GOD IS GOOD
John 21:25 "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen."
Every detail of every man's life, who has ever walked on the earth, has not impacted the world as much as the few recorded details of Jesus' life. Jesus was not just a man, He was God manifest in the flesh (1 Tim. 3:16).
In Acts 10:38 Peter gives a very brief, yet descriptive summary of the life and ministry of Jesus. Jesus was anointed with power and with the Holy Ghost.
He used this power to do good, not evil. This is one of the main characteristics of God and is one of the easiest ways to discern what is from God and what is from the devil. God is a good God and the devil is a bad devil. If it's bad, it's from the devil. If it's good, it's from God.
Tragedy can come from three sources: God, Satan, and natural law. God has used nature to bring judgment. However, the New Testament believer is exempt from this punitive judgment of God since Jesus bore it for him.
Satan is the source of much of the calamity that people ascribe to God. Many problems arise because people violate the natural laws that God put into motion. If a person drives recklessly and kills himself, it's not God or the devil that killed him. He violated natural law and thus paid the price.
It is incorrect to believe that God controls everything and therefore always has some redemptive design in tragedies. This type of thinking will lead us to ignore the devil, thereby giving him a freehand to destroy our lives. It will also cause us not to use wisdom concerning natural laws, because we will think that nothing can happen unless God wills it. We must remember that God is a good God.
DON’T SWEAT IT, REST!
Ruth 3:18 - Then she said, “Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out; for the man will not rest until he has concluded the matter this day.”
God does not want you to “sweat”. Sweat here does not refer to your body’s perspiration, but your self-reliance or self-effort. God does not want you to believe that if you don’t do anything, nothing will happen. That may be true for someone without God in his life, but it is not true for you because you have God. And when He is in the picture, the God-factor changes everything!
When you are resting in God, He works for you. In fact, when He works, you end up with more. He is the one who is giving to you. It is not about you trying to give to yourself.
This was what happened to Ruth in the Old Testament. After laboring in the barley fields from morning to evening, she was able to glean one ephah of barley (Ruth 2:17), which was equivalent to a 10-day supply of barley. Certainly, this amount was a blessing to her.
But when she rested at the feet of Boaz, her kinsman-redeemer, and did not labor, she received six ephahs of barley (Ruth 3:15), which was equivalent to a 60-day supply! When Ruth sought her own blessing, she obtained only one ephah. But when she sought the blesser, she received much more.
Ruth’s blessings did not stop there. While Ruth rested and sat still as her mother-in-law Naomi had instructed, Boaz, who was the owner of the barley field, went to work, initiating actions, executing them and speaking on Ruth’s behalf. Right through it all, Ruth sat still and rested. Eventually, Boaz, the barley man himself, married Ruth. (Ruth 4) That meant no more measured wealth of six ephahs, but the yield of the whole barley field in total!
Boaz is a picture of Jesus, our heavenly kinsman-redeemer. When we rest in the Lord, He will not rest. He will work on our behalf. What do we do then? We just trust in and enjoy His love for us.
Beloved, stop striving and be at rest. If salvation, the greatest work, comes to us by resting in Jesus’ finished work, how much more will all the other blessings?
Thought For The Day :
If salvation, the greatest work, comes into our lives just by us resting in Jesus’ finished work, how much more will all the other blessings?
HEALTH THROUGH HIS REDEMPTIVE WORK
...The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. - Isaiah 53:5
I encourage you to meditate on and visualize the redemptive work of Christ every day. In fact, it is especially when you are sick that you need to focus on the fact that Jesus was scourged for your healing. When you are experiencing disturbing or painful physical symptoms in your body, see Jesus taking all the stripes on His back for your healing. See His back being lacerated and shredded as payment for your wholeness, and every stripe will be healing to you.
Beloved, instead of meditating on the symptoms and how bad the condition is, meditate on what the Son of God has done for you. Say, “Thank You, Jesus. By Your stripes, I am healed.” All of heaven stands behind the work of the Son of God. And the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of truth inside you, will bear witness with the truth of God’s Word by giving life to your body. Hallelujah!
PRIDE BRINGS TROUBLE
Proverbs 16:18 says, "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." This principle can be clearly seen in the life of King Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon, by examining Daniel chapter 4.
King Nebuchadnezzar started out praising God and giving Him the credit: "It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me. How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation" (Daniel 4:2-3). Here, Nebuchadnezzar is humble.
However, over the course of a year, something happened that caused the king to begin to take credit for his circumstances: "As the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, he said, 'Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence,by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?' " (Daniel 4:29-30, italics added). Nebuchadnezzar is no longer giving God credit. Instead, he is full of pride and is puffing himself up.
However, as is always the case, "Pride goes before destruction." So, God punished Nebuchadnezzar by sending him out to live like a wild animal for seven years (See Daniel 4:31-33).
Then, Daniel 4:34 records the king's response: "At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored." Interestingly, the king said that his pride caused him to lose his sanity and that now, as a result of being humbled by God, his sanity was restored. In order to humble him, God humiliated him. Indeed, a humiliating experience will almost always humble someone.
John 21:25 "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen."
Every detail of every man's life, who has ever walked on the earth, has not impacted the world as much as the few recorded details of Jesus' life. Jesus was not just a man, He was God manifest in the flesh (1 Tim. 3:16).
In Acts 10:38 Peter gives a very brief, yet descriptive summary of the life and ministry of Jesus. Jesus was anointed with power and with the Holy Ghost.
He used this power to do good, not evil. This is one of the main characteristics of God and is one of the easiest ways to discern what is from God and what is from the devil. God is a good God and the devil is a bad devil. If it's bad, it's from the devil. If it's good, it's from God.
Tragedy can come from three sources: God, Satan, and natural law. God has used nature to bring judgment. However, the New Testament believer is exempt from this punitive judgment of God since Jesus bore it for him.
Satan is the source of much of the calamity that people ascribe to God. Many problems arise because people violate the natural laws that God put into motion. If a person drives recklessly and kills himself, it's not God or the devil that killed him. He violated natural law and thus paid the price.
It is incorrect to believe that God controls everything and therefore always has some redemptive design in tragedies. This type of thinking will lead us to ignore the devil, thereby giving him a freehand to destroy our lives. It will also cause us not to use wisdom concerning natural laws, because we will think that nothing can happen unless God wills it. We must remember that God is a good God.
DON’T SWEAT IT, REST!
Ruth 3:18 - Then she said, “Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out; for the man will not rest until he has concluded the matter this day.”
God does not want you to “sweat”. Sweat here does not refer to your body’s perspiration, but your self-reliance or self-effort. God does not want you to believe that if you don’t do anything, nothing will happen. That may be true for someone without God in his life, but it is not true for you because you have God. And when He is in the picture, the God-factor changes everything!
When you are resting in God, He works for you. In fact, when He works, you end up with more. He is the one who is giving to you. It is not about you trying to give to yourself.
This was what happened to Ruth in the Old Testament. After laboring in the barley fields from morning to evening, she was able to glean one ephah of barley (Ruth 2:17), which was equivalent to a 10-day supply of barley. Certainly, this amount was a blessing to her.
But when she rested at the feet of Boaz, her kinsman-redeemer, and did not labor, she received six ephahs of barley (Ruth 3:15), which was equivalent to a 60-day supply! When Ruth sought her own blessing, she obtained only one ephah. But when she sought the blesser, she received much more.
Ruth’s blessings did not stop there. While Ruth rested and sat still as her mother-in-law Naomi had instructed, Boaz, who was the owner of the barley field, went to work, initiating actions, executing them and speaking on Ruth’s behalf. Right through it all, Ruth sat still and rested. Eventually, Boaz, the barley man himself, married Ruth. (Ruth 4) That meant no more measured wealth of six ephahs, but the yield of the whole barley field in total!
Boaz is a picture of Jesus, our heavenly kinsman-redeemer. When we rest in the Lord, He will not rest. He will work on our behalf. What do we do then? We just trust in and enjoy His love for us.
Beloved, stop striving and be at rest. If salvation, the greatest work, comes to us by resting in Jesus’ finished work, how much more will all the other blessings?
Thought For The Day :
If salvation, the greatest work, comes into our lives just by us resting in Jesus’ finished work, how much more will all the other blessings?
HEALTH THROUGH HIS REDEMPTIVE WORK
...The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. - Isaiah 53:5
I encourage you to meditate on and visualize the redemptive work of Christ every day. In fact, it is especially when you are sick that you need to focus on the fact that Jesus was scourged for your healing. When you are experiencing disturbing or painful physical symptoms in your body, see Jesus taking all the stripes on His back for your healing. See His back being lacerated and shredded as payment for your wholeness, and every stripe will be healing to you.
Beloved, instead of meditating on the symptoms and how bad the condition is, meditate on what the Son of God has done for you. Say, “Thank You, Jesus. By Your stripes, I am healed.” All of heaven stands behind the work of the Son of God. And the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of truth inside you, will bear witness with the truth of God’s Word by giving life to your body. Hallelujah!
PRIDE BRINGS TROUBLE
Proverbs 16:18 says, "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." This principle can be clearly seen in the life of King Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon, by examining Daniel chapter 4.
King Nebuchadnezzar started out praising God and giving Him the credit: "It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me. How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation" (Daniel 4:2-3). Here, Nebuchadnezzar is humble.
However, over the course of a year, something happened that caused the king to begin to take credit for his circumstances: "As the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, he said, 'Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence,by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?' " (Daniel 4:29-30, italics added). Nebuchadnezzar is no longer giving God credit. Instead, he is full of pride and is puffing himself up.
However, as is always the case, "Pride goes before destruction." So, God punished Nebuchadnezzar by sending him out to live like a wild animal for seven years (See Daniel 4:31-33).
Then, Daniel 4:34 records the king's response: "At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored." Interestingly, the king said that his pride caused him to lose his sanity and that now, as a result of being humbled by God, his sanity was restored. In order to humble him, God humiliated him. Indeed, a humiliating experience will almost always humble someone.
The chapter concludes with Nebuchadnezzar's reflection: "Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble" (Daniel 4:37).
GOD'S WORD
God has given us His Word as a guide for our life. However, His Word won't help us if we don't study it, know it, and live by it. Therefore, we must diligently study and apply God's Word if we wish for it to have an impact on our lives.
Jesus promised, "If you abide in My word ..., you are truly My disciples. And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free" (John 8:31-32, AMP). That's a promise that if we abide in His Word, we will know the Truth, because His Word is the Truth.
So it makes sense that God told the Israelites, "Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful" (Joshua 1:8).
Joshua later repeated a similar instruction: "Be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left" (Joshua 23:6).
Why is it so important to follow God's Word? Because His Word keeps us from turning aside to the right or to the left; it keeps us on the straight and narrow path that leads to life (see Matthew 7:13-14).
Therefore, abide in His Word, because His Word will keep you from sin.
“Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord: O Lord, I beseech thee, send now prosperity” (Psalm 118:25).
All that God is & all that God has is available to believers who pray. God operates in the “now zone.” He wants you to prosper now. Don’t wait to activate your blessing, or empowerment to prosper; instead, receive and employ it by faith now!
ACCEPTING YOURSELF ...
Predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son. - Romans 8:29 NIV
Studies show that many of us don’t like ourselves. A poll of college students confirmed that over 50 per cent suffered from low self–acceptance, with the majority citing their looks as the source of their unhappiness. ‘My nose is too long. My eyes are too small. I’m too fat here—too thin there. I’m too short—too tall. I’ve got freckles.’ And the beauty industry is more than willing to darken it, lighten it, accentuate it, lift it, tuck it and cover it up in an attempt to sell us a self–image we can accept. A little improvement might indeed be beneficial, but not as a basis for self–worth. Here’s how God sees the issue: ‘Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying, “Stop, you’re doing it wrong!” Does the pot exclaim, “How clumsy can you be?”’ (Isaiah 45:9 NLT) You are God’s personal creation. And He makes no mistakes, overlooks no details and leaves nothing unfinished. You need to accept yourself because He created, redeemed and accepts you. In an age of media overload, we’re bombarded by images of perfect–looking people, with the inference that we need to look like them if we hope to amount to anything. But Paul says: ‘We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.’ (2 Corinthians 10:12 NIV) The God Who made you who you are has a plan for perfecting you. You’re perfectly acceptable, if not yet acceptably perfect. You’re ‘predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son.’ So you’re a work in progress!
OUT OF EGYPT
Take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt. —Matthew 2:13
One year when our family was traveling through Ohio on the way to Grandma’s house, we arrived in Columbus just as a tornado warning was issued. Suddenly everything changed as we feared that our children might be in danger.
I mention that story to help us imagine what it was like for Joseph’s family as he, Mary, and their young child traveled to Egypt. Herod, not a tornado, threatened them as he sought to kill their little boy. Imagine how frightening it was for them, knowing that “Herod [sought] the young Child to destroy Him” (Matt. 2:13).
We usually take a more idyllic view of Christmastime—lowing cattle and kneeling shepherds in a peaceful scene. But there was no peace for Jesus’ family as they sought to escape Herod’s horror. Only when an angel told them it was safe did the family go out of Egypt and back home to Nazareth (vv.20-23).
Consider the awe we should feel for the incarnation. Jesus, who enjoyed the majesty of heaven in partnership with the Father, set it all aside to be born in poverty, to face many dangers, and to be crucified for us. Coming out of Egypt is one thing, but leaving heaven for us—that’s the grand and amazing part of this story!
Jesus our Savior left heaven above,
Coming to earth as a Servant with love;
Laying aside all His glory He came,
Bringing salvation through faith in His name.
Jesus came to earth for us so we could go to heaven with Him.
THE ANOINTING WILL BREAK THE YOKE
Let us pray together, Today we release from collective captivity of your family, from all yokes and burdens place upon your life by the enemies. As servant of God I bind, rebuke and cast out from your life the spirit of failure, servitude, defeat, depression, stagnation, affliction, death, delayed of blessings, limitation, confusion, frustration, rejection, fear and doubt and welcome the Holy Spirit to bring in its place healing, deliverance, victory, success and prosperity all in the name of Jesus Amen and amen
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