11/17/09
not about me
I am going through something I have never experienced in my entire life. the devil & his army of demons have been personally attacking me this past week. their primary goal is to sway me from becoming what God has for my life. beyond that the attacks have nothing to do with me at all. I am just the means to attack God Himself. by attacking me the devil is actually attacking the Father.
I have been using Galatians 2:20 quite frequently during the attacks. recently Romans 12:1 - 3 have made an impact; "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith."
- living sacrifices don't get to pick & choose what happens to them.
- in order to become holy & acceptable I must become a living sacrifice.
- it truly is my reasonable service as Jesus Christ paid for all my sins.
- Christians should only conform to Christ.
- to renew one's mind the Word of God must be implemented.
- God's will is that every child of His do His good, acceptable & perfect will.
- by doing His will, He is going to prove me to see if it still is the forefront of my life.
- upon choosing to become a living sacrifice, I have been shown who I really am in God's eyes.
- the only way I can survive the attacks is to place all my trust, as a living sacrifice, in Jesus.
God is always good and God is always right.
I have been using Galatians 2:20 quite frequently during the attacks. recently Romans 12:1 - 3 have made an impact; "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith."
- living sacrifices don't get to pick & choose what happens to them.
- in order to become holy & acceptable I must become a living sacrifice.
- it truly is my reasonable service as Jesus Christ paid for all my sins.
- Christians should only conform to Christ.
- to renew one's mind the Word of God must be implemented.
- God's will is that every child of His do His good, acceptable & perfect will.
- by doing His will, He is going to prove me to see if it still is the forefront of my life.
- upon choosing to become a living sacrifice, I have been shown who I really am in God's eyes.
- the only way I can survive the attacks is to place all my trust, as a living sacrifice, in Jesus.
God is always good and God is always right.
10/20/09
no decline
II Chronicles 34:2 "And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left."
this verse is taken from the life of King Josiah, king of Judah. in verse 1 we find out this young king was only eight when he ascended to the throne. His father, Amon, was a wicked king. It states Amon was so hard-hearted that he refused to humble himself as his father Manasseh, Josiah's grandfather, had done during his reign. even Manasseh was evil until he came face-to-face with God.
so with all the wicked influences, why would Josiah want to live right & please God with such a steadfast heart? I believe it comes down to Grandpa Manasseh influencing young Josiah. Amon took the throne when Josiah was six. that means Grandpa had time to tell Josiah about his rebellion against Almighty God & how God humbled him.
right now my faith is being tested. how I handle this test could easily influence my future children & grandchildren. my desire is to please my Lord while passing the test. the benefits would be to come closer to Jesus & increase my faith - just as He planned. future benefits could be children & grandchildren. thus giving me the opportunity of telling how an Almighty God can humble a man to future generations.
just like Granpa Manasseh.
this verse is taken from the life of King Josiah, king of Judah. in verse 1 we find out this young king was only eight when he ascended to the throne. His father, Amon, was a wicked king. It states Amon was so hard-hearted that he refused to humble himself as his father Manasseh, Josiah's grandfather, had done during his reign. even Manasseh was evil until he came face-to-face with God.
so with all the wicked influences, why would Josiah want to live right & please God with such a steadfast heart? I believe it comes down to Grandpa Manasseh influencing young Josiah. Amon took the throne when Josiah was six. that means Grandpa had time to tell Josiah about his rebellion against Almighty God & how God humbled him.
right now my faith is being tested. how I handle this test could easily influence my future children & grandchildren. my desire is to please my Lord while passing the test. the benefits would be to come closer to Jesus & increase my faith - just as He planned. future benefits could be children & grandchildren. thus giving me the opportunity of telling how an Almighty God can humble a man to future generations.
just like Granpa Manasseh.
10/8/09
i love this verse!
II Chronicles 14:11
And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let no man prevail against thee.
And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let no man prevail against thee.
9/22/09
be doing
I Chronicles 22:16b, “Arise therefore, and be doing, and the LORD be with thee.”
two commands are presented in this verse; Arise and Be Doing.
if one is ever going to do anything for God they must arise. arise out of the slumber of life. arise out the mundane world. arise out of religion and its traditions. arise anew in Christ in order to be doing. be doing the work of the Father. be doing the life of Christ lived through you. be doing the will of God as told through His Holy Spirit and His Word. be doing what God has called you to do after you have arisen.
the last portion of the passage is implied. once you arise and begin doing, the LORD is with you. He is with you when you arise. He is with you when you begin doing. He is with you while you are doing. He is with you when it is time to lay down the doing & follow Him home.
today’s churches are full of people who have arisen but have never began the doing. little do they know that God Almighty is the same yesterday, today & forever. meaning He only calls you to the doing that He knows you can do through Him.
whatever is on life’s path has already been approved by Him for you. for me. therefore I must arise and be doing.
9/20/09
letting God lead
Numbers 14:1-10a
Vs. 7: “And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.”
The phrase ‘to search it’ means there was a reconnaissance mission to find out how to go forward in God’s will. Prayer & fasting, coupled with saturation of the Word, will bring that to light.
Vs. 8a: “If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us.”
‘If the Lord delights’ hinges on God delighting in us while being obedient to His word & will. ‘Then he will bring us’ accompanies the Lord delighting and our obedience, but doesn’t always mean we are to go forward. Sometimes we must be patient & wait right where we are while He brings & gives what He has for us. Though here we see that God’s delight and our obedience is what will bring us into the land of promise. That is God’s plan for our life.
How is this accomplished?
1. When God moves, you move!
Vs. 9a: “Only rebel not ye against the Lord…”
YOU is implied emphatically as the one that should not rebel. If God is moving DON’T stand in the way! A friend of mine once gave the analogy of God being the engineer of a train. Now we have the choice of either being on the tracks or on the train. If we are on the tracks, God will run us over. As we are His children He wants us to obey & if not then we are asking for the chastisement. But if we are on the train then we get the opportunity to experience His blessing of doing His will.
2. While God is moving, don’t fear.
Vs 9b: “neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them…”
This is so cool! He is saying to not be afraid as the people that are in the land already are more afraid of you than you of them! They don’t have a leg to stand on with God and you against them! Amen! Being on God’s side makes it so much easier especially knowing that the moving forward is part of His will.
3. Watch God while you move!
Vs 9d: “and the Lord is with us…”
Keep your eyes glued to the One doing the work. Too many times I tend to focus on what I think I’m doing for God. It is at these times that God politely puts me in my place only to tell me that it isn’t me doing the work. It’s Him working through me in order for Him to get the glory. I’m glad God is merciful enough to remind me gently instead out of vengeance.
4. Willingly move with God.
Vs 24a & b: “But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully…”
Moving begins in the heart long before it gets to the feet! If you are ever going to follow God it MUST begin in the heart. The action of your heart is closely linked to all the other areas of your body; mind, eyes, ears, mouth & etc. People say that your heart must be in something in order to do it; though I know many that did something without any part of their heart being involved. It’s the same with following God. If it truly comes from God, it will begin in your heart & then travel throughout thus making it easier to follow with your feet. Hence the prayer & fasting coupled with the Word. The only way to follow God is fully – no half-heartedness!
Proverbs 3:5 & 6, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thine ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (bold for emphasis)
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