Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:2 NLT)
Have you noticed how much craziness is on the television these days? From the news to these unreal reality shows, there is far too much foolishness competing for our minds. The enemy wants to keep us from all forms of enlightenment, especially spiritual awakening. If he can dumb us down with cat fights, who's not the father, and who has the best voice, he can keep us from our various God-given assignments.
It is our responsibility as God's people to allow the Holy Spirit to dwell within us. He gives us the training and instruction we need through God's Word to live our best lives. Our minds must be constantly renewed, considering the amount of junk we process daily. Even without the foolery of the t.v., we still have distractions, tests, and trials to overcome. We need our spiritual tools to withstand against the wiles of the enemy.
Your mind has a lot of stuff in it, from grocery lists to birthday reminders to scriptures. Spend some time with God to clear out the junk and reinforce the treasures. Cut back on some of that polluted television. Watch more wholesome programs or just watch less t.v. altogether. God desires you to know His will for your life, and you must spend time with Him in prayer, Bible study, and meditation to discern it. Don't let the world's behavior dictate yours. Let God transform you by renewing your mind.
Friday, May 11, 2012
Friday, May 4, 2012
For the Sake of Christ!
2 Corinthians 4:8-10 (KJV) We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
It doesn't matter what your situation may look like. God is still and always has been in control. One of the most important things about your circumstance is your reaction to it. We have been warned time and again throughout the Bible that afflictions will come. When we have received Christ, however, HIS character should be manifested in our lives.
Someone is watching how you handle your troubles and persecution. How do you respond when falsely accused or crushed to your very soul with heartache? Is your reply "Though he slay me, yet will I trust him" like Job? How will the world see Christ through you if you lash out at every hurt that someone inflicts upon you? These afflictions are developing your character and preparing you for your next level of glory.
These tests that we all must endure are growing us up in the body of Christ. We continue to grow (or not) spiritually as long as we live on this earth. We have to study the Holy Scriptures and apply them to our lives, so that we can mature in the supernatural realm. We can't bear witness of Holy Ghost power living raggedy lives. For the sake of Christ we must change and grow. We have to be able to take the good with the bad, the trouble, the perplexity, the persecution, and being cast down because we know that isn't the end for us. The life of Jesus needs to be made manifest in our body, whatever the alleged cost. For me to live is Christ, no matter what difficulties I face because I am living to live again and eternally!
It doesn't matter what your situation may look like. God is still and always has been in control. One of the most important things about your circumstance is your reaction to it. We have been warned time and again throughout the Bible that afflictions will come. When we have received Christ, however, HIS character should be manifested in our lives.
Someone is watching how you handle your troubles and persecution. How do you respond when falsely accused or crushed to your very soul with heartache? Is your reply "Though he slay me, yet will I trust him" like Job? How will the world see Christ through you if you lash out at every hurt that someone inflicts upon you? These afflictions are developing your character and preparing you for your next level of glory.
These tests that we all must endure are growing us up in the body of Christ. We continue to grow (or not) spiritually as long as we live on this earth. We have to study the Holy Scriptures and apply them to our lives, so that we can mature in the supernatural realm. We can't bear witness of Holy Ghost power living raggedy lives. For the sake of Christ we must change and grow. We have to be able to take the good with the bad, the trouble, the perplexity, the persecution, and being cast down because we know that isn't the end for us. The life of Jesus needs to be made manifest in our body, whatever the alleged cost. For me to live is Christ, no matter what difficulties I face because I am living to live again and eternally!
Thursday, April 26, 2012
How Long?
Proverbs 1:22 (NASB) "How long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing And fools hate knowledge?
I believe these are questions everyone needs to answer within him/herself. When are you going to get fed up with foolishness? How long will you remain ignorant of the things of God? There comes a time in your life when you realize that maturity doesn't have much to do with age. There are as many old fools in the world as young. The same is true of the "saints" (and I use that term very loosely).
There are people who have been born and raised up in the church, but yet insist on not following the commands of God. They follow church etiquette, protocol, rules, and regulations, but completely miss the mark on the whole 'love your neighbor as yourself' train of thought consistent throughout the Bible. We tear each other down, hate on each other's gifts, belittle each other, and backbite one another. Where is the Christ in that? How long will we be so simple-minded and selfish? How long will we not join together in the unity of the body of Jesus Christ? How long will we choose to remain ignorant of God's plan for our lives?
No one can answer these questions for you. There has to come a time in your spiritual journey when YOU decide to put away childish things. No one can force you to grow up. This is a decision that only you can make. You have to want to seek more of God, to know His will for you, and to learn more of Him. We worship God through our relationship with Him in Christ Jesus. We cannot worship God if we don't know Him. If you aren't interested in knowing Him, why are you in church? How long will you love being simple-minded?
Monday, April 16, 2012
Are You Facing a Midnight?
Acts 16:25-26 (NASB) But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened.
Sometimes life just gets dark. Nothing seems to be going right. Everything and everybody is against your success. You feel hopeless, helpless, and desperate. There is no way out. There is no light at the end of your tunnel. There is no dawn on your horizon. Things are just bad.
You need to praise your way through. Paul and Silas were facing a horrible situation in the passage selected above. They were in jail for no good reason. Christians at the time were persecuted and put to death for their beliefs, but they did not wallow in dispair. What did they do? They prayed and they sang songs of praise to God! This is an excellent example of how to break through a midnight situation. Pray and sing praises to God!!!
Your praise not only will free you, but "everyone's chains were unfastened"! Your praise in the midst of your storm will probably encourage someone else to trust God through theirs. Paul and Silas were given a miraculous opportunity to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ after they were freed from their bondage with prayer and praise. You likewise have a miraculous opportunity to testify of the goodness of God with your breakthrough! What breakthrough? The one you're going to receive through your perpetual praise and continual prayer. Your change just may happen in your attitude, or in your mind, or in your perseverance, or the circumstances around you, but it WILL happen.
Only believe! All things are possible to them that believe. When you are facing a midnight, remember Paul and Silas in jail, and how they made it over. God has not changed; He will do the same thing for you. Pray and praise God in advance for your deliverance!
Sometimes life just gets dark. Nothing seems to be going right. Everything and everybody is against your success. You feel hopeless, helpless, and desperate. There is no way out. There is no light at the end of your tunnel. There is no dawn on your horizon. Things are just bad.
You need to praise your way through. Paul and Silas were facing a horrible situation in the passage selected above. They were in jail for no good reason. Christians at the time were persecuted and put to death for their beliefs, but they did not wallow in dispair. What did they do? They prayed and they sang songs of praise to God! This is an excellent example of how to break through a midnight situation. Pray and sing praises to God!!!
Your praise not only will free you, but "everyone's chains were unfastened"! Your praise in the midst of your storm will probably encourage someone else to trust God through theirs. Paul and Silas were given a miraculous opportunity to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ after they were freed from their bondage with prayer and praise. You likewise have a miraculous opportunity to testify of the goodness of God with your breakthrough! What breakthrough? The one you're going to receive through your perpetual praise and continual prayer. Your change just may happen in your attitude, or in your mind, or in your perseverance, or the circumstances around you, but it WILL happen.
Only believe! All things are possible to them that believe. When you are facing a midnight, remember Paul and Silas in jail, and how they made it over. God has not changed; He will do the same thing for you. Pray and praise God in advance for your deliverance!
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
I Must Produce Kingdom Fruit!!!
Matthew 21:43 (NIV) Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.
Have you ever wondered why we do so much busy work in the church building? I am constantly questioning church activities. We seem so unbalanced sometimes. Somewhere along the way, we've halted our fruit production. I don't want the kingdom of God taken away from me because I'm merely going through the motions of church membership.
There is so much more to kingdom work than coming to church. We must prepare ourselves for "fieldwork" in settings other than Sunday morning worship service. In order to produce kingdom fruit, we have to read God's Word, study it, and pray for understanding, discernment, and opportunity. The harvest truly is ripe, but the laborers are sitting up in the church building among themselves being entertained.
We don't have time to play church. The Father is seeking worshipers, and those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth. True worship involves DOING, which is the production of kingdom fruit. We have to live what we preach in our churches; we have to demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ to a world that doesn't want it. Christ was rejected, and yet He still sacrificed His life for us all. We have to do all we know to produce the kind of fruit that is fitting to the kingdom of God. A good tree doesn't produce bad fruit; bitter and sweet water doesn't flow from the same well.
Producing kingdom fruit begins with a clean heart. We have to lay ourselves bare before a holy God, so He can purify us of all unrighteousness. REPENT, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand! (Matthew 3:2) I must produce kingdom fruit, or I'm not a part of the kingdom. Seek after what God wants YOU to do in the kingdom. He will reveal it to you through prayer and the scriptures. Then, DO IT!!
Have you ever wondered why we do so much busy work in the church building? I am constantly questioning church activities. We seem so unbalanced sometimes. Somewhere along the way, we've halted our fruit production. I don't want the kingdom of God taken away from me because I'm merely going through the motions of church membership.
There is so much more to kingdom work than coming to church. We must prepare ourselves for "fieldwork" in settings other than Sunday morning worship service. In order to produce kingdom fruit, we have to read God's Word, study it, and pray for understanding, discernment, and opportunity. The harvest truly is ripe, but the laborers are sitting up in the church building among themselves being entertained.
We don't have time to play church. The Father is seeking worshipers, and those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth. True worship involves DOING, which is the production of kingdom fruit. We have to live what we preach in our churches; we have to demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ to a world that doesn't want it. Christ was rejected, and yet He still sacrificed His life for us all. We have to do all we know to produce the kind of fruit that is fitting to the kingdom of God. A good tree doesn't produce bad fruit; bitter and sweet water doesn't flow from the same well.
Producing kingdom fruit begins with a clean heart. We have to lay ourselves bare before a holy God, so He can purify us of all unrighteousness. REPENT, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand! (Matthew 3:2) I must produce kingdom fruit, or I'm not a part of the kingdom. Seek after what God wants YOU to do in the kingdom. He will reveal it to you through prayer and the scriptures. Then, DO IT!!
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Praying in Proper Order
Zephaniah 3:17 (KJV) The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.
It's kind of hard to believe that our omnipotent God would care to rejoice over us for any reason at all. Our greatest accomplishments are nothing compared to His splendor. All of our "righteousness" is but filthy rags before Him. We couldn't possibly do anything to deserve His unfailing love, and He yet loves us anyway. That's enough to turn any bad day into the best day of your life with thanksgiving! Amazingly, however, we tend to focus on everything but God. Perhaps if we change the way we pray, we can gain a better perspective on our lives.
His presence is always with us; we only need to acknowledge Him. Even in our prayers, we spend more time bringing Him our requests instead of resting in His love. A.C.T.S. is the acronym for a great prayer model. A = adoration; spend some time telling God how wonderful He is. Begin your prayers with facts about His character, and praise Him! C = confession; don't start asking for stuff before you ask for forgiveness for your shortcomings. He is faithful and just to forgive us, if we will confess the sins. T = thanksgiving; acknowledge what God has already done. He doesn't have to do anything for us. The least we can do is be grateful. S = supplication; present your requests to God. I would even go so far as to place intercession (requests for others) before your own needs.
The very next time you pray, remember the ACTS model. I believe that it will help us to keep God's greatness, grace, mercy, omnipotence, omnipresence, omniscience, infiinity, justice, faithfulness, provision, healing, and restoration at the forefront of our minds. How can a grateful heart be bitter about the circumstances of what might be considered a "bad day"? In the midst of my so-called bad day, God is rejoicing over me with singing BECAUSE HE'S GOD. I don't deserve His love, and He lets me rest in it anyway. Pray yourself into a good mood daily!
It's kind of hard to believe that our omnipotent God would care to rejoice over us for any reason at all. Our greatest accomplishments are nothing compared to His splendor. All of our "righteousness" is but filthy rags before Him. We couldn't possibly do anything to deserve His unfailing love, and He yet loves us anyway. That's enough to turn any bad day into the best day of your life with thanksgiving! Amazingly, however, we tend to focus on everything but God. Perhaps if we change the way we pray, we can gain a better perspective on our lives.
His presence is always with us; we only need to acknowledge Him. Even in our prayers, we spend more time bringing Him our requests instead of resting in His love. A.C.T.S. is the acronym for a great prayer model. A = adoration; spend some time telling God how wonderful He is. Begin your prayers with facts about His character, and praise Him! C = confession; don't start asking for stuff before you ask for forgiveness for your shortcomings. He is faithful and just to forgive us, if we will confess the sins. T = thanksgiving; acknowledge what God has already done. He doesn't have to do anything for us. The least we can do is be grateful. S = supplication; present your requests to God. I would even go so far as to place intercession (requests for others) before your own needs.
The very next time you pray, remember the ACTS model. I believe that it will help us to keep God's greatness, grace, mercy, omnipotence, omnipresence, omniscience, infiinity, justice, faithfulness, provision, healing, and restoration at the forefront of our minds. How can a grateful heart be bitter about the circumstances of what might be considered a "bad day"? In the midst of my so-called bad day, God is rejoicing over me with singing BECAUSE HE'S GOD. I don't deserve His love, and He lets me rest in it anyway. Pray yourself into a good mood daily!
Friday, March 2, 2012
Stay Focused or Sink
Matthew 14:30 (KJV) But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
In Matthew 14, we find the story of Peter walking on the water with Jesus. Peter was able to walk on the water with Jesus until he noticed his circumstances. We are the same way. As long as we focus on the situation instead of the Savior, we will sink. We will sink into despair, distress, depression, distraction, and destruction if we keep our eyes on the storms around us.
We have to continually focus and re-focus on Jesus Christ. Our enemies know that an obstacle in our line of sight will cause us to sink. We can't be effective in our respective ministries if we are flailing around in the water trying to stay afloat, swallowing water, and fearing for our lives. Peter knew exactly who to call when he began to sink. "Lord, save me!" he cried.
When you feel that life is swallowing you up, and you've lost your proper focus, cry out to Jesus for salvation, deliverance, healing, restoration, and direction. You don't have to sink when Jesus has bid you to come out onto the water. He has called you to the work, and He has no plans for you to fail (Jeremiah 29:11). Stay focused on Jesus Christ or re-focus on Him. Look upon His face and live!
In Matthew 14, we find the story of Peter walking on the water with Jesus. Peter was able to walk on the water with Jesus until he noticed his circumstances. We are the same way. As long as we focus on the situation instead of the Savior, we will sink. We will sink into despair, distress, depression, distraction, and destruction if we keep our eyes on the storms around us.
We have to continually focus and re-focus on Jesus Christ. Our enemies know that an obstacle in our line of sight will cause us to sink. We can't be effective in our respective ministries if we are flailing around in the water trying to stay afloat, swallowing water, and fearing for our lives. Peter knew exactly who to call when he began to sink. "Lord, save me!" he cried.
When you feel that life is swallowing you up, and you've lost your proper focus, cry out to Jesus for salvation, deliverance, healing, restoration, and direction. You don't have to sink when Jesus has bid you to come out onto the water. He has called you to the work, and He has no plans for you to fail (Jeremiah 29:11). Stay focused on Jesus Christ or re-focus on Him. Look upon His face and live!
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