Archives for August 2013

THROUGH

THROUGH

In NAHUM 1:3 HE tells us “The Lord is slow to anger but great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet.”

praise-you-in-the-storm-copy2_thumbThe Storms of your life that has allowed a state of depression, and despair to exist. Today, if you will allow God to take full control of your life, He will allow that storm whatever it may be, to become a constant measure of your faith and strength that will carry you to the next level in your life. So instead of a situation, or storm that may exist that sometimes allows us to loose our faith in God while allowing the forces of evil to bring you down to their level.

THROUGH the Saving grace of our Savior. If you will endure as you put on the whole armor of God. As Paul tells us in Eph. 5:11 to “Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.” And by equipping your life with the armor of Christ, you are telling Satan that your faith is unmovable and that the victory over the storms in your life was already won on Calvary.

Because our God has promised us in 1 john 4:4 ………”Because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.” In other words the Destiny that my God has set for me, as He transforms my character to be like His. Is greater than any storm that you may create in my life to discourage this journey that will lead me to God’s pure and holy kingdom. My GOD will get me THROUGH, as He allows me to understand and focus on the fact that He is the perfect storm of my life.

Ps. 16:8 tells me I know the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. In Job 1 6:8 it says One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.” Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job?

“There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” Oh that my faith was of such that my God could brag on me. We all know the story of job so imgresI will not rewrite what you all ready know. But what I will say is, if your walk is with God Daily, and you have allowed His Word and Spirit to infiltrate your mind and body. No storm is powerful enough to move you from God.

for Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:58  “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.” And my God knows this because He knows, and He wants you to know also what the transforming power of His word and Spirit will have on your life if you are willing to have faith and believe and endure THROUGH Him.

Who is ……. the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

what faith in God. Even When Job’s hope had disappeared and everything he held dear to him was lost, He cried out “Job 1:20-22 says At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.

”IN ALL THIS, JOB DID NOT SIN BY CHARGING GOD WITH WRONGDOING.” Job’s life now is saturated with death destruction and despair. But he remembered. As I ask you my friend”s to remember. In spite of the tears. Psalm 30:4-5 tells us “Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life;

clip_image001_0018Weeping may endure for a night But joy comes in the morning.” Yes “Weeping may endure for a night.” but He will get us THROUGH. That statement gives me a reason to shout and praise God’s name, before my joy in the morning even arrives! The simple fact that weeping only endures for a night, is a good reason to praise God. because that tell’s me at the setting of the Sun or SON and darkness surrounds the firmament over the sky.

And 8 to 10 hours later, God’s sun or SON eradicates the darkness from the sky. If you will keep your focus on God’s only begotten SON and what He went THROUGH ON THE CROSS for in Joshua 1:9 it say’s  “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” weather at night or day, in the storm or in sunshine.

David uses the night to show us that our weeping is temporary, the night isn’t going to last. God is teaching us the only place for your trust is in His loving care and protection. Everything else is temporary only His love will last. 1 John 2:17 tells me “And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. So today my friends focus, and ENDURE, the journey is worth it 1 Cor. 2:9 let’s ,me know….. “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” the things God has prepared for those who love him.

Earth is that place of eternal preparation, but you must get THROUGH it. And tell yourself, “When I saw what lay before me, Lord, I cried, what will you do? I thought He would just remove it. But, He gently led me THROUGH. Without fire, there’s no refining, without pain, no release, without flood, there’s no rescue, without testing, no belief. THROUGH the fire, through the flood, through the water, through the blood THROUGH the dry and barren places, THROUGH life’s dense and maddening mazes, THROUGH the pain, and THROUGH the glory THROUGH we’ll always tell the story, of the God whose power and mercy, will not fail…to take us…THROUGH. (Gaither Vocal Band)

 

 So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY

REPENTANCE

July 9, 2013

 

REPENTANCE:

“Repentance is the activity of reviewing one’s actions and feeling contrition or regret for past wrongs. It generally involves a commitment to personal change and resolving to live a more responsible and humane life. The practice of repentance plays an important role in the soteriological doctrines of the world’s major religions where it is considered necessary for the attainment of salvation.”

Acts 3:19 – Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord”. Repentance is not just feeling remorseful, or conscience-stricken, but convicted through God’s Spirit to live according to God’s precepts and laws. Feeling sorry without giving it all to the master is not changing one’s life. The fruits of repentance are visible actions, that demonstrates a person has actually turned His life around.

imgresCancer develops when cells in a part of the body begin to grow out of control. Once a person reaches maturity, cells in most parts of the body divide only to replace worn out or dying cells and to repair injuries. Because cancer cells continue to grow and divide, they are different from normal cells; instead of dying, they outlive normal cells and continue to form new abnormal cells. Cancer cells develop because of damage to DNA. In cancer cells, the damaged DNA is not repaired.

Often, cancer cells travel to other parts of the body where they begin to grow and replace normal tissue. These cancer cells, if they are not entirely eradicated, will continue to multiply and will eventually kill the patient. Cancer and sin are much alike we must completely eradicate sin. If we wish to live abundant lives, Galatians 2:20 tells us “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Paul states that he is dead and crucified but he still lives because Christ lives in him. In Acts 3:19 – it states “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord”.  Repentance is A transformation from the results of sin to the Character and  life that we live through Christ. We are not able to divorce oneself from the penalty of sin unless we recognize that it is as a cancer that will spread and cause death.

Paul says in Romans 6:23, “the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” “But when the heart yields to the influence of the Spirit of God, the imagesconscience will be quickened, and the sinner will discern something of the depth and sacredness of God’s holy law.” John 1:9 states The “Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world, illumines the secret chambers of the soul, and the hidden things of darkness are made manifest.” “Conviction takes hold upon the mind and heart. The sinner has a sense of the righteousness of Jehovah and feels the terror of appearing, in his own guilt and uncleanness, before the Searcher of hearts. He sees the love of God, the beauty of holiness, the joy of purity; he longs to be cleansed and to be restored to communion with Heaven.”(E. G. White Steps to Christ, p. 24.)

Matthew 3:1-3 says “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near” One of the greatest gifts God has given man among many is the ability to repent and be saved. Without this capability we would be unable to enter God’s pure and holy Kingdom and receive eternal life. Repentance and Restoration of our lives leads to the sinner entering into the Presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

It also means a 180 degree turn around, and not 360 degrees. For 360 only tells our savior I’m returning back to the forces of evil because I have not allowed you to completely cut out the cancer of this world that have been distracting my five senses starting with,

#1 (SIGHT -Our over saturation of television programming has turned the United States into a nation of zombies. Sin and Satan’s desire that we all lose sight of Christ saving grace, as we squander away our time in front of the TV. For we only have but a short period of probation, from birth to death in which to prepare for God’s pure and holy kingdom. Watching TV immediately shifts our brain activity to an unfocused state of mind which lacks the act of knowing, perceiving, or remembering the things God deems beneficial, and precious for our salvation.),

#2 (smell- 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 tells us But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?

images#3(touch- Sensuality is a major sin in this imoral world we live in. Of all the things to exercise control of, this is perhaps the easiest. God has given us the opportunity to exercise the sense of touch to inform each of us, weather man or women when we are being treated in an ungodly fashion. fact: Samson who once laid his head in the lap of a woman named Delilah and later gave His life for the master, but physically blind and young in years. A simple I am a child of God keep your hands to yourself’ would have saved Samson’s life and ministry.)

#4(taste- So it is with anything you put in your mouth; God gave you the ability to discern , Romans 12:2 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.” God gave us our sense of taste to warn us what is good and acceptable to God. )

#5(hearing-The last senses that you must take control over is the ear. There is no reason that we cannot identify the destructive and foul sounds of inappropriate music, and gossip that affect us spiritually . Think of your heart as a recorder. Your tongue will then become the ‘sound system’ that replays every thing that you filled your heart with…Luke 6:45 says A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

 

Remenber my friends 2 Chronicles 7:14 – If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

 

So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY

 

“ON ONE ACCORD” AND COMPREHEND

July 8, 2013

“ON ONE ACCORD” AND COMPREHEND

1 Corinthians 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

ac·cord –  Agreement; harmony of minds; consent or concurrence of opinions or wills. They all continued with one accord in prayer. Acts, 1..

com·pre·hend – to understand the nature or meaning of; grasp with the mind; perceive:

“As the disciples waited for the fulfillment of the promise, they humbled their hearts in true repentance and confessed their unbelief. They prayed with intense earnestness for a fitness to meet men and in their daily intercourse to speak words that would lead sinners to Christ. Putting away all differences, all desire for the supremacy, they came close together in Christian fellowship. These days of preparation were days of deep heart searching. The disciples felt their spiritual need and cried to the Lord for the holy function that was to fit them for the work of soul saving. They did not ask for a blessing for themselves merely. They were weighted with the burden of the salvation of souls. They realized that the gospel was to be carried to the world, and they claimed the power that Christ had promised.” ( E. G.White)

 

52862255_910a0480bcAs Follower’s of Christ we must daily ask our Savior to complete our praise, and glory in Him, and for Him, by allowing our mind and body to be “ON ONE ACCORD” with His, as we love as He loves, while constantly seeking a true focal point, or main source of His power, while through the sovereignty of His Holy Spirit all believers will be united through the body of Christ who are TRULY SEEKING HIS PRESENCE”.

Matthew 18:19 says “Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, and it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.” and through this Spirit filled body of saints the world will be convinced that there is a living God who gave His ONE AND ONLY SON who walked “The Via Dolorosa, road from the place of Pontius Pilate’s sentencing, to Golgotha, The “way of sorrows.”

Where He Hung on a cruel cross so that we may all who through his grace who are “ON ONE ACCORD” may COMPREHEND as we all FOCUS ON HIS WORD, LOVE, FAITH, and ENDURANCE. While COMPREHENDING these spiritual attributes that allowed the FATHER AND SON TO be “ON ONE ACCORD” as the plan of salvation was planned and implemented for all mankind through their love in the preparation for His Son’s and Daughters to enter His pure and holy kingdom and receive ETERNAL LIFE.

1 John 3:1-2 tells us For “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” And this will only happen, if through individual faith and commitment, all are “ON ONE ACCORD”

John 17:20-26 says “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also imgresmay be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”

Romans 12:4-6 also says “For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individual members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the face that is given to us, let us use them; if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith.” So these text tell me that “ON ONE ACCORD can only be revalant to Christ in situations where the power of one does not defeat the lesser power of others.

44168Genuine unity is sustained in a spirit of humility, and love, in acknowledging each individual’s differences and joining together shared visions, and goals, that leads to finishing God’s commission. In Matthew 24:14 it states “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” once our focus stays on finishing God’s work here on earth then the unity we have in Christ with other’s becomes a gift of God’s Holy Spirit.

Joel 2:28-29 says “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit.” while announcing the good news of Christ soon return. And once the Holy Spirit finds its way to each individual, energizes of new potentials that benefit everyone, will be revealed to God’s glory and honor.

So our mission statement as one. Must be a mission statement for all. As we reach a world, in the final day’s of this life’s history. In John 12:32 it tells us, And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people, and communities to myself.” as we all become open minded, just, and inclusive to everyone. each having An upper room, experience as we become “ON ONE ACCORD” while SPREADING the good news to a sinful and imoral world as we prepare for Christ soon coming.

 

So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY

 

 

FORGIVENESS

FORGIVNESS

“Mistakes are your school of learning therefore forgiveness is your greatest teacher in this school of learning.” (Stephen Richards,) My friends where do we start with forgivenss today. Acts 7:59-60 is a good place to start our devotional today “And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

imagesNow let’s go to”The Via Dolorosa, the road Jesus walked from the place of Pontius Pilate’s sentencing, to Golgotha, The “way of sorrows.” and as he hung on that cruel cross nothing that happen on Calvary that day was about Him. but to the contrary it was all about the saving of Humanity from the clutches of the forces of evil Luke 23:34 says it best Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”And they divided His garments and cast lots.

Before this point in time the world was not justified for Salvation, But at the cross, Satan was defeated, and even the centurions who were part of his crucifixion were included in the saving grace and power of Jesus Christ. In Luke 23:47 it says So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous Man!”. The unimaginable power of forgiveness that day on Calvary.

Those ten words spoken by our Master, the hope of violence is overcome by peace, hatred is conquered by love of the Master’s grace. Even under the greatest pressure while enduring the most gruesome and humiliating pain, Our Savior responded to Hatred with love, mercy and forgiveness. Matthew 5:44 says ” But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” forgiveness is A choice of A child oh God’s conscious, that we make through a decision of our own will, motivated only by being obedient to God and his commission to forgive as He forgives.

in Colossians 3:13 it tells us to “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” By possessing the attitude of forgiveness, you will also embrace the characteristic of love, peace, joy, hope, and gratitude. Forgiveness is The greatest gift to give. You can receive it, or You can give it. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.

And Forgiveness surely doesn’t mean that you deny the other person’s responsibility, and it doesn’t minimize or justify the wrong. You can forgive the person without excusing the act. Forgiveness brings a kind of peace that helps you go on with life in the loving arms of God. Matthew 6:14-15. “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Stop and consider your salvation. When we accept Jesus and what the Lord has done for us, We are to forgive as Christ has forgiven us. Peter had come to Christ with the question, “How oft shall unmerciful-servantmy brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?” Christ taught that we are never to become weary of forgiving. Not “Until seven times,” He said, “but, Until seventy times seven.” He showed the true ground upon which forgiveness is to be granted, and the danger of cherishing an unforgiving spirit He shows us, In a parable.

He told of a king’s dealing with the officers who administered the affairs of his government. there was brought before him one man whose account showed a debt to his lord for the immense sum of ten thousand talents. with nothing to pay his debt, to make a long story short the king ordered him to be sold, the terrified man pleaded, the king had passion and forgave his entire dept. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him.

After asking for what was due him. He discovered the man did not have it, so he was, cast  into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, called His servant to him, and said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee?

The lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due him. “The pardon granted by this king represents a divine forgiveness of our sins. Christ is represented by the king, who, moved with compassion, forgave the debt of his servant. Man was under the condemnation of the broken law. He could not save himself, and for this reason Christ came to this world, clothed His divinity with humanity, and gave His life, the just for the unjust.He gave Himself for our sins, and to every soul He freely offers the blood-bought pardon.” (E.G. White)

crossnailsPsalm 130:7 tells us “put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. Here is the ground upon which we should implement benevolence toward our fellow sinners. 1 John 4:11 tells us “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” in Matt. 10:8 Christ tells us Freely you have received; freely give.”We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive.

He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.” (Martin Luther King, Jr.) At the very heart of Christ ministry was a simple concept and that is to love one another as we love one’s self as children of God. Time and again, the Bible reinforces this simple fact, and yet we all feel challenged when trying to follow this simple rule.

How are we to love our neighbor as we love ourselves? well first we start with compassion, and forgiveness, remember God’s love is unending and perfect to our imperfection. By accepting ourselves as we are, with strengths and weaknesses, we are able to love, others as we love ourselves wholly and completely.

So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY

 

ARROGANCE + PRESUMPTION + AUDACIOUS + HUMILITY = FAITH

Today August, 6 2013

ARROGANCE + PRESUMPTION + AUDACIOUS + HUMILITY = FAITH

Jesus is the “author and finisher of our faith,” (Heb 12:2) So, if we have faith in and believe in and upon God, we will put that faith into action and will strive to help others find the way into Christ “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins”. Col 1:13-14.

 

week-7_faithChrist In calling His Children to the point of unrestricted dependence on Him. He continually allows what seems humanly impossible to become totally possible through Him. And we as Christians are constantly stating or deriving to some conclusion what we cannot possibly justify or explain. But with Elijah, his only justification, was his commitment, loved, trust and faith in God. His focus was only on the power of God, And he trusted that God would do exactly what He promised.

This is because God’s promises are always a promise to permanently accept you and welcome you into his presence not because of your works, but because of His grace and love for you. For Paul says in Ephesians 2:8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.” in Psalm 118:14 it says The Lord is my strength and my defense He has become my salvation.”

The first we here of Elijah is in 1 kings 17:1 when it says “Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.” As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand: This statement of Elijah gives a Statement from God Himself which once again is the source of his FAITH. The greatest achievement of Elijah’s life was his victory over the priests of Baal at Mt. Carmel.

Elijah requested King Ahab to gather the people of Israel, the 450 priests of Baal, and the 400 prophets of Ashtaroth on Mt. Carmel. Then he asked Israel the famous question: in 1 Kings 18:21 “How long halt ye between two opinions?”, meaning, “How long will ye be undecided as to whether ye shall follow Yhwh or Baal? in 1 Kings 18:24 He tell the priest of Baal you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord.

The god who answers by fire, he is God.” great example of Elijah’s ARROGANCE, PRESUMPTION, AUDACIOUS, HUMILITY = FAITH. “Then all the people said, “What you say is good.” butmt carmel elijah after the priest of baal are allowed to call upon there gods. with no results.  in 1 kings 18:27 it says “At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.”At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.”

Another example of Elijah’s ARROGANCE, PRESUMPTION, AUDACIOUS, HUMILITY = FAITH. Everyone at that point felt that the God of Israel was dead or no longer among them, but for Elijah the God of His strength, and faith lives forever in him. He was the supreme existence of Elijah’s life. He is the “Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, in 2 Corinthians 12:9 it says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

Elijah stood in the presence of Ahab the king of Israel, but he was conscious of the presence of someone greater than any earthly king. And he had faith in what his God would do, and did. In Hebrews12:27-29 it says “The words once more indicate the removing of what can be shaken, that is, created things, so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,…..”

In 1 Corinthians 1:18, the Bible tells us that the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but the power of God to those who are being saved. Friends I need you to remember that God is not only a God of it only happen back then God, but is a God of today and tomorrow. Yes Moses at the red sea, Yes Joseph in Egypt, Yes David facing Goliath, Yes Daniel in the lions den, and the three Hebrew boys in the fiery furnace.

Yes He is God of it happen back then. But also a God of today, of  all of our situations, and circumstances. yes today of all of our concerns, and anxieties, yes today of all of  our trials ans fears, yes today of all of our depression, hopes, joys, yes the back then God is a God of all of our needs today, and tomorrow, for Paul says in Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever”. His PREDICTABILITY throughout His word and in my life tells me. unlike the false gods of this world.

imgresElijah’s God tells me in. Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Elijah had a purpose in mind the purpose was that the people might KNOW -“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him”.

A child oh God must believe not only that the true God exists, but that He will reward men”s faith in Him with forgiveness and righteousness, because He has promised through His word to do so. “Saving faith is not merely some firmly held persuasion, but unwavering confidence in what God’s word specifically states, whether promise or warning, a blessing for this life or for the life to come, in Gods pure and holy kingdom”.  Ben J. Elston, Also “The faith we need is the faith that surrenders to God because of an absolute truth in Him. It will not always mean healing in answer to prayer, but it will mean confidence in Him, and therefore, submission to Him. – Edwin R. Errett

my Friends today I know my God The God of back then and the God of today and tomorrow. So when I speak about my God i can Be ARROGRANT , PRESUMPTIOUS AUDACIOUS and HUMBLE all at the same time because I know what my God does for me and will do for you if you believe and have FAITH.

 

So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY

 

My Grace Is Sufficient For You

August 5, 2013

My Grace Is Sufficient For You

imgres2 Corinthians 12:9 “And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness. The Greek word for sufficient means enough to meet a need or purpose; adequate, to be content, to raise a barrier, to ward off that which pushes us to one side.

Basically, sufficient means grace that is enough, but not super abundant, fantastic, huge, or incredible. Sufficient does not say to us, Grow up. It doesn’t say, Get over it. It doesn’t say, You’ll understand it better by and by. It just says, My grace is sufficient for you It says, have faith, I am standing with you in this situation.

Jesus see’s beyond it all, to the power of grace, kindness, caring and compassion for all of His children who suffer in this sinful world. As we contemplate the big picture of God’s grace, we will begin to recognize God does not place under restrictions or limit access to His grace. In fact, we are reminded in Ephesians chapter 2 that God blesses us according to the surpassing riches of His grace.

God’s grace, you might say, is superabundant or present in great quantity. Every benefit that we experience spiritually is by grace. One of the most wonderful statements made about our Lord comes from John in John 1:14 who said of Jesus Christ, “He was full of grace.” The wondrous fact of His being full of grace was followed in John’s gospel by an even more thrilling reality, “For of  His fullness have all we received and grace upon grace.”

As long as we live in a world where our lord reigns we will accumulate grace upon grace. Paul states in Romans 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God Yes we all stand in grace. We live in the environment and atmosphere of His grace. It’s the air that we breathe spiritually. And in Romans 5:17 Paul adds that God bestows upon us as we stand in the realm of grace an abundance of grace.

So no matter what, His grace is sufficient, James 4:6 adds, “He gives a greater grace.” It is greater than you think. We don’t know why certain struggles and trials are good forimages us in this world. We don’t know why we are presented with decisions between finding immediate satisfaction and learning to look at the eternal aspects God shows us. But all we need to know is there is no other God. He is our Savior, our Creator, our heavenly Father our comforter and He loves us more than we can ever imagine.

When we humbly present our life to our heavenly Father and say, “Our, Father, You alone are God. I am your child. please, please, Please guide me through each situation and circumstances of my life as I become a witness of your grace, and please allow me to glorify Your holy name. just For Your name’s sake, because you are God and God along and when I have done your will in my life and praised your name, then through your mercy, if you see fit, please give this sinner greater grace.

It is because of your grace I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by Faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me.” And as I prepare my life for God’s pure and holy kingdom I will continue to allow Christ to rescue me from sin and set me on His own path to righteousness. Because He is the only Son of God who provided the atoning sacrifice that everyone needs. He is the unique channel of God’s grace, love and salvation.

To me, Jesus is exclusive and inclusive at the same time the narrow way and the Savior of the entire world the only way of salvation, yet available for all. God’s grace, shown most perfectly in Jesus Christ, is exactly what everyone needs, and the good news is that it is freely given to all. It’s great news, and it’s worth sharing to everyone we come imgresin contact with.

As Christians we believe that a resurrected Christ has conquered death, and therefore death will never pose a barrier to his ability to lead and guide his people who trust him for His grace and salvation. As we trust his word to guide us in all that we do each day please my friends, keep trusting even When at times it seems all you do is pray to God To take the storm away, but instead of it going away when we think it should, all you hear Him say is:

My grace, My grace My grace is sufficient. But if we have faith we will realize His grace is truly sufficient, because He is always preparing us who have faith for something we cannot handle right now, He is always making each of us ready Just because He cares, while He provides us with the armor we will need to carry out the next matter in our life, and finish this race here on earth, and enter his pure and holy kingdom.

So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY

MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT

August 5, 2013

My Grace Is Sufficient For You

imgres2 Corinthians 12:9 “And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness. The Greek word for sufficient means enough to meet a need or purpose; adequate, to be content, to raise a barrier, to ward off that which pushes us to one side.

Basically, sufficient means grace that is enough, but not super abundant, fantastic, huge, or incredible. Sufficient does not say to us, Grow up. It doesn’t say, Get over it. It doesn’t say, You’ll understand it better by and by. It just says, My grace is sufficient for you It says, have faith, I am standing with you in this situation.

Jesus see’s beyond it all, to the power of grace, kindness, caring and compassion for all of His children who suffer in this sinful world. As we contemplate the big picture of God’s grace, we will begin to recognize God does not place under restrictions or limit access to His grace. In fact, we are reminded in Ephesians chapter 2 that God blesses us according to the surpassing riches of His grace.

God’s grace, you might say, is superabundant or present in great quantity. Every benefit that we experience spiritually is by grace. One of the most wonderful statements made about our Lord comes from John in John 1:14 who said of Jesus Christ, “He was full of grace.” The wondrous fact of His being full of grace was followed in John’s gospel by an even more thrilling reality, “For of  His fullness have all we received and grace upon grace.”

As long as we live in a world where our lord reigns we will accumulate grace upon grace. Paul states in Romans 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God Yes we all stand in grace. We live in the environment and atmosphere of His grace. It’s the air that we breathe spiritually. And in Romans 5:17 Paul adds that God bestows upon us as we stand in the realm of grace an abundance of grace.

So no matter what, His grace is sufficient, James 4:6 adds, “He gives a greater grace.” It is greater than you think. We don’t know why certain struggles and trials are good forimages us in this world. We don’t know why we are presented with decisions between finding immediate satisfaction and learning to look at the eternal aspects God shows us. But all we need to know is there is no other God. He is our Savior, our Creator, our heavenly Father our comforter and He loves us more than we can ever imagine.

When we humbly present our life to our heavenly Father and say, “Our, Father, You alone are God. I am your child. please, please, Please guide me through each situation and circumstances of my life as I become a witness of your grace, and please allow me to glorify Your holy name. just For Your name’s sake, because you are God and God along and when I have done your will in my life and praised your name, then through your mercy, if you see fit, please give this sinner greater grace.

It is because of your grace I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by Faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me.” And as I prepare my life for God’s pure and holy kingdom I will continue to allow Christ to rescue me from sin and set me on His own path to righteousness. Because He is the only Son of God who provided the atoning sacrifice that everyone needs. He is the unique channel of God’s grace, love and salvation.

To me, Jesus is exclusive and inclusive at the same time the narrow way and the Savior of the entire world the only way of salvation, yet available for all. God’s grace, shown most perfectly in Jesus Christ, is exactly what everyone needs, and the good news is that it is freely given to all. It’s great news, and it’s worth sharing to everyone we come imgresin contact with.

As Christians we believe that a resurrected Christ has conquered death, and therefore death will never pose a barrier to his ability to lead and guide his people who trust him for His grace and salvation. As we trust his word to guide us in all that we do each day please my friends, keep trusting even When at times it seems all you do is pray to God To take the storm away, but instead of it going away when we think it should, all you hear Him say is:

My grace, My grace My grace is sufficient. But if we have faith we will realize His grace is truly sufficient, because He is always preparing us who have faith for something we cannot handle right now, He is always making each of us ready Just because He cares, while He provides us with the armor we will need to carry out the next matter in our life, and finish this race here on earth, and enter his pure and holy kingdom.

So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY

A VICTORY TODAY!! IS NOT THE SAME, AS A VICTORY TOMORROW

August 4. 2013

A VICTORY TODAY!! IS NOT THE SAME, AS A VICTORY TOMORROW

When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through dry places seeking rest and finding none. Then it says, “I will return to my house from which I came. When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first. (Luke 11:24-26)

 

imagesLuke 11:21-22, Says, even a strong man cannot protect his house if someone stronger comes along. So we must never fool ourselves into thinking we can out think Satan “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places”. (Eph. 6:12) So Gods word tells us that we cannot protect ourselves from Satan, but God can protect us, if we only have faith and believe.

John wrote, “You are of God, little Children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). But first, Christ must be in each of us intimately. So just to get rid of our sins without allowing Christ to take full control, will only allow Satan to re-enter our lives with those same sins we thought we had gotten rid of, only now, “it is worst than the first”. So my friends remember our victory today will not be sufficient for a victory tomorrow, if Christ is not the Master of our mind and body.

For our heartfelt words each day must be “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now imageslive in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:20) So study Gods word daily, pray without ceasing for a double portion of His Spirit, and stay focused on your Salvation through Christ, because our life does depend on it. But where we most often fail is, in not allowing a total and complete transformation of our lives.

Why is that? well we forget that to eliminate sin out of our lives, it involves a turning point or a 180 degree turn not A 360 degree turn, where you end up at the same place you started. And when you do eliminate sin from your life, like a filthy garment, once it is eliminated, begin to focus on the grace, and mercy of Christ righteousness to forgive you of all your sins, and to cleanse you of all unrighteousness. like it says in Col.3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Otherwise you find yourself completely vulnerable to attack. Or, to use Jesus analogy from Luke 11, you clean the house, but do not fill it. You allow it to be re-occupied by the evil that you drove out because you have not filled the house with Christ righteousness and love as an alternative. So, don’t sweep a house and leave it empty. Don’t think you can just stop sinning, and then heaven is mine for the asking. The key to true repentance is to also replace whatever is in this world that is keeping you from the righteousness of Christ. with the anointing power of His love.

514_400x400_PeelAnd as you study God’s Word while seeking His Spirit to help you recognize , reject, and replace each sin that the forces of evil have brought into your life, you will begin to gain the victory over each of them one by one. Remember The road to the Kingdom is a narrow road that few will succeed in finishing the course, if Christ is not the foundation and focal point of their lives. because one day, God will say to each and everyone.

EITHER ‘Well done, good and trustworthy servant! Since you’ve been trustworthy with a small amount, I’ll put you in charge of a large amount. Come and share your master’s joy!’ OR, He will ask you, one final question, why was, house wives of Atlanta, Scandal, the internet, and Macy’s more important then studying My word and doing My will? Now, “Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” My friends Remember, Your Choice! Your Decision! Your Salvation!

 

So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY

FINISHING A FULL MARATHON

August 3, 2013

FINISHING A FULL MARATHON

imgresJeremiah 12:5 The Lord Answers Jeremiah “If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, Then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, In which you trusted, they wearied you, Then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan”? In other words, my children , if you’re worn out in A 5k footrace with the forces of evil, as you go through the trials of this life each day, what makes you think you can handle a full MARATHON as we begin to enter into the last days of this life’s history.?

 

We are God’s Children and we are told that God’s sole desire is that we have a happy life, But Biblically, every command that Jesus gives us to get through this life to the next is not A easy PATH to follow. Love our enemies, Matthew 5:44 turn the other cheek. Matthew 5:39 Making choices between my family and God. Matt. 19:29 And Then the toughest command of them all “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. Luke 9:23-24 

 

 

 

imagesYes to most of us unattainable mandate’s from God. But my friends it’s all about believing in A God who knows what’s best for us, In Isaiah 48:17 it says  This is what the Lord says your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.“also in Matthew 19:26 “Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. Christ on the Mount of Olives as He was praying, he recognized the difficult road before him.

This is the humanity of Jesus, he knows that our Father, has called him to do the unattainable from a human standpoint. But He is our example He knows this event will be recorded from generation to generation to strengthen each of us through difficult times. So Remember this is humanity that recognizes the difficulty of this journey. This is humanity that dreads the suffering that He will in counter, humanity knew the path would seem impossible.

But because the power of the WORD and the power of his PRAYERS and the power of His FAITH He, like we, in following His example, stayed FOCUSED ON THE CROSS as He submitted His will to the will of His Father. And the word says. God gave Him Strength to finish the course, and He will do the same for us today. The path will be very difficult in Luke 22:44-46 it says And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow He asked. “Why are you sleeping?”.

“Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”. But remember this is the same Jesus that faced a raging storm on the Sea of Galilee, totally composed, and undisturbed. He has faced demonic hostility, temptation’s from Satan, at every step, and the cross examination, of Jerusalem’s religious Elect, with total restraint. But here in the Garden, Humanity took its toil at just the thought of failure.

But just as Christ agonized and prayed for strength, we must do the same as time moves toward Christ soon return when there will be trials that seem unbearable, as we begin to ask, where 7138_323261504462367_1291131310_nis God. But at that moment, we must look back on His promises. in Deuteronomy 31:8 it says And the LORD, He it is that doth go before thee; He will be with thee, He will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed. Also in Psalms 55:22 it says Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.

So my friends today, ask yourself are the comfort and pleasures of this world standing in the way of your relationship with God? as He tries to prepare you for something we are not quite ready for. Remember The mental pressure arising from our Lord’s struggle with temptation, sent forth great drops of blood. 

This proves what a tremendous amount of weight, sin can have on and individual. Christ had never sinned, but just the thought of the plan of salvation failing and at the same time, carrying the weight of the entire world on His shoulders. He knew that there was no other way for mankind to be redeemed than through the innocent and SUBSTITUTIONARY SUFFERING of the path that He was about to encounter.

Jesus had said it before. He was the way, the truth, and the life. No man could come to the Father, except through His faith, and death on Running with the Horses 16x20 oc f2Calvary, in the sinner’s place. So lets ask ourselves what must I do for the master today. It want be an easy path in Matthew 7:13-14 it says “Enter through the narrow gate.

Going back again to the story of Jeremiah. like you, and I, he allowed life to wear him down as he become absorbed in self-pity, and doubt. He was ready to abandon it all. If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? Life is difficult, Jeremiah. Are you going to quit at the first wave of opposition? Are you going to retreat when you find that there is more to life than having plenty of food each day and a comfortable bed at night to sleep in?

God calls us to pursue righteousness, to sustain a drive toward excellence. God calls us to have a life of purpose far beyond what you think yourself capable of living, Because He will sustain. And provide us with the adequate amount of strength to fulfill His will in our life. If thou art not able to encounter lesser dangers, how wilt thou be able to overcome greater one’s in the time of trouble.

 

 

My friends, Christ tells us himself in Matt. 24 How dreadful it will be in those days For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now and never to be equaled again. My friends Gods word and my faith says to me “Consider it all joy, 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 in nothing. James 1:2-4

So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY

A DAMASCUS ROAD EXPERIENCE

August 1, 2013

A DAMASCUS ROAD EXPERIENCE

I came up out of the water Raise my hands up to the Father Gave it all to Him that day Felt a new wind kiss my face Walked away, eyes wide open Could finally see where I was goin’ It didn’t matter where I been I’m not the same man I was then. I got off track, I made mistakes Back slid my way into that place where souls get lost Lines get crossed And the pain won’t go away………….., now here I stand There I was, I’ve changed.  I even started to forgive myself Yes, I’m changed, Thank God. (Rascal Flatts)

 

imageslooking over our lives there has been a radical change that has taken place if you are a Child of God, and it is by the grace of God that we came out of it with eyes wide open. And with most of us having no physical signs that we had been in a war zone. And as we look back over our life, so many circumstances, situations, lives lost of those we have loved or been acquainted with.

But why us, why do we live to tell our stories, why was more grace and more time extended to us, in spite of us, and not our homie’s who in the day we called Ray Ray, Dog, Chicken, Blue, and Big Lip Johnny. Hey we were all right there in the mix together, the fight’s house parties and all the fun gathering’s at our favorite spot, 740 Perk Dr.

Hey they traveled the same road of destruction that we traveled, why us? But maybe like Paul. God gave us that Damascus Road experience because our God saw something in us. Or maybe our parents made sure we went to Sabbath , or Sunday school, or maybe we didn’t have a choice when our nights ended they made that decision. Or maybe our God just saw in us A star that would shine anywhere, or at anytime that He wanted us to.

And yes like Paul, thank God for that Road. Paul had been a Pharisee. He considered himself the most zealous, rigorous and careful of all Pharisees. But God choose and used Paul. because He knew Paul was capable of remaining a faithful servant that would ENDURE no matter what situation he might find himself in, even if that meant his life ending at the guillotine.

Paul tells us in Phil. 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.“Acts 9:15 says The Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. When you read Paul’s letters, you realize God knew, because He is God that Paul could be all things to all people.

Paul says in Phil. 3:7-8 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the template-2panel revised [Converted]surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.” My friends can God say the same about us? They are my chosen instruments they will proclaim My name to the world. I know they will endure to the end, even if it means death. 

There are many reasons why God allowed us to travel this road. let’s look at others in the bible. And why God choose them.  Moses and David were both murderers. Thomas was A doubter, Peter denied Christ, Abraham and Jacob were big time lier’s, Judah was a Whoremonger, John was self-righteous, Mark was a scary cat, and rejected by Paul who also was a murderer,

Noah was a  drunk and comitted incest with His own Daughters. And I can continue, but you get the picture. God chooses in spite of. But Remember also, God doesn’t require a job interview or a resume from us when He chooses us because He already knows everything about us.

Psalm 139:1-24 -41 tells us “O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.”

And He want hire and fire us when we mess up, because He is our father and Shepherd not an overbearing boss. And He doesn’t look at our prophet and loss, only our Gain and what you can bring to His glory and honor each day. “Like a grapevine branch, we are not always producing fruit in our life. That would be unnatural. For a significant portion of a grapevine’s life is nothing but a dry, twisted stick, fruitless with no benefit to anyone.

It is even useless for shade, worthless as timber, to all appearances it is only fit to be ripped from the ground, thrown in a heap and burned.” “Yet those barren times are as vital in the life of the vine, as the season itself”. “If spring could tip-toe passed nature without stirring it from its winter slumber; if the sun could slip through the sky without dispelling the night; if rain could fall to the ground without bringing life to the desert,

only then should you fear dry times, dark times, lean times. Though you feel as useless as a fur coat in a heat-wave, the time will come when your warmth is treasured. For everything there is a season.”(Grantley Morris) Paul tell’s us in Ephesians 2:4-9 “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ by grace you have been saved,

imagesand raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.” Remember the forces of evil looks back over our life and accuses each of God’s chosen of all of our mistakes and tells us we have gone to far to be saved.

But my Savior starts at  Calvary, and takes us through the trials and tribulation of this life, and places us in His loving wings, and guides and protects each of us daily. All the way to his soon appearing when He will say to His Children “Well done, good and faithful servants! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness! in my pure and holy kingdom where I have prepared A banquet table for all of the redeemed.

So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY