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What Is A Contrite Heart?

2011-12-20T20:13:00.000-08:00

By Mark E. Baker
A contrite heart, a broken heart, a humble heart, these are just different ways of saying the same thing, but they can also have different meanings and it's important to understand the difference, so as to avoid confusion. What is a contrite heart? What is true humility in the Bible sense?

I've heard Christians pray God break me and make me into what you want me to be. I understand what they are saying, but when you look at the Word of God, you see that God wants a whole vessel that can be used unto His honor. Jesus paid the ultimate price for our redemption. He died so that we can be whole spirit, soul, and body. A broken water pitcher won't hold water, and can't be used for the masters use. So my question is, what is true Bible humility, what does the Bible mean when it is talking about a broken heart? Let's look to the Word of God as always for the answers.

Ps:34:18. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.
19. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.

In this instance the Word broken means,-- crush, destroy, hurt, quench, tear. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, or a crushed or hurt heart.
When the righteousness have been hurt the Lord is there to deliver them. The Lord is not the one doing the crushing and destroying He is the one doing the delivering.
Jesus said, in
John 10:10. "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

In this instance there is deliverance out of the condition of brokenness. As vs. 19 goes on to say: Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.
This gives the sense of there being healing and wholeness in God's deliverance.

Psalms 51:17. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart These, O God, You will not despise.
In this case contrite means, -- Grieving and penitent for sin.

God does not despise a broken heart, this is true humility, and it's the first step to real forgiveness and cleansing. Real forgiveness only comes when you humble your heart before God. God does not do this for you, the Holy Spirit will draw you to the love of God, but you have to receive it.

Micah 6:8. He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

In Micah it says walking humbly with, you see in this case it is not talking about a crushed or bruised spirit, it is talking about walking with God, or in cooperation along with God. When you are walking under someone else's authority, you have their full backing and support. One example of this would be a police officer who is directing traffic. He doesn't on his own have the power to stop a car but he has the authority granted him by his local govt. or municipality to stop cars, doesn't he? We all have authority we have to submit to, whether we like it or not, whether it be the traffic cop or our boss, without it there would be chaos. The highest authority we have to submit to is God. His authority is the ultimate authority we all have to submit to, either now or later! The Word of God tells us every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is lord to the glory of God the Father. (Phil:2:11).

When I think of humility, I think of submitting to a greater authority. Or putting yourself in a place of subservience to, as in

1 Peter 5:6. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
7. casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

This is not talking about a master and a slave, this is talking about walking under the authority of a caring Father. There's a huge difference! It is saying here to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, or putting ourselves under His authority. He is telling us to do this so that He can exalt us, however He can't exalt us unless we put ourselves in a place where He can do it. It's His desire to exalt us, but we must do our part. He's already done His part through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ.

How can we truly submit to God, what do we have to do? This is a straight foreword question that we all would like to know the answer to. We have to submit to His Word. His Word is His written will to us all. God's Word is God's will. You can not truly get to know God or know His will unless you read His Word. It is scriptural to ask God to give you a desire and a hunger for His Word, if you are earnest, you will get it. Jesus said in the gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 5:6. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.
It didn't say they might be filled, it said they shall be filled.
It starts when you acknowledge you don't have the answers, but recognize He does.
I don't have all the answers but God's Word has all the answers, and as I learn of Him, and submit to His will, he will lift me up. It is an act of your will to submit, and it is also in your best interest. God always has our best interest in mind. His desire is to see us healthy and prosperous, as the apostle John wrote by the unction of the Holy Spirit,

3 John 1:2. Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

This doesn't sound like the ravings of a mad dictator, this is the desire of a loving and caring Father. The Father always has our best interest in mind, always! If we can acknowledge that, it makes it a lot easier for us to submit to Him. Once you learn to trust God you will wonder why you never did in the past. He loves us more than we can comprehend.

Jesus said in Matthew,

Matthew 11:29. "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30. "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.''

He is saying for us to take on His yoke, and learn of Him, He is gentle and lowly of heart, and that is the place where we find rest for our souls. If you only knew the true peace that comes when you enter into God's rest, you would never want to leave. His Word tells us to labor to enter into that rest.

Hebrews 4:9. There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.
10. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.
11. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience.

Entering God's rest is being obedient and submissive to His will. The Word is telling us to be diligent to enter that rest.

Rest is much better than works, rest is flowing with God, and walking with Him under His authority. I've been on both sides, and rest is better, even if it is a labor to get there, rest is better, learning of God and partaking of His fellowship and His life and His love is a life changing experience that you can only experience when you submit to Him. How about it?
Are you willing to take the first step. The first step is to acknowledge Jesus as Lord and savior.

If you don't know Him I would like to invite you to pray this prayer.

Dear Heavenly Father,
I come to you in the name of Jesus.
Your word says, "...and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out." (Jn.6:37),
So I know You won't cast me out, but You take me in,
And I thank you for it.
You said in your Word, "whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.'' (Ro. 10:13).
I am calling on Your name, So I know You have saved me now,
You also said, "...that 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 to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation. " (Ro.10:9,10).
I believe in my heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
I believe He was raised from the dead for my justification.
And I confess Him now as my Lord,
Because Your Word says, "... with the heart one believes to righteousness..." and I do believe with my heart,
I have now become the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Cor. 5:21),
And I am saved! Thank You, Lord!
I can now truthfully say, I see myself as a born again child of God!

Glory to God!!!! Amen.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/522097

The Least is the Greatest

2011-12-19T17:01:00.000-08:00

By Mark E. Baker
Lk:22:24. And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.

Mk:9:34. But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.

The disciples were always arguing over who should be called the greatest among them, but God sees things from a different perspective, not necessarily the way we see ourselves.

My question is what does God call great?

I would like to start off by examining the parable of the talents.

Matthew 25:14-30. For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them. His lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.

Enter into the joy of your lord. He also who had received two talents came and said, Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them. His lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord. Then he who had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours. But his lord answered and said to him, You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. Therefore you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.

Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

We have each talents and abilities given by God. Yet it is up to us to do something with those talents and abilities. You will notice in this parable that the lord did not tell the servants what to do with the talents that he gave them, but he gave them according to their own ability. They were equipped to deal with what they had been given. He did not give them more than what the were equipped to handle, so it is the same with our Heavenly Father. He's not asking us to do more than we have been given the grace or calling to handle. You will also notice that the servants were held accountable with what they had been given.

This is a lesson to us. God has given us each abilities, so that we can be a blessing to others. The more we do with what we have, the more responsibility we will be given. The servants who did something productive with what they had been given were given more, and the servant who did nothing with what he had been given, had what he had been given taken away. Jesus called the productive servants good and faithful. He called the unprofitable servant, you wicked and lazy servant. That hardly sounds like a compliment. The unprofitable, wicked and lazy servant was cast into the outer darkness. I am not trying to create fear, or bring condemnation on anybody, but I want to encourage people to find their God given purpose here on this earth and begin to be profitable with what they have been given. We have been called to do good works before the foundation of the world, God equipped us and preordained for us to walk in these works and to bear fruit.

Ephesians 2:10. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Open your hand and look in it. What do you have. What has God given you. I can assure you, it is within your ability do so something with what you have been given. I want to encourage you to find your calling and step into it, if you have not already done so. If you do know your abilities and calling, then I would like to encourage you to begin to do something with them. What ever your gifts are, begin to use them to bless others. You might say I'm not a preacher or a teacher. You don't have to be a preacher or a teacher if that's not what God called you to be. Maybe He's called you in the area of helps to help others who do have teaching or preaching ministries. The pastor can't do it all alone, and He or she is not suppose to do it alone.

There are many areas within the body of Christ where people can be a blessing and a help. It takes all of us working together to fulfill the calling of God as a body, but it starts with us individually using the talents God has given to us. Those who don't use their gifts truly affect the whole body, not just themselves. We have to start looking at the whole picture and see what God is trying to accomplish through us collectively, but it starts with us individually. It is up to us to find out how to best be effective with what we have each been given.

Ephesians 4:16. by whom the whole Body is fitted and joined together, every joint adding its own strength, for each individual part to work according to its function. So the body grows until it has built itself up in love.

That's the way it works, your individual gifts and talents are important. You as an individual have to function properly if the whole body is to be strong. I can't tell you what your calling is but I can encourage you to seek it for yourself. If you aren't fulfilling your role then somebody else is going to have to fill in, in your place. If that somebody else doesn't do it, then it won't get done. We have a responsibility to the rest of the body of Christ to use our talents and gifts for the edification of the whole body.

We also must realize that there are eternal consequences involved. It not only effects us but our actions can have lasting effects toward others as well. If we don't walk in the good works that God has called us to walk in then, we won't have the rewards that God wants to give us. That's a pretty serious thing to think about isn't it.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:19-21. "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

There is a treasure waiting for the obedient. However, we shouldn't have the attitude that we are trying to earn something, or that we are trying to get something from God, but we should keep a good attitude and pure motives. There is much said in the New Testament about our rewards, and the consequences both good and bad for our actions.

Luke 6:35. "But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Highest. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.

Luke 12:42-48. And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.

Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. But if that servant says in his heart, My master is delaying his coming, and begins to beat the menservants and maidservants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware; and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committed things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.

We have God's Word to tell us God's will, and we have the Holy Spirit to lead us and guide us into all truth. It sounds to me like we have been given a mandate to prepare ourselves to do the masters will. It is always in our best interest when we obey the Lord. There are consequences for our disobedience, as also there are rewards for our obedience. This is not to say that our salvation is earned, but that rewards are given for our faithfulness.

Blessings are always a result of obedience. God wants to bless us so that we can in turn bless others. You will find the more you begin to reach out and bless others the more you will be blessed. There is a spiritual law of sowing and reaping here, that we begin to walk in when we are giving of ourselves. This is not just money, but what ever talent or ability God has placed in your hand. This is truly the heart of the Father, for us to sow life into others. God gave the greatest gift, His only begotten son. If it wasn't for the mercy and grace of God we would all be lost. Just about everybody knows John 3:16. For God so loved the world that He gave... This is what love does, it gives. God expects no less from us. This is the greatest example there is! Let us be diligent in the things God has called us to do and reap the rewards for it, not only later but in this life as well.

1 Timothy 4:8 For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.

1 Corinthians 3:8. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

It's never too late to fulfill what God placed into your heart. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance. Stand up and begin to walk into God's purpose for your life.

The greatest is the one who takes what God has given him and uses it to build up others.

The greatest will be the servant of all. Jesus is our example, He washed his disciples feet. Being a servant is an attitude we all should have. This is truly what God has called us all to be; the greatest.

Mark 10:28-31. Then Peter began to say to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You."

So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, "who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions and in the age to come, eternal life. "But many who are first will be last, and the last first.''

If you want to know for sure that you are a child of God, then I would like to invite you to earnestly pray this prayer.

Dear Heavenly Father, I come to you in the name of Jesus. Your word says, "...and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out." (Jn.6:37), So I know You won't cast me out, but You take me in, And I thank you for it. You said in your Word, "whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.'' (Ro. 10:13).

I am calling on Your name, So I know You have saved me now, You also said, "...that 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 to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation." (Ro.10:9,10).

I believe in my heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I believe He was raised from the dead for my justification. And I confess Him now as my Lord, Because Your Word says, "... with the heart one believes to righteousness..." and I do believe with my heart, I have now become the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Cor. 5:21),

And I am saved! Thank You, Lord!

I can now truthfully say, I see myself as a born again child of God!
Glory to God!!!! Amen.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/179014

What Is Precious To God

2011-12-17T11:18:00.000-08:00

By Mark E. Baker
We often look at things a certain way, or we may form opinions based on our own experiences, however, we must know and realize God knows all things and looks at things differently than we do. He has all knowledge and the wisdom to properly use that knowledge. The things He considers important we may not, so we have to take His word for it, when He says something is a certain way, then it is. What He calls precious, is precious. The Word tells us that the blood of Jesus is precious.
Peter said in;

1 Peter 1:7. that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

That's pretty exclusive company isn't it? The Blood of Jesus and our faith both being called precious. We need to take notice and see that when God calls something precious, it is! We need to start considering those things precious as well. God highly esteems our faith, it is precious and valuable to Him, so if it is precious and valuable to Him we should consider it precious and valuable as well. Jesus tells us in; Luke.

Lk:6:45: "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

It says that there can be a good treasure in your heart or an evil treasure in your heart.
God is giving us direction in this area. What we put into our heart is what will come out of it.
If we put the Word of God in our heart, it is called a good treasure.

Proverbs 4:23. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.

Then after we put the Word in our heart, we are expected to guard it, as we just quoted Proverbs, the issues of life spring forth out of our heart. That's pretty important isn't it. Life comes out of your heart,
then how does it get there?

Romans 10:17. So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Every time we hear the Word of God, faith is created in our heart. We have a responsibility do something with that faith after it is born into our spirit, we have to guard it. It is precious to God and it should be very precious to us, we need to guard it. Guarding is another way of saying we are putting up a wall of protection against something. You might say well, if faith is produced when I hear the Word of God, why do I need to guard it, it is automatically there? Because if we are not guarding it, we will loose it. If we are not guarding our faith, cultivating our faith, protecting our faith, and developing our faith, so that it can grow, then we are not guarding, cultivating, protecting, and developing, the most important thing that any of us can have, Life, life is the most important thing. Without faith we will not receive that life, and without faith we will not guard and keep that life. The life of God imparted to us is the most important gift we can get. It is precious to God for us to maintain our faith, for without it, we won't receive or keep any of it. God went to great lengths to redeem mankind from eternal destruction, so He thinks it's important for us to receive His gift, and it is precious to God when we stand fast in our faith. Life is God's gift to us, and we have to stand in it.

Galatians 5:1. Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

1 Corinthians 16:13. Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.

God would not tell us to guard our heart and stand fast in the faith if there wasn't a trial coming to steal our faith, would He? Jesus said in,

John 10:10. "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

One of the most important things he has come to steal is the Word from our heart, it doesn't have to be that way if we choose to put the Word first. Stealing is taking something that doesn't belong to you, it is an illegal act. Then how can he steal the Word from our heart illegally? The answer is he does it by putting pressure on you to back down from the truth of God's Word. You're the one who gives it to him, he can't take it if you won't let him. Satan has devices that he uses to try and get us to step down off of our stance on the Word. Satan is cunning and crafty in a deceiving kind of way, but he is not all powerful, only God is. His only real tool is deception, whether by bringing fear against you or doubt, he will attempt to get you to back off, and if he can do that, he wins, you loose; but that doesn't have to happen. Paul said we are not ignorant of his devices. So to be forewarned is to be forearmed so to speak, if we know he is coming and we know what His devices are, we can be prepared to meet him head on and not wait for him to sneak up behind us. Satan will try to rob us of the life that God has freely given to us. It is ours, it is a precious gift from God, and we must hold on to it with our most holy faith. Don't give up in the day of adversity, that's his plan, to get you so discouraged that you will just quit, don't do it, life is too valuable. It is so valuable that God counts the trial of your faith as more precious than gold.

James 4:7. Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

James said to resist the devil and he will flee, but first he said to submit yourself to God,
we can say submit yourselves to his Word, submit yourself to his will. His Word is His will.
When you are submitted to His will, then he gives you grace to stand against the wiles of the devil.

1 Peter 5:8. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
9. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.

When you are submitting to his will you are making the decision to stand fast on His Word.
God calls this precious, this is precious in His sight. The Word tells us He has given us exceedingly great and precious promises. But these promises won't bring us the blessing of God to us, if we won't use the faith that he has given us through His Word.
Jesus talked about that very thing in the parable of the sower.

Luke 8:11. "Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
12. "Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
13. "But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.
14. "And the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.
15. "But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.

In every case the seed is the Word of God and it is sown into hearts, and in every case Satan comes to steal the Word of God, and not just occasionally. Jesus said, Satan comes to take away the Word from their heart, 100% of the people heard the Word and had the right to receive the Word of God, but only ¼ of the people having heard the Word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience. The other 75% failed the test, they let Satan take away the Word of God from their heart in one fashion or another, yet it didn't have to happen like that. These other 75% had the same opportunity to bear fruit as the 25% did. God is no respecter of persons. We can all bear fruit, nobody said it would always be easy, but the rewards are great. Remember Satan is a liar, the promises of God are true, stand fast in the liberty wherein Christ has made you free.

Ephesians 6:13. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

The first step is coming to a saving knowledge of Him, if you don't know Him and would like to know that you have eternal redemption then I would like to invite you to pray this prayer.

Because Your Word says, "... with the heart one believes to righteousness..." and I do believe with my heart,
I have now become the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Cor. 5:21),
And I am saved!

Thank You, Lord!
I can now truthfully say, I see myself as a born again child of God!
Glory to God!!!! Amen.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/207059

Dwelling In God's Secret Place

2011-12-08T05:04:00.000-08:00

By Mark E. Baker
Psalms 91:1-2: "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.''

When we dwell in the secret place of the Lord, we are actually to abide or live in the Lord, in His secret place.

Psalms 91:1, ( NAS): "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty."

This verse is actually talking about your relationship with God the Father and His son the Lord Jesus Christ. You may know Jesus as your Savior, but do you know Him as your Refuge, your Fortress, your Strength, your friend, and your Advocate? When you dwell in the secret place of the Most High, you are in the relationship God the Father desires and planned to have with His children when He created us. It is not an "on again, off again" relationship, spending time with God when you need something, or things are going badly. It is a minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day walk with God. It is a lifestyle of seeking and abiding with God always. Following His commandment, doing things God's way, not the world's way. Seeking God's perfect will for you in your life. It is a lifestyle that glorifies God!

The Apostle Paul tells us that we are brought with a price.

1 Cor. 6:20: "For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's."

Everything we do should bring glory to God! The wonderful thing is, when we do this, live a life of "dwelling in the shelter of the Almighty", God gives us certain promises that are there for us to appropriate.

Psalms 91:3-6: "Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday."

He promises us He will deliver us from the "snare of the fowler and the perilous pestilence." We will have a refuge in Him and not be afraid of the terror by night, nor the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

These verses are describing the different ways the enemy, Satan, will attack you, both physically and spiritually. But God promises you safety and freedom. When you abide in Him, lean the things of God learn who God is, and what God does, you will have His strength, His peace, His joy, His confidence, to face all these things, knowing all the time that "we are more than conquerors." ( Romans 8:37.)

God promises you safety and freedom from fear.

2 Tim. 1:7:"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."

When we are born again, we are recreated in the image of God - a new creature.

2 Cor. 5:17:"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."

When God's Spirit dwells in us, He regenerates us, if we will let Him. He will help us to grow in His image, to create in us a clean heart and renewed mind; if we will let Him! But we have to "dwell in Him", talk with Him, spend time getting to know Him, by spending time reading His Word, to become more like Him.

If you want to see real changes in your life, then spend more time with God and the things of God. Make time to pray, not just 5 or 10 minutes a day, but make real time to pray. To really go after God and the things of God, you may have to give up and rearrange you life. Stop watching junk on TV or substituting religious programs for real personal time with God. When you pray, don't just tell God what you need, but take the time to praise Him, worship Him, talk to Him. Take the time to thank Him for all He has done in your life and the lives of others.

Spend time reading your Bible, not just a quick 10 minute devotional out of a book, but get out your Bible and really read it, verse by verse, chapter by chapter. Ask the Holy Spirit to open you spiritual understanding, so that you can understand what you are reading and how it relates to you.

James 1:5;4:3: "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him...You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.

If you ask God, He will give you understanding of His Word. Do it everyday. Make a commitment to change your life and then you will see great things eventually come to pass in your life!

Psalms 91:9-11: "Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your habitation, No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways." Because you choose to abide in God, and make Him your refuge, then and only then will no evil befall you, nor any plague or calamity come near you dwelling.

God promises to keep you in all you ways. When you trust in, rely on, dwell in Him and not your on strength, He will direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:6.) The enemy can take His best shot at you and it will not succeed, because God is on your side. This does not mean that we will not have trials, or tests, that the devil will automatically leave you alone, because you dwell in God. It really means the opposite, the enemy's sole purpose is to keep you defeated, downtrodden and depressed. He wants to keep you financially frantic, heartbroken and sick and He will do anything in his power to keep you from trusting in, relying on and depending on God. He wants you to give up; the first time things get rough. But God promise to be with you always, to keep you in all your ways, and to give you the mind of Christ, not the spirit of fear. What you have to do, is not give up or give in! Stand you ground! Put on the armor of God and fight the good fight of faith!
(Ephesians 6:13.)

Psalms 91:14-16: " Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation."

When you call on Him, He will answer you! He will show you His salvation. He will deliver you and satisfy you with long life! It is yours as a child of God.
But it is a choice you make. You choose to dwell in Christ, to abide in the Shelter of the Almighty and reap His promises! You have to make hard lifestyle changes to reach this goal, real permanent changes. You have to be committed to attending church, reading God's Word, praying daily. You will have to stop doing some things.

You will have to choose spending time with God over "vegging out" in front of the television, sleeping late, watching a video you rented or drinking, or napping. Spend time reading God's Word, read it to your children, pray while you are driving down the road. It will make a difference!

Remember, Satan does not want you to succeed or for anything you do to Glorify God. It may look like things are going well for you now! Why change? We never know what tomorrow will bring and we all will have something come up in our lives that will test us and tempt us. I just want you to know that no matter what the devil throws at you, God loves you, cares for you. He loved you enough to send His son, to die for you! He want you to be successful, to be happy, to be healthy and content. This does not mean filthy rich with no worries. It means that He will meet your needs, guide your daily paths and "keep you under His wings of refuge." Take the time to choose life rather than death, peace rather than frustration, joy rather than sadness. If you do not know Jesus as you personal Savior I urge you to pray the following prayer and make the choice to make Jesus Lord of your life and "dwell in the secret place of the most High."

Dear Heavenly Father,

I come to you in the name of Jesus.

Your word says, "...and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out." (Jn.6:37),
So I know You won't cast me out, but You take me in,
And I thank you for it.

You said in your Word, "whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.'' (Ro. 10:13).

I am calling on Your name, So I know You have saved me now,
You also said, "...that 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 to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation. " (Ro.10:9,10).

I believe in my heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
I believe He was raised from the dead for my justification.
And I confess Him now as my Lord,

Because Your Word says, "... with the heart one believes to righteousness..." and I do believe with my heart,

I have now become the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Cor. 5:21),
And I am saved! Thank You, Lord!
I can now truthfully say, I see myself as a born again child of God!

Glory to God!!!! Amen.

Psalms 91:

1. He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

2. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.''

3. Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence.

4. He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.

5. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day,

6. Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

7. A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you.

8. Only with your eyes shall you look, And see the reward of the wicked.

9. Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your habitation,

10. No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;

11. For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways.

12. They shall bear you up in their hands, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.

13. You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample under foot.

14. Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name.

15. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him.

16. With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/618506

The Greater One Within

2011-12-07T19:29:00.000-08:00

By Mark E. Baker

1 John 4:4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

Greater simply means more. The One who is more than enough is in the inside of you. If you are in Christ Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the One who is more is on the inside of you. Because of this we have overcome. To hear many Christians talk, you would think the one who is less is on the inside of them. NO, the One who is more, the greater One is on the inside of us.

This should be the heart cry of every believer. The greater One lives within me. It is because of the greater One that lives within me that I am victorious. It is because of the greater One that lives within me that that I am successful. It is because of the greater One that dwells within me that causes me to triumph in every circumstance of life. Some people would say this is bragging. This certainly isn't bragging on yourself, it is bragging on God and His ability. You're not saying what you can do but what God in you can and is doing.

We should make it a habit to continually declare that the greater One makes us victorious. When we declare this, we are lining our words up with God's words. We are giving God a place to work in our lives when we speak what He has told us to speak. This is not presumption it is obedience to His Word. Presumption is to assume something, and I am not talking about that at all. I am talking about acting on knowledge. We are acting on what we know to be true and declaring it to be so. Start to declare in obedience the greater One will cause me to succeed. I will not fail but will put my faith in Him. His Word tells us to do this in 2 Corinthians 4:13.

2 Corinthians 4:13 But since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke,'' we also believe and therefore speak,

This will open the way for the greater One to rise up inside of you. When we do this we magnify Him and open the door for Him to give us enlightenment, direction, and revelation to our spirit, healing to our bodies, and help and comfort in every situation of life.

Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

He's telling us in His Word to come boldly and ask for this help, it's there when we need it.
Some people would say I don't know if I can do that or not, yet we are told to come boldly and ask. This is telling us to do it, God wants us to have His help. We should receive it and begin to walk in it.

One aspect of this is that we must come to realize that that He is always with us.

Hebrews 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness, and be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you.''

We all face life's trials, let we can take great comfort in the fact the Holy Spirit of God has taken up residence within us. He's always present to help, not just when we feel like it but always, whether we feel like it or not. Our faith can not be based on our feelings. It must be based on what we know to be the truth of God's Word. I would encourage you not to look to the circumstances but to look to the greater one within. The Holy Spirit will quicken God's Word to your spirit and make it real. It is all too easy to take our eyes off of the one who has set us free and to dwell on the negative circumstances that come at us in life. Look to the inside where the greater one dwells, not to the circumstances.

We can know that regardless of the circumstances we have victory on the inside of us, if we will just give Him the opportunity to work on our behalf.

As our opening Scripture declares. You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

We are of God. Begin to meditate on this until it is so real that nothing can take it from you, and know that as God's child you have been called to succeed. God doesn't want His children beat up and run down. Just the opposite is true. However we will just begin to realize it and walk in the light of it. Let Him speak this quiet assurance into your spiritual being and allow the One who is more to rise up in you, and begin to see yourself as the Holy Father see us in Christ.

We can then say with confidence, greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world.

God's Word tells us that the same spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in us.

Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

This is not some different spirit but the very same Spirit dwells in us and will give life to our mortal bodies. You might say I don't know about that. It is absolutely so. This is talking about the here and now, our mortal bodies not our resurrected bodies that we will have in Heaven. We won't need our bodies quickened when we are in Heaven. We need it now. This is part of the Covenant that has been purchased for us. Along with the forgiveness of sin we also have the healing of our bodies. Acknowledging this fact is what brings the manifestation. We will not receive it if we won't believe it and acknowledge it to be so. This is the same way we get born again. We have to believe it and acknowledge the fact. This is the way God allows our faith to manifest the promises of His Word in our lives.

Start to declare it out of your mouth and believe it in your heart. How can we expect to walk in God's best if we won't acknowledge God's best? God's best is here for us. It has been freely given. Let us acknowledge it to be true and begin to walk in this new creation reality. The Apostle Paul said...

1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

We don't have all revelation now, but we can begin to get God's revelation and start to walk in it. We must start somewhere, and now is as a good a place as any to begin. The Apostle Paul had great revelation of the mystery of the Gospel, yet this mystery was not just for him. It was given to him for us all, so that we can know who we are and walk in the reality of what God has called us to be.

-- Simple English

John 14:16 I will ask my Father and He will give you another Comforter--the Spirit of truth. He will be with you forever. The people of the world cannot accept him, because they don't see him or know him, but you know him because he stays with you--he is in you.

The Amplified translation says it like this... And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby) that He may remain with you forever.

I truly believe that most Christians ignore the supernatural in search of the spectacular. Right on the inside of them is the Supernatural Helper. The One who has all the answers. The One who can lead and guide us into all truth. The Holy Spirit always leads us, He never pressures or pushes us. This is contrary to what many Christians believe. The truth is that the Holy Spirit is a Gentleman. He is our guide. If we will not follow Him He will never force us. The Word say He will lead us and guide us into all truth. Our part to play in this is to be obedient and teachable, to have a willing heart to follow after God wherever He leads us. He will prompt us and even urge us, but He will never force us.

Isaiah 1:19 If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;

We see that a willing attitude and obedience will bring the kind of results that God wants for us.

We have no right to complain and say why hasn't God done this for me. I certainly don't have all the answers but I know that there are reasons for everything. We have a part to play in this just as the Lord has His part to play. He always honors His end of the deal. If we want to get the kind of results that declares to all that we are more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus then we must begin to walk in the light of the revealed Word of God, to acknowledge His truth above all other circumstances, to be lead by the Holy Spirit and walk in line with His Word.

I would like to encourage you to begin to look to the greater One within. He's always there to help. He's our helper, our comforter, and our guide. He is a great gift to us. If you are in Christ Jesus than the Holy Spirit is within you, however if you have never accepted Christ then you need to take the first step and ask Him to be the Lord of your life. He will be happy to oblige, and He will never leave you or forsake you.

I urge you to earnestly pray the following prayer.

I am calling on Your name, So I know You have saved me now, You also said, "...that 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 to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation." (Ro.10:9,10).

I believe in my heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I believe He was raised from the dead for my justification. And I confess Him now as my Lord, Because Your Word says, "... with the heart one believes to righteousness..." and I do believe with my heart, I have now become the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Cor. 5:21),

And I am saved! Thank You, Lord!
I can now truthfully say, I see myself as a born again child of God!

Glory to God!!!! Amen.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/179028

God is Good - A Devotional on the Goodness of God

2011-12-07T18:30:00.000-08:00

By Jeff Dalton

With government bailing out only the rich, with employers cutting back on paychecks and even laying off their workers, with mortgage lenders taking a "so what" attitude towards people loosing their homes; one can feel like everyone is against them. With the loneliness comes a daunting question of "is God really good?"

Whenever we talk about God's goodness we usually talk about what God can give us. If we only talk about what God can give us, then we have only scratched the surface of who God is. Please don't misunderstand, God does give good gifts to those who He loves and love Him in return. James 1:16-17 When we ask God for things He always gives us what is best instead of merely what is better. Luke 11:11-13

God is good because He desires to be involved in every aspect of your life. Think of it, the Creator of the universe, Almighty God wants to be involved in your life. Not involved in a distant way like a distant relative. Instead wants to be involved in a very deep and close way and in every aspect of your life.

God wants you to lift up and commit your plans, your agendas, and your dreams to Him so He can make them succeed. Proverbs 16:3

God is also near when you are going through a difficult time. Matter of fact, He is a little closer to those who are going through a storm, then those who are not. Psalm 34:18

When you are praying, crying out to God the Holy Spirit is also crying out to God on your behalf. Romans 8:26-27 Talk about having an awesome prayer partner! In the midst when nothing seems to be going right, when all hope seems to vanish and the light is about to go out. Suddenly, in the darkest part God arises from His throne and steps out of the heavenlies and into your situation, into your home, into you life; and at that point things start to happen. When God starts to walk beside you then the waters of worry no longer sweep over you. When God is beside you the fire of pain no longer burns you. Isaiah 43:2 When God is involved in your life you become an over comer, a more than a conquer. Romans 8:37 When God is holding you the light brightens, hope is rekindled and before you know it, you have made it through the storm and find yourself on the other side. When God brings you out of a storm you find that you have become better, more mature and stronger. James 1:16-17

Finally, God has given us the greatest gift, salvation. With salvation you can rest assured that this is not it. What you see around you is not your final destination. There awaits you a better place, a permanent place. What awaits you is a place where struggle no longer exists, sickness is wiped out, death is finally defeated, and mourning has ceased. In Heaven you will feel and witness God's presence on a continual basis without interruption. Revelation 21:1-5

Let me remind you to today to invite God into your life and into your struggles. He is waiting to walk with you and carry you through the storm. Plus commit your plans, agendas, and dreams to Him and let Him be involved in them. Get into His Word and listen for His voice to speak to you. In short, let God show you just how good He is and how good He wants to be towards you.

When you spend time with God feel free to check out these verses that go along with this devotion: James 1:2-5; Luke 11:11-13; Proverbs 16:3; Psalm 34:18; Romans 8:26-28; Isaiah 43:2; James 1:16-17; Palms 73:23-28; Revelation 21:1-5.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1620431

An Attitude of Gratitude

2011-12-07T17:57:00.000-08:00

By Mark E. Baker
God is so good, He loves to bestow His gifts upon His children. The Bible tells us that all good gifts come from God. If it's good, then it's from God.

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

I know in my own life from time to time I've gotten complacent. This is easy to do in today's hectic lifestyle, yet in a sense it's a type of laziness. Complacency can come when you start to take things for granted. I have recently been reminded that I have so much to be grateful for, I can not afford this attitude, and none of us can in the body of Christ. I have had to repent for this and realize as the Word of God declares I am not my own, I have been bought with a price.

If you are in Christ, you have a lot to be thankful for. You have escaped eternal punishment and have received eternal life. If you feel that you can not be thankful for anything else, this one thing should be a starting point to all of your praise to God. He is worthy to be praised.

We truly are in the last days, and our time is short. Our ability to walk in the path God has given us to walk in can hinge on whether we receive God's blessings. I believe receiving God's blessings is greatly effected by our attitude of heart. If our attitude of heart is bad and we can't receive God's blessings because of this, how can we be a blessing to others? Lets look at some things that will help us, and give us encouragement to keep our attitude right. Understanding God's will, will help us stay on the correct path. Knowing and understanding God's will, will always be an essential step in our journey.

Faith is always thankful, you can see it clearly taught throughout the Word.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

People always want to know what God's will is, well here it is in black and white. In everything give thanks, not for everything but in everything. This is God's will.
The Apostle Paul was always giving thanks to God in and through every circumstance he came to be in. I believe this is one of the reasons for his great success. Faith is always thankful.

On the other side of the coin so to speak, unbelief is always ungrateful. The children of Israel were a good example of this. If you read about the wilderness experience the children of Israel went through, you will see that they were always complaining and grumbling.
1 Corinthians 10:10 nor murmur, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed by the destroyer.

Yet the word tells us to do all things without murmuring. Some translations say grumbling or complaining.

Philippians 2:14 Do all things without murmuring and disputing, 15. That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

One major way to squash unbelief is to keep your attitude grateful. A grateful attitude will always look to the positive and give God thanks. God is so gracious; He loves to bestow good gifts upon His children. Many times, we are not receptive to his gifts. We cut off the very blessing God wants us to have by our attitude of being ungrateful. It is all too easy to fall into this trap when we are surrounded by negative stuff.

It is difficult for God to be gracious to those who are not thankful for what they already have. Why would God give us more when we don't appreciate the things we have already been given? Have you ever given somebody something that you considered valuable and they just took it, like its no big deal? You may have saved up to purchase this present, and really put a lot of thought into it. After this you probably would not go to any trouble to repeat this experience, at least as long as they have this attitude, would you? Most people would not. Do you think God is any different? Is He going to keep pouring out His blessings on a bunch of ingrate children? We can see throughout the Word of God that the answer is no. I believe this greatly effects our ability to receive.

I'd like to take a look at the parable of the talents. Because of space I'm going to just quote portions of it. The Scripture reference is Matthew 25:14-30. I encourage you to look it up and read it for yourself.

Lets start reading with vs. 24...
"Then he who had received the one talent came and said, `Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25. `And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.' 26. "But his lord answered and said to him, `You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.

27. `Therefore you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28. `Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. 29. `For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30. `And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

The one servant took the talent his lord gave him and hid it in the ground. He didn't appreciate what he had been given, and because of this, he ended up loosing what he did have. The servant was given something that his master considered worth something and had some value, yet he did nothing with it. It was worth something to the master or he wouldn't have given it to a servant to do something with, would he? You can also tell by the masters' response to his servants' actions that he was highly displeased. He had the unprofitable servant cast into outer darkness. You might think, well it was only one talent, what's the big deal? It is a big deal.

That is the same attitude many Christians have today. You might say well I'm an usher at my church that's not really a big deal. If you are being obedient to what God has given you to do, then it is a big deal. Do not lightly esteem what God has given you to do. If God gives you something then it is to be highly valued. Be faithful where you are. We can see what happened to the faithful servant in vs. 28. `Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. 29. `For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.

The Word of God tells us in Zechariah 4:10 Do not despise this small beginning, for the eyes of the Lord rejoice to see the work begin, to see the plumbline in the hand of Zerubbabel. For these seven lamps represent the eyes of the Lord that see everywhere around the world.''

The word despise, in the Bible sense does not mean hate or disgust as what we often associate with it. It really means to lightly esteem or show very little regard for something. If you won't cherish what God has given you, regardless of the size, and begin to act like it is the most precious thing that you have ever received, then you will lose what you have and get no more, and that is a big deal. As we appreciate and highly esteem the things God has given to us, then this will open the door for more.

We all have to start somewhere. We won't start at the top. God doesn't work this way. We start where we are and through faithfulness and diligence continue to do what we have been given until such a time as He gives us more. This is how it starts, we have to make a conscious decision to be grateful and make a conscious effort to continue in what we have decided to do. Promotion will come from God and God alone. Anything else is vanity.

We know that the faithful servant highly valued what he had been given, because he did something with it. Gratefulness is always faithful. It always acts on what it has been given. It doesn't bury it in the ground. If something means so little to you that you bury it in the ground so to speak, then you surely have little regard for it. However, if you say thank you Lord for what you have given to me, and begin to do something with it to His glory, then God takes that thing that He has given you and multiplies it. He gives it to us, and when we use it to His glory, He multiplies it for us. Glory to God, this is the way He works.

Lets put to good use the blessings God has so graciously given to us. God has a purpose in all of this. As these blessings get multiplied then the bigger the blessing we can be.

2 Corinthians 9:10 Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness,
11. while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. 12. For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, 13. while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men,

If you have an attitude of ingratitude then the good news is that you can change. You don't have to stay where you are. It is the will of God that we give thanks in everything, not grumble in everything. We don't have to stay this way, we can develop a grateful spirit. This takes work on our part. We must start by changing our attitude and repent if necessary. Repentance is not just saying I'm sorry, but making a 180 degree turn from where you were. Start taking stock of the blessings of God in your life. Begin to thank Him for them continually. Whenever a negative thought or and ungrateful thought comes in and Satan will make sure that they do. We should immediately replace it with Godly thoughts. This is how we change. As we change with the Word of God, we renew our minds in the process. God's will, will then be proven. You can not prove God's will without faith, and your faith will not operate properly with a grumbling and complaining attitude. Be thankful and watch God's multiplication at work in our lives and the lives of those around us.

Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Do you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Do you want to be a joint heir with Christ?
If so, I urge you to earnestly pray the following prayer.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/731465

Count It All Joy

2011-12-06T16:45:00.000-08:00

By Mark E. Baker
James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3. knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

Have you ever really stopped and considered that God's Word is telling us to count it all joy when we are in a test? We have been told to count it all joy, or we would most likely certainly not count it all joy would we? Many or most Christians would not. There is a reason we should be so joyful in extreme circumstances. When our faith is tried, patience is perfected. James explains this in vs. 4. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

W.E. Vines says perfect signifies "having reached its end" (telos), "finished, complete, perfect." Also referring to the complete revelation of God's will and ways, whether in the completed Scriptures or in the hereafter); Jas. 1:4 (of the work of patience)

This is the same word used in 1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

So who would like to be perfected? James is telling us right here how we become that way.

Basically, we have to grow up in the things of God. In order to do this we have to be tested. If you are not tested you will never develop patience, and if you never develop patience you will never be lacking nothing. I know that is a mouthful, but that is the short and long of it. If you want to grow up in the things of God you have to go through some tests. This is the way we are perfected. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God, but that faith has to be used or it is of no use to anybody, not to you, not to your family, not to your brothers and sister in Christ, and not to God. Know this, without faith it is impossible to please Him.

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Patience is another way of saying endurance, meaning the ability to stand and keep on standing when all are falling around you.

Without this kind of patience we will not continue to stand in faith, and if that happens we will definitely be found wanting. That is a very serious thing to consider, especially in these times.

That is not what God wants for His children. He wants us to be perfect and entire or complete, lacking nothing or He would not be telling us these things. That is what we should want as well. However getting there is not always fun. We need patience to get there, and getting there should be of primary focus in our lives. Our patience should be developed so that our faith will not fail in the day of adversity.

The Apostle Peter said this...

1 Peter 1:5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7. that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8. whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9. receiving the end of your faith the salvation of your souls.

Peter said our faith is much more precious than gold that perishes. Think about why the Word is calling your faith precious. It is precious for a reason, and he says here that though it is tested by fire, that it may be found to praise and honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ. That is something precious to God. He went to tremendous lengths to get us redeemed. Jesus Christ paid the ultimate price for our redemption, there could be no greater price paid than was paid by Jesus. However having said that, it will do us no good if we won't receive it and take advantage of the exceeding great and precious promises that God has given to us through Christ. That's why our faith is so important. God wants us to receive these promises and the only way you can do that is through faith.

This is the way God operates; we may not like it but that is the way it is, so we better start to deal with this as adults. He is no respecter of persons. We all at times go through periods of testing whether we want to or not. It is the only way to be found perfect in Him. Some people think the Christian life is a cop out or some kind of a crutch. They can call it what they want but it takes true determination and a level of endurance to walk this kind of walk. I want to say that the rewards are great. Don't get discouraged in a test but be joyful through every bit of it. Peter said a similar thing, he said to greatly rejoice.

I think of David, he was a man after God's own heart. He messed up many times yet he stood up like a man admitted his mistakes and glorified God through it all. This truly pleases the heart of the Father.

David said in Psalms 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You notice that he didn't say that he was walking in the valley of death, but in the valley of the shadow of death. Circumstances around us can be terrible, it may seem like the walls are caving in on top of us, but just say like David this is just the shadow of death its not taking me down. God is there with me. His Word declares that He will never leave us or forsake us. Glory to His name. Start rejoicing in these times of testing as Peter says.
Think about what an awesome God we serve, and get your mind off of the negative circumstances. Dwelling on the circumstances is not going to help you anyway, it will
only build up your confidence in destruction.

David knew that regardless of the circumstances that life dealt him, God would be with him continually comforting him and in the end seeing him through to the finish. At the end of the psalm he said...

Psalms 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.

What confidence and joyful expectation he had in God.

James goes on to say more about this process and why it is necessary for us to have it.

James 1:5. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

6. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
7. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
8. he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

We must be patient in the process and not faint. James tells us that we can ask for wisdom and God will give us wisdom liberally and without reproach. Simply meaning, He is not going to chide us and belittle us for not having the answers. He already knows when we don't have the answer, however we are being told to ask for wisdom and understanding and to receive it by faith. Aren't you glad God doesn't just leave us hanging, but will give us the wisdom to stand in unwavering faith and walk directly through the valley of the shadow of death. I am!!! Glory to His name. He has never let me down, and He never will.

We have to get to the place where we start to understand that God has called us to be mature, seasoned, and strong children capable of going the distance. Yet in order to get to be that way we have to learn to trust in Him in the midst of the circumstances. It makes it a lot easier to know that this is for our good, and in knowing you will come through victorious with faith that has been refined like gold.

The purpose of a test is to see what you know, and to give you the confidence to stand strong and endure. We will never gain confidence if we don't stand will we, and we won't stand if we have no patience, and we won't have patience if we never are given the opportunity to put our faith to the test. This is just the way it works.

There are no short cuts in growing up. We all have to go through these things, as
God is not a respecter of anyone's person. He doesn't play favorites. He promotes those who have gone the distance and were able to stand glorifying Him through it all. So let patience have her perfect work in you so that you may have your faith fulfilled. Don't loose heart in the trial but know that God is faithful to see you through. He most certainly will!
Just be joyful in the refining process knowing that the rewards are great.

Glory to God. Amen.

Do you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Do you want to be a joint heir with Christ?
If so, I urge you to earnestly pray the following prayer.

Dear Heavenly Father, I come to you in the name of Jesus. Your word says, "...and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out." (Jn.6:37),

So I know You won't cast me out, but You take me in, And I thank you for it. You said in your Word, "whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.'' (Ro. 10:13).

I am calling on Your name, So I know You have saved me now, You also said, "...that 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 to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation." (Ro.10:9,10).

I believe in my heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I believe He was raised from the dead for my justification. And I confess Him now as my Lord, Because Your Word says, "... with the heart one believes to righteousness..." and I do believe with my heart, I have now become the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Cor. 5:21),

And I am saved! Thank You, Lord!
I can now truthfully say, I see myself as a born again child of God!

Glory to God!!!! Amen.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/192337

Go and Sin No More

2011-12-06T15:38:00.000-08:00

By Mark E. Baker

John 5:14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.''
Let's read this whole passage of Scripture.

John 5:1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. 3. In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. 4. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. 5. Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. 6. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, "Do you want to be made well?'' 7. The sick man answered Him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.'' 8. Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your bed and walk.'' 9. And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath. 10. The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, "It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.'' 11. He answered them, "He who made me well said to me, `Take up your bed and walk.' '' 12. Then they asked him, "Who is the Man who said to you, `Take up your bed and walk'?'' 13. But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. 14. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.''

This is the story of a man who had an infirmity 38 years. Some translations say He was either sick or ill. Whatever his condition, we can see that it must have been very bad and debilitating. It had ruined his life. Jesus saw this man and knew he had been this way a long time. He asked him a very simple question, "Do you want to be made well?'' We could ask the same question to our generation. You may wonder, what kind of question is that? It is the singular question that Jesus asked this man. He asked him for a reason. He was helping him to reach out. He does the same thing for us today. He will draw us to the point where we will ask for Him. He draws us to salvation this way, and I've learned He will draw us into all of His blessings if we will be open to receive them. The point is, many are not open to receive. Many of God's children do not believe it is God's will to heal, and say they believe that He is trying to teach them something through their infirmity. However, they turn right around and go to the doctor to try and get well. If they truly believed that it was God's will for them to be sick or infirmed, then they shouldn't try to override what they believe God has set in place by going to the doctor. Yet, the singular question that Jesus asked this man is still being asked of us today. Do you want to be made well? The man responded by saying, there is no one to put me in the water. You would think that in 38 years he could have found someone to put him in the water. How bad do we really want the things of God. The more sincerely we desire them, the greater the manifestation. God reveals Himself to those who seek after Him. Jesus had compassion on this man. He didn't argue with him, He simply told him to, "Rise, take up your bed and walk.'' And the man was instantly healed. Some say, well that was Jesus.

My question is, has the Lord Jesus changed even a little? Jesus wanted this man healed or He wouldn't have healed him. You may think that is obvious, but we have to understand that there are things that can hinder us from receiving and keeping God's blessings. We have a part to play, its not just up to God. Knowing what His blessings are is part of it, as well as knowing that He wants us to receive and walk in these precious blessings. He went to great lengths to give them to us.

Jesus made a point of later coming back and finding this man just to tell him to sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon him. The New English Translation says, 'Now that you are well again, leave your sinful ways, or you may suffer something worse.' He wanted him well, and he wanted him to stay that way, glory.

Why did Jesus do this? Jesus healed this man, yet we must remember that sin still has consequences. Jesus wanted him well so He healed him. He wanted him to stay healed so he told him to sin no more. Sin separates us from God and his blessings, and breaks fellowship. Faith can not stand strong with sin on its shoulders. Jesus gave him instruction on how to stay healed. Keeping yourself from the things that can open the door for these type of things is a part of it.

This man did not earn his healing because of his good works, nor was he kept from his healing because of his sin. Wow! Salvation, spirit, soul, and body, doesn't come from our works, but through the grace of God. Forgiveness and healing both come this way, they are gifts of God, yet we have a part to play in keeping them.

Jesus did not want this man to fail. We must believe that He doesn't want us to fail either, but to succeed. Have you ever considered that if we are being told not to sin, then there is not only good reason for it, but we can surely succeed in what he has told us to do. We not only can, but we should succeed. We have to make up our mind that failure is not an option. Paul said in...
1 Corinthians 15:56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

We all know that we have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23).
But that is not the end of what Paul said. Vs. 24 goes on to say ... 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

Yes God will forgive us, and yes there can be restoration, but why go through all of this heartache when we can avoid it? My question is this, is it possible to walk sinless? Jesus Himself told this man to go and sin no more. Was He telling him to do something that was impossible? I have learned that you can only walk in the light of what you know, and as well, if you have seen the light in a certain area you will be held accountable in that area. As we learn and receive truth, we can surely walk in the truth we have been given. We can walk sinless to the best of our ability, or in the light of what we have come to know. How can we be held accountable for things we don't know, or the things we have not received? This is not our get of jail for free card, we have been given the grace and God's enablement to fulfill the will of God. I hope this sheds some light.

Let us remember that we should continue to grow in grace and truth, it is a process. Growth happens gradually even though the gift of righteousness is perfect and complete, we in our flesh are not perfect and complete. We have to grow and develop in this perfect gift. Things that used to hold us down will seem like a mere nuisance as we grow up in the things of God. Paul said in Ro. 8...

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

We are no longer under bondage to the law of sin and death There is freedom from sin when we learn to walk in the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. Paul said later in Romans 5...

Romans 5:12. Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned 13. (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. 15. But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. 16. And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. 17. For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)

As the Word we just read says, we who have received abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in this life through Jesus Christ. It didn't say we are doing it on our own but that through Christ Jesus we will reign. Sin can not dominate those who know who they are in Christ. Thank God the victory has been won! Righteousness is a gift. It is not some unobtainable goal that always seems just out of reach, or just around the next corner, yet it is something we can learn to walk in.

We as children of God have to take the mindset that we truly are the righteousness of God in Christ, even as the Word says we are. It is not natural for us to think this way. We have to reprogram our minds to think in line with God's Word. When we start this process, we will begin to actually walk in this very righteousness. We have to take sides with God and His Word if we are going to succeed in this. Just because we have been given a gift doesn't mean we are taking advantage of it does it? This is our decision, and we can take advantage of this awesome gift and begin to walk out our faith, for God has surely given us the ability to do just that. I will leave off with a few Scriptures to meditate on.

1 John 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world our faith.

Amplified Bible -
1 Peter 2:24 He personally bore our sins in his [own] body on the tree [as on an altar and offered Himself on it], that we might die (cease to exist) to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

Psalms 103:1 Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
2. Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: 3. Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases,

John 8:11 She said, "No one, Lord.'' And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.''

Do you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Do you want to be a joint heir with Christ?
If so, I urge you to earnestly pray the following prayer.

I believe in my heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I believe He was raised from the dead for my justification. And I confess Him now as my Lord, Because Your Word says, "... with the heart one believes to righteousness..." and I do believe with my heart, I have now become the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Cor. 5:21),

And I am saved! Thank You, Lord!
I can now truthfully say, I see myself as a born again child of God!

Glory to God!!!! Amen.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2024865

Fear Not

2011-12-06T11:00:00.000-08:00

By Mark E. Baker

Heb:2:14: the children of a family share the same flesh and blood; and so He too shared ours, so that through death he might break the power of him who had death at his command, that is, the devil;

15: and might liberate those who, through fear of death, had all their lifetime been in servitude.

16: it is not angels, mark you, that He takes to Himself, but the sons of Abraham.

17: And therefore He had to be made like these brothers of His in every way, so that He might be merciful and faithful as their high priest before God, to expiate the sins of the people.

18: For since He himself has passed through the test of suffering, He is able to help those who are meeting their test now.

This is the greatest news any one could possibly ever hear.
We have been liberated from the fear of death, it says we had all our lifetime been in servitude. One translation says it like this, were subject to slavery all their lives.
But thank God, THANK GOD,
We have been liberated, we have been set free. This is not going to happen one day, it has already happened. Praise God !!!!!

Fear is a terrible thing, it brings torment. Where there is fear, there is no peace, there is no joy, there is no happiness. It is the opposite of trusting in God. You could say it is the same thing as trusting in the devil. When you fear, you put more faith in the devil than in the Word of God. You might say, I don't put my faith in the devil, yet when you fear, you are doing just that.

Fear never helped anyone become victorious. It never helped anyone get over the top. It is always the beginning of defeat. It always leads down the road of failure. Praise God we have been liberated! Praise God we have been set free! We must acknowledge that God's Word is true, and just plain start acting like what God says is so.

-- Revised Standard
Romans 8:37: No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

It doesn't say we will be more than conquerors some day when we get to heaven, No, it says, We are more than conquerors. Here on this world, NOW. That's when. Here is where we need it. We won't have to worry about it when we get to heaven.

-- Darby's Bible

1 John 4:18: There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has torment, and he that fears has not been made perfect in love.

We know that the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost,
Ro.5:5. Says this. So if love the love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts, and it has, and perfect love casts out all fear, and it does, then why are Christians still in bondage to fear? That's a very good question!

One reason is a lack of trust in our Heavenly Father, and a lack of confidence in His Word. How do you get that kind of confidence in Gods Word? Well, you have to go to the Word to get the answer. I love the 91st psalm,

Psalm 91:14. Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him:
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

1st of all, you love God, He's given us the ability to love Him, and walk in that love, this is something we have to do. He will never force us to do anything. We have a free will.
We have a free choice, it is our choice and ours alone to make.
Secondly, we have to acknowledge his name.
Acknowledgement is more than just saying something, although that is part of it,
true acknowledgement comes from the heart.

Ro.10:9. because, if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
10. For man believes with his heart and so is justified, and he confesses with his lips and so is saved.

We must line up our faith and our words with what God says in His Word and then we will see the victory. So what are you acknowledging? Fear and death?, or faith in God and His provision.

Let's acknowledge Him as our Savior, our Lord, our Redeemer, our Sanctifier,
our Healer, our supplier of all our needs! Fear has a tendency to just vanish away when we start meditating on God's love for us, and we start to truly acknowledge Him.

2Tm:1:7: For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

If you have fear, you must realize, it is not from God. Cast it down and refuse it! Start to acknowledge what Gods Word says about you, that He has given you a spirit of power, and of love, and a sound mind. That's the kind of acknowledgement that will get you over the top, that's the kind of acknowledgement that will bring you peace and victory. When you start to acknowledge what God's Word has to say about a situation, then, you have given Him permission to move on your behalf.

He.3:1. Therefore, holy brethren, who share in a heavenly call, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession.
He can't do much, if we are not lining up our confession with His Word,
We are in a sense tying His hands, and not giving Him the permission that He has to have in order to act. You see, he watches over His Word to perform it, and if you are speaking opposite of what His Word says, then there is nothing for Him to perform, is there?

I'll close with this Word from the book of Revelation.

Rv:1:17: And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:

18. I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen;
and have the keys of hell and of death.

If you want to know for sure that you are a child of God then earnestly pray this prayer.

Dear Heavenly Father, I come to you in the name of Jesus. Your word says, "...and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out." (Jn.6:37), So I know You won't cast me out, but You take me in, And I thank you for it. You said in your Word, "whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.'' (Ro. 10:13).
I am calling on Your name, So I know You have saved me now, You also said, "...that 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 to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation." (Ro.10:9,10).

I believe in my heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I believe He was raised from the dead for my justification. And I confess Him now as my Lord, Because Your Word says, "... with the heart one believes to righteousness..." and I do believe with my heart, I have now become the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Cor. 5:21),
And I am saved! Thank You, Lord!
I can now truthfully say, I see myself as a born again child of God!

Glory to God!!!! Amen

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/157936

New Years Resolutions

2011-12-06T09:46:00.000-08:00

By Mark E. Baker

2 Timothy 3:14, 16-17: But as for you, continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them,... All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Lose weight, exercise more, spend less, save more, keep the house cleaner, eat better. Do these sound familiar? They are examples of New Year's resolutions. How many of us have decided to do one of these in the next year, loose weight, eat better, exercise more, or one of the others? I know I have so many times in the past. Somehow, each year many of us start out on the right track, but loose our resolve and end up not keeping a single resolution we made. Am I the only one this applies to?

I would suggest to you that this year, that you let God be your guide. Let Him show you how to improve your life in the upcoming year.

As Paul instructed Timothy in the verses above, "continue in the things which you have learned."

2 Timothy 2:15: Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Review the things you have learned and use them as a starting place and get into the Word of God for yourself and apply it to your life. Verse 17 of our opening Scripture plainly tells us that by doing this God will equip us for what He has called us to do.

2Timothy 3:17: that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

God will not ask you to do something that He will not help you or prepare you to do, including studying His Word and drawing closer to God.

Paul wrote to the Ephesians:

Ephesians 1:16-21: 16: (I) do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: 17. that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18. the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19. and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20. which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21. far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

Paul prayed this prayer for the Ephesians and it is something that applies to us today. It can also be a prayer that we pray for ourselves, so that we can grow in understanding of the things of God and show ourselves approved, "a worker who does not need to be ashamed."

Let's look at several of the specific things Paul prayed.

1. That God, would give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. The Living Bible translates this verse as:
Verses 16-17: I have never stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you wisdom to see clearly and really understand who Christ is and all that he has done for you.

Father God wants you to truly understand everything, all we have to do is ask and He
will give us wisdom and revelation.

2. The eyes of our understanding be enlightened or opened to know what He has planned
for you as a believer. Another translation says verse 18 in this way.
Verse 18: the eyes of your heart will receive light. Then you will know the meaning of the hope of God's invitation. You will know the riches of His glorious inheritance among the holy people.

3. Paul goes on to say he prays that they will understand God's true power to help us
any time we need it.

The Living Bible puts it this way: Verses 19-21: I pray that you will begin to understand how incredibly great his power is to help those who believe him. It is that same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in heaven, far, far above any other king or ruler or dictator or leader. Yes, his honor is far more glorious than that of anyone else either in this world or in the world to come.

So you see, when we learn what God has already prepared for us, by studying His Word and pray according to His Word, we will grow daily in the things of God. Don't be afraid
to ask God to help you in this way. God loves you and His main desire for you as a born again believer is for you to grow stronger in Him daily.

-- Living Bible

James 4:7-8: So give yourselves humbly to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. And when you draw close to God, God will draw close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and let your hearts be filled with God alone to make them pure and true to him.

Don't waste time making New Year's resolutions you can't keep. Resolve to grow deeper in God and the things of God this year.
It is really very simple, we resist the devil and what ever he is trying to do in our lives and we draw near to God and He will in turn draw near to us. We take the first step by seeking Him with all our heart and He will answer by becoming so real to us. Isn't that wonderful? God's love for us is never ending and His mercy is everlasting, take advantage of those gifts, spend time with God and He will spend time with you. Develop a constant one on one relationship with the most important person in the universe and see the changes that will happen in your life over the next year. Then you will be able to say to people "Look what God has done"!!! Amen!

Have a blessed and Happy New Year Holiday in Christ,
Mark and Tinsley Baker.

The following is a copy of the Prayer in Ephesians, changed to the first person, in a more personal way. Pray it for yourself every day and see the changes in your life from the first moment you resolve to put God first in your life. Amen

Father God,

I ask that you, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ and the all glorious Father, give to me spiritual wisdom and the insight to know more of You. That I will receive that inner illumination of the spirit which will make me realize how great is the hope to which
You have called me. That I will realize the magnificence and splendor of the inheritance promised to me as a Christian and how tremendous is the power available to me a believer in Christ Jesus. Help me to realize this is the same power that You, Heavenly Father, used to raise Jesus from the dead and seat Him at your right hand above all other powers, authority and rulers. And that gives Jesus the name above every name in Heaven and Earth. Help me to realize the position that I now have through Jesus. That I am seated in the heavenly places with Him. Give me the wisdom and knowledge to know that the enemy has no power over me and that now I have the mind of Christ and the wisdom of God to lead me.
Thank you Father.

Do you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Do you want to be a joint heir with Christ?
If so, I urge you to earnestly pray the following prayer.

I believe in my heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I believe He was raised from the dead for my justification. And I confess Him now as my Lord, Because Your Word says, "... with the heart one believes to righteousness..." and I do believe with my heart, I have now become the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Cor. 5:21),

And I am saved! Thank You, Lord!
I can now truthfully say, I see myself as a born again child of God!

Glory to God!!!! Amen.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/903740

Christian Marriage Counseling - Marriage Repair Magic in 5 Secret Steps

2011-12-04T19:11:00.000-08:00

By Don Keith
It is not uncommon for a marriage that started out on a strong foundation of love, trust and faith to later be found in "troubled waters". There are a myriad of things that may have contributed to the problems. Things in your marriage may just "not feel right" or it may seem like your marriage is headed for imminent disaster and destruction. Well take hope, a little christian marriage counseling might be just what you need..

There are 5 secret steps that can take any Christian union and turn it, not only into a healthy and strong relationship, but even into the marriage of your dreams! Because you both love Christ, you will find that by following these christian counseling secret steps you can have a sweet, exciting and heartwarming relationship in almost no time at all. Are you ready for a few christian marriage counseling tips?

Are you both ready and willing to step outside of your comfort zones to have a happy and rewarding marriage? If you both answered yes to that question sincerely, then the successful results you desire are absolutely assured! If only you are willing to do that and your spouse is not, it will be a little harder and take a little longer but, the probability is still very high that the desired dream companionship can still be regained or attained.

It is absolutely sure, that your personal happiness can be regained and maintained. Just follow as many of these secret steps as your can, to the very best of your ability and over time, you will be amazed at the positive results that a little christian marriage counseling produces with the help of one or more christian counselors giving assistance in person or through the written word.

Secret Step 1. Regain your perspective.God has given us a blueprint for happiness and joy. Go back to the well of pure enlightenment. Consistently read your scriptures daily with a prayerful heart and an open mind. Look for answers - not answers about what to tell your spouse in order to "fix" them, but look for answers about what you can do personally to better follow and experience God's plan of happiness.

Secret Step 2. Open the doors of respectful communication. Behind all the troublesome behaviors that your spouse may be exhibiting is still the person with whom you fell in love. The goodness of the person is still there. Start talking respectfully together every day for thirty minutes or some set amount of time. Talking respectfully is not shouting, sneering, snorting or snoring.

Share your fond memories, hopes, dreams, disappointments, feelings (even anger) in honest but respectful ways. Treat your mate during this thirty minutes together as the most important person in your life. Pretend if necessary. But, be genuinely respectful in your communication regardless how poor a job you feel the other person is doing of being respectful. Treat your spouse during this "talk time" like you would treat him or her if Christ himself were sitting there with you both. If you're having a struggle with this step, a visit for some christian marriage counseling may be a wise decision.

Secret Step 3. Relive and renew the fun! Set aside one night every week where you go on some type of date together. A walk in the park. A game together. A candle lit dinner. Play your favorite game together. Each week go on a date and do something that at least one of you wants to do. The next week the other should plan the date. If it is the date your spouse planned and you're not thrilled about it but can still tolerate it, go along and try to help give your spouse an enjoyable time - as a gift.

Secret Step 4. Formalize, communicate and coordinate your plans. Set aside a scheduled time each week - a few minutes where you agree to share with each other your schedules and plans for the upcoming week. Don't forget to schedule the time for the secret steps of christian marriage counseling that are outlined here.

Secret Step 5. Bring God into your relationship. You both have a friend in Jesus. Invite the Father and the Son into your relationship with daily sincere prayer together.

Now, you may not have ever followed all of these christian marriage counseling steps any time in your life - even when your marriage was new and beautiful. That's OK. I absolutely guarantee you, that if you will both follow these steps with sincerity, you will both find joy, happiness, excitement, fulfillment and friendship for the rest of your life. God said "prove me now herewith". I say the same thing. Click the link below and try these secret steps with sincerity for 30 days and you will discover that the happiness of your dreams can be had with the one you loved on the day you were married. Click the links below to find out more about christian marriage counseling that is available in book format.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4809125

Christian Sex - 7 Barriers to Fulfilling Married Sexuality

2011-12-04T06:41:00.000-08:00

By Terre Grable
Many Christian married couples have yet to experience a fulfilling sexuality. Yet, it is an essential ingredient for a vital Christian marriage. Here are 7 barriers to a fun and fulfilling lovemaking for Christian married couples

1. Not knowing what God says about sex

The first commandment God gave was to engage in sex (Genesis 1: 27-28.) God had just created humanity in His image, commanded them to be "fruitful and multiply", and then commented "it was good" (Genesis 1:31.) Somehow, it seems like this was a priority for Adam and Eve.

2. Talking very little with your spouse about sexuality or your preferences.

When couples can share with their spouse about sexuality or their sexual preferences, intimacy is created. An emotional bond results from the intimate level of vulnerability on a conversational level. A great place to start talking about sex is to share what lovemaking means to you emotionally, how frequent you would like to have sex, and even times of the day or specific days.

3. Engaging out of obligation, rather than enjoyment

Many believe sex was solely intended for procreation, rather than recreation. To the contrary, the poetic references in the Song of Solomon describe lovemaking that is enjoyable and anticipated. Feel free to have some fun with sex with different positions and places. However, all must be with respect for your spouse's considerations. I Corinthians 1:4 states that our bodies belong to our mates, not just us. It is written from a spirit of equality, where both spouses are to serve one another, rather than one controlling the other. For one spouse to force the other into sexual behaviors without consent is abusive.

4 Failure to plan

Many couples, Christians especially, are sexually frustrated. While some of this may be attributed to different sexual appetites, much more is a result of infrequency. Sex is never convenient, but is critical to a vital relationship. Plan for sex like you would any other appointment. Rather than thinking of this as stale, consider that it allows you and your spouse time to plan for the special time together. Planning also alleviates any concerns for sexual deprivation and sexual pressure.

5. Using sex as a reward or punishment

Sex is often used as a reward for some positive behavior. Or it can be withheld when one spouse is angry with the other. Couples sabotage themselves when their sex life becomes a bartering system. Because of its vulnerability, lovemaking must be unconditional to be meaningful. Find other ways to thank your spouse, and healthy ways to overcome your resentments.

6. Unresolved sexual abuse issues

Sexual abuse issues follow spouses into marriage. Victims of sexual abuse may have an aversion to lovemaking, or experience painful reminders of the past. For some, there may be a distortion of healthy sexuality. If you have been wounded from sexual abuse, realize that you did nothing to deserve this. Furthermore, there is hope. I encourage you to find a counselor that specializes in this area, and begin the road to recovery. It is one thing to survive sexual abuse, and another to overcome it.

7. Pornography

The most significant destructive force to a healthy sex life is pornography. And yes, I am talking about Christian marriages. Images are burned into a person's mind, thereby creating an insatiable thirst for more erotic behavior, or harmful behaviors. Some couples have stated the use of pornography enhances their sex life. I disagree. Not only is it degrading, but it fosters empty relationships by focusing on the physical rather than love. If your marriage has been affected by pornography, find a qualified counselor to help you rebuild the intimacy in your marriage.

In my experience as a Christian counselor, a lot of confusion exists amongst married couples regarding a healthy Christian sex life. The reality is that God has given sex as a gift for married couples to embrace rather than tolerate, or misuse. So much of today's culture promotes a contaminated view of sex. As Christians, let's change our culture by strengthening our marriages with a healthy Christian sexuality

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/570439

How to Build Your House Upon the Rock

2011-11-14T12:44:00.000-08:00

By Matthew Robert Payne

Today's article is based on a little story Jesus told, you could call it a parable but was basically just an illustration.

Matthew 7:24-27 (NKJV)

(A) 24"Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

26"But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall." If this is the first time you have read this scripture verse it may be scary to contemplate the outcome of a person who does not build his life upon the sayings of Jesus.

What is more scary is that people sit in churches all over the world, week after week and do not realize that Jesus is speaking to them. The most common understanding of this scripture is that when a person becomes a Christian that they have begun to build their life upon the rock and the sayings of Jesus. But this is not correct.

If you want to test that this is true in another person's life just ask someone for money the next time you are in need. Jesus says:

Matthew 5:42 (NKJV)

42Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. If the person that you ask is a Christian and they do not give to you or let you borrow from them they are not obeying the command of Jesus to do so.

Can you imagine a world that people didn't preach Jesus to others but actually lived like Jesus in the world? Can you picture a world where Christians didn't fight in a war to liberate a country but they actually prayed so much that the country's leader was taken out of leadership by the people?

What would the world be like if you were hungry and the first person you approached gave you money or bought you some food?

Matthew 25:32-46 (New King James Version) 32All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34Then the King will say to those on His right hand, "Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'

37"Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, "Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' 40And the King will answer and say to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'

41"Then He will also say to those on the left hand, "Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.'

44"Then they also will answer Him,[a] saying, "Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?' 45Then He will answer them, saying, "Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' 46And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." Do we act like the righteous in this parable? When we see the hungry do we feed them? When we see someone in need of a drink do we buy it for them? Do we walk past the stranger in the street and ignore them when they need a place to live? Do we visit people we know in prison? Do we heal the sick by laying hands on them?

I ask you reader, do you do these things?

Many people assume that Jesus is not talking about them when He says this story and yet if you fulfil the deeds of the goats then you will not see the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 13:22 (NKJV)

22Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. In Matthew chapter 13 Jesus shares a parable about a sower. In this verse he describes the seed that fell on ground where thorns choked the word. Many times when we do not obey the teachings of Jesus it is because the cares of this world and our wanting to have the things this world has to offer get in the way.

Jesus says if we live in the world with all of its pleasures and we do not deny ourselves to become like Him then we will become unfruitful. And we all know what happens to a tree on a farm that is unfruitful for many seasons. Soon enough the farmer will pull it up and put another there to bear fruit.

James talks about the world like this:

James 4:4 (NKJ V)

4Adulterers and[a] adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. James says that we are committing spiritual adultery if we love the world and the things in it. He says quite clearly that friendship with the world is making for ourselves an enemy of God. James is writing to Christians here and he is giving a stern warning.

Living in the world is building your house upon the sand. Loving the things of this world more than loving the teachings of Jesus is dangerous. Denying someone that you know is in need, is placing yourself in a dangerous position when it comes to the day of judgement.

Do you want to build your house upon the rock?

Closing prayer:

Lord God, lead me into fresh understanding. Let me not be a person who loves the cares of this world and who loves the world but Father let me be one that loves you and all that your Son Jesus taught. Father today I give you my whole heart and I place my life in your hands, lead me to places in your love where I will be refreshed. Do not judge me Father, rather lead me slowly and surely into your green pastures where I can live and obey your Son's teachings and where I can inherit your kingdom. In Jesus' name I ask. Amen.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/292848

Finding Rest Under The Wings Of God

2011-11-08T17:15:00.000-08:00

By David Seragih
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. - Matthew 11:28-30

There are days in my life when I simply wish I can drop all things and run away to hide somewhere where no one can find me. At times, when the going gets really tough and more than I can handle, I just wish I can flush all my problems away into the toilet or splash them away into the drain with a pail of water. Then close my eyes and wish that they never come back again. But despite of all these downcast feelings, I still find the strength to move on and to overcome step by step. Of course, the problems in life never disappear forever and got ridden with. They do come back in all forms and shapes but I discover that I can find rest under the wings of God just like Elijah did (1 King 19) and has his strength renewed.

There is a place of rest in the midst of strife, struggles, stress and storms of life. This place of rest has been set aside by God for you and me where we can laid down in the green pastures to feed and regain our strength, to drink from the cool water by the river and never be lack of thirst, and to lay down and rest with no fear of attack. This rest is found in the secret place of the Most
High, under the shadow of the Almighty (Psalm 91). Do you know that in the middle of a tornado, is a place called the Eye. Destructive as a tornado may be, tearing things apart as it moves through the land, in the middle of the tornado is a place of total peace and quietness. When the sea roars and the waves rises above the ocean, the sea underneath the surface is actually calm and peaceful. Just like the middle of the tornado and the ocean floor, there is a place of peace and rest although we may not be protected from the storms of life.

What is this Rest that Jesus talked about?

1. A Rest of Intimacy

This rest of intimacy comes from your relationship with God. Jesus says that His yoke is light and easy to bear. In the field, the farmer will drive two bulls together to plough the land. In order to make the two bulls move together, a yoke consisting of two holders is placed over the two animals. When the farmer drives the older bull in the direction he wants, the other younger bull will have no choice but to follow suit, thus ensuring that both animals move in one direction together. Similarly, when Jesus tells us to put on His yoke and exchange ours with His, it means He will guide us through our storms. To exchange our yoke with His, it means there must be a certain level of trust and intimacy between us and God. In Romans 8, Paul tells us that we have the spirit of adoption and we can call God "Abba Father" which means Daddy. We are the children of God and sealed with the presence of the Holy Spirit in our life. Which father on earth does not love his children, protect them and help them? The same goes for God, our Abba Father, and even much more.

2. A Place of Acceptance

This rest is a rest where you cease from strife and stress. It is not necessary for you to prove yourself before men. We find ourselves trying to prove to others and even ourselves how capable we are or even to try to please men to meet their expectations. Let me tell you, you will never find the complete acceptance from men except in God. Maturity is not about having to worry what others think of you and receiving their acceptance. Maturity and confidence are knowing who you are and your identity in God that no matter what others have to say about you, it will never remove God's love for you and Him acknowledging you as His child. Sometimes due to the storms of life, we build walls around ourselves with no gates. It keep others out but the danger is, it also keeps God out. We ended up building a spiritual tomb over ourselves.

God is easy to live with. He is our Creator and He knows us even before we were formed in our mother's womb. Do you not think He understands and feels your every thought and emotion? He does. We may not be perfect but He still loves us and this is shown through the death of His only begotten Son.

Maybe the words of God from Isaiah 30:15 will give us the complete assurance for the Lord God Almighty said, "In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength". What God said shall never be returned void to Him. His promises are everlasting and true.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/943372

How To Have A Quality Heart For God

2011-11-08T14:51:00.000-08:00

By Nick Imoru
How do I develop a genuine heartbeat for God"? This can only be determined by the quality of your heart for God. I mean, how much love do you have for God? Jesus speaking in Matthew chapter 22 verses 37 through 40, says:

"Jesus said to him, "you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: you shall you love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

Friends! You can develop a genuine heartbeat for God by your uncompromising love for Him. Jesus said, "This is the first and great commandment". What an unveiled secret! I have never seen a great man in the kingdom that rose to the top that did not display an undoubted love for God and His affairs. This is it!

NOT SCHEMING BUT LOVE

The love you have for God is the secret. It is not scheming. It is not gimmick. It is a covenant. And once you are in that covenant, you have committed God to a great destiny. So, stop scheming! Stop cheating! Stop playing games with your business partners and co-workers. Stop lying! Ah! Where do you think you are going?

It is your love for God that determines the level of your integrity. This is what I mean. There are many people, I mean Christians that nobody can put money in their hands and go to bed. Yes! Do you know why? The owner of the money won't sleep because he is not sure of what will happen before tomorrow. The person might just come back with an empty bag and cooked up story that somebody; may be robbers, attacked him on the road and collected all the money. Ah! You need to live a life of trust. Do not let money be your God.

I have met some Christian and I know they cannot prosper in life forever. They are schemers. They lack financial integrity. Even some so-called pastors are trapped in the same net. I do not believe that wealth comes through scheming and lying. Stop cheating all-round in a bid to get rich. All these lying stories you are carrying about is not the way up. Hear me and hear me well, the truth is, you cannot get there that way. Somebody said something, and I do believe it,

"Great men don't scheme for greatness; they only do what makes great".

Yes! Once you do what make great, you will definitely find yourself in greatness. So, do not scheme for greatness and never you plot nor go through back doors. All you have to do is what makes great. And let your love for God be sure.

WHAT LOVE COULD DO

"Lord, remember David... how he swore to the Lord, and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob: "Surely I will not go into the chamber of my house, or go up to the comfort of my bed; I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, Until I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob."

This is David. Look at the oath he was making. Ah! No wonder God said, "I have found a man after my own heart that will do all my pleasure". God was too sure of David, hence, David was made. Therefore, it is not strength that makes the mark; it is not anointing that make the mark. It is the heart that makes the mark. What God is looking for is a heart that is panting after him.

How? I have seen many anointed men that do not have a foothold on the earth, not even on the street where they live. I have equally come across many strong people, I mean, many people stronger than I in many ways. In fact, they have heavier languages, their accent is superb, they even have heavier tongues and they have been there in ministry before I ever started, but they could not make any mark. Do you know why? They do not have a heart for God. They have heart for pleasure. They have heart for status. They have heart for position! They have heart for fame. Yes! They have heart for recognition. Tell me, how will they ever make marks on the earth?

Do you know what Paul the apostle said? He said, "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain". Paul was the super success sample of the New Testament. He wrote about half of the New Testament. What was his success secret? He was a man with a heart for God. The only thing that he cared about was Christ, and the reason he was living was Christ. Here is what he said, and it was the secret behind his becoming the New Testament superstar.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? - Romans 8:35

By implication, he was saying, "none of these things move me, I am sold out". As far as he was concerned, none of these things can ever separate him from the love of God. He was not just having fun; he was in a genuine relationship with the Father. Paul was persuaded that neither death nor life should be able to separate him from the love of God.

Today Apostle Paul is being celebrated as one of the greatest apostle of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Yes! Today, we continuously make mention of him and other great men in the Bible. The question I like to ask is: what do you think we are celebrating? We are simply celebrating God's hands made manifest upon a sold out soul. Yes! We are celebrating an individual who is sold out to God with the backing of God.

You too can be distinguished. This is what we are talking about. You should be able to take a decision to stand for God come what may. This is the way to have a quality heart for God. You are blessed.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1029664

Jesus The Great Comforter! When Life is not fair!

2011-11-08T13:01:00.000-08:00

By Greg Ryan

We see it all the time in people's lives some

unwanted circumstance enters and life is turned

upside down. A loss of a job, an unexpected bill,

sickness you name it. I think we have all said at

one time or another, "gosh, life just doesn't seem

to be fair. It does not suppose to be this way; it

wasn't what I had planned."

We hear about it all the time in people's lives

someone leaves a marriage, a friend disappoints

you when you need them the most, or someone is not

the person you expected them to be. Our

expectations in others sometimes just never seems

to be met.

We experience it at times in our own lives when

life and love come together and all we come up

with is the absence of logic. We rack our brains

to find some reasons or rationales for events or

peoples behaviors only to find ourselves left with

more confusion and frustrations.

Was life fair to Jesus? Absolutely not! Did people

disappoint him? You bet! Did events in his life

not make sense to him at times? Probably so! But

through it all even up until the time of his death

Jesus had a passion for giving people comfort in

the midst of events, unmet expectations and times

of no rhyme nor reason. One of the Passions Jesus

had was he is the great comforter.

"Come to me all

who are heavy laden and I will give you rest."

the bible says. Yet nowhere in the bible does he

say that our lives will be perfect. Nowhere does

he say others will always live up to our

expectations, and nowhere does he say that we will

understand it all. But what he does say all

through out the bible is when; life, love and

logic disappoints come to the cross and lay our

burdens down.

There is no other place than on our

knees that Jesus would rather us be. It is in our

questions of life, our disappointments of others,

and our times of confusion where we find the most

comforter in Jesus.

If we wait until life is 100 percent, loved ones

are totally to our liking, and we try to

understand everything about them both, life may

never be lived, love may never be found and we may

miss out on the true meaning of why Jesus died on

the cross for us. Romans 8:28 does say, "And we

know that all things work together for good to

them that loves God, to them who are called

according to his purpose." Jesus wants us to love

life, love others and love him that is the true

meaning of life.

This week when life isn't fair, disappoints arise

and things don't seem to make any sense remember

Jesus is our comforter and it's at the cross where

he died that we can lay our burdens down.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/49625

Seven Prayer Tips to Quickly Improve Your Prayer Life

2011-11-07T18:36:00.000-08:00

By John C Arnold
If your prayer life has become routine and lifeless or you struggle with consistency, try implementing some of the prayer tips below. These are changes that I regularly incorporate in my prayer life to keep my attentiveness high.

1. Schedule your prayer time. People schedule what is important to them. You can pray any where and any time, but you may need to schedule time to keep prayer from being squeezed to the margin of life or completely out of life. Having a schedule daily time for God will increase your consistency.

2. Pray out loud. I used to struggle with my mind wandering during prayer. Particularly, when I use to try to pray during long commutes. That struggled ended for me when I began verbalizing prayers. I found that I could sustain my attention much longer by verbalizing my pray

3. Pray on Paper. Writing your prayers will physically engage you in prayer in similar way to praying out loud. Writing your prayers not only helps you maintain focus, but the process of writing is very clarifying. If you are not sure where to start, try writing a letter to God. "Dear God,...."

4. Use a Devotional Guide. Using a prayer guide prompts you to pray for things you normally wouldn't. One my favorite devotional guides is a book entitled A Diary of Private Prayer by John Baillie. This inexpensive paperback provides a months worth of morning and evening prayers. There are also blank pages include so that you can write your own prayers as well for every morning and evening. While the language is a bit dated, the spirit of the writing is so extremely refreshing.

5. Pray with someone. Small prayer groups can be particularly powerful experiences. Be sure to spend most of your time praying. Some prayer groups lapse into discussion and fail to spend significant time praying. Some groups passively resist moving into prayer by spending a long time gathering prayer requests from one another.

6. Keep a prayer list. Do you ever forget to prayer for people until you see them again? You had all the greatest intentions in the world, but just forgot. A prayer list helps you remember. A prayer list also aids you in watching for how God responds. Noting God's response hones your spiritual awareness.

7. Be sure to listen. One-sided conversation with someone who can't shut-up do not build relationship. Do not be that way with God. Take time in your prayers to listen. Still your mind. Ask questions and then be attentive to the thoughts, images, and memories that come to mind.

You don't need to do all of these at once. One or two prayer tips periodically interspersed in your prayer life can prevent you from just going through the motions. The key is to stay very intentional in your prayer life so you don't fall into a rut. In fact, take that as a bonus tip...

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4899579

True Worship of God

2011-11-07T08:08:00.000-08:00

by A. W Tozer
There was probably no finer
exponent of the right worship and fire of God in the 20th Century than Aiden Wilson Tozer. His posthumously published book, The Worship Driven Life, according to his own tradition and literary legacy, is simply marvellous for teaching a Jesus-believer how to actually worship God aright, in the power of the Holy Spirit; for there are so many snares we're hardly even aware of towards the end of worship.

These below are four features found in competent worship and the engagement of God:

We must have boundless confidence in the character of God. This must be an unswerving respect not simply for what he's said in the Bible, but for whom he is. This is a full faith in his character to not cheat us; the knowledge that he will never leave us nor forsake us.

This, paradoxically, does not demand perfection of faith, but a humble, simplistic, childlike nature of faith. That sort of full faith should be easy, but our proud hearts are stubbornly resistant. Our faith, our confidence, must be bold and free.

Next is admiration. We must truly admire God, without exception. We admire him unconditionally; not just out of gratitude for what he has done (for us, in creation etc), but simply for whom he is; it's the same for our parents--the excellence of love is out of the latter.

Total, unequivocal admiration goes well past the sort of conditional love that should be there in the first place i.e. the love of gratitude. That love's basic. Worshipping God for who he is alone, however, means we don't rush it, even if that means identifying and breaking our own legalistic conventions. He is the One who commands our presence and our devotion, and we must be wholly glad of that.

Fascination follows admiration; this is high moral excitement; "captured, charmed and entranced by the presence and person of God. It is to be struck with astonished wonder at the inconceivable elevation and the magnitude and the splendor of God."[1] Tozer sure has a way with words, doesn't he? How can we not simply marvel?

The images that flood the mind remind me of floating through the air beside a waterfall; we are intoxicated in the Presence of God, which is not, I repeat not, anything like the effect of any thing or any substance created gives; this sort of euphoria is the sort that generates true and light-worthy revelation in Spirit and in truth. It's genuinely life-transforming. We recognise it only when it hits us. We cannot fake it 'til we make it. It simply doesn't work that way.

Can you feel these four phases as a process building toward...?...

Adoration: this is the nexus and fire of God. "It is to feel, to love with fear, wonder, yearning and awe." -A.W. Tozer. Adoration perhaps is best felt and not said. But, it also involves cognitive engagement--the mind, and not simply the emotions. It is total, willing, culpable surrender to God--our awed response to his enormous grace, indeed, covenant mercy.

We can never fathom it and we are awed by his beauty; that not alone are we forgiven, but we can enjoy him, the one and only living God, who holds us up specially and uniquely--as much as anyone who ever lived or will live, save Jesus. And the Father gave Jesus up for you, for me! Amazing love!

God is Spirit (John 4:24). He is everywhere, all ways... always. Though he's everywhere, it is not correct to say he's wholly available to us. We can restrict our vision and presence of God by our thoughts, words and deeds; and only we and God can truly know.

But, if we focus on these four components, we can steadily build the appropriateness of our worship toward a crescendo-chorus; a lovely tune to our Maker, our Redeemer, our Sanctifier.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2128652

Sin - Man's Ultimate Problem

2011-11-06T22:34:00.000-08:00

By Jay Gheen
From time to time I periodically ask people a certain question. I use this question as a conversation starter to eventually talk about Christ. The question goes like this, "Are you a good person and a bad person?"

I don't remember a person that I asked this question respond that they are wicked, vile, wretched, and even an evil person. I have gotten responses in which they claim that they've done many bad things but at the same time done good things therefore they are good. Many claim they are good, decent, and a moral person but the truth can only be revealed to them.

The Bible tells us that man's heart is desperately wicked and deceitful above all things. (Jer. 17:9) Unless God reveals to man of man's true condition and who man truly is before a Holy God. We will remain foolish, disobedient, deceived, and enslaved to various passions. (Titus 3:3-7)

To take this into consideration if one goes to the local county jail and ask all the inmates this question whether they are good or a bad person most if not all will simply give a reply stating that they've made mistakes but they are a good person.

Unless you are truly regenerated or "born again" you may not realize how wicked and evil you in your sinful nature really is. In order to prove that your heart (mind) is wicked throughout I only need to expose your thoughts.
If I took all your thoughts from the moment you was born to this very moment and played them in a movie format and then showed them in front of your family and your closest friends. You would be so ashamed and embarrassed that you will never and could never show your face to them again. Even you would be shocked at all of the thoughts you have thought about. This is only proves that man's mind is wicked and evil.

Now imagine Judgment Day when you are in front of a perfect and Holy God in which is He is perfectly good. He will perfectly show how perfectly evil you are unless you are justified through the merits of another Jesus Christ the righteous. On that day many will eagerly walk to Hell willingly and acceptably because they will realize how evil, vile, and wicked they are compared to a Holy God.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4304385

What is True Repentance?

2011-11-06T21:13:00.000-08:00

Repentance is a Change of Heart

By Jay Gheen
Repentance is a change of attitude or behavior of feeling sorrow of personal sin and turning to Christ for forgiveness and to be delivered from the burden of sin or the fear of judgment of Hell. It is the total surrender of self to Jesus Christ. It is the willingness to give up sin and to seek Jesus Christ.

I believe there is no conversion without repentance. And I have a great testimony of this fact. I was one who believed in Jesus Christ. I had faith in Christ but I had no repentance. Therefore, no true conversion.

For one to become fully regenerated one must repent and believe. You cannot repent without believing and you cannot believe without repenting. Repentance and belief are separate of each other but must occur simultaneously.

It other words a popular phrase is said that repentance and faith are two sides of the same coin. That coin is called conversion. Repentance is the turning away from sin to Christ, and faith or belief embraces Him as the only hope of salvation. This is conversion.

I do believe many churchmen that are professing themselves to be converted Christians are simply not because they have no repentance in their heart. Anyone can believe, James says that devils believe and tremble. But the devils have no repentance.

Characteristics of Repentance

Someone who is truly repenting continues to grow in repentance. Repentance is not a one time deal. In the same way when Christians ask God for more faith. We to must ask for more repentance. Repentance is the continuous change of mind to seek Christ.

When a person becomes in repentance that person sees himself as God sees him. In other words you start to see yourself the same way God sees you. You start to become consciousness of your helplessness, (Psalms 51:11, 109:21,22) your guilt, (Psalms 51:4,9) your contamination. (Psalms 51:5,7,10) Repentance is a growth just like faith.

In repentance you start to get a true sense of guilt in which results in a hatred of sin. As you turn to God the sin that you once loved you now have a hatred for it. You desire it no more. You desire righteousness.

Repentance can only come from God. In the same way Faith can only come from God. When we pray we should ask for more repentance and faith. Not just faith. I believe when we pray for others for their conversion or for God to save them. We must ask God to give the saving faith and the gift of repentance. Repentance and faith are gifts from God and must be granted from God.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3878875

Put God's Love First

2011-11-06T20:24:00.000-08:00

By Milton Johanides

This New Year's Day, forget about plans to get fitter, lose weight, give up smoking and drinking. There is one New Year´s resolution that will take care of all the rest and make you a better person in 2012. Vow to love the Lord your God with all your heart. This is the most important commandment in the Bible and holds that position for a very good reason. From the love of God pour all the other blessings for a good and healthy life. As the spirit of love grows inside you you will benefit from feelings of temperance, humility, generosity and peace. A pure, natural joy of life will soon follow as will all the things that make you a happier person.

Learn by heart this quote from the Book of Matthew: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." (Chapter 12, verse 30). The power of meditating on the word of God is greater than any type of intricate analysis or rational thought.

Learning to love with your heart, your soul, your mind and your physical strength is the key to becoming a more enriched human being. If you are tired of making the same old mistakes in 2012 as you did in 2011, tired of giving in to physical temptations, tired of being ignored and talked about, tired of being overlooked at work, tired of ill health and low energy levels, tired of using food as a comfort, just tired of being stressed out about all these things that are obstacles to your spritual growth, then repeat this verse on a daily basis until it becomes part of you.

You can never love the Lord enough. Your spiritual growth is nourished by His love and is the real motivator behind good works. In 2012 onward, take the time to learn the key lesson of a happy life which is to help others. God´s love nourishes the desire to be good and to do good things. This New Year´s day, abandon your selfish pursuit of self-advancement and monetary ambition. Learn to love your God and be prospered as you have never prospered before. If you put selfish ambition before everything else, you will end up miserable and embittered. By putting God´s love first in your life you are on the first step to happiness in this world and the promise of joyous eternity in the next.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5637493

Be Like Jesus

2011-11-06T04:50:00.000-08:00

by Bethany Chastain

Standing out in this world isn't necessarily difficult. If you, juggle oranges in the grocery store, or simply scream "Ice Cream Sundays!" at the top of your lungs in a public place, you'll get noticed. Being noticed in a crowd isn't hard, especially if you're slightly crazy. But what about the people who need to stand out in the crowd? They don't seem to even bother.

Christians generally don't want to get noticed in a crowd. The wolves no longer have to dress like sheep. Now the sheep are bringing themselves to the slaughter and dressing like wolves.

Why are they doing this? Well, I think I know. The last time I wore a Jesus t-shirt on the subway, I got quite a few odd looks. Apparently Jesus just isn't in style anymore. Not wanting to be stuck with a label of any kind, Christians today hide and hope to never be called out regarding their faith.

You know what - that's just wrong. Jesus didn't hide away from the world and pretend to be just like them. So it's time to get out from under the covers and start getting noticed. Wear your cross necklace proudly when you go to work, put that purity ring on your finger and don't be shy about abstinence, and when someone brings up their life, talk about the life you were given... a life that lasts for eternity.

The idea is to walk, talk, act, and live like Jesus was right there with you. Don't be ashamed of purity, virtue, and faithfulness. But don't try to cram your faith down someone's throat either. Standing out doesn't mean walking up to each person at your school and telling them they're going to hell. Standing out doesn't mean acting "holier than thou" with everyone you meet until they don't want anything to do with you. If you really want to stand out, then behave like Christ.

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, grace, mercy, personal sacrifice, and self control were just some of the characteristics He modeled for us. When there was a truth to teach, He would stand out in the crowd and teach it regardless of the consequences. But He also was gentle and kind. People came to Him and wanted to know what was different and how they could have a taste of it. With a simple walk of faith, Jesus changed the world. And that is how we should be.

So dust off your religious t-shirts and stop hiding your faith. Living our calling is more important than gold, riches, popularity, friends, and everything else put together. By living unashamed, we can show our faith and become more like Christ. And believe me - if you do that, you'll stand out all right. And who knows. Maybe your life can change the lives of others for the better.

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Jesus - The Best Carpenter of All Time

2011-11-04T22:19:00.000-07:00

By Lizzie Ducking
The works of a carpenter is exquisite especially a good one because he is able to make something out of what appear to be nothing. He is able to fix what we might think is totally destroyed or unfix-able.

The splendid of some of these structures are magnificent, we stand in awe of it, and no doubt, we can see that the one who designed it was and is truly gifted.

However, there is a greater carpenter than all the carpenters in the world. He is the only one who can rebuild the soul and His name is Jesus. He can take the worst in us and make it beautiful. He is able to take our brokenness and make us complete again.

Isaiah 61:1-3 says the spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God. To comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they may be called trees of righteousness. The planting of the Lord that He may be glorified. Jesus is the one whom this passage of scripture is speaking about and he is able to restore us in every way that we are in need of restoring.

He has given us the good news of the Gospel so that we might have hope of an eternal life. He heals the broken hearted. Man can hurt us so deeply that it might seem like there is no end to our pain but Jesus can heal the pain because He can fix anything that is broken.

He has proclaimed liberty to the captive. Tradition can bind us to the point that we are not able to worship the Lord but Jesus has set us free. He said whom the Son set free is free indeed.

He can heal our bodies of sicknesses and diseases that have bound us. He heals our mind of weakness by giving us a sound and strong mind.

He restores to us what the devil has stolen, killed or destroyed and returns us to our acceptable place in God. He proclaims the acceptable year of the Lord and that time is now; if anyone would hear His voice and harden not his heart, he can be saved. It does not matter where we are because the Lord can touch our heart anywhere; all He need is an open heart.

He has let us know that there is a day of vengeance of God. It is a warning to us to get our life in order before that great day comes.

He comforts us when we mourn by giving us His peace that the world cannot give and for the undesirable things in our life, He can turn it into something beautiful.

We can praise Him when we have a heavy heart and He will lift our spirit to make us joyful again.

We can see magnificent works of carpenters but one day all that beauty will pass away but the work that Jesus does inside of us will never pass away.

God said that our righteousness is as filthy rags. It is not fit for the kingdom of God but when the carpenter hand touches us, all our filth is cleansed and we are restored.

We can take and old house, remodel it and make it beautiful. This is what Jesus does inside of us. He remodels our old self completely and makes us new and beautiful. He is the greatest carpenter that ever was or will ever be.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6556520

How to Find Your Purpose in Life With God

2011-11-02T21:14:00.000-07:00

By Rhonda D. Jones
When Christians talk about finding their purpose, it's usually related to a destination or circumstance to reach. For example my purpose is to become a teacher, my purpose is to own my own business, my purpose is to become a minister, etc. However, I don't believe that the following examples constitute our purpose, instead, these are callings and we may have many callings over our lifetime. Depending upon the season in your life, you may fulfill many different roles. You may be called to be a mother in your 30s, a world traveler in your 40's, and caregiver to aging parents in your 50's. These are things that you do or accomplish over your lifetime.

Unfortunately, we spend a lot of time trying to discover why we were put on this earth. We may read books or attend seminars that help us to find our true purpose. We believe that once we know our purpose we will become complete and fulfilled. But the problem with this type of thinking is that we're still looking for a future outcome to make us happy. It's really no different than seeking after happiness through relationships, money, material things, or any other tangible endeavor. The only difference is that seeking after our purpose appears to be a noble cause.

Now I'm not saying we don't have a purpose in God, we all do. It's just not what most of us think it is. The reality is that we don't have to discover our purpose because we already possess it.

Our purpose is simple, it is to be a reflection of God's love in everything we do, so that we can draw others to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. When the disciples asked Jesus what is the greatest commandment, Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love the Lord thy God with all your heart, soul, and strength. And the second is similar to it, to love your neighbor as yourself. These two commandments fulfill the entire essence of God and his message to us. Our purpose embraces loving God by abiding with Him and becoming one with Him in spirit in truth. After that, we are to express God's love in us to others by being a reflection of the kingdom of God.

Therefore, you can start fulfilling God's purpose in your life right now, this very moment. You don't have to become something other than what you already are. Isn't that exciting? If you are a cook and you fulfill your duties loving God and loving those around you, you are fulfilling your purpose. If you are a coach and you perform your coaching duties exalting the name of Jesus in your actions, conversation, and attitude, then you are fulfilling God's purpose. If you are a secretary and the love of God is reflected in your phone conversation and greeting the public, then you are fulfilling God's purpose.

Anytime God's love flows through you to others, you are reflecting the love of God in your life. Anytime you can help a believer or non believer grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ, you are doing the will of God in your life. And the great part is that you can start today.

But let me go back to the scriptures I mentioned earlier. Do you see that the first commandment is to love the Lord thy God with all your heart, soul, and strength? Before you can show God's love to others, it must be overflowing in your life. So the first step to walking in your purpose is to fall deeply in love with God. How? Through learning to abide in Christ, by reading and meditating on his word, by spending time with him in silence and solitude, by desiring it more than anything else in your life. When that begins to happen in your life, it can't help but spill over into the lives of others and you won't have to look for a purpose, you will just get into alignment with the purpose you already have. You will wake up each day with God's love, joy, and peace abiding in your heart and you will look for opportunities to share that love and be a blessing in the lives of others.

So if you really want to fulfill your purpose, fall in love with God.

Every day this week, write a love letter to God. Use your journal or notebook and spend 20-30 minutes telling God how much you love Him and how much you want to get to know Him. Tell Him how much you desire Him to become real in your life. Tell Him how you want to fulfill your purpose to love him and be a blessing to others.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2568603