Os Hillman
John 8:34
Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin."
"I hate being late," my friend lamented. "It has been a problem for me all my life."
"Do you really want to change that?" I asked.
"Yes, I do."
"All right. Every time you are late to work or anywhere else where you have committed to be at a particular time you must give me $25."
"No way!" my friend responded. "I would go broke! But I will do $10."
"All right, $10 it is. It has to be a large enough amount of money for it to hurt your pocketbook."
"Believe me, that will hurt," my friend said. About a month later my friend found great motivation to be on time to every place she had to be. In the first week, I got only $10 from my friend. The next week, $20. The third week, nothing. By the fifth week, my friend had changed a lifelong habit that had hindered her all her life. In order for my friend not to be resentful of me for the money she had to give, we put it in a jar to be given to some other Christian cause. This ensured my motive was only for her best interest.
Some might be reading this now and say it is legalism. For my friend it was freedom. For the first time she had some means of changing a behavior that had caused her problems in relationships and her own work habits. Psychologists tell us that it takes 21 days to form a habit. So, if you need to change some habit, you need to be actively engaged in that new behavior at least 21 days. My friend needed help to change a habit she didn't like about herself. It took another individual to hold her accountable, and it took a potential loss of something to provide the added incentive.
A successful businessman was experiencing a difficult marriage. When counseling the couple over dinner one night, a friend of mine noticed that the man often criticized his wife. After further counsel it was determined the man simply could not love his wife. My friend asked him if he truly wanted to see change in his marriage. When the man said he did, my friend said, "Every time you criticize your wife you must agree to give me $100." This man was well-off and needed substantial incentive to change his behavior. After the man rebelled and retorted, he agreed in front of his wife. A few weeks later a report came back that things were changing. This man did not want to write any checks to my friend. Although it was a competitive game to the man, it was also yielding some positive changes in his marriage. He began to acquire the habit of avoiding criticism of his wife, which was killing her spirit.
What are the habits that keep you from becoming all that God may want you to become? Do you desire change enough to be accountable in a way that it costs you something when you fail? Ask a friend to hold you accountable in an area that needs change. You will find new freedom as you conquer old besetting habits.
Friday, February 2, 2007
Deliverence From Temptation
Bishop Keith Butler
The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: 2 Peter 2:9 (KJV)
God can and will deliver you from temptation. You just need to know what you must do to get free from a bad situation. Notice, in 2 Peter 2:9, that deliverance is linked with temptation. And note the word "deliver" in this verse, it means to rush or to draw. The literal Hebrew says, "It is the idea of water with a rushing current." In other words, to draw you right past it or to move you right by it.
For example, the Bible says flee fornication. What does the word "flee" mean? Flee is not hanging around to try and prove how strong you are. Flee means to leave quickly. When you obey the Word of God, God said He is going to draw you -- He is going to move you away from this situation. He is going to rush you past this. Because temptation is never supposed to be something you sit down and contemplate.
You are not supposed to sit down and contemplate any kind of temptation. If you do, I'm telling you now, the temptation will win. The reason why it is temptation is because it's tempting. And the more you stand there and look at temptation, the more your body will talk you out of moving away from it. It will rationalize; it will lie to you. Your body will tell you to just stay there for two more minutes and then you can go. But your deliverance is in the word of God, which says, "flee fornication."
Now, you can be delivered from all kinds of things. You can be delivered from him, you can be delivered from her, you can be delivered from them, you can be delivered from danger, and you can be delivered from drugs. You can be delivered from temptation. You can be delivered from financial bondage. Deliverance can cover a whole lot of things. And God will respond with deliverance based on the situation, the person, and their willingness to hear.
I am just giving you some information because people can often miss their deliverance by not listening to the Holy Ghost. They hear the Word taught and understand God will deliver but then they miss the fine print. As a result, they choke their deliverance.
It is established that God does deliver you. Now you need to ask yourself, how is He going to deliver you from the particular situation you are facing. Don't always look for a quick fix. Look for the prompting of the Holy Ghost. And look in the word of God.
Scripture References: Mark 14:38; Luke 22:46; 1 Corinthians 10:13
Bishop Keith A. Butler is the founder and pastor of Word of Faith International Christian Center in Southfield, MI, and Word of Faith Christian Center in San Antonio, TX. Bishop Butler ministers extensively in churches, conferences, and seminars throughout the U.S. and abroad with an emphasis on instruction and no-nonsense, practical application of God's Word. Click here to read more!
The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: 2 Peter 2:9 (KJV)
God can and will deliver you from temptation. You just need to know what you must do to get free from a bad situation. Notice, in 2 Peter 2:9, that deliverance is linked with temptation. And note the word "deliver" in this verse, it means to rush or to draw. The literal Hebrew says, "It is the idea of water with a rushing current." In other words, to draw you right past it or to move you right by it.
For example, the Bible says flee fornication. What does the word "flee" mean? Flee is not hanging around to try and prove how strong you are. Flee means to leave quickly. When you obey the Word of God, God said He is going to draw you -- He is going to move you away from this situation. He is going to rush you past this. Because temptation is never supposed to be something you sit down and contemplate.
You are not supposed to sit down and contemplate any kind of temptation. If you do, I'm telling you now, the temptation will win. The reason why it is temptation is because it's tempting. And the more you stand there and look at temptation, the more your body will talk you out of moving away from it. It will rationalize; it will lie to you. Your body will tell you to just stay there for two more minutes and then you can go. But your deliverance is in the word of God, which says, "flee fornication."
Now, you can be delivered from all kinds of things. You can be delivered from him, you can be delivered from her, you can be delivered from them, you can be delivered from danger, and you can be delivered from drugs. You can be delivered from temptation. You can be delivered from financial bondage. Deliverance can cover a whole lot of things. And God will respond with deliverance based on the situation, the person, and their willingness to hear.
I am just giving you some information because people can often miss their deliverance by not listening to the Holy Ghost. They hear the Word taught and understand God will deliver but then they miss the fine print. As a result, they choke their deliverance.
It is established that God does deliver you. Now you need to ask yourself, how is He going to deliver you from the particular situation you are facing. Don't always look for a quick fix. Look for the prompting of the Holy Ghost. And look in the word of God.
Scripture References: Mark 14:38; Luke 22:46; 1 Corinthians 10:13
Bishop Keith A. Butler is the founder and pastor of Word of Faith International Christian Center in Southfield, MI, and Word of Faith Christian Center in San Antonio, TX. Bishop Butler ministers extensively in churches, conferences, and seminars throughout the U.S. and abroad with an emphasis on instruction and no-nonsense, practical application of God's Word. Click here to read more!
Thursday, February 1, 2007
The Value of Words
Os Hillman
And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your "Yes" be "Yes," and your "No," "No"; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. -- Matthew 5:36-37
Imagine for a moment that you are living in Jesus' time. It is before Jesus has begun His public ministry. He is a carpenter in your local town of Nazareth. You have asked Jesus to make a table for you. You're on a deadline and you must have it in a week. You agree on the price of $100 for the table and the date of one week for completion. A week later you arrive to pick up the table. You lay your money down on the table and Jesus says, "Mr. Johnson, I am sorry but the table is not ready. I ran into complications. Also, I can no longer honor the price I gave you. It is now $150 instead of $100."
Two years later you hear about this same Jesus who is preaching to the local townspeople. How are you going to view this Jesus? You probably won't give much credence to His message because of your personal experience. Our lives have an ability to reinforce the message we stand for, or they can violate it and make it totally ineffective. This literally happens all over the world in different settings with Christian businesspeople. Our message becomes ineffective because we have not done what we said.
I know people who, when they tell me they plan to do something, I can expect them to follow through about 50 percent of the time. I am sure you have had the same experience. Words and commitments are made with little meaning behind those words. However, I know others who will follow through almost every time. The only time they don't is when something falls outside their control. I quickly learn whose words have substance behind them.
There are times when we are unable to perform or deliver what we promised due to outside influences. The key to turning these potentially negative circumstances into a witness for Christ is communication. If we are unable to pay a bill on time, we must communicate with those we owe and make a good faith effort to resolve it within our means. In these cases, God's purposes are being performed as well if we seek to do the right thing.
Do your words mean anything to those who hear them? Do you make commitments and fail to follow through on them? What would others say about how you follow through? Ask the Lord today to show you how you are doing in this area. You might even want to ask three people who are the closest to you how you fare in this area.
And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your "Yes" be "Yes," and your "No," "No"; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. -- Matthew 5:36-37
Imagine for a moment that you are living in Jesus' time. It is before Jesus has begun His public ministry. He is a carpenter in your local town of Nazareth. You have asked Jesus to make a table for you. You're on a deadline and you must have it in a week. You agree on the price of $100 for the table and the date of one week for completion. A week later you arrive to pick up the table. You lay your money down on the table and Jesus says, "Mr. Johnson, I am sorry but the table is not ready. I ran into complications. Also, I can no longer honor the price I gave you. It is now $150 instead of $100."
Two years later you hear about this same Jesus who is preaching to the local townspeople. How are you going to view this Jesus? You probably won't give much credence to His message because of your personal experience. Our lives have an ability to reinforce the message we stand for, or they can violate it and make it totally ineffective. This literally happens all over the world in different settings with Christian businesspeople. Our message becomes ineffective because we have not done what we said.
I know people who, when they tell me they plan to do something, I can expect them to follow through about 50 percent of the time. I am sure you have had the same experience. Words and commitments are made with little meaning behind those words. However, I know others who will follow through almost every time. The only time they don't is when something falls outside their control. I quickly learn whose words have substance behind them.
There are times when we are unable to perform or deliver what we promised due to outside influences. The key to turning these potentially negative circumstances into a witness for Christ is communication. If we are unable to pay a bill on time, we must communicate with those we owe and make a good faith effort to resolve it within our means. In these cases, God's purposes are being performed as well if we seek to do the right thing.
Do your words mean anything to those who hear them? Do you make commitments and fail to follow through on them? What would others say about how you follow through? Ask the Lord today to show you how you are doing in this area. You might even want to ask three people who are the closest to you how you fare in this area.
Your Daily Kick in the Pants
Jim Messmer - Washington, Illinois, USA
Proverbs 3:11-12 - My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in. (NIV)
Exodus 15:7 - In the greatness of your majesty you threw down those who opposed you. You unleashed your burning anger; it consumed them like stubble. (NIV)
I must reluctantly wonder whether the average person checking in on a daily devotional seeks praise instead of reproof, and a pat on the back instead of a kick in the pants. However, I'm finding that I'm continually judging myself, attempting to reprove myself, as sometimes there is no one else around to do it, except the Holy Spirit. When it comes to daily devotionals, I believe that reproof is as much needed as praise, and, personally, I would prefer reproof most of the time, over being schmoozed.
I know I'm a sinner in need of daily realignment and continual growth, and I would hope that's how everyone else would feel too. God scourges those He loves, and these days a good spiritual scourging is so hard to come by. You're more likely to get, "Oh, that's okay, don't be too hard on yourself. God loves you anyway, knowing you're the product of a dysfunctional family." Who will discipline us in righteousness, if not the church? We love to bask in the warmth and mercy of the "suffering servant", but have we repressed the reality of the approaching "conquering King", whose holiness consumes sin like dried stubble? Has the church become too soft, too conciliatory in our day? Is righteousness and obedience being promoted as strongly as they should be?
Who dares call anything sin any more? It's as if we now believe in universal salvation, because everything has an explanation, and is justifiable in its own relative context. God has been reduced to the one who cleans up all our messes. He is our servant, who makes things right again, after we have allowed ourselves to experiment with unlimited self-fulfillment. God has become the icing on the cake, not the bread of life. And then there are those who believe godliness is the end point of man's own spiritual evolution, as if all we needed was enough time to get there on our own, with Jesus, Buddha, and whoever else we might admire setting the example to follow. All interesting psychology, but erroneous theology! How does one incorporate original sin, moral depravity, and sanctification into a light and fluffy devotional? The kind of devotional we need should be entitled, "Your Daily Kick in the Pants"!
Lord, we invite You, in Your great love for us, to discipline us into the ways of Your holiness.
"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139:23-24).
Proverbs 3:11-12 - My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in. (NIV)
Exodus 15:7 - In the greatness of your majesty you threw down those who opposed you. You unleashed your burning anger; it consumed them like stubble. (NIV)
I must reluctantly wonder whether the average person checking in on a daily devotional seeks praise instead of reproof, and a pat on the back instead of a kick in the pants. However, I'm finding that I'm continually judging myself, attempting to reprove myself, as sometimes there is no one else around to do it, except the Holy Spirit. When it comes to daily devotionals, I believe that reproof is as much needed as praise, and, personally, I would prefer reproof most of the time, over being schmoozed.
I know I'm a sinner in need of daily realignment and continual growth, and I would hope that's how everyone else would feel too. God scourges those He loves, and these days a good spiritual scourging is so hard to come by. You're more likely to get, "Oh, that's okay, don't be too hard on yourself. God loves you anyway, knowing you're the product of a dysfunctional family." Who will discipline us in righteousness, if not the church? We love to bask in the warmth and mercy of the "suffering servant", but have we repressed the reality of the approaching "conquering King", whose holiness consumes sin like dried stubble? Has the church become too soft, too conciliatory in our day? Is righteousness and obedience being promoted as strongly as they should be?
Who dares call anything sin any more? It's as if we now believe in universal salvation, because everything has an explanation, and is justifiable in its own relative context. God has been reduced to the one who cleans up all our messes. He is our servant, who makes things right again, after we have allowed ourselves to experiment with unlimited self-fulfillment. God has become the icing on the cake, not the bread of life. And then there are those who believe godliness is the end point of man's own spiritual evolution, as if all we needed was enough time to get there on our own, with Jesus, Buddha, and whoever else we might admire setting the example to follow. All interesting psychology, but erroneous theology! How does one incorporate original sin, moral depravity, and sanctification into a light and fluffy devotional? The kind of devotional we need should be entitled, "Your Daily Kick in the Pants"!
Lord, we invite You, in Your great love for us, to discipline us into the ways of Your holiness.
"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139:23-24).
Kenneth Copeland: "Hit Him With the Rock"
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters." (Psalm 23:1-2)
Have you ever thought about David and wondered how a shepherd boy could become a man after God's own heart? A man so strong in spirit that God chose him to be king of Israel? I have.
In fact, I asked God about it, and He showed me that revelation was what turned David into such a spiritual powerhouse--revelation that came to him through hours of thinking about the things of God. I imagine the day he wrote Psalm 23 he was just sitting and singing praises to God and meditating on His goodness. Just fellowshipping with Him when suddenly the anointing of the Lord came upon him and he said, "The Lord is my Shepherd!"
Suddenly he thought about the sheep he watched over as a boy, I faced death for those sheep. I led them where pastures were green and waters were cool, clean, deep, and peaceful. He kept on meditating on that until it started to thrill him. When the lion and the bear came, didn't He prepare a table before me in the presence of those enemies? He gave me victory. "My God! My God will fight for me. The Lord is my Shepherd! I shall not want!"
That revelation welled up in David so strong that the devil couldn't beat it out of him. So when Goliath tried to make a fool out of Israel, David went after him. Goliath was able to scare off everyone else, but he couldn't shake David because he had a revelation inside him that said, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for my God is with me." That revelation enabled David to say, "I come against you in the name of the Lord of Hosts" and to send a rock sailing into that giant's brain.
Is the devil out to destroy you? Do what David did. Meditate on God and His Word. Sing praises to your King. Fellowship with Him until the revelation of who He is in you starts to thrill your soul. Then tell the devil, "You're not going to kill me. The Lord is my Shepherd!" Hit him with the rock of revelation knowledge, and you'll knock him flat every time.
Scripture Study: Psalm 23
Have you ever thought about David and wondered how a shepherd boy could become a man after God's own heart? A man so strong in spirit that God chose him to be king of Israel? I have.
In fact, I asked God about it, and He showed me that revelation was what turned David into such a spiritual powerhouse--revelation that came to him through hours of thinking about the things of God. I imagine the day he wrote Psalm 23 he was just sitting and singing praises to God and meditating on His goodness. Just fellowshipping with Him when suddenly the anointing of the Lord came upon him and he said, "The Lord is my Shepherd!"
Suddenly he thought about the sheep he watched over as a boy, I faced death for those sheep. I led them where pastures were green and waters were cool, clean, deep, and peaceful. He kept on meditating on that until it started to thrill him. When the lion and the bear came, didn't He prepare a table before me in the presence of those enemies? He gave me victory. "My God! My God will fight for me. The Lord is my Shepherd! I shall not want!"
That revelation welled up in David so strong that the devil couldn't beat it out of him. So when Goliath tried to make a fool out of Israel, David went after him. Goliath was able to scare off everyone else, but he couldn't shake David because he had a revelation inside him that said, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for my God is with me." That revelation enabled David to say, "I come against you in the name of the Lord of Hosts" and to send a rock sailing into that giant's brain.
Is the devil out to destroy you? Do what David did. Meditate on God and His Word. Sing praises to your King. Fellowship with Him until the revelation of who He is in you starts to thrill your soul. Then tell the devil, "You're not going to kill me. The Lord is my Shepherd!" Hit him with the rock of revelation knowledge, and you'll knock him flat every time.
Scripture Study: Psalm 23
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
When God Seems Far Away
Os Hillman
Psalm 10:1
Why, O Lord, do You stand far off? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble?
One of the great mysteries of God is His ways. Some of His ways almost appear to bring us into the most difficult places, as if He were indifferent to our circumstances. It would appear that He is turning His head from our sorrows. These events in our lives have a particular objective to perform for us. That objective is to bring us to the end of ourselves that we might discover the treasure of darkness. "Yet when I hoped for good, evil came; when I looked for light, then came darkness" (Job 30:26).
When we are taken into these dark periods, we begin to see light that we never knew existed. Our sensitivities become heightened and our ability to see through spiritual eyes is illuminated. Unless we are taken into these times, our souls never develop any depth of character. We do not gain wisdom, only knowledge. Knowledge is gained through understanding; wisdom is gained through the experience of darkness.
After we go through these periods, we discover that God was, in fact, with us throughout the entire time. It does not feel or appear that He is there when we are in the midst of the dark periods. However, He is there walking with us. He has told us countless times that He will never leave us. However, when we are in those dark periods, it does not feel like He is there because He does not rescue us from the circumstances. He does this for our benefit in order that we might become more like Jesus. Jesus learned obedience from the things He suffered (see Heb. 5:8). What does that say about how you and I will learn obedience? Embrace the dark times and gain the wisdom that God intends for you from these times.
Psalm 10:1
Why, O Lord, do You stand far off? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble?
One of the great mysteries of God is His ways. Some of His ways almost appear to bring us into the most difficult places, as if He were indifferent to our circumstances. It would appear that He is turning His head from our sorrows. These events in our lives have a particular objective to perform for us. That objective is to bring us to the end of ourselves that we might discover the treasure of darkness. "Yet when I hoped for good, evil came; when I looked for light, then came darkness" (Job 30:26).
When we are taken into these dark periods, we begin to see light that we never knew existed. Our sensitivities become heightened and our ability to see through spiritual eyes is illuminated. Unless we are taken into these times, our souls never develop any depth of character. We do not gain wisdom, only knowledge. Knowledge is gained through understanding; wisdom is gained through the experience of darkness.
After we go through these periods, we discover that God was, in fact, with us throughout the entire time. It does not feel or appear that He is there when we are in the midst of the dark periods. However, He is there walking with us. He has told us countless times that He will never leave us. However, when we are in those dark periods, it does not feel like He is there because He does not rescue us from the circumstances. He does this for our benefit in order that we might become more like Jesus. Jesus learned obedience from the things He suffered (see Heb. 5:8). What does that say about how you and I will learn obedience? Embrace the dark times and gain the wisdom that God intends for you from these times.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Sometimes You Get Stuck on the Highway of Faith
Today’s Scripture Reading: Matthew 17:14–21
Key Verse: : Matthew 17:20
I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.
God, is something wrong with me? Why is nothing happening?” Have you ever felt stuck, even though you knew you were operating in a degree of faith? Do not stop; you are experiencing only a temporary delay.
Always remember that when God speaks to you and gives you vision, He never gives you a bad idea. Because of His nature, the Creator can give you nothing but perfection. He is perfection itself.
This also means that God does not have nightmares and or get nervous about the future. He knows the end from the beginning. So although things do not look good now, just keep diligently seeking Him by faith. You need to be diligent in order to turn that corner and escape that temporary “sticking point.”
The flip side of all this is simple: if you do not keep after faith—if you do not go after God—then your hope and inspiration will die. Remember: you do not diligently seek Him merely by showing up at church on Sunday!
Stick with it. Do not give up on your dream or on the all-wise God who gave it to you. Keep after it in faith!
Today's Prayer:
Make this faith declaration with me: Jesus, I refuse to give up! I will turn this corner. I look to You more and more. I believe that with Your help, this too will add to my destiny.
Key Verse: : Matthew 17:20
I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.
God, is something wrong with me? Why is nothing happening?” Have you ever felt stuck, even though you knew you were operating in a degree of faith? Do not stop; you are experiencing only a temporary delay.
Always remember that when God speaks to you and gives you vision, He never gives you a bad idea. Because of His nature, the Creator can give you nothing but perfection. He is perfection itself.
This also means that God does not have nightmares and or get nervous about the future. He knows the end from the beginning. So although things do not look good now, just keep diligently seeking Him by faith. You need to be diligent in order to turn that corner and escape that temporary “sticking point.”
The flip side of all this is simple: if you do not keep after faith—if you do not go after God—then your hope and inspiration will die. Remember: you do not diligently seek Him merely by showing up at church on Sunday!
Stick with it. Do not give up on your dream or on the all-wise God who gave it to you. Keep after it in faith!
Today's Prayer:
Make this faith declaration with me: Jesus, I refuse to give up! I will turn this corner. I look to You more and more. I believe that with Your help, this too will add to my destiny.
Psalm 15
A psalm of David.
and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
will never be shaken.
1 LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Who may live on your holy hill?
2 He whose walk is blameless
and who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from his heart
3 and has no slander on his tongue,
who does his neighbor no wrong
and casts no slur on his fellowman,
4 who despises a vile man
but honors those who fear the LORD,
who keeps his oath
even when it hurts,
and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
will never be shaken.
Is Your Gift Bigger Than You?
Bishop Donald Hilliard
O Lord, who may dwell on Your holy hill? He who walks with Integrity." Psalm 15:1-2 NAS
You wouldn’t give your 5-year-old a 12-gauge shotgun or a big Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Shotguns and motorcycles are great – but they’re for adults. You need maturity to handle them. Giving such gifts to your child would endanger them, and everybody else around them. The gifts just don’t fit the person.
Perhaps you’re a talented individual. God’s given you some large gifts like the ability to speak well, or organize things, or create and design. But we sabotage ourselves when our gift becomes bigger than we are. How does this happen? When we begin to lean on the talents God gave us and don’t mature emotionally and spiritually – we ruin our chance to use those talents as God designed them. When our character doesn’t keep up with our talent, we learn to “wing it” through life. We live on the surface but lack real strength underneath. And it shows up when the crisis hits, the storm comes, or we are under pressure. You can’t “wing it” when it comes to character building.
The greater the size of your gifts, the more you must dedicate time to developing your character. Eugene Peterson paraphrases the Psalmist in The Message: “God, who gets invited to dinner at your place? How do we get on your guest list? Walk straight, act right, tell the truth. Don’t hurt your friend, don’t blame your neighbor; despise the despicable. Keep your word even when it costs you, make an honest living, never take a bribe. You’ll never get blacklisted if you live like this” (Ps 15:1-5 TM).
So, do you live that way?
Bishop Donald Hilliard, Jr. is the Pastor of one church in three locations in New Jersey: Cathedral International in Perth Amboy, Cathedral Assembly by the Shore in Asbury Park, and Cathedral Assembly in the Fields in Plainfield. Dr. Hilliard's willingness to say "YES" to the Lord fostered his ability to grow the church from 125 in 1983 to well over 5,000 members today. As a result of Dr. Hilliard's unwavering faith, multifaceted mindset, and ability to trust in the Lord, over fifty ministries are at work within the three cities. For more information on Bishop Hilliard's ministry, visit www.thecathedral.org.
O Lord, who may dwell on Your holy hill? He who walks with Integrity." Psalm 15:1-2 NAS
You wouldn’t give your 5-year-old a 12-gauge shotgun or a big Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Shotguns and motorcycles are great – but they’re for adults. You need maturity to handle them. Giving such gifts to your child would endanger them, and everybody else around them. The gifts just don’t fit the person.
Perhaps you’re a talented individual. God’s given you some large gifts like the ability to speak well, or organize things, or create and design. But we sabotage ourselves when our gift becomes bigger than we are. How does this happen? When we begin to lean on the talents God gave us and don’t mature emotionally and spiritually – we ruin our chance to use those talents as God designed them. When our character doesn’t keep up with our talent, we learn to “wing it” through life. We live on the surface but lack real strength underneath. And it shows up when the crisis hits, the storm comes, or we are under pressure. You can’t “wing it” when it comes to character building.
The greater the size of your gifts, the more you must dedicate time to developing your character. Eugene Peterson paraphrases the Psalmist in The Message: “God, who gets invited to dinner at your place? How do we get on your guest list? Walk straight, act right, tell the truth. Don’t hurt your friend, don’t blame your neighbor; despise the despicable. Keep your word even when it costs you, make an honest living, never take a bribe. You’ll never get blacklisted if you live like this” (Ps 15:1-5 TM).
So, do you live that way?
Bishop Donald Hilliard, Jr. is the Pastor of one church in three locations in New Jersey: Cathedral International in Perth Amboy, Cathedral Assembly by the Shore in Asbury Park, and Cathedral Assembly in the Fields in Plainfield. Dr. Hilliard's willingness to say "YES" to the Lord fostered his ability to grow the church from 125 in 1983 to well over 5,000 members today. As a result of Dr. Hilliard's unwavering faith, multifaceted mindset, and ability to trust in the Lord, over fifty ministries are at work within the three cities. For more information on Bishop Hilliard's ministry, visit www.thecathedral.org.
Kenneth Copeland: "Make His Word the Last Word"
"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." (Revelation 1:8)
Jesus is the beginning and the ending. He is the Almighty. When He told us that in the Book of Revelation, He wasn't just giving us a general piece of information about Himself. He was giving us a powerful truth we can apply now, today!
Let me show you how. He said He is the beginning. So no matter what challenge or situation you may be facing right now, you need to start with Him. John 1:1 says Jesus is the Word. That means, if you're going to start with Jesus, you're going to start with the Word. Don't do anything until you find out what the Word has to say about it.
Then, stay on the Word. As Colossians 1:23 says, "Continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard."
Continue in the faith. The only way the devil can defeat you is to pressure you into throwing away the Word. Everything he does, every challenge he brings you is intended to make you doubt the Word of God. So don't let go of the Word, no matter what may happen. Settle it with God in prayer and stay with it forever. It is written!
Then end with the Word. Jesus said He was the first and the last. That means the word of your doctor is not the last word. Even the word of your pastor is not the last word. The Word of Jesus is the last Word!
Remember this: You are now what the Word says you are. You can do what the Word says you can do. And you can have what the Word says you can have. Begin to believe that. Begin to say it out loud in faith.
Now shout the victory. Yes, now! You don't have to wait to see the outcome to celebrate. You have Jesus' Word on the matter, so you know beyond any doubt that your breakthrough is coming. Once you've settled yourself on Him, you can be assured that He will have the last word!
Scripture Study: Proverbs 1:1-9
Jesus is the beginning and the ending. He is the Almighty. When He told us that in the Book of Revelation, He wasn't just giving us a general piece of information about Himself. He was giving us a powerful truth we can apply now, today!
Let me show you how. He said He is the beginning. So no matter what challenge or situation you may be facing right now, you need to start with Him. John 1:1 says Jesus is the Word. That means, if you're going to start with Jesus, you're going to start with the Word. Don't do anything until you find out what the Word has to say about it.
Then, stay on the Word. As Colossians 1:23 says, "Continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard."
Continue in the faith. The only way the devil can defeat you is to pressure you into throwing away the Word. Everything he does, every challenge he brings you is intended to make you doubt the Word of God. So don't let go of the Word, no matter what may happen. Settle it with God in prayer and stay with it forever. It is written!
Then end with the Word. Jesus said He was the first and the last. That means the word of your doctor is not the last word. Even the word of your pastor is not the last word. The Word of Jesus is the last Word!
Remember this: You are now what the Word says you are. You can do what the Word says you can do. And you can have what the Word says you can have. Begin to believe that. Begin to say it out loud in faith.
Now shout the victory. Yes, now! You don't have to wait to see the outcome to celebrate. You have Jesus' Word on the matter, so you know beyond any doubt that your breakthrough is coming. Once you've settled yourself on Him, you can be assured that He will have the last word!
Scripture Study: Proverbs 1:1-9
Monday, January 29, 2007
Kenneth Copeland: "Just Do It"
"And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day."
(Luke 13:14)
Religion is dangerous. Religion would rather debate about healing than see somebody healed. Religion would rather argue about deliverance than see somebody set free.
You can see an example of that in Luke 13. Jesus healed a woman who had been bowed over for 18 years. Think of it, a dear old woman--a daughter of Abraham Jesus called her--set free after being bound by the devil for nearly two decades. You'd think the temple rulers would have been rejoicing at what Jesus had done. But, no! They were angry because He'd done it on the wrong day.
Do you know what's worse? Those very same religious leaders who criticized Jesus for healing on the Sabbath could have ministered healing to that woman themselves on any of the other six days of the week if they'd cared enough to do it.
That's why Jesus was so indignant with them. They had the same covenant of Abraham as Jesus. But their religion had kept that woman bound instead of setting her free. It always does.
Remember that next time someone tries to get you sidetracked into a religious debate about healing or deliverance. If someone needs to be delivered from a demon, just do it! Don't get all hung up on theological questions about where the demon is.
"Is it in his body? Or his brain? Or his spirit? Or his pocket?" While you're arguing about questions like that, the demon will be driving the poor guy up the wall.
The question isn't, "Where is the demon?" The question is, "Why haven't we gotten this man delivered? He's our blood brother in the Name of Jesus and he ought to be free!"
Once you start asking that question, you won't care whether that demon is inside or outside, hovering over or sitting under. All you'll care about is getting that person free!
That's the difference between religion and the love of God. Religion argues. Love acts. Choose love today.
Scripture Study: Luke 13:11-17
(Luke 13:14)
Religion is dangerous. Religion would rather debate about healing than see somebody healed. Religion would rather argue about deliverance than see somebody set free.
You can see an example of that in Luke 13. Jesus healed a woman who had been bowed over for 18 years. Think of it, a dear old woman--a daughter of Abraham Jesus called her--set free after being bound by the devil for nearly two decades. You'd think the temple rulers would have been rejoicing at what Jesus had done. But, no! They were angry because He'd done it on the wrong day.
Do you know what's worse? Those very same religious leaders who criticized Jesus for healing on the Sabbath could have ministered healing to that woman themselves on any of the other six days of the week if they'd cared enough to do it.
That's why Jesus was so indignant with them. They had the same covenant of Abraham as Jesus. But their religion had kept that woman bound instead of setting her free. It always does.
Remember that next time someone tries to get you sidetracked into a religious debate about healing or deliverance. If someone needs to be delivered from a demon, just do it! Don't get all hung up on theological questions about where the demon is.
"Is it in his body? Or his brain? Or his spirit? Or his pocket?" While you're arguing about questions like that, the demon will be driving the poor guy up the wall.
The question isn't, "Where is the demon?" The question is, "Why haven't we gotten this man delivered? He's our blood brother in the Name of Jesus and he ought to be free!"
Once you start asking that question, you won't care whether that demon is inside or outside, hovering over or sitting under. All you'll care about is getting that person free!
That's the difference between religion and the love of God. Religion argues. Love acts. Choose love today.
Scripture Study: Luke 13:11-17
Think on These...
From freshoutlookmag.com
- Everyone wants to change the world…begin with changing yourself.
- You can’t hit a home run if you never step up to the plate.
- Act as if it were impossible to fail.
- Bad habits are like a comfortable bed, easy to get into, but hard to get out of.
- The obstacles of your past are the gateways of new beginnings.
- Never let the fear of failure get in your way.
Refuse the lie
Fresh Outlook Magazine
Having disarmed principalities and power, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. Col. 2:15
A few days ago I watched a movie about a man who had cancer; it was contained in his arm. Therefore, if the doctors took off his arm, what had the ability to kill him would lose its power. The cancer would be cut off ~ and could do no more harm. Now, I am not making light of having a limb removed, I simply want to show you something that God has shown me in this analogy. You are going to love it. I have been so excited about this that I can’t sit still to write to you today.
There is an occurrence that happens to amputees when they have a limb removed, doctors call it phantom pain. It is simply this, even though the arm or limb has been removed, the patient will often feel pain where the limb once was. They feel pain and discomfort and other sensations. There is no logical reason for this because the limb is gone – but nevertheless, the pain is very, very real.
The Lord began to speak to me about this. This is the way the enemy works with us. Colossians 2:15 tells us that Jesus disarmed the enemy – cut off all his power and even made a spectacle of him. He has NO POWER OVER YOU ANY LONGER! Yet, he often comes at you with lies. He comes at you with feelings and thoughts, things that seem very real to you, but, John 8:44 tells us that Satan is the father of lies. He has no truth in him. If we could ever see him for who he really is AND for who he really is NOT. What do I mean by that? I feel that many Christians believe the devil has more power than he really has. We think he has the power to put sickness on us. We feel he has the power to destroy our marriages. We feel he has the power to ruin our finances. But he doesn’t. Jesus took all his power, he has none. That is why the Bible declares that he roams about ‘as a’ roaring lion. You see, he is NOT a roaring lion – he just acts like one. He only has the power you give him.
If you refuse to give in to his lies, he loses. He may tell you that you are going to have cancer and die. The doctors may even agree with him, but if you refuse to give in to it, if you refuse to accept it – he will have to back off. Why? Because the greater One lives in you and the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, it will quicken your mortal body and bring life to it.
There was a situation with my daughter that the enemy has come at me with all week, telling me that it was never going to happen and it was all my fault. But, it was a lie. Exactly what I had been confessing and praying came to pass, this very morning. The thoughts coming at me were lies and I didn’t give into the lie. Sure, he can lie to you, but if it goes against the Word of God and you refuse to receive it, God will show Himself faithful every time.
Let me share something else with you that happened this very week. If you are a person who decides to follow God and be used of God, the enemy is going to make sure you have many pressures come your way – but again, you don’t have to bow to them. Take them to God and lay them at His feet, He can handle them. Anyway, the pressures were intense but I was refusing them. At night, when I wasn’t on guard because I was sleeping, the devil began to try to put symptoms of stress on my body. I lay there in bed and refused it. I continued to say ‘no, I am not having this in my body, you cannot come on my body.’ And it left. That happened for three nights this week and I continued to refuse his lie – and that is all it was – a lie. Had I received his lie, my body would be suffering from effects of stress, but I continued to say what the Bible said about my body. If you can’t find it in the Bible, if it is not something God said we have to endure, then it is a lie from the devil.
He has no legal authority to attack your body, your finances, your marriage, your ministry, your children, or your mind…if he tries, he is on your turf and you have the legal authority to back him off and tell him to go.
If I could get you to see one thing today it would be this; whatever he is telling you – it is a lie and he does not have the power to back it up. He doesn’t have the power to cause it to come to pass…unless you come into agreement with him. Don’t agree with him. Don’t let words of defeat come out of your mouth. Don’t agree with him. Don’t let words of fear come out of your mouth. Don’t react to fear. Run at it, instead. If he says ‘you are not going to make it this time.’ Laugh in his face, that’s what the Bible says that God does. Imitate God. Laugh at him and tell him that you are not only going to make it but you are going to tell the whole world what God has done for you.
If you stood in a boxing match and let the opponent hit you over and over and you just stood there and took it, you would be defeated, right? But, if every time he hit you, you hit him back, with God on your side, you would win the match. Just as you will win the match you are in today. You must hit back every time the enemy throws something at you. Don’t just stand there, hit back. Don’t just listen to him and meditate on his lies, hit back. How do you do that? With the Word of God, with scriptures, with prayer, with fasting, with walking in love, with tithing and giving. Hit him back – and hit him where it hurts. Ask the Lord how you can hit him where it hurts and begin to hit back. Don’t sit in the corner and whine and complain that the devil is beating up on you – he’s too small to accomplish that – and he doesn’t have that power. Stand up! Fight back and refuse to back off what you know is yours – with God on your side, you can’t fail. Now…get up and fight!
editor@freshoutlookmag.com
Having disarmed principalities and power, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. Col. 2:15
A few days ago I watched a movie about a man who had cancer; it was contained in his arm. Therefore, if the doctors took off his arm, what had the ability to kill him would lose its power. The cancer would be cut off ~ and could do no more harm. Now, I am not making light of having a limb removed, I simply want to show you something that God has shown me in this analogy. You are going to love it. I have been so excited about this that I can’t sit still to write to you today.
There is an occurrence that happens to amputees when they have a limb removed, doctors call it phantom pain. It is simply this, even though the arm or limb has been removed, the patient will often feel pain where the limb once was. They feel pain and discomfort and other sensations. There is no logical reason for this because the limb is gone – but nevertheless, the pain is very, very real.
The Lord began to speak to me about this. This is the way the enemy works with us. Colossians 2:15 tells us that Jesus disarmed the enemy – cut off all his power and even made a spectacle of him. He has NO POWER OVER YOU ANY LONGER! Yet, he often comes at you with lies. He comes at you with feelings and thoughts, things that seem very real to you, but, John 8:44 tells us that Satan is the father of lies. He has no truth in him. If we could ever see him for who he really is AND for who he really is NOT. What do I mean by that? I feel that many Christians believe the devil has more power than he really has. We think he has the power to put sickness on us. We feel he has the power to destroy our marriages. We feel he has the power to ruin our finances. But he doesn’t. Jesus took all his power, he has none. That is why the Bible declares that he roams about ‘as a’ roaring lion. You see, he is NOT a roaring lion – he just acts like one. He only has the power you give him.
If you refuse to give in to his lies, he loses. He may tell you that you are going to have cancer and die. The doctors may even agree with him, but if you refuse to give in to it, if you refuse to accept it – he will have to back off. Why? Because the greater One lives in you and the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, it will quicken your mortal body and bring life to it.
There was a situation with my daughter that the enemy has come at me with all week, telling me that it was never going to happen and it was all my fault. But, it was a lie. Exactly what I had been confessing and praying came to pass, this very morning. The thoughts coming at me were lies and I didn’t give into the lie. Sure, he can lie to you, but if it goes against the Word of God and you refuse to receive it, God will show Himself faithful every time.
Let me share something else with you that happened this very week. If you are a person who decides to follow God and be used of God, the enemy is going to make sure you have many pressures come your way – but again, you don’t have to bow to them. Take them to God and lay them at His feet, He can handle them. Anyway, the pressures were intense but I was refusing them. At night, when I wasn’t on guard because I was sleeping, the devil began to try to put symptoms of stress on my body. I lay there in bed and refused it. I continued to say ‘no, I am not having this in my body, you cannot come on my body.’ And it left. That happened for three nights this week and I continued to refuse his lie – and that is all it was – a lie. Had I received his lie, my body would be suffering from effects of stress, but I continued to say what the Bible said about my body. If you can’t find it in the Bible, if it is not something God said we have to endure, then it is a lie from the devil.
He has no legal authority to attack your body, your finances, your marriage, your ministry, your children, or your mind…if he tries, he is on your turf and you have the legal authority to back him off and tell him to go.
If I could get you to see one thing today it would be this; whatever he is telling you – it is a lie and he does not have the power to back it up. He doesn’t have the power to cause it to come to pass…unless you come into agreement with him. Don’t agree with him. Don’t let words of defeat come out of your mouth. Don’t agree with him. Don’t let words of fear come out of your mouth. Don’t react to fear. Run at it, instead. If he says ‘you are not going to make it this time.’ Laugh in his face, that’s what the Bible says that God does. Imitate God. Laugh at him and tell him that you are not only going to make it but you are going to tell the whole world what God has done for you.
If you stood in a boxing match and let the opponent hit you over and over and you just stood there and took it, you would be defeated, right? But, if every time he hit you, you hit him back, with God on your side, you would win the match. Just as you will win the match you are in today. You must hit back every time the enemy throws something at you. Don’t just stand there, hit back. Don’t just listen to him and meditate on his lies, hit back. How do you do that? With the Word of God, with scriptures, with prayer, with fasting, with walking in love, with tithing and giving. Hit him back – and hit him where it hurts. Ask the Lord how you can hit him where it hurts and begin to hit back. Don’t sit in the corner and whine and complain that the devil is beating up on you – he’s too small to accomplish that – and he doesn’t have that power. Stand up! Fight back and refuse to back off what you know is yours – with God on your side, you can’t fail. Now…get up and fight!
editor@freshoutlookmag.com
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Kenneth Copeland: "Don't Be Stony Ground"
"And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended."
(Mark 4:16-17)
There seems to be an abundance of "stony ground" Christians these days. Initially, they get excited about the Word of God. They'll hear a message on prosperity, for instance, and they'll go home saying, "Hallelujah! I'm going to prosper in the Name of Jesus!" But then, somehow, things don't work out like they thought they should.
Their bank balance doesn't double overnight. They go through some disappointments. They suffer some criticism. Then, before you know it, their faith has withered away.
If you don't want that to happen to you, make up your mind right now that you're not going to let the rough times defeat you. Decide now that you're going to hang onto the Word even when the persecutions and afflictions come--because, I can guarantee you, they will come.
When you decide to walk by faith, you don't get rid of trials. You learn to overcome them.
When you let the Word of God get down into your heart, you're going to learn more about the devil than you ever wanted to know because he's going to do his best to see to it that the Word is unfruitful in you. He's going to be trying to mess you up every time you turn around. You'll have problems, but the difference is now you have the answer--the Word of God.
Thank God, however, through Christ Jesus you have the power to defeat Satan. When he brings problems and disappointments your way, you don't have to lie down and let them steam roll over you. Just keep fighting the good fight of faith until you win.
If you get knocked down, get back up and say, "Look here, devil, I'm not going to let you steal the Word out of my heart. It's in there and I'm meditating on it; I'm saying it with my mouth; and I'm acting on it until God's blessings overtake me. If you don't believe me, just hide and watch!"
If you'll take that attitude, no matter what that devil does, he'll never make a "stony ground" Christian out of you!
Scripture Study: 2 Corinthians 4:6-18
(Mark 4:16-17)
There seems to be an abundance of "stony ground" Christians these days. Initially, they get excited about the Word of God. They'll hear a message on prosperity, for instance, and they'll go home saying, "Hallelujah! I'm going to prosper in the Name of Jesus!" But then, somehow, things don't work out like they thought they should.
Their bank balance doesn't double overnight. They go through some disappointments. They suffer some criticism. Then, before you know it, their faith has withered away.
If you don't want that to happen to you, make up your mind right now that you're not going to let the rough times defeat you. Decide now that you're going to hang onto the Word even when the persecutions and afflictions come--because, I can guarantee you, they will come.
When you decide to walk by faith, you don't get rid of trials. You learn to overcome them.
When you let the Word of God get down into your heart, you're going to learn more about the devil than you ever wanted to know because he's going to do his best to see to it that the Word is unfruitful in you. He's going to be trying to mess you up every time you turn around. You'll have problems, but the difference is now you have the answer--the Word of God.
Thank God, however, through Christ Jesus you have the power to defeat Satan. When he brings problems and disappointments your way, you don't have to lie down and let them steam roll over you. Just keep fighting the good fight of faith until you win.
If you get knocked down, get back up and say, "Look here, devil, I'm not going to let you steal the Word out of my heart. It's in there and I'm meditating on it; I'm saying it with my mouth; and I'm acting on it until God's blessings overtake me. If you don't believe me, just hide and watch!"
If you'll take that attitude, no matter what that devil does, he'll never make a "stony ground" Christian out of you!
Scripture Study: 2 Corinthians 4:6-18
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Kenneth Copeland: "Believe the Love"
"And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us." (1 John 4:16)
One day I was walking along a highway through a park praying and I asked a simple question, "Lord, what do You want me to tell Your people?" Without a moment's hesitation, these words came ringing through my spirit and my mind:
Tell them how much I love them.
They were so filled with love and compassion that it defies words to express it. For days afterward all I could think of was 1 John 4:16. "And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us."
We've read about God's love. We've heard about it. But I don't think many of us have really believed it. If we did, it would totally change everything about us and everything around us.
It's that love that caused Jesus to lay down His life for us and to experience for Himself all the pains and weaknesses we experience. It's that love that says to us, even when we feel so unworthy, "Come to Me and get what you need. Don't be shy about it. I've been there. Come boldly to the throne of grace that you may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
Think about it. God is in love with you--so in love, He's given you everything He has! He's given you all the healing, all the wisdom, all the wealth, all the strength you could ever need.
"But what about my terrible past?"
That's what His mercy is for! It's taken care of your past. It's covered every sin and failure you ever had. All you have to do now is believe and receive His love.
What a shame it is that people suffer at the hands of sickness and disease and every other cursed thing just because they can't believe the love God has for them. Don't let that happen to you. Learn to believe the love.
Believe the love God has for you. It's already been released in the blood of Jesus.
Believe the love. It's already been released in Jesus' Name.
Believe the love. It's already been released in His Word.
Meditate that scripture over and over. Say it to yourself again and again all day, "I believe the love Jesus has for me." Once it gets down into your heart, you'll never be the same again.
Scripture Study: Psalm 139:1-18
One day I was walking along a highway through a park praying and I asked a simple question, "Lord, what do You want me to tell Your people?" Without a moment's hesitation, these words came ringing through my spirit and my mind:
Tell them how much I love them.
They were so filled with love and compassion that it defies words to express it. For days afterward all I could think of was 1 John 4:16. "And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us."
We've read about God's love. We've heard about it. But I don't think many of us have really believed it. If we did, it would totally change everything about us and everything around us.
It's that love that caused Jesus to lay down His life for us and to experience for Himself all the pains and weaknesses we experience. It's that love that says to us, even when we feel so unworthy, "Come to Me and get what you need. Don't be shy about it. I've been there. Come boldly to the throne of grace that you may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
Think about it. God is in love with you--so in love, He's given you everything He has! He's given you all the healing, all the wisdom, all the wealth, all the strength you could ever need.
"But what about my terrible past?"
That's what His mercy is for! It's taken care of your past. It's covered every sin and failure you ever had. All you have to do now is believe and receive His love.
What a shame it is that people suffer at the hands of sickness and disease and every other cursed thing just because they can't believe the love God has for them. Don't let that happen to you. Learn to believe the love.
Believe the love God has for you. It's already been released in the blood of Jesus.
Believe the love. It's already been released in Jesus' Name.
Believe the love. It's already been released in His Word.
Meditate that scripture over and over. Say it to yourself again and again all day, "I believe the love Jesus has for me." Once it gets down into your heart, you'll never be the same again.
Scripture Study: Psalm 139:1-18
Kenneth Copeland: "Heaven's Economy"
"Giving thanks unto the Father .. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son." (Colossians 1:12-13)
If, in spite of all the Bible's promises about prosperity...in spite of all the prayers you've prayed...you are still struggling financially, consider this question: Where do you think God is going to get the resources to meet your needs?
Many believers limit God without even realizing it by training their eyes on the limited resources of this world rather than the unlimited riches of God's kingdom. Their faith fails when they think of the troubled economy on the earth, of the shortages and scarcity that surrounds them. They wonder, "How is God going to bless me in the middle of all this?"
If that's what you've been thinking, here's some news that will turn those thoughts around!
The Bible says God has "delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son." To be translated means to be taken out of one place and put into another. In other words, your citizenship is not primarily of this earth. You are not primarily American or Canadian or Australian--you are first and foremost a citizen of the kingdom of God.
That means this planet doesn't have any right to dictate to you whether your needs are met or not. The Bible says God will meet your needs according to His riches in glory! (Philippians 4:19). You can live by heaven's economy, not earth's economy--and in heaven there is always more than enough.
Wake up to the abundance of heaven that's been made yours through Jesus. Wake up to the fact that you've been translated out of a world of poverty into a kingdom of abundance. Rejoice. Heaven's unlimited resources have been made available to you!
Scripture Study: Psalm 105:37-45
If, in spite of all the Bible's promises about prosperity...in spite of all the prayers you've prayed...you are still struggling financially, consider this question: Where do you think God is going to get the resources to meet your needs?
Many believers limit God without even realizing it by training their eyes on the limited resources of this world rather than the unlimited riches of God's kingdom. Their faith fails when they think of the troubled economy on the earth, of the shortages and scarcity that surrounds them. They wonder, "How is God going to bless me in the middle of all this?"
If that's what you've been thinking, here's some news that will turn those thoughts around!
The Bible says God has "delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son." To be translated means to be taken out of one place and put into another. In other words, your citizenship is not primarily of this earth. You are not primarily American or Canadian or Australian--you are first and foremost a citizen of the kingdom of God.
That means this planet doesn't have any right to dictate to you whether your needs are met or not. The Bible says God will meet your needs according to His riches in glory! (Philippians 4:19). You can live by heaven's economy, not earth's economy--and in heaven there is always more than enough.
Wake up to the abundance of heaven that's been made yours through Jesus. Wake up to the fact that you've been translated out of a world of poverty into a kingdom of abundance. Rejoice. Heaven's unlimited resources have been made available to you!
Scripture Study: Psalm 105:37-45
Friday, January 19, 2007
Hear the Silent Message in Unanswered Prayer
by Pete Greig
You’ve prayed repeatedly for God to intervene in a situation close to your heart – but all your requests have been met with silence. You’ve prayed with great passion and faith – yet still, God doesn’t answer. Do unanswered prayers mean that God doesn’t care, or worse, that He’s not even there? When you’re heartbroken over His silence, it can seem that way.
But God has a message to send you through the silence. Here’s how you can hear Him, even when He doesn’t answer your prayers:
* Be honest. Admit your disappointment, frustration, confusion, doubt, sorrow, anger, and any other feelings you have about the fact that you haven’t yet received answers to your prayers. Don’t be afraid to express yourself completely to God, without shame or pretense. Pray about every concern you have. Ask God hard questions.
* Trust in God’s love. Know that nothing – not bankruptcy, divorce, illness, death, or anything else – can ever separate you from God’s love. Regularly remind yourself of specific ways God has already shown you that He loves you, such as through answered prayer in the past and His promises in Scripture. Recognize the blessings you currently have that you haven’t noticed before, and thank God for them. Remember that God often expresses His love through the kindness of faithful people. Choose to take God at His word and believe that He cares about you, no matter what.
* Seek God Himself instead of just His miracles. Understand that, although God sometimes does choose to perform miracles for certain purposes, He often decides not to do so. Believe in the truth that a miracle is always possible, but remember that miracles are rare by definition. Check your motives to make sure you’re not just vying for a miracle, but instead are seeking to grow closer to God. Don’t expect God to be like a divine vending machine who dispenses miracles on demand. Love God Himself more than what He can give you.
* Realize that silence doesn’t mean absence. Know that God is still present with you, despite His silence. Remember His promise never to leave or forsake you. Understand that God sometimes decides to withdraw from your conscious experience and deliberately make Himself less obvious and less immediately available in order to reduce your dependence on outward things and help you live by faith instead of sight. Ask God to reassure you of His presence as you struggle with unanswered prayers.
* Be willing to accept “no” as an answer. Consider carefully whether God has truly not answered your prayer, or whether He has answered it, but chosen to deny your request. Ask God to give you the strength to accept His will, even if it’s contrary to your wishes. Realize that your power to choose God’s will over your own preference is a significant opportunity to grow in faith and maturity. Remember that God’s wisdom is often beyond human understanding, but He is always working out the best for you from His eternal perspective. Ask God to help you learn the valuable lessons He wants to teach you through your suffering, so that suffering will ultimately lead you to greater joy.
* Ask yourself if your prayers are trivial. Acknowledge that some prayers are inconsequential or just plain stupid, such as praying for God to miraculously fill your car’s gas tank when it’s nearing empty and you haven’t yet found a gas station. If that’s the case, choose to pray in another way or do something practical yourself.
* Ask yourself if your prayers are conflicting with someone else’s prayers. Remember that God considers prayers from all the more than six billion people on our planet. Realize that He may say “no” to your request so He can say “yes” to someone else. Know that God won’t act if your prayers contradict something He wants to accomplish in another person’s life.
* Ask yourself if your prayers would impact the laws of nature in a destructive way if they were answered. Understand that some prayers aren’t answered because they would be detrimental to the world and other people’s lives in some way. Remember that, although your prayer may seem reasonable to you, God may be protecting people’s lives by refusing to answer it.
* Ask yourself if you’re expecting God to spare you from the normal consequences of living in a fallen world. Acknowledge that, in our fallen world, suffering is common for every human being. Expect to have trouble in this world, as Jesus predicted we all would. Discuss your situation with some faithful friends and honestly consider whether God is asking you to pray against your suffering, or whether He simply wants to give you the grace to endure it with Him alongside you.
* Ask yourself if your understanding and expectations of God are wrong. Seriously consider whether you’re asking the wrong thing of God based on an unbiblical set of expectations. Make sure your prayer life reflects God’s character and His promises in the Bible. Talk with someone you trust about whether or not he or she thinks your request is sensible.
* Ask yourself if you’re praying for the second best when God wants to give you something better. As you keep praying for the good outcome you hope for, remain open the possibility that, at the right time, God will give you something even better, something beyond what you hope for now.
Recall the ways God has given you the best in the past and know that He may be delaying His answer to your current prayer until it’s time to give you the best again.
* Ask yourself if your motives are selfish. Don’t covet anything, seek something that’s inherently sinful, or insist on something and try to manipulate God to get it. Feel free to express your desires openly to God, but always with the overriding desire to fulfill His purposes for your life. Ask God to help you approach Him with pure motives, genuinely wanting what He wants for you.
* Ask yourself if your unanswered prayers are leading you into a deeper relationship with God. Understand that God will sometimes not answer your prayers because He is the ultimate Answer and He wants to draw you closer to Himself. Decide to pursue God Himself rather than what He can give you. Know that when you make your relationship with God your top priority, everything else will fall into place.
* Ask yourself if you’re asking God to override someone’s free will and force your desires on that person. Rather than expecting God to mechanically control someone (which isn’t a loving thing to do), expect Him to just influence that person while still respecting his or her free will. Pray into the situation creatively and one step at a time.
* Ask yourself if Satan is opposing your prayers. Know that Satan will sometimes try to block your prayers from being answered by contesting them. Ask God to help you persevere in prayer and stand in courage against evil so you can break through spiritual opposition. Learn about spiritual warfare and use Scripture as your weapon in the battle. Ask God to reveal how you should best pray into the situation. Try fasting. Spend more time worshipping Jesus than thinking about Satan.
* Ask yourself if you have the faith to believe God will answer your prayers. Realize that some prayers aren’t answered simply because you just don’t believe that they will be. Ask God for the faith to believe. Seek to grow in faith by worshipping, fasting, and memorizing God’s promises from the Bible.
* Ask yourself if you want an answer enough to keep praying. Don’t give up. Pray about the situation regularly and ask God to help you persevere until He is ready to give you His answer about it.
* Ask yourself if there is a secret sin you need to confess. Understand that disobedience may block your prayers from being answered. Find a Christian friend you trust and confess any sin you haven’t yet confessed. Repent of that sin by turning away from it and turning toward God. Pursue healing for wounds that keep you tied to sinful thought or behavior patterns. Ask God to give you the strength to forgive or apologize to people to whom you need to do so.
* Ask yourself if you’re actively pursuing justice. Know that some prayers aren’t answered because of disregard for oppressed people – in your own community, and around the world. Make sure you’re seeking to express God’s love for people who are marginalized in society, such as the poor and the disabled. Practice hospitality. Volunteer for service projects. Act politically to support causes that God leads you to support.
* Ask yourself if you’re trying to find answers in situations where you need to simply trust instead. Realize that if you’re doing everything right, but your situation still doesn’t make sense, you can still hold onto God like a hurting kid embracing his or her father. Stay connected to God and keep trusting Him while you go through your current challenges. Know that your challenges are not in vain because God will use them to make you a better person.
Adapted from God On Mute: Engaging the Silence of Unanswered Prayer, copyright 2007 by Pete Greig. Published by Regal Books, a division of Gospel Light, Ventura, Ca., www.regalbooks.com
Pete Greig is an author, church planter, and one of the founding leaders of 24-7 Prayer, a British charity that has grown in six years from a single night-and-day prayer room into an international, interdenominational Christian movement committed to prayer, mission, and justice. A popular speaker, he has spoken to hundreds of thousands of people on five continents. His books, which have been translated into a number of languages, include: Awakening Cry, The 24-7 Prayer Manual, Red Moon Rising: The Adventure of Faith and the Power of Prayer, The Vision and the Vow: Rules of Life and Rhythms of Grace, and Practitioners: Voices Within the Emerging Culture.
You’ve prayed repeatedly for God to intervene in a situation close to your heart – but all your requests have been met with silence. You’ve prayed with great passion and faith – yet still, God doesn’t answer. Do unanswered prayers mean that God doesn’t care, or worse, that He’s not even there? When you’re heartbroken over His silence, it can seem that way.
But God has a message to send you through the silence. Here’s how you can hear Him, even when He doesn’t answer your prayers:
* Be honest. Admit your disappointment, frustration, confusion, doubt, sorrow, anger, and any other feelings you have about the fact that you haven’t yet received answers to your prayers. Don’t be afraid to express yourself completely to God, without shame or pretense. Pray about every concern you have. Ask God hard questions.
* Trust in God’s love. Know that nothing – not bankruptcy, divorce, illness, death, or anything else – can ever separate you from God’s love. Regularly remind yourself of specific ways God has already shown you that He loves you, such as through answered prayer in the past and His promises in Scripture. Recognize the blessings you currently have that you haven’t noticed before, and thank God for them. Remember that God often expresses His love through the kindness of faithful people. Choose to take God at His word and believe that He cares about you, no matter what.
* Seek God Himself instead of just His miracles. Understand that, although God sometimes does choose to perform miracles for certain purposes, He often decides not to do so. Believe in the truth that a miracle is always possible, but remember that miracles are rare by definition. Check your motives to make sure you’re not just vying for a miracle, but instead are seeking to grow closer to God. Don’t expect God to be like a divine vending machine who dispenses miracles on demand. Love God Himself more than what He can give you.
* Realize that silence doesn’t mean absence. Know that God is still present with you, despite His silence. Remember His promise never to leave or forsake you. Understand that God sometimes decides to withdraw from your conscious experience and deliberately make Himself less obvious and less immediately available in order to reduce your dependence on outward things and help you live by faith instead of sight. Ask God to reassure you of His presence as you struggle with unanswered prayers.
* Be willing to accept “no” as an answer. Consider carefully whether God has truly not answered your prayer, or whether He has answered it, but chosen to deny your request. Ask God to give you the strength to accept His will, even if it’s contrary to your wishes. Realize that your power to choose God’s will over your own preference is a significant opportunity to grow in faith and maturity. Remember that God’s wisdom is often beyond human understanding, but He is always working out the best for you from His eternal perspective. Ask God to help you learn the valuable lessons He wants to teach you through your suffering, so that suffering will ultimately lead you to greater joy.
* Ask yourself if your prayers are trivial. Acknowledge that some prayers are inconsequential or just plain stupid, such as praying for God to miraculously fill your car’s gas tank when it’s nearing empty and you haven’t yet found a gas station. If that’s the case, choose to pray in another way or do something practical yourself.
* Ask yourself if your prayers are conflicting with someone else’s prayers. Remember that God considers prayers from all the more than six billion people on our planet. Realize that He may say “no” to your request so He can say “yes” to someone else. Know that God won’t act if your prayers contradict something He wants to accomplish in another person’s life.
* Ask yourself if your prayers would impact the laws of nature in a destructive way if they were answered. Understand that some prayers aren’t answered because they would be detrimental to the world and other people’s lives in some way. Remember that, although your prayer may seem reasonable to you, God may be protecting people’s lives by refusing to answer it.
* Ask yourself if you’re expecting God to spare you from the normal consequences of living in a fallen world. Acknowledge that, in our fallen world, suffering is common for every human being. Expect to have trouble in this world, as Jesus predicted we all would. Discuss your situation with some faithful friends and honestly consider whether God is asking you to pray against your suffering, or whether He simply wants to give you the grace to endure it with Him alongside you.
* Ask yourself if your understanding and expectations of God are wrong. Seriously consider whether you’re asking the wrong thing of God based on an unbiblical set of expectations. Make sure your prayer life reflects God’s character and His promises in the Bible. Talk with someone you trust about whether or not he or she thinks your request is sensible.
* Ask yourself if you’re praying for the second best when God wants to give you something better. As you keep praying for the good outcome you hope for, remain open the possibility that, at the right time, God will give you something even better, something beyond what you hope for now.
Recall the ways God has given you the best in the past and know that He may be delaying His answer to your current prayer until it’s time to give you the best again.
* Ask yourself if your motives are selfish. Don’t covet anything, seek something that’s inherently sinful, or insist on something and try to manipulate God to get it. Feel free to express your desires openly to God, but always with the overriding desire to fulfill His purposes for your life. Ask God to help you approach Him with pure motives, genuinely wanting what He wants for you.
* Ask yourself if your unanswered prayers are leading you into a deeper relationship with God. Understand that God will sometimes not answer your prayers because He is the ultimate Answer and He wants to draw you closer to Himself. Decide to pursue God Himself rather than what He can give you. Know that when you make your relationship with God your top priority, everything else will fall into place.
* Ask yourself if you’re asking God to override someone’s free will and force your desires on that person. Rather than expecting God to mechanically control someone (which isn’t a loving thing to do), expect Him to just influence that person while still respecting his or her free will. Pray into the situation creatively and one step at a time.
* Ask yourself if Satan is opposing your prayers. Know that Satan will sometimes try to block your prayers from being answered by contesting them. Ask God to help you persevere in prayer and stand in courage against evil so you can break through spiritual opposition. Learn about spiritual warfare and use Scripture as your weapon in the battle. Ask God to reveal how you should best pray into the situation. Try fasting. Spend more time worshipping Jesus than thinking about Satan.
* Ask yourself if you have the faith to believe God will answer your prayers. Realize that some prayers aren’t answered simply because you just don’t believe that they will be. Ask God for the faith to believe. Seek to grow in faith by worshipping, fasting, and memorizing God’s promises from the Bible.
* Ask yourself if you want an answer enough to keep praying. Don’t give up. Pray about the situation regularly and ask God to help you persevere until He is ready to give you His answer about it.
* Ask yourself if there is a secret sin you need to confess. Understand that disobedience may block your prayers from being answered. Find a Christian friend you trust and confess any sin you haven’t yet confessed. Repent of that sin by turning away from it and turning toward God. Pursue healing for wounds that keep you tied to sinful thought or behavior patterns. Ask God to give you the strength to forgive or apologize to people to whom you need to do so.
* Ask yourself if you’re actively pursuing justice. Know that some prayers aren’t answered because of disregard for oppressed people – in your own community, and around the world. Make sure you’re seeking to express God’s love for people who are marginalized in society, such as the poor and the disabled. Practice hospitality. Volunteer for service projects. Act politically to support causes that God leads you to support.
* Ask yourself if you’re trying to find answers in situations where you need to simply trust instead. Realize that if you’re doing everything right, but your situation still doesn’t make sense, you can still hold onto God like a hurting kid embracing his or her father. Stay connected to God and keep trusting Him while you go through your current challenges. Know that your challenges are not in vain because God will use them to make you a better person.
Adapted from God On Mute: Engaging the Silence of Unanswered Prayer, copyright 2007 by Pete Greig. Published by Regal Books, a division of Gospel Light, Ventura, Ca., www.regalbooks.com
Pete Greig is an author, church planter, and one of the founding leaders of 24-7 Prayer, a British charity that has grown in six years from a single night-and-day prayer room into an international, interdenominational Christian movement committed to prayer, mission, and justice. A popular speaker, he has spoken to hundreds of thousands of people on five continents. His books, which have been translated into a number of languages, include: Awakening Cry, The 24-7 Prayer Manual, Red Moon Rising: The Adventure of Faith and the Power of Prayer, The Vision and the Vow: Rules of Life and Rhythms of Grace, and Practitioners: Voices Within the Emerging Culture.
Kenneth Copeland: "From Messes to Miracles"
"A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul." (Proverbs 18:7)
We have what we say. As believers, we know that's a vital biblical truth. We can see it in Mark 11:23, Matthew 21:21, James 3:2, and many other verses. Yet we often let it slip.
We allow ourselves to begin talking like the world instead of talking the Word. And eventually we get what we've been asking for--a big mess.
If that's happened to you, remember, whatever you have in your life is a product of what you've been saying. In order to change what you have, you must change what's coming out of your mouth. To head your life in a different direction--from death to life, sickness to health, failure to success--you must take charge of your words.
That's a lot easier said than done. But that's the key: It must be said in order to be done!
How do you start?
First, realize that it can't be done just in the natural. This is a spiritual law, so it must be handled with spiritual power.
James 3:7-8 says the tongue can't be tamed with the same power with which man tames animals. It takes God's wisdom from above. God's Word is His wisdom (Prov. 2:6). He also said His words are spirit and life. That means it takes God's words to tame our tongues.
Second, repent before God for ever allowing your tongue to be used by anyone except the Holy Spirit. Then give Jesus your tongue. Be determined to speak His words of love, faith, joy, peace, and grace. Words of faith stop the fiery darts of hell.
The third thing to do is what Jesus said in Mark 4:24: Take heed, or listen, to what you hear. Listen to yourself! Think, Do I want what I just said to come to pass? If the answer is no, then stop and correct yourself right then. Replace those negative words with praise (Ephesians 5:4).
If you've gotten sloppy about what you say, change your course today by changing your words. Ask God to help you set a watch over your mouth (Ps. 141:3). Put the power that's in your tongue to work for you instead of against you. Stop using it to make messes, and start using it to make miracles. There is a miracle in your mouth!
Scripture Study: James 3:1-13
We have what we say. As believers, we know that's a vital biblical truth. We can see it in Mark 11:23, Matthew 21:21, James 3:2, and many other verses. Yet we often let it slip.
We allow ourselves to begin talking like the world instead of talking the Word. And eventually we get what we've been asking for--a big mess.
If that's happened to you, remember, whatever you have in your life is a product of what you've been saying. In order to change what you have, you must change what's coming out of your mouth. To head your life in a different direction--from death to life, sickness to health, failure to success--you must take charge of your words.
That's a lot easier said than done. But that's the key: It must be said in order to be done!
How do you start?
First, realize that it can't be done just in the natural. This is a spiritual law, so it must be handled with spiritual power.
James 3:7-8 says the tongue can't be tamed with the same power with which man tames animals. It takes God's wisdom from above. God's Word is His wisdom (Prov. 2:6). He also said His words are spirit and life. That means it takes God's words to tame our tongues.
Second, repent before God for ever allowing your tongue to be used by anyone except the Holy Spirit. Then give Jesus your tongue. Be determined to speak His words of love, faith, joy, peace, and grace. Words of faith stop the fiery darts of hell.
The third thing to do is what Jesus said in Mark 4:24: Take heed, or listen, to what you hear. Listen to yourself! Think, Do I want what I just said to come to pass? If the answer is no, then stop and correct yourself right then. Replace those negative words with praise (Ephesians 5:4).
If you've gotten sloppy about what you say, change your course today by changing your words. Ask God to help you set a watch over your mouth (Ps. 141:3). Put the power that's in your tongue to work for you instead of against you. Stop using it to make messes, and start using it to make miracles. There is a miracle in your mouth!
Scripture Study: James 3:1-13
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Keep them close!
Author Unknown
I grew up in the 50's with practical parents. A mother, God love her, who washed aluminum foil after she cooked in it, then reused it. She was the original recycle queen, before they had a Name for it... A father who was happier getting old shoes fixed than buying new ones.
Their marriage was good, their dreams focused. Their best friends lived barely a wave away. I can see them now... Dad in trousers, tee shirt and a hat; and Mom in a house dress - lawnmower in one hand and dish-towel in the other. It was the time for fixing things. A curtain rod, the kitchen radio, screen door, the oven door, the hem in a dress Things we keep.
It was a way of life, and sometimes it made me crazy. All that re-fixing, eating, renewing, I wanted just once to be wasteful. Waste meant affluence. Throwing things away meant you knew there'd always be more. But then my mother died, ! and on that clear summer's night, in the warmth of the hospital room, I was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't any more.
Sometimes, what we care about most gets all used up and goes away...never to return. So... while we have it... it's best we love it.... and care for it... and fix it when it's broken...... and heal it when it's sick.
This is true. for marriage.... and old cars.... and children with bad report cards..... and dogs with bad hips.... and aging parents..... and grandparents. We keep them because they are worth it, because we are worth it. Some things we keep. Like a best friend that moved away or a classmate we grew up with.
There are just some things that make life important, like people we know who are special..... and so, we keep them close!
Keep them close!
TEN THINGS GOD WON'T ASK ON 'THAT DAY':
1... God won't ask what kind of car you drove. He'll ask how many people you drove who didn't have transportation.
2... God won't ask the square footage of your house, He'll ask how many people you welcomed into your home.
3... God won't ask about the clothes you had in your closet, He'll ask how many you helped to clothe.
4... God won't ask what your highest salary was. He'll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it.
5... God won't ask what your job title was. He'll ask if you performed your job to the best of our ability.
6... God won't ask how many friends you had. He'll ask how many people to whom you were a friend.
7... God won't ask in what neighborhood you lived, He'll ask how you treated your neighbors.
8... God won't ask about the color of your skin, He'll ask about the content of your character.
9... God won't ask why it took you so long to seek Salvation. He'll lovingly take you to your mansion in heaven, and not to the gates of Hell.
I grew up in the 50's with practical parents. A mother, God love her, who washed aluminum foil after she cooked in it, then reused it. She was the original recycle queen, before they had a Name for it... A father who was happier getting old shoes fixed than buying new ones.
Their marriage was good, their dreams focused. Their best friends lived barely a wave away. I can see them now... Dad in trousers, tee shirt and a hat; and Mom in a house dress - lawnmower in one hand and dish-towel in the other. It was the time for fixing things. A curtain rod, the kitchen radio, screen door, the oven door, the hem in a dress Things we keep.
It was a way of life, and sometimes it made me crazy. All that re-fixing, eating, renewing, I wanted just once to be wasteful. Waste meant affluence. Throwing things away meant you knew there'd always be more. But then my mother died, ! and on that clear summer's night, in the warmth of the hospital room, I was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't any more.
Sometimes, what we care about most gets all used up and goes away...never to return. So... while we have it... it's best we love it.... and care for it... and fix it when it's broken...... and heal it when it's sick.
This is true. for marriage.... and old cars.... and children with bad report cards..... and dogs with bad hips.... and aging parents..... and grandparents. We keep them because they are worth it, because we are worth it. Some things we keep. Like a best friend that moved away or a classmate we grew up with.
There are just some things that make life important, like people we know who are special..... and so, we keep them close!
Keep them close!
TEN THINGS GOD WON'T ASK ON 'THAT DAY':
1... God won't ask what kind of car you drove. He'll ask how many people you drove who didn't have transportation.
2... God won't ask the square footage of your house, He'll ask how many people you welcomed into your home.
3... God won't ask about the clothes you had in your closet, He'll ask how many you helped to clothe.
4... God won't ask what your highest salary was. He'll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it.
5... God won't ask what your job title was. He'll ask if you performed your job to the best of our ability.
6... God won't ask how many friends you had. He'll ask how many people to whom you were a friend.
7... God won't ask in what neighborhood you lived, He'll ask how you treated your neighbors.
8... God won't ask about the color of your skin, He'll ask about the content of your character.
9... God won't ask why it took you so long to seek Salvation. He'll lovingly take you to your mansion in heaven, and not to the gates of Hell.
Kenneth Copeland: "Get Yourself Together"
"Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" (Amos 3:3)
When it comes to faith, a lot of believers feel like they have one foot nailed to the ground. No matter how hard they try, they just can't seem to make any progress.
If you'll watch them, you can see why. They literally haven't "gotten themselves together." One minute they'll be telling you, "Oh yes, amen, I believe the Word," and the next minute they'll be spouting unbelief like it's going out of style. "I know God says He'll prosper us, but I'll tell you what, my business is doing so badly, it's about to give me ulcers. I can't sleep at night for worrying."
Dig a little deeper and you may find out that they've pulled their actions out of line with the Word as well. "Well, you understand, brother, I can't possibly tithe with my income like it is. I'd go under!"
Faith just won't work for a person like that.
You see, you're a triune being. You are a spirit. You have a soul, which consists of your mind, will, and emotions. And you live in a body. Each of those areas has a specific role to play in your faith walk. You have to get all three in agreement before you can go anywhere at all!
Start by feeding your spirit on the Word of God. Just like the body produces physical strength when you nourish it with food, the spirit produces spiritual strength when you nourish it with the Word. That spiritual strength is called faith. Develop that faith, and instead of your spirit being dominated by the other two areas, it will be the one in charge.
Next, bring your soul in line. Set your mind on "things above." Meditate on the Word until your thoughts begin to agree with it. Keep your attention on it until even your emotions yield.
Finally, bring your body in line. Once you truly get your spirit and soul established on the Word, that won't be hard. The body is a follower, not a leader. It will do whatever you train it to do. Begin teaching your body to act on the truth you've planted in your mind and spirit, and it will follow right along.
Don't try to walk in faith with your foot nailed to the ground. Get yourself together! Bring your spirit, soul, and body in harmony--and the Word will take you as far as you want to go.
Scripture Study: 1 Thessalonians 5:14-24
When it comes to faith, a lot of believers feel like they have one foot nailed to the ground. No matter how hard they try, they just can't seem to make any progress.
If you'll watch them, you can see why. They literally haven't "gotten themselves together." One minute they'll be telling you, "Oh yes, amen, I believe the Word," and the next minute they'll be spouting unbelief like it's going out of style. "I know God says He'll prosper us, but I'll tell you what, my business is doing so badly, it's about to give me ulcers. I can't sleep at night for worrying."
Dig a little deeper and you may find out that they've pulled their actions out of line with the Word as well. "Well, you understand, brother, I can't possibly tithe with my income like it is. I'd go under!"
Faith just won't work for a person like that.
You see, you're a triune being. You are a spirit. You have a soul, which consists of your mind, will, and emotions. And you live in a body. Each of those areas has a specific role to play in your faith walk. You have to get all three in agreement before you can go anywhere at all!
Start by feeding your spirit on the Word of God. Just like the body produces physical strength when you nourish it with food, the spirit produces spiritual strength when you nourish it with the Word. That spiritual strength is called faith. Develop that faith, and instead of your spirit being dominated by the other two areas, it will be the one in charge.
Next, bring your soul in line. Set your mind on "things above." Meditate on the Word until your thoughts begin to agree with it. Keep your attention on it until even your emotions yield.
Finally, bring your body in line. Once you truly get your spirit and soul established on the Word, that won't be hard. The body is a follower, not a leader. It will do whatever you train it to do. Begin teaching your body to act on the truth you've planted in your mind and spirit, and it will follow right along.
Don't try to walk in faith with your foot nailed to the ground. Get yourself together! Bring your spirit, soul, and body in harmony--and the Word will take you as far as you want to go.
Scripture Study: 1 Thessalonians 5:14-24
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