Coffeyville KS 67337
"For you were bought at a price: therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's" 1 Corinthians 6:20
Everything that we are, everything that we have is because of Jesus Christ. He paid a very special price for all of us. Look around you at all the blessings that we so easily take for granted. Nothing is by chance! It's all because of the blood of Jesus Christ!
"Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the Glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31
He is always worthy to be praised!
"Not to us O Lord, But to you goes ALL the Glory for your unfailing Love and faithfullness!" Psalm 115:1
To God be the Glory, forever and ever, Amen! "Abhor that which is evil, cleave to that which is good." "And have nothing to do with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather expose them. For it is shameful to even mention what the disobediant do in secret." Ephesians 5:11-12 By: Dana Burk Why does Christmas really matter? Presents and toys while families gather Sleighs and reindeer with a ho ho ho Hats and mittens and lots of snow Cookies and Candies, bellies growing fatter But why does Christmas really matter? Stockings and Chimneys, Church bells ringing Decorations on Trees and Carolers singing Stories and Games, homes filled with laughter But why does Christmas really matter? Drives and charities, donations to give Parties and raves our own lives to live Dancing Sugar Plums that arose such a clatter But why does Christmas really matter? Cards and Pictures, mail to send Checks and credit cards, money to spend Pushing, Shoving, shoppers scatter But why does Christmas really matter? A baby boy in a manger with an innocent cry God on Earth, born just to die As Savior of the world, for love He gave all Only to be replaced by a sale at the mall Tortured and beaten for you and for me He gave His life to set us free In return, recognized only with idle chatter Now answer me this, Why does Christmas really matter? Fire and flames a never ending burn Tortured forever a tough lesson to learn Eternity would be lost, all hope shatters This my friend is why Christmas really matters!! "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. " James 1: 2-4 May 11th, 2009 Hope: to expect with confidence May 27th, 2009
Daily Focus
September 30, 2008
Do you Thirst for Jesus?
Do you seek the presence of God?
There is protection within His midst. There is joy in His fellowship.
"O God, You are my God; Early I will seek you; My soul thirsts for you; My flesh longs for you in a dry and thirsty land, where there is no water. So I have looked for you in the sanctuary, to see your Power and Your Glory. Because your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise you. Thus I will bless you while I live; I will lift my hands in your name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, And my mouth shall praise you with joyful lips. When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches, Because you have been my help. Therefore in the shadow of you wings, I will rejoice. My soul follows close behind you; Your right hand upholds me. Psalm 63:1-8
October 3, 2008
"Listen! I hear the voice of someone shouting, Make a Highway for the Lord through the wilderness. Make a straight, smooth road through the desert for your God. Fill the valleys and level the hills. Straighten out the curves and smooth off the rough spots. Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all the people will see it together. The Lord has spoken." Isaiah 40:3
When the Jewish leaders sent priests to ask John the Bapist if he claimed to be the Messiah. John flatly denied it. Then replied with the words of Isaiah, " I am a voice shouting in the wilderness, Prepare a straight pathway for the Lord's coming!" John 1:23
Are you a voice, helping to prepare our Lord's second coming?
Shout so that the Glory of the Lord will be revealed!!!
October 6th, 2008
Are you happy? Happiness follows those who trust fully in God!
"For the Lord God is our light and protector. He gives us grace and glory. No good thing will the Lord withhold from those do what is right. O Lord Almighty, Happy are those who trust in you!" Psalm 84:11-12
"Happy are those who fear the Lord. Yes happy are those who delight in doing what he commands." Psalm 112:1
When we summit to God with a cheerful and pure heart, His blessings will overtake us!
"Their children will be successful everywhere; an entire generation of Godly people will be blessed." Psalm 112:2
October 7th, 2008
There is a scientific principle that says for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. The same principle applies with our daily lives. Everything we do, every action we take, even every thought we have takes us toward one thing (a goal, a character trait, a habit, a destination) and therefore away from something else. The same applies with our daily walk with God. As we read our bibles and pray, we fill our minds with Godly thoughts and behavior and therefore we empty ourselves of evil thoughts and deeds. The closer we are to God, the further we are from Satan and visa versa. There is a consequence for every choice we make, good or bad. Every act that takes us away from God has an undesirable consequence. It only takes one bad decision to begin a domino effect toward destruction. For this reason, God is constantly urging us to repentence.
"That is why the Lord says, Turn to me now, while there is still time! Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don't tear your clothes in you grief, instead tear your hearts. Return to your Lord your God for He is gracious and merciful. He is not easily angered. He is filled with kindness and is eager not to punish you." Joel 2:12-13 God wants to save us, not only from eternal damnation of the enemy but also from ourselves. His desire is to spare us from all suffering, eternal and present.
Are you making Godly choices? Today is the day of Repentence! The Lord says, "Turn to me now, while there is still time!"
October 14th, 2008
How bright does your light shine? It is no secret that the month of October is filled with much darkness. Our world is in desparate need of God's light. For such a time as this, we must check and double check our Spiritual lights,constantly pouring God's truth into our hearts, making sure there are no dark corners in our lives. For when our hearts are pure, our ENTIRE lives will glow with radiance and eluminate even the darkest places we come into contact with.
"No one lights a lamp and then hides it under a basket. Instead it is placed on a lampstand to give light to all that enter the room. Your eye is a lamp for your body. A pure eye lets sunshine into your soul. But an evil eye shuts out the light and plunges you into darkness. Make sure that the light you think you have is not really darkness. If you are filled with light with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant, as though a flood light is shining on you. Luke 12:33-36
October 29th, 2008
Do you separate yourself from the evil of this world?
The Bible tells us to shun the very appearance of evil. (1 Thess. 5:22) During the month of October this can be a little difficult, for everywhere you turn evil is staring you right in the face. I know that many believe scary witches and goblins are just harmless fun. They choose not to take the idle practices of witchcraft seriously. Take heed, for you may not be serious, but Satan is VERY serious. He comes as a wolf in sheep's clothing. He wants you to believe there is no harm in it. For this willingly opens a door for him to work in your life. Just because you may not believe in Evil spirits, doesn't make them not real. They are VERY real and just as angels have been assigned to protect us, demons have been assigned to destory us. Just as annointed items welcome the spirit of God, things associated with evil invite Satan into our lives. Evil spirits attach themselves to evil things. The pretend witches, ghosts and scary pumpkins you so playfully place outside your home to ward off evil spirits, actually invite them into your homes. Yes, that's what I said, INVITE! When the enemy sees your spook house, he knows that he doesn't have anything to fear, for you have chosen to block out the presence of God. When the enemy passes by my house, I want it to be VERY clear, to whom I serve! I want my home to shout, "Back off Satan or your gonna get a whole lotta hurtin' if you enter these doors!" As a matter of fact, when we are consumed with only Godly practices, Satan can NOT enter ours homes. He can not pass the blood line or guess what, he would be a saved devil! LOL I can promise you, that ain't gonna happen!! We have to open a door to allow him in. Just as water rejects oil, good does not mix with evil and evil does not combine with good. There is no grey area, only black and white! God is our protection, when we take out God and replace Him with so called "harmless" pagan practices, we willfully remove God's protection.
Whatever day it may be, surround yourself with the good, beautiful things God has given and shun the very appearance of evil! Real or fake, you will find no witches, ghosts or goblins in my house!!! Instead you will find the only thing that can TRULY ward off evil spirits; The very presence of God!
"Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God; but he that doeth evil hath not seen God." 3 John 1:11
Romans 12:9
November 10th, 2008
"Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name."
Psalm 100:4
Is you heart filled with Thanksgiving?
As born again Christians we have so much to be Thankful for. For no matter what trials or tribulations this world brings to us, we always have Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Be thankful for the hope that is in His name!
"But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
1 Corinthians 15:57
"In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
1 Thessalonians 5:18
God always has our best interest in hand, for He loves us. Therefore His will is Always best for our mind, body, heart and soul. So why is it so important to give Him thanks in everything?
"Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened." Romans 1:21
Remember to give God Glory and Thanks Always, so that your heart may NOT be darkened.
December 25th, 2008
"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you GOOD Tidings of GREAT joy, which shall be to ALL people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."
Luke 2:10-11
Over two thousand years ago the night seemed like any other night! Mothers kissed their children as they slumbered within their beds. Shepards casually watched their flocks. All was calm, all was right. So many went about their nightly routines without even an inkling of the miracle taking place. I wipe away the tears as I think, They couldn't even find room for our dear Lord! God had planned that night before the world even began! It had been prophesied for thousands of years, the signs were in abundance, yet most lay warm in their beds missing out on the greatest miracle ever to bless our world. He was pushed to the side and left unnoticed! They couldn't even find room for our dear Lord! Only a few were wise enough to see the signs, only a few stopped to listen as the angels declared. There were but a handful of people in tune enough with the spirit to know! I often wonder how their eyes could have been so blinded. How could their ears have been so deaf? How could they have missed such a glorious happening? God the Father's proudest moment! All of His creation must have been dancing in celebration. The north star shining brightly. Yet I'm sure there were those who probably stumbled out of their beds only to close the curtains to block the light. Oh what a glorious celebration they must have missed for only a few hours of rest! So many missed out on His birth, so many were ignorant to His crucifixion and so many will miss the trumpet when it sounds again! Oh the thought pierces straight through me! How easy it is to become entangled in this world! How easy it is for our sight to become cloudy, For our ears to become muffled! How easy it is to take just one step away from the sound of God's voice! How often do we fill our lives with worldly concerns until there isn't any room left for our Savior? How often does He go unnoticed? Only a handful will hear that trumpet sound! Only a few will see those clouds part! The signs are in abundance! God has planned that moment before the world ever began! We've been warned for thousands of years. Yet most will lay warm in their beds without even an inkling! As I celebrate the birth of our Savior, I am drawn to realization that He WILL return again and SOON! My heart longs to draw closer and closer to Him! I want to be safe within His midst! I long to be so near that I will hear even the faintest whisper. Lord, let me hear you whisper! I pray that my eyes and ears stay wide open focused on only Jesus, so that the things of this world may not weigh me down. My heart fills with excitement at the mere thought of joining our Savior in the clouds for an even more glorious celebration! A celebration I desperately do not want to miss! The moment draws nigh!
Will you be dancing, or will you be sleeping?
We must all search our hearts daily! Christmas is the time to rejoice and Every day is the time to rejoice while we prepare!
"So Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him, He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation." Hebrews 9:28
"Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come; he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." Matthew 24:42-44
Why Does Christmas Really Matter?
January 1st, 2008
Happy New Year!!!
I have heard many discouraging words on the upcoming year. There is some fear and uncertainty among God's people concerning the quality of life they have grown accustomed to. I personally am very excited about the miracles God will perform! I'm anticipating the many blessings that God will bestow within the next 12 months! We know that God LOVES to be glorified. This is the way He chooses to reveal Himself to those of lesser faith. The worse the situation may look the more God will be glorified when victory is at hand. God loves to swoop in and bring light during our darkest moments. At this moment many are expecting a very hard year, For this reason I believe is why this will be one of our most blessed seasons. As if God will announce to all living creatures, "Have you forgotten that I AM God!? Nothing is impossible to me! NO one is out of my reach! I rain manna from heaven and change the hearts of Kings." What more comfort is there than knowing that our Father who loves us, is master of the entire universe, the creator of Heaven and Earth?
We know that there will be trials in this world. For God uses trials to mold and make us into the person we need to be
However, we (those born of God) also know not to fear, "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world; and this is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith."
Yes, there will be tough times in our future. The will be trials that we will have to endure. There will be storms we will have to face. But rest assured that God has promised to make ALL things work together for the good of those who love Him. (Romans 8:28)
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not over overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you. For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior." Isaiah 43: 2-3
Are you Expecting Great things this year?
You Should be!!!
January 12th, 2009
Faith triumphs in troubled times.
"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." Romans 5:1-5
"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall;" 2 Peter 5-7,10
Rejoice in the hope of the Glory of God! Every trial we endure is not an excuse for a pity party but rather an opportunity for the glory of God to be revealed. Seize those opportunities! Stand firm on the promises of God and find comfort in His LOVE, knowing that He is molding you into who He wants you to be, perfecting His creation. Stay mindful that He will turn every situation satan has meant for your harm around for your good and His Glory!
Do you trust Him wholly through ALL things?
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not to your own understanding." Proverbs 3:5
March 27th, 2009
Does Prayer really change things?
Does prayer really change things? ABSOLUTELY!!! Let me say it again....Does prayer really change things? AB...SO..LUTE...LY! We should never underestimate the power of prayer. Take Elijah for example, he prayed that it would not rain and it did not rain for three and a half years. Then again he prayed and the rain showers came and the land once again become fruitful. (James 5: 17-18) Prayer most certainly moves the hand of God. It is a powerful tool when used in connection with God's will.
God moves by faith! Every blessing that we will ever receive is received through faith! All the way from our very salvation to the smallest of blessings! We receive them all by faith.
Prayer is an act of faith...for if you did not have faith in God...you would not pray. Prayer is an act of faith therefore prayer moves the Hand of God.
It is true God is omnipotent. He knows all. He knows how every situation will turn out. Which also means, He knows whether or not we will be faithful in doing our part.
Do you remember the story of the woman who touched the hem of Jesus' garment. She knew that if she could just touch him she would be healed. She didn't say, "if I touch him he might decide to heal me?" NO! She KNEW she would be healed. Within a multitude of people who were pushing, touching, and tugging on Jesus. He felt her touch. Why? Because her faith actually drew His healing power from Him. Jesus replied, “Who touched me? Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me.” "Daughter be of good comfort, for thy faith has made thee whole; go in peace" (Luke 8:40-48). We have to be open to receive God's blessings. We have to BELIEVE that we WILL receive them. When we pray we have to EXPECT God's promises to be fulfilled in our lives.
There have been times in my life when I've been awaken in the middle of the night, knowing that I needed to pray for a particular person. Out of obedience I prayed. Later I would find out that particular person was in a terrible car accident and miraculously walked away, or had a relapse in an illness but somehow made it through. These were all incidents of the power of prayer. On the other hand I have experienced a couple of people who died very suddenly and I never felt led to pray for them. Why do you ask? Simple...it was their time to go. When we feel the need to pray it's because God is wanting to move in a certain situation. He is wanting to make a change! Our faith filled prayers are the instruments He chooses to use! Prayer is a POWERFUL thing!! It should never be taken lightly or spoken in vain.
We must expect God to answer our prayers and we must EXPECT Him to do that which He has promised according to His Word. It's all about our belief! Just like the Israelites I talked about in this blog entry (also posted on August 13th of our July/August journal page). All of the Israelite children were promised a land flowing with milk and honey but only a few received God's promise. Why? Many lost out on God's promised blessing because of their presistant unbelief. Many chose to believe the negative report of the spies. Caleb, however, received the promised land because even though the circumstances said something else, he chose to believe a God that can not lie. He did not see the worldly circumstance! He chose to only see God's promise laid out before Him. He chose to believe the report of the LORD! We too must CHOOSE to believe.
There are nearly 100 times in the Bible where Jesus said, "I tell you the truth! I tell you the truth!" The circumstances in this world often SCREAM out worldly facts. But Jesus said, "I tell you the truth!" "I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you" Matthew 17:20
"Whatsoever you ask in my name, that will I do that the Father might be glorified in the Son!" 1 John 5:4. We have to ask....then believe He will do just as He says!
If we doubt even for a moment...we have already lost the battle. "For verily I say unto you. That whosoever shall say unto this mountain be thou removed, and be cast into the sea, AND SHALL NOT DOUBT IN HIS HEART, but shall BELIEVE that those things which he saith comes to pass; he shall have whatsover he saith. " Mark 11:23
We pray according to His will, we ask in the name of Jesus, and we BELIEVE our prayers are answered. We EXPECT the promises of God to be made manifest in our lives.
When his disciples failed in delivering a boy from an evil spirit, they asked Jesus why and Jesus replied "because of your unbelief" Even Jesus when visiting His home city, would not perform miracles because of the city's abundant unbelief. (Mark 6:1-6)
Sometimes we get so caught up in the Almighty being that God is, we tend to forget that He is also our Heavenly Father. He only wants what is best for His children. He does not want us to suffer, not even in this world. That is why Jesus said, " And now I come to thee: and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them they word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray that thou should not take them out of the world, but that thou should keep them from the evil. They are not of this world, even as I am not of this world. Santify them through thy truth, thy word is truth. " John17:13-17 . We do encounter the things of this world. However we are governed by a different truth than worldly truth. We are governed by a GODLY truth. A truth that offers us VICTORY in all aspects of our life.
Satan would love for us to believe that it may not be God's will to save, deliver or heal. He would love for us to believe that prayer is not effective. His battle DEPENDS on whether or not we buy into LIES! He wants to destroy our faith. Corrupting our faith or placing our belief in his lies is what hinders us from God's blessings. Satan is the one who wants us to suffer. He's the one that wants to keep us in bondage. Jesus came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. (John 10:10) Christ came to save, deliver and heal. That's why we must HOLD ON TO God's promises! We must HOLD ON TO THE TRUTH!
If you do not believe in the protection of God. I incline you to read Psalms 91. For a thousand may fall at my feet and 10, 000 at my right hand, but it shall NOT come near me. No plague shall come nigh my dwelling. For God has given His angels charge over me to watch me in all my ways. We have protection as the children of God!! God allows trials in our lives to perfect the vessel He has created us to be (James 1). But we belong to Him, He loves us and He remains in control. And he says do not fear the things of this world for "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world; and this is the victory that overcometh the world, EVEN OUR FAITH." 1 John 5:4.
It's a given, that God's first and foremost concern is our salvation. There are times when he uses situations to bring salvation to someone and/or their loved ones who might not have received it otherwise. There are times when He delivers us from unknown circumstances in our futures they could eventually overwhelm us. In these circumstances He grants us the ultimate healing of going home to be with Him.
God's omnipotent wisdom and mercy knows the very best for us. Sometimes He answers prayers differently than we expect. But WE NEVER DOUBT HIS GOODNESS! WE NEVER DOUBT HIS ABILITY and WE NEVER DOUBT HIS WORD WHICH DECLARES UNTO US.....BY HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEALED!
"Pray at ALL times in the Spirit, with all prayer and entreaty. To that end, keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints. And pray also for me, that utterance may be given me, that I may open my mouth to proclaim boldly the mystery of the Gospel. For which I am an ambassador in a coupling chain Pray that I may declare it boldly and courageously, as I ought to do." Ephesians 6:18-20
"....For the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." James 5:16
Contrary
to popular belief Hope is NOT defined as merely "wishful" thinking.
Hope is actually looking in expectation toward the future with
confidence that something WILL be obtained!
Once
you understand the true meaning of the word Hope, suddenly the biblical
definition of the word Faith is seen from a completed different
perspective. For
"Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" Hebrews 11:1
Actually this scripture is saying...Faith is the substance of things EXPECTED!
Every
blessing Christ died for is received by Faith! This is the Spiritual
law that God set forth into motion. Just as there are physical laws of
gravity or such, God has set forth Spiritual laws as well.
You
see, Love has already moved the Hand of God. Compassion has already
moved the hand of God. Because of His love and Compassion for us, God
sent His only begotten Son to die for our Redemption. (John 3:16)
Our problems will not move the hand of God...if they
did everyone would be problem free! Our whining does not move the hand
of God. The only thing that will move the Hand of God, (spiritual law)
is our faith in His already given provision.
When you are thirsty you ask for a drink. When someone answers
by providing you with a glass of water, do you continue to ask for that
said water, or do you simply reach out your hand, receive it and say
thank you? The same goes for God's blessings, (salvation, healing,
prosperity ALL provided on the cross) God has already provided, now it
is up to us to receive His blessings!
Every day, people put
their faith in things of this world. We have faith in complete
strangers while driving down the road, for we EXPECT them to stay
within their lane. We have faith in the pharmacist
at our local drug store, for we EXPECT him to give us the right
medication. We have faith in airplane pilots for we EXPECT them to come
to work sober. Yet we fail to have faith in the one Being who controls
ALL of these happenings. We fail to EXPECT God to bless His children.
We become fearful and fail to EXPECT God to protect us! We become ill
and fail to EXPECT God to heal us! He has promised us time and time
again. The word says He is a God who can not lie. (Titus 1:2)
He has sent forth a guideline on how to receive His blessings...obey
His commandments, righteousness through the blood of Christ, and
BELIEVING HIM!
Need salvation? Ask and ye SHALL receive! Expect
it! Need healing? Expect it! Prosperity in ALL areas? Be obedient to
God and EXPECT IT!
Does this mean we will not have trials? Absolutely NOT. The Word tells us in James 1
to consider it all joy. Within every trial there lies a lesson for us
to learn. I can not even begin to tell you all the lessons we learned
during our journey with Serenity. I am a completely different person
than I was three years ago. I have a deeper understanding of faith, I
have a closer relationship with Christ. God taught me how to COMPLETELY
surrender to Him and rely on Him ALONE for ALL of my needs! He even
used what satan meant for harm and not only healed my daughter, but
also healed many relationships within my family! For those who love God
and are called according to His purpose, He will bring our good and His
glory out of EVERY trial (Romans 8:28)
God
is our Heavenly Father. Just as any good parent knows there are times
when we must allow our children to endure hard times. For this is the
way, they learn, build character, become the person we hope for them to
be. In our own way we are trying to perfect our children. However, once
that little light bulb goes on and they learn their lesson, we are
always there to bail them out. If this is the kind of love we have for
our children, how much greater is God's love for His. For God IS love! (1 John 4:8)
Don't most of us EXPECT our earthly parents to take care of us? We EXPECT them to be there if we need healing, or provisionalYou receive as you believe!!!
Remember we may endure trials....
Christ has already laid the foundation for all of our blessings. He has
already provided a solution to every problem we have on this Earth! Now
that the solution has already been provided, God's hand is moved ONLY
by Faith!
means. Even more than our earthly parents, our Heavenly Father wants to
bless us! He does NOT want us to suffer! He LOVES us more than our
human minds can even comprehend! So shouldn't we always EXPECT HIS
blessings!
"But
thanks to our God who gives us Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always
abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in
vain in the Lord. " 1 Corinthians 15:57-58
My
Savior did NOT shed His blood in vain! My Savior did not take His
stripes in vain! My Savior had a reason! My Savior had a purpose! My
Savior Died to set me FREE! And my Savior DID the same for YOU!
"Have Faith in God" Mark 11:22 (Have the substance of things EXPECTED in God)
and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6,7
Soon it becomes all we can think about. Our prayer time is consumed with that one concern. We forget to offer Him praises. We forget to worship. We forget our relationship entirely.
Then... when these things fail to happen, we are quick to blame God or assume that He just doesn't care. "Oh well, God must not love me enough. If God really cared about me then He would have answered my prayer."
"Be still and know that I am God!" Psalm 46:10
So be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication let your requests be made know to God, then...
"Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart: wait, I say, on the LORD." Psalm 27:14
June 5th, 2009 August 6th, 2009
I believe this
scripture stands true for us today. Even as born again Christians,
every morning we wake up and make a choice... Am I going to trust God
today.... Am I going to walk by faith... Am I going to believe the
negative reports of this world or Am I going to believe the TRUTH?
(God's Holy Word)
Every day we make a choice to walk within the
blessings of God or to walk within the curses of Adam and Eve. We make
a choice. I believe that we can live in the land God swore to our
ancestors... even while here on this Earth. I believe that we can live
a life of abundance... physical and spiritual. I believe that we WILL
encounter trials (it is promised) but I believe we can ALWAYS walk in Victory!
As you can read in Numbers the 13th and 14th chapters or in this previous post,
the Israelite children were also handed a choice. God swore unto them a
land flowing with milk and honey. He delivered them out of Egypt. He
performed miracle after miracle, supplying all of their needs. It
should have been so simple to trust God. It should have been an
absolute "NO BRAINIER" that God would fulfill His promise.
Yet, once they arrived, many chose to believe a negative report. The spies were sent out...The walls are so tall, the land is surrounded on all sides. It's impossible....blah blah blah. The people were faced with circumstances and became fearful. We're gonna get slaughtered! Let's load up and head back to Egypt!
Only
a handful trusted a God who can NOT lie! Caleb did not ignore the
height of the wall, nor did he deny the mighty forces on each side. He
simply picked up his armor...God said it therefore it is! Let's Fight! The land belongs to us. We WILL win!
All
were God's children...All were promised the same land. Yet only a
handful entered in. Caleb received his promise land because he chose to
believe God's report. He placed his trust fully in God! He chose life!
How
many times have we acted as the doubtful multitude? How many times have
we gave up on the promises of God because it seemed too impossible? How
many times have we turned our eyes toward the circumstances instead of
focusing on the Deliverer? How many times have we been handed a
negative report and laid claim to it?
We are promised many
blessings, but we must HOLD FAST to God's promises. Even when things
seem impossible. We must NEVER doubt God's goodness or ability! We must
be confident in Christ! Last time I checked, the Word said to come
BOLDLY to the throne of Grace.
Let us therefore come
boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace
to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16
Caleb
was bold in his faith. He did not turn and run from his fight. He knew
alone he was far too weak, but he was not relying on himself. He was
relying on the promises of God! He KNEW that greater is He that is in
us than he that is in this world! (1 John 4:4)
We
are to be bold because we are to be confident of who Christ is and what
HE accomplished for us! We must know who we are in Christ....
We are MORE THAN CONQUERORS! (Romans 8:37)
Every
day we are faced with two reports... the report this world has to offer
(eternal damnation, poverty, sickness, divorce,etc) or God's report! We
are faced with two choices... life or death. We can have eternal
life... life in our finances...life in our health....life in our
marriages! We can live in a land flowing with milk and honey or we can
choose to live in the darkness of this world.
Every day we make a choice! Today will you choose life or death? Once the reports are in...Whose report will you believe?
So
many look at this scripture and bring forth the fact that the mustard
seed is the smallest seed. It's true that faith starts small and God
will always give us what we need to help it grow. However, did you also
know that the mustard seed is a PURE seed? Faith can not be corrupted
with worldly views. Faith can not be compromised with doubt. In order
to grow, faith MUST be PURE!
I know that I must sound like a
broken record. Some may be tired of hearing me talk about faith.
However, God has laid such a burden on my heart to understand what it
means to fully trust Him. I am not claiming to know it all. I just
merely have a hunger to understand more. So when I come across those
who completely misinterpret even the basic concept of the word. It
bothers me! I become consumed with wanting to help people understand. Everything God has to offer is received by faith. Therefore, the
key to receiving God's blessings is fully understanding faith. Because
of the compassion God places in my heart, I want to see EVERYONE
blessed! Yet, so many miss out on God's blessings because they "think"
they are truly believing... When in actuality they are being double
minded.
One of my absolute biggest pet peeves is the
phrase..."Hoping for the best but preparing for the worst." This has
GOT to be the biggest oxymoron to ever cross the lips of a believer.
Now, We go back to the definition of hope... "to expect with
confidence." If you are EXPECTING the best... you are NOT going to be
preparing for the worse. If you are EXPECTING a bright and sunny day...
do you carry an umbrella with you all day long? If you are CONFIDENT
that your brand new car will start.. do you call a friend and say... "
I may need a jump start. Standby just in case." No! because no one who
is TRULY HOPING for the best EVER prepares for the worst.
Once again the biblical meaning of faith... "The substance of things hoped for. The evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1
Faith is EXPECTING a promise of God even when your eyes can't see it's outcome. EXPECTING something despite the circumstances.
If
you are truly standing in faith for a miracle healing... you are not
going to make funeral arrangements. If you are standing in faith for
God to save your marriage... your not going to retain a lawyer.
A
few years ago I read a story... A woman was a devoted Christian. She
loved and served the Lord with all of her heart. Her husband, on the
other hand, was running from the call God had on his life. He wanted
nothing to do with her or her God. One day he told her their marriage
was over and left... pledging to NEVER return. The woman knew that even
though the bible does indeed give a couple of allowances for divorce,
it is NEVER God's perfect will that a family be destroyed. So she
prayed. She prayed daily and EXPECTED God to answer her prayer. Every
night she went about her normal routine. She would cook dinner and set
TWO places at the table. Then she would sit down and stare at the
door... waiting for him to come home. After their normal dinner time
had passed she would go ahead and eat without him. Then the next day
she would do it all over again. Friends would come over for dinner and
she would set and extra place. They would ask.. "Are you expecting
someone else?" She always replied, "Yes.. my husband! God is bringing
him home and I want to be prepared." Now the friends all knew that the
husband wanted nothing to do with her. So they pitied her... thinking
she was in some horrible state of denial. However, their unbelief
didn't affect the woman's faith. She continued to trust God. For
months, the woman was genuinely disappointed each time his seat
remained empty. Then one night, as she sat down at the table and stared
at the door, the knob finally began to turn. The husband to whom she
hadn't spoken in months, walked nervously into the house. He was sure
he was going to have to beg and plead for her forgiveness. Yet, the
woman simply smiled and said.."Welcome home... Supper is ready."
Together they ate. He later went on to have a flourished ministry for
God.
Faith is Expecting! Faith is KNOWING without seeing.
Faith is PREPARING FOR THE BEST because you are EXPECTING THE BEST. If
this woman would have said.. "Well I'm believing that God is going to
save my marriage... but I
better call a lawyer 'Just in case' " She might have missed one of the
greatest blessings of her life. She might have missed God's perfect
will.
When the doctors made Serenity's future seem grim, my
parents went out and bought her a diamond heart necklace. Now they
didn't buy a tiny baby necklace. No.. they bought her an adult
necklace. This necklace was a step of faith toward the bright healthy
future, we knew God was going to give her. It remains put up until the
day she's old enough to wear it.
A person who says... "I'm
hoping for the best but preparing for the worst." is living a double
standard. They are claiming to have a spiritual view but in reality are
thinking carnally. They are being double minded. What does God's word
say about the double minded?
"A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. "James 1:8
And an unstable man will surely fall!
That's why the Word also tells us to have faith as a child.
"Verily
I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a
little child, he shall not enter therein." Mark 10:15
A
child does not reason things out. A child just BELIEVES. If you were to
tell a child the sky is green. They would grow believing the sky was
green until the day they were old enough to reason it out. A child
never doubts the truth. A child's faith is PURE. Just as a child, we
must be free from all doubt. Just as a mustard seed, our faith must be
PURE!
"And
the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say
unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou
planted in the sea; and it shall obey you." Luke 17:6
