The Choice Is Yours

As Christians, we face a spiritual enemy who is in opposition to everything we do and a world system that the Bible tells us is also an enemy. But we have a spiritual weapon that neither can stand against, which is the Word of God. For that reason we can answer every temptation, every trial, every discouragement, and every battle with the wisdom and truth of what God has already spoken.

When the enemy says, “You're a miserable sinner,” you can answer, “Yes, but I've been washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ."

When the enemy says, “You're worthless and can't do anything!” you can answer, “On my own that might be true, but I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me."

When the enemy says, “How could God love a miserable sinner like you?” you can answer, “While I was still a sinner, Christ died for me!”

When the enemy tempts you to sin, you can answer, “There isn't one temptation you can throw at me that people haven't seen before. Not only that, God is faithful to show me a way out of it before I give in."

And when the enemy starts whispering in your ear, trying to get you to worry, you can answer, “I won't be anxious about anything but instead I'll thank and praise God and pray to him about what I need."

It is true that our spiritual enemy has more ways to wage war against us than we, in our limited human understanding, can understand. But it is equally true that for every thing he can throw at us, we can have an answer that comes from the very mouth of God. Use it and win. Don't use it and lose. The choice is yours!

The Power of Prayer

Christian, where is your source of power? This list ofBible verses on prayer is meant to encourage you today. I pray that you read through these Bible verses and then take them to God in prayer. Ask God for the wisdom and discernment to teach you how He wants you to pray and for what He wants you to pray for.

Psalm 107:28-30 "Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven."

-When we pray we should Ask:

Matthew 7:7 ”Ask, and it will be given to you seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you."

Matthew 21:22 "And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”

Mark 11:24 "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."

John 14:13-14 "Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it"

-We should Pray in Faith:

Mark 9:29 "And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”

Acts 9:40 "But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up."

James 5:14-16 "Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another,that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."

-Always and with Thanksgiving:
Ephesians 6:18 "...praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints..."

Philippians 4:6-7 "...do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Don't Waste Your Blessings

I read a story recently about a woman who fell out of a second-floor window and landed in a slow-moving garbage truck. Half-buried in the litter, she tried without success to get the truckdriver’s attention. A foreign diplomat standing on the sidewalk saw her and quipped, “Another example of how wasteful Americans are. That woman looks like she’s good for at least another 10 years.”

2 Corinthians 10:5 KJV "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."

If we think we will be defeated, there's a good chance we will. Proverbs 23:7a says, "For as [a man] thinks within himself, so he is." Sure, it's normal to feel sorrow, pain, confusion, fear, and uncertainty, amid tragedy and loss. But if you allow these feelings to control your thoughts, it can be extremely difficult to overcome and you waste what God has in store for you ahead.

You might be thinking, "But this is just too difficult to deal with! I'm in a desperate situation. I have no money, no job, no idea what to do, or where to go. How can I possibly start over?" Or, "I'm not strong enough, and I'm afraid. I just don't think I can make it." Don't beat yourself! Instead, "Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things in others. Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about" (Philippians 4:8 TLB). And whenever a negative thought comes to mind, and tries to bring you down, you can defeat it by counteracting it with a promise from God's Word. Give yourself a competitive edge to triumph over your circumstances. Dwell on the positives!

You have to practice counteracting negative thoughts with positive thoughts, such as promises from God's Word. For example, if you are thinking:

-But this is too difficult to deal with! You can recite Jeremiah 32:17, "Ah Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You."

-I'm in a desperate situation. You can recite Romans 8:28, "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."

-I have no money and no job. You can recite Philippians 4:19, "And my God will supply all your (my) needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."

-I have no idea what to do, or where to go. You can recite Psalm 23:3, "He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness."

-How can I possibly start over? You can recite Revelation 21:5, "And He who sits on the throne said, 'Behold, I am making all things new.'"

-I'm not strong enough. You can recite Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."

-I'm afraid. You can recite 2 Timothy 1:7, "For God hath not given us (me) the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

-I just don't think I can make it. You can recite Philippians 1:6, "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you (me) will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus."

Don't waste the abilities, strengths, encouragement, or blessings God has given. Put them into motion and defeat the devil before he gets started.

We must be strong

Aqaba in 1917 seemed impregnable. Any enemy vessel approaching the port would have to face the battery of huge naval guns above the town. Behind Aqaba in every direction lay barren, waterless, inhospitable desert. To the east lay the deadly "anvil of the sun." The Turks believed Aqaba to be safe from any attack. But they were wrong. Lawrence of Arabia led a force of irregular Arab cavalry across the "anvil of the sun." Together, they rallied support among the local people. On July 6, 1917, the Arab forces swept into Aqaba from the north, from the blind side. A climactic moment of the magnificent film Lawrence of Arabia is the long, panning shot of the Arabs on their camels and horses, with Lawrence at their head, galloping past the gigantic naval guns that are completely powerless to stop them. The guns were facing in the wrong direction. Aqaba fell, and the Turkish hold on Palestine was broken, to be replaced by the British mandate and eventually by the State of Israel. The Turks failed to defend Aqaba because they made two mistakes. They did not know their enemy, and they did not have the right weapons. We must be careful not to make the same mistakes. Ephesians 6:12 makes it very clear who our enemy is: "Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, and against the powers of this dark world."

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (Ephesians 6:10-13 KJV)

Praise Your Way Out Of The Pit

"Praise Your Way Out Of Your Pit"
Genesis 37:23, 24 "And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stripped Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colors that was on him; And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it."

When we read the story of Joseph there are some things that cannot be denied, because the scripture makes it clear that:
-Joseph was chosen by God.
-Joseph was anointed by God.
-Joseph had a destiny given by God.
-Joseph was favored by God.
-Joseph was favored by his earthly father as well.

Judging from those criteria it would look like Joseph had it made. But when we read the bible we find out that this same Joseph who had everything going for him, who was anointed by God, who was favored by his earthly father and had so many great advantages, one day found himself in a pit.

If somebody told you when you became a Christian that all your problems would be over, and that you would never be hurt again, you would never cry again, you would never suffer again-they lied.

Psalm 34:19 says, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all."

Christians have problems too:
-Christians get sick.
-Christians get in debt.
-Christians get divorced.
-Christians get their hearts broken.
-Christians get in places they shouldn’t be.

Sometimes you fall in, sometimes you jump in, and sometimes you’re pushed in; but regardless of how you got there or why you’re there, a Pit is a Pit and if you stay there you will die.

-Dreams die in the pit.
-Ministries die in the pit.
-Gifts, callings, marriages, die in the pit.

(1) One man was responsible for Joseph’s pit and it was his brother Rueben. Verses 21, 22 "And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him. And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again."

It was Rueben, the eldest brother, that suggested they throw Joseph in the pit rather than take his life. Rueben thought this was better than his brethren taking the life of their younger brother. He was there when Joseph was thrown into the pit, but he was not there when he was lifted out.

Verse 29 “And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.”

Rueben was surprised and shocked because he saw him go into the pit. He saw him struggling and begging to be delivered from the pit, but now he’s looking into that same pit expecting to see Joseph full of fear and confusion crying and begging to be delivered only Joseph wasn’t there.

There are some people who saw you in the pit. There are some people that even helped put you in the pit, and they have watched you struggling, and pushing, and scratching and clawing trying to climb your way out. When they left you were in the pit and the last time they saw you were in a mess.

I don’t know what that pit is for you today:
-It may be a pit of debt. 
-It may be a pit of sickness.
-It may be a pit of bondage or addiction.
-It may be a pit of despair or depression.
-It may be a pit of marriage problems that looks so deep and so dark and impossible that you feel like giving up.
-It may be a spiritual pit and you just don’t feel God like you used to, and you’re dry.
-I don’t know what your pit is: They come in all different shapes and sizes.
-I don’t know what that pit is for you; but I want you to look at your neighbor and tell them I’ve spent my last night in the pit.

Psalm 30:5 “Weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning.”

Rueben came back to the pit where he last saw Joseph and Joseph wasn’t there. He was distraught because he thought the worse had happened and that Joseph was dead.

There are some people that thought they knew you pretty good. They thought they knew where to look for you. They even talked about your pitiful condition to other people. But that was yesterday.
-Yesterday you were in the pit.
-Yesterday it looked like you were going to die in the pit.
-Yesterday you felt like you were going to die in the pit.

But tonight you hear a Word from God.
-You hear Joseph say: Don’t you dare die in the Pit.
-You hear Joseph say: The fall doesn’t have to be fatal; it just delays the blessings.

-Don’t quit dreaming.
-Don’t quit believing.
-Don’t quit trusting.
-Don’t quit expecting.

It looked like Joseph was going to die in the pit, and it felt like Joseph was going to die in the pit, but through a turn of circumstances in a matter of minutes Joseph was up out of the pit on solid ground.
Tonight I want to tell you God is going to turn it around:
-I don’t know how He’s going to do it
-I don’t know when He’s going to do it
-I don’t know who He’s going to use to do it

I just came to tell you God’s going to turn it around. If you learn anything from the Bible it is that God is a God of the turn-around. From Genesis to Revelation God is always turning things around for those that trust in Him.
Proverbs 3:5, 6 "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."
(2) Joseph’s turn-around happened suddenly.
Verse 28 "Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt."

One minute he was in the pit, one minute he was in the dark, one minute it was terminal, one minute it looked like the end, and suddenly everything changed.
Suddenly he was standing in the sunshine and he was lifted out of the pit.

God is saying that you are standing on the verge of a sudden turn-around that is going to change everything you ever anticipated or expected.

Peter fished all night and caught nothing, but in one act of obedience (suddenly) he went from nothing to too much.
-He went from empty nets to breaking nets.
-He went from empty boat to sinking boat.
-He from loss to profit.
-He went from weeping to rejoicing.
-He went from a loser to a winner.

And it all happened suddenly. Just like that at the lowest point in Josephs life physically and spiritually, God stepped in.

Psalm 27:5 "For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock."

(3) Judah (Praise) got him out of his pit.
Verse 26 "And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?"

It wasn’t his coat of many colors that got him out. It wasn’t his anointing that got him out. It wasn’t even his dreams that got him out. It was one of his other brothers by the name of Judah. Judah means praise. Rueben (the first born) got him in, but Judah (praise) got him out. It doesn't matter how you got in the pit, Judah (praise) will get you out and back into the sunshine of life.

The circumstances may not have been of Josephs choosing, but Judah was responsible for getting him out of the pit. The point I’m trying to make is that praise doesn’t have to be pretty to be powerful. That means you start where you’re at and in whatever situation you are in.

-Anybody can praise God when the battles over.
-Anybody can praise God when the sickness is healed
-Anybody can praise God when the marriage is restored and the family is mended.
-Anybody can praise God when you’ve got a good retirement, money in your wallet and money in the bank.
-Anybody can praise God when everything is going okay.

But I’m telling you, it takes something to shout in the face of the devil. It takes something to praise in the face of the doctors bad report. It takes something to shout when you don’t have two dimes to rub together. It takes something when you’re going through the fire to lift your hands and your voice and say:
“I will bless the lord at all times, his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”

Don’t wait till the battles over, but shout it out now. You can praise your way out of the pit.

Psalm 18:3 "I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies."


Encourage

The Bible uses the word “encourage”, “encouraged”, “encouragement” and “encourages” in many places. The Holman Christian Standard Bible uses “encourage” 21 times, “encouraged” 21 times, “encouragement” 12 times, and “encourages” 1 time. Strong’s Lexicon’s Hebrew word for “encourage” is chazaq (khaw-zak'), the Greek is paramutheomai (par-am-oo-theh'-om-ahee) and protrepomai (prot-rep'-om-ahee). Both mean to comfort or exhort.

In these troubled times where everyone seems to be doing what is right in his own eyes we need to seek ways in which we can encourage one another as God encourages us. It is our responsibility to foster the well-being of each other as fellow believers.

-We find hope through our endurance and encouragement of the scriptures. Endurance means perseverance, and we persevere because of the encouragement of the Scriptures. We can only have encouragement of the Scriptures when we “feed” on them daily and absorb their many spiritual “nutrients”. That is foundational to our Christian faith and in knowing who God is.

-We gain strength when we pursue biblical Truth in our daily activities and interactions with others. We give strength when we encourage others to stay focused on the Lord and not veer off course where we’ll be derailed by the trappings of the world.

-We need to become more like Jesus. We should make it our objective to strive for excellence in everything we do, and stay away from mediocrity or lukewarmness. Likewise, we give the same support to those around us and make them feel worthy of God’s love by motivations we give them.

-We need a spirit of grace instead of a spirit that condemns. We need to help those who struggle in their weakness so they’ll make better choices. Sometimes folks go through very hard times and have many personal struggles. It can happen to any of us! So when we see someone “down on their luck”, try to be of service and help in meeting their needs.

-We can help heal the broken. Jesus stated publicly that it was His mission to bind up wounds and heal the brokenhearted. He ultimately did that on the Cross. There were many brokenhearted people who were lost and needed the Gospel and a Savior, which He preached to them during His earthly ministry. We need to remind ourselves and other people that we are no different and to look to Jesus for the message to share with those who are broken.

-We can bring hope to a hopeless world. We can rejoice to having obtained peace with God by accepting His Son as our personal Savior. We now have a real hope of eternal life and know with certainty that Jesus will bring us to Heaven.

Encouragement is a buffer against Satan. He would like nothing better than to tear us down, make us feel impotent, like we don’t belong, that we’re not really saved, and motivate us to make wrong choices or take our eyes off Jesus. Let’s be wary of him! He goes about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour, but his days are numbered and he has already been defeated on the Cross. God has equipped us in every way to live victorious in Him when we completely depend upon the Holy Spirit which lives in us.

When there is no hope

How any times have you felt hopeless?

You may think there is no hope, but I have good news for you. If you have God, you have a future and your situation can change.

If you say there is no hope, you are listening to the devil, who is the father of lies (John 8:44), and you have encountered the thief who comes to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10). Before Peter ever stumbled and denied the Lord, Jesus told him that He had prayed for him that his faith might not fail; and that once he turned again, he was to strengthen his brethren. There is hope even when you stumble and fall.

As we look at hopelessness, we need to realize is that, to one degree or another, we all deal with it. To be hopeless means:
-that something didn't quite measure up to your dreams or its potential.
-you didn't achieve your goal and failed to reach your expectations.
-you didn't hit the standard you had set and were not given a second chance to redo it.
-you didn't accomplish what you thought you could accomplish and what you wanted to achieve.

But as I said before, you are not alone. Every person you look at and envy, or wish you could change places with, has been hopeless at one time or another. And although they may not tell you, they, too, are probably dealing with the feeling of hopelessness even now to one degree or another in one or more areas of their lives.

The problem is not that we have no hope, but how we handle disappointments and failures when they interfere with our goals. We are all born into a state of hopelessness and that's why God is there for you when you feel there is no way out. That's why Jesus came with the purpose of restoring hope where there was none.

Romans 3:23 tells us that we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. In this verse, the word for sin means to miss the mark. So in essence, we struggle to be all we should be. Man was made in the image of God but man has failed to manifest His image to the world. To one degree or another, we come short of His godliness. But that does not have to be the end of the story. Not with God.

Jude 24 says, "Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy..." It is Jesus who is able to bring you out of sin, out of your hopelessness, and to help you be all that God intended you to be. His purpose is to purchase you out of your sin and out of your failure. He is the One who rescues us from eternal death and destruction, brings us into eternal life and then protects us in every storm of difficulty that we face.

Victory over hopelessness begins with our salvation and the infilling of the Holy Spirit. The Lord promises He will never leave us nor forsake us. That you can believe because this is what God says in Hebrews 13:5 and God does not lie.

So what do we do when we face hopelessness in our walk with Jesus?
-You must not say there is no hope, help, or way out. To say that would be to deny the power of the One who has rescued you from the greatest struggles hopelessness can bring. "If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?" (Romans 8:31-32).

-Remember God is always there for you. To not believe this is to insult Him and to say God does not mean what He says and does not watch over His Word to perform it.

So remember in Christ there is hope. You just have to believe. Rebuke hopelessness and praise the Lord even when there seems to be no way out. When you do, they will be.

Are you really a failure.

What if you’ve done everything you should and nothing turns out like you thought it would? You don’t even feel or think the way you thought you would after all the hard work. You start to wonder if you’ve failed. You sure feel like a failure. Discouraged, disheartened, and tired.

I guess a better question is ‘How do you define failure?’ We spend so much time focused on success, we may not recognize failure quick enough to stop it.

To be a failure means to be be unsuccessful, stop doing something, stop functioning or growing, collapse financially, let somebody down, or becoming weaker. You want to be successful in your job, with your friends, in your community, in your family, even pursuing the Lord. The holy calling to grow in the Lord is a good one.

‘The first shall be last and the last shall be first’ is right and true, yet sometimes only feels good when you’re doing something that is recognized as successful. Not when you’ve poured your sweat and heart into a project, a job, a person that you love and expectations weren’t met. Not even close. So, of course, to be a failure means you don’t meet expectations and it appears you have failed.

But what does success really look like? For you, your family, or your job? The fruit that you produce could depend on this answer.

-Is success being recognized by those you respect, the ones that have influenced you? Without the recognition, is that really failure?

-Is success having a long-awaited dream fulfilled? What if the life-long journey was the real dream?

Is success paying off your debt and feeling secure with money to spare in your account? What if your life is more beautiful when you rely daily on the Lord for your every need?

-Is success even important? Maybe it is. But what if it isn’t and that’s what you’ve been spending all your energy towards?

I’ve come to learn loving obedience to the One I obey is far more important than an outside label of success. We suffer and overcome side by side. Ambition is not condemned, but God has Kingdom ambition for us to serve others and to restore us.

And whether my fruit looks different than the next branch, isn’t as big, or doesn’t yield a crop at all this month, I am connected to the Living Vine. I'm tied in so deeply that success or failure of my love fruit is no longer up to me, but the Vine and the Gardner. And the One we call the Vine, Jesus, will never judge us not good enough, but only strengthen us to continue to grow and provide the power to produce fruit and succeed in obedience.

Five Ways To Encourage Yourself In The Lord

Perhaps at this juncture in your life, you're wondering how you can encourage yourself in the Lord and in so doing be a blessing to yourself and others as well. There are five main ways this can be accomplished.

(1) We encourage ourselves through Prayer. In Philippians 4:6-8, Paul cites this most powerful means of receiving peace, in spite of troubling circumstances. We are to pray about everything that produces anxiety. If you are worried about the future, pray!

(2) Singing praises to God will bring encouragement. This is not only a safeguard, but also the God-given means to silence the foe and the avenger. In fact, just listening to Christian music will help greatly. Saul felt better, just because he listened to David playing his harp in 1 Samuel 16:23.

(3) A third way to encourage yourself is through Christian fellowship, if you can find it. Nothing can replace this important aspect of our race. In fact, in Acts 2:42, the early church placed it on a par with Bible study, prayer and communion! The people you choose to fellowship with in your free time will greatly help or hinder your walk with God.

(4)Bible study with meditation upon God and his Word will also help. In Proverbs 4:22, the Hebrew teaches that God's Word is medicine for our spirits. Furthermore, God's Word was directly given for encouragement according to Romans 15:4. We are promised perfect peace if our minds are steadfast in thinking about God. Your thoughts do create or disrupt your peace. Few realize the importance of their thought life.

(5) Try talking to yourself. The sons of Korah used this technique as shown in Psalm 42:5,6. See how they did it.

Now that you know what to do and how to do it, the choice is yours, as it was for David! To be victorious, at times, you're going to have to encourage yourself in the Lord. Victory and blessings followed David's choice. I believe the same can happen for you.

Be Encouraged

1 Samuel 30:6 “David encouraged himself in the Lord his God."

Sometimes in life, God gives you a challenge. You go through what you are going through, but you will grow while facing it.

When things go wrong, when everything doesn’t make sense, when the unexpected hits and blows you like a tornado, when your situation gets worse and worse, when you are going through challenge after challenge, you learn who God is. Life is not about surviving, but finding your path and most importantly yourself and your purpose.

A human heart is prone to trouble and the mind is easily discouraged, depressed, and stressed when confronted by a difficult and uncomfortable situation. At that moment our mindset goes into a negative state, then hope starts breaking down, peace is shuttered, and life starts losing its balance, purpose and meaning.

Unless you redirect your focus and reframe your perception about yourself and your situation you will be discouraged and frustrated. At that moment what you are focusing on makes a huge difference. Where your focus is, so are you.

Life's circumstances can either make you bitter or better, it’s your choice. Your choice determines the outcome. In the midst of discouragement, David encouraged himself in the Lord. He chose not to be bitter, discouraged, and hopeless. Rather, he took courage and strengthened himself in the Lord His God. When you start looking at your situation from a different perspective, and start encouraging yourself in the Lord, you learn how to say “NO” to fear, tragedy, loss, and disappointment. That's when you see the same situation more precisely and clearly.

No matter what you are going through, no one can take your faith from you unless you surrender it. You have an option not to convinced otherwise. But does this mean we deny the reality? Faith is not denial. To deny circumstantial reality in order to maintain a positive faith confession always has a bad result. But, faith acknowledges and recognizes. True faith courageously faces the reality of any circumstances, situations, problems, giants, and mountains,but chooses to see them contrasted to the power and greatness of God.

Whenever obstacles appear in your life, redirect your focus on God and His promises. When you focus on your problems you will be discouraged but when you focus on God you will be encouraged. In Hebrews 12:1-3 we are encouraged to keep our eyes on Jesus. Then we will not become weary and faint. Ephesians 6:10 urges us “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power”. One of the best ways you can encourage yourself during a difficult time is remembering who your God is. If you keep on focusing on the situation you will be discouraged, intimidated, fearful, and finally defeated, but when you switch your perspective to God and His ability you will become strong, determined, powerful, and focused. When God is the only source of hope you have, you got all you need. It is not what you see matter but how you see. In a time of adversity, keep your focus on God not your problem because God will bring light out of darkness, peace out of trouble, and all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28).

What is the plan?

The Bible tells us to resist the devil. Fine, but what does that actually mean? Some Christians think that determination and will power are sufficient enough. Others shout at the devil, but with discouraging results. Still others invoke “formulas” that they know in their heads but don’t truly believe in their hearts. To gain the ability to resist the devil successfully will require much of you, but the results will be dramatic:

-Be self-controlled, sober, not intoxicated.

-Be alert.

-Never forget that he is “your enemy the devil”.

-Stand firm in faith and in “the faith”.

-Live a life of humility.

-Submit to God in all things.

-Draw near to God daily and throughout the day.

-Repent of sinful conduct.

-Purify your hearts.

-Remain dependent on the Lord and His mighty power.

-Put on the full armor of God, which includes salvation, the gospel, truth, righteousness, faith, His Word, and.

-Remember, it is the devil, it is the spiritual forces of evil and not your fellow humans who are the real enemy that we fight.

-And always remember that it is in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (Mark 16:17) that victory over the devil is made certain.

Finally, remember how Jesus successfully resisted the wilderness temptations of Satan (Luke 4:1-13). In each instance, Jesus' response to the devil was, "It is written!" Incorporate God's Word, the bible, into every thought, word, and action of your life Such a biblically grounded believer will consistently overcome the devil and his attacks.

The Sanctity of Life

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.

Deuteronomy 30:15-20 "See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; In that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it. But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them."

Choose to live. Don't let life pass you by.

Repentance

Repentance is turning around 180 degrees from where you are going. Repentance has never been a popular thing to preach or practice, but it is a reality that can turn your world upside down for better not worse.

-Noah's message from the ark was not "Something good is going to happen to you."

-Amos was not confronted by the High Priest of Israel for proclaiming, "Confession is possession."

-Jeremiah was not put into the pit to preach, "Possibility thinking can move mountains."

-Daniel was not put into the lion's den for telling people, "I'm ok, you're ok!"

-John the Baptist was not forced to preach in the wilderness and eventually beheaded because he preached, "Smile, God loves you."

They all preached repentance.

Their message was turn around before it's too late-simple yet profound. Sometimes the road to progress is a matter of just turning your life around. You'll never know if it works unless you try.

Jesus Cares-Let Him

Early one morning fire broke out in a house on a narrow street. The alarm was sounded by a policeman on duty. Before the fire engines could get to the scene, however, flames were leaping high into the air. Suddenly a young man appeared at an upper window in his pajamas. Firemen quickly placed a ladder against the burning building. But to the consternation of all, he refused to come down, shouting back that he had to get dressed first. The firemen pleaded, "Come as you are! Come as you are!" but to no avail. From below they tried to ascend the stairs, but were turned back as the wind fanned the flames into fury. When a rescuer tried to enter through a window, the heat and smoke forced him away. Suddenly the stairs gave way and the roof fell in. The man had waited too long and was buried beneath the ruins. How much greater tragedy awaits all who refuse to "flee from the wrath to come." Many reject God's provision of salvation and safety in Christ because they want to get dressed up in the clothes of self-righteousness or religion. Their delay could cost them their souls.

One of the most obvious things about Jesus' ministry is His constant care for those that found themselves in need. Rather than resent these people for coming to Him because they were in need, Jesus reaches out to them to help them. Often these are people for whom the world could not or would not help.

Jesus could help them because they came to Him. He did not reject anyone because they were broken or weak. He only asks that they come as they are and if so, He will minister to them!

This is still true today . So many people won't become Christians until they think they have their life all put together right, then they will get religion. But Jesus wants us to come as we are. If we wait until we think we are good enough we many never come to a knowledge of His saving grace.

Those who found Christ's love and help were those who were not ashamed to say "I need you Lord"! This is still true today, we must realize our need and acknowledge it to find Jesus. Jesus always moved through crowds of people who had come to hear Him because He knew they were in need and Jesus didn't want to disappoint anyone of them. Only the self-righteous can't find God, but those who know their own need are the ones who can find God.

I wonder how many people missed out on a real blessing from God because they were too proud to come and admit their need? How many are like this today, too proud to say they have a need for God in their lives because they think they have life all figured out and everything is fine. What a tragedy to go through this life without ever experiencing God's love and presence in your life.

Don't become a victim to your own unconcern. Jesus cares about you so please let Him!

Monuments

AS BABE RUTH AGED, HIS GAME GOT WORSE. AT THE END OF HIS CAREER HE WAS STRIKING OUT MORE OFTEN THAN HE GOT HITS, OFTEN COMMITTING ERRORS. AT ONE SUCH GAME IN CINCINNATI, HE HAD PLAYED POORLY AND THE CROWD BEGAN TO BOO IN LARGE MASSES! DEJECTED AND HURT BABE RUTH AMID THE BOOING WALKED SLOWLY TOWARD THE DUGOUT WITH HIS HEAD HANGING DOWN ON HIS CHEST. NO ONE THOUGHT OF THE GREAT PLAYER HE USED TO BE, JUST THE MISERABLE PERFORMANCE THEY NOW WITNESSED! SUDDENLY A SMALL BOY CAME RUNNING OUT OF THE STANDS WITH TEARS STREAMING DOWN THE BOY'S FACE, HE RAN UP TO BABE RUTH AND THREW HIS ARMS AROUND HIS LEGS, BROKEN BY THE TREATMENT OF HIS HERO BY THIS CROWD; THE BOY REMEMBERED THE RECORD! SUDDENLY, THE CROWD GREW SILENT AS BABE RUTH PICKED UP THE BOY AND CONTINUED WALKING TOWARD THE DUGOUT. SILENCE FELL ON THE CROWD AS THIS BOY BECAME A REMINDER TO THEM OF THE PAST LEGACY OF BABE RUTH, AND THEY WENT FROM BOOING TO STANDING IN SILENT PRAISE TO THE ONCE GREAT BALL PLAYER! A LITTLE BOY BECAME HIS MONUMENT TO REMIND A FICKLE CROWD!

H.G. SPAFFORD WAS A CHRISTIAN WHO LOST ALL HIS WORLDLY GOODS IN THE GREAT CHICAGO FIRE, AND THEN AS HIS WIFE AND 4 CHILDREN WERE TRAVELING BY BOAT, THE BOAT THEY WERE ON COLLIDED IN THE OCEAN AND QUICKLY SANK. THE 4 CHILDREN WERE LOST AT SEA, MRS. SPAFFORD WAS FOUND FLOATING NEAR THE SUNKEN BOAT STILL ALIVE AND WAS TAKEN TO WALES. THERE SHE CABLED HER HUSBAND, "SAVED ALONE." HE LATER FRAMED THIS CABLE AND PUT IT ON HIS WALL AND HE SAT DOWN AND PENNED THE WORDS TO THE GREAT HYMN, "IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL!" HIS MONUMENT TO GOD'S PRESENCE IN THE MIDST OF THE FLOOD! EACH GENERATION WHO SINGS THIS SONG SHOULD KNOW THE STORY. IT IS A MONUMENT TO TELL THE STORY OF GOD'S FAITHFULNESS IN CROSSING FLOOD WATERS! IT SHOULD BE HEARD AGAIN!

We need to leave monuments to tell the story to the future generations! What monuments have you built, and what have you built them out of?

Would You Consider Abortion in These Four Situations?

1. There is a preacher and wife who are very, very poor. They already have 14 kids. Now she finds out she is pregnant with her 15th. They are living in tremendous poverty. Considering their poverty and the excessive world population, would you consider recommending abortion?

2. The father is sick with sniffles, the mother has TB. They have 4 children. The first is blind, the second is dead. The third is deaf and the fourth has TB. The mother finds she is pregnant again. Given the extreme situation, would you recommend abortion?

3. A man raped a 13 year old black girl and she got pregnant. If you were her parents, would you consider recommending abortion?

4. A teenage girl is pregnant. She is not married. Her fiancee is not the father of the baby, and he is very upset. Would you recommend an abortion?

If you have answered “yes” to any of these situations:

In the first case you would have killed John Wesley, one of the great evangelists of the 19th century.

In the second case, you would have killed Beethoven.

In the third case you would have killed Ethel Waters, the great black gospel singer.

In the fourth case you would have recommended the murder of Jesus Christ.

With U. S. abortion deaths topping 50 million, only God knows what we have sacrificed in lost human talent and creativity.

Praise (3)

Since praise manifests God’s presence, we also realize that praise repels the presence of the enemy, Satan. An atmosphere which is filled with sincere worship and praise to God by humble and contrite hearts is disgusting to the Devil. He fears the power in the name of Jesus, and flees from the Lord’s habitation in praise. “Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I show the salvation of God” (Psalms 50:23).

When the children of Judah found themselves outnumbered by the hostile armies of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, King Jehoshophat and all the people sought the Lord for His help. The Lord assured the people that this would be His battle. He told them to go out against them, and He would do the fighting for them. So what did the children of Judah do? Being the people of “praise” (Judah actually means Praise), and knowing that God manifests His power through praise, they sent their army against their enemies, led by the praisers!

So on they went, ahead of the army declaring, “Praise the Lord, for His mercy endureth forever!” And the scripture says, “...when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten” (2 Chronicles 20:22).

When God’s people begin to praise His name, it sends the enemy running! I challenge you to become a person of praise, and you will experience the release of the power of God!

Praise (Part 2)

Praise means “to commend, to applaud or magnify.” For the Christian, praise to God is an expression of worship, lifting-up and glorifying the Lord. It is an expression of humbling ourselves and centering our attention upon the Lord with heart-felt expressions of love, adoration and thanksgiving. High praises bring fellowship and intimacy between ourselves and God. It magnifies our awareness of our spiritual union with the most high God. Praise transports us into the realm of the supernatural and into the power of God. Psalm 89:15 declares, “Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance."

There are many actions involved with praise to God. There are verbal expressions of adoration and thanksgiving, singing, playing instruments, shouting, dancing, lifting or clapping our hands. But true praise is not “merely” going through these motions. Jesus spoke about the hypocrisy of the pharisees, whose worship was only an outward show and not from the heart in Matthew 15:8 wen He said, "This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me." Genuine praise to God is a matter of humility and sincere devotion to the Lord from within.

Unpretentious praise and worship pleases the Lord. He delights in the love and devotion of His children. According to the scriptures, the various expressions of praise bring blessing to the Lord. He eagerly awaits the fragrance of our affections, desiring to manifest His sweet presence and power in our midst.

All too often though, praise to God is something that many people leave at church, an event that happens only when they come together with other Christians. However, praise should be a part of a believers lifestyle, inter-mingled as a part of their daily prayer-life. At work, in the car, at home in bed, or anywhere; praise to the Lord brings the refreshing of the Lord’s presence, along with His power and anointing. The Psalmist said, "I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Psalms 34:1).

Praise is an expression of faith, and a declaration of victory! It declares that we believe God is with us and is in control of the outcome of all our circumstances. Praise is a “sacrifice,” something that we offer to God sacrificially, not just because we feel like it, but because we believe in Him and wish to please Him. Remember what Hebrews 13:15 decree: “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name."

Praise (Part 1)

Acts 16:23-26 “And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.”

Paul and Silas were arrested unjustly because they had cast a spirit of divination out of a girl. The local Philippian authorities beat them and then threw them into a jail cell. Besides the trauma of the severe beating, they were fastened in stocks which clamped their arms and legs in an immobile position, causing cramps and loss of circulation. The atmosphere there was depressing. According to the standards of that day, a prison was more like the resemblance of a dungeon. A dark, damp, odor-filled place, with no facility for waste or comforts of any kind.

Yet, in spite of the horrible pain in their bodies and the discouraging atmosphere, at midnight Paul and Silas were heard praying and singing praises to God. What a strange sound this must have been to the other prisoners, who were used to only hearing the groans or cursings of those who had been beaten.

Then suddenly, there was an earthquake that shook the prison. The doors flung open, and amazingly, the bonds of Paul, Silas, and every other prisoner were released! What caused this mighty discharge of power?

Paul and Silas knew the secret of how to lift their hearts above their troubles and enter into God’s presence and power. Through praise and worship their hearts were raised into the joyous presence and peace of God, and provided God a channel for his power to operate in their circumstances.

The Bible says that God inhabits in the praises of His people in Psalms 22:3. In other words, God “dwells” in the atmosphere of His praise. This means that praise is not merely a reaction from coming into His presence, but Praise is a vehicle of faith which brings us into the presence and power of God. Praise and worship is the “gate-pass” which allows us to enter the sacredness of His glory. The psalmist writes in Psalm 100:4, "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name."

This corresponds with Jesus’ teaching, that His presence will inhabit the gathering of believers who congregate in His name: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). A “gathering in His name” means that Jesus must be the focus, the center of the assemblage. He must be the one preached about, sung about — the one praised and worshiped. “I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee” (Hebrews 2:12). Consequently, Christ’s presence, along with His virtue and anointing, is manifested in this type of gathering.

Have you ever noticed when “gifts of the Spirit” operate in a church service? The power and anointing of the Holy Spirit usually becomes evident, subsequent to a time of worship and praise. Some think that worship is a response after the Holy Spirit moves upon them. However, it’s the other way around. God’s presence responds when we move upon Him with worship. Lifting up Jesus Christ through praise and worship invokes the Lord’s presence and power to flow in our midst.

Greener Pastures

Many people struggle with what I call the "greener grass syndrome." To them, the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. Their contentment with life is always attached to some other place, some other time, or with someone else. The solution to their marital problems is to get a new wife or husband. The answer to their dissatisfaction in the work place is to get a different job. They look at their circumstances as if they were a paper cup, to be crumpled and tossed in the trash in exchange for a new one.

Unfortunately, our modern "feel good" culture has helped to shape these attitudes that feed such carnal impulses. A society of painkillers, fast food, and technological marvels has taught us that anything that is less than perfect, instantaneous or self-gratifying should be aborted like an unwanted unborn baby. In essence, we learn that problems are mere inconveniences that should be "avoided and discarded," instead of being accepted as "character-building challenges that should be overcome." Is it no wonder why it is rare to find anyone with genuine character today?

Contentment really has nothing to do with circumstances, but it has everything to do with one's attitude. As a well-known preacher once said, "life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it." To some people, problems represent barriers that end their progress, but to others, they represent hurdles to be leaped over. We may not be able to change the destiny of circumstances that we will face in life, but we can change our attitude toward them.

Believe it or not, regardless of how bad it may sometimes seem, things are never as bad as they could be. And wouldn't it be ironic that if someday, when persons face things that are even worse, they will reflect back on their present circumstances and think of them as the best times in their life! Some people are so obsessed with the thorns, that they don't realize that they're sitting in a rose bush.

Despite whatever challenges you face, don't postpone your happiness to some other time or place, and don't be blinded from the good things that God has placed around you today. An intimate relationship with Jesus Christ is the only thing that brings true inner contentment. So be filled with the love of Jesus, and smell the roses that God has put in your life. Lighten up and enjoy the good ole' days!

Philippians 4:8 "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 good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy; meditate on these things."

How Do I Become A Christian?

The most important thing to realize is that God loves you and wants to save you and have fellowship with you, but there's something that separates you from God-sin.

Sin is often thought of as some vile or immoral act, but the Bible helps us understand that it is much more. It is actually an attitude of rebellion against the ideals of God. In other words, it is the nature for all human beings to think, do or say things that violate God's holy standards. According to scripture, this is a condition that was passed down to all the ancestors of Adam, the first man, who allowed sin to alienate himself from God's presence, and which continues to block man's fellowship from the Lord today. The Bible says, “For all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God” in Romans 3:23.

Not only does sin separate us from God in our present time, but it also maintains that separation beyond the grave in a dreadful realm of eternal death and darkness that was never intended for mankind. The Bible says that the Lake of Fire was created as a place of everlasting punishment for the Devil and his angels, who sinned and rebelled against God, and were expelled from Heaven long ago. Unfortunately, this Hellish place will also be the shared destination of all those who remain separated from God when they face death. Revelation 20:15 says, "And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire."

However, the great news is, rather than to abandon the fallen sinful human creatures that God originally created for His fellowship, God loved mankind so much that He devised a plan to redeem us, giving everyone an opportunity to make a choice either to continue in sin and apart from God, or to turn to the Lord, receive His offer of forgiveness and walk in His fellowship. A relationship with the Lord brings new spiritual life and assurance of everlasting life with the Lord in Heaven when we die.

To implement His plan for redemption, however, God also had to find a way to comply with His own righteous standards by fulfilling His law of sin and death. In other words, according to God's values, death is an irrevocable consequence of sin that must be satisfied. So in order to rescue man from death without violating His own principles, He found an alternate means to fulfill the demands of His law by sending His son, Jesus, to die in our place. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” according to Romans 6:23. The only sacrifice acceptable to fulfill this enormous debt in behalf of every man, woman and child on the earth, required a perfect, sinless sacrifice. Jesus, the son of God, was the only one who could take our place, since He is the only man without sin to ever walk on the earth.

So, God makes this amazing offer of forgiveness and salvation available as a free gift to every person, if they will comply with just one thing: To believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." To believe on Him means that by faith we accept that Jesus was indeed God's son, who came and died in our behalf on the cross, rose from the dead on the third day, and was exalted by the Heavenly Father as both our Savior and Lord.

The instant you acknowledge this reality in your heart and confess Jesus as your Lord and Savior, something extraordinary occurs-in fact, it is miraculous. The Spirit of Christ is born in your heart and you become a habitation of the Lord's presence. Becoming born-again brings new spiritual life, and God's promise of salvation and everlasting life. The Lord receives you as His child and He writes your name in the Lamb's Book of Life. Luke recorded His words in Luke 10:20 when Jesus said, "Rejoice because your names are written in heaven."

So are you ready to accept this gift of salvation that Jesus offers you right now? The scripture says in Romans 10:9, 10, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

Here's a sample prayer that you can put into your own words:

“Dear Lord Jesus, I realize that I am a sinner and that I need of your forgiveness. I believe that you died for my sins on the cross and rose from the dead so you could wash me of sin and give me eternal life. Please come into my heart now, forgive me and save me. I confess you as my Lord and Savior and place my faith in you. I will follow you as long as I live, and trust that I die, you will receive me into Heaven. Thank you for your forgiveness, for coming into my heart and for making me a child of God!”

The very moment you express this prayer to Christ in faith, He enters your heart by His Spirit! He forgives all your sins, He saves you and writes your name in His book of Life! Now, it will be important to open and read the Bible each day to see what God has to say to you and it's equally important to talk to Him daily through prayer. Ask Him to guide your life and to fill you with the fullness His Holy Spirit. Get involved with a good Bible-believing church and attend faithfully. Ask to be baptized in water at your earliest convenience (Acts 2:38), in obedience to what Lord commanded, and by all means continue forever to live for the Lord!

When the Devil Comes To Church

Mark 1:21-28 "And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught. And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes. And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him. And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him. And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee."

This story occurs in the normal flow of the life pattern of our Lord. He has just given the call to the fisherman to ‘follow me’ and now, in a very normal pattern for Him, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath to teach. This man who was possessed by an unclean spirit (demon-possessed) was in attendance. It would seem that this man had lucid periods in his life or he would not have been admitted.

Quite likely, this was not this man’s first trip into the synagogue. Perhaps he had been there several times with no incident. Yet, when Jesus showed up he showed out. It took the presence of God to evoke such a response from him. All too often this is the way if happens. Church goes on with little or no response. Then Jesus shows up and when He shows up, something supernatural happens. The very presence of God is enough to cause a reaction from Satan.

(1) Why in the world would Satan want to be in church?

a. He’s always been religious. He knows and believes there is only one God- James tells us this. While he is opposed to Christianity, he is not opposed to “churchianity”. He loves to see people gather who are insincere about their worship. Where a crowd shows up in church for whatever reason, the devil wants to be close by because he loves the opportunity to try and disrupt the Spirit of God.

b. He’s always looking for easy prey to deceive. When you consider this ‘demon possessed’ man and consider the numerous other reported demon-possessions in the Bible, it is easy to know that the devil wants to control people. If he can get you before God does, then he can control you. The people who are easy to control are those who are not already under God’s control. I think this is what happened to Judas, Agrippa, and others. Satan wants us to ‘think’ that he knows best and sadly many believe his lie. He is seeking to possess the lost and oppress the redeemed. If you are an authentic believer he wants to sift you. This is what Jesus told Peter that the devil wanted to do. He will not be happy as long as you have any spiritual life left in you. He shows up at church to see who’s vulnerable, deceivable, and controllable.

c. He’s always seeking worship. Above everything else, he desires your worship. It was evident in Isaiah 14 when he rebelled against God, it was evident in Matthew 4 when he tempted Jesus, and it continues to be evident in the Revelation where he still desires to be worshipped. Candidly, we worship him every time we give him first place in our lives. He puts temptations in our lives to pulls us away from God and toward him. We worship him when we give in to him. It's at that moment we bow down to him and that is what he wants. That's the reason he comes to church.

(2) What does he hope to accomplish in the church?

a. He wants to undo what God does. When God shows up, Satan wants to be close at hand to try to explain away God’s workings. Have you ever wondered why we seem to see so little of the miraculous deliverances or the glorious changes in lives? It is because of unbelief. Satan worms his way into our churches, our services, and our hearts planting the seed of unbelief that miracles can still happen and we often believe the lie. Our lack of belief limits our Lord. The saddest verse is Matthew 13:58 which says, “And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.” God acts to develop our belief and the devil seeks to destroy our belief. That’s why he comes to church.

b. He wants to place doubt in the minds of people. Where clear and truthful teaching occurs, the devil will try to counter it by placing doubts in the minds of the listeners. Satan is the great counterfeiter. He is that little voice inside your head which says, “It’s not that important” or “That’s not right” or “The Bible says this, but I believe.” It is in this way that Satan has us missing the major point of Matthew 6:33, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness..." He places doubt that first means first.

c. He wants to undermine spiritual authority. The concept of spiritual authority is an area where the devil can be applauded in the 21st century Americanized church. Where divine authority is perceived, the devil will attempt to destroy both the speaker and the authority. This is his pride showing through. In our text, the evil spirit interrupts, shouts out, and attempts to get the crowd to turn on Jesus. Evil cannot stand for authoritative truth to be told and generally will react, sometimes violently. This is what happened to Jesus. This is what is happening in churches across America today. Pastor’s today are under attack like never before.” While it is true, that no pastor is on the same ‘authoritative’ level as Jesus, it is equally true that our Lord has placed a solemn and huge responsibility on the shoulders of every called man of God to speak and lead for Him. Satan is doing his best to undermine God’s man. Chaos in the church is Satan's mission and he’s good at it.

(3) The devil is always comfortable in church until Jesus shows up and truth is taught.

a. When he realizes who Jesus is and what he is hearing, he cannot help himself and cries out in a loud voice. He interrupts the service by saying, “What do you have to do with us?” Then by name he says, “Jesus of Nazareth.” He asks, “Have you come to destroy us?” and concludes with a statement of truth befitting a follower not a fraud, “I know who you are-the Holy one of God.” Can you believe it? Even an unclean spirit, a demon, and a messenger of Satan knew the Lord Jesus on sight. Luke records that a “Spirit filled man” named Simeon recognized who Jesus was when He was only an infant. The disciple John records that John the Baptist recognized Jesus and said, “Behold the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. Here a demon in the synagogue recognizes and knows who Jesus is. Here’s the question: Does the demon know more than you? Is he more familiar with divinity than you are? When Jesus passes by are you like Zacchaeus or are you like Nazareth? Make no mistake, even the demons know Jesus.

b. Jesus "muzzled" the demon and commands to get out. The word for “be quiet” is actually ‘be muzzled’ or ‘hold your peace’ (in other words, ‘no more talking’). Know what the demon did? He did what everyone has to do-obey. The only thing he could muster was a cry of agony because the Lord of creation had spoken. Jesus didn’t give the demon a choice, but for some reason, He does give us a choice. To us He might say, “Stop your talking about how you can make it without me.” Or “Stop making excuses” or “Stop standing in their way.”

When Jesus shows up, He has an agenda. He wants to clean up the place, the heart, and the group, to make them into what He wants them to be. He dismisses the evil one and begins working on hearts. Have you responded to Jesus’ offer of life, hope, help, and eternity? Have you even heard His call? Or is the evil one clouding your mind and covering your heart? Let Jesus speak the word to send the evil one away because when he leaves Satan, unaware, does one more thing:

c. By the way this entire incident came down, He made Jesus well known.
-He recognized who he was.
-He recognized his authority.

Verse 28 calls it the “Fame” of Jesus. When we come before God in the right way and the evil one attempts to destroy things – Jesus can use that interruption to build His Kingdom. But He expects us to come before Him in the right way.

Psalm 51:17 says, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise."

He expects our honesty, our openness to Him, and our love. Week after week we enter this building and make no mistake, the unclean spirit gathers with us. He nudges us to ‘not participate in the service’, ‘dismiss the prayer time as just a waste of time,’ and ‘minimize the scriptural message’ because the preacher is too serious about this thing. When we listen to the evil one, the devil wins the day. Don’t miss this: the devil is not concerned about you. He would not give up anything for you and our Lord gave up everything for you. Don't let the devil get the victory in your Life.

-Recognize Jesus.
-Respond to Jesus.
-Let Jesus be Revealed in you.

Uncovering Your Well Of Joy

An observant author once wrote: "The most miserable people I have known have not been those who suffered from catastrophes which they could blame on fate or accident, but those who had everything they wanted, except the power to enjoy it."

Joy is not found in:
a. unbelief.
b. pleasure.
c. money.

The Bible says, "And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them." (Genesis 26:18 KJV)

-The Philistines had filled up all the wells.
1. They thought this would drive Isaac away.
2. They attempted to cover up his source of refreshing and strength.
3. The devil would like to do the same to you.
4. He wants to stop up your joy well and cover it up.

-But God commanded Isaac to uncover the wells once again.
1. Some of us need to redig the wells.
2. We need to uncover the well which the devil has sought to hide from us.

Isaiah 12:3 "Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation."

The devil may try to stop your joy well up, but you're going to unstop those wells.

Pastor, how can I rejoice when everything's going wrong? Because you are hearing something that they can't hear.
a. They are hearing defeat, but we are hearing VICTORY!
b. They are hearing sickness and we are hearing HEALING!
c. They are hearing condemnation and we are hearing MERCY!
d. They are hearing despair and sadness, we are hearing JOY!

The Bible says in Proverbs 17:22 "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine."
You take your medicine. God’s got some good stuff for you.
Take three tablespoons three times a day.
a. Take it when you feel like it!
b. Take it when you don’t feel like it!
c. And take it when you don’t know how you feel!

Psalm30:5 "...weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."

Get out your spiritual shovel and start digging-joy is on the way.

WILL YOU CALL UPON HIS NAME AND ASK HIM TO
SAVE YOU? ASK HIM TO GIVE YOU THE JOY OF HIS

The Good Ole' Days

Good ole' days? I am amazed and somewhat amused to hear people compliment the church of the past, and contrast it with a miserable estimate of the present. The facts are that the problems of yesterday are the same as they had always been, but somehow viewed as better than the present.

Many people will go through life disappointed, finding fault with everything, but will later look back realizing that it was better than what they thought. In reality, they're in the midst of the good ole' days, and don't even know it.

Many churches deal with the "greener grass syndrome." To them, the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. Their contentment with life is always attached to some other place, some other time, or with someone else. The solution to their marital problems is to get a new wife or husband. The answer to their dissatisfaction in the work place is to get a different job. They look at their circumstances as if they were a paper cup, to be crumpled and tossed in the trash in exchange for a new one.

Unfortunately, our modern "feel good" culture has helped to shape these attitudes that feed such carnal impulses. A society of painkillers, fast food, and technological marvels has taught us that anything that is less than perfect, instantaneous or self-gratifying should be aborted like an unwanted unborn baby. We forget that problems are not inconveniences that should be "avoided and discarded," but should be accepted as "character-building challenges that can be overcome." Is it no wonder why it is rare to find anyone with genuine character today?

Contentment really has nothing to do with circumstances, but it has everything to do with one's attitude. As a well-known preacher once said, "life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it." To some people, problems represent barriers that end their progress, but to others, they represent hurdles to be leaped over. We may not be able to change the destiny of circumstances that we will face in life, but we can change our attitude toward them.

Believe it or not, regardless of how bad it may sometimes seem, things are never as bad as they could be. And wouldn't it be ironic that if someday, when persons face things that are even worse, they will reflect back on their present circumstances and think of them as the best times in their life. Some people are so obsessed with the thorns, that they don't realize that they're sitting in a rose bush.

Despite whatever challenges you face, don't postpone your happiness to some other time or place, and don't be blinded from the good things that God has placed around you today. An intimate relationship with Jesus Christ is the only thing that brings true inner contentment. So be filled with the love of Jesus, and smell the roses that God has put in your life. Lighten up and enjoy the good ole' days!

"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 good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy; meditate on these things" (Philippians 4:8).

10 Questions To ask Before You Decide

The Bible is the Christian’s guide for making godly choices in life. Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path." Before you make decisions, compare your desires to what the scriptures say, and ask yourself the following questions:

1. Would you be able to ask God to bless it?
Would your decision be something that you can take before God with a good conscience and ask Him to bless? Or is it something that you know the Lord would not be enthused about? “The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it” (Proverbs 10:22).

2. Could you thank Him for it?
Would your decision be something that you can openly express gratefulness and thankfulness to God? Or would it be something which would seem inappropriate to thank Him for? “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:17).

3. Would it be to God’s Glory?
Would your decision be something that can bring Glory and honor to the Lord? Ask yourself how the Lord would be lifted up or blessed by your plans. “...whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians10:31).

4. Would it be of the world?
Would your decision be an indulgence in worldly, carnal appetites or lusts? “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15).

5. Would it be a stumbling block to others?
How would your decision affect the lives of others in Christ? Even if you don’t feel it’s wrong, could it offend or harm the sensitive faith of those who don’t share your convictions? “...beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak” (1 Corinthians 8:9).

6. Would it be a weight or hindrance?
Would your decision be something that would drag down your Christian life or influence you toward disobedience? “...let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1).

7. Would it please God or man?
Whom do you hope to please by your decision? Will it bring pleasure to God, or will it appease self or man? “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men” (Colossians 3:23).

8. How would the Devil react?
Would your decision or actions be considered a victory or a defeat by the Devil’s forces? Would Hell celebrate your choice as a fulfillment of Satan’s desires, or would the enemy be angry and disturbed? “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world” (1 Peter 5:8-9).

9. What would the consequences be?
What kind of long-term ramifications would you have to face for your decision? Remember, God will forgive sin and poor judgment, but you may have to live with the results of your decision for the rest of your life. “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Galatians 6:7).

10. Would it edify you?
Would your decision or actions bring you closer to God or pull you farther away? Will it edify (build you up) in the Lord, or will it weaken your confidence of the Lord’s strength in your life? “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify” (1 Corinthians 10:23).

How to help your church in 2013

1. Be faithful to attend and participate.
Commit yourself to the church and let them know they can count on you. Obviously you can’t be of much help if you don’t show up or take part. Some people underestimate their value of simply being present. Joining together with others adds to their encouragement, and it encourages the leaders and the pastor who have prayed and prepared all week to minister to you (Heb. 10:24-25). It helps your pastor and the whole church for you to come faithfully and on time. And don’t merely sit there like a bump on a log. Be friendly, put a smile on your face, and enter into the service by singing and worshiping. You can even utter an audible Amen or two when the pastor makes a good point. Go ahead, it’ll make his day!

2. Commit yourself to love the Lord and your brethren.
The Bible teaches that all the desires of God are condensed into only two cardinal commandments that Jesus gave to His followers. He said, “...You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27). By clothing ourselves in God’s love, we help the church to reinforce this objective for every believer, and we also help to eliminate the elements of conflict and division which can hinder the unity of the church. “I... beseech you to have a walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:1-3).

3. Pray for your church, its pastors and leaders.
The Apostle Paul explained that it is the duty of Christians to pray for all who are in authority, especially those in spiritual authority. “I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence” (1 Tim. 2:1-2). Your church leaders are on the cutting edge of the battle with Satan, and will face temptations and spiritual conflict unlike anything you could imagine. The devil knows that if he can topple a spiritual leader or get him discouraged enough to quit, it will have a domino effect on the rest of the church. You can be a tremendous help by praying fervently for your church, and especially for the pastor and his family.

God promised special strength through the combined prayer of His children. “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven” (Matt. 18:19).

4. Get to know your spiritual leaders and cooperate with them.
The more you get to know them and their Godly life-style, the more you will likely come to trust their leadership. You will have a greater credibility in their teaching and counsel (1 Thes. 5:12). Show respect and cooperate with their authority. Avoid challenging their right or worthiness to serve in their position, but accept that God has seen fit to place them in this role (Rom. 13:1). Belligerence or antagonism toward leadership may be acceptable in secular society, but there is no place for it in the Lord’s church. “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account...” (Heb. 13:17).

5. Help shoulder the load of responsibility.
Pastors and leaders of the church often feel much like Moses did when Israel fought with Amelek. Their arms become weary under the weight of so many responsibilities and they need brothers and sisters to stand beside them and help distribute the load. “But Moses’ hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun” (Ex. 17:12).

The Lord never intended for the whole ministry of the church to be carried solely by the pastor or a mere handful of people. It’s said that 80% of the work is done by 20% of the people, and sadly, this has caused the “burnout” of its many outstanding workers. If everyone would simply pitch in and do their fair share in helping, serving, and giving, all the needs would be met and no one would be overburdened. Be willing to volunteer with whatever needs done and don’t be finicky about what you will or will not do. Do as the scripture says, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might...” (Ecl. 9:10). And don’t help out just for strokes of attention, but do it for God’s glory.

A church is like any other organization with human resources. No one ever starts out at the top. Everyone knows that we have to start at the “entry level.” But if a believer continues to grow strong in Christian character and proves faithful and responsible to the basic tasks given to them in the church, they will likely be promoted to greater responsibility and ministry. “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much” (Luke 16:10).

6. Apply the teaching and ministry to your life.
There’s not much that a pastor loves more than to see his flock practicing what he has preached, living a Godly, holy life, and on their knees seeking the Lord. Learn to appreciate the spiritual values they try to instill in you and the congregation. “Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern” (Phil. 3:17).

It helps your church when you live and conduct yourself in a Christ-like manner. Whether you realize it or, you’re a walking billboard for your church. Whatever the people of your community see in your life, they will tend to identify with your pastor and his flock. Behave yourself and speak well of the church and your pastor. Eyes and ears are always open to the things you say and do.

7. Seek out and use your gifts.
According to the scriptures, the Lord distributes gifts to each in the body as it pleases Him. Spiritual gifts are not provided to you merely for your own gratification, but so the church would be edified or built up. God has given you gifts that will be a help to your church -- it is up to you to discover them, develop and utilize them under the direction and cooperation with your spiritual leaders. By doing so, you will glorify God and be a great help to your church. “Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel” (1 Cor. 14:12).

8. Contribute to solutions and not to problems.
Every pastor would be thrilled if each of his flock got involved and helped the church in some way. However, they would rejoice if certain ones simply stopped being a pain in the neck! It’s a shame that pastors spend so much time “putting out fires,” that is, squelching problems that could have a negative influence on the whole body, such as gossip, rumors, complaining, misunderstandings, hurt feelings, discontent and so forth. Regrettably, it has been said that 90% of these kinds of problems are generated among the same 10% of the people.

Spiritually mature persons who wish to help their church don’t become a part of such problems; instead, they contribute to solutions. They avoid divisive people (Rom. 16:17) and don’t get caught up in the mischief or grievances of others (1 Tim. 5:13). If they are aware of spreading problems in the fellowship, they will try to bring a resolution, or else they bring matters to the attention of spiritual leadership so that they can bring an end to it (Matt. 18:15-17). People who wish to be an asset to their church don’t participate with or spread problems -- they help spiritual leadership resolve them.

Our Responsibility

The responsibility of delivering the life-saving Gospel to the lost has been committed to all believers. That’s right, all believers, not just ordained ministers, evangelists, or missionaries. In fact, the Apostle Paul said that the ministry of reconciling people to God has been given to all those who have been born-again, whose old life has passed away, and all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17, 18 declares, "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation."

Christians must understand that this is our responsibility. It is a matter of life or death. The consequences of what we do may determine the eternal destiny of our friends, family, or acquaintances. There are individuals who may spend eternity in Heaven with Christ because we told them about Jesus Christ. And even more sobering, there may be those who suffer eternal torment in the lake of fire forever simply because we couldn’t find the time or were too “embarrassed” to talk about Jesus.

Was Jesus “embarrassed” of you when He hung on the cross with blood spurting from every part of His body? Did Jesus have a problem “finding time” to suffer for you, as He dangled for hours, nailed to a brutal, splintery cross? Of course not. And neither is there any excuse for any believer who tries to justify their apathy for the lost.

It certainly is not your responsibility to tell the whole world about Christ. But it is indeed your duty to tell “your world,” those you live with, who you work with, or your friends and family according to Mark 16:15. You are their missionary that God has sent to them, and it’s very possible, you may be the only opportunity that some may ever have, to hear the message that could save their life. And if you decide not to say anything, not to warn them, to do nothing, the Bible says that their blood could be on your hands for eternity in Ezekiel 3:18, 19.

Jesus was not ashamed to suffer and die for us, let us neither be ashamed to share His life-saving message to the lost. That’s all He asks. Just share His message.

Luke 9:26 “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels."

Five Steps to Receive Healing from God

Five Steps to Receive Healing from God

(1) Submit yourself to God — As much as it is God’s will and desire to heal, such things as unconfessed sin, disobedience, unbelief, or unforgiveness toward others can hinder your reception of healing, and in some instances, could actually be the original cause of your illness. Any affliction should be a time for self-examination, to come before the Lord in humility, surrendering yourself and drawing near to Him. James wrote, "Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up" (James 4:7-10).

(2) Look to God’s Word — Read and meditate continuously upon the healing promises in the Bible. As you let them absorb into your inner man, it will bring a great sense of assurance. This is the confidence of faith that comes as you open your heart to the Word of God (Rom 10:17). "My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh" (Proverbs 4:20-22). How important it is that we focus upon God’s Word, as this is the source of His healing power. "He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions" (Psalms 107:20).

(3) Pray in Faith — Place your faith in the finished work of Christ’s sufferings in behalf of your sickness or disease. Christ has already paid for your healing and has placed it into effect, making it available to you. Now it’s up to you to accept His finished work by faith. "Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them" (Mark 11:24).

(4) Call for Church Elders — Request for the elders or ministers of the church to anoint you with oil and pray the prayer of faith over you. The Bible says, "Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven" (James 5:14-15). Notice that it says the prayer of faith SHALL SAVE THE SICK! Ask the elders and other believers to lay hands on you and pray. "...they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover" (Mark 16:18). Again, notice that it says THEY WILL RECOVER!

(5) Keep Believing — Don’t stop praying and believing! This is the most common reason why some people don’t receive healing. They get discouraged and give up their faith. Most would prefer to have instantaneous healing, but most healings occur gradually over time. Be patient and be steadfast in your faith. Keep praising and thanking Him for your answer. God will be faithful to His Word, if you will be faithful to believe! "...Do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises" (Hebrews 6:12).

Start the New year Off Right

The following is a list of the 17 mentioned sinful works of the flesh, along with the original Greek words and their definition. The Bible warns that persons with these kind of lifestyle acts will not inherit the kingdom of God. So, read them carefully and take a self examination of your own life.

1. Adultery - MOICHEUO — “...to apostate (to depart), or to break the marriage covenant.” The Hebrew word for adultery, NAAPH, is similar, meaning to break wedlock. The word adultery does not necessarily refer to sex, but deals primarily with the betrayal of a sacred covenant and commitment. Adultery is a sin of unfaithfulness (Matthew 5:28).

2. Fornication - PORNEIA — “Harlotry, sexual impurity [sometimes used as a spiritual metaphor of idolatry].” This would include premarital sex, homosexual sex or any sexual activity outside the sanctions of marriage (1 Corinthians 6:18).

3. Uncleanness - AKATHARSIA — “Impure, or foul, [demonic]” (2 Corinthians 7:1).

4. Lewdness - ASELGEIA — “Licentiousness, lasciviousness, lack of restraint” (1 Corinthians 9:25).

5. Idolatry - EIDOLOLATRES — “Image worship.” Idolatry is often associated with worshipping an idol, but scripture links it to covetousness (Colossians 3:5), because it can also be the worship of material possessions.

6. Sorcery - PHARMAKEIA — “Drugs, magic, witchcraft [that which deceives, manipulates or controls.]” (1 Samuel 15:23).

7. Hatred - ECHTHRA — “Hostility, opposition, enmity.” (1 John 3:15) Bitterness, hatred and unforgiveness is contrary to every principle of Christianity (1 John 3:15), inasmuch as those who retain unforgiveness cannot be forgiven of their own sins (Matthew 614-15).

8. Contentions - ERIS — “Quarrel, wrangle, Variance, contention, debate, strife” (Colossians 3:12-13).

9. Jealousy - ZELOS — “Heat” jealous, envy, indignation, emulation (zeal) from ZEO; hot or boil.”

10. Wrath - THUMOS — “Passion [as if breathing hard], fierceness, or indignation” (James 1:20). Romans 2:8-9 says that those who are contentious and who yield to indignation and wrath, are doing evil, and can expect tribulation and anguish.

11. Selfish Ambition - ERITHEIA — “Faction, contention [provocation]” (James 3:16).

12. Dissension - DICHOSTASIA — “Disunion, dissension, division” (Romans 16:17).

13. Heresies - HAIRESIS — “A choice, disunion, or sect. [from HAIREOMAI ‘to take for one’s self,’ or to prefer.]” Heresy is a term which can describe false teachings, but it means even more than that. It is teaching of certain “preferences” which brings disunity in the body, and draws persons apart into dissenting groups. Heresy does not necessarily have to be false teaching, but can be pressing opinions which serve to divide, rather than unite God’s people (2 Peter 2:1).

14. Envy - PHTHONOS — “Jealousy, spite, ill-will” (2 Corinthians 12:20).

15. Murders - PHONOS — “Slaughter, unjust killings” (John 8:44).

16. Drunkenness - METHE — “Intoxication, under the influence, drunk” (Ephesians 5:18).

17. Revelries - komos — Rioting, wild partying [letting loose] (1 Peter4:3).

As we have already stated, the Bible warns “...they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:21). It goes without saying, this is an extremely serious warning.

Unfortunately, there are professing believers... people who go to church on Sundays, who assume that because they call Jesus their Lord, He’ll wink at these so-called little “character flaws.” However, Jesus warned that not all those who profess to be His followers would enter heaven — only those who follow Him with their lives. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).

If one’s lifestyle consists of works of the flesh, there’s only one thing can detour their dreadful destination. They must repent and forsake a lifestyle of sin, to turn about and live for the Lord. Repentance means to “turn around and walk in a new lifestyle” (2 Corinthians 7:10). Any person who truly repents and becomes born-again, is empowered by the Spirit of God to walk in a new lifestyle. The Scriptures say that “old things pass away and all things become new” (1 Corinthians 5:17). Instead of justifying continued sinful behavior, persons who wish to follow Christ must forsake a lifestyle of sin and walk in the newness of Christ’s life. “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires” (Romans 6:12 NIV).

Do not misunderstand. In no way am I suggesting that you must “earn” salvation by doing good works (Eph. 2:8-9) — nor am I implying that Christians will never stumble in sin or imperfection (1 John 2:1). But what I'm saying is that a genuine experience of salvation “produces” good works (James 2:20), in effect, a godly change in a person’s lifestyle. The same Holy Spirit who brings grace to cover all our sins (Romans 8:2), also brings a new nature, to which we are to yield our lives. “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16).

His grace and forgiveness is available for all manner of sin, whatever it may be. Jesus will forgive all sins that we confess to Him (1 John 1:9), but remember, we must also “forsake” them. “He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13).

True repentance means that we will make every effort not to repeat our former sins and will seek to walk in the nature of Christ. Such was David’s desire in his repentant prayer. “Hide Your face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Psalms 51:9-10).

Trials in 2013

We all know from experience that life will often bring many hardships, disappointments and heartaches, but for those who love Him and follow Him, God promises to make such things "work together" for good-that is, to serve a higher purpose, to bring about beneficial results.

The Amplified Bible, a translation which helps more fully illuminate the meanings from the original texts, puts it this way: "We are assured and know that [[a]God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose" (Romans 8:28 TAB).

Jesus and His disciples taught repeatedly that trials and tribulations were sure to come to all of God's people (James 1:12, 2 Timothy 3:12), and were actually necessary to perfect the faith and spiritual character of God's people. James in fact wrote that such occurrences should be viewed not as something negative, but with joyful optimism as opportunities for their faith to grow. "Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing" (James 1:2-4 NLT).

Paul also taught that a believer's faith and character must be refined, purified, tempered in order to grow and reach greater levels of maturity for God so He can make us into what He wants us to be, or to perform the work that He has called for us to do. He said, "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation" (Romans 5:3-4 NLT).

Likewise, Peter described that trials served a similar purpose as when heat is applied to unrefined gold, to purge it from the undesirable raw materials. Gold melts at a lower temperature than other elements, and will liquify and separate from the dross, producing refined, purified gold. He said, "These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold-though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world" (1 Peter 1:7 NLT).

Consequently, the Lord "allows" assorted winds and storms of life including sometimes even "allowing" Satan a "limited reach" (Job 1:12, 2:6), to bring troubles, trials, temptations to test our faith and spiritual character so that such qualities can rise to the challenge and emerge above the grip of the old fallen nature.

By "limited reach," we mean that God has restricted the extent and affect of such temptations and trials and says that He will not allow us to be tested beyond what we are capable of. This doesn't mean that our trials will necessarily be a walk in the park. in fact, some may be very severe; but it does means that you will never face a trial that you do not have the ability to overcome.

This is very important to understand. You will never face any trial that you and Jesus cannot overcome. You see, when we became a follower of Christ, His Spirit and power is birthed within and He wants each of us to learn how to yield to, and to exercise His power (Ephesians 3:20) to rise in faith to conquer our challenges as well as to carry out works of ministry in His name. The scripture says, "...God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it" (1 Corinthians 10:13).

This promise of "escape" doesn't mean that we will necessarily evade all such troubles, but that it will actually enable us to "bear" them. In other words, through faith, our heart can "escape" into the sustaining presence and power of the Lord which will enable us to "endure" such trying and difficult circumstances.

Lastly, the great message of Romans 8:28 is intended to amplify optimism and to arouse an attitude of faith to assure the Lord's followers that He loves us and that despite whatever circumstances come our way, He will remain on our side, will never abandon us, and will always make everything work together for our good. After all, if He already gave the life of His own son for us, what else would He withhold from doing for you?(Romans 8:31-32).

As with most things, attitude is everything and is more responsible for success or failure than anything else. Chuck Swindoll once said, "Words can never adequately convey the incredible impact of our attitudes toward life. The longer I live the more convinced I become that life is 10 percent what happens to us and 90 percent how we respond to it."

So when troubles come our way, Romans 8:28 enables us to look at them without dread and pessimism, but with a new attitude of faith knowing that nothing can happen to us that God will not help us rise above and that He will ultimately turn around for good and use to our advantage. Trials need no longer to be a feared enemy, but an opportunity for our faith to be challenged and to grow.