapped to their arms and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful, but because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths.
The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering. The Lord said, "You have seen Hell."
They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the same as the first one. There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which made the holy man's mouth water. The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking.
The holy man said, "I don't understand." "It is simple" said the Lord, "it requires but one skill. You see, they have learned to feed each other, while the greedy think only of themselves."
When Jesus died on the cross he was thinking of you!
In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew which smelled delicious and made the holy man's mouth water.
The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles that were strapped to their arms and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful, but because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths.
The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering. The Lord said, "You have seen Hell."
They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the same as the first one. There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which made the holy man's mouth water. The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking.
The holy man said, "I don't understand." "It is simple" said the Lord, "it requires but one skill. You see, they have learned to feed each other, while the greedy think only of themselves."
When Jesus died on the cross he was thinking of you!
Romans 5:1-2
1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
Experiencing True Freedom in Christ - Breaking Free from the Treadmill of Religion
Dr. Jack Graham
Not long ago, I went to my doctor's office for my annual physical, and they put me up on a treadmill for a stress test. When they first started the machine, I was walking at a nice, easy pace and I felt pretty good about my performance. In fact, I was thinking, "This is easy! No problem here!"
But pretty soon, I heard that small rumbling sound of the treadmill incline beginning to rise. And then I heard it again. And again. And again! After a few minutes, I was starting to sweat! And about 15 minutes later, I didn't think the test was so easy any more.
By the time I finished (or gave up!), I was huffing and puffing...my legs felt like jelly...and I could barely stand up! I had nothing left.
As I have thought about that treadmill, I realized the sad truth that many people today find themselves on a religious treadmill...trying to perform in order to please God. Perhaps that's even where you find yourself today.
Many people jump on the religious treadmill at a young age and think, "Hey, this is easy, I can keep the commandments of God. I can live this Christian life in my own power, on my own terms, no problem."
Then life gets a little harder, the incline gets steeper, and the stress starts to rise. And people finally come to that place where they realize that no matter how spiritually fit they are, they can't continue on. And they give up.
Today I want to focus your attention on that spiritual place of exhaustion...that place at the end of your rope where you realize that no amount of religious "treadmilling" can get you closer to heaven or to God.
Because it is at this place that God wants to speak to you-and to encourage you.
The Bible tells us in Romans 5:1,
"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ...."As believers in Christ, you and I have been justified by Him.
"Justified" means that when you accept Christ, Jesus takes your sin, your guilt, and your judgment, and He gives you His righteousness. You stand secure in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. It is not by works!
This justification through faith in Christ results in three positive benefits for you and me. Three results that can, and should, make all the difference in your life:
- Serenity. The peace that Paul is talking about in Romans 5:1 is so much more than peace of mind or positive thinking. It is eternal peace with God. As a believer in Christ, you-who were once an enemy of God-are now at peace with Him.
- Stability. Romans 5:2 goes on to say,
"...through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand...."
You and I stand in the grace of God, my friend. We stand in His shoes! That means nothing we can do can make us lose our salvation...and that is true stability! - Security. The last part of Romans 5:2 says,
"...and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."
We have confident assurance of heaven because the "hope of the glory of God" means you and I will one day be in His presence!
No amount of religious works will get you to that place with the Lord. It is by faith...trusting in Christ and Christ alone. That means the religious treadmill has no place in the life of a believer!
I hope this truth is a blessing to you today...and that it helps you break free from the chains of that religious treadmill to a life of freedom and hope in Christ!
Dr. Jack Graham's passion is to lead men and women from all walks of life into a more intimate and life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ. Pastor Graham is the voice of Power Point Ministries and has led the 26,000-member Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas since 1989. He is the author of several books including You Can Make a Difference, Lessons from the Heart, Life according to Jesus, and A Man of God. Dr. Graham lives in Frisco, Texas, with his wife and ministry partner, Deb. The Grahams have three children and one grandson.
Isaiah 61:3
3 To all who mourn in Israel,
he will give a crown of beauty for ashes,
a joyous blessing instead of mourning,
festive praise instead of despair.
In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks
that the Lord has planted for his own glory.
Confrontation With God
Isaiah 61:3 - They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor.
"God, is this the way You treat someone who is faithful to You?" I yelled out loud on the top of the wooded hill where no one but God could hear me. "I have waited and waited and now this! I hate You, God! I have had enough!" Those were my words that day as I wrestled with news of an event that devastated me to the point where I broke down weeping.
As I sat there among the trees deciding what else I could say to God, I was speechless. I was angry. I was confused. I wondered if He even existed. If He did, I felt like He really didn't honor my faith and obedience. I sat for hours wrestling internally with my feelings.
Finally, without answers and sensing that God wasn't answering me, I turned to leave. I had been sitting on an old oak tree that was broken at the base. The tree pointed toward the base of another huge oak tree. Finally, a still quiet voice inside said, "Today, like this broken oak tree you are sitting on, you are a broken man. But this brokenness was needed in order for you to become this large oak tree you see."
Months and even years had passed with many struggles. But God was true to His word from that day. He began to replace the pain and disappointment with an inner joy that only His grace could provide.
Have you ever wrestled with the events of life, feeling that God has deserted you? Have you been honest with God? He is the kind of Father who is willing to have those difficult conversations. He won't always change things, but His purposes will be accomplished and peace will come if you trust. Trust Him this day with those things that are most difficult.
Ecclesiastes 10:10
10 If the ax is dull
and its edge unsharpened,
more strength is needed
but skill will bring success.
Stay Sharp!
Bishop E. Earl Jenkins
"If the axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success." Ecclesiastes 10:10 (NAS)Did you hear about the 2 lumberjacks who challenged each other to see which one could cut down more trees in a day? At daybreak the first one began furiously chopping down trees. He worked up a sweat and by noon he had cut down 16 trees. Meanwhile the other lumberjack had only cut down 4, because he took the first 2 hours to sharpen his axe. As he sharpened it his challenger laughed at him thinking he was doomed to lose the bet because of all that wasted time.
That's when things got interesting. By early afternoon the first lumberjack was slowing down. It took him almost an hour to cut down one tree, while his friend was picking up speed. How could this be? Certainly he was as strong as his friend. Unfortunately, strength had little to do with it. It was all about whose axe was sharper. The sharper the axe - the quicker the trees came down. By late afternoon the second lumberjack who'd sharpened his axe, had passed his friend by several trees and won easily.
There's an important lesson there for you. Your ceaseless activity may feed your ego and satisfy your need to be needed, but eventually: (a) it will leave you dull spiritually, emotionally and mentally; (b) the people who need and applaud you now, will discover it and go looking for someone sharper, leaving you feeling "used" and unappreciated; (c) because you've lost your edge you'll be unprepared for what God has for you next!
So, stay sharp!
Bishop Edward Earl Jenkins is the senior pastor and founder of the True Servant Worship & Praise Church located in Trenton, New Jersey. Bishop Jenkins earned his Bachelor of Theology degree from Eastern Bible College and has been preaching the unadulterated gospel for over twenty years. His unique method of preaching and teaching has opened many doors to allow him to touch the hearts of many lives near and far. Bishop Jenkins is the proud husband of Lady Sheila Jenkins and father of Travis, Jamal, Clarrisa and Dionna.
Monday, July 2, 2007
Think on These...
If we cannot believe God when circumstances
seem to be against us, we do not believe Him at all.
God loves with a great love the man whose heart
is bursting with a passion for the IMPOSSIBLE.
Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable,
and receives the impossible.
Few are they who by faith touch Him; multitudes are
they who throng about Him.
I do not want merely to possess a faith, I want a
faith that possesses me.
Jeremiah 29:11
11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Ephesians 1:17-18
17I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints...
The Goal of Life
Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
For many people in the world, real meaning in life is the next vacation, career success, or stepping up the income ladder. It is a life based on pleasurable experiences. Many a human being has toiled their whole life to gain a pleasurable lifestyle only to find a life that is empty and meaningless. You only have to watch television for one evening to discover that advertisers want us to believe this is the goal of life. The work-to-play theme is consistent with most advertising messages.
Solomon was a man who had nothing withheld from his appetite. He was a great builder, a great businessman, and a great lover of women. Every imaginable pleasure was his. Nevertheless, he was to discover that these things alone could not satisfy the human soul.
A recent trip to a beautiful island left me grateful that God had allowed me to understand the futile trap of the work-to-play lifestyle. It is great to experience times of refreshing and visit beautiful places as long as we don't fall into the trap of thinking that these experiences equal a meaningful life. God's beautiful creation can so easily become a prison of emptiness if Jesus is not in the center of it. The apostle Paul said there is only one way to find meaning and purpose in life:
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe... (Ephesians 1:17-19).
Knowing Christ brings the only real meaning and purpose to the human soul. Spend time today getting to know the Lord in a more intimate way. Then you will discover real meaning and purpose in life.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Hebrews 2:9, 14-15
9But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.14Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
No More Dying to Do
Gloria Copeland
"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man." (Hebrews 2:9)Death. It's not a popular topic--even among believers. In fact, a great many are just plain scared of it. Oh yes, they talk about having eternal life. Yet when the devil tries to threaten their earthly survival with sickness or calamity, they panic.
Why? Because they haven't learned to look at death through God's eyes. Even though their spirit has been made immortal, they haven't renewed their minds to include that truth. If they had, when the devil tried to push their panic button, they'd just laugh and say, "You can't scare me, devil. I've done all the dying I'm ever going to do!"
That's true, you know. The Word of God says that you, as a born-again believer, are never going to see death (John 8:51). Jesus has been your substitute. He suffered death, so you wouldn't have to. And when He was raised, Hebrews 2:14-15 says,
"He destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And delivered them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."If you've made Jesus the Lord of your life, the only death you'll ever experience is behind you now. It occurred the instant you received Christ. At that moment, your old self--the one whose nature was to sin and rebel against God--died. Your body didn't die, but your spirit man--the real you-- died to Satan and all of his works. You became "a new creature" (2 Cor. 5:17), immortal and absolutely incapable of death!
When you're finished with your work on the earth, you're not going to die. You'll simply shed your earthly shell and relocate to a far more glorious place.
Go to the Word and get God's perspective on death. Make a study of it. Once the reality of your immortality begins to dawn on you, the devil will never be able to threaten you with it again.
Scripture Study: Hebrews 2:9-15
1 Corinthians 9:27
26 -27I don't know about you, but I'm running hard for the finish line. I'm giving it everything I've got. No sloppy living for me! I'm staying alert and in top condition. I'm not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself.
Romans 12:2
:2And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
2 Corinthians 5:17
:17Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
Freedom From Bondage Is Your Choice!
Dr. Betty R. Price
Many Christians wait on the Lord to drop the answer to their prayers out of the sky, and when it doesn't happen, they say God has forgotten them. But that is not the case. For the truth about God's love for us, we have to look at our choices.
God gave us free will. It is our choice to follow God's commandments, and when we do, we prosper and live under God's protection. Proverbs 10:22 tells us that, The blessings of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it. On the other hand, it is our own choice to follow Satan, who tempts us with evil, then rewards us by killing, stealing and destroying us.
How do we choose to follow the commandments of the Lord? We must first accept Christ as Savior and Lord. Then, we are Christians. That is when the spirit man in us becomes a new creature. Second Corinthians 5:17 tells us:
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.Even though our spirit man has become a new creature in Christ Jesus, it is only the correct choices of our soul that keep us from sinning and displeasing God. When Paul speaks of all things having become new, he is talking about the spirit man, not the natural man or the physical body. This lets us that we have to allow the spirit of God and the Word of God to rule our bodies because our bodies are not redeemed and cannot be trusted.
The flesh is ruled by the soul-our intellect, our mind. The flesh will do anything we allow it to do because it has not been changed. There can be outward changes in physical habits when we accept Christ as Lord-people do stop drinking, cursing, smoking, chasing women or men, and lying-but only the inner man takes on the nature of Christ by being born again.
The true man is the spirit man, the one who takes on Christ's nature when we accept Jesus as Savior and Lord. We have to use our free will to accept Him and have the righteousness of Christ operate in our lives.
The soul man is our mind, will, emotions and intellect. Satan tries to tempt us by suggesting to our mind to yield to our carnal man, which has not been changed. Our soul man stands between our spirit man and our carnal man, and whichever man is stronger that is the one we yield to. That is why the Word tells us in Romans 12:2 to renew our minds with the Word of God, then we will yield to the spirit and not to the flesh.
Renewing our minds come by hearing the Word of God, practicing the Word of God, memorizing the Word of God and speaking the Word of God. Understanding the makeup of man may better help us understand the part man's will plays in freeing him from Satan's bondage.
The physical man is made up of our senses-seeing, hearing, touching, tasting and smelling. Our goal must be to have the physical man come in line with the spirit man, which means we have to submit our ways to the ways of God. The soul makes the choices and tells the body what to do-rightly or wrongly. That is why we must constantly renew our minds so that the soul makes the right choices, being able to say, "No, I will not steal, kill, fornicate, commit adultery. My body is the temple of the living God. I cannot sleep with that woman's husband. I will not load my plate with that pie because my body does not need it. Sexual intimacy must wait for marriage."
The body only comes in line with the Word of God when the soul has been trained to obey the teachings of Christ through the spirit man.
So what must we do to bring ourselves in line with God's Word? We must recognize that Satan constantly brings temptation, because he is waging war to keep us in bondage. To break that bondage, we have to see ourselves as God sees us according to His Word. God sees us as the righteousness of Christ. He views us as more than conquerors. That means that through Him we have conquered disease, poverty, fear, strife and all the evil that Satan tries to bring against us.
Once we see ourselves according to God's Word, Satan can no longer whip us, or defeat us. But even when we are speaking the Word, we have to keep our eyes on the flesh. Paul had to discipline his body, and he was always speaking God's Word. He writes in 1 Corinthians 9:27:
"But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified."Discipline takes time and effort. It is an every-hour, every-minute, every-second job to ward off the temptations of the evil one. However, the great rewards of doing so is truly freedom unspeakable and full of glory!
Dr. Betty R. Price plays a vital role in her husband Dr. Frederick K.C. Price's ministry, as well as in the operation of the Crenshaw Christian Center as well as the Fellowship of Inner-City Word of Faith Ministries. She and Dr. Fred Price travel extensively all over the world, ministering the uncompromising Word of God. Dr. Betty also shares her personal testimony, along with the Word, with women’s groups and organizations. Her love and concern for others have led to the establishment of numerous programs and groups. Click here to read more about her.
The Need to Control
1 Samuel 13:13 - "You acted foolishly," Samuel said....
The prophet Samuel had anointed Saul the first king of Israel. Saul was now 30 years old and was leading the nation in battle against the Philistines. The Philistines had gathered at Micmash to come against Saul and his army. The Lord was directing Saul through the prophet Samuel. Samuel instructed Saul to go ahead of him to Micmash, and he would follow in seven days. He would then offer a burnt offering on behalf of the people of Israel.
The pressure began to build as the Philistines gathered around Micmash preparing for battle. The people of Israel grew fearful and began to scatter throughout the countryside. Saul was also afraid. Samuel did not show up on the morning of the seventh day. Finally, Saul, fearing the impending attack, took it upon himself to offer the burnt offering. After he had done this, Samuel showed up.
..."You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you hhad, He would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after His own heart and appointed him leader of His people, because you have not kept the Lord's command" (1 Samuel 13:13-14).
Saul believed he needed to take control of the situation. Whenever we try to take control of a situation out of God's will, we demonstrate that we are led by fear. Many a boss is so driven by fear that he attempts to manage by overcontrolling his people. This results in codependent relationships in which the employees are fearful of making the wrong decisions, and are driven to please the manager at all costs. This results in loss of respect for the manager. Many times the employees make poor choices just to please their manager; as a result, resentment begins to build among the employees due to the manager's overcontrol.
Do you see any signs of overcontrol in how you relate to others? Can you allow others the freedom to fail? Do you find yourself changing directions in midstream when you see something you don't like? Are you fearful of failure? These are all symptoms of a Saul-control spirit. Pray that God will allow you to walk in the freedom of trusting in Him and those around you.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Character: Take It Seriously
John Maxwell
Leviticus 10:1-12:8
God takes seriously the issue of character: We see His concern repeatedly in Leviticus, from the sin of Aaron's sons - to His detailed instructions about clean and unclean food - to the purification of a woman after childbirth.
While today we recognize some obvious medical and biological reasons for His precise directions, we can assume God intended through these texts to teach His leaders and His people an important lesson: Put "being" before "doing." Get yourself right before you work on anything else.
Far too often we jump to mechanics, methods, and techniques. We put style ahead of substance. We focus on charisma but neglect character. The following axioms beckon us to put our character first:
- We are given our gifts, but we must develop our character.
- Our character earns the trust of others.
- Only good character gives lasting success with people.
- Sound character communicates credibility and consistency.
- Our character colors our perspective.
- Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.
- We cannot rise above the limitations of our character.
Be Willing!
Gloria Copeland
"If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land." (Isaiah 1:19)A healthy body. Enough money to pay all your bills and extra to invest in the work of the gospel. A godly marriage and happy, healthy children. Peace of mind. God has prepared a banquet full of blessings for you.
But those blessings are not just going to fall in your lap. You must be willing as well as obedient if you're going to eat the best from God's table.
So, be willing!
Don't be willing for Satan to put sickness on your body. Be willing, instead, to be well! In honor of Jesus' sacrifice at Calvary, refuse to accept anything less than divine health.
Don't be willing to live in lack, but be willing instead to live in divine prosperity and abundance. Refuse to allow Satan to stop the flow of God's financial blessings to you.
Be willing to receive God's best plan for your marriage and your children. Don't settle for the "norm" in the world. Live above it in a home full of love and harmony, a home that is what God meant it to be.
Don't allow Satan to substitute anxiety and ulcers for the peace and undisturbedness that Jesus bought for you. Be willing and obedient to cast all your cares on Him, for He cares for you.
Refuse to be robbed of the banquet of blessings that have belonged to you since you became a believer. Be willing to eat the good of the land!
Scripture Study: Deuteronomy 8:5-20
Changing Our Paradigm of Experience
Exodus 3:3 - So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight-why the bush does not burn up."
Have you ever heard someone say, "God doesn't work that way? He would never do that." Well, there are times when God chooses to confound the foolish in order to change our paradigm of experience. Moses had never seen a bush that burned but did not burn up. It got his attention and it drew him to God.
When Jesus appeared on the water in the middle of the night during a storm, the disciples exclaimed, "It's a ghost!" They had never seen a man walk on water. This led to a great miracle-Peter walked on the water, too. When Jesus asked Peter to catch a fish and get the coin from its mouth to pay their taxes, you can imagine what Peter must have thought about those instructions. When Moses got to the Red Sea, he ran out of options. God had an unexpected solution to the Israelites' problem-He parted the Red Sea to demonstrate His power and allow the people of Israel to cross over to flee the Egyptian army.
Each of these new paradigms was a stepping-stone of an encounter with God so that the individual would experience God in a new way. God used these times to enforce the principle that His ways are not our ways. Whenever we try to predict that God will act in a certain way, He changes the paradigm to keep us from becoming our own little gods.
Have you ever been guilty of judging someone for an experience they've had that you've never had? Did you dismiss it as extreme or something not of God? God is in the business of changing our paradigm from no personal experiences to God-experiences. However, if you operate on a level of rigid logic, you may never have the privilege of having the God-experiences. Keep your heart free to experience new paradigms with God today.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
The Price Tag Of Success: Diligence!
Dr. Robb Thompson
"He who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich."Proverbs 10:4 (NKJV) "The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, but those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty." Proverbs 21:5 (NKJV)The Price Tag Of Success Is Stamped With The Price Of "Diligence." Diligence requires discipline, hard work, and time. In other words, it requires effort. In order for us to delight in the promises of God, we must continually apply diligence to our efforts. God's system is not set up in such a way that a one-time action produces lasting results. God's way of progress requires diligence, faithfulness, and patience.
The same principle applies to any endeavor. We cannot expect to be physically fit by exercising one week out of the year. To see positive results we must continue for several months, and for lasting results, we must make exercise a part of our daily lifestyle! All of us want to achieve more and do great things, but we will only experience true greatness by diligently applying God's principles to our lives.
Diligence bridges the gap between discipline and reward. Anyone can discipline himself for a day, but only discipline coupled with diligence causes us to lay hold of Heaven's reward.
Father, I thank You for the wisdom of Your Word. I refuse to have a slack hand knowing it leads to poverty. I walk in plenty and not in lack because I diligently apply Your principles to my life.
Author of more than eighteen compelling books and countless audio and video resources, Dr. Robb Thompson is a skilled relational and leadership strategist. With over twenty years of experience in the arena of human resource management, Dr. Thompson travels the globe, training business executives and mentoring government leaders, including heads of State, cabinet ministers, and royalty. His television program, Winning in Life, is viewed by millions in the United States and around the world. Dr. Thompson is the senior pastor of Family Harvest Church, one of America's most influential and productive churches. He has been happily married to Linda for over thirty years. They live in the Chicagoland area in the United States.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
9 Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their work:
10 If one falls down,
his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls
and has no one to help him up!
11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Viva la Difference
Kenneth Copeland
"If one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken." (Ecclesiastes 4:12)There's power in unity. The devil knows that. That's why he's continually fighting it. He takes the differences between us, differences God put there to make us stronger, and tries to use them as a wedge to drive us apart.
Take men and women, for example. He's deceived us into fighting about which one is superior over the other. But I can settle that argument right now. Women are superior to men. If you don't believe that, you boys try having a baby. But then, men are superior to women. If you don't believe that, you women try having one without us.
It's the differences combined that make us strong!
People have even argued about whether God is male or female. But the Bible itself tells us that. He's both! That's right. In the Hebrew language, all words have gender. They're either male or female. But the Hebrew word "Jehovah" is both masculine and feminine. He's as much female as He is male and as much male as He is female.
Originally, mankind was that way too. When God first made "man," he was as much female as he was male. Then God separated the female part out and made "woman" or, "the man with the womb." After that, man and woman had to come together to be perfectly whole.
That's still true today. For example, when He puts together husband and wife teams, He often puts people together who have major personality differences. Where one is weak, the other is strong, and vice versa. So, when they become one, they're more powerful than they ever were apart.
There was a time when I didn't understand that. I got aggravated with God for calling me a wife who didn't care for so many things that I liked. But I finally realized God knew what He was doing. If He'd given me a woman who was as nuts about flying as I am, we would have spent the rest of our lives in the clouds. We wouldn't be preaching the Word. We'd be in some silly airshow flying upside down. "The Copeland Team!" or something.
Do you have people in your life who are irritatingly different from you? Don't let the devil use those differences to drive you apart. Thank God for them! Let Him teach you how to appreciate them. Let Him show you just how powerful you can be... together!
Scripture Study: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Acts 2:17
17" 'In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
Visions and Dreams
Acts 2:17 - In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.
"I need to meet with you," said the man from England during a break at a conference overseas. We walked outside to have a coffee break and sat down. "God wants you to know that He removed your finances in order to reserve His reward for you in Heaven. He has done you a great service."
I was shocked. I'd never met this gentleman before. How would he have known I had lost a half million dollars in the previous few years, virtually all of my financial net worth, to some unusual calamities? We shared for the next several minutes.
That week, during our lunch and dinner times, I had been enjoying wonderful, juicy oranges from this island in the Mediterranean Sea. It came time for the gentleman and I to conclude our coffee break. We bowed in prayer. As we prayed, the man began to describe a picture he was seeing in his mind.
"I see a picture of a large orange tree. The tree is full of large, ripened oranges. They are beginning to fall to the ground. You are the tree!"
Again, I looked at the man with shock and amazement, and now tears in my eyes.
"You are the third person in three years that has had a similar vision during a prayer time like this. The first two people were also strangers to me."
I went back into the meeting rejoicing that God could be so personal in my life. He used a servant who had gone through similar trials to supernaturally speak a word of encouragement in a way that I would know it was God who was speaking.
There are times when God supernaturally speaks into our lives. He does this to demonstrate His power, His love, and His intimacy with us. Do not be surprised if God sends one of His messengers to speak into your life when you need it most. Be open to how God might want to speak into your life today.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers (Psalm 1:3).
Isaiah 43:2
2 When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze
Guard Against Bitterness
Joel Osteen
Today's Scripture
“When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown” Isaiah 43:2 (TLB).Have you ever experienced something that truly tested your faith, your joy and your convictions? We're not talking about just having a bad day or having to deal with difficult people - but enduring an intense situation that rocks you to your very core. When many people face such soul-searching they let their happiness and joy turn into bitterness and anger. Make sure this doesn't happen to you. Don't give the evil one the victory by becoming an ineffective Christian due to lingering bitterness. Even if you're being tested, God has promised to remain faithful. He is all-powerful, and He can pull you out of your troubles at any moment. Choose to remain faithful and joyous despite your present circumstances.
A Prayer for Today: God, please help me to trust You and not give in to bitterness or anger, even in the middle of my trials. Thank You for the promise of Your never-failing love. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
John 6:63
63The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
God's Medicine
Gloria Copeland
"The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." (John 6:63)We've seen some tremendous medical breakthroughs in our generation. We've seen "miracle drugs" developed that can conquer many kinds of sickness and disease.
But, you know, in the 20-plus years I've been a believer, I've discovered another, much more effective kind of medicine: the Word of God. There's never been a miracle drug that could equal it. God's medicine is the answer to every need. It is life. It is health. It is the power of God. And if you put it in your heart and act on it, you will be healed.
Sometimes people ask, "If God's medicine works every time, why are there so many believers who are still sick?" There are two reasons. Number one, because they don't take the time to plant the Word concerning healing deeply into their heart. And number two, because they don't do what that Word tells them to do.
Think of it like this: If a doctor prescribes medicine for you to swallow daily and you decide to rub it on your chest instead, that medicine isn't going to work for you. You have to follow the instructions and use it properly if you expect to get well, don't you? In the same way, if you read God's prescription for health and don't act on it, you won't reap any of its benefits.
Proverbs 4:22 says God's Words are life and health to you. So don't wait until you get sick to start using them. Start now. Begin to put God's Word in your heart in abundance and it will be hard for you to get sick. That Word within you will constantly be keeping God's healing power at work in you.
And don't worry. There's no limit to the amount of God's medicine you can take. You can't get an overdose. The more you take, the stronger you get.
Start growing strong today.
Scripture Study: Proverbs 4:20-27
Deuteronomy 8:11,19
11 Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day.
19 If you ever forget the LORD your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed.
The Danger of Amnesia
Bishop Edward Earl Jenkins
"Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the Lord." Deuteronomy 8:11 NLTA spider dropped a single strand down from the rafter of an old barn and began to weave his web. Months went by and the web grew. Its elaborate maze caught flies, mosquitoes and other small insects, providing the spider with a rich diet. Eventually it became the envy of all the other spiders. Then one day the spider noticed a single strand stretching up into the rafters. "I wonder why it's there? It doesn't catch me any dinner." Concluding it was unnecessary, he climbed as high as he could and severed it. In that moment the entire web began to fall in upon itself, tumbling to the floor, taking the spider with it.
Could we as a people make that same mistake? Can a country spin a great web, then sever it? Can we grow so successful, so smug, so self-sufficient that we forget the strong strand that supports us? Could we look at our prosperity and respond not with gratitude, but with arrogance?
Recent actions make us wonder. A movement to remove God from all public life is gaining momentum. An emboldened portion of our population stares at the strand of faith upon which our country hangs and asks: "Why is that there?"
Are we forgetting the hand that holds us? We're not the first nation to suffer from amnesia. Israel did it too, and Moses warned them:
"Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the Lord your God and disobey his commands... I assure you of this: if you ever forget the Lord your God...you will certainly be destroyed" (Dt 8:11 & 19 NLT).
Bishop Edward Earl Jenkins is the senior pastor and founder of the True Servant Worship & Praise Church located in Trenton, New Jersey. Bishop Jenkins earned his Bachelor of Theology degree from Eastern Bible College and has been preaching the unadulterated gospel for over twenty years. His unique method of preaching and teaching has opened many doors to allow him to touch the hearts of many lives near and far. Bishop Jenkins is the proud husband of Lady Sheila Jenkins and father of Travis, Jamal, Clarrisa and Dionna.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
1 John 3:1
1How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
1 Thessalonians 5:17-18
17Pray without ceasing.
18In every thing give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Be as Little Children
1 John 3:1 - How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!
"I have an important business meeting in the morning. Would you please set the alarm for 5:30 a.m.?" I said to my wife.
"Oh, that won't be necessary. Just tell the Lord what time you want to wake up. He does it for me all the time," my wife said.
I rolled my eyes in disbelief. "Well, I'd feel more comfortable if we set the alarm."
"Okay, ye of little faith. But just to prove my point I am going to ask the Lord to wake us up just before 5:30."
The next morning I awoke before the alarm went off. I looked at the clock. It read 5:15. I looked at my wife, who had just awakened at the same time with an I-told-you-so smile.
Sometimes we wrongfully view God as someone we go to for only the "big things." The idea of "bothering God" for such a trivial matter seems foolish and presumptuous. However, when you were a child and had to get up in the morning for school, didn't your mom or dad come wake you up? They were your parents, and you could come to them with the most trivial concerns or requests. Why would our heavenly Father be any less approachable? Perhaps our problem is that we simply have not developed a level of intimacy with God so that we feel the freedom to approach Him at these daily, routine levels. We often operate with an unwritten code that says our needs must have a certain degree of importance or crisis before we come to God with them. This is not God's character towards us.
Does the Lord desire this level of intimacy with you and me? The apostle Paul exhorted us to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:17 KJV). There is never a caution to pray only about matters of greater importance.
Today, go to God with matters that you might view as trivial and would normally avoid bringing to God. Ask God to increase your level of intimacy with Him. You may even be able to get rid of your alarm clock.
Proverbs 17:14
14 Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam;
so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.
Take a Stand Against Strife
Gloria Copeland
"The beginning of strife is as when water first trickles [from a crack in a dam]; therefore stop contention before it becomes worse and quarreling breaks out." (Proverbs 17:14)Throughout the Scriptures, God warns us about the danger of strife. Yet, it's still one of the most common problems among believers. We let it get into our homes, our work places, our churches...everywhere!
Of course, we don't purposely let it in. We don't wake up in the morning and say, "I think I'm going to stir up some major strife today." We just inadvertently let it slip up on us one minor irritation at a time.
So, I urge you today to take a big stand against those little opportunities for strife. If you have a tendency to let things irritate you, decide to overcome that tendency. Arm yourself against them with the knowledge that this world isn't perfect, that there are people in it that aren't going to be nice to you. There are people who are going to stir you up and annoy you on purpose or by accident.
Make up your mind that, by the power of God, you're not going to let them get your peace. That peace is so important to your well-being. It will keep your body healthy. It will keep your relationships healthy. It will put you in a place where God can guide your steps and save you from some very grave mistakes.
If you've spent a lifetime getting your feathers ruffled over every little thing, it may take a while for you to break that habit. You may have to work at it a moment at a time. But you can do it.
I know. I had to do that where worrying is concerned. I'd worried for so many years and had come from such a family of worriers that I did it almost without thinking. When I learned worrying went contrary to the Word of God, I had to give it up one minute at a time. With the help of the Holy Spirit, every time a worried thought would come to me, I would overcome it with the Word of God. And I did that until I broke that worrying habit for good.
You can do the same thing with strife. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you start to notice and overcome it one moment at a time. Then, every time you start to get upset about something, rebuke that strife in the Name of Jesus and resist it. Say right out loud, "I am walking in the peace of God today."
You'll be surprised how much more wonderful living can be.
Scripture Study: Matthew 5:21-26,43-48
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