Friday, September 19, 2008

Storms




It is important to understand that we must bear some type of trial or tribulation. The only way we would know that something is worth anything is to test it. If it fails then we must strengthen that which is week in us through the word.
In the book of Matthew it clearly states that offences must come, but woe to the man by whom the offence cometh. Matt. 18:3-7
We must understand and believe that God has our back and if we are willing to suffer with him then we will reign with him; II Timothy 2:12. This entire chapter teaches us as Christians that we should bear our own cross and know that we do not suffer in vein.
It does not matter from where the offence comes. All that matters is how we handle it, outwardly and most of all inwardly because Gods sees the heart.
When you find yourself at the receiving end of someone’s…momentary lack of judgment that results in your pain, bear it and pray and ask God to help you take it and God will take care of the situation. Romans 12:19-20. 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 12:20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Proverbs 25:21-22. 25:21 If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: 25:22 For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee.
Never speak harm against the person or pray wrongfully. Pray that God will help them and bless them. Mean this from your heart not because you want God to rain coals of fire down on them but because you love them as God do. God will take care of the rest.
Gods love for us is beyond our understanding. We should posses that same type of love. Don’t try to figure it out, just love them despite how they are treating you. This is the character of our Lord and Savior Jesus.
Daily we work on being more like him and less like ourselves. This is a daily endeavor and we can not afford to let up or relax in anyway. That church that he is looking for without a spot or wrinkle, it is you. Your hearts must be clean as well as your minds. Your physical appearance does not matter. The flesh can not be saved; 1 Corinthians 15:50.
We all are capable of making mistakes and hurting someone. When we do, we must recognize it and ask for forgiveness and refrain from those types of behaviors. We must work to posses the fruits of the spirit and not the fruits of the flesh. Sure it feels good to the flesh to satisfy it. That satisfaction is only for a season and it will bring a long life of pain. If we are God’s children, then we should be more like him.

Monday, September 15, 2008

Will You Challenge God?

The Potter's Table

Do you have the will to challenge God? Will you or can you challenge him at his word? Try it. He is your God and your father. He said “Put Me In Remembrance Of My Word” Isa. 43:26. Prove him now to see if he would not perform that which he promised in his word, Mal. 3:10 ...prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts,... What else must He say for us to take him at his word. This is how much God means what he say; Heb. 6:13: For when God made promise to Abraham, because he (God) could swear by no greater, he swear by himself, 14: Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. 15: And so, after he (Abraham) had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. Know this one thing, we serve a God that does not go back on his word as long as we patiently endure and trust solely wholly in him.
So now the ball is in your court. It is now your move; What are you going to do? Give up and call it quits? Or are you going to cleans your hearts and come before him in humility and speak God’s word back to him? No this, he will hold up his end of the bargain as long as we remain faithful to him and to him only.
Trust - people of God and LEAN on the ARMS of our true and loving God. He did not fail Abraham, the Canaan woman, and our other brothers and sisters in the bible and he will not fail you. The question is, ‘Will You Fail Him’? Feast and be merry

Continuing Resolution

The word of God states “we are born in sin and shaped in iniquity”. The word of God also states on many occasion that the flesh, man’s natural body, can not be saved.
Since our separation from God in the Garden of Eden, our salvation is through faith in the spirit. Since we know this and we know that we must continue to live in this flesh, with all its inconsistencies and hatred and among other things that come natural to us in the flesh and through the flesh, then we all are living in a state of ‘continuing resolution’.
The word of God instructs us to renew our mind daily so we will not do those thing that we would and do those things we would not. He said for us to walk in the spirit so we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Gal. 5:16 How? By continue to read and rehearse the word of God in our hearts. To put into practice that which we have read.
Until God comes back for us or until we die, which ever comes first, we will always have issues to deal with in our flesh. There is no one that has broken free of this fight. Read what Paul wrote: (For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin." Roman 7:4-6, 15-25).
We also know that the spirit and the flesh are in constant battle. God knew that man could not live holy on his own because of this battle within resulting from sin entering into the world. What makes us conquerors is the spirit of God within us. The Holy Ghost.
Now since we know through the word of God that we all are in need of his grace and mercy, we dear not fool ourselves that we have reach a point in our walk with Christ where we are no longer moved by the things in this world or by things in us. We all are in continuing need of our savoir until the day of his coming. Phil 3:13.
This does not give us an excuse to willfully sin because we know that if we commit ourselves unto him, he will keep us and guide our thoughts and actions. None of us is above the other. We all are on a level playing field. What differentiates us one from another is our faith in God to do just what he says. We must give it all to God. We are unable to keep ourselves because if we could, there would be no need for Jesus being crucified.
This is what keeps us humble under the mighty hands of God. Because we know that there is no good things that dwell in the flesh. By keeping this in mind, we will be more compassionate towards others that makes mistakes or willfully sin. Pray for them and let God be the judge of all. We are not in a state to judge until God has redeem us out of this flesh.
We all need mercy and grace. If we are the proclaimed children of God, then we must show the same compassion that God showed on us while we were yet sinners he commanded his love (Jesus) towards us. Be encourage and know that it you continue the fight, you will win in the end.

PLEASING GOD

There are many ways man comes up with that he thinks is a way to please God. When in doubt, always refer back to the word of God and rely on the Holy Ghost to speak to your hearts.
Heb. 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. God has given to all of us a measure of faith, (Rom. 12:3).
Your faith in him, his Son Jesus Christ is that faith you must maintain through out your walk with Christ. Keep the faith in His word that He has spoken to your heart through His word. (Rom. 3:4) “let God be true, but every man a liar…;” We can let God be true by standing on his word, standing on his promises no matter what man might say or how things may look. If God says “you are bless” then you are blessed. God thinks highly of us even before we decided to serve him; Jere. 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
We sometimes wonder why God thinks so highly of us. How could He or would He love us so much after all that we have done and will do. Isa. 55:8&9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.— For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Basically, our criteria for loving someone or accepting someone is flawed and can not measure up to what God’s love is for man kind. To change our way of loving is to believe in his word and read how he loved us through all our flaws and mistakes. The kind of love that can not be affected by external factors but it is made steadfast in our hearts by the word of God.
God will continue to love us; Rom. 5:8 But God commanded his love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
We can please God by looking at the life of Jesus; Seeing how He conducted himself while here on earth. He demonstrated true love; Love was the foundation of his ministry. “By this others will know that you are my disciples if ye have love for one another.”