BUILD ON THE ROCK :
The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge... - Psalm 18:2, NIV
When you go through difficulty in life, one of the ways to keep the right perspective is to take a moment to look back over your life and remember what God has done for you. Remember how He made a way when you didn’t see a way. Remember how He opened doors that should have never opened. Remember how He put you in just the right place at the right time, promoted you, healed you and restored you. If He did it for you once, He can do it for you again. When you read what He did for the people in the Bible, you can have confidence that He will do the same for you!
This is how you build your house on the rock. Hold on to the promise that no matter what comes your way, when the storm is over, when the trouble has passed, you’ll still be standing. As a believer in Jesus, you have the DNA of Almighty God. The same power that raised Christ from the dead lives on the inside of you. You may get knocked down, but you’re not going to stay down. You’ll rise up and stand strong when you build your life on the Rock!
HEARTBREAK AND HOPE
The LORD is good to those who wait for Him. —Lamentations 3:25
When American country singer George Jones died at the age of 81, his fans remembered his remarkable voice and his hard life and personal struggles. While many of his songs reflected his own despair and longing, it was the way he sang them that touched people deeply. Chicago Tribune music critic Greg Kot said, “His voice was made for conveying heartbreak.”
The book of Lamentations records Jeremiah’s anguish over the nation of Judah’s stubborn refusal to follow God. Often called “the weeping prophet,” he witnessed the destruction of Jerusalem and saw his people carried into captivity. He wandered the streets of the city, overwhelmed by grief (Lam. 1:1-5).
Yet, in Jeremiah’s darkest hour, he said, “This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness” (3:21-23).
Whether we suffer for our own choices or from those of others, despair may threaten to overwhelm us. When all seems lost, we can cling to the Lord’s faithfulness. “‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul. ‘Therefore I hope in Him!’” (v.24).
I’m thankful for Your faithfulness, Father, even in the times when I am unfaithful. Help me to remember, like Jeremiah, that my hope comes from You, not from my circumstances.
The anchor of God’s faithfulness holds firm in the strongest storms.
RECEIVE THE MINISTRY OF THE ANGELS ...
Luke 22:43 "And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him."
We have angels assigned to us. Hebrews 1:14 further reveals that their purpose is to minister to us, on our behalf. In the Old Testament, Psalm 91 teaches on the ministry of angels to God's people.
Some people who have realized this truth have taken it as far as to say that we are suppose to speak to our angels and they will obey our commands. There is no instruction in scripture to do this nor is there any example of that being done. We don't have the intelligence to administer all of the angels.
Many of the angels' protective duties described in Psalm 91 are preventative, and we certainly could not effectively command these activities.
Rather, these angels are dispatched exactly as this verse describes - by looking at the Father's face (Mat. 18:10). God Almighty controls them for us; however, we do have a part to play. Psalm 91 prefaces all of these promises about angels as being for those who dwell in the secret place of the most High. Verse 2 further instructs us to say that the Lord is our refuge and fortress and in Him we trust.
It is the combination of our faith in God and His faithfulness to us that releases the angels on our behalf. If it was solely up to God, His provision would be the same for everyone because of His mercy and grace. However, we have to receive God's grace by faith (Eph. 2:8). As we seek the Lord, become aware of His ministering spirits which were created to minister to us, and speak forth our faith in this area, He will send forth His angels on our behalf.
BEHOLD JESUS AND BE TRANSFORMED
…[because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord… - 2 Corinthians 3:18, AMP
Up in the branches of the sycamore tree, Zacchaeus had a good look at Jesus. “So this is the One everyone has been talking about,” he said to himself. And right on cue, Jesus looked up and saw the tax collector. “Zacchaeus,” Jesus called out, “make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house” (Luke 19:5).
Jesus extended grace to Zacchaeus, a man considered a cheat and a sinner by the crowd. And Zacchaeus’ response to the Lord’s goodness was, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold” (Luke 19:8). Zacchaeus was transformed from a cheat to a generous man by beholding and spending time with a gracious God!
My friend, when you with all your shortcomings come to Jesus to spend time with Him, you won’t find Him saying, “You lousy sinner!” No, He will call you by name and say, “Come, let’s go over to your place. I want to hang out with you.” And the more you behold Him and spend time with Him, the more you become transformed from glory to glory.
So come to Jesus and ask Him to show you His grace every day. Talk to Him like you would a friend. When you open your Bible, for example, say, “Lord, speak to me. Let me have this personal encounter with You.” When you behold Him through the Word, there is no way you are not gloriously transformed!
GOD IS RAINING BLESSINGS ON YOU
Deuteronomy 28:12 - The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.
In the Bible, rain usually speaks of blessings. Even today, Israelis thank God when it rains because they know that when He gives them rain, their blessings will be plentiful. Their cattle will feed in large green pastures and eat cured, winnowed fodder. And when they see rivers and streams of water flowing from their mountains and hills (Isaiah 30:23–25), they know that times of refreshing have come.
Likewise, you can expect God to rain His blessings on you and bless the work of your hands. Then, you will come to a place where you will “lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow”. In fact, Jesus wants you to know that this is a blessing which He died to give you because when He died, He did not even have a tomb of His own. He was laid in a borrowed tomb, so that you can have the power to lend.
Indeed, our church bears testimony to this blessing. When I first joined the church full-time, it was very small—about 100-odd members. The Lord has, however, rained His blessings on us and blessed the work of our hands. Today, we have a congregation of more than 30,000 members and we are still growing. In fact, our church is lending its support to many ministries, both locally and overseas. We continue to see God pouring His blessings of provision and increase on us, and we thank Him for all the good things that are happening to us.
My friend, there is nothing you can do about the rain but to let it fall. So just expect God to rain His blessings on you! Let them fall! And you will be blessed with more than enough, so that with your needs and your family’s needs more than met, you can be a blessing to others too!
Thought For The Day :
When God rains His blessings on you, you will be blessed with more than enough so that you can be a blessing to others.
RELEASE YOURSELF FROM BITTERNESS (2)
See to it that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble.' Hebrews 12:15 NIV
Releasing yourself from bitterness calls for:
(1) Choosing to forgive. ‘Be kind and loving to each other, and forgive each other just as God forgave you in Christ.’ (Ephesians 4:32 NCV) Whether or not the person who hurt you apologises, is dead or alive, or is still hurting you, your only option is forgiveness. By forgiving, you set yourself free to enjoy life.
(2) Releasing the wrongdoer from all expectations. By changing your expectations, you reclaim your peace of mind. Whether or not the other person changes is his or her business—move on! Requiring a certain response keeps you bound to them. Paul says, ‘We have freedom now, because Christ made us free. So stand strong. Do not change and go back into the slavery of the law.’ (Galatians 5:1 NCV)
(3) Transferring to God all expectations for your needs. His Word says, ‘God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.’ (Philippians 4:19 NAS) Note the word ‘all’. God can supply the people, resources and opportunities you need to live a joyful life.
(4) Asking God to bless your offender. Yes, it’s difficult, but Jesus said, ‘Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!’ (Matthew 5:44 NLT) That kind of prayer puts you in the driver’s seat of your life.
(5) Doing something nice for your offender. Ask God how you can bless them. ‘If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will…conquer evil by doing good.’ (Romans 12:20–21 NLT) You defeat anger and bitterness by believing and acting on God’s Word.
NEED HEALING AND MIRACLES FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS
http://youtu.be/qth2CNaXPbU
Free Christian Ebooks http://walthope.tripod.com
http://walthope.wordpress.com
The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge... - Psalm 18:2, NIV
When you go through difficulty in life, one of the ways to keep the right perspective is to take a moment to look back over your life and remember what God has done for you. Remember how He made a way when you didn’t see a way. Remember how He opened doors that should have never opened. Remember how He put you in just the right place at the right time, promoted you, healed you and restored you. If He did it for you once, He can do it for you again. When you read what He did for the people in the Bible, you can have confidence that He will do the same for you!
This is how you build your house on the rock. Hold on to the promise that no matter what comes your way, when the storm is over, when the trouble has passed, you’ll still be standing. As a believer in Jesus, you have the DNA of Almighty God. The same power that raised Christ from the dead lives on the inside of you. You may get knocked down, but you’re not going to stay down. You’ll rise up and stand strong when you build your life on the Rock!
HEARTBREAK AND HOPE
The LORD is good to those who wait for Him. —Lamentations 3:25
When American country singer George Jones died at the age of 81, his fans remembered his remarkable voice and his hard life and personal struggles. While many of his songs reflected his own despair and longing, it was the way he sang them that touched people deeply. Chicago Tribune music critic Greg Kot said, “His voice was made for conveying heartbreak.”
The book of Lamentations records Jeremiah’s anguish over the nation of Judah’s stubborn refusal to follow God. Often called “the weeping prophet,” he witnessed the destruction of Jerusalem and saw his people carried into captivity. He wandered the streets of the city, overwhelmed by grief (Lam. 1:1-5).
Yet, in Jeremiah’s darkest hour, he said, “This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness” (3:21-23).
Whether we suffer for our own choices or from those of others, despair may threaten to overwhelm us. When all seems lost, we can cling to the Lord’s faithfulness. “‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul. ‘Therefore I hope in Him!’” (v.24).
I’m thankful for Your faithfulness, Father, even in the times when I am unfaithful. Help me to remember, like Jeremiah, that my hope comes from You, not from my circumstances.
The anchor of God’s faithfulness holds firm in the strongest storms.
RECEIVE THE MINISTRY OF THE ANGELS ...
Luke 22:43 "And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him."
We have angels assigned to us. Hebrews 1:14 further reveals that their purpose is to minister to us, on our behalf. In the Old Testament, Psalm 91 teaches on the ministry of angels to God's people.
Some people who have realized this truth have taken it as far as to say that we are suppose to speak to our angels and they will obey our commands. There is no instruction in scripture to do this nor is there any example of that being done. We don't have the intelligence to administer all of the angels.
Many of the angels' protective duties described in Psalm 91 are preventative, and we certainly could not effectively command these activities.
Rather, these angels are dispatched exactly as this verse describes - by looking at the Father's face (Mat. 18:10). God Almighty controls them for us; however, we do have a part to play. Psalm 91 prefaces all of these promises about angels as being for those who dwell in the secret place of the most High. Verse 2 further instructs us to say that the Lord is our refuge and fortress and in Him we trust.
It is the combination of our faith in God and His faithfulness to us that releases the angels on our behalf. If it was solely up to God, His provision would be the same for everyone because of His mercy and grace. However, we have to receive God's grace by faith (Eph. 2:8). As we seek the Lord, become aware of His ministering spirits which were created to minister to us, and speak forth our faith in this area, He will send forth His angels on our behalf.
BEHOLD JESUS AND BE TRANSFORMED
…[because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord… - 2 Corinthians 3:18, AMP
Up in the branches of the sycamore tree, Zacchaeus had a good look at Jesus. “So this is the One everyone has been talking about,” he said to himself. And right on cue, Jesus looked up and saw the tax collector. “Zacchaeus,” Jesus called out, “make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house” (Luke 19:5).
Jesus extended grace to Zacchaeus, a man considered a cheat and a sinner by the crowd. And Zacchaeus’ response to the Lord’s goodness was, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold” (Luke 19:8). Zacchaeus was transformed from a cheat to a generous man by beholding and spending time with a gracious God!
My friend, when you with all your shortcomings come to Jesus to spend time with Him, you won’t find Him saying, “You lousy sinner!” No, He will call you by name and say, “Come, let’s go over to your place. I want to hang out with you.” And the more you behold Him and spend time with Him, the more you become transformed from glory to glory.
So come to Jesus and ask Him to show you His grace every day. Talk to Him like you would a friend. When you open your Bible, for example, say, “Lord, speak to me. Let me have this personal encounter with You.” When you behold Him through the Word, there is no way you are not gloriously transformed!
GOD IS RAINING BLESSINGS ON YOU
Deuteronomy 28:12 - The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.
In the Bible, rain usually speaks of blessings. Even today, Israelis thank God when it rains because they know that when He gives them rain, their blessings will be plentiful. Their cattle will feed in large green pastures and eat cured, winnowed fodder. And when they see rivers and streams of water flowing from their mountains and hills (Isaiah 30:23–25), they know that times of refreshing have come.
Likewise, you can expect God to rain His blessings on you and bless the work of your hands. Then, you will come to a place where you will “lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow”. In fact, Jesus wants you to know that this is a blessing which He died to give you because when He died, He did not even have a tomb of His own. He was laid in a borrowed tomb, so that you can have the power to lend.
Indeed, our church bears testimony to this blessing. When I first joined the church full-time, it was very small—about 100-odd members. The Lord has, however, rained His blessings on us and blessed the work of our hands. Today, we have a congregation of more than 30,000 members and we are still growing. In fact, our church is lending its support to many ministries, both locally and overseas. We continue to see God pouring His blessings of provision and increase on us, and we thank Him for all the good things that are happening to us.
My friend, there is nothing you can do about the rain but to let it fall. So just expect God to rain His blessings on you! Let them fall! And you will be blessed with more than enough, so that with your needs and your family’s needs more than met, you can be a blessing to others too!
Thought For The Day :
When God rains His blessings on you, you will be blessed with more than enough so that you can be a blessing to others.
RELEASE YOURSELF FROM BITTERNESS (2)
See to it that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble.' Hebrews 12:15 NIV
Releasing yourself from bitterness calls for:
(1) Choosing to forgive. ‘Be kind and loving to each other, and forgive each other just as God forgave you in Christ.’ (Ephesians 4:32 NCV) Whether or not the person who hurt you apologises, is dead or alive, or is still hurting you, your only option is forgiveness. By forgiving, you set yourself free to enjoy life.
(2) Releasing the wrongdoer from all expectations. By changing your expectations, you reclaim your peace of mind. Whether or not the other person changes is his or her business—move on! Requiring a certain response keeps you bound to them. Paul says, ‘We have freedom now, because Christ made us free. So stand strong. Do not change and go back into the slavery of the law.’ (Galatians 5:1 NCV)
(3) Transferring to God all expectations for your needs. His Word says, ‘God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.’ (Philippians 4:19 NAS) Note the word ‘all’. God can supply the people, resources and opportunities you need to live a joyful life.
(4) Asking God to bless your offender. Yes, it’s difficult, but Jesus said, ‘Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!’ (Matthew 5:44 NLT) That kind of prayer puts you in the driver’s seat of your life.
(5) Doing something nice for your offender. Ask God how you can bless them. ‘If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will…conquer evil by doing good.’ (Romans 12:20–21 NLT) You defeat anger and bitterness by believing and acting on God’s Word.
NEED HEALING AND MIRACLES FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS
http://youtu.be/qth2CNaXPbU
Free Christian Ebooks http://walthope.tripod.com
http://walthope.wordpress.com
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