Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Words are containers
Words can contain life or they can contain death.
How often does something happen and you say
"I was just talkng about that the other day".
Is this a coincidence? Not likely.
God says, in His word,
that there is "Life and death in the power of the tongue".
(Proverbs 18:21)
Which are you speaking into your life today?
CHOOSE LIFE!
How often does something happen and you say
"I was just talkng about that the other day".
Is this a coincidence? Not likely.
God says, in His word,
that there is "Life and death in the power of the tongue".
(Proverbs 18:21)
Which are you speaking into your life today?
CHOOSE LIFE!
Thursday, July 06, 2006
The Mustard Seed
In Matthew 17:20 Jesus is explaining to His disciples why they were not able to cast a demon out of a boy. "He said to them, Because of the littleness of your faith [that is, your lack of firmly relying trust]. For truly I say to you, if you have faith [that is living] like a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, Move from here to yonder place, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you." I have always read this scripture and thought that with just a little faith we could move the "mountains" in our lives. However, reading this scripture from the Amplified Bible gave me a new perspective. It is not the little faith that moves those "mountains" it is the ever growing seed of faith. A seed, planted in good soil and watered regularly, will grow to immeasurable proportions. Consider what Jesus said earlier, in Matthew 13:31,32 about the mustard seed. "...The Kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field. Of all the seeds it is the smallest, but when it is grown it is the largest of the garden herbs and becomes a tree..." The smallest amount of faith can grow into the largest amount of faith. How does this happen. First we need to allow the seed to be planted in our hearts (our spirits). Then we need to water it regularly with the Word of God. We need to read it and speak it out loud. If we truly want to move the "mountains" in our lives we must be diligent about the care of our seed of faith. What mountains are you facing today? Financial problems, health problems, depression, relationship problems? Don't walk around your mountain for 40 years as the Israelites did. Find the promises in God's Word concerning those mountains, plant them in your heart like seeds and water them (speak them out) until your faith grows to such great proportions that those mountains are moved out of your path. Why let mountains get in the way of fulfilling God's plan for your life?
Saturday, July 01, 2006
God's Plans
Jeremiah 29:11-14
For I know the plans I have for you,"
declares the LORD,
"plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future.
Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me,
and I will listen to you.
You will seek me and find me
when you seek me with all your heart. (from New International Version)
I have learned, sometimes the hard way, that God's plan for our lives is so much greater than our own. When we seek Him wholeheartedly we end up in the center of His will. When we try to do things our way, the way we think is best, we can feel like we are struggling....beating our heads against the wall. But when we love God, just for who He is, and trust Him with our lives we will find ourselves struggling less and enjoying life more. When we are going through trials we need to remember that He knows the best way through those trials. We may try to find a shortcut but it won't work. Follow Him, entrust all of your life to Him. He won't keep the trials out of your life but He will take you through them.
Isaiah 43:2
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;And through the rivers,
they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire,
you shall not be burned,Nor shall the flame scorch you.NKJV
For I know the plans I have for you,"
declares the LORD,
"plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future.
Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me,
and I will listen to you.
You will seek me and find me
when you seek me with all your heart. (from New International Version)
I have learned, sometimes the hard way, that God's plan for our lives is so much greater than our own. When we seek Him wholeheartedly we end up in the center of His will. When we try to do things our way, the way we think is best, we can feel like we are struggling....beating our heads against the wall. But when we love God, just for who He is, and trust Him with our lives we will find ourselves struggling less and enjoying life more. When we are going through trials we need to remember that He knows the best way through those trials. We may try to find a shortcut but it won't work. Follow Him, entrust all of your life to Him. He won't keep the trials out of your life but He will take you through them.
Isaiah 43:2
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;And through the rivers,
they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire,
you shall not be burned,Nor shall the flame scorch you.NKJV
Friday, June 30, 2006
Make a choice
Does God want people to go to Hell?
Not according to Ezekiel 18:23!
It says "Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD.
Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?" (from New International Version)
God does not wish that any spend eternity in Hell. He made the way for us so that we don't have to.
But we must choose and accept the consquences of our choice.
Are we being forced to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior in order to be saved?
No.
It is a free will choice.
We make many choices in life every day. Each has a consequence. All are governed by some kind of a law.
Choose to step off of a high cliff ~ law of gravity.
Choose to kill someone ~ governmental laws.
Choose to drive too fast ~ traffic laws.
All choices come with consequences; either good or bad.
Our choices determine our outcome.
Can we choose to step off the cliff?
Yes.
It is a free will choice.
Will most people do it?
No.
They understand the law of gravity.
Can we choose to turn from our wicked ways and towards God?
Yes.
It is a free will choice.
Can we turn away from God and continue in our wicked ways?
Yes.
But we must be prepared to accept the consequences.
Not according to Ezekiel 18:23!
It says "Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD.
Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?" (from New International Version)
God does not wish that any spend eternity in Hell. He made the way for us so that we don't have to.
But we must choose and accept the consquences of our choice.
Are we being forced to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior in order to be saved?
No.
It is a free will choice.
We make many choices in life every day. Each has a consequence. All are governed by some kind of a law.
Choose to step off of a high cliff ~ law of gravity.
Choose to kill someone ~ governmental laws.
Choose to drive too fast ~ traffic laws.
All choices come with consequences; either good or bad.
Our choices determine our outcome.
Can we choose to step off the cliff?
Yes.
It is a free will choice.
Will most people do it?
No.
They understand the law of gravity.
Can we choose to turn from our wicked ways and towards God?
Yes.
It is a free will choice.
Can we turn away from God and continue in our wicked ways?
Yes.
But we must be prepared to accept the consequences.
Monday, April 17, 2006
John 8:32,36
"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."
During our family devotions tonight I got a revelation of these two verses when put together. I have been meditating lately on the fact that God's Word is truth. Mental knowledge, mental assent that God's Word is truth is not enough. There must be a revelation of it in order for us to truly walk in faith through the good times and the bad. When I read these verses tonight and put them together it was awesome.
Do you know the Son?
Then you know the truth.
(John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life.")
What else do we know about Jesus?
That he is the Word.
(John 1:1-2 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.)
So putting it all together we know that Jesus is the Word and Jesus is the Truth. Therefore, the Word is the Truth. If the Word is the Truth then we can believe everything the Word says about us. Find out what God's Word says you are...what it says you are entitled to (health, prosperity, peace, joy).
Then let it set you free from whatever has been holding you in bondage.
"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."
During our family devotions tonight I got a revelation of these two verses when put together. I have been meditating lately on the fact that God's Word is truth. Mental knowledge, mental assent that God's Word is truth is not enough. There must be a revelation of it in order for us to truly walk in faith through the good times and the bad. When I read these verses tonight and put them together it was awesome.
Do you know the Son?
Then you know the truth.
(John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life.")
What else do we know about Jesus?
That he is the Word.
(John 1:1-2 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.)
So putting it all together we know that Jesus is the Word and Jesus is the Truth. Therefore, the Word is the Truth. If the Word is the Truth then we can believe everything the Word says about us. Find out what God's Word says you are...what it says you are entitled to (health, prosperity, peace, joy).
Then let it set you free from whatever has been holding you in bondage.
Thursday, April 13, 2006
He is Risen!!!
Matt 28:1-7
Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn,
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.
2 And behold, there was a great earthquake;
for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven,
and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.
3 His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.
4 And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.
5 But the angel answered and said to the women,
"Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.
6 He is not here; for He is risen, as He said.
Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
7 And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead,
and indeed He is going before you into Galilee;
there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you."NKJV
Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn,
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.
2 And behold, there was a great earthquake;
for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven,
and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.
3 His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.
4 And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.
5 But the angel answered and said to the women,
"Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.
6 He is not here; for He is risen, as He said.
Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
7 And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead,
and indeed He is going before you into Galilee;
there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you."NKJV
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Who does God love?
John 3:16-21
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." (from New International Version)
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." (from New International Version)
