ALL OUR NEEDS

SEE GOD’S GOODNESS IN THE MIDST OF EVIL

Matthew 2:13 - …an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”

God does not play a game of counterattack with the devil—the devil does something bad, then God steps in to bring something good out of it. The truth is, when something bad happens, it is the devil reacting to something good that God has started. The Lord once told me, “Tell My people that if they want to understand what I am doing, just look at what the devil is doing and see it in reverse. That is what I am doing, multiplied many times over.”

I see this truth in the Bible. When Christ was born, soldiers were sent to kill all baby boys under the age of two in Bethlehem. The folks in Bethlehem then would have seen only evil. But there were those like Mary who saw God’s goodness. They knew that God had sent a Savior into the world! The killing of the infants was just the devil’s reaction to the gift of salvation that God had sent.

The Lord showed me that this was how we were to look at the bird flu when it hit our region not too long ago. While I was pondering the significance of birds, the Lord showed me Matthew 6:26: “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”

If God takes care of the birds, how much more will He take care of you! So, by attacking the birds with disease, the devil is, in essence, reacting to God’s provision for His people. In other words, he saw that God’s provision had already been released on His people in a big way!

With every new virus that the devil throws at us, you must discern that the devil is trying to pervert and reverse what God is already doing. Then, you will know that something good is going to come out of it. You see, every new strain of virus tells us that God has already released a new anointing of health for His people. And I believe that He releases new levels of increase for His people too. So don’t just see the evil. See the good that God is already doing!

JESUS’ HIGH PRIESTHOOD IS FOREVER

Hebrews 6:20 - …Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Jesus is our High Priest forever. This “forever” aspect changes the way we are blessed and how we receive our blessings from God. As our High Priest, Jesus represents us before God. Since His priesthood is after the order of Melchizedek, which is one of righteousness, His righteousness becomes our righteousness forever. This means that we are forever righteous in God’s eyes!

And because He will never die, but continue as our High Priest forever, we have an everlasting righteousness, not merely a here-today-gone-tomorrow righteousness based on our works. No, we have a perpetual and everlasting righteousness because Jesus is our High Priest forever.

This also means that blessings are perpetually on your head because the Bible says that blessings are on the head of the righteous (Proverbs 10:6), and you are righteous forever!

Unlike the priesthood according to the Levitical order, which blesses as well as curses, the priesthood of Jesus according to the Melchizedek order only blesses. There is no cursing, only blessing—always and forever!

And because Jesus is our High Priest forever, the blessings do not come to us in intermittent drips, but stream into our lives in a never-ending flow. Because He is our High Priest forever, we can never stop His blessings.

By being our High Priest forever, Jesus also touches the blessings that He gives us with a forever effect. He touches our lives and we have eternal life. He touches our ministry and its impact becomes eternal. And the more we see His priesthood as having a forever effect, the more permanent our blessings will be.

Truly, there is nothing temporal about what Jesus our High Priest does. It is not a case of blessed today, cursed tomorrow. The blessings we receive are sure and steadfast because Jesus is our High Priest today, tomorrow and forever.

So rejoice because Jesus your High Priest changes how you are blessed forever!

 IMAGE CONSULTANTS

[You] have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him. —Colossians 3:10

In our media-saturated age, image consultants have become indispensable. Entertainers, athletes, politicians, and business leaders seem desperate to manage the way they are perceived in the eyes of the world. These high-priced consultants work to shape how their clients are viewed—even if sometimes there is a stark contrast between the public image and the real person inside.

In reality, what people need—what all of us need—is not an external makeover but an inner transformation. Our deepest flaws cannot be corrected cosmetically. They are directly related to who we are in heart and mind, and they reveal how far we have fallen from the image of God in which we were created. But such transformation is beyond any human ability to accomplish.

Only Christ offers us true transformation—not just a facelift or an outward adjustment. Paul said that those who have been raised to eternal life in Christ “have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him” (Col. 3:10).

New! What a tremendous word full of hope! Christ transforms us into new people in Him—people with a new heart, not just fixed up to look good on the outside.
If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. —2 Corinthians 5:17

The Spirit develops in us the clear image of Christ.

A DOOR OF OPPORTUNITY ...

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. - Colossians 3:2, NIV

God is ready to present you with new opportunities! He wants to open new doors before you. It doesn’t matter what’s happening in the world around you, God’s Word remains true!

In an instant, God can bring the right people into your life, the right opportunities, and the right resources to take you to a whole new level. But in order to go to a higher level, you have to have a higher way of thinking. You can’t allow worry and fear to fill your thoughts because fear actually blocks the door of God’s blessing. Instead, fill your mind with the Word of God. Let His truth empower you because His ways are always higher than our ways, and even now He is working behind the scenes on your behalf to open a door of opportunity!

JESUS MEETS ALL OUR NEEDS

Matthew 14:16, "But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat."

The disciples were using natural reasoning and recognized that they didn't have the ability to minister to the multitude's need for food. Jesus did have the ability and the willingness to minister to their needs, so the multitude did not need to depart. All of their needs could be met through Jesus.

The same thing is true today. Some disciples today are sending the multitudes to the world to meet their physical needs (finances, health, counseling, etc.) and proclaiming that God only meets spiritual needs. But, "they need not depart." The Lord is willing and able to heal our bodies, prosper us financially, or counsel us from His Word in any area of our life where we might have need.

Before we can be a blessing, we have to be blessed (Gen. 12:2). One of the purposes of God's prosperity in our lives is so that we can be a blessing to others. The Scriptures instruct us to walk in God's love towards all men, believers and non-believers alike. Jesus told us to love our enemies (Mt. 5:44). In Galatians 6:10 Paul places a priority on helping fellow Christians. This does not diminish our responsibility to show God's love to non-believers. Instead, Paul is simply saying "charity must start at home." It would be hypocritical to step over hurting brothers and sisters in the Lord to find unbelievers to minister to.

God didn't just give us something that He had; He gave Himself. And what was God's motive for giving? It wasn't because of His need, but ours. He was motivated out of love for us (Jn. 3:16). In the same way, we should be encouraged to give unselfishly of ourselves. Pray for Divine appointments, to be used of God to touch someone's life today.

 GO FOR GOOD SUCCESS

The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it.  PROVERBS 10:22

God does not want you to just experience success in your life. He wants you to experience good success. Is there such a thing as “bad success”?

Yes there is and I am sure you have seen it yourself. There are people who have plenty of money, but their lives are scarred by one broken marriage after another. There are also people who are so busy with their careers that they no longer have time to put their kids to bed nor spend any quality time with them. Being a public success but a private failure is not good success at all!

Good success comes from the Lord. It is success that has no sorrow or grief added to it. So depend on Jesus’ unmerited favor to bring you to a place of good success. Don’t say, “I’ll do it my way!” Let Him do it. Let Him open the right doors and close the wrong ones. Let Him put you at the right place at the right time. Keep your eyes on Him and not the things you have or want. This will keep you walking in the kind of success that truly blesses you and makes you a blessing to others.

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GOD IS FAITHFUL

Cursed Or Blessed?

Thus says the LORD: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the LORD. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, And shall not see when good comes,  But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness,  In a salt land which is not inhabited.  "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,  And whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters,  Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit. Jeremiah 17:5-8

"Judge not, that you be not judged. "For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. "And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?  "Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye?  "Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. Matthew 7:1-5

Jesus Christ judged the hypocrites and told them not to judge in order that they be not judged and to remove the plank from their own eyes and then they will see clearly to remove the speck from their brother’s eye! He didn’t tell His disciples or Christians not to judge because it’s contrary to what Jesus said and did including:

There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots.  The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,  The Spirit of counsel and might,  The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.  His delight is in the fear of the LORD, And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes,  Nor decide by the hearing of His ears;  But with righteousness He shall judge the poor,  And decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth,  And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.  Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins,  And faithfulness the belt of His waist. Isaiah 11:1-5

So Jesus said to them, "Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Matthew 19:28

But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 1 Corinthians 2:15

But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner-not even to eat with such a person. For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside?  But those who are outside God judges. Therefore "put away from yourselves the evil person." 1 Corinthians 5:12

Jesus Christ made believers kings and priests and part of the responsibility of a king is to judge things! However some deceived ones interpret that we are to judge nothing less we be judged and they forgive even unforgiveable things because they want to be forgiven because Jesus said in Luke  6:37 "Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Note this idea is a perversion of scripture because if you don’t judge wolves in sheep’s clothing how can you know they are wolves? You cannot! Yet God’s word is unchanging:

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  "You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  "Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  "A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.  "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  "Therefore by their fruits you will know them.  "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' Matthew 7:15-23

A pastor, who had visited heaven and talked with Jesus there, told the real story of a man who died and went to heaven, expecting Jesus to welcome him at the gates of heaven. He waited there three days before an angel told him that it is pointless for him to wait there since Jesus won’t see him. He was puzzled because he had done a great work for Jesus. He had initiated a Christian businessmen fellowship that encircled around the globe. There are chapters in every city and town in almost every country. There are meetings, magazines for Christian testimonies, souls were saved – surely he had done a great work for God. But the angel asked him one question. When he started the work, did he really get the idea from God or was it from himself? He pondered for a long time before he admitted that it was his own idea. The angel showed him his book of records and he was shocked at seeing the consequences of his actions. “You mean I did that?” was all he could utter repeatedly. His work was actually drawing many Christians from their true callings when they jumped on the bandwagon he started.

 To do things such as prophesying  in Jesus  name, casting out demons in Jesus name, and doing many wonders in Jesus  name not in God’s timing and will is to practice lawlessness for which apostle, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers shall not enter the kingdom?' Also Jesus Christ, the epitome of love, did not have much patience or was kind and benevolent to the religions and political leaders of His day. He called King Herod who wanted him murdered a fox. The bible records:

On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, "Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You."  And He said to them, "Go, tell that fox, 'Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.' "Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.  "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing! Luke 13:31-34

There are real consequences in life for the things that we do or don’t do. Dr. Paul Dhinakaran relayed about one of these consequences:

Once a woman suffered severely owing to some illness. A Pastor requested my father (Bro. D.G.S. Dhinakaran) to offer personal prayers for her. My father visited this woman's house and prayed fervently for her. The Lord revealed the reason for her illness. At once my father looked at the woman and said, "Sister, you don't have to suffer like this anymore. The Bible says in Matthew 6:14, 'For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.' Do you have any brothers?" That woman responded saying, "Yes I do have brothers." Then my father continued saying, "Dear sister! You have not followed the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ. You have been unfairly hoarding the possessions and land documents of your dear brothers. They are suffering greatly and are terribly in want of money. Please handover all their documents and make them happy. Surely God will heal you and make you happy too." That woman resented this statement because she did not want to give up the possessions of her brothers that were under her control because she craved for worldly honour, respect and power. Therefore, suffering with that illness she passed away.

Jesus the epitome of love and character didn’t go around blessing people with words. He didn’t bless the religious and political leaders of His day but cursed them. ‘Woe to you’ doesn’t mean something good is going to happen to you.  He called them all kinds of names including hypocrites, murderers, serpents, brood of vipers, liars, blind guides, sons of hell, etc. He told them they would not escape the condemnation of hell (Matthew 23:15, 33, Luke 11:24-25, 23:38-31) and they didn’t!

But when it came to the poor and needy Jesus attitude and approach to such as these was completely different.  The bible says of Jesus ‘A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench, Till He sends forth justice to victory; And in His name Gentiles will trust’ (Matthew 12:20-21). He demonstrated His love for them by His miracle deeds. He healed the blind and cleansed the lepers. He was and is very kind and compassionate towards those who are poor and needy and need a miracle. When he saw a bereaving widow whose only son had died, he had compassion and brought the son back to life and presented him to his mother (Luke 7:12-15). When He saw a great multitude, He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick (Matthew 9:36, 14:14). When the blind men asked for healing, He had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him (Matthew 20:30-34).

The Word of God tells us in Isaiah 11:1-5 that Jesus was totally dependent on the Holy Spirit to lead, guide, direct, help and anoint Him, as well as to do the miracles. The power of the Lord was present to heal all (Luke 4:18, 5:17). Everyone who came to Jesus was healed by Him! He had a perfect track record in the area of healing. He unlike others never made an excuse why some were not healed. He didn’t collect the names of people who were healed to show them off or to build a mass mailing list, or see and use them as usable commodities as some Christian ministries do? Jesus’ anointing was unlimited or without measure for the purposes of healing and delivering all that came to Him. And we can all have the same anointing for all that belong to Jesus belongs to the Father, and what belong to the Father belongs to Jesus and what belongs to Jesus belongs to us (John 16; 14-15)? And this includes Paul, Apollos and others. God’s word is unchanging:

Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.

Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.  For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building.  According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.  For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.  Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,  each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is.  If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.  If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.(1 Corinthians 3:5-15)

It’s to be noted that ministry is not to facilitate the vision of the house and its evangelist or pastor.  Ministry is not to get rich off the sheep.  Ministry is not to purse a secret hidden agenda for prominence, fortune and fame like Judas who betrayed Jesus for his greed (Matthew 26:24, Luke 6; 16, Luke 22:3). Yes Judas healed the sick, cast out devils and fellowshipped with Jesus and also stole money from the treasurer and was a betrayer and traitor! Unlike others even of our day, Jesus did not just teach or preach but He did real works such as cast out devils, heal the sick, raise the dead, cause cripples to walk, and rebuked religious Pharisees who didn’t do such things! What Jesus lacked in any area of His life He made up for it by the power of the anointing. Prayer, knowledge of the Word of God and the anointing were the only things Jesus needed to minister to the poor, hurting and needy people. And He did a very successful job!

Because the bible teaches that seedtime and harvest shall not cease (Genesis 8:22) and what we give shall be measure back to us (Matthew 7:22, 23:32), those who are in the ministry must sow the Word of God in the lives of others and do practical works such as opening the eyes of the blind and healing the cripples like Jesus, Philip, Barnabas and Paul did. The bible records:

Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them.  And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.  For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.  And there was great joy in that city. Acts 8:5-8

Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles. Acts 15:12

Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul,  so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. Acts 19:11-12

Yes, what God has done for one minister of the gospel He will do for another? He will work with them and confirm the word through the accompanying signs.

Jesus was neither blind nor stupid about the truth that not all will be saved. He told a new disciple to let the dead bury the dead and he was to follow Him. He purposely spoke in parables so that all would not be converted (Matthew 13:14-15).  He did not appear to his murderers because He didn’t want them to be saved but to reap what they had sown. But Jesus explained in private all things to His disciples and gave them miracles like a net breaking boats sinking load of fish when they had fished all night and caught nothing or a gold coin from the mouth of a fish for Peter to pay the taxes when Peter foolishly said Jesus paid taxes. Jesus healed and delivered and anointed all His disciples and they lived in divine health and divine prosperity. He also gave them the Baptism of the Spirit and the anointing and boldness. God’s word is unchanging:

"Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word,  "by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus."  And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the Word of God with boldness.

 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. Acts 4:29-33

Although God inhabits the praises of His people, Jesus never conducted a mass prayer and praise meeting for the multitude? I wonder why this was so? Jesus never taught on Church structure or leadership - rather He warned to beware of false prophets and religious leaders? Jesus never said He would send pastors and preachers and the Greek version of the bible to be our teacher?  Rather He stressed that the Helper, Guide, Counselor, He would send in His name would lead them into all truth and teach them all things, bring back to their memory all that He had said, and they were to trust the Holy Spirit completely just like He did! He also told us to do what He had commanded us to do? God’s word is unchanging:

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. Matthew 28:18-20

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A SERIOUS PROBLEM

 

DANGEROUS ASSUMPTIONS IN THE WORD OF GOD COULD LEAD TO A SERIOUS PROBLEM!

Most shepherds of  a religious institution or denomination will avoid subjects that could scare off the sheep but rather stay on subjects that will bring them in including “once saved always saved” or “financial giving to the institution will bring great rewards even on earth in the current time of life!”

However Jesus Christ THE King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the author and founder of the Christian faith who doesn’t lie and never manipulated people to get a desired result spoke on certain subjects that should not be ignored:

The Irresponsible and Lawless Servant

Luke 13: 41 Then Peter said to Him, "Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?"
42 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?
43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.
44 Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has.
45 But if that servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk,
46 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.
47 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.
48 But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving 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.
Only a born again Christian can be a servant of God. And Jesus was very clear that the Irresponsible and Lawless Servant will be cut  in two and his portion  appointed with the unbelievers!

FAITH WITHOUT WORKS LEADS TO EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT

Matthew 25:31 "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.
32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.
33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.
34 Then 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:
35 for 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;
36 I 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?
38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?
39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'
40 And 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:
42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink;
43 I 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, 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?'
45 Then 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.'
46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

THE PARABLE OF THE UNFORGIVING SERVANT

21 Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?"
22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
23 Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
24 And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.
25 But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made.
26 The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.'
27 Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.
28 "But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!'
29 So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.'
30 And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt.
31 So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done.
32 Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.
33 Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?'
34 And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.
35 "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses."

So we see from the word of God that in life if you demonstrate that you the wrong kind of servant of God, you will end up in hell, not heaven for many preachers do lie. SEE http://wp.me/p2M7AJ-1jM

WILL SAVE

 

 The Mighty One will save

Sing, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!  The LORD has taken away your judgments, He has cast out your enemy. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; You shall see disaster no more.  In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: "Do not fear; Zion, let not your hands be weak. The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:14-17

So he answered and said to me: "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' Says the LORD of hosts. 'Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone With shouts of "Grace, grace to it!" ' " Zechariah 4:6-7

We fail to get the victory over all things in life because we fail to look unto Jesus in all things. Who is not only the source of our total supply and everything that we need but our Friend, Savior, Mighty One, our God and the undefeated One. No one and not anything can stand against Him and the power of His name. Everything must bow at the persistent use of the name of Jesus be it sickness, disease, poverty or lack! Jesus Christ is our Victor, Savior, Healer, Deliverer, Provider and everything that we need. Hence those who love Him are doers of the word of God not hearers only. God’s word is unchanging:

"And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.  Matthew 10:7-8

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another John 13:34-35

"You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.  "These things I command you, that you love one another John 15:16-17

Let all bitterness and indignation {and} wrath (passion, rage, bad temper) and resentment (anger, animosity) and quarreling (brawling, clamor, contention) and slander (evil-speaking, abusive or blasphemous language) be banished from you, with all malice (spite, ill will, or baseness of any kind). And become useful {and} helpful {and} kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:31-32 Amplified Bible

THEREFORE BE imitators of God [copy Him {and} follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father]. And walk in love, [esteeming and delighting in one another] as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a slain offering and sacrifice to God [for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance. Ephesians 5:1-2 Amplified Bible

Jesus Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a slain offering and sacrifice to God. He came not only to restore us to God but to restore us all that we had lost in the Garden of Eden including being heirs of the kingdom and sons of God  He came to give us  life so that His life  also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.  He came to restore to us the years that the swarming locust has eaten…" (Joel 2:25). Yes, God loves to restore what has been devoured in our lives. That's His specialty. In the process of restoration God brings the object of restoration back in a better way than was its former state and He increases it and multiplies it. He always likes to add more just like He did for Job. When God restored Job, He gave unto Job—double (Job 42:10). That's just the nature of God. God’s word is unchanging:

    "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us" Romans 5:1–5.

My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord-that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful. James 5:10-11

When the devil comes to kill, steal and destroy, God has set forever in eternity that we must get back sevenfold. And God will restore us in a better way than we were at first and then He will increase and multiply what was stolen. That's our God because God is good. And for anyone that gives up houses, lands, brothers, sisters, possessions in this life time for the sake of the gospel, God will restore back one hundredfold now! (Mark 10:29, 30). The Lord does abundantly above what we can ask. He does abundantly above what we can think (Eph. 3:20).  When we stand in faith and believe that God is hugely enthusiastic about wanting to bring restoration into our lives, we truly honor Him.



Our Father in heaven is good and He is the Great Restorer. We should have high hopes about that and believe it, no matter what happens. Believe that God not only wants to restore what has been robbed and plundered in our life and in other people’s lives, but He also wants to add blessings to that which is restored. “Blessings are on the head of the righteous…” (Proverbs 10:6). That’s our head!

Yes, in the world we will have tribulation but we can be of good cheer for Jesus overcame the world. Yes, If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?  Yes, the Lord has promised to take care of His trusting ones according to His riches and glory! He owns everything! We are moving into a time of restoration for His people and an outpouring of great financial blessings. God’s trusting ones can stand fast and believe that the Lord is prospering them and restoring them, no matter what the world economy looks like, for God’s word is unchanging:

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.  I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the LORD, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive. Jeremiah 29:11-14

Then the LORD will be zealous for His land, And pity His people.  The LORD will answer and say to His people, "Behold, I will send you grain and new wine and oil,  And you will be satisfied by them; I will no longer make you a reproach among the nations.  "But I will remove far from you the northern army, And will drive him away into a barren and desolate land,  With his face toward the eastern sea And his back toward the western sea;  His stench will come up,  And his foul odor will rise,  Because he has done monstrous things."

Fear not, O land; Be glad and rejoice, For the LORD has done marvelous things! Do not be afraid, you beasts of the field;  For the open pastures are springing up,  And the tree bears its fruit; The fig tree and the vine yield their strength. Be glad then, you children of Zion,  And rejoice in the LORD your God;  For He has given you the former rain faithfully,  And He will cause the rain to come down for you- The former rain,  And the latter rain in the first month.  The threshing floors shall be full of wheat, And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil.

 "So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten,  The crawling locust, The consuming locust,  And the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,  And praise the name of the LORD your God,   Who has dealt wondrously with you;  And My people shall never be put to shame. Joel 2:18-26

The Lord desires to bless our lives with His choicest and rich blessings and help us to be a blessing to others, too. He wants to take control of our lives and help us to glorify Him. He who blessed and gave Abraham unlimited riches will do the same to His trusting ones for He is no respecter of persons and shows partiality to no one.  His word is unchanging:

"Listen to Me, you who follow after righteousness, You who seek the LORD: Look to the rock from which you were hewn,  And to the hole of the pit from which you were dug.  Look to Abraham your father, And to Sarah who bore you;  For I called him alone,  And blessed him and increased him." For the LORD will comfort Zion, He will comfort all her waste places;  He will make her wilderness like Eden,  And her desert like the garden of the LORD; Joy and gladness will be found in it, Thanksgiving and the voice of melody. Isaiah 51:1-3

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YOUR DOOR

 

   JESUS, YOUR GOOD SHEPHERD AND DOOR

    John 10:7 - Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.

    Jesus said that He is the “door of the sheep”. What did He mean? Well, a sheepfold during Jesus’ time had no door which could be opened and closed. The door of the sheepfold was just an opening. In this kind of sheepfold, after the sheep had entered it, the shepherd would sleep at the entrance. The shepherd became, effectively, the “door” of the sheepfold.

    When Jesus told His disciples, “I am the good shepherd,” (John 10:11) He also assured them emphatically that He was the “door of the sheep”. He was telling them and us, “Inside My sheepfold, My sheep are always safe, completely protected and kept close under My watchful eyes. And since I am just at the entrance of the sheepfold, nothing, not even the muffled bleat of one of My own, can escape My ears. Also, nothing evil outside the sheepfold can enter and touch My sheep without first coming through Me for I am the door of My sheep.”

    So when the fight of life comes knocking on your door and when panic threatens to rise within you, see yourself doubly protected! He is both the good shepherd and the door of His sheep. As your good shepherd, He gave His life for you to redeem you from poverty, sickness and every other curse.

    As your door, He keeps out everything evil that He has redeemed you from. Because He shed His blood for you, you are covered and protected within the sheepfold by a blood-stained door. Disaster, destruction and death must pass over you and your family because of His blood on your door. Remember that on the night of the first Passover in Egypt, the destroyer could not enter the houses of the Israelites because of the blood of the lamb on their doors. (Exodus 12:13, 23)

    Today, you can live life untroubled and unafraid, knowing that Jesus, your good shepherd and door, protects and preserves you and your family. No evil will befall you or your loved ones because He is your dwelling place and refuge!

 IN THE SAME BOAT

When He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. —Matthew
8:23

When the cruise ship pulled into port, the passengers got off as quickly as possible. They had spent the last few days enduring an outbreak of a virus, and hundreds of people had been sickened. One passenger, interviewed as he disembarked, said: “Well, I don’t mean to complain so much. I mean I know everybody was in the same boat.” His seemingly unintentional pun made the reporter smile.

In Matthew 8, we read about another trip on the water (vv.23-27). Jesus got into the boat and the disciples followed Him (v.23). Then a terrible storm arose, and Jesus’ disciples feared for their lives. They awakened a sleeping Jesus, who they assumed was unaware of the crisis.

While Jesus was literally in the same boat as His followers, He was unconcerned about the weather. As the all-powerful Creator, He had no fear of a storm. “He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm” (v.26).
But we are not all-powerful, and we are oh-so-prone to fear. So what are we to do when the storms of life rage around us? Whether they quickly blow over or last for a long time, we can be confident in this: We are in the same boat with the One whom even the winds and the sea obey.

Heavenly Father, this life is full of uncertainty. But You have promised us Your unfailing presence. May we see You today—especially when we are tempted to panic or to do things in our own strength.

No danger can come so near the Christian that God is not nearer.

Remember, God said in His Word that no weapon formed against you will prosper! A weapon may be formed, but it only prospers if you give in. Stand firm and fight the good fight of faith!

Set your day for victory by setting your thoughts in the right direction. Victory starts in your mind—GOD is for you and He has a good plan for your future!

ARE YOU IN A STORM? (2)

...Who can this be...? - Matthew 8:27 NKJV

Matthew records: ‘Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith”? Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marvelled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”’ (Matthew 8:25–27 NKJV) You’ll never really know Jesus, or what He can do for you, until you go through a storm with Him. That’s why He plans your storms as part of the journey. Jesus asked, ‘Why are you fearful?’ He was teaching us that fear will suck the life out of you and drain you dry of joy. When fear rules your life, safety becomes your God. And when safety becomes your God, you seek a risk–free life. But those who are fear–filled cannot love deeply, because love is risky. They cannot give to the poor, because humanly speaking, benevolence is no guarantee of return. And the fear–filled cannot dream. What if their dreams shatter and fall from the sky? No wonder Jesus wages such a war against fear. The Gospels list some 125 Christ–issued imperatives. Of these, 21 are to ‘not be afraid’. The second most common command, to love God and your neighbour, appears only eight times. If quantity is any indicator, Jesus sees fear as one of our biggest issues. That’s why the one statement He makes more than any other, and the one He is making to you today, is: ‘Don’t be afraid.’

 NO MORE CONDEMNATION

 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  ROMANS 8:1

Many people are sick today because of guilt and condemnation.
Condemnation kills! People condemn themselves for their sins and failures, receive condemnation from others and even think that God is condemning them to a life of sickness.

The good news of the gospel is that there is ABSOLUTELY no condemnation for us who are in Christ, because Christ has already been condemned in our place at Calvary!

Beloved, freely receive God’s gift of no condemnation today by meditating on and thanking Him for it. When you reach out and receive God’s gift of no condemnation, you’ll receive your healing and the wholeness you desire, fully paid for by the blood of His Son

NO PEACE FOR THE WICKED

Luke 9:7, "Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him: and he was perplexed, because that it was said of some that John was risen from the dead."

Others may have thought Jesus was John the Baptist risen from the dead, but as can be clearly seen by looking at Matthew's account and especially Mark's record, Herod was convinced of this personally. This illustrates Herod's own conviction of the sin John had rebuked, his guilt and torment over his even greater sin of beheading John, and his fear of John and the God he represented. As revealed in Mark 6:20, Herod once listened to John gladly. It is certain that John was preaching his favorite message of, "Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." For Herod to hear him gladly, he must have been under deep conviction from God.

Herod feared his wife and the opinion of others more than he feared God. Herod was not as Festus, who told Paul he was mad for speaking of the resurrection from the dead. Herod knew the truth personally, was exceedingly sorry, and yet chose death - both John the Baptist's and his own spiritual death. Apparently, seen in this instance, Herod lacked peace after his fatal choice.

According to the world's mentality, peace is the absence of problems. However, God's peace is not dependent on circumstances. It is dependent only on God Himself who is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8). A Christian can have great peace even in the midst of terrible problems because his faith is in God. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee" (Isa. 26:3). Let His peace rule in your heart today. Trust Him.

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GLORY

 

 From Glory To Glory

 When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.  And the priests could not enter the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD'S house.  When all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD on the temple, they bowed their faces to the ground on the pavement, and worshiped and praised the LORD, saying:  "For He is good, For His mercy endures forever." 2 Chronicles 7:1-3

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:8

The Presence of the Lord is always a pleasant thing and never something to be afraid of for the believer in Christ. As a matter of fact it’s something to be desired! It’s always wonderful to experience the goodness and greatness of the LORD through His presence and to see His great and wonderful miracle working power! And it’s available to each child of God who will worship Him in Spirit and truth! God’s word is true:

"To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." Colossians 1:27

"For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power." Colossians 2:9-10

God has given us natural senses to touch, taste, smell, hear and feel the things of the natural realm. In the same way, God has provided a spiritual creation for us, the spiritual senses to experience the spiritual world. That is why we have an inner man with inner ears, eyes and other senses on the inside of us. In fact, because it is eternal, the spiritual realm is even more real than the physical realm. Everything that we have in the natural earthly realm came out of the invisible realm.

When we were born again at the moment of our salvation, we received the most important and powerful gift in the universe, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. In other words we have God Himself now living in us along with all the power, anointing, revelation and glory of heaven. We are also now seated with Christ who is seated at the right hand of the Father in Heavenly places. We are now complete in Christ but we need to totally yield to the Holy Spirit in every ways so that we can grow and consume every soulish and fleshly area of our lives and be all that we can be and have all that we can have!

As believers, we are sons of God and co-heirs with Christ. We are "masters of all." But we need to grow up and mature so that we can operate in our inheritance and rule in the kingdom. We need to come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children. God’s word is unchanging:

"For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." Hebrews 5:12-14

"And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you are not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?"  1 Corinthians 3:1-3

We need to eat the solid food of heaven including the Word of God, divine and secret mysteries, and have the great power and anointing from the Holy Spirit, and the very glory of God as our own atmosphere! And God has given us the five-fold ministry so that the body of Christ might grow into a mature man with the fullness of Christ and no longer be children. We need to exercise our spiritual senses, become more familiar with the spiritual realm through intimacy with God, and become mature spiritual people full of His fullness! We don’t need to become quite old physically and still be a baby spiritually. If we limit how much of God we can have and express or what He can or cannot do in our hearts and lives we will remain babes and not mature sons of God. We need to ask God to overshadow us with His   Spirit and cause His Kingdom within us to grow and expand and have dominion over every area of our lives. We need to allow Him to demonstrate His character, His Glory, and His power in us.

Fear, ignorance, unbelief, apathy and other things keep us from constantly living in God’s supernatural realm.  The spiritual realm is as real as the natural realm and by the Spirit it’s just as easy to walk and live in that supernatural reality as it is in the natural reality. Our heart's cry should be we want heaven to touch the earth. We want heavenly glory. We want to open up the windows of heaven and we want to live in the supernatural provision of God's grace, power and presence. The Kingdom of God is not in word only but in power. And we need to see the demonstration of the Holy Spirit and power. And we need to walk in God's power.

We need to believe in what God is now releasing by the power of His Spirit—the prophetic word,  angels, dreams, the realities of the spiritual realm, the manifestation of heaven touching earth and people being healed and set free.  By the power of faith and believing we can ask God to open up the spiritual realm and release the power of God, favor and resources into our lives and we shall receive. Believing is the door that opens up the spiritual realm and that brings heaven; it's the entrance through which heaven touches earth and through which miracles, signs and wonders come. God’s word is unchanging:

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. "Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? "Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?  "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! Matthew 7:7-11

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

'Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.' Jeremiah 33:3

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Colossians 3:1

The Bible encourages us to set our mind on things above where Christ is seated. Yes, we need to get our mind high up there. Get our mind heavenly minded. Get our mind thinking about how real it is in heaven and that that realm is more real than the world that we live in. And we will experience demonic powers and principalities for the Devil is real and he really does want to kill, steal and destroy. But thank God there are more for us in the heavenly realm than those who are against us and Jesus Christ leads us constantly in victory over all our enemies.  However we need to wait upon God and take time to listen what He has to say to us and act on what He tells us.

Because we are in Christ, we live under an open heaven just like Jesus did after He came up from the waters of baptism and the heavens opened and the dove came down. We understanding the reality of the spiritual realm and walking with the expectation that it is accessible to us, to every believer. As a   full heir of the spiritual kingdom we should be touching, tasting, hearing, seeing and feeling what is going on in heaven for we are just as much a spiritual being as a natural being.

The true church of Jesus Christ should be involved in the changing of weather patterns, the cleansing of lepers, the raising of dead, the casting out of demons, the healing of sickness and disease as well as seeing of dreams and visions.  We are to be a sign; we are to be a living epistle of God and the supernatural realm should spill out of our lives and break into the natural realm everywhere we go. We are made for signs and wonders and we are called to carry around us an activity of heaven that creates signs and shows manifestations of heaven touching earth. There is an absence of sin, sickness, disease, death and poverty in heaven and so should it be the same in our lives. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to come and touch us and heal us and our spiritual senses so we can touch heaven and God with our spiritual sense. We are to be carriers of signs and wonders. God has called us to live in the place of "as it is in heaven" and to walk in the anointing of the spirit of wisdom and revelation. God’s word is unchanging:

Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. And there was great joy in that city. Acts 8:5-8

Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles. Acts 15:12

Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. Acts 19:11-12

Yes, we are a natural creation but we are also a spiritual creation. And God wants to give us that spirit of wisdom and revelation and enlighten the eyes of our understanding is for the knowledge of Him and He wants us to live in that intimate place now rather than when we die. We are to enjoy the presence and power of God every day and have Him speak to us at all times.  We need to cultivate a lifestyle of seeking for and living in the presence of the Lord and having various levels of visions and revelation and smelling the fragrances of heaven. Often it's the natural that keeps us from the heavenly—it keeps us from the fullness of everything we have in God and which is promised in scripture. There will always be a war between our flesh and a war between our spirit.

Many saints of old had thrown away their prophetic destinies because they ended up despising prophecy. They just abandoned them. Others tried to keep their prophecies by fighting the good fight of faith, but when the battle became fierce they ran away. When the temptations of the world came, the Christian warriors just left their post, all their prophetic words and dreams. Whole churches and movements, cities, nations and individuals walked away from their vision, abandoning their dreams! But God is in the restoration business and He wants to restore to us all things not only financial wealth but great spiritual wealth including fulfillment of our dreams and prophecies. He wants to release the resurrection life of Jesus in every place where there has been death in our lives including the death of our dreams. He wants to breathe in every dream and every vision and remove every cap that we have so that we can lift that vision higher. He wants us to dream big dreams and see every true prophetic word or promise come to pass in the name of Jesus. He wants us to call forth those things that be not as those they are and release them from the realm of the spirit today. God’s word is unchanging:

Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.  Delight yourself also in the LORD,  And He shall give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday. Psalm 37:3-6

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LET HIM HEAR

 

 HE WHO HAS AN EAR, LET HIM HEAR

Matthew 11:15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

Revelation 3
6 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." '
13 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." '
22 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." ' "

If God repeats something a few times it must be important.  And He has stated quite a few time to His church "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." But what do God’s people do they listen to everybody else including their pastor, their internet friend, their barber, and their next door neighbor but not the Holy Spirit who is supposed to be their best friend, truth, guide and counselor and who has promised to lead and guide them into all truth:

John 16: 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. 12 "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

Jesus said that He would go away and send for our advantage, not a religion or a religious structure full of blind ones leading the blind, but a Helper, the Spirit of truth,   He would guide us into all truth. However Jesus told us we would need for our ears to hear what the Spirit would say to each one of us individually!  But if our ears are deaf or closed we will not hear nor profit from all that the Spirit has to tell us even on a daily basis!  But the Holy Spirit will never speak to us anything that is contrary to what is written in the word of God. So we need to know the word of God thoroughly so that we will not be deceived by familiar Spirits or by false prophets and false teachers whoever they might be! And many around us are false but the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, is never false and He never tells lies!

Jesus has admonished us, the self-sufficient, blind and foolish ones,  in His word to get everything that we need from Him and as much as we need:

Matthew 7: 7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.9 Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

Luke 11: 9 "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 11 If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

John 16: 23 "And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

Revelation 3: 14 "And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, 'These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: 15 "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing' --- and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked --- 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. 22 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." ' "

A FRIEND

 WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS

…there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. PROVERBS 18:24

Jesus’ presence in your life is a free gift from God. There is no amount of good that you can do to earn it. It’s a free gift. Now, because you did nothing to deserve His presence in your life, there is nothing you can do that will cause His presence to leave you. Once you have received Jesus into your heart, He will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)!

“But Pastor, when I fail, doesn’t Jesus leave me?”

No, Jesus is right by your side to encourage you and restore you to wholeness. You may say, “But I don’t deserve it!” You’re right. That’s what makes it His unmerited favor in your life. When you fail, Jesus is there to uphold you. Unlike some of your so-called “friends,” He doesn’t just take off. You can count on Him. He is a faithful, dependable and trustworthy friend. Even when you have failed Him, He is right there with you, ready to pick you up and restore you to wholeness. The Bible talks about a friend who “sticks closer than a brother.” That’s Jesus and you have Him always!

UNHINDERED PRAYERS ...

...Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered. - 1 Peter 3:7, NLT

Did you know that the way you treat people has an impact on the effectiveness of your prayers? The Bible says that the prayer of the righteous person is powerful. But if we aren’t treating others with honor, kindness and respect, then we aren’t allowing His righteousness to operate in us. When we don’t treat others the way we should, it closes the door to God’s power and hinders our prayers.

This is especially true in a marriage relationship. Marriage isn’t just an agreement between two people to live life together. Marriage is a God-ordained institution that helps us understand love and unity. When two people are married, they become one physically, spiritually and emotionally. This particular passage is directed toward husbands, but it applies to all believers as well. We should all treat others “with understanding,” which means considering the needs of others above our own. We should always aim to treat others with kindness, dignity, and respect and quickly choose forgiveness. The Bible says that the way we treat others is the way we treat God. So choose love and treat others with respect so that your prayers will not be hindered!

OPPOSITION TO THE GOSPEL

Matthew 10:34, "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword."

This statement seems like a contradiction to some prophecies concerning Jesus and some of Jesus' own statements concerning peace, as well as what was written of Him in the New Testament Epistles. However, the peace that Jesus purchased was peace between God and man. We have peace with God (Rom. 5:1). We are exhorted to take this peace and extend it to all men, but it is also made very clear that not all men will receive it.

Peace can only come when we relate to God on the basis of faith in what He did for us, instead of what we do for Him. A person who is thinking that he must perform up to some standard to be accepted by God will have no peace. That puts the burden of salvation on our shoulders, and we can't bear that load. We were incapable of living holy enough to please God before we were saved, and we are incapable of living holy enough to please God now that we are saved (Heb. 11:6). We were saved by faith, and we have to continue to walk with God by faith (Col. 2:6). Not understanding this has made many Christians, who love God, unable to enjoy the peace that was provided for them through faith in Jesus.

The Gospel will always produce opposition from those who don't receive it. This "sword of division," even among family members, is not God's will, nor is it God that causes it. But, it will inevitably come, and Jesus was simply preparing His disciples for that time. As much as we would like everyone to receive the good news, we must not think it is strange when even our loved ones don't receive it. Jesus was rejected by His own, and we will be also. We must remain faithful to continue preaching the Gospel, for there are others who will receive. Keep sharing the "Good News!"

ENJOY YOUR OLD AGE

They shall still bear fruit in old age... - Psalm 92:14 NKJV

Age is just a date on a calendar; attitude is what counts. You can be old at 29 and young at 92. Larry King once interviewed Ty Cobb, one of the all–time great baseball players. He asked Cobb, then 70 years old, ‘What do you think you’d hit if you were playing these days?’ Cobb, a lifetime .366 hitter (still the record) replied, ‘About .290, maybe .300.’ King asked, ‘Is that because of travel, the night games, the artificial turf and all the new pitches like the slider?’ Cobb responded, ‘No. It’s because I’m 70!’ Here are three great benefits to having lived longer:

(1) You should be more tolerant. Having fallen into many of life’s potholes yourself, you should be quicker to extend a helping hand when others fall into them. Having survived defeats and lived to fight another day, you’re qualified to offer strength and hope to those who struggle.

(2) You should be more humble. A man who’d just celebrated his 50th wedding anniversary said, ‘A man is always as young as he feels, but seldom as important.’ Realising that the world doesn’t stop at your command or cater to your whims, you become more realistic. And in the process you find peace.

(3) You should value time more. Margaret Deland said, ‘As soon as you feel too old to do a thing, do it.’ Start by asking yourself, ‘If not me, who? If not now, when?’ Here’s a promise from Scripture you can stand on: ‘They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing.’ (Psalm 92:14 NKJV) Now get up off the couch and get going.

THE POWER OF WORDS

"Le no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers". - Ephesians 4:29 (KJV)

The words we speak have the power to do great good or great harm. If we speak words of encouragement and hope, we can lift others up. when we do, the effect on us is uplifting too.

Sometimes, when we already feel uplifted and secure, we find it easy to speak kind words. But other times, when we're discouraged or exhausted, we can scarcely summon the energy to pick up our own spirits, much less anyone else's. Yet God wants us to speak words of kindness, wisdom, and truth, not matter our circumstances, no matter our emotions. When we do, we share a priceless gift with the world, and we give glory to God.

Today, try to make every word a gift. You'll discover that kindness is like honey; it's hard to spread it around without getting a little bit on yourself....

HE IS ATTENTIVE TO YOUR PRAYERS

For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with God), and His ears are attentive to their prayer... - 1 Peter 3:12, AMP

Do you ever wonder if the Lord hears your prayers? This verse promises that He is attentive to the prayers of the righteous! If you have received Jesus as your Lord and Savior and asked Him to cleanse you of your past sins, then you are righteous by the blood of Jesus.

God longs to show Himself strong on your behalf. Your prayers open the door for Him to move in your life. You can be sure that He is attentive and listening when you call on Him. Keep standing, keep believing and keep praying knowing that God is on your side. He’s working behind the scenes and orchestrating things in your favor. Thank Him today for listening. Thank Him for making you righteous. Don’t shrink back. Move forward in confidence knowing that the eyes of the Lord are on you, and He is attentive to your prayers!

 JESUS IS ALL YOU NEED

…He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” 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.” Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked…JOHN 5:6–9

I love the story of how Jesus healed the paralytic at the pool of Bethesda. This man, paralyzed for 38 years, lay by the pool without help and without much hope, waiting for an angel to come to stir its waters—it was known that the first one to step into the waters then would be healed of his condition. But because of his paralysis, the man could never be the first one in. So he kept waiting there, hoping for a miracle.

Then one day, he encountered a Man higher than angels—Jesus—who met him at the point of his need. Jesus came to the paralyzed man, and this man, who had been suffering for so many years, walked away completely healed.

Today, Jesus wants to meet you at the point of your need. You don’t need special seasons, circumstances or angels to see the manifestation of your healing. You only need the Lord, who is here right now to heal you. He is your very present help in time of need (Psalm 46:1)!

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WHOEVER

A Measure of Faith

So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God. "For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.  "Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.  "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. "But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses." Mark 11:22-26

Every­thing we have had from God HAS BEEN BY FAITH. Everything lasting that we have ever done as a Christian has been done by faith. And in order to be successful and prosperous in God we will have to continue to use our faith to receive things from God and to do great things for God. God has given to each person a measure of faith that allows him to be saved, healed, delivered, made perfect whole and complete and get from heaven everything that he needs to live a victorious prosperous life. His word is unchanging:

For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function,  so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith;  or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching;  he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.   Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.  Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;  not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;  rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;  distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.  Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.  Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Romans 12:3-15

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

If we are honest with ourselves we cannot save ourselves, heal ourselves, deliver ourselves and for this we need Jesus who is to us all that we need. He is the one who started our faith and will complete it as we look to him. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” Ephesians 2:8. Yes, God started our faith, and what He started, He will finish  if we allow Him too for God is a perfect Gentleman who allows us to do whatever we want to including failing and He will not interfere with our will and choices unless we ask Him to. God’s word is true:

Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults.  Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins;  Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be innocent of great transgression.  Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart  Be acceptable in Your sight,  O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.  Psalm 19:12-14

But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting  On those who fear Him,  And His righteousness to children's children,  To such as keep His covenant,  And to those who remember His commandments to do them.  The LORD has established His throne in heaven,  And His kingdom rules over all. Psalm 103:17-19

The blessings of God will only follow us if we “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). We cannot be unholy and expect God to bless us -.. . ye shall be holy; for I am holy; . . .” (Leviticus 11:44). We must lay aside every sin, every hindrance, and run the race with patience (Hebrews 12:1).  But if we are holy and blameless, then there is nothing that God cannot or will not do as we use and release our faith. We can partake of the things God has set before us and bring honor to His Name, or we can be like the brother of the prodigal son, who refused to come in to the feast his father had prepared for his brother to celebrate his “being found again.” Andrew Murray in His book “THE DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE” writes

The elder son was living with his father and serving him “these many years,” and he complains that his father never gave him a kid, while he gave his prodigal brother the fatted calf. Why was this?  Simply because he did not ask it. He did not believe that he would get it, and therefore never asked it, and never enjoyed it. He continued thus to live in constant murmuring and dissatisfaction; and the key note of all this wretched life is furnished in what he said. His father gave him everything, yet he never enjoyed it; and he throws the whole blame on his loving and kind father.

The likeness to Christ consists chiefly in two things - the likeness of His death and resurrection, (Rom. 6:5). The death of Christ was the consummation of His humility and obedience, the entire giving up of His life to God. In Him we are dead to sin. As we sink down in humility and dependence and entire surrender to God, the power of His death works in us, and we are made conformable to His death. And so we know Him in the power of His resurrection, in the victory over sin, and all the joy and power of the risen life. Therefore every morning, “present yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead.” He will maintain the life He gave, and bestow the grace to live as risen ones.

All this can only be in the power of the Holy Spirit, who dwells in you. Count upon Him to glorify Christ in you. Count upon Christ to increase in you the inflowing of His Spirit. As you wait before God to realize His presence, remember that the Spirit is in you to reveal the things of God. Seek in God’s presence to have the anointing of the Spirit of Christ so truly that your whole life may every moment be spiritual.

As you meditate on this wondrous salvation and seek full fellowship with the great and holy God, and wait on Him to reveal Christ in you, you will feel how needful the giving up of all is to receive Him. Seek grace to know what it means to live as wholly for God as Christ did. Only the Holy Spirit Himself can teach you what an entire yielding of the whole life to God can mean. Wait on God to show you in this what you do not know. Let every approach to God, and every request for fellowship with Him be accompanied by a new, very definite, and entire surrender to Him to work in you.

“By faith” must here, as through all Scripture, and all the spiritual life, be the keynote. As you tarry before God, let it be in a deep quiet faith in Him, the Invisible One, who is so near, so holy, so mighty, so loving. In a deep, restful faith too, that all the blessings and powers of the heavenly life are around you, and in you. Just yield yourself in the faith of a perfect trust to the Ever Blessed Holy Trinity to work out all God’s purpose in you. Begin each day thus in fellowship with God, and God will be all in all to you.

Yes, by faith we can sit down at our Father’s table with rejoicing, partake to the uttermost of the good things He has pre­pared for us including divine health, divine wisdom, divine prosperity, divine favor and divine wealth. And then we can go forth in the strength thereof to do mighty exploits for God!  The world is full of religious people who are not putting their feet under the Father’s table. They are so-called “believers,” but they are not eating, because the Father has set only ONE table and they won’t have fellowship with those at the table. They are only hurting themselves and missing all that God has for them because of their foolishness, ignorance and pride. But God’s word is unchanging:

“And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.” Luke 17:5.

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” Romans 10:17.

And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.  But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,  to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,  to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.  But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. 1 Corinthians 12:6-11

As Christians we need to have our faith increased and to have perfect love that casts out fear.  As we listen to God’s voice and obey what He says to us our faith will increase and we will learn to cast away fear for God has not given us the Spirit of fear but power, love and sound mind. And as we walk in the Father’s love we can give it away. God’s word is true:

But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 1 John 2:5

Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 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. 1 John 4:17-18.

“And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: . . . these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” John 20:30-31

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NOW GO

 

START USING YOUR MEASURE OF FAITH

Romans 12:3 - …God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

As children of God, we should never say, “I don’t have any faith.” To say this is to say that God is a liar because His Word already tells us that “God has dealt to each one a measure of faith”.

Why then does the faith of some seem to be stronger than others?

Well, faith is like muscles. We are all born with a measure of muscles. But some of us develop our muscles better than others. Bodybuilders, for example, exercise their muscles very regularly to make them grow bigger and stronger.

Likewise, your measure of faith grows when you feed and use it. Each time you hear or read God’s Word, you are feeding your faith. When you confess God’s Word and expect good things to happen to you, you are using it. And the more you use it, the more your faith grows.

So use your faith. You could start with headaches, for example. When you have a headache, instead of always running straight for your painkillers, use your faith. Ask God for healing, and trust and thank Him for the healing.

Now, don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with taking medicine. And if you have to go to the doctor, don’t feel condemned either. Just start using your faith at a level you are comfortable with. If you need to go to the doctor, then go in faith, praying, “Abba Father, I am going to the doctor. I am asking You in Jesus’ name to give the doctor wisdom to give me an accurate diagnosis. My trust is not in him but in You.”

And when you take your medicine, don’t just pop in the pills. In faith, say, “Lord, sanctify this medicine,” then take it. This is because some medicines have negative side effects. So when you ask God to sanctify it, He blesses that medicine. And what will be developing in you, growing bigger and possessing your body until it is too widespread, is divine health!

Beloved, you have been given a measure of faith. Start using it, believing that it is this measure of your faith that causes you to draw from the inexhaustible power of a faithful and loving God!

NOW GO!

Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say. —Exodus 4:12 (niv)

More than 10,000 evangelists and Christian leaders sat in a giant auditorium in Amsterdam in 1986 listening to world-renowned evangelist Billy Graham. I sat among them, listening as he narrated some of his experiences. Then, to my surprise, he said, “Let me tell you: every time I stand before the congregation of God’s people to preach, I tremble and my knees wobble!”

What! I wondered. How can such a great preacher who has enthralled millions with his powerful sermons exhibit trembling and wobbling knees? Then he went on to describe not fear and stage fright, but intense humility and meekness as he felt inadequate for the daunting task to which God had called him. He relied on God for strength, not on his own eloquence.

Moses felt inadequate when God sent him to deliver the enslaved Israelites from their 400-year captivity in Egypt. Moses pleaded with the Lord to send someone else, with the excuse that he had never been a good speaker (see Ex.4:10,13).
We may have similar fears when God calls us to do something for Him. But His encouragement to Moses can also spur us on: “Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say” (v.12 niv).

As Billy Graham said that day, “When God calls you, do not be afraid of trembling and wobbling knees, for He will be with you!”

What task does God have for you to do today? Depend on Him by asking for His help.

Wherever God sends us, He comes alongside us.

APPOINTED FAVOR ...

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

God has already prepared paths for you to take in your future! When God laid out the plan for your life, He lined up the right people, the right circumstances, and the right breaks. In your future, He’s already released favor, supernatural opportunities, and divine connections. The breaks you need in life have already been preordained to come across your path. If you will stay in faith and go out each day and be a person of excellence, you’ll walk into these appointments of favor. It will be just as if you stumbled into God’s blessings!

When you really understand this principle, you’ll begin to get excited about the opportunities in every single day! You’ll have a spring in your step as you think about what blessing is coming next. It could be today. It could be tomorrow. It could be next week! Keep expecting. Keep believing. Stay focused on the fact that God has already released into your future everything you need to fulfill your destiny. Start declaring seasons of increase over your life. Declare that favor is on you and opportunities are coming. Then, get ready to move forward in the favor and blessing God has ordered for you!

 TAKE FROM JESUS

And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”LUKE 10:41–42

You know the story—Martha was busy serving Jesus while her sister, Mary, sat at His feet and drew from Him words of life. Martha didn’t like it that Mary wasn’t helping her, so she complained about it to Jesus.

Who do you think Jesus defended? He defended Mary.

Many believers think that it’s better to give than to receive. Now, that’s true in our relationships with people. But when it comes to our relationship with the Lord, it’s better to RECEIVE from Him than to try to give to Him! Jesus describes Himself as the “bread of life”, in essence telling us that He wants us to partake of Him and receive from Him all the nourishment, strength, healing, provision and abundant life we can take!

Beloved, our Lord loves it when we take from Him. That’s why Mary pleased Jesus. So I encourage you to be a Mary today. Our loving Savior loves it when we draw from His unending reservoir of strength, wisdom, favor, peace and life!

GODLY SORROW LEADS TO REPENTANCE

Mark 6:12, "And they went out, and preached that men should repent."

"Repent" comes from the Greek word, "metanoeo," and literally means to have another mind. Repentance is a necessary part of salvation. Repentance may include Godly sorrow, but sorrow does not always include repentance.

Repentance is simply a change of mind accompanied by corresponding actions. There is a Godly type of sorrow and an ungodly type of sorrow. Godly sorrow leads to repentance. Ungodly sorrow, or the sorrow of this world, just kills.

Our culture has rejected all "negative" emotions. But God gave us the capacity for these negative emotions, and there is a proper use of them. Ecclesiastes 7:3 says, "Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better." People should feel bad about sin. There should be sorrow over our failures. However, this sorrow should lead to repentance. Then, when forgiveness is received, our sorrow should be cast upon the Lord (Isa. 53:4).

The Lord's statements to His disciples, the night before His crucifixion, caused them sorrow (Mt. 26:21-22; Jn. 16:6). If they would have let that sorrow lead them to repentance, then they wouldn't have denied the Lord. Peter's sorrow after his denial of Jesus changed him and, certainly, he never regretted the tears he cried.

The sorrow experienced by those who do not turn to God produces only death. They grieve over their situation because they don't turn to God (that's repentance). Christians should only have sorrow until they repent. Once repentance has come, we need to appropriate the forgiveness and cleansing that are already ours through Christ. Godly sorrow that produces repentance leaves us with no regrets. The positive change that our sorrows led us to, changes our attitude towards the things that caused us sorrow. Let the negatives in your life become positives through Jesus.

YOU CAN DO IT!

...we can certainly do it. - Numbers 13:30 NIV

After seeing the giants in the Promised Land, ten of Israel’s twelve spies came back and said, ‘It can’t be done.’ But the other two, Joshua and Caleb, said, ‘It can.’ But because of Israel’s unbelief, Caleb had been forced to spend forty more years wandering through the wilderness. And by the time the Israelites crossed the Jordan River he was almost eighty years old. Then another seven years passed before the various tribes of Israel were assigned land to occupy. Here’s how Caleb described it all, years later: ‘I was forty years old when Moses…sent me…to explore the land. And I brought him back a report according to my convictions, but my fellow Israelites who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt in fear. I, however, followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.’ (Joshua 14:7–8 NIV) If you’ve a negative attitude when you’re 40, there’s a good chance you’ll have one when you’re 85. Actually, there’s a good chance you won’t even make it to 85! Psychologist Martin Seligman studied several hundred people in a religious community; he divided them into quartiles, ranging from the most to the least optimistic. 90% of the optimists were alive at 85, while just 34% of the naysayers made it to the same age. Twelve spies went out, but only Joshua and Caleb had the faith to say, ‘We can do it.’ And over 45 years later Caleb was as feisty as ever! Want to guess what happened to the other ten spies? They died. None of them made it to Caleb’s age. It’s as simple as this: faith and optimism can add years to your life.

THE POWER OF WORDS

Ephesians 4:29 (KJV) Le no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

The words we speak have the power to do great good or great harm. If we speak words of encouragement and hope, we can lift others up. when we do, the effect on us is uplifting too.

Sometimes, when we already feel uplifted and secure, we find it easy to speak kind words. But other times, when we're discouraged or exhausted, we can scarcely summon the energy to pick up our own spirits, much less anyone else's. Yet God wants us to speak words of kindness, wisdom, and truth, not matter our circumstances, no matter our emotions. When we do, we share a priceless gift with the world, and we give glory to God.

Today, try to make every word a gift. You'll discover that kindness is like honey; it's hard to spread it around without getting a little bit on yourself.

TROUBLES WON’T LAST …

Our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! - 2 Corinthians 4:17, NLT

In this life, God warns that we will have trials and tribulations. The good news is that He also promises to deliver us from them all! Now, He doesn’t necessarily say that He will deliver us instantly, or the way we expect, or on our schedule. It can be tempting to get discouraged when things don’t happen the way you expect. But when you feel like trouble is surrounding you, that’s when you have to dig your heels in and say, “I’m not giving up because God promised me victory!”

If you are going through a dark time today, keep moving through it! Remember, it’s always darkest just before the dawn appears. That difficulty didn’t come to stay, it came to pass. Your job is to stay in faith and keep praising and thanking Him for delivering you. Set your hope in Him, stir up your faith, and keep believing because soon you will see the victory God has prepared for you!

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