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!
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
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."
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."
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
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.
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.
Monday, January 28, 2013
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)
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)
Sunday, January 27, 2013
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."
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."
Saturday, January 26, 2013
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.
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.
Friday, January 25, 2013
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)