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Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
The Power of Faith
God’s Word tells us that Christ paid for the sins of humanity with his own blood on the cross. He lived a sinless life, keeping the law at every point; and he fulfilled the law, removed the curse, ransoming us from the claims of hell and the devil, and will present us before the Father with perfect righteousness. The Word goes on to tell us we can have Christ’s perfect righteousness attributed to us, and God will consider us perfectly righteous in Jesus if only we believe what he has accomplished for us. Please understand that I am speaking of those who have repented of their sins. Oh, how my flesh recoils at the simplicity and ease of it all. The flesh cries, “No way! It can’t be that easy. I have to help; I must pay something. After all, I still have problems in my life. I still struggle with sin. I can’t expect him to consider me righteous because I still have so many things needing improvement. I need to clean up my act first.” Certainly, we may shed tears. We have to be humbled and broken, but a river of tears alone will not save anyone. A lifetime of struggles will not save anyone. Scripture says that our salvation must be by grace through faith. No flesh shall glory in God’s presence. • “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith’” (Romans 1:17, NKJV). • “For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith” (Galatians 5:5). • “And be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith” (Philippians 3:9). My faith has to rise above all my fears, satanic lies, feelings, and circumstances and rest in what God’s Word declares. His Word says that by repentance and faith in Christ, he looks upon me as having the perfect righteousness of Jesus. He accepts me “in the beloved” as holy and righteous. Oh, what a wonderful thing the power of faith is! |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
Are You Ready to Fight?
Don’t settle for partial victories just because you are weary, frustrated or feeling helpless. God never stops at half a victory. The moment you feel so tired that you can’t take one more step is often the moment he is about to give the greatest victory and breakthrough. The church is not meant to be composed of masses and crowds who want comfort, pleasure and everything handed to them on a silver platter. The church is meant to be full of warriors who say, “God, I know this is going to be a fight. I know it is going to be wearisome and will even cause tears to flow; but, God, I’m with you in this battle!” You may feel that you have prayed the last prayer you’re ever going to be able to pray about the need that is pressing you. You are exhausted, but you must stay in the fight. Don’t stop praying, and don’t give up. Yes, it has been a long day! Nighttime is coming, and inside you are saying, “It’s time for me to sleep.” Instead, God says, “No, no, the fight is just starting.” What has happened to the all-night prayer meetings in churches? What has happened to people waiting on God? What has happened to people who fast and pray for a breakthrough? The church was called into battle. It was not begun just to have good services and a nice building with lights that go off and on during the music. That’s not why we’re here. We are here to do battle against the gates of hell because we have a promise that hell will not prevail (see Matthew 16:18). We do not have a promise that it won’t be strenuous or that all we have to do is whisper and the gates of hell will not prevail. No, there is going to be a battle, and Satan is not going to give up easily, but we have a promise. It’s going to take a battle! Are you ready to fight? |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
The Boldness of a Lion
Jesus Christ has left me an inheritance, and I claim it as mine. Scripture says, “The righteous are bold as a lion” (Proverbs 28:1, NKJV). If you can accept this truth of the perfect righteousness of Christ, you will have the boldness of a lion. You will never again fear any person or look at someone else’s life and feel unworthy. You can say, “I have the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ credited to me by faith. No, it’s not mine. It’s his, but it’s accounted to me by Jesus himself, so I may call it my own!” It is time to stop your struggling. If the devil comes to you and says, “You’re no good. You have no righteousness”, you can answer, “I know I’m no good. I have no righteousness in myself, but I do have the righteousness of Jesus Christ. I’ve failed God, but I have an advocate with the Father: Jesus Christ the righteous.” When you stand before the Lord, you will not have to tremble, thinking, “What am I going to offer him? What did I do right or wrong?” No, you will be thinking, “I have nothing in myself to offer him because I have his righteousness by faith.” Does this mean Christians are not obligated to do good works? Not at all. Justification by faith and the imputed righteousness of Christ sets the soul free to walk in holiness and do good works. Good works done in slavish fear bring no glory to God; they must flow out of a loving heart. Walking in true holiness is possible only to those who have laid hold of their inheritance, which is Christ’s perfect righteousness, because they are no longer imprisoned by fear and condemnation. His perfect righteousness is mine by faith, and now I am free and released to serve him as a bondservant of love. Now by the power of the Holy Spirit promised in the New Covenant, he turns me from all iniquity and empowers me to live out the righteousness he credits to me. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
Out of Their Mind
“But everyone who hears these sayings of mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall” (Matthew 7:26-27, NKJV). The law is not intended for the person whose obedience springs out of a desire to please God. He is not concerned about what is legal or illegal, what is permitted or forbidden. He has only one criterion: “What does my Lord desire?” You can lay out all the law before him with all the rules, regulations and prohibitions, and he will say, “You don’t have to tell me not to do those things. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt my Father. I love him. I’ve already forsaken the world and its lusts to go after him whom my heart desires. Show me what he wants, not just what he forbids. I want his heart’s desire to become my actions. I want to know his mind and obey it. Sure, I love his law, but that’s for the lawless, for those who haven’t come into a knowledge of intimacy with Christ. I have another law at work in my heart. It’s the law of love, one that says, ‘Lord, what can I do to please you today?’“ Such a person isn’t moved by threats of hellfire or even by rewards. He needs no prophet to shake him, no warnings of judgment. He is in love with Jesus, and his obedience to God’s Word is a natural outgrowth of this love. It is as natural to him as breathing. On the other hand, the person who builds his house on sand does so only for show. It is a temporary lifestyle. You see, this person doesn’t believe a storm is coming. That is the way the world deals with eternity; they simply don’t think about it. A Christian celebrity once asked one of the late-night talk show hosts, “What do you think about eternity?” He answered, “I try to put it out of my mind.” Tragically, a lot of Christians also try to put eternity out of their minds. They try not to think that judgment is at the door. If you’ve caught yourself thinking only of the present, turn your eyes once more to your first love! |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
Pleasing the Lord
If you say you’re a Christian and that you love Jesus and walk in obedience to him yet you neglect him day after day by not praying, you really don’t know him. Your house is not on the rock; it’s on sand, and it’s going to collapse completely in hard times. You cannot get to know Jesus only by going to church. You must have a day-by-day, hour-by-hour conversation with the Lord. You must get to know him, grow to love him, and desire to know what pleases him. Too often, we consider the Lord’s commandments to be something burdensome, restricting to our personal freedom. Rather than embracing his words to us, we look for ways to escape them. We distort God’s grace by making it out to be some kind of tunnel out of the prison of his law, but grace is actually a teacher of holiness. “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age” (Titus 2:11-12, NKJV). The man on the rock embraces and joyfully fulfills the Lord’s commands. He doesn’t see God as someone with a belt in his hand, always ready to chastise him. No, he sees the Lord as one with arms outstretched to him, saying, “Come to me and receive life, receive strength. I’ll carry you through.” God’s Word shows us what it takes to build upon the rock of our salvation. Enoch obeyed God with the sole objective of pleasing him. “By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, ‘and was not found, because God had taken him’; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God” (Hebrews 11:5). Enoch was translated because he pleased the Lord. The apostle John says, “And whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight” (1 John 3:22), or “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for you created all things, and by your will they exist and were created” (Revelation 4:11). |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
Distractions in the Holy Place
“Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: ‘These people draw near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me’” (Matthew 15:7-8, NKJV). I want to talk to you about mental distractions during prayer and worship, especially in the house of God. Jesus called people hypocrites who came into his presence mouthing words of praise but whose minds and hearts were preoccupied. He was essentially saying, “You give me your mouth and your lips, but your mind is somewhere else. Your heart is nowhere near me!” What about you? Most likely, you are present in God’s house for an hour every week. Your body is in church, but where is your mind? Your mouth says, “I worship you, Lord,” but is your heart a thousand miles away? Where do your thoughts take you during worship and praise? Do you become preoccupied with family concerns or a business matter that’s been hounding you? How distracted do you get during that hour in church as the congregation draws near to God’s majesty? It is dangerous to come into God’s house and enter into his presence lightly. “And Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke, saying: ‘By those who come near me I must be regarded as holy; and before all the people I must be glorified’” (Leviticus 10:3). The Lord said to Aaron, “I will not be treated as an ordinary person. If you’re going to come into my presence, you must come before me sanctified. All who approach my holiness must do so with carefulness and thoughtfulness because of my glory and majesty.” If your heart is not engaged during worship and your thoughts are not captive to the obedience of Christ, you might as well put a straw man in your seat. At least that is more honest than coming into God’s house with no mind and no heart. Many Christians do not worship with power, excitement and zeal because they have no intimacy with Jesus at home. Those who have learned to worship and focus privately bring their own fire; a fire ignited in the secret closet of prayer. True worshipers can’t wait to get to church to praise the Lord among his people. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
The Furtherance of the Gospel
"But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel” (Philippians 1:12, NKJV). In this verse, Paul tells the Christians in Philippi not to worry about all the things that they had heard had befallen him. Those “things” included great afflictions and infirmities. Paul wrote this epistle while bound in a Roman prison. At this point in his ministry, he was a seasoned warrior of the gospel, having endured every conceivable hardship and human affliction imaginable. He experienced shipwrecks, beatings, buffetings, mocking, persecution, hunger, thirst, nakedness and defamation of character. Everywhere Paul went, it seemed, he was met by affliction, trouble and sorrow. Yet Paul said, “None of these things move me” (Acts 20:24). Furthermore, he added, “No one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this. For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened” (1 Thessalonians 3:3-4). Paul was reassuring these believers, saying, “I’ve told you all along that if you are going to walk with Jesus, you will face afflictions. Now that these afflictions have come upon me, why are you so surprised? This is our appointed lot in life.” Try to get this picture in your mind: Here was a holy man called by God to take the gospel to the nations. On every assignment, the Holy Spirit whispered to him that the next stop wouldn’t be easy. He would face opposition and would find more afflictions and trials. I find this man’s life absolutely amazing. Can you imagine it? Paul faced troubles and afflictions at every turn. At this point, you may be saying, “Wait a minute, you’re talking about Paul’s life, not mine. God appointed him to suffer afflictions. I haven’t been called to such a life.” Wrong! The Bible says: “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all” (Psalm 34:19). The phrase “many are the afflictions” applies not just to Paul but to us as well. We love to hear the last part of that verse, but do we rejoice in the first part? Like Paul, let’s be glad when faced with a trial or affliction when the end goal is furthering the gospel of Jesus Christ. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
Night and Day
"But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked." - Psalm 73:2-3 In Psalm 73:2-3, Asaph acknowledges a struggle we all face: envy. As he observes people getting away with evil, his faith starts to fail. How often do we find ourselves envying others, thinking their lives are easier or better? Envy has the power to knock us off God's path and make us blind to His goodness. Asaph's honesty and transparency serve as a reminder that even believers can stumble. Friend, when envy arises, pause and reflect on all of God's blessings in your life. I urge you to pray, asking God to a) give you a grateful heart to rejoice in other people's success and b) strengthen your faith in His plan for your life. Remember that true success is not measured by worldly possessions or position but by the depth of your relationship with God. May you allow Christ to work in your life and live out Philippians 4:11-13: "Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me." Yes, in Christ, we have everything we will ever need. I love you and thank you for being on this journey with me. Let's stay strong in the Lord so as not to stumble or slip because of earthly things. Pray with me: Heavenly Father, may we see all that You have given us so we will not be fixed on the things of this world. Lord, may we be content in You and count our blessings one by one. In Jesus' name, amen. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
Righteousness as a Gift
It’s really important to understand the gospel of grace. Jesus died on the cross, and when he died on the cross, he paid the price for our salvation in full. Because of that, we don’t have anything to add to the equation. So it’s a problem when people say, “Well, you know, Jesus did his part, and now I do my part. He started the good work, and now I have to work to finish it.” Anytime you try to add to the finished work of Jesus, it’s a simple definition of legalism. When people live on a treadmill of works, constantly trying to do things to please God, the only way we break free is to understand God’s grace. First and foremost, Jesus pleased God as the ultimate sacrifice at Calvary. When he gave his life, he fulfilled all of the demands of God, so God’s wrath is not against us. Now we live in the liberty and power of Christ. The choice is laid out for us. We can seek a relationship with God that is based on debt, or we can seek a relationship with God that is based on faith. If it’s a relationship based on debt, then you’re never quite sure if you’ve paid enough. “Did I sacrifice enough, did I fast enough, did I pray enough, did I give enough in order to get God’s favor?” The Apostle Paul moved from this place of being born under the law and living under the law to being free in Christ. He was a Pharisee of Pharisees, but when he came to know Christ and the power of the gospel, the Holy Spirit filled his heart, and there was a complete transformation. Paul wrote about how glorious this freedom is! “For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression. That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace…” (Romans 4:14-16, ESV). Now, under the promise resting on grace, we’re conformed to Christ’s image, and we live like him, and we pray like him. It’s a holy walk with God, but it’s a holiness that’s produced by God rather than by our own effort. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
A Peculiar People
“But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him” (Psalm 4:3, ESV). The phrase “set apart” in this verse reflects holiness. This, in turn, indicates the weightiness or substance that comes through living our life in Christ. The King James Version of the Bible calls us peculiar in the world’s eyes, meaning special or set apart. “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9, KJV). Two chapters later, Peter revealed the purpose of our peculiarity and its impact. “With respect to this, they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does” (1 Peter 4:4-6, ESV). This should encourage you never to compromise your stand for righteousness nor lose your testimony as a countercultural Christian. Distresses will come from a mocking, slandering, cruel world, but you have been set apart by God himself, whose purpose is revealed by the Spirit. We are also given this comforting assurance: “…the Lord hears when I call to him” (Psalm 4:3). As a set-apart people, we are called to show God’s glory, to demonstrate that something amazing exists that is different from anything the world has to offer. David testified of the Lord, “You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound” (Psalm 4:7). David was saying that he had more treasure in the Lord than all the wealth these partiers could ever own. A person of abundance can lack a truly, deeply rooted joy, but for the peculiar or set-apart person, joy is a continual reality. As people of God, we are fulfilled in heart while not distressed over what we may lack. We pray that a hungry, waiting world will see the difference in us and find joy in the God of our salvation. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
Delivered from My Enemy “He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support. He also brought me out into a broad place; he delivered me because he delighted in me” (Psalm 18:16-19, NKJV). In this psalm, David looks back after a great deliverance and rejoices because the Lord has rescued him from his enemies: “I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies” (Psalm 18:3). David had just gone through a terrible time of testing. Saul had put a bounty on his head and chased him relentlessly, forcing him to sleep in caves, dens and open fields. David said of that dark time, “The sorrows of hell surrounded me, and I lived in distress. Ungodly men made me afraid that my enemies were too strong for me. They all hated me.” Then God came roaring out of the heavens to deliver David. “He bowed the heavens also, and came down… The Lord thundered from heaven… He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy” (Psalm 18:9-17). The enemy had come in like a flood, and David was surrounded by demon powers, yet he was able to rejoice in his deliverance, “They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support. He also brought me out into a broad place; he delivered me because he delighted in me” (Psalm 18:18-19). In other words, David could say, “The reason God delivered me from all my enemies, all my sorrows, and from the powers of hell is because I am precious to him. My God delights in me!” Beloved, if you find yourself in need of deliverance, whether from the grip of lust, the lure of temptation, or the weight of trial, whether your struggle is mental, spiritual, emotional or physical, remember this: God delights in you. You are precious to him. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
A Declaration of Praise
"I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever; with my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations. For I have said, 'Mercy shall be built up forever; Your faithfulness You shall establish in the very heavens.'" -- Psalm 89:1-2 "Blessed are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face, who exult in your name all the day and in your righteousness are exalted." -- Psalm 89:15-16 Psalm 89 opens with a beautiful declaration of praise, emphasizing God's enduring mercies. According to biblical scholars, this Psalm was penned by Ethan, a contemporary of Solomon, known for his wisdom. The Psalmist compels us to praise God indefinitely, for His lovingkindness endures forever. As we read through this Psalm, we see it is filled with trouble and yet the circumstances do not silence the Psalmist's praise. Let us take note and apply this lesson to our lives so we may be found faithful to God and praise Him no matter our circumstances. May we know and experience God's love and mercy like Ethan, and may His love inspire us to praise Him and share His love with others. In Psalm 89:2, we read, "Mercy shall be built up forever; Your faithfulness You shall establish in the very heavens." In this verse, Ethan declares God's goodness as he recognizes two characteristics of God: mercy and faithfulness. Let us thank God for His mercy and faithfulness and ask Him to fill us with gratitude for His enduring love. Pray with Me: Heavenly Father, we give glory and praise to You, for You are God. Lord, we thank You for Your faithfulness and for sustaining us through the good and the bad. Lord, may we be found faithful in trusting You and living our lives to exemplify You. In Jesus' name, amen. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
You Belong to Him
In Song of Solomon, the Lord says of his bride: “How fair and how pleasant you are, O love, with your delights!” (Song of Solomon 7:6, NKJV). These words describe Jesus’s thoughts toward his bride as he beholds her. He looks at her and says, “How beautiful, sweet and delightful you are. You are precious to me, O love!” Then the bride boasts, “I am my beloved’s, and his desire is toward me” (Song of Solomon 7:10). The meaning here is that he runs after me with delight and chases me because I am so precious to him. These same thoughts are found throughout the book of Psalms: “The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his mercy” (Psalm 147:11), and “For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he will beautify the humble with salvation” (Psalm 149:4). Understanding that you are precious to the Lord is the key to your deliverance from every battle that rages in your soul. It is the secret to entering into the rest God has promised you. Until you lay hold of it and it becomes a foundation of truth in your heart, you will not be able to withstand what is ahead in this wicked time. Isaiah had a revelation of God’s great delight in us. He prophesied to Israel this word from the Lord: “O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you’” (Isaiah 43:1-2). Isaiah was not talking about a literal flood or fire. He was talking about what the people were going through spiritually and mentally. At that time, they were in captivity; the floods were trials, the fires were temptations, and the rivers were testings. The devil attempted to destroy and overwhelm God’s people. Isaiah’s words were a message of pure mercy to Israel. They were in captivity because of their own stupidity and foolishness, and they deserved nothing. However, God sent them a weeping, brokenhearted prophet who said, “God wants me to tell you that you belong to him!” Beloved, receive those words today. You belong to God, and he delights in you! |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
Accept His Love
It does not matter what you do to try to clean yourself up. If you don’t trust Jesus to save you through his grace, all your righteousness is as filthy rags in God’s sight. The transformative power of the gospel is that all flesh was done away with at the cross, and now the Christ-man has come forth. True faith is not just a belief; it is a confidence in what he did for you. You may find it hard to believe that a troubled, failing Christian like yourself could be precious to God. You may think he has to be disgusted with you because of all your problems. You may believe he still loves you, but surely God is disappointed because you have failed him so often. In Isaiah 43, the prophet’s message of grace was spoken to people who had been robbed, snared in holes, and cast into prison because of their foolishness and unbelief. Despite all their failures, God came to them with a message of hope and love: “Since you were precious in my sight, you have been honored, and I have loved you” (Isaiah 43:4). I will never forget the pain I endured when one of my teenage children confessed to me, “Dad, I’ve never once felt as if I have pleased you or felt worthy of your love. I feel like I’ve let you down my whole life. You must be really disappointed in me.” Those words hurt. I embraced that tearful child, hurting deeply inside myself. I cried with my reply, “But you have always been special to me. You have been the apple of my eye. Sure, you’ve done foolish, wrong things at times; but you are forgiven. You were truly sorry, and I never once thought less of you. You are nothing but a joy to me.” So it is with many Christians in their relationship with the heavenly Father. The devil has convinced them they have disappointed God and will never be able to please him. Consequently, they don’t accept his love and live as if his wrath is always breathing down on them. What a horrible way to go through life. Oh, how pained God must be when he sees his children living this way. As Christians, we can be assured that we are precious in God’s sight. Trust in his love and grace, which can change our lives, no matter how unworthy or disappointed we may feel. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
The Lukewarm Heart
A heart that is no longer on fire for God, or perhaps never had the fire, has distinctive characteristics.
Yet, with all these characteristics, there is hope for the lukewarm! “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20). Jesus is calling you out of your tepid state. He is saying, “Yes, I am knocking on the door of your house. I want to come in and share a meal with you and see the fire of God reignited in your heart and life.” |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
Say Hallelujah
"Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!" - Psalm 106:1 Psalm 106 begins the way Psalm 105 ends -- with a hallelujah. Like Psalm 105, Psalm 106 is a historical psalm, telling Israel's story and recounting God's faithfulness despite their disobedience. While David is credited with writing many psalms, the writer of Psalm 106 is not identified. The psalmist, whoever that may be, praises God for His mercy to an ungrateful and rebellious nation. This psalm teaches the enduring importance of gratitude, which isn't just a response to good things but a way of life that inspires us to see God's goodness in all situations. We must always remember that He is good. During a time of testimony at a recent prayer and worship meeting I attended, someone asked whether we truly believe that God is good all the time. The answer was yes, reinforced as some testified that their circumstances were not always good, but nevertheless, God is always good. Yes, God is good and not evil. God is gracious, loving, and merciful, and He stands ready to forgive us. Let's take it to heart that in every season, good or bad, we should say hallelujah, give thanks, and praise God for His faithfulness. I encourage you to say hallelujah today, remembering that a thankful heart for God is necessary to sustain you through life's challenges. Pray with Me: Heavenly Father, I praise and thank You for being good all the time and for Your enduring love and mercy. Lord, help me to be grateful and recognize that an attitude of gratitude will strengthen and encourage me, no matter my circumstances. Help my heart to be quick to give a shout of praise and express thanks to You. In Jesus' name, Amen. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
A Heart on Fire
“I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:15-16, ESV). This scripture was written about the spiritual state of the Laodicean church. Laodicean is a word in the dictionary that means lukewarm or indifferent. Lukewarm is right in the middle, with cold on one side and hot on the other. Jesus does not say he would like us to be hot, lukewarm or cold. No, he would rather we be cold or hot rather than lukewarm. When Jesus speaks of a characteristic of being hot, he is talking about being full of zeal and passion with a heart that is on fire for God. He is referring to something in us that stirs us to action. That is why he says, “I know your works.” Jesus doesn’t say, “I know your thoughts and emotions.” He says, “I know your works” because when you look at someone’s works, you have a revelation of that person’s heart. Many of us don’t realize how far lukewarmness is from the heart of God. This state is despicable to Jesus because it speaks of someone who is claiming to be one of his people who take on the name of Jesus and quote scripture but then behave like the world. A lukewarm person is somebody who claims to be a Christian but does the same things as someone who is totally cold: still getting drunk, sleeping around, taking God’s name in vain, cheating, lying and still calling himself or herself a Christian. This person becomes a ruinous testimony for Christ. Jesus prefers an honest testimony that says, “I’m not saved, and I’m living like it,” rather than, “I claim to be saved, but I’m not living like it.” Jesus goes on to say to the lukewarm, “Because you are lukewarm, I will spit you out of my mouth.” This strong language from Jesus emphasizes how lukewarmness destroys our faith. The church in Laodicea was half-hearted in its Christian faith, so God was warning them that he would reject them unless they repented. Never settle for following God halfway, but pursue Christ with zeal and a heart on fire compelled for action. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
God’s Faithfulness in Temptation
Some of the godliest people have failed God miserably. One such example was David, a man after God’s heart. David was sorely tempted, fell into adultery, lied and then murdered an innocent man. I’m sure that when the prophet Nathan exposed him, Satan was convinced David was down for the count. He expected him to throw up his hands and say, “What’s the use? I have disgraced God. I have committed the very sins I preached against. God can never use me now. My heart is too black.” How wrong Satan was. Listen to David’s cry after he repented. “The Lord has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death” (Psalm 118:18, NKJV). David was tempted and tried, but God did not turn him over to Satan’s power. Beloved, if the devil comes at you with powerful temptations, it is not always because your heart is wicked. He could be attacking you because you have turned to the Lord. He is bringing fiery trials of lust and temptation against you to try to destroy your faith. Paul encourages faithful believers, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). You may be discouraged because the enemy has come against you like a flood. The attack could be through temptation, lust, marriage problems or a financial crisis. You may be saying to yourself, “Here I am trying to serve the Lord. I am doing my best to be faithful to him, but things keep getting worse. Is there something wrong with me? Why do my problems keep piling up?” I urge you to look to your right, your left, in front of you and behind you. Everybody is going through something. Behind the smiles of your dear brothers and sisters in Christ are many tears. They are hurting with trials you know nothing about. You are not alone in your suffering, and your trial is not some strange circumstance. What you are going through is common to multitudes. Hold tight to God in prayer and remember Paul’s encouraging words, “God is faithful.” |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
The Forbearance of God In Revelation, Jesus said, “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot!” (Revelation 3:15, ESV). Some translations say, “I would rather you be hot or cold but not lukewarm.” That little phrase “I would rather” is the difference between someone who is against you and someone who is for you. If anyone is going to say “I would rather” about things in my life, I want it to be Jesus. When Jesus says, “I would rather you be on fire for God,” you can be assured that he is launching an all-out campaign, pulling out all available resources of heaven on your behalf to turn your lukewarmness to fire to bring you back to him. Jesus continued by saying, “So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will…” (Revelations 3:16). I love that Jesus said, “I will” because he could have said, “I have.” It is good news for lukewarm people that he is planning ways to bring them back into the fire of God. It is good because even though Jesus despises that taste in his mouth, his love is grand. The wrath-quenching love of the Lamb of God has been so poured out upon us that even when we are far from what he desires us to be, he hasn’t spit us out. The early church fathers called this the forbearance of God. What is forbearance? It is God’s patience and bearing with us even in our lukewarmness. He doesn’t love your lukewarmness, but he loves you. His grace, plans, and power are all available right now to recapture your heart as you respond in obedience to Jesus Christ. Jesus also said to the lukewarm, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20). Jesus is lovingly and patiently knocking on the door of our hearts, calling us to a relationship with him. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
Overcoming Wounds of the Heart
“O Lord my God, in you do I take refuge; save me from all my pursuers and deliver me, lest like a lion they tear my soul apart, rending it in pieces, with none to deliver” (Psalm 7:1-2, ESV). These first two verses reveal the framework for all of Psalm 7. The main theme is accusations that tear at our souls. This psalm is meant to help us overcome the wounds of an accuser, whether that is Satan or someone who opposes us. Lies tear at our soul like nothing else in life. This was the case with David. He had fought off bears and lions and battled giants and kings, yet rarely do we see him as distraught as he appeared in this psalm. David was under great duress, in pain and burdened with a deep, anguished sorrow of soul. Outwardly, he had conquered mighty nations that came against him, but this internal battle was something different. His enemies in this conflict were words, and his warfare was in his mind. David’s struggle speaks to anyone who has been overcome by false words spoken against them. It may seem like a small thing for a seasoned warrior to be so concerned about mere words. In reality, though, this is the type of attack that overwhelms many of us. Attacks against our character are a fact of life, and we need the Spirit’s presence to face them. This is a spiritual battle. Paul desired “that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs” (2 Corinthians 2:11). This is why, like David, we need to bring our wounds to the Lord. If we don’t and try to bear them alone, the harm done to our soul by our accuser will keep chipping away year after year. What did David do with such accusations? He called out to God, “Oh, Lord my God, in you I take refuge” (Psalm 7:1). David began to sing away his pains, sorrows, struggles, and wounds, presenting them all to the Lord. When false, cruel words are formed against us, we can do the same. In those instances, we can sing to the Lord by relying on the Spirit. What a merciful gift from God. When our souls are torn apart by lies, the Helper, the Holy Spirit, delivers us. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
God Acts on Your Behalf
Do you think the Lord is going to sit by passively and let the devil do to you what he pleases? If God didn’t act on your behalf when you needed him, he would be nothing more than the false god Baal. In 1 Kings, Elijah has a showdown with the prophets of Baal at Mount Carmel, where an altar was built. The test was that the god who answers prayer will be God! Elijah prayed that fire would fall supernaturally on the sacrifice he laid on the altar, and that is exactly what happened. Before Elijah’s prayer was answered, though, the prophets of Baal danced from morning till noon, crying, begging and pleading with their god to answer. “So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, ‘O Baal, hear us!’ But there was no voice; no one answered…” (1 Kings 18:26, NKJV). Elijah mocked those false prophets by saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened” (1 Kings 18:27). Elijah was saying, “Where is your god? Is he on vacation? Is he sleeping? He must be out walking somewhere.” We could make the same mockery of God if he did not answer when we prayed. You see, his honor is at stake when we pray, and he will not be mocked for not answering. The Bible says: “He will not allow your foot to be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep” (Psalm 121:3-4). Our God is awake at all times, and he is attentive to our every need. “They draw near who follow after wickedness; they are far from your law. You are near, O Lord, and all your commandments are truth” (Psalm 119:150-151). The glorious truth in this passage can change your life, bringing you peace and giving you rest beyond anything you have yet experienced. Once you understand the truth of God’s constant nearness to you, that he loves you and is continually near you, all fear and anxiety must go. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
Testing Our Own Salvation Understanding the background of a book in the Bible and who the author was writing to can be very important for understanding why they are highlighting certain ideas or commands. For the book of 1 John, he was writing to the church after a great split thanks to Gnosticism. A lot of professed Christians had left because they were seduced by false teachers claiming to have secret knowledge and placing themselves over the authority of scripture. The book of 1 John is all about tests and qualifications to know that you belong to God. It’s about separating sheep from goats. How do we actually know if we’re part of God’s family? John lays it out very clearly! “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments” (1 John 5:1-2, ESV). The most foundational and necessary component in the life of a true child of God is believing that Jesus is the Christ, confessing him as revealed through the witness testimonies in scripture. Jesus is the perfect, final, anointed priest, prophet and king. He is the exclusive way to God the Father and the only means by which we may be saved. This means holding fast to biblical faith and contending for the commands in the Bible without distorting them. This is so important because Christ is the Word and the purpose all of scripture. John also connects the love of God and belief in Christ with loving those who are born of God. You will love your brother and sister in Christ. You cannot hate the family of God and be a Christian. John links the love of God and the love of our fellow believers all throughout this letter. Moreover, the God love for his people is expressed throughout all of his commands. When we obey his commandments, we will be loving others well and in ways that honor the heavenly Father. Our affections for God, his Word and his law are the testimony that we are truly regenerated. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
Walking to the Right or Left? In Jesus’s time, people would travel once a year to the Temple. Rabbis tell us that those people would observe a certain pilgrim ritual in the huge courtyard of the Temple. When they went up all the steps to the Temple inner court’s gateway, a priest at the top would tell them, “Go to your right and walk around the courtyard that way to worship and praise the Lord, but if you’re grieving or feeling broken, go to the left.” So all the people who were feeling victorious and encouraged, or maybe faking it, would go to the right. All the people who were hurting and broken would go to the left, and tradition tells us that the people who chose to walk around the courtyards to the left were always lesser in number. Sometimes, the people walking around to the right would see the people walking the opposite direction, and they would break off from the crowd and stop to ask a person walking the other way, “Tell me what’s hurting you. Let me share your pain.” To break off from the crowd and help someone else is not an easy thing to do. Most of us don’t want to mess around with messed up people. We tend to think, “I got my profession, my nice home, my happy family, and all these other people are going the wrong way.” We want to stay in the crowd that is uplifting, but the Bible shows us that Jesus was one of those people who breaks away from the crowd to speak with the broken, the grieving. Today, do you need to go to the left? You have the comfort of knowing that Jesus is going to meet you, especially if you feel like the only one who’s grieving or you feel like everyone around you is celebrating and victorious. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:3-4, ESV). Are you someone who can confidently go to the right? Praise God! With that, though, ask him who he wants you to stop and comfort. Keep your eyes open for those who have been forced by life to walk the other way. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
On Your Heart
"Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man." - Proverbs 3:3-4 These two verses are often overlooked because of the two verses that follow. Let's take a moment and look further at the theme found in Proverbs 3:3-4: loving and trusting God. The second part of verse 3 says to bind love and faithfulness around your neck and write them on your heart. We need to remember that God is loving and faithful, and He will never leave us, so this verse is a reminder not to forsake the love of God. Those of us who are followers of Jesus Christ must be continually loyal and faithfully follow Him. As believers, we have a crucial role to play in the world. We need to be a source of love and truth to those we engage with each day. The world is looking and wondering where they can find a friend who loves them and who will be truthful with them. Another way of looking at this is being a person someone can count on. This should be a healthy relationship, not co-dependent, but one that demonstrates kindness and trust. In the same way, a follower of Christ should constantly demonstrate love toward God and be ready to go when God calls. In a world where people often seek love in all the wrong places and find themselves intertwined in unhealthy relationships, it's crucial to remember the unparalleled value of our relationship with God. I recently read about a new necklace called "Friend." It is an AI device with a microphone that listens to everything happening around you. The necklace will answer questions but also send unprompted messages to engage in conversation and offer encouragement. But technology cannot take the place of a real friend, and it certainly cannot replace our relationship with Christ. Our relationship with God should be something we prioritize and invest in daily as we talk with Him and spend time in His Word. May your life demonstrate the love of Christ, and may you find favor with God and man. Pray with Me: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace. I am grateful for Your faithfulness and compassion. Please write love, kindness, mercy, grace, compassion, and faithfulness on my heart. As I live my life in surrender to You, I pray that the Holy Spirit will transform my life to exemplify You. In Jesus' name, Amen. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
His Strength in Our Weakness “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger” (Psalm 8:1-2, ESV). Between these two verses, David moved from describing God’s power as heavenly and majestic to invoking an image of the lowest, most helpless state possible. There couldn’t be a greater distance between these two points, from the highest reaches of the cosmos to the lowest cry of a baby. At first glance, the second verse seems like a totally separate sermon from the first, which extols God’s awesome majesty. Don’t be fooled because this is not a change of subject. The opening two verses of Psalm 8 are intricately related. I believe that David had a revelation that brought forth high praise from his heart and mouth. His revelation was, “Lord, these are your battles, not mine. The fight belongs to you. I can have peace.” Nothing is as helpless as a baby, and yet its cries can call down the greatest power in existence. What is causing anxiety for you? What are you wrestling with? What worries are stressing you? They aren’t your battles. Lay them all down. Bring them to Jesus, casting your cares on him, for he cares for you. Tell him, “Lord, these are your enemies, and you triumph over them.” Your current enemy may be a disease, financial pressures, marital stress, or strained relationships. You can’t conquer them in your own wisdom and strength. You have to trust the direction and power of the Holy Spirit to deal with them. Often, the right weapon for our warfare is simply a correct understanding of who God is. That’s what makes the simplest cry of a babe a powerful statement of faith that can reduce our enemies to nothing. God often demonstrates his strength through things the world sees as small, weak and insignificant. Through our weakness, God shows his power over obstacles that seem insurmountable. He is bigger than we could ever get our minds around, and his omnipotence is far beyond what our finite minds can imagine. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
When God Loses His Patience Israel refused to believe God's message about how precious they were in his eyes. Instead, they preferred to focus on their condition, their weaknesses and inabilities; and they gave in to their fears. After a time, God ran out of patience with them, saying to Moses, “How long will these people reject me? And how long will they not believe me, with all the signs which I have performed among them? I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them…” (Numbers 14:11-12, NKJV). The Lord forgave Israel for Moses’s sake, but they were not permitted to enter into the Promised Land. Instead, they were assigned a wilderness existence, a life given over to constant fear and destructive doubts. They were forgiven but miserable! They had lost the hope, rest and peace that come from accepting and believing how special God's children are to him. Beloved, the only time God's patience runs out with us is when we refuse again and again to accept how much he loves us and wants to see us through our battles. Indeed, many Christians today have been turned back into a wilderness of their own making. They have no joy, no victory. To look at them, you'd think God had forsaken them years ago when actually he has just turned them over to their own complaining and murmuring. Thank God, Joshua and Caleb entered into the Promised Land, and what joy they had! God blessed them incredibly, and they stood as green trees in his house until their dying days. They were men of power and vision because they knew they were precious to God. You also are precious to the Lord, in spite of all your problems and failures. No matter what your trials or struggles, you can be a green tree in God's house, just as Joshua and Caleb were. Simply stand on what scripture promises: “He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me” (Psalms 18:19). That is the foundation of true faith. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
A Whisper
"A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs anger." - Proverbs 15:1 Proverbs 15:1 is a brief passage that offers us wisdom on the impact of our words. It provides practical guidance and encourages us to live our lives aligned with God's wisdom. Throughout the book of Proverbs, we see a contrast between wise and foolish behavior, including how our speech will affect our relationships. When reading this verse, words like calm, caring, and comfort first come to mind, followed by words like abrasive, loud, and hurtful. These are two possible paths in communication that will either turn away wrath or ignite anger. A soft response is easily recognizable as an expression of kindness, patience, and gentleness, as found in Galatians 5:22-23 and identified as the fruit of the Spirit. This response reflects the spiritual transformation of a person's heart that instills a desire to exemplify Christ in our lives and positions us to foster understanding and reconciliation. Jesus often exemplified this type of response. In John 8:1-11 when He was confronted with the woman caught in adultery, Jesus responded with love and compassion, in massive contrast to the Pharisees, demonstrating the power of a soft or gentle response. On the other hand, a harsh word stirs up anger leading to conflict and divisions. The Bible often addresses the importance of guarding our speech. In James 3:5-6 we see the tongue is like a small spark that can set a forest on fire. Using careless and harsh words is ultimately destructive and harmful. Our words have the potential to strengthen or damage relationships every day. Here are some steps to take as you demonstrate a soft response and honor Christ:
May you commit to the Lord daily that your mouth would be used as a blessing to encourage and build up others. Pray with Me: Heavenly Father, thank You for the words of Proverbs 15:1 that show our words have power. Lord Jesus, help us embrace the fruit of the Spirit in our responses so that we may align with You and nurture peaceful relationships. Forgive us for the places where we have failed in this area. Help us also seek out forgiveness from those we have hurt with our words. In Jesus' name, Amen. |
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The Confrontation of the Cross Consider a man who is fed up with his sinful habit, yet he continually falls deeper into its clutches. He has promised himself a hundred times he will never do it again, and, for a while, he submerges the temptation and enjoys a measure of freedom. However, it comes back with greater force. This man has covered up his sin, lied about it, cheated because of it; and it has brought him great sorrow. He no longer enjoys it, but he can’t quit. He just keeps going back. The man knows he will have to stand at the judgment seat one day, and he goes through life, fearing exposure and scandal. His sin has drained him, shackled him, deceived him. It has brought him down to a weariness in which he can hardly exist. He’s at the end of his rope. In this sad, weary, worn-out state, the Holy Spirit speaks to the man, “There is a way out for you. There is a place of victory, peace, joy and newness of life. Accept Christ’s call to run to him, and find rest. Go to the cross of Jesus Christ.” Beloved, when you kneel at the cross, you will not hear an easy, soft word, at least not at first. Even though the cross is the only door to life, you are going to hear about death regarding your every sin. At the cross, you face the crisis of your life and that is what is missing in so many churches. The preaching of the cross brings about a crisis of sin and of self-will. It will speak to you with loving but firm words about the consequences of continuing in your sin. It says, “Deny yourself, embrace death at the cross, and follow me!” “Then he said to them all, ‘If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it’” (Luke 9:23, NKJV). |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
Who Is the True Victor? Many times, people read verses like the following with a certain kind of interpretation that I believe is mistaken. Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. (Psalm 100:3, ESV). You've probably heard that we're compared to sheep because sheep are dumb, but I don't think God is calling us dumb. That said, sheep cannot save themselves from bears or lions, the same way that we cannot save ourselves from the law of God. We are guilty and helpless under the law before God. Why does this matter? Let's take the story of David and Goliath as an example. I hear pastors come to this story, and they say things like, You're a giant-slayer! God has called you to be world-changer! Can I tell you that there is only one giant-slayer, and is name is Jesus. There are Pentecostal preachers who will say stuff like, The devil's in the phonebooth, dialing 911 right now! Well, maybe he is, but it isn't because of any of us walked through the door. It's because Christ is living in us. The devil does not fear us, but he fears the Holy Spirit who lives in us. No matter what we're facing or how well we're walking in faith, we still need the one and only giant-slayer. I believe that the story of David and Goliath is a picture of Jesus destroying the power of sin and the grave. Christ has defeated the devil and every demonic attempt to destroy your soul. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one. (John 10:28-30). When David slew Goliath, all the Israelite men who were ready to run suddenly had hope and a shout of victory in their hearts. The same is true for us at the empty tomb. As soon as Jesus came out of that grave, we all were given a shout of victory. Not because we were strong enough. No, our victory comes from Christ. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
The Mission of the Church What is the mission of the church? To answer that question, we must examine Jesus Christ's mission on earth. When we understand his mission, we will know how to guide the mission of the church. Jesus's mission was the same as his Father's. He came, spoke, and preached. He taught, "For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me (John 6:38, ESV)." He also said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him (John 8:28-29)." Jesus's mission was directed by the Father working through him. The Father gave Jesus all glory, power, and authority, which he then gave to the world. Today, the greatest need of the church is to let what we receive from Christ go out to the world beyond us. God gives it to us and we receive it, but oftentimes we stop there. God wants to continue to pour out more of his blessing on the church, and he will do so as long as we continue to give it away. We receive, and then we give, and then we receive more, and we give more. Sometimes, God's blessings are interrupted because we just want to receive and not give. Whenever this happens, the church's mission stops looking like Jesus's. Jesus came to earth with God's mission in his heart. He preached the good news, set captives free, delivered those bound, and healed the sick. Jesus still proclaims the year of liberty to those in bondage, and this is the mission of the church! |
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The Power of Kindness
"If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you." - Proverbs 25:21-22 Proverbs 25:21-22 summarizes a radical approach to dealing with one's enemies, steeped in ancient wisdom and divine instruction. The thought of returning good to one's enemies was groundbreaking in a culture where retribution was the norm. It reflects God's call to rise above human instinct to a higher standard of love and mercy. This principle is well-illustrated in biblical history through Joseph's dealings with his brothers. In Genesis 45, despite being betrayed and severely harmed by his brothers, Joseph chose to forgive them and provide for them during a time of famine. These acts brought healing to his family and demonstrated God's grace and transformative power through kindness. Today, many of us face situations where showing kindness to those who have wronged us seems impossible or difficult. However, Proverbs 25:21-22 encourages us to respond with compassion instead of retaliation. By extending kindness to our adversaries, we go against our natural inclinations and open the door to possibilities for restoration and reconciliation. Beloved, consider how you might respond with kindness and love if conflict or tension exists in your life or relationships. By doing so, you reflect God's love for yourself and open the door to the possibility of change within yourself and others as you forgive and come alongside your adversaries. I encourage you to take on this challenge, knowing that God honors acts of grace and richly blesses them. Pray with Me: Heavenly Father, we thank You for the commandment to love You and others. Forgive us for allowing unnecessary tension and stress to rule our interactions with others. May we have the mind of Christ to meet the needs of our adversaries and be used by You to break the cycle of hatred and reflect the love of Christ. May the Holy Spirit guide our actions and testify to the strength of kindness and the power of forgiveness that fosters peace in our relationships. In Jesus name, Amen. |
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A Prayer for the Nation
The nations have sunk in the pit that they made; in the net that they hid, their own foot has been caught. The Lord has made himself known; he has executed judgment; the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands. (Psalm 9:15-16, ESV). In these verses, David moved his attention from an individual lament to grief on a national scale. He cried out for his nation and its leaders not to forget God. May we all pray for this in the United States of America and the world. The need for a spiritual breakthrough in our country is obvious. We need to see God's delivering power break the enemy's grip over laws and institutions, from schools to government to politics. All of these have sunk into a pit of their own making and are snared. The wicked shall return to Sheol, all the nations that forget God. (Psalm 9:17). The Lord invites us to cry as David cried, Arise, O Lord! Let not man prevail; let the nations be judged before you! Put them into fear, O Lord! Let the nations know they are but men! (Psalm 9:19-20). Humans have some power, but God has all the power. In our affliction, whether individual or national, let us seek him to rise up and judge according to his righteousness and justice. No concern is too small for him, and no issue is too big. He can change hearts or nations with equal power. We are only men and women, but he is Lord, ruler over all. As we pray, let us all seek a new song not just for our lives and families but also for our countries. Trust Jesus both for your problems and for the nations because he is faithful. May God forgive us, cleanse us and renew us. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
Freely You Have Received
As God's children we are to be about our Father's business, the mission of God. Sometimes, people misunderstand what we are doing. Even people in our own church or fellowship can misunderstand us and say, You are far too outward-focused, and you are not meeting my needs. It is true that if we are so outward-focused that we are not meeting the needs of those around us, then we are doing something wrong. We, as the church, are here in just the same way that Jesus was on earth. We are here to meet people's needs. If someone is hurting, broken, bound, needing to be set free or seeking the infilling of the Holy Spirit, the church is here to minister to them at the point of their needs. However, it is important to understand that as needs are met, the expectation is as freely as you have received, freely give. When sending his disciples out in ministry, Jesus said to them, And proclaim as you go, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. (Matthew 10:7-8, ESV). Do you want more from God? Well, when you have received portion one, give that portion away. Come back for portion two and give that portion away, and then come back for portion three and follow the same process. The principle of the mission of God is, the more you give, the more you receive. The more you are blessed, the more you have to give. The more you give, the more God continues to pour into you so that you can give even more. This principle is a source of hope and encouragement, reminding us that our giving is never in vain. As God's people, we are called to reflect the glory, the power and the love of God. We are to receive it from him and give it out to others. As freely as we have received, we are to give. |
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Pursuing God
In Song of Solomon 5, the bride expresses her feelings about her beloved's lateness, revealing both desire and annoyance. Her longing, reflected in the words, "I sought him, but found him not; I called him, but he gave no answer" (v. 6), symbolizes our relationship with Christ. Song of Solomon illustrates the deep love between Christ and His Church, urging us to seek His presence passionately. The bride's absence from her beloved is a test of faith, reminding us that spiritual longing often precedes a closer connection with God. This journey requires faith, patience, and trust. For Christians, seasons of waiting are opportunities for spiritual growth. Feeling distant from God is not a sign of His absence but an invitation to seek Him more fervently. Pursuing God may involve prayer, meditating on His word, or serving others. During dry seasons, perseverance in prayer is key, leading to a deeper love relationship with Christ. I encourage you to commit today to a time and place that becomes your regular hiding place to pursue God. I am reminded of a song by Don Moen entitled, "I Just Want to Be Where You Are." Pray with Me: Heavenly Father, we come before You today with a renewed passion to seek Your presence and to be right in the middle of where You are -- every moment of every hour of every day. Lord, we know You have not moved, so forgive us for wandering from You as we get busy and think we can handle life without Your daily guidance. We never want to be or do something apart from You. Holy Spirit, You are welcome in our lives, and as we draw near to You, may You consume us with Your presence. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for hearing our plea today and working in our lives. In Jesus' name, Amen. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
The Message of the Cross
The sin of idolatry brought down God's awful wrath on his own people. It angered him more than any other sin in the Old Testament, so much that he declared, The children gather wood, the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead dough, to make cakes for the queen of heaven; and they pour out drink offerings to other gods, that they may provoke me to anger. (Jeremiah 7:18, NKJV). This is God's declaration against idolatry in the Old Testament, and he hates idolatry just as much today. It brings down his wrath on any generation, including this modern one. A new idolatry is sweeping across our world right now. No, we don't see people kneeling down before carved images anymore; instead, this modern idolatry seduces multitudes with its subtlety and cleverness, yet it angers God more than any Old Testament idolatry. I marvel that you are turning away so soon from him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:6-8). This other gospel that Paul mentions is a message of salvation without the cross. The great idolatry of our day is the casting aside of the message of the cross of Jesus Christ. The cross, including its demands and hopes, is the very heart of the gospel. Any worship, any fellowship, anything calling itself a church is blatant idolatry if the cross is not at its center. Such worship is of another spirit entirely and God will have nothing to do with it. Without the cross, all that is left is chaff, a perverted gospel, something from the pit of hell. It is more insulting to the Lord than the idolatry of Israel. Christ said, And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to myself. (John 12:32). This lifting up from the earth that Jesus mentions is his crucifixion. He was lifted up before the whole world on the cross, an image of his great sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, let's set our hearts on the cross of Jesus Christ, the true and living gospel. |
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True Repentance
Repentance means more than saying, Lord, I am wrong. It also means, Lord, you are right! Repentance means facing the truth about your sin and that it must end now. It is a crisis moment of truth, a place of recognition where you admit, I cannot continue in my sin and have the Holy Ghost living in me. If I do, I will lose everything. Lord, you are right about sin bringing death upon me. I see that if I continue in it, it will destroy me and my family. God, I make no more excuses. Simply put, repentance is a confrontation with your sin. The battle is fought before you get to the cross. It takes place as the Holy Spirit deals with you. The same is true of self-denial. In short, self-denial is a confrontation that says, My sin ends now! Contrary to what many comfort preachers say, self-denial is not some heartache you must bear or infirmity of your flesh. When Paul said, I die daily. (I Corinthians 15:31, NKJV), he meant, I have to deny that I can continue in sin and still have Christ's favor. I don't have a special dispensation from God to hold on to a pet sin just because I do good works. No. I agree with the Word of God, and I deny all my rights to continue in sin. The glorious truth of the gospel is that if we die with Jesus, we also come into the glory of his resurrection and into the newness of life. His cross is our cross; his death is our death, and his resurrection is our resurrection through our identification and union with him. That is the real cross we bear. However, this is the cross that many so-called ministers of the gospel have done away with. The real cross is not about lovely words describing our Savior's suffering and bleeding on Calvary. No, the true meaning of the cross is that Jesus bled and died to bring our sin-sick souls into glorious liberty and freedom, to break every chain of sin that binds us. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
Living in God's Mercy
Beloved, this message is not meant to rail on you or lecture you. Rather, I believe I have a word of hope for you. Let me explain why you may find it so hard to be the kind, gracious, merciful Christian you want to be. We find the key in Psalm 119. The psalmist makes a powerful statement here: Let, I pray, your merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to your word to your servant. (Psalm 119:76, NKJV). The meaning here is Lord, your Word tells me I am to be comforted by the knowledge that you are merciful and full of compassion to me. Let me draw comfort from that great truth. If you were to look up the words merciful and mercy in a concordance, you would find hundreds of references. God's Word overwhelms us with numerous promises of his marvelous grace, lovingkindness and compassion. He wants to impress upon us that he is merciful, longsuffering and slow to anger about our failures, weaknesses and temptations. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. (Psalm 103:8). All of God's promises of mercy are given to comfort us in our trials. When we fail God, we think he is mad at us and ready to judge us. Instead, he wants us to know, I will see you through. Simply repent. I am not mad at you. I am merciful, full of grace and love for you. Draw comfort from this. It is comforting to know that God's mercy will never be withdrawn from us. How comforting to know that when we sin or fail, his love toward us grows even stronger. Unless we draw comfort from the mercy God shows to us, we are in no position to give mercy that offers comfort to others. Only when we experience the absolute mercifulness of God will there be an overflow of mercy for everyone around us. We become merciful people because we ourselves are living in the mercy of God. |
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Out of the Dark
In the Lord I take refuge; how can you say to my soul, Flee like a bird to your mountain, for behold, the wicked bend the bow; they have fitted their arrow to the string to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart. (Psalm 11:1-2, ESV). Psalm 11 starts with a problem and ends with a promise. In between, it addresses three questions we have about our troubling darkness and the assaults that come upon us. When we are in need, we seek the Lord's face for the light of his countenance to show us a way forward. He is our reliable source when we're confused, drained, and overwhelmed by the dark. David, the author of this psalm, knew he had a place to go in his darkness. He opened by writing, In the Lord I take refuge. David was telling us we have hope of escape in our time of suffering and difficulty, and the Lord is the safe one to whom we can bring our cries. It is one thing to suffer through times of darkness when we bring it on ourselves through a lifestyle of sinful behaviors. In that case, we expect arrows to come. For the upright in heart, however, endlessly suffering in the dark is troubling to the soul. What do we do when we are endlessly shot with arrows in the dark? Like David, we seek a haven of safety in God. David was resolute in trusting the Lord rather than fleeing. This shows us how it is possible for us to worship in the midst of our unending dark. Wherever you find yourself today, whether triumphing over difficulties or in the midst of a test, you can fly away to the high place God has made for you in his presence, away from all fear and despondency and into his holy temple where his unlimited power is available to you. For the Lord is righteous; he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face? (Psalm 11:7). To all who suffer and despair, his joy will come; his hope will sustain, and his grace will cover and carry you. You will emerge from the dark with the strength of victory to his great glory. |
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What Is Truth and Love?
We live today in a culture that has a very distorted view of love and truth, and that has bled over into much of the evangelical church. I'm not necessarily talking about those who have completely departed from the faith. Many of these believers are still evangelical in their statements of faith, but they've begun to approve of homosexuality and celebrate abortion. Many of them have inadvertently adopted the worlds definitions of love and truth. What are truth and love? These are two very important biblical concepts that we must have right based on what the Bible says they actually mean. The idea of attacking truth and perverting the idea of love is nothing new in human history. Even in the first century, Pilate said to Jesus, "What is truth?" (see John 18:38). Today, people declare that there is no absolute truth and that we need to find our own truths. Isaiah stated, "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!" (Isaiah 5:20, ESV). These assaults on truth and love are actually assaults on God himself because God is love; God is truth. These are character attributes that are defined by God's nature. "Jesus said to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him." (John 14:6-7). We cannot really love someone or something, though, while ignoring the truth. If our love is not based on the truth of the Bible and the divine, holy character of God, it is not really love. The truth of God is not just knowledge that we have about him. There are unregenerated people who have great knowledge about scripture and Jesus. When God's truth comes to live inside us through his Holy Spirit, however, it changes us. If the truth of God has transformed our hearts, it will abide with us forever. The truth is a person, and his name is Jesus. Our relationship with him changes everything, and he allows us to love others genuinely. |
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The Good News of Jesus
In the gospel of Luke, John the Baptist describes what will happen when the gospel arrives. "As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, John answered them all, saying, I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." (Luke 3:15-16, ESV). John the Baptist had more revelation and insight into the gospel than any of the Old Testament prophets, and he predicted that when this gospel came, it would be a gospel of the Holy Spirit with fire. Jesus came with his fire and said, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor." (Luke 4:18). That's the gospel, and Jesus desires to bring it to the poor and those who do not have it. "He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." (Luke 4:18-19). The year of the Lord's favor is known as the Jubilee year. Under the Old Testament law, every 50 years, slaves were set free and all debts were erased. It was a year of forgiveness, a year of Jubilee. People longed for this year to come, and now Jesus is saying that the gospel has come and is proclaiming the year of the Lord's favor. Do you know what the gospel is? It is Jubilee! It is setting the captives free! The gospel proclaims that this is the year of the Lord's favor. It proclaims the good news that Christ has come. The Messiah is here, and the world has been turned upside down. Friends, that is what the gospel is all about. It is the good news of Jesus for our world! |
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The Invitation of the Cross
God looked down upon a sin-sick world of people bound in prison houses of fear and despair, and he sent his own Son. Jesus came to earth, taking on the frailty of human flesh, and told all who would listen, "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28, NKJV). The invitation of the cross is a call to every soul that is sick of sin. Jesus calls out to all who are burdened with binding chains, powerful habits and besetting sins, Come to me now with all your heavy burdens. There is no other way but through my cross. Jesus died on the cross not only to forgive sin but also to break its wearying power over us. You see, sin wearies the flesh. It saps away all that is good, kind and precious. It hardens the heart, destroying peace and causing guilt, sorrow and shame. It consumes the mind's thoughts, weakening and darkening the soul. Sin brings on fear, and, worst of all, it shuts off all communion with God. If I were to preach in many churches today about the demands of the cross with its death to all lusts and worldly pleasures, the crowds would flee, just as they did when Jesus told them of the cost of following him. Such churches never even mention the cross. Instead, they pour their energies into clever meetings full of showmanship, dramatic illustrations, and sermons on how to cope with life's problems. God seems to have much patience with such well-intentioned, fleshly efforts to promote the gospel. However, we cannot take God?s patience for granted. God help the ministers of these churches who refuse to warn their people to forsake their sins. The prophet Jeremiah lamented, "They also strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns back from his wickedness. But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they would have turned them from their evil way and from the evil of their doings." (Jeremiah 23: 14, 22). Jeremiah's warning is for present-day ministers: Bring back the cross, or the people's blood will be upon your hands! |
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Crisis at the Cross How do we get Jesus's victory and power in our lives? How do we appropriate his resurrection and newness of life? First, let me ask you, how do you know you are saved? It is by faith, of course. The knowledge of our salvation comes from our faith alone in God's Word. Likewise, we are to take up the cross, embrace it and receive victory by faith in the overcoming power of Jesus's shed blood. We must admit, God, I have no power. I do not have the ability to deliver myself, crucify myself or have any power over sin. I give up all my own efforts to die to sin. By faith, we are in Christ and are to enjoy the benefits of all he has accomplished. You see, from the very moment we were born again, we have been in Christ. That means we entered into everything that happened to Christ. This includes his victories as well as his crucifixion. If we agree with God's Word that our sins are exceedingly wicked, we must also agree with the good things the cross offers. They are ours because Jesus accomplished them for us. Scripture says, "Therefore we were buried with him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." (Romans 6:4, NKJV). Once we embrace the cross, we are crucified with Christ and resurrected with him into newness of life. We are set free! We can yield our bodies to the service of the Lord and offer ourselves as instruments of righteousness. Sometimes, we may stumble because of unbelief, but we can hold on to the truth. Ultimately, victory is ours when we cry, Lord, I'm going to trust you until victory comes. I thank God for the cross of Christ and its crisis. I know by experience that the world's greatest grace preaching is the preaching of the cross. Have you had your crisis at the cross? What about that one stronghold you long to be delivered from? Deliverance is available for you today, but it won't come until you kneel before Jesus and have your crisis at his cross. You must agree to no longer continue in your sin, not for another moment, and cry out, God, I bring it to you now! |
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Children of God
Sometimes, I wonder how God could have looked down on us and loved us. We are so unlovable, so mean sometimes, so unworthy. In his mercy, God still says to each of us, I want you; I choose you because I want to be a Father to you. God did not wait until I became good enough to be his son or until I had all my doctrines figured out. No, he said, "Even when you were lost in sin, I came to you to be reconciled. I loved you when you were wallowing in filth. I called you, chose you, and adopted you for no other reason than that I love you." "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God?" (1 John 3:1, NKJV). "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4:10). He chose me, not because I loved him first, but because he loved me first. He adopted me as his child only because he loved me. This brings me to a wonderful conclusion. I do not have to figure it all out or understand the deep doctrines of justification, sanctification, mortification, or glorification. All I have to know is that he chose me to be his son, which means that I am loved by God the Father. It does not matter what Satan tries to throw at me. Nothing can move me from the wonderful knowledge that I am loved and can rest in that love. He chose me. He loves me, will carry me and never abandon me. He will never let go of my hand because he is my Abba Father. Beloved, I am an earthly father, and you cannot name any reason in heaven or on earth why I would ever abandon or leave one of my children. How much more will your heavenly Father be with you through everything you endure in this life? |
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Safeguarded for Battle
"You, O Lord, will keep them; you will guard us from this generation forever. On every side the wicked prowl, as vileness is exalted among the children of man." (Psalm 12:7-8, ESV). When we read that "on every side the wicked prowl, the image is of Satan, of whom Jesus says, The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy." (John 10:10). Forces of evil are at work against us. They oppose the church and entire nations. They also work against the wellbeing of our family, health, mental state, and most especially our spiritual life. Today, we see Satan prowling through our culture and institutions, exalting vile practices that only a few years ago were socially unacceptable. Dark things done in secret are now boasted about in public. Sadly, I see this in the church as well. For decades, the liberal church has allowed practices that cause the godly to anguish. Now, similar practices are creeping into the evangelical church, compromising the Word of God. The apostle Paul had to deal with this in the church at Corinth. A young man in the congregation was sleeping with his stepmother, and church leaders weren't bringing correction. What was happening in that church called for more correction; however, it involved spiritual warfare. To contend for the faith, Paul demanded church discipline and, at the same time, pointed out the prevalent cultural norms spreading through the church. David addressed what we should do when we find ourselves in a battle with the culture. In verse 7, he spoke for all of us facing warfare from the surrounding culture and our own personal anguish. "You, O Lord, will keep them; you will guard us from this generation forever." (Psalm 12:7). This is a powerful word for a generation under warfare. David responded, in essence, Lord, guard us from the feeling of defeat. Let us not be overcome by it. Your word and your promises are true. Guard our minds so that we won't believe the lies Satan throws at us and instead believe you will keep us. We live in a generation in which wickedness prowls and vileness is exalted, yet it is also a generation in which God's promises endure with power for victory. |
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How to Know the Father
It must have shocked Jesus to hear Thomas say, "Lord, we do not know where you are going, and how can we know the way?" (John 14:5, NKJV). This was a confession by Thomas. The disciples had been with Jesus for three years, but they missed the revelation of the Father. They did not know his love, care or tenderness. Show us the Father, Thomas asked, yet that is just what Jesus had been doing for the past three years. If we fully understand that we have a loving heavenly Father, why would we ever be downcast when the enemy comes against us? Why would we despair over a financial burden that seems overwhelming? Why would we wonder why we cannot seem to get victory over a besetting sin? Listen carefully to Jesus's answer to Thomas. It has everything to do with us. "If you had known me, you would have known my Father also; and from now on you know him and have seen him" (John 14:7). "Then Philip said, Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us." (John 14:8). Jesus could not believe what he was hearing. You can almost hear the incredulity in his voice as he answers Philip, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father; so how can you say, Show us the Father?" (John 14:9). In other words, Thomas, Philip, my precious disciples, how can you ask this? You say you know me, yet how could you miss the revelation I have spent the past three years giving you? Don't you yet see that all my mighty works were the Father in me revealing who he is, what he is like, and what he wants to be to you? All I taught you was from his heart, not mine. Beloved, Jesus's whole life was an illustrated sermon. Day by day, with every miracle he performed and every parable he taught, he was expressing God's character to us. He sent his Holy Spirit so his followers could do even greater works and keep revealing the Father's love to new generations. |
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The Remedy for Sin "O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath!" (Psalm 38:1, ESV). In Psalm 38, David realized he needed to be rebuked for his sins, but he wrote, "God, please don't rebuke me in your anger." As parents, disciplining a child in righteousness is an act of love. It means correcting, reproving, and bringing godly order to a young person's life. Here, David knew he needed God's righteous rebuke and discipline. Friend, are you willing to say, God, I need your rebuke? Are you willing to let God access your day, week, month, or this season of your life in how you are living? When David said, "Rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath," he wasn't saying, Don't discipline me, but rather, "Don't discipline me in your anger." The wrath of God is the pouring out of his judgment upon a people. It?s the tearing away of a relationship between him and us because of our sin that grieves him. An unrepented sin that causes us to be brought under God?s vengeful, aggressive, angry wrath. David went on to say in Psalm 38:3, There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation; there is no health in my bones because of my sin. David understood that he was not in sound mind, body or emotional well-being because of sin. Like David, our admittance of sin says, Lord, correct and show me your ways. Show me the areas of my life that cause you grief and restore me. If David, a man after God's own heart, could look at his sin with a repentant heart, shouldn't we see the seriousness and grievousness of our sins? God wants to pull out the dark areas of your heart, mind, body, and soul so that you might see a greater light. You have to root out the things that don't belong before receiving the joy of the things that do belong. If you lack joy, delight, and spiritual freedom, maybe it's because you are not asking God to discipline you in his righteousness. Sin grieves God, but its remedy is God's mercy, forgiveness, and salvation. |
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Fully Aligned
And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, yet not with a whole heart. - 2 Chronicles 25:2 King Amaziah's life contains lessons in integrity in our daily walks with Christ. One such lesson is found in this verse, where we learn there is a difference between outward obedience to God and being truly committed to Him. Amaziah walked before God correctly, but his heart was not fully aligned with the Lord. I encourage you to take a moment and look into your heart today and ask the Lord if you're all out for Him. Friends, as you ponder your walk with Christ, you may find yourself in a similar situation to Amaziah. You may connect to a church, lead or attend small groups, or serve in some dynamic ministry. Still, if your heart is not aligned or committed to the cause of Christ, you may become so busy doing things that you miss growing in your relationship with God. I urge you to make Christ your first love, commit to seeking Him first, and ask Him to help you maintain a spiritual balance between being in Christ and doing things for Christ. Take a moment to ponder the following points: Examine Your Heart Take a moment to examine your heart and how you currently view your relationship with God. Ask the Lord if there is any place in your life where you have been performing religious acts with an insincere heart. Upon completing this self-examination, invite the Holy Spirit to confirm those things and then confess them to the Lord with a commitment to keep your heart aligned with Him. Seek Wholeheartedness Call on the Lord Jesus to soften your heart so you will be wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord and what He calls you to do for the Kingdom. Pray and ask Him to give you a passionate heart in your pursuit of Him. Remember, God wants more than your works; He wants a relationship. Examine Your Heart Ask the Lord for divine appointments and intentional ways to live out your faith. As you live out your faith through word and deed, may your life demonstrate your passion for Christ as a fully devoted follower of Christ. The takeaway from 2 Chronicles 25:2 is that God desires nothing but your heart. This means being determined to live in a manner that is pleasing to Him, not just in outward deeds but also with your whole heart. May you live your life to exemplify His love and light for everyone to see. Pray with me: Heavenly Father, I come before you today asking for Your forgiveness for getting distracted and falling short of wholehearted devotion to You. Lord, as I confess my shortcomings, I ask that You restore and strengthen my heart with passion to live a life of integrity as a fully devoted follower of You so that my life exemplifies You and brings glory and honor to You. In Jesus' Name, Amen. |
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A Compassionate Father
During his time on earth, Jesus was the embodiment of God's compassion. Scripture frequently tells us that Christ was moved with compassion by the suffering of the people (see Mark 6:34, 8:2). If that was the case in the first century, what grief must be in our Lord's heart now? I believe it is all God can do to restrain himself from moving in before the end of time and putting an end to it all. I will never believe he is some benign spirit who sits in heaven, unmoved by the horrible spirits loose in this world. No, he is a compassionate Father who agonizes over his suffering children. The Bible tells us, "His compassions fail not"(Lamentations 3:22, NKJV). "But you, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth." (Psalm 86:15). We read of an incredible scene: "Then great multitudes came to him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus's feet, and he healed them." (Matthew 15:30). Can you imagine this scene? All around Jesus, hundreds of afflicted people were sitting and lying on the ground. There were little children too sick to sit up, people crying aloud for help, groaning in pain, fevered, demon-possessed, diseased, despairing. Jesus did not turn them away. He performed miracles of healing and deliverance. The dumb spoke, the crippled leaped, the blind saw and the sick and diseased suddenly were made whole. The crowd pressed in even closer with every healing. I imagine the people picking up their sick children and pushing forward as the disciples struggled to keep order. These people had been out in the wilderness for three days without food and were fainting from hunger. That's when Jesus told his disciples, "I have compassion on the multitude I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way" (Matthew 15:32). God wants every one of us to be a part of his compassionate heart to the world. If you are willing, he will send the needs to your doorstep. Present yourself to the Lord to be used, and he will open doors to you, then you will truly know the Father?s heart of compassion. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
Helping Others in Need
We should not have to travel past our own neighborhood to have the greatest kind of revival imaginable. God says that if we share our bread with the hungry, bring the poor into our house, cover the naked, and give our own souls to the starving and suffering; then he will guide us and provide for us continually. We will be like a watered garden and like a spring whose waters never fail (see Isaiah 58:10-11). God is telling us to focus on helping others. He will answer and guide us when we reach out to the poor and hurting. We will become a spring of life to others, and our blessings will never fail. If you are not comfortable with this Old Testament teaching, listen to what Jesus said in the New Testament: "For I was hungry and you gave me no food; I was thirsty and you gave me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take me in, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me. Then they also will answer Him, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you? Then he will answer them, saying, Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me. And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life (Matthew 25:42-46, NKJV). "But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?"(1 John 3:17). Do you find yourself saying, "I'd like to be compassionate, to help the needy. How can I make a change?" I can only tell you that God will answer this prayer. Pray this: Lord, I see all the human needs around me. I know that the only Jesus my city may ever see is the one they will see through me and my church. God, you are going to have to direct me. I'm ready with my wallet, my house, my time, so show me where to go, Lord. Pray and rest assured that God will bring those needs to your doorstep. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
God's Perfect Love
Every day, a passage from 1 Corinthians 13 is heard by people around the world as it is recited at weddings. "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." (1 Corinthians 13:4-7, ESV). This is unconditional love. We see it as sweet and tender, and we tend to romanticize it, elevating it to the aspiration of a noble heart. In doing so, we miss the significance of this urgent chapter. Paul is showing us the true meaning of agape, God's perfect love. Agape isn't based on what it receives. It is more than unconditional; it is sacrificial. This may sound strange to say, but 1 Corinthians 13's love is actually a problem for us. That's because the vast majority of us don?t practice it, as Paul describes. In this chapter, God is commanding us to love as he loves. That is heart-wrenching to consider because such love is beyond us. It is an impossible love, yet Paul wants to show us how this most excellent way. (see 1 Corinthians 12:31) is possible for us to live out powerfully. As I read 1 Corinthians 13, I realize how little I love with agape. Paul says love is patient; so, Lord, how many ways am I impatient? Love is kind; oh, Lord, how many ways am I unkind? Love bears all things, not some but all, and love is never ending. Love never ends. (1 Corinthians 13:8). We are empowered to walk in perfect love even though we aren't perfect beings. How? Christ's righteousness sparks in us the desire to love people as he does. That is how you and I are empowered to love impossibly. Even when we fail at loving others, we no longer try to redouble our efforts as we once did, failing again and again. Instead, we're driven to Jesus, crying, Lord, impute your righteousness to me. Work your agape in me, otherwise I can't love as you do. His calling to love remains ever before us. Let us, therefore, seek his righteousness so that we may love perfectly. His commands require no less. |
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