WHAT COUNTS WITH GOD IS THE CONDITION OF THE HEART

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”—Matthew 5:8

The covenant of circumcision was given to Abram in Genesis 17:9-14.  God said that any man who did not carry this sign of the covenant in his flesh was to be cut off from his people.  This placed a great importance on the act of circumcision.  Paul wrote in Romans 4:3-13 that Abraham had already been justified by faith before he was circumcised.  Abram’s faith in God and His promise saved him, at least thirteen years, before He commanded Abram to be circumcised.

Down through the centuries, the Jews turned their focus to the outward act of circumcision instead of the inward act of faith as the reason for salvation.  This was a source of contention between Jesus and the religious leaders.  They emphasized all the outward acts the Lord had commanded and were totally disregarding the condition of their hearts.  Jesus said that if an individual would cleanse their heart, their actions would inevitably change too.

 

The condition of a person’s flesh is not the important thing. It does not matter if that flesh is circumcised or not.  It is the condition of the heart that matters to God, whether you are a male or female.  Today many people do not have an issue with being circumcised; however, they do have differences of water baptism, church membership, and other outward acts that some preach are necessary for salvation.

Your faith in the love of God, as expressed through Jesus on the Cross and in His resurrection is the only thing that God demands for your justification.  Religious rites mean nothing when it comes to salvation.  You can rejoice today that the only thing that counts with God is your faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and your relationship with Him. 

Today purify your heart of any contaminant that would emphasize outward acts as a means of pleasing God.  A spirit of legalism will always focus on outward acts instead of the condition of the heart. 

Prayer—Father I ask you to shine the flood light of your Word on anything that is of legalism.  I repent of those things that are an outward sign of anything that is not pleasing to You, in Jesus Name. Amen.

JESUS’ PURPOSE HAS FIRST PRIORITY

“One thing that I desire of Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.”—Psalm 27:4

Scripture tells us that Jesus withdrew himself from the world, from distractions, from those elements that pulled on Him so that He could pray.  “So He Himself [Jesus] often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed” (Luke 5:16).  He drew on the life giving source of the Eternal Father.  He had to have the time to hear what the Father had to say.  Jesus said in John 5:19, “…the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.”  Luke 4:32 “And they were astonished at His doctrine: for His word was with power.”  The Holy Spirit has promised us that when we draw near to God; He will draw near to us.

The promise of the Holy Spirit, on the Day of Pentecost, is that same Spirit that is again filling the Church with holy longings.  Like the believers in Acts, those responding to the Spirit, in this day, will make prayer the great priority of life.  Throughout the New Testament instructions and commands concerning prayer include this same word: “…continuing instant in prayer” (Romans 12:12).  In all of these Scriptures, the Greek word for “continue” is proskartereo which means “to be in constant readiness or give constant attentions to a thing.”  Thought not in reference to prayer, its use in Mark 3:9 paint’s a graphic picture as to its application.  “So He told His disciples that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush Him.”  The boat was ready for Jesus to keep the people from crowding Him.  The idea is that the boat had been prepared and marked: Jesus’ purpose has first priority.  This boat had been set aside for His purposes.  It was not to be considered for anything else.

Proskartereo, as concerning prayer, means to be in constant readiness, to wait continually, or to have as a first purpose.  The first work of the Kingdom is prayer.  The early Church made prayer their priority.  Their prayer lives dictated their life-style so that they might accomplish the work of God.  Likewise, if we are going to fulfill the commands of Jesus, we must make prayer the priority of our lives.  Such an attitude will preclude many of the pitfalls that sabotage our prayer lives.  If prayer is our priority, we are not dependent upon our “feelings.”  How many people go to work only when they feel like it?  We will not “bottom out”, if we will pray from principle, rather than some sensation. 

A regular prayer life demands dedication and discipline.  People move away from prayer to please their flesh.  If prayer is our first occupation, then our prayer time becomes the place of our greatest fulfillment and opportunity of expression.

With prayer as the priority of life, we eliminate the tired refrain “I do not have time to pray!”  If we are too busy to offer God more than an occasional ejaculatory prayer, then we must admit that our lives are tied up with all kinds of things that are not the priority of life.  If we evaluate our life-styles honestly, in the end, we must conclude that we choose what will be in them. 

 

God does not want to crowd our lives with prayer.  Prayer is a place to take our leisure in Him.  It is to be the refuge from the chaos of the world.  In prayer, in His presence, we follow the admonition for life: “One thing that I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple” (Psalm 27:4). 

Our life-styles will reflect our obedience to Jesus’ commands when we make prayer a priority, by rearranging our lives around our praying.  Like the small boat the disciples prepared for Jesus, we bear the stamp “Jesus’ purpose has first priority.”

Prayer—Father I repent for not making prayer my first priority and today I make a fresh commitment to regularly spend time with you, in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

INDULGING IN CARNAL APPETITES COULD LEAD TO SPIRITUAL LOSSES

“But [like a boxer] I buffet my body—handle it roughly, discipline it by hardships—and subdue it, for fear that after proclaiming to others the Gospel and things pertaining to it, I myself should become unfit—not stand the test and be unapproved—and rejected [as a counterfeit].”—I Corinthians 9:27(Amplified)

Some words that I have heard used to describe our society are, materialistic, sensual, impatient, indulgent and undisciplined.  Our culture has given in to the “have-it-now,” ideology of instant gratification.  Satan specializes in presenting us with opportunities for instant gratification while promising us that indulging our appetites will bring us the satisfaction that we seek. 

Human appetites, in themselves, are not sinful; in fact, they are God-given.  However, because of our fleshly weaknesses, they need to be controlled.  When our appetites rule us, we are being ruled by our fleshly desires which in turn lead us into trouble.  Paul likened the Christian life to that of athletes who are so focused on winning the race that they exercise self-control in every area of their lives.  “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty.  Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it unto subjection, lest, when I have preached to others I myself should become disqualified” (I Corinthians 9:24-27).

This is exactly how we are called to live, yet we lack the motivation, determination, and power to do so in our own strength.  For this reason, we need to rely on the Holy Spirit within us.  If we yield our lives to Him and step out in obedience to His promptings, we will have the strength to say no when fleshly desires feel overpowering in our lives. “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16).  Paul went on to say that one of the fruits of the Spirit is self-control and that when we habitually walk and live in the Holy Spirit we will become responsive to and guided by the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit becomes our guide instead of carnal appetites because we have changed our focus onto the eternal instead of the temporal.  Many decisions that seem mundane are in fact spiritually significant.  A rich young ruler came to Jesus and pressed Him about what he needed to do with his life.  When Jesus told him that he needed to sell what he had and to follow him, the carnal appetite of the rich young ruler led him into a great spiritual loss.  Instead of following the leading of the Holy Spirit, the man followed his own need and reaped the result of a spiritual loss.  When the Enemy tempts you, he always tires to keep your attention on your own desires and pleasures of indulgence rather than on the eternal rewards and blessing you are forfeiting.  Just remind yourself how quickly immediate gratification wanes and how long eternity lasts, as you submit yourself humbly to God and resist the devil (James 4:7).

Prayer—Father I thank you for my God given appetites.  I submit them to you for your eternal glory and bring them into the control of the Holy Spirit, in Jesus Name. Amen.

ARE YOU LEAVING A LASTING IMPACT?

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?  If is then good for nothing but to thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.”—Matthew 5:13

Everywhere the Apostles ministered after the Day of Pentecost, they left a lasting impact.  Religious leaders marveled at the boldness that these uneducated and untrained men possessed, and realized that they had been with Jesus (Acts 4:13).  People from all walks of life were impacted by the early Church’s ministry; believers and unbelievers alike. 

Jesus said that we are the salt of the earth, and the light of the world.  He said that a city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden, and that we are to let our light shine before people so that our good works can be seen; thus, the Father would be glorified (Matthew 5:13-16).   

 

In order for salt to remain useful, it must maintain its purity and potency.  Likewise, we must endeavor to maintain our integrity and effectiveness focusing on the Savior’s will rather than our own.    Whether or not we impact our world positively depends on the focus of our heart.  Being self-focused limits our ability to notice other people, let alone reach out to them, and impact their lives. 

In the light of the Scriptures of Matthew 5: 13-16, evaluate how you are impacting your world by considering these questions: Do you look inward to consider how you can do more to get ahead and add to your lot in life?  Or do you look outward and think about ways that you can do more to serve others.  Are you works good?  Can they be seen? And is the Father being glorified?  Do you share with others the wonderful works of God?  Think about the people that you see every week.  Do you know how many of your neighbors are sick?  Are there people in your church who struggle to make it from day to day?  Do you know if any of your coworkers are going through hardships?

Most likely, there are individuals all around you who could use assistance.  Just as light is needed in the world today, so is your salt needed to preserve people.

Prayer—Father I purpose in my heart to leave a lasting impact upon my world.  Help me to focus my heart upon your desires rather than my own, in Jesus Name. Amen.

MEMORIAL: A TIME OF REMEMBRANCE

“And when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘Take eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same manner, He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘this cup is new covenant in My blood.  This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”—I Corinthians 11:24-25

 

Countries around the world have a day of Remembrance that is celebrated.  In America, Remembrance Day is celebrated as Memorial Day.  It is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation’s service.  It is good to remember that freedom was not FREE.  Many people have died in service to their county, and so we set the day aside to commemorate their sacrifices. 

 

A memorial service is an event that takes place after the person has died, in order to preserve the memory of that person.  Jesus’ instituted the Lord’s Supper as a memorial for the Church.  The Lord’s Supper is the ordinance of the Lord in which gathered believers eat bread and drink either wine or juice.  The symbolic breaking of the bread refers to His body being broken for us, and the drinking of the cup is symbolic of the blood of Jesus shed for the new covenant.  We do this in remembrance of the Lord and thereby proclaiming His death until He comes.  Those who drink in a worthy manner partake of Christ’s body and blood not physically but spiritually in that by faith they are nourished with the benefits obtained by His death and thus grow in grace.   The Scriptures tell us that as often as we partake of the Lord’s Supper we then proclaim the Lord’s death.   The curse of sickness and disease was removed from us when Jesus took our pains and suffered the punishment for our sins upon the cross.  His blood was shed so that we could receive forgiveness of sins and enter into a new covenant based upon better promises.  When we symbolically eat and drink of the communion elements we are affirming that our freedom is not FREE, and that the debt has been PAID.  We celebrate what Jesus has done in our behalf (I Corinthians 11:23-34).

This Memorial Day of Remembrance let it be one of celebration and honor for the debt that has been paid for your freedom.

Prayer—Father I thank you for the debt that was paid so that I can be free, in Jesus Name. Amen.     

THE DAY OF PENTECOST RELEASES A NEW SOUND

“And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind…and when this sound occurred the multitude came together…because everyone heard them speak in his own language.”—Acts 2:2,6

The Day of Pentecost is celebrated throughout the Christian world, as the day that God the Father fulfilled His Promise, of sending the gift of the Holy Spirit.  When taking to many Christians, I have discovered that most lack an understanding of the importance of the Day of Pentecost and their relationship with the God the Father, and view the day as something marked on a calendar.  However, the Day of Pentecost was so special to Jesus He commanded His followers to wait for the fulfillment of it.  When the Day came, it turned a whole city upside down.  Approximately 120 people were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues.  They were speaking in a language not known to them; however, a great multitude from different nations heard them speaking in their own native language.  The people in the city were amazed, and some thought that they were drunk. 

The sound that the Apostle Peter released before the Day of Pentecost was one of denial, betrayal, condemnation and regret; however, after the Day of Pentecost the sound changed to one of affirmation, power and persuasion as he preached the Good News and 3,000 people accepted the message of Christ (Read Acts 2). The sound of Pentecost causes blind eyes to see, restores limbs, brings the dead back to life, the deaf to hear, relationships mended, needs met, forgiveness given and received, diverse miracles to occur, and salvation to be preached. 

 

The wind of the Holy Spirit that was given on the Day of Pentecost is still being heard, felt and seen all over the world wherever the message of the gospel is preached.  Dr. LaDonna Osborn testified that in a recent crusade a wind began to blow, and as it reached the mass of people they began to experience miracles.  An explosion of miracles occurred when the wind blew upon the people.  I experienced a similar thing in Cuba one time.  I ministered in a house that was so full of people there was not room for anyone to sit down.  As I was preaching, the wind of the Holy Spirit began to blow.  The people were blown forward until there hands and arms were dangling to the floor, and then the wind blew them backwards so that their heads touched the floor.  When the Spirit blew them to an upright position, miracles occurred.  Blind eyes were healed, deaf ears were opened, joint pain disappeared, and those who could not walk or lift their limbs were completely healed.  A man with a much curved spine was completely healed. Many people professed Christ that night. 

Allow the Holy Spirit to revive the flames of Pentecost in you today.  Let Him blow anything in your life that is holding you back from moving forward away, and ignite a new sound of Heaven in you.

Prayer—Father I repent of any old ideology that has held my back from moving forward.  Today, I ask you to ignite a new sound of Heaven in me, in Jesus Name. Amen.  

BE WILLING TO WAIT

“And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.”—II Thessalonians 3:5

Life gives us no choice but to wait.  From the mundane to the profound moments of our lives, life gives us no choice but to wait.  And yet patience is becoming a rare quality in today’s world.  People complain when something does not happen on the schedule that they have in mind, or when some unforeseen obstacle prevents them from moving forward. 

 A newborn baby is not born with patience.  Patience is a characteristic that must be cultivated.  Patience is a spiritual fruit, which is developed over time.  “But the fruit of the (Holy) Spirit, [the work which His presence within accomplishes]—is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness; (Meekness, humility) gentleness, self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge]” (Galatians 5:22-23 Amplified).  Without patience and the willingness to wait, we will never become the people God desires us to be, or achieve what He has planned for us to do. 

Patience is essential for every part of life.  When the delays of life seem annoying and senseless, God wants us to respond with calm acceptance to moments and seasons of waiting, while trusting in His sovereignty over every situation.  These are the times that God uses to mature us.  Each time you feel impatience rising up in your heart, remember that this is an opportunity to choose a mature response rather than acting like a spiritual childish toddler. 

The ability to postpone gratification is an important aspect of cultivating patience.  In today’s world of instant gratification, the Lord wants us to follow biblical principles for living and aligning our desires with His.  The next time you are tempted to indulge in instant gratification, stop and ask the Lord what He wants for you.  Then wait until He gives you clear direction.

There are times that we must endure difficulties while we are waiting.  One sign of spiritual maturity is the ability to stay calm in the midst of the stress, hardship, or suffering.  This does not mean that we feel any less pressure, but in the midst of the difficulties, we know that God is working for our good—stretching our faith and molding us into the likeness of His Son.  We do not hopelessly accept the difficulty, but we stand firm in our faith in God. 

One of the words the Scripture uses to describe patience is longsuffering.  There are times when dealing with other people that it takes longsuffering.  No one likes to deal with difficult people, but we have been given a key how to respond with these types of individuals.  I Corinthians 13:4-7 begins by describing love as patient.  For years I have meditated upon these scriptures and spoken them over my life, and now when I am tempted to respond to a situation, or person with irritation or anger; I am able to calmly demonstrate longsuffering with the situation, or person.

Many times we may be tempted to take forbidden shortcuts to escape prolonged difficulties or suffering; but these are never the answer to our difficulties.  If you will study the life of David, you will see that although he had been anointed to be king over Israel when he was just a teenager; he waited upon God’s timing, and would not use human-will to gain the promise of the Father.  The principles to be learned from David in waiting are: He was willing to wait for the promise and stood in faith, displayed wisdom and sensitivity, obedience, courage, perseverance and patience (I Samuel 19-31; II Samuel 1:1-2).

A preacher once said, “Trust God when He puts you in the waiting room.  He knows what He is doing.

Prayer—Father today I choose to be willing to wait for Your promise of “best” for me, and to develop Your characteristic of patience, in Jesus Name. Amen.

EXPECT FRUIT AFTER YOUR TIME OF WAITING

“…wait for the Promise of the Father which… you have heard from Me.”—Acts 1:4

The early disciples, Jesus’ mother and brothers, and other women, gathered in the Upper Room to wait as Jesus had commanded them.  Before He was taken up to heaven, Jesus had instructed them that the Holy Spirit would come upon them so that they would be a witness to Him throughout the earth.  During these days of waiting, those gathered in the Upper Room were fasting and praying; incidentally, it was at this time that another disciple was chosen to replace Judas (The apostle who had betrayed Jesus and had killed himself.) (Acts 1:13-26).  Although those waiting had never experience the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives, their hearts were open to receive the newness that Jesus had talked to them about. 

The Scripture tells us that when the Day of Pentecost had fully that the people were in one accord waiting for the Promise of the Father. Today you may be waiting for something or someone new that the Father has promised.  Perhaps you are waiting an answer to prayer—for a job, improved finances, better health, or the salvation of a love one.  Maybe you are anticipating the next step in God’s plan for your life, or the strength to finally overcome some habitual sin.  During this time of waiting, it is a good time to consider what seeds you have been sowing in your life.  In your season of waiting, have you sown to righteousness or to sin?  Have you prepared to reap the harvest of spiritual fruit or the weeds of compromise? 

Diligence and persistence are the labors required when waiting upon God.  Sometimes He requires adjustments in thought patterns, correction in behavior, and repentance.  When the guidelines of the Holy Spirit are followed, at the end of waiting, comes forth a time of reaping the fruits of your labors, as it did on the Day of Pentecost, for the early believers.   They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.  The fruit of their waiting is still producing global fruit.  Sometimes you may not know all the details of how your spiritual fruit may touch the world, but be open to the newness that His Spirit can and will bring to your life. 

Prayer—Father I prepare my heart according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God during my time of waiting so that I can receive the fullness of Your fruit, in Jesus Name. Amen.

THE CHURCH IS FLIRTING WITH DISASTER

“And do this knowing the time that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.”—Romans 13:11

 

In a few days, Christians from around the world will be celebrating Pentecost.  Among Christians, Pentecost commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit fifty days after Easter Sunday, upon the twelve apostles and other followers of Jesus, as described in the Acts of the Apostles 2:1-41.   For this reason, Pentecost is sometimes described as the day that the Church was born.  God’s plan for the Church is much greater than most religious leaders will accept or even understand.  Because religion has a tendency to view the future through the lens of past experiences, it is not able to comprehend the exceeding greatness of God’s power in doing a new thing.   God used Pentecost to signal to the world that He was doing a new thing. He was moving forward, using people from all walks of life, which were endued with His power to turn the world from paganism.

The early Church was filled with awe and wonder as they waited expectantly for Christ’s return.  Although the Church was being persecuted, Scripture tells us that daily people were added to the Church and that signs and wonders were a common occurrence.  During this time, people were selling their property and laying it down at the apostle’s feet.  The apostle’s would then distribute what was needed to the people.  A man and his wife, Ananias and Sapphira, sold some property, but kept back part of the amount that they had received from the sell of their property.  Ananias brought part of the proceeds and laid it at the Apostles’ feet; thus, indicating that the amount he had given was the total amount realized from the sell of the property.  The Apostle Peter confronted the issue of lying by saying, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?  While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control?  Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to me but to God.”  Immediately, Ananias fell dead down at Peter’s feet.  Not knowing what happened to her husband, Sapphira came to Peter.  When Peter inquired that the property had been sold for the same amount as her husband had mentioned, Sapphira replied yes.  Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together, to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.”  Immediately, Sapphria fell down at his feet and died.  The Scripture tells us that great fear came upon all those who heard what had happened (Acts 4:34-37; 5:1-11).

Satan uses the works of the flesh to operate against the Spirit of God (Galatians 5:17).  Ananias and Sapphira not only, “flirted with disaster” when they conspired to lie to the Holy Spirit; but also, reaped the consequences of that flirtation.  When the Church “flirts with disaster” by engaging in the world’s conduct of adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, difference of opinion that lead to open conflict, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, noisy celebrating and the likes, the consequences can be disastrous (Galatians 5:19-21).  What the world serves up as fun and nutritious can only end in God’s judgment, if not repented of, as in the case of Ananias and Sapphira. 

Repentance is the solution for the Church who has been “flirting with disaster” by dinning on the nutrition of the flesh.  The Apostle John wrote, “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.  If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1: 5-9). 

The Church and the world’s Advocate, with the Father, is Jesus Christ the righteous.  It is only through His blood that the Church can be restored into right relationship.  I urge you to allow the Holy Spirit to show you areas where you may be “flirting with disaster.”                                            Prayer—Father I ask that the Holy Spirit would bring to my mind anything where I have been flirting with disaster.  I repent of these things__________________ (name these things), and ask for your forgiveness and restoration, in Jesus Name. Amen.

THIS IS THE SEASON TO MOVE FORWARD

“But now they desire a better, that is a heavenly country…”—Hebrews 11:16

The body of Christ is in the season of moving forward.  To move forward, you cannot be constantly thinking of the past or be unprepared.  Moreover, you must want to (desire) to go forward.  Jesus told a parable about ten virgins who where waiting for their bridegroom.  Five of the ten virgins were prepared with extra oil for their lamps, and when the bridegroom came the ones prepared were taken in to the wedding.  However, the five who were not prepared were not allowed into the wedding (Matthew 25:1-13). 

 

The old methods of waiting until the last minute to prepare will not be of any value in this new season.   An alignment of your desire with God’s desire must occur so that you will be prepared to move forward.  Jesus told His disciples that He was going to prepare a place for them, in His Father’s house (John 14:2).  God is preparing for the Church’s coming; consequently, when we do not prepare, are we not behaving like the five foolish virgins who were not prepared for their Bridegroom’s coming?   

Those who continually refill their spirit’s with the Word of God and with His Spirit will be the ones who like David can say, “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the statues of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.  More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.  Moreover by them your servant is warned, and keeping them there is great reward” (Psalm 19:7-11).

Prayer—Father I choose to continually be filled with Your Spirit and with Your Word so that I can be ready for Your coming, in Jesus Name. Amen.

CONTROL YOUR THINKING: AVOID TEMPTATION

“And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return.”—Hebrews 11:15

The writer of Hebrews clearly states that if Abraham and Sarah had been mindful of the country that they had left, then they would have been tempted to return.  However, since they were not mindful of that county, then they were not tempted to return.  In other words, the writer is clearly stating that there temptation was linked to their thoughts.  You cannot be tempted with something that you do not think about.  Therefore, control your thinking, and you can avoid temptation. 

 

Angels told Lot and his family not to look back to Sodom and Gomorrah, as it was being destroyed; however, that is just what Lot’s wife did, and she was turned into a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:26). Your thoughts can cause you to yearn for the past and what you use to have; so much so, that you become dissatisfied with what you have.  By controlling your thinking, you are then able to control your actions, and you can avoid being tempted.  I have counseled people who have gotten into marriage difficulties because they kept thinking about someone other than their spouse.  Wrong thoughts led to wrong actions that caused great emotional grief for the family.  Self-control is a product of your thinking.  You cannot control your actions, by allowing yourself the luxury of thinking about things that you should not.  Because when temptation comes, you will struggle to remain faithful to God. 

God exempts no one from leaving something behind; it may not be country, but it could be a lifestyle or certain friends.  For some there are habits or hobbies that He has asked you to lay down.  The secret to walking away from them is not thinking about them all of the time.  Thinking What if? is always a faith destroyer! 

The Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians and said, “Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of a good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—mediate on these things.” (4:8). Today turn your thoughts from what you have left behind, to what you have to look forward to in your life in Jesus Christ.  You will discover that your positive thoughts will bring you hope instead of temptation.

Prayer—Father I purpose in my heart that today I will think your thoughts, and any negative influence I will cast down as not from You, in Jesus Name. Amen.

PRAISE RENEWS, REVIVES AND STRENGTHENS

“Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His Name.”—Hebrews 13:15

There are times, in the busyness of life that we simply do not stop long enough to pause and thank our Creator for the countless blessings He has given to us.  Other “things” take the priority over our expressing gratitude to the One who made us.  But when we do, our spirits revive, our strength is renewed, and our hope is inspired.  Psalm 107:1-2 is an expression of thanksgiving.  Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!  For His mercy endures forever.  Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy.” 

We express praise and thanksgiving to the Creator because He is good.  He bestows everything on us, and He deserves our gratitude.   

God is good because….

He loves you.

He gave you breath.

He redeemed you.

He gives you the capacity to know Him.

He gives you the desire to trust Him.

He does not remember your transgressions.

He takes piety upon your needs.

He considers the poor.

He fulfills every promise.

He is trustworthy.

He is dependable.

He is always present.

He never leaves you.

He forgives us.

He receives us into eternity.

Your reasons for expresses your love of praise and thanksgiving to God can be never ending, and I pray that they will never be.  Let praise and thanksgiving become a regular part of your routine.  Allow your spirit to be revived, your strength renewed, and your hope inspired, as you offer up to Him, the fruit of your lips giving praise. 

Prayer—Father I thank you for bestowing your life of goodness and blessing upon my life.  Today I recommitment my time to include thanksgiving and praise to You for what You have done, in Jesus Name. Amen.

SPEAKING GOD’S WORD IS VALIDATION

 “Then He said, ‘Behold; I have come to do Your will, O God…”—Hebrews 10:9

 

Webster’s Dictionary defines the word valid as having legal force properly executed and binding under the law, and the word validation as making or declaring valid.  Also, when the word validate is used, it means to make binding under the law, to give legal force to, and to declare legally valid. 

By studying the Scriptures, you will discover that every time Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness; Jesus would always respond with the Word of God.  Satan tempted Jesus by wanting Him to turn the stones into bread; however, Jesus responded, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”  Next, Satan wanted Jesus to throw Himself off of the pinnacle of the temple; again, Jesus responded, “It is written again, You shall not tempt the Lord your God.”  Then the Devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and told Jesus that if He would worship him that he would give it all to Jesus.  Jesus said to him, “Away with you Satan! For it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve” (Matthew 4:1-11).   When Jesus spoke God’s words, He validated that He was the Son of God, and the enemy had to obey Him.  By speaking God’s Word, you are actually declaring your legal position as a child of God, and the enemy must be obedient to the Word of God.  Satan is a legalist and tries to twist God’s Word and cause people to doubt what God has said.  Satan preys on human emotions especially in times of stress.  He relentlessly is at work to destroy faith in God which ultimately will cause people to abandon faith in others, and then renounce faith in themselves.  There is a way to combat the enemy of faith, and that is through the spoken word.  Follow Jesus’ example by submitting yourself to God, resisting Satan, and speaking the Word.  “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).

The Bible has much to say about the words that we speak.  Jesus taught that, “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matthew 12:37).  Never give in to the religious pessimism of defeat, and to accept inadequacy, as being the will of God. 

The Holy Spirit spoke these words to me:  Validation is a victory statement of your belief in the finished work of Christ.  What a powerful statement this is.  Jesus said that out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth would speak.  Therefore when we speak the Word of God we are making a legally valid statement in the spiritual realm and the enemy has to obey when it is spoken in faith.

 Kimberly Daniels wrote in her book Delivered to Destiny, that while serving in the military during Operation Desert Storm, she had led a man, Corporal Day, to the Lord.  Soon after his conversion, he was made a driver for her.  He was very on fire for God, and asked Kimberly if she would pray for him not to be deployed.  She agreed, and explained to him that God honors childlike faith and if they would agree together with the right motives, He would answer their prayer.  One week later, a letter was published throughout the company with the list of personnel who would not be deployed.  Corporal Day’s name was on the list.  From that time on Corporal Day’s walk with the Lord began to slacken.  Kimberly stated, “It seemed that once he received what he wanted from God, he was content to lay back in apathy.”  He was warned to pray in the Spirit and to give God the glory in his life, but Corporal Day responded with indifference and had a complacent attitude.  Kimberly was ordered to her commander’s office, and as she approached the office, Corporal Day passed by, cursing God.  He looked in her face and said that he knew the Christian life was all a lie.  Although Kimberly learned that day she too had received orders to deploy, and that it seemed like the hordes of hell were coming against the promise that God had given to her many months before.  He had spoken to her heart that it was not His will for her to be deployed; she still had to stand on what she knew.  Kimberly wrote that she did not know what she knows now; but, what she knew was enough: she was not deployed.  

This is why it is so important to study and mediate upon the Word of God, and that we have a valid relationship with the Father.

Prayer—Father I repent of the times that I have been complacent in my attitude towards You and Your Word. Today I purpose in my heart to give Your Word first place, and I  thank you that speaking your Word validates my position in Christ Jesus, in Jesus Name. Amen.  

CHRISTIANITY’S STRENGTH IS INWARD CHARACTER

 “That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man.”—Ephesians 3:16

To see what God’s character is like, we must look at the life of Christ.  Everything that God is, He is in His Son, Jesus Christ.  When you see Jesus, you see the Father (“I and My Father are one” John 10:30).  When Christ enters a life, He brings His life.  His life is the very soil in which we take root and blossom, the ground in which our lives are founded.

 It is the duty of spiritual leaders to not only teach God’s character and nature, but pray for their people.  The Apostle Paul prayed that Christ might enter through the open door of faith, to dwell in hearts, and to imprint His nature upon minds, will and emotions (Ephesians 3:16).  Apostle Paul prayed that his fellow believers might know the strength of the Spirit's power in the inner man (Colossians 1:9-14).  

 Acts 27:17 describes how a small boat was secured in a storm to the larger ship during a storm.  The storm-tossed ship which was strengthened inside by bracings and undergirded outside by cables.  When the storms of life come against you, draw strength from the knowledge that you are held secure in the Father’s loving arms.  God’s character is love (I John 4:8).  Love is the greatest strength and weapon that the Christian possess.  Allow God’s character of love to strengthen you and to empower you today.

Prayer—Father I come to you honoring You for who You are, and for the indwelling of your character in me.  May I never forget that it is your strength of love that redeemed humankind, and that Your love through me will change my world, in Jesus Name. Amen.

GOD IS NOT THE AUTHOR OF FAILURE

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”—Galatians 6:7

You may have heard the expression that God does not create any failures; however, when we look at the world around us, we can see failure.  Financial institutions have failed, a variety of types of business have been forced to close there doors, and all around the world we see relationships that have failed.  Failure can be a dreadful word.  No one likes to the think about failure, or experience it.  However, everyone can be subject to the attacks of failure.  Throughout the Scriptures, many of God’s servants suffered failures.  Some of the most successful men and women in history have experienced failure.  If God does not create failures, why then are we seeing so many of them?  I believe that there are times that God allows failure because we as humans are not perfect, and those individuals who go on to eventually succeed are the ones who understand the difference between temporary defeat and failure.  These are the ones who look beyond life’s occasional setbacks, and refuse to give up, no matter what obstacles that confront them.

Jesus’ parable of two men who had built a house is a vivid picture of both success and failure.  One of the men built the foundation of his house upon rock, the other on sand.  When the storms unleashed their fury, one house stood and the other fell.  “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fail, for it was founded on the rock.   But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand; and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell.  And great was its fall” (Matthew 7:24-27).  In this parable, we can find two principles that can protect us from lasting failure in our personal, family, business, and spiritual lives.

First, always build upon the strong, immovable foundation of truth.  Any aspect of life that violates truth is doomed to failure.  It may stand for a season, but eventually it will collapse.  The truth of Scripture should be our guide in business, as-well-as in our family life.  Detours around truth and honesty will always lead to disappointment and ultimately failure. 

Second, build for the storms of life that come.  What you build will be tested.  The consequences of shoddy work, laziness, dishonesty, though it may be well-hidden, will surely bring failure tomorrow.  You cannot escape the eternal principle: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that will he also reap” (Galatians 6:7).

God is not the author of our failures thought He does allow it.  Even though we are His children and want what is best, we do not always know what is best: therefore, we may experience what looks like failure.  There are times that we allow ourselves to become sidetracked. Our priorities get out of order; our motivation becomes selfish; Christ is no longer the center of our lives.  These are times that God uses failure as a way of getting our attention; humbling us, and bringing us back to Himself. 

Always remember that there is a difference between failing and being a failure.  God does not make failures; however, sometimes He allows us to fail today in order to bring us success in our tomorrow.  God has planted in your every defeat the seeds of your future success.  Successful people are those who apply God’s remedy: humbling themselves before Him in repentance, surrendering to His will and His goals for their lives.  For the believer, every failure can be a stepping stone to success.

Prayer—Father I thank you that You have not made me a failure. Today I humble myself before You, and repent for doing things my way. I ask you to help me turn every situation in my life into a success, in Jesus Name. Amen.

UNDERSTAND THE CALL AND REMAIN FAITHFUL

“…they shall be called sons of the living God.”—Romans 9:26

The Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans is one that lays the foundation for the Christian’s faith, salvation by grace, and the Christian’s principles by which one is to live.  Roman’s is the foundation of the Church’s teaching, and its’ principles must be understood.  One of the principles to be learned is that God deals with Jews and Gentiles as individuals, and calls us His sons and children. 

The Apostle John wrote in I John 3:1, “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.”   When reading or hearing the word “behold,” we are to pause and look upon it, stop and reflect.  Reflect, ponder and meditate at the kind and quantity of love that the Father has given freely and without merit to people (Ephesians 3:17-19; Romans 8:35-39).  Scripture reveals to us that we are “adopted” children of God through faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 8:15; Ephesians 1:5; Galatians 4:5).  We have been picked-out; chosen by God. We are special!  We are part of a family.  It is an honor to be chosen by God as one of His children.  When we ponder and mediate upon how special we are to God, the feelings of isolation, loneliness, and depression leave.  God wants YOU.  You may be feeling that you are not important, or that you have no value, or that anyone cares about you; I have good news for you today.  God does.  He paid an infinite price for you, He has chosen you to be apart of his family.  Understand that He has called you to be his child and that He wants you as His own.  When you become His child, all that He is becomes deposited into your spirit.  Your potential soars to new heights, as you mediate and understand what has been given to you, as His child. 

The world did not understand and recognize that Jesus was God’s son; they hated Him.  Sometimes the world will treat you just as it did Jesus.  Do not be surprised about this; rejoice that you are called the child of God, and that your life has been hidden in Jesus (Colossians 3:3). 

Prayer—Father may the love that you have shown in making me Your child serve to motivate me to remain faithful to You, in Jesus Name. Amen.

THE TABLE IS SET ARE YOU COMING?

“…A certain man gave a great supper and invited many. And sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come for all things are now ready.’”—Luke 14:17

 

Our home has always seemed to hum with the activity of people.  We have always welcomed family, friends, and strangers into our home.  During our children’s teenage years, it seemed like our home was the central point of a gathering place for all their friends, and those who needed housing assistance when they were in a family crisis situation.  Recently, I heard a person make comment about their family coming for a visit, and that is when I realized that not everyone had the same view as I did on being hospitable.  The individual was upset because the visiting family members were interrupting their family’s schedule, and would require extra effort on their part.  Perhaps if this person had a clearer understanding about the practice of Christian hospitality she would have thought differently.

Dr. Christine Pohl, the author of Making Room, said that, “A lot of us see our homes as retreats from the world instead of outposts for the kingdom.  And so we are leery of whom we welcome and how much time it will take.”  She went on to say that some societies have become so task-oriented that their view of opportunities for hospitality seems as interruptions.  If our whole focus is on getting things done, then opening our homes to others will always be inconvenient. 

Perhaps the most inconvenient, if not uncomfortable, aspect to the biblical tradition of hospitality is its emphasis on welcoming the stranger into the home.  Jesus said when you welcome the least of these you have welcomed Me (Matthew 25:45).  The early Christians took these words so seriously that it was common practice to set aside a special room in their homes.  This room was called “Christ room,” or “prophet’s chamber,” so that as strangers had a need the believers would not miss an opportunity to welcome “Jesus.”   

A passage in Luke’s gospel teaches an important lesson about the best approach for taking in a stranger—we should not welcome others for personal gain.  On the Sabbath, Jesus dined in the home of a ruling Pharisee.  Noticing the dignified guests who were seated around the table, Jesus challenged the host not to invite friends, rich neighbors, or relatives, who could return the favor in one form or another: “But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just” (Luke 14:13-14).   

We as Christians are called to extend to strangers and those who are usually left-out the same kind of welcome that we extend to family and friends.  It is very difficult to show hospitality to strangers if we are not showing it to the people we know and love. 

Begin to ask yourself how you could expand your table, with questions such as: Who are the people in my world that need welcomed?  It is the person down the street whose family lives on the other side of the country?  Is it my child’s friends, an international student, a disabled church member, or a widower?  View your home not as a private haven but as a tool for the kingdom of God.  “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it” (Hebrews 13:2).

Prayer—Father forgive me for the times that it has seemed inconvenient to invite people into my home.  I purpose in my heart to look for ways to expand my table, and for my home to be used as a tool for Your kingdom, in Jesus Name. Amen.

LOVE: THE GREATEST EVANGELISM TOOL

“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”—John 13:35

I received a testimony from a woman who thanked me for praying with her concerning the salvation of her husband.  She contacted me several times over the years; we prayed that her husband would come to the saving knowledge of Christ.  He would accompany her to church from time-to-time, pastors would stop and present the gospel to him; however, nothing seemed to make a difference in her husband’s attitude.  Finally in exasperation, she told the Lord that she was just going to stop nagging him about going to church and living right. She would continue to pray for him, for she knew that it was His will for everyone to be saved, but she had said and threatened him with everything she knew.   She said that it felt like a big weight fell off her back when she decided to quit nagging him.  She began to be a nicer person and do extra things for him that demonstrated how she really felt about him.  After a few weeks, her husband began to notice and asked her why she was treating him so nice.  She replied, “Because I love you.”  Not long after that conversation with her husband, he went with her to church and received Christ’s salvation.

When we talked she was excited about her husband’s conversion, and asked me, after all these years, what I thought made such a huge change in his attitude.  I replied to her that the Scripture tells us that love covers a multitude of sins, and that some people are won by the conduct in which we live our lives (I Peter 4:8; 3:1). 

Jesus said that the one characteristic that would cause the world to identify us as His followers was our love for one another.  According to Jesus, the unity of believers through a genuine God-kind of love is the greatest tool of evangelism for the church.  Although the early church did not have the massive organizational structures that we see in the world today, nor the huge financial resources spend in campaigns for outreaches, they had evangelized the known world in less than thirty years. In fact the pagans of Thessalonica said of Paul and his companions, “these that have turned the world upside down have come here too” (Acts 17:6).

Jesus gave what is called “the Great Commission” to the church in Matthew 28:19-20.  “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  The fulfillment of the Great Commission will take place as we walk in love towards one another.  We are not to seek what is best for ourselves; but, in honor, we are to prefer our brothers and sisters and seek what is best for them.  Let love speak volumes through your life.

Prayer—Father I ask you to show me how I can express my love for my brothers and sisters, in Jesus Name. Amen

ASKING QUESTIONS: A MATTER OF THE HEART

“But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strife’s.”—2 Timothy 2:23

 

When you study Luke chapter one, you will notice a difference between two hearts.     Zacharias, a priest, and Mary, a young soon to be married virgin woman, were each visited by Gabriel, God’s angel, who came to deliver a prophetic message to them both.  Each was told that they would experience a miraculous birth of a son, and each was told what to name their child; however, upon contrasting these two experiences, you can discover a startling difference by the question each asked the angel.  Zacharias asked Gabriel how a thing like this could be, since both he and his wife were beyond childbearing age.  Because Zacharias’ question was asked in unbelief and in scorn, he was struck dumb until the birth of his son (Luke 1: 18-20).  Although Mary asked a similar question, she was asking the question to gain information, not with a doubting heart.  Therefore the angel gave to her, the answer to her question (Luke 1:26-38). 

There is nothing wrong in asking God questions.  He wants you to understand.  So when God speaks to you through His Word, or by His Spirit or by an angelic messenger, ask questions if you do not understand.  From time-to-time, we all may experience problems with understanding the ways of God.  He says, “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘ For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thought than your thoughts’” (Isaiah 55: 8-9).  You need wisdom that only God can give, and He does not mind if you ask questions, as long as you ask with sincerity in your heart.

Prayer—Father thank you that I have assurance that when I need your wisdom and understanding that I can ask of You, and you will give it to me, in Jesus Name. Amen.

GODLY WOMEN WILL INFLUENCE THE WORLD

“…but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.”—Proverbs 31:30-31

Everyone has a mother.  Some mothers have been more of a godly influence in the lives of their children than others.  Regardless of the level of godly or ungodly influence of your mother, you can choose to be a better influence on the next generation.  It seems like to me that a lot of Christian women around the world have forgotten that they are to be the influencers, not the influenceie.  Women and men alike are created in God’s image.  We are not to debase the image of God by allowing the influence of the world to creep in and change our image to a reprobate. 

 In his letter to Titus, Paul admonished him to teach the qualities that would ensure sound Biblical doctrine.  These doctrines included for older men and women to be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in their faith, in love and in patience.  Women are to be teachers of good things and to wisely train the younger women to be sober-minded, temperate and disciplined and to love their husbands and their children.  Women are to be self-controlled, chaste, homemakers, kindhearted.  Wives and husbands are to be mutually submissive to one-another so that the Word of God would be with out reproach.   The psalmist David wrote in Psalm 68:11-12 “The Lord gives the word [of power]; the women who bear and publish (the news) are a great host. The kings of the enemies’ armies, they flee, they flee! She who tarries at home divides the spoil.”  Whether you are one of the ones that publish the good news, or stay at home you have a share in God’s reward system by staying faithful to the principles of

the Word.                                                                                                                                            

Prayer—Father I thank you for helping me to be the person that you designed for me to be so that I would influence my world, in Jesus Name.  Amen.