Genesis 1:27 (KJV) Says, "So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them." Jeremiah 29:11 (KJV) Says, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Romans 5:8 (KJV) Says, "But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 8:28 (KJV) Says, "And we know that all things work together for good for them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Hebrews 4:16 (KJV) Says, "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Philippians 4:13 (KJV) Says, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."
The above verse of scripture taken from Genesis makes clear to us that we were created in the image of Almighty God Himself. Knowing this should be enough for people to recognize that they are beautiful. Take a moment to consider that out of the millions of people in this world God found you to be necessary as he creates no two people alike. That in and of itself is a miracle. With God as your divine creator you can rest assured you are worthy, you are enough, you are loved, you are beautiful, and you are necessary.
In the above verse of scripture taken from the book of Jeremiah, it is made clear that God has a plan for our lives. It is also made clear that his plan is for us to enjoy a life filled with His divine peace, and joy as we live in obedience to Him.
In the two verses listed above from the book of Romans, we see that God loves each of us so much that He sent His Only Son who was perfect and sinless to die on the cross paying our sin debt in full. That is a love so great that there are no words to articulate it. He also tells us that He will work all things out for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. A good example of this is Joseph who shared dreams he had with his brothers telling them that in his dreams they would bow down to him. This along with the fact that their father had given Joseph a coat of many colors which they saw as favoritism prompted the brothers to be overcome with jealousy. They threw Joseph into a pit and sold him into slavery. God took all that Joseph went through and worked it for good as through a series of events, Joseph winds up going from the pit to the palace, and his brothers indeed end up bowing down to him. God placed Joseph in a high position under Pharaoh, king of Egypt which allowed him to distribute food to his family, during a time of famine in their land. Joseph was able to do this years after his brothers had thrown him into that pit.
If we will remind ourselves that we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us then we should have no problem doing as the above verse of scripture taken from the book of Hebrews tells us to do, and that is to go boldly before the throne of God in prayer bringing all things to Him. Remember God is all-powerful, all-knowing, He is everywhere, and there is no problem he can't solve, no sickness he can't heal, no disease he can't cure, and no situation he can't restore.
Finally, the above passage of scripture taken from the book of Philippians sums it up well by making clear to us that there is nothing we can't do with God working through us, and walking by our side. We can face the storms in our lives knowing that we have the Holy Spirit of God dwelling within us, that He is with us every second of every single day, that He will never leave us nor forsake us, that He loves us tremendously, and that He wants what is best for us.
It is vital that we come to believe and take to heart the truth of God's Word, and stop allowing Satan to convince us via the thoughts he puts in our minds that we are weak, that we will never be able to accomplish the tasks before us, that there is no way we will make it through the storms we face in life, that situations are over our load, and that we are not enough. When we allow Satan to push God's Word, which is the absolute truth, out of our minds, and replace it with his lies then we allow him to stop us from moving forward in life. Believing Satan's lies prevents us from accomplishing all that God has planned for our lives, and from living the life filled with divine peace and joy that God intends for us to live. It lands us in a state of misery and depression which has a negative affect on everyone and everything in our lives. Satan is thrilled when we buy into his lies, and allow them to overtake us because in this state of mind we are not likely to be a very good example of what being a Christian looks like. It prevents us from witnessing to others via our character, behavior, attitude, and responses in all that we do. It hides from others what a true Christian looks like.
I encourage you to pray daily, and to keep God's Word close to your heart. When Satan starts bombarding your mind with negative thoughts kick those thoughts out immediately, and replace them with the truth of God's Word. Remember that you were created by Almighty God in his own image, and that as a born again believer in Jesus Christ you have the Holy Spirit dwelling within you. Truly ponder the power of that. I urge you to remind yourself often that God loves you so much that He sent His only Son to die on the cross for your sins paying your sin debt in full. That my friends is a tremendous amount of love. Finally, knowing all of these things, I urge you to remind yourself often in the peaks and in the valleys of life, that no matter what you're facing in life you are more than able in Christ.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you!
Tuesday, May 15, 2018
Sunday, May 6, 2018
Why Pray?
Matthew 14:23 (KJV) Says, "And when he had sent the multitudes away, He went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone." Mark 6:46 (KJV) Says, "And when He had sent them away, He departed into a mountain to pray." Luke 6:12 (KJV) Says, "And it came to pass in those days, that He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God." And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, He went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed." Luke 5:16 (KJV) Says, "And He withdrew Himself into the wilderness, and prayed."
In the above verses of scripture we are given examples of Jesus going off alone to spend time in prayer, and that are many more examples of Him doing so found within the pages of God's Word. This makes clear to us that prayer is of the utmost importance. Some people question that if God is all-knowing, present everywhere, and all-powerful then why pray? Prayer is our direct communication with our personal Lord and Savior, and we are blessed to have the opportunity to talk with him as a friend whenever we choose to do so.
There are several reasons to pray, and one of those is for guidance. If we have the desire in our hearts to follow the plan that God has for our lives then we need to go to him in prayer, and ask Him to lead, guide, and direct our path. When we go to him in prayer and ask Him for guidance, if we will listen to what he places on our heart he will give us direction, and the divine peace that tells us that direction is from Him.
Another reason to pray is to ask for forgiveness of our sins. The Bible tells us that as human beings we are all sinners. The good news is that when we go to God in prayer, ask Him to forgive us for our sins, and we repent of them He forgives us immediately.
Yet another reason to pray is to ask God to help us with the decisions we need to make in our lives. We should go to God in prayer about all the decisions we are faced with from the smallest to the largest. What better advice can we get, when it comes to making decisions than that which Almighty God Himself can give us?
Furthermore, we should go to God in prayer about the troubles we face in our lives. God is our Heavenly Father, and we are His children. He loves us tremendously and want to help us. If we will go to him in prayer, when we are facing difficulties and problems in our lives, He will be there for us, and He will help us making through. In fact the Bible tells us that he will walk through our storms with us, and all the while he will be holding our hand.
We should also go to God in prayer, and ask Him for protection. The world is full of violence and hate, and with that said we all need His protection. Even as we go about as witnesses for Christ there are people who wish to persecute us. Jesus Himself was persecuted. God's Word tells us in Matthew 5:10 (KJV) "Blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven."
Yet another reason to pray is for healing. God is the Great Physician, he is all-powerful, and he is more than able to restore our health.
Above are a few of the reasons that we need to pray, and there a many more. I encourage you to go to God in prayer about all things. If Jesus found it necessary to pray, and to do so often, then it is evident that we should. Remember the importance of prayer, and pray daily. Take all of your troubles to God in prayer, and leave them there. Do what you can do to help yourself, and then trust God with what you can't do. He is more than able. When you pray remember always to praise and thank God for all the miracles, blessings, and answered prayers he has given you in your life. He deserves the praise, honor, and the glory for all of them. God's Word tells us that he is the same yesterday, today, and forever. This means he is still a God of miracles. There is no sickness he can't heal, no disease he can't cure, no problem he can't solve, and no situation he can't restore. Prayer is vital, and I encourage you to pray on a daily basis. You will be amazed at the power of prayer.
If you have a prayer request and would like for me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you!
In the above verses of scripture we are given examples of Jesus going off alone to spend time in prayer, and that are many more examples of Him doing so found within the pages of God's Word. This makes clear to us that prayer is of the utmost importance. Some people question that if God is all-knowing, present everywhere, and all-powerful then why pray? Prayer is our direct communication with our personal Lord and Savior, and we are blessed to have the opportunity to talk with him as a friend whenever we choose to do so.
There are several reasons to pray, and one of those is for guidance. If we have the desire in our hearts to follow the plan that God has for our lives then we need to go to him in prayer, and ask Him to lead, guide, and direct our path. When we go to him in prayer and ask Him for guidance, if we will listen to what he places on our heart he will give us direction, and the divine peace that tells us that direction is from Him.
Another reason to pray is to ask for forgiveness of our sins. The Bible tells us that as human beings we are all sinners. The good news is that when we go to God in prayer, ask Him to forgive us for our sins, and we repent of them He forgives us immediately.
Yet another reason to pray is to ask God to help us with the decisions we need to make in our lives. We should go to God in prayer about all the decisions we are faced with from the smallest to the largest. What better advice can we get, when it comes to making decisions than that which Almighty God Himself can give us?
Furthermore, we should go to God in prayer about the troubles we face in our lives. God is our Heavenly Father, and we are His children. He loves us tremendously and want to help us. If we will go to him in prayer, when we are facing difficulties and problems in our lives, He will be there for us, and He will help us making through. In fact the Bible tells us that he will walk through our storms with us, and all the while he will be holding our hand.
We should also go to God in prayer, and ask Him for protection. The world is full of violence and hate, and with that said we all need His protection. Even as we go about as witnesses for Christ there are people who wish to persecute us. Jesus Himself was persecuted. God's Word tells us in Matthew 5:10 (KJV) "Blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven."
Yet another reason to pray is for healing. God is the Great Physician, he is all-powerful, and he is more than able to restore our health.
Above are a few of the reasons that we need to pray, and there a many more. I encourage you to go to God in prayer about all things. If Jesus found it necessary to pray, and to do so often, then it is evident that we should. Remember the importance of prayer, and pray daily. Take all of your troubles to God in prayer, and leave them there. Do what you can do to help yourself, and then trust God with what you can't do. He is more than able. When you pray remember always to praise and thank God for all the miracles, blessings, and answered prayers he has given you in your life. He deserves the praise, honor, and the glory for all of them. God's Word tells us that he is the same yesterday, today, and forever. This means he is still a God of miracles. There is no sickness he can't heal, no disease he can't cure, no problem he can't solve, and no situation he can't restore. Prayer is vital, and I encourage you to pray on a daily basis. You will be amazed at the power of prayer.
If you have a prayer request and would like for me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you!
Friday, April 27, 2018
Hope
Romans 15:13 (KJV) Says, "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost." Jeremiah 29:11 (KJV) Says, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."Isaiah 41:10 (KJV) Says, "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." Mark 9:23 (KJV) Says, "Jesus said unto him, if thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." Jeremiah 17:7 (KJV) Says, "Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is."
When a person opts to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior they are never again without hope. The above verse of scripture taken from the book of Romans makes clear to us that we can abound in hope secondary to the fact that as a born again believer we have the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. The above verse of scripture taken from the book of Jeremiah tells us that God has a plan for our lives, and that he wants us to have his divine peace. It tells us that he wants good for us and not evil. The above verse of scripture taken from the book of Isaiah makes clear that we are not to be afraid because God is with us. He is with those who have been born again each and every second of each and every single day. This verse tells us that God will give us the strength we need to make it through the storms we face in this life. It tells us that he will hold us up. The above verse of scripture taken from the book of Mark makes clear that our belief in Him makes all things possible. Finally, the above verse of scripture taken from the book of Jeremiah tells us that those who trust in the Lord and whose hope is in Him are blessed.
Knowing that God has never broken one single promise, and that he never will, and knowing that he wants us to walk through this life filled with peace, joy, and happiness abiding in the hope we have in Him is more than enough. God does not want us to walk through life afraid, anxious, depressed, feeling sad and empty, feeling alone, or carrying any other negative emotion. God tells us 365 times in His Word not to be afraid. That's one time for each and every single day of the year. His Word tells us not to be anxious, but rather to cast our cares on him. Take your problems to God in prayer, and leave them there. There is no problem he can't solve, no situation he can't restore, no sickness he can't heal, and no disease he can't cure. He can make a way where we don't see one. If you begin to feel alone and empty, remind yourself that you are never alone that God is with you every step you take.
Take the time to truly consider who God is. He is your creator, and he created you in his own image which means that you are worthy and you are enough. He is everywhere which means he is with you wherever you go. He is all-powerful which means there is no problem to great for him to solve, and he is all-knowing which means he knows everything including your needs. Take the time to remind yourself that God's desire is that you live in obedience to Him, that you live a life full of his divine peace, comfort, and joy. Remind yourself that He loves you so much that He sent His only Son to die on the cross paying your sin debt in full, and making a way for you to have eternal life.
I encourage you to put your trust in God knowing that you have hope in him, that he loves you tremendously, that he will strengthen you and protect you. I urge you to remember that as a born again believer in Jesus Christ you are never without hope, you are never alone, you have the Holy Spirit dwelling within you and you are enough. Remember that there is no situation he can't restore, no problem he can't solve, no sickness he can't heal, and no disease he can't cure. Remember He is Almighty God, He is all-powerful, He is everywhere, and He is all-knowing. He is loving, understanding, forgiving, compassionate, and so much more. Pray and read God's Word accepting the promises that He gives us there. When you do, you will be amazed at what having steadfast faith in Him can do. If you find yourself struggling in any area of your life, remind yourself of the hope you have in Him.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
When a person opts to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior they are never again without hope. The above verse of scripture taken from the book of Romans makes clear to us that we can abound in hope secondary to the fact that as a born again believer we have the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. The above verse of scripture taken from the book of Jeremiah tells us that God has a plan for our lives, and that he wants us to have his divine peace. It tells us that he wants good for us and not evil. The above verse of scripture taken from the book of Isaiah makes clear that we are not to be afraid because God is with us. He is with those who have been born again each and every second of each and every single day. This verse tells us that God will give us the strength we need to make it through the storms we face in this life. It tells us that he will hold us up. The above verse of scripture taken from the book of Mark makes clear that our belief in Him makes all things possible. Finally, the above verse of scripture taken from the book of Jeremiah tells us that those who trust in the Lord and whose hope is in Him are blessed.
Knowing that God has never broken one single promise, and that he never will, and knowing that he wants us to walk through this life filled with peace, joy, and happiness abiding in the hope we have in Him is more than enough. God does not want us to walk through life afraid, anxious, depressed, feeling sad and empty, feeling alone, or carrying any other negative emotion. God tells us 365 times in His Word not to be afraid. That's one time for each and every single day of the year. His Word tells us not to be anxious, but rather to cast our cares on him. Take your problems to God in prayer, and leave them there. There is no problem he can't solve, no situation he can't restore, no sickness he can't heal, and no disease he can't cure. He can make a way where we don't see one. If you begin to feel alone and empty, remind yourself that you are never alone that God is with you every step you take.
Take the time to truly consider who God is. He is your creator, and he created you in his own image which means that you are worthy and you are enough. He is everywhere which means he is with you wherever you go. He is all-powerful which means there is no problem to great for him to solve, and he is all-knowing which means he knows everything including your needs. Take the time to remind yourself that God's desire is that you live in obedience to Him, that you live a life full of his divine peace, comfort, and joy. Remind yourself that He loves you so much that He sent His only Son to die on the cross paying your sin debt in full, and making a way for you to have eternal life.
I encourage you to put your trust in God knowing that you have hope in him, that he loves you tremendously, that he will strengthen you and protect you. I urge you to remember that as a born again believer in Jesus Christ you are never without hope, you are never alone, you have the Holy Spirit dwelling within you and you are enough. Remember that there is no situation he can't restore, no problem he can't solve, no sickness he can't heal, and no disease he can't cure. Remember He is Almighty God, He is all-powerful, He is everywhere, and He is all-knowing. He is loving, understanding, forgiving, compassionate, and so much more. Pray and read God's Word accepting the promises that He gives us there. When you do, you will be amazed at what having steadfast faith in Him can do. If you find yourself struggling in any area of your life, remind yourself of the hope you have in Him.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Sunday, March 25, 2018
Harboring Unforgiveness
Galatians 5:22-33 (KJV) Says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." Matthew 6:14-15 (KJV) Says, "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."
Once we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior others should be able to see the fruit of the Spirit listed in the above verses of scripture taken from the book of Galatians in us. It is through seeing the fruit of the Spirit in us that many people notice that there is something different about us. That difference is the light of Christ, and that light will hopefully lead lost souls to conclude that they want what we have. It is our hope that once they recognize the divine peace, comfort, and joy that we have in our lives along with the fruits of the Spirit that they too will choose to accept Christ and his precious gift of salvation.
As born again believers in Jesus Christ the fruit of the Spirit is what others should see in us. There are things, however, that prevent the fruit of the Spirit from being obvious in our lives, and one of those things is harboring unforgiveness in our heart. It is not possible to have unforgiveness in our hearts and demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit in a sincere manner because when we are unforgiving we are carrying bitterness toward someone or some group of people, and that bitterness is quite evident to others. God knows when we are harboring unforgiveness and he takes it seriously. It is of great importance that we forgive others as Christ forgives us. The above verses of scripture taken from the book of Matthew make it clear that, if we do not forgive others then God will not forgive us. Not only does harboring unforgiveness in our heart damage our witness for Christ in our everyday lives, but it also prevents God from forgiving us.
Forgiving an individual or a group of people can be very difficult and emotional. It may take time and be a process that we have to work through for a while. The good news is that God knows our hearts, and he is well aware of whether or not we are sincerely working toward forgiving. If you are harboring unforgiveness in your heart, I urge you to go to God in prayer and ask him to help you to forgive the person or people who have hurt you in some way. Forgiving gets you back in right standing with God, it frees you to live your life in a manner that allows the fruit of the Spirit to shine brightly through you in a manner that is sincere, and when we forgive it is pleasing to God. Harboring unforgiveness steals our joy, and leaves us in a constant state of restlessness where we will remain until we do the right thing, and forgive. I encourage you to begin work on forgiving all that you need to forgive, and to do so immediately. Don't go through another day carrying bitterness, anger, and unforgiveness in your heart. I encourage you to remember that Christ forgives us of our sins and if he being perfect and sinless can do that it is certain that we can forgive one another.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you!
Once we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior others should be able to see the fruit of the Spirit listed in the above verses of scripture taken from the book of Galatians in us. It is through seeing the fruit of the Spirit in us that many people notice that there is something different about us. That difference is the light of Christ, and that light will hopefully lead lost souls to conclude that they want what we have. It is our hope that once they recognize the divine peace, comfort, and joy that we have in our lives along with the fruits of the Spirit that they too will choose to accept Christ and his precious gift of salvation.
As born again believers in Jesus Christ the fruit of the Spirit is what others should see in us. There are things, however, that prevent the fruit of the Spirit from being obvious in our lives, and one of those things is harboring unforgiveness in our heart. It is not possible to have unforgiveness in our hearts and demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit in a sincere manner because when we are unforgiving we are carrying bitterness toward someone or some group of people, and that bitterness is quite evident to others. God knows when we are harboring unforgiveness and he takes it seriously. It is of great importance that we forgive others as Christ forgives us. The above verses of scripture taken from the book of Matthew make it clear that, if we do not forgive others then God will not forgive us. Not only does harboring unforgiveness in our heart damage our witness for Christ in our everyday lives, but it also prevents God from forgiving us.
Forgiving an individual or a group of people can be very difficult and emotional. It may take time and be a process that we have to work through for a while. The good news is that God knows our hearts, and he is well aware of whether or not we are sincerely working toward forgiving. If you are harboring unforgiveness in your heart, I urge you to go to God in prayer and ask him to help you to forgive the person or people who have hurt you in some way. Forgiving gets you back in right standing with God, it frees you to live your life in a manner that allows the fruit of the Spirit to shine brightly through you in a manner that is sincere, and when we forgive it is pleasing to God. Harboring unforgiveness steals our joy, and leaves us in a constant state of restlessness where we will remain until we do the right thing, and forgive. I encourage you to begin work on forgiving all that you need to forgive, and to do so immediately. Don't go through another day carrying bitterness, anger, and unforgiveness in your heart. I encourage you to remember that Christ forgives us of our sins and if he being perfect and sinless can do that it is certain that we can forgive one another.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you!
Saturday, March 24, 2018
Omnipotent
Matthew 19:26 (KJV) Says, "But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." Luke 1:37 (KJV) Says, "For with God nothing shall be impossible." Jeremiah 32:27 (KJV) Says, "Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: Is there anything too hard for me?" Mark 10:7 (KJV) Says, "And Jesus looking upon them saith, with men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible."
In the above verses of scripture note that Jesus says more than once that what is impossible for man is possible with God. Note also that God says He is the God of all people and he asks if anything is too hard for him? The answer to that question is absolutely not. God is omnipotent meaning that he is all powerful. When he states that he is the God of all the people that means you, and knowing that nothing is too hard for him makes us aware that there is no problem we have that is so great that God can't handle it. The Bible tells us that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and that means he is still a God of miracles.
The Word of God is full of examples in which people are healed from sicknesses, cured from diseases, received their sight, healed from paralysis, and even raised from the dead. On many occasions, Jesus heals individuals and tells them that it is their faith that has made them whole. In Luke 8:43-48 (KJV) there is the story of a woman who had an issue of blood for years and had seen many physicians who were unable to help her. This woman had faith and believed that if she could simply touch the hem of Jesus' clothing she would be healed. She came near him, touched the hem of his garment and was healed instantly. Her faith had made her whole. There was a man whose servant was sick unto death and he asked Jesus to heal him in Matthew 8:5-13 (KJV). Jesus told the man that he would follow him back to his house to heal his servant, and the man told him that he was not worthy of Jesus coming under his roof and that if he would just speak a word he knew his servant would be healed. His faith made his servant whole. These are just a couple of examples of the many found within the pages of the Bible. The Word of God is filled with testimonies of what even a little faith can do. It is also full of promises from God that we can rest assured he will keep. He has never broken not one single promise, and he never will.
Whatever storm you're facing in life whether it is sickness, disease, financial issues, a situation that you are praying is restored, pain from a divorce or separation, rejection by someone you love, the loss of a loved one, or any other problem or situation that is causing you suffering, take it to God in prayer having faith without doubt, believing and trusting in him to handle it; knowing that he is more than able. Get in God's Word and read scripture pertaining to the issue you're facing, and read the promises that God makes us. Remember he is Omnipotent meaning that he is all powerful which makes clear that there is no sickness he can't heal, no disease he can't cure, and no situation he can't restore. Remember too that God does everything in his time, which is perfect, and that he can make a way where we don't see one.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you!
In the above verses of scripture note that Jesus says more than once that what is impossible for man is possible with God. Note also that God says He is the God of all people and he asks if anything is too hard for him? The answer to that question is absolutely not. God is omnipotent meaning that he is all powerful. When he states that he is the God of all the people that means you, and knowing that nothing is too hard for him makes us aware that there is no problem we have that is so great that God can't handle it. The Bible tells us that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and that means he is still a God of miracles.
The Word of God is full of examples in which people are healed from sicknesses, cured from diseases, received their sight, healed from paralysis, and even raised from the dead. On many occasions, Jesus heals individuals and tells them that it is their faith that has made them whole. In Luke 8:43-48 (KJV) there is the story of a woman who had an issue of blood for years and had seen many physicians who were unable to help her. This woman had faith and believed that if she could simply touch the hem of Jesus' clothing she would be healed. She came near him, touched the hem of his garment and was healed instantly. Her faith had made her whole. There was a man whose servant was sick unto death and he asked Jesus to heal him in Matthew 8:5-13 (KJV). Jesus told the man that he would follow him back to his house to heal his servant, and the man told him that he was not worthy of Jesus coming under his roof and that if he would just speak a word he knew his servant would be healed. His faith made his servant whole. These are just a couple of examples of the many found within the pages of the Bible. The Word of God is filled with testimonies of what even a little faith can do. It is also full of promises from God that we can rest assured he will keep. He has never broken not one single promise, and he never will.
Whatever storm you're facing in life whether it is sickness, disease, financial issues, a situation that you are praying is restored, pain from a divorce or separation, rejection by someone you love, the loss of a loved one, or any other problem or situation that is causing you suffering, take it to God in prayer having faith without doubt, believing and trusting in him to handle it; knowing that he is more than able. Get in God's Word and read scripture pertaining to the issue you're facing, and read the promises that God makes us. Remember he is Omnipotent meaning that he is all powerful which makes clear that there is no sickness he can't heal, no disease he can't cure, and no situation he can't restore. Remember too that God does everything in his time, which is perfect, and that he can make a way where we don't see one.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you!
Saturday, January 13, 2018
Called Out
2 Timothy 1:9 (KJV) Says, "Who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus, before the world began,"
When we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, we are filled with the Holy Spirit, and we are set apart, being in the world, but not of it. As born again believers in and followers of Jesus Christ we are commanded to fulfill the Great Commission. The Great Commission is defined in Matthew 28:18-20 (KJV) which says, "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: And, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."
As Christians which by definition is to be Christ-like, our behavior should look different from the behavior of those that are lost. As we go about our everyday lives people should see in us the fruits of the Spirit which are found in Galatians 5:22-23 which says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." When we demonstrate the fruits of the Spirit by living them out, then we are allowing the world to see Christ in us. As Christians we should respond to situations in a Godly manner in lieu of reacting to them in a manner that coincides with the way a lost person would react to them. The key here is to take time to respond recognizing that at times the best response is silence, in lieu of reacting in the flesh which can lead to us saying things that do not fit who we are in Christ.
When a person who proclaims to be a Christian behaves in the same manner that a lost person does, it is extremely damaging to their testimony. It is also damaging to Christianity because many lost souls are seeking to trip up Christians, and to build a case supporting the idea that Christians are just a bunch of hypocrites. It is vital that we live our lives in a manner that is Christ-like because doing so is our greatest testimony. Living our lives in a Godly manner, and responding to situations in a Godly way can serve to give others the desire in their heart to have what we have, and that is Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior.
As born again believers in Jesus Christ we have been called out by God for a purpose. We have been called out to serve him, and to raise the standard that is found in the secular world. We have been called out to be witnesses for Christ, and to show forgiveness to others; even those that lost people would more than likely not forgive. We are called out to live our lives in a manner which allows others to see the light of Christ in us.
I encourage you to live your life in obedience to God, and to allow others to clearly see the fruits of the Spirit in you. I urge you to remember that you have been called out for a purpose, as a servant, to raise the standard in this world, to be a witness, and to show forgiveness. If you fall short in these areas or have an area of particular weakness that you know you need work in, take it to God in prayer asking him to help you strengthen this area of your life. I encourage you to live your life in a manner that is pleasing to God, and that serves as a testimony of his miraculous power and greatness. We are all a work in progress and will be until the Lord calls us home. We should, however, strive to be more and more Christ-like in our behavior each and every single day with the hope that when God calls us home he will be able to say well done my good and faithful servant.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you!
When we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, we are filled with the Holy Spirit, and we are set apart, being in the world, but not of it. As born again believers in and followers of Jesus Christ we are commanded to fulfill the Great Commission. The Great Commission is defined in Matthew 28:18-20 (KJV) which says, "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: And, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."
As Christians which by definition is to be Christ-like, our behavior should look different from the behavior of those that are lost. As we go about our everyday lives people should see in us the fruits of the Spirit which are found in Galatians 5:22-23 which says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." When we demonstrate the fruits of the Spirit by living them out, then we are allowing the world to see Christ in us. As Christians we should respond to situations in a Godly manner in lieu of reacting to them in a manner that coincides with the way a lost person would react to them. The key here is to take time to respond recognizing that at times the best response is silence, in lieu of reacting in the flesh which can lead to us saying things that do not fit who we are in Christ.
When a person who proclaims to be a Christian behaves in the same manner that a lost person does, it is extremely damaging to their testimony. It is also damaging to Christianity because many lost souls are seeking to trip up Christians, and to build a case supporting the idea that Christians are just a bunch of hypocrites. It is vital that we live our lives in a manner that is Christ-like because doing so is our greatest testimony. Living our lives in a Godly manner, and responding to situations in a Godly way can serve to give others the desire in their heart to have what we have, and that is Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior.
As born again believers in Jesus Christ we have been called out by God for a purpose. We have been called out to serve him, and to raise the standard that is found in the secular world. We have been called out to be witnesses for Christ, and to show forgiveness to others; even those that lost people would more than likely not forgive. We are called out to live our lives in a manner which allows others to see the light of Christ in us.
I encourage you to live your life in obedience to God, and to allow others to clearly see the fruits of the Spirit in you. I urge you to remember that you have been called out for a purpose, as a servant, to raise the standard in this world, to be a witness, and to show forgiveness. If you fall short in these areas or have an area of particular weakness that you know you need work in, take it to God in prayer asking him to help you strengthen this area of your life. I encourage you to live your life in a manner that is pleasing to God, and that serves as a testimony of his miraculous power and greatness. We are all a work in progress and will be until the Lord calls us home. We should, however, strive to be more and more Christ-like in our behavior each and every single day with the hope that when God calls us home he will be able to say well done my good and faithful servant.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you!
Thursday, January 11, 2018
A Better Way
Genesis 6:13-14 (KJV) Says, "And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch." Genesis 12:1 (KJV) Says, "Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee:" In
Exodus 3:10-11 (KJV) God is speaking to Moses and he says, "Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?"
In the above passage of scripture pertaining to Noah, God instructs him to build an ark. Now if you read further in the Bible on the topic of Noah you will see that Noah was given specific details from God on how to build the ark, with what materials, how large it was to be, and what exactly he was to place aboard it. He was also given a specific deadline on when the ark was to be completed. This was by no means a simple task, but with God working through Noah it was accomplished. In the above passage of scripture regarding Abram, we see that he was instructed by God to get out of his own country, leave his family, and go to an unknown location which God was to lead him to. I would say that was difficult for Abram because leaving one's country and family to head to an unknown land would be difficult for anyone. Finally, the above passage of scripture regarding Moses pertains to God calling him to lead the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt. Now he is being told by God that he is to go before Pharaoh the King and request that the Israelites be released. Moses trusted God, who worked through him, and the Israelites were at last released from bondage in Egypt, but God had given Moses no simple task.
Noah, Abram, and Moses as well as many others named in God's word, were given quite a load to carry. They were assigned various tasks to be carried out in specific detail, and these tasks were far from simplistic. With that said, not one time do we read that any of the three of them gave up on what they were doing, proclaiming their task to be so difficult that it was over their load. These guys trusted God, they were organized, and did not become discouraged and give up. With God working through them, they accomplished all that he had instructed them to accomplish.
Noah, Abram, and Moses accomplished large tasks that were life altering for multitudes of people, and played a huge role in history. They obeyed God, trusted him, got organized, and got busy seeing what they were called to do through to completion. Why do I think many people of today would have reacted in an opposite manner had God put such a large task to their charge.
Numbers of people pack their schedules to maximum capacity with tasks they deem urgent on a daily basis, and then add others necessary to meet their families needs on top of those. They don't stop until their schedules reach a fullness that's overwhelming. People like this usually take little or no time to pray, read their Bible, or spend any alone time with God in order to grow in their personal relationship with him. God has been left off of many daily schedules.
As a result of leaving God out, packing their schedules, lacking organization, and poor prioritizing we have people running around proclaiming things are over their load. These are people with worldly issues such as financial, material, and job related, for instance. You know the type, they are so wound up that within five seconds of being around them you feel the stress because it has permeated the air. Their temper is on a hair trigger because they have put to much on themselves, left God out of all of it, and continue to run in the same loop without stopping to consider they need to make some changes. If Noah, Abram, or Moses had behaved like this it would have changed history because Noah and his family would have drowned, Abraham's family and land would have never grown in all the ways it did, and Moses would not have been successful at leading the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt.
If you are one of these people, know this there is a better way. Go to God in prayer, and do as the Bible instructs us to do, cast your cares on him. Don't fill your schedule to overflow, and become stressed out to the max because you can't keep the pace of it. Get organized, prioritize, and trust God. Allow him to lead, guide, and direct your path. Spend time with God daily, and put him first in your life. Don't continue doing exactly like your doing, and expect a different result. Stop whining, complaining, and being filled with self- pity, as you proclaim things to be over your load. There is nothing big enough to be over God's load. Give him control of your life, obey him, follow his direction, and experience the love, peace, contentment, and joy that comes along with it.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Exodus 3:10-11 (KJV) God is speaking to Moses and he says, "Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?"
In the above passage of scripture pertaining to Noah, God instructs him to build an ark. Now if you read further in the Bible on the topic of Noah you will see that Noah was given specific details from God on how to build the ark, with what materials, how large it was to be, and what exactly he was to place aboard it. He was also given a specific deadline on when the ark was to be completed. This was by no means a simple task, but with God working through Noah it was accomplished. In the above passage of scripture regarding Abram, we see that he was instructed by God to get out of his own country, leave his family, and go to an unknown location which God was to lead him to. I would say that was difficult for Abram because leaving one's country and family to head to an unknown land would be difficult for anyone. Finally, the above passage of scripture regarding Moses pertains to God calling him to lead the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt. Now he is being told by God that he is to go before Pharaoh the King and request that the Israelites be released. Moses trusted God, who worked through him, and the Israelites were at last released from bondage in Egypt, but God had given Moses no simple task.
Noah, Abram, and Moses as well as many others named in God's word, were given quite a load to carry. They were assigned various tasks to be carried out in specific detail, and these tasks were far from simplistic. With that said, not one time do we read that any of the three of them gave up on what they were doing, proclaiming their task to be so difficult that it was over their load. These guys trusted God, they were organized, and did not become discouraged and give up. With God working through them, they accomplished all that he had instructed them to accomplish.
Noah, Abram, and Moses accomplished large tasks that were life altering for multitudes of people, and played a huge role in history. They obeyed God, trusted him, got organized, and got busy seeing what they were called to do through to completion. Why do I think many people of today would have reacted in an opposite manner had God put such a large task to their charge.
Numbers of people pack their schedules to maximum capacity with tasks they deem urgent on a daily basis, and then add others necessary to meet their families needs on top of those. They don't stop until their schedules reach a fullness that's overwhelming. People like this usually take little or no time to pray, read their Bible, or spend any alone time with God in order to grow in their personal relationship with him. God has been left off of many daily schedules.
As a result of leaving God out, packing their schedules, lacking organization, and poor prioritizing we have people running around proclaiming things are over their load. These are people with worldly issues such as financial, material, and job related, for instance. You know the type, they are so wound up that within five seconds of being around them you feel the stress because it has permeated the air. Their temper is on a hair trigger because they have put to much on themselves, left God out of all of it, and continue to run in the same loop without stopping to consider they need to make some changes. If Noah, Abram, or Moses had behaved like this it would have changed history because Noah and his family would have drowned, Abraham's family and land would have never grown in all the ways it did, and Moses would not have been successful at leading the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt.
If you are one of these people, know this there is a better way. Go to God in prayer, and do as the Bible instructs us to do, cast your cares on him. Don't fill your schedule to overflow, and become stressed out to the max because you can't keep the pace of it. Get organized, prioritize, and trust God. Allow him to lead, guide, and direct your path. Spend time with God daily, and put him first in your life. Don't continue doing exactly like your doing, and expect a different result. Stop whining, complaining, and being filled with self- pity, as you proclaim things to be over your load. There is nothing big enough to be over God's load. Give him control of your life, obey him, follow his direction, and experience the love, peace, contentment, and joy that comes along with it.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
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