NOTHING

ALIVE UNTO GOD :
Matthew 17:2 "And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light."

It is interesting to compare Jesus' transfiguration with that of Moses'. Jesus' face shone as the sun and His garment was as white as the light. This certainly exceeded what Moses experienced, and yet Jesus' face did not continue to shine when He came down off of the mountain as Moses' face did. Moses' face reflected the glory of God, but Jesus was the glory of God (Jn. 1:14; Heb. 1:3). Moses put a veil over his face to conceal the glory of God (Ex. 34:29-35) so that the people would not be afraid to come near him.

Jesus' body was His veil that concealed His true glory within. During His transfiguration, He pulled back the veil of His flesh, and we simply caught a glimpse of His glory that he had with the Father before the world was (Jn. 17:5). At Jesus' death, the veil of His body was "rent in two" giving us direct access to the glory of God (Heb. 10:19-20).

We need to be conformed to the death of Christ. That is, reckoning ourselves dead to sin and all its effects upon us in the same way that Christ is dead to sin and all its effects upon Him. Many people focus on the death to sin and omit, or at least put secondarily, being alive unto God. It is assumed that if we will just die to sin, then life with Christ comes automatically.

That's no more so than physical death automatically producing physical resurrection. God doesn't need dead people. He needs people who have risen from the dead spiritually. People who know who they are "In Christ." The victorious New Testament believer is not just living for the Lord, but the risen Christ is actually living through him. There are over a hundred scriptural references to the indwelling presence of the Lord in the life of a believer. Look into the Word, and see what God has to say about you.

BEGIN TO PRAISE:

Rejoice in the Lord, O you [uncompromisingly] righteous [you upright, in right standing with God]; for praise is becoming and appropriate for those who are upright in heart. – Psalm 33:1

Praise. According to the Word of God, that's the most appropriate, becoming, thing that you as a believer can do.

Let me warn you though, God's idea of appropriate praise and yours may well be two very different things. The praise He calls for is joyous and uninhibited. And, at times, it's just plain loud!

If you don't believe it, look in the Bible and see the kind of praise that goes on in heaven. Read Isaiah 6 and find out how they act in the throne room. The seraphim shout in there until the doorposts shake! And when they do, the glory of the Lord fills the house.

When you get to heaven, you're going to be praising like that too. You're going to be leaping and praising God with every part of your being. But don't wait until then to start. Begin now.

Decide today that instead of praising God the way you like, you are going to start doing it the way He likes. Begin to release those praises joyously, uninhibitedly. Don't wait until you get to heaven to praise God with all your being. Do it now. He deserves it!

THE CAREFUL WALK

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise. —Ephesians 5:15

One of my favorite places to visit in Jamaica is Ocho Rios, home of Dunn’s River Falls—a spectacle that never ceases to amaze. Water cascades down a long series of rocks as it makes its way to the Caribbean Sea. Adventurers can climb the falls, scrambling over rounded rocks on an invigorating trek to the top. The flowing water, the potentially slippery surface, and the steep angles make the going slow and a bit treacherous.

To make it safely to the top, climbers must watch every step. If a person is not careful, he or she could fall on the journey. The keys to a successful climb are concentration and caution.

I can’t think of a better picture of what Paul is saying in Ephesians 5:15 when he says, “walk circumspectly.” We should “be very careful . . . how [we] live” (NIV). Clearly, with all of life’s possible dangers coming our way as we climb through life, it is vital that we take each step with Jesus wisely and cautiously. A fool, the passage says, lives carelessly; a wise person watches each step so he does not stumble or fall.

Our goal of being “imitators of God” (v.1) is met, Paul says, as we walk carefully in love (vv.2,15). Through the Holy Spirit’s guidance, we can walk in a way that honors God.

Consistency! How much we need
To walk a measured pace,
To live the life of which we speak,
Until we see Christ’s face.

As we trust God to rule our hearts our feet can walk His way.

WHAT HAS GOD SAID ABOUT YOU?

'[He] will be proved right in what [He] says.' Romans 3:4 NLT

Paul writes, 'What's the advantage of being a Jew?...Yes, there are great benefits! First of all, the Jews were entrusted with the whole revelation of God. True, some of them were unfaithful; but just because they were unfaithful, does that mean God will be unfaithful? Of course not!...[He] will be proved right in what [He] says.' (Romans 3:1-3 NLT) God has spoken specific things concerning you. Those things are His for your life. You must believe them, carry them within you and speak them over your life. Don't be held back by the notion that everybody has to accept what God has said about you. Your vision should be independent of outside support. That's a difficult concept to grasp, especially in a democracy, where others vote and the majority rules. God's Kingdom is a theocracy: only one voice and one vote counts - His! Refuse to put your vision on hold, waiting for everybody to come into agreement with you. Not only do they not have to support you, they don't even have to believe what God has told you! You can't afford to wait for them to get comfortable with your vision before you pursue it. When people misunderstand you or refuse to help you, you can still get there without them. God is a covenant-making, covenant-keeping God and what He has spoken over your life will surely come to pass. If you doubt that, read this: '...My Word...will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.' (Isaiah 55:11 NIV) That's all the validation you need!

PRAYER FOR THE DAY :

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.” (Psalm 19:1)

Dear Lord God, I praise You. I honor You. This is the day the Lord has made; let me rejoice and be glad in it. Let Your smile shines upon my face and fill full my mouth with Your words as they are sweeter than honey from the honeycomb. May the love of God cling to me like the morning dew clings to the flower and the streams of the River of Life keep flowing into my life that I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God forevermore!

Gratefully, in Jesus’ holy name, Amen !!!

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Fair Use Notice: There is some copyrighted material on this site, the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in an effort to our efforts to advance understanding of serious issues. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit for educational purposes.

ASK

THE GREAT ESCAPE :

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. – Proverbs 3:5-6

Once you start stepping out in faith and walking in the Spirit, the devil will see to it that you have ample opportunity to fall flat on your spiritual face. He'll try to get you into some jams where there appears to be no way out.

But take it from me as one who's been there, if you'll look to God and trust His wisdom instead of your own, He'll always show you a way of escape (1 Cor. 10:13). Not only that, but He'll do it in such a way that He'll get the glory and you'll have the last laugh on the devil.

I remember one particular Wednesday night in Wichita Falls, Texas, where I was faced with just such a situation. I was preaching on the reality of the righteousness of God, and the anointing was really strong. Just as my message reached its climactic moment, a woman in the audience suddenly burst forth in tongues. I told her to stop three times, but she only continued to grow louder. By the time she hushed, the anointing had gone and the message was forgotten. So I looked at that woman sternly and began to correct her for being out of order.

Then a man sitting next to her spoke up and said, "Brother, she is stone deaf. She can't hear a word you're saying."

At that point, I had no idea what to do. Not only had my sermon been shattered, but the whole congregation was mad at me for getting onto that poor deaf woman. (I found out later the man next to her used her to disrupt services and run preachers out of town. When the service reached a high point, he'd punch her and tell her it was her turn to prophesy.)

So I just stopped a moment and got quiet and waited for the Lord to tell me what to do. Sure enough, He told me. He said, "Call her up and lay hands on her and I'll open her ears."

Talk about a turnaround! When God healed that woman's ears, He turned that disaster into one of the most powerfully anointed meetings I'd ever had. Everybody was blessed!

Next time the devil tries to back you into a corner, get quiet. Ask God to show you the way of escape. He'll bring you out in victory every time.

 KNOW YOUR COMMANDER IN CHIEF

2 PETER 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

I once had a conversation with a medical doctor about spiritual warfare. She said to me, “When there is a condition in your body, you must know what the correct medical name for it is so that you can pray against it accurately.” Then, she told me somewhat smugly, “As someone who’s been in the army, you should know this: The most important military strategy is to know your enemy.”

I smiled at her and said, “Actually, I believe that the most important military strategy is not to know your enemy, but to know your commander in chief and his directives for you.”

My friend, do you know your commander in chief, Jesus Christ? The Bible tells us that unmerited favor and peace are multiplied in our lives through the knowledge of Jesus our Lord and God. So spend time at the feet of Jesus. See His grace and love toward you in His Word. This is how you experience more of His unmerited favor and shalom-peace. This is how you walk in total well-being and good success!

‘LORD, I CANNOT, BUT YOU CAN!’
PHILIPPIANS 2:13 - for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

Have you ever tried to break a bad habit on your own? You probably found that when you tried to stop it by sheer willpower, you saw improvement for a while, and then bounced back to square one. Worse, you found yourself binging on the very thing that you were trying not to do. And your condition is worse than before you started your “I’m going to quit” program!

The changes were temporary because it was you doing it.

A church member who had been a chain-smoker used to believe that with willpower, he could quit smoking. He would tell himself, “If there is a will, there is a way!” But he discovered that with willpower, he could stop smoking for a week or two, and then he would succumb to the pull of nicotine again.

When he turned his life over to God and learnt about God’s grace, he told God, “I realize that I cannot stop smoking. I cannot, but You can break my habit, Lord.” And every time he lit up, he would say, “Lord, I am trying to stop smoking, but I cannot. I am trusting You.” He would even say, “I am still righteous because of Jesus’ blood.”

Well, in the very same year, all his cravings to smoke vanished! When asked how he succeeded, he would say, “It is entirely God and none of me! It is all by His grace.” This man lost all the desire to smoke. That is true transformation.

When you receive the grace of God to do for you what you cannot do, you will experience effortless and permanent change on the inside, which in turn changes your actions on the outside. The Bible tells us that God works in us to give us both the will and ability to perform what He desires. It is God who removes the old want to’s and gives us new ones. And He even gives us the power to carry them out!

Beloved, look to His grace to do what you cannot do. Say, “Lord, I cannot, but You can!” Then, what you experience will not merely be behavior modification, but true and lasting inward transformation!

 “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19).

Repentance is having a change of heart, a change of mind, and a change of direction away from sin. When we repent, the Lord will refresh our spirits and souls.

WHAT HAS GOD SAID ABOUT YOU?
'[He] will be proved right in what [He] says.' Romans 3:4 NLT

Paul writes, 'What's the advantage of being a Jew?...Yes, there are great benefits! First of all, the Jews were entrusted with the whole revelation of God. True, some of them were unfaithful; but just because they were unfaithful, does that mean God will be unfaithful? Of course not!...[He] will be proved right in what [He] says.' (Romans 3:1-3 NLT) God has spoken specific things concerning you. Those things are His for your life. You must believe them, carry them within you and speak them over your life. Don't be held back by the notion that everybody has to accept what God has said about you. Your vision should be independent of outside support. That's a difficult concept to grasp, especially in a democracy, where others vote and the majority rules. God's Kingdom is a theocracy: only one voice and one vote counts - His! Refuse to put your vision on hold, waiting for everybody to come into agreement with you. Not only do they not have to support you, they don't even have to believe what God has told you! You can't afford to wait for them to get comfortable with your vision before you pursue it. When people misunderstand you or refuse to help you, you can still get there without them. God is a covenant-making, covenant-keeping God and what He has spoken over your life will surely come to pass. If you doubt that, read this: '...My Word...will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.' (Isaiah 55:11 NIV) That's all the validation you need!

PRAYER TO END THE DAY :

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

In the night, I remember Your name O Lord! The day is done and my works ran well under Your grace. This is a blessed day for I received Your enlightenment and new knowledge by reading Your holy words. May my heart is filled full with Your decrees and wisdom that I make a good disciple at this End-time period! Bless me O God, remember me with favor O Lord, for all I have done in Your name.

Gratefully, in Jesus' holy name, Amen. !!!!

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Fair Use Notice: There is some copyrighted material on this site, the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in an effort to our efforts to advance understanding of serious issues. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit for educational purposes.

WITH ALL PRAYER

 

TRAIN YOUR SPIRIT :

It [grace] has trained us to reject and renounce all ungodliness (irreligion) and worldly (passionate) desires, to live discreet (temperate, self-controlled), upright, devout (spiritually whole) lives in this present world. – Titus 2:12

When an athlete goes into training, he practices to improve his skills. He works hard, repeating the same motions over and over until they become what we'd call "second nature" to him.

Most of us understand how crucial that kind of training is in the physical realm. We know that you simply can't be a winner without it. But did you know we can train ourselves that same way where spiritual things are concerned?

That's right! Hebrews 5:14 says we can train our senses to discern between good and evil. When you train, or practice, for something you expose yourself daily to whatever it is you want to become. You practice it over and over until it becomes second nature to you. People who are lazy have practiced being lazy. People who are disciplined have practiced being disciplined.

Spending time with God is "spirit" practice. As you do it diligently, your spirit will grow stronger and will start to overcome the habits of the flesh.

If, for example, you have trouble getting up in the morning to spend time with God before the busyness of the day begins, if you've been giving in to your flesh and staying in bed, then you'll have to start practicing getting up. The more you practice it, the easier it will be.

Don't expect yourself to do it perfectly right from the beginning. Don't get discouraged when you stumble and fail. You're just out of practice. Get back on your feet and go at it again!

Become a spiritual athlete. Put yourself in training by practicing the things of God. Build your spirit muscles through fellowship with Him. You will be surprised to find just how much of a winner you can be

KANGAROOS AND EMUS

Forgetting those things which are behind . . . I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. —Philippians 3:13-14

Two of Australia’s indigenous creatures, kangaroos and emus, have something in common—they seldom move backward. Kangaroos, because of the shape of their body and the length of their strong tail, can bounce along with forward movement, but they cannot shift easily into reverse. Emus can run fast on their strong legs, but the joints in their knees seem to make backward movement difficult. Both animals appear on Australia’s coat of arms as a symbol that the nation is to be ever moving forward and making progress.

The apostle Paul called for a similar approach to the life of faith in his letter to the Philippians: “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (3:13-14).

While it is wise to learn from the past, we shouldn’t live in the past. We cannot redo or undo the past, but by God’s grace we can press forward and serve God faithfully today and in the future. The life of faith is a journey forward as we become like Christ.

I’m pressing on the upward way,
New heights I’m gaining every day;
Still praying as I’m onward bound,
“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”

I will go anywhere—provided it is forward

SPIRITUAL FATIGUE

Have you ever fainted? I have. It’s no fun. I don’t know what happened while I was out. I lost time. That’s what happens when a person faints spiritually, too. They don’t know what has happened, and sadly, they lose time that they cannot get back.

Usually before a person faints, there are some signs. Maybe they get light-headed or start to get dizzy. They might start to sweat inexplicably. But before that, maybe they overlooked the fact that they were hungry or thirsty. Maybe there were other signs they ignored. We have to pay attention to what’s happening in the natural, and we have to pay attention to what’s happening spiritually.

Here are some signs that you are spiritually fatigued:

1. Everything seems to irritate you — your children, your husband, the dog. You feel like everyone is against you, and you are just frustrated all the time.

2. You develop an “I don’t care” attitude. The truth is, we always care. What we mean is that “I’m exhausted and can’t deal with that right now.”

3. You doubt yourself and your ability. You second guess your decisions.

4. You have a lack of motivation and vision.

What can you do?

1. Worship! Thank God. Be grateful! It’s easy to focus on what’s wrong, but that will only bring you down. Focus on what’s right and thank God for it! I bet there are a lot of people out there who would love to have your life!

2. Make sure you are getting rest and taking care of your health. There’s a direct correlation between what’s happening in the physical realm and what’s happening in the spiritual realm. When you are bogged down in the natural, you can’t hear God in the spiritual!

3. Be careful about what you take into your spirit through your eyes and ears. Garbage in, garbage out. Be careful about what you watch on TV. Fill your spirit with things that are uplifting. Meditate on the Word of God. Find one scripture that connects with your heart, write it down and memorize it.

4. Be sure to laugh! A merry heart does good like a medicine! Sometimes, you have to just laugh things off. God sits in the heavens and laughs, so we can laugh, too!

Remember, do what you can to guard yourself against spiritual fatigue. Keep yourself uplifted and encouraged so you can uplift and encourage others!

“Therefore we don't faint, but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day.” (2 Corinthians 4:16, WEB)

Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints ---

BE RESILIENT :

'We give great honour to those who endure...' James 5:11 NLT

During their famous expedition, American explorers, Lewis and Clark, faced incredible hardships. On reaching the Missouri River, they thought the worst was over - then they saw the Rockies! Instead of the easy ride downstream that they'd expected, they faced their biggest challenge: retreat or start climbing! Looking back, they realised it was in conquering the Rockies that they gained the confidence they needed for what they'd face later. John Maxwell writes, '...you will become a better, stronger, wiser and more resilient person through solving problems.' Sociologists who study resiliency - the ability to bounce back - tell us that people handle trauma in two ways. They either give up because they're afraid, or they grow up by developing the capacity to handle it. What makes the difference? Instead of acting like victims, resilient people: (1) take charge of their lives; (2) refuse to relinquish their values; (3) refocus on their goal. A challenge is a gift, a blessing in disguise. Quitting is always simpler than enduring. But it produces a pattern that's hard to break; one you live to regret. So if you're thinking, 'This relationship is too hard, I want out,' or, 'This job isn't what I expected, I'm quitting,' remember, you develop resiliency by remaining faithful in situations you don't like and can't change. That's why the Bible says, 'We give great honour to those who endure.'

AT THE CENTER

CHRIST MUST BE AT THE CENTER OF YOUR RELATIONSHIPS BECAUSE HE PROVIDES A STABLE, FIXED POINT OF REFERENCE; OTHERWISE, YOUR RELATIONSHIPS WILL BE FRAIL AND FRAGILE.

Every relationship is based or founded on something. For example, some relationships are based on the fact that both people work for the same company, attend the same school, or sharing a similar interest in a hobby or sport.

With all of relationships, once a common bond is no longer present, the relationship will tend to deteriorate. For example, once a child graduates from high school and moves off to college, he or she will probably lose most of the relationships formed with classmates, because school is no longer a common bond and thus there is nothing holding the relationship together.

However, if your relationships are formed around a common belief in Christ, then no matter what else happens in life, as long as that common bond is still present those relationships will last.

Thus, it is clear why 2 Corinthians 6:14 instructs believers not to marry unbelievers: Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?

If you want to maintain lasting, stable relationships, they must be Christ-centered.

PRAYER FOR THE DAY :

“Who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” (Psalm 103:5)

Dear Lord God, I praise You. I honor You. This is the day the Lord has made; let me rejoice and be glad in it. Let the morning breeze bring me the joy of heaven and refresh my mind to receive new blessings from the Lord. May the Lord reach down to me and anoint me with oil and renew my strength that I will soar on wings like eagles’! Bless me O Lord; let me grow strong in Christ and inherit all You have from today till eternity for I am the one you love most.

Gratefully, in Jesus’ holy name. Amen !!!

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Fair Use Notice: There is some copyrighted material on this site, the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in an effort to our efforts to advance understanding of serious issues. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit for educational purposes.