BLESSED

THE BLESSING OF FORGIVENESS :

Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. - Psalm 32:1, NIV

The Bible is filled with keys to obtaining God’s promise of blessing. In Psalm 32, it says that you are blessed when your transgressions, or sins, are forgiven. See, God extends forgiveness to everyone, but we have to do our part to receive the forgiveness. We have to repent, or change our ways, with open hearts. The Bible also tells us that if we don’t forgive others, we cannot be forgiven.

Is there anyone in your life today that you need to forgive? Is there someone who has hurt or wronged you? Make the decision to forgive so that you can walk in the blessing of God’s forgiveness for you. Forgiveness doesn’t condone wrong behavior. It simply releases the person from the debt they owe you so that God can release you from the debt you owe from your own transgressions. When you make the choice to forgive and allow God to heal your heart, you will be able to receive His forgiveness for you, and you will walk in His abundant blessing all the days of your life!

HEARING GOD'S VOICE :

John 10:2-3 "But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out."

This verse promises all who are God's sheep that they not only can, but that they do, hear His voice. Many born-again people doubt the truth of this statement based on their experience. They don't think they can hear God's voice. However, the Word of God is true - not our experience.

The harmony between what this verse says and what our experiences say is that it is our new born-again spirit that hears God's voice. Although God has spoken and still does speak in an audible voice at times, very few people experience this. God speaks to our inner person (spirit) and our inner person hears Him. The problem comes when we aren't sensitive to, or controlled by, our spirit but are walking in the vanity of our mind. The Bible calls this walking in the flesh instead of the Spirit (Gal. 5:16-18).

Man is a spirit, soul, and body. Our spirits are as perfect as they will ever be in heaven. If we will change our thinking so that we believe what God says in His Word about who we are and what we have, then this agreement between our spirit and soul forms a majority and our flesh will experience the life of God that has been deposited in our spirits.

Prayer, Bible study, fasting, fellowship, etc. are ways of refocusing our mind's attention away from the voice of this world and back to the voice of our Shepherd who is constantly communicating with our spirit. If we fail to renew our minds, we can live our entire time on this earth without experiencing the abundant life that Jesus provided for us. Listen, and you will hear His voice speak to you through His Word today.

VIVA LA DIFFERENCE 

If one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. – Ecclesiastes 4:12

There's power in unity. The devil knows that. That's why he's continually fighting it. He takes the differences between us, differences God put there to make us stronger, and tries to use them as a wedge to drive us apart.

Take men and women, for example. He's deceived us into fighting about which one is superior over the other. But I can settle that argument right now. Women are superior to men. If you don't believe that, you boys try having a baby. But then, men are superior to women. If you don't believe that, you women try having one without us.

It's the differences combined that make us strong!

People have even argued about whether God is male or female. But the Bible itself tells us that. He's both! That's right. In the Hebrew language, all words have gender. They're either male or female. But the Hebrew word "Jehovah" is both masculine and feminine. He's as much female as He is male and as much male as He is female.

Originally, mankind was that way too. When God first made "man," he was as much female as he was male. Then God separated the female part out and made "woman" or, "the man with the womb." After that, man and woman had to come together to be perfectly whole.

That's still true today. For example, when He puts together husband and wife teams, He often puts people together who have major personality differences. Where one is weak, the other is strong, and vice versa. So, when they become one, they're more powerful than they ever were apart.

There was a time when I didn't understand that. I got aggravated with God for calling me a wife who didn't care for so many things that I liked. But I finally realized God knew what He was doing. If He'd given me a woman who was as nuts about flying as I am, we would have spent the rest of our lives in the clouds. We wouldn't be preaching the Word. We'd be in some silly airshow flying upside down. 

Do you have people in your life who are irritatingly different from you? Don't let the devil use those differences to drive you apart. Thank God for them! Let Him teach you how to appreciate them. Let Him show you just how powerful you can be... together!

MAKE IT ATTRACTIVE

Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. —Colossians 4:5

The story is told of a young boy who, during a bygone era, was aboard a passenger train attempting to make money selling apples. He made his way through the train car, saying, “Apples! Would you like to buy an apple?” When he got to the rear of the car, he still had a bagful of apples and no money.

A gentleman who noticed his plight took him aside and asked to see one of the apples. He proceeded to go to the front of the train, polish it conspicuously with a napkin, and then walk down the aisle eating the apple and commenting on how delicious and refreshing it was. Then he told the boy to try again. This time, he sold every apple. The difference? The apples had been made attractive to the potential customers.

This story can remind us of one way we can interest others in the gospel of Jesus Christ: Make it attractive to them—show them the difference it has made in our own lives. That is best done by following the words of Paul in Colossians 4:5. “Be wise,” he said, “in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity” (NIV). If we show kindness, love, and compassion to others, those who observe us will wonder why, and that may give us an opening to tell them about the beauty of God’s love for them.

Dear God, You have given us so much by providing our salvation. Help us to make the gospel attractive to others by the way we shine Jesus’ light on those we encounter each day.

The beauty of a changed life can attract others to the One who makes us beautiful.

NOTHING LESS BUT EXCEEDINGLY ABUNDANTLY

Ephesians 3:14    For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,
17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height ---
19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

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,
4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
6 The LORD executes righteousness And justice for all who are oppressed.

As a King's kid don't accept nothing less than for God to do exceedingly abundantly all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us and according to our benefits in Christ Jesus including forgiveness of all our iniquities, healing of all our diseases, double restoration of all our losses, and justice concerning our oppressors!

THE SPIRIT’S REST AND REFRESHING

ISAIAH 28:11–12 For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people, to whom He said, “This is the rest with which You may cause the weary to rest,” and, “This is the refreshing”…

You’ve probably heard of the term “R&R”. It’s commonly used in the military and it means “rest and relaxation” after some exhausting overseas training or mission. Doctors also order “rest and rehabilitation” for the injured and sick.

My friend, God has an R&R for you too. It’s called “the rest and the refreshing”, and it comes through praying in the Holy Spirit or tongues.

One of the best ways to rest and be refreshed, especially when you are worried, fatigued or just waiting for the manifestation of your healing, is to pray in the Holy Spirit.

Beloved, give yourself some time every day to pray in the Spirit, and allow Him to rejuvenate and refresh you supernaturally!

PRAYER FOR THE DAY :

“In His grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you.” (Romans 12: 6)

Dear Heavenly Father, I praise You. I honor You. The morning has broken by the Holy Light of God. Larks are singing everywhere proclaiming that this is the day the Lord has made; we all rejoice and be glad in it. Let the unfailing love of God come upon me and fill full my mouth with His words as they are sweeter than honey from the honeycomb. May the sweet Spirit of God fill up me and let me spread over good news to this End-time period! Bless me O God, for I am Your chosen servant and wonderfully made child.

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

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