YOUR MIND MATTERS TO HIM
You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.ISAIAH 26:3
Doctors tell us that many of the sicknesses we suffer in our bodies are psychosomatic, meaning they are a result of mental or emotional stress that we have put ourselves under.
Perhaps you were abused or emotionally hurt by someone you trusted. Maybe you still feel angry and hurt when you think about it. Beloved, I want to encourage you to start involving Jesus. He is your answer. See the Lord holding you, gently healing your wounds. See Him restoring you, putting courage into your heart and taking away every sense of shame and guilt.
At the cross, Jesus took on Himself the bitter sting of every one of your frustrations, hurts and emotional pains when He wore the crown of thorns on your behalf (John 19:2). He did it so that you can be free from fears, depression and stress.
Today, bring the Lord into every situation of stress instead of allowing it to accumulate and affect your health. Let Jesus saturate your heart and mind with His peace and rest.
WORSHIP IS WARFARE ...
Mark 5:6, "But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him."
The word "worshipped" is taken from the Greek word "proskuneo" which means "to prostrate oneself in homage to; do reverence to; adore." The fact that this tormented man ran to Jesus, and not away from Him, indicates that even "demon-possessed" people have a free will and Satan cannot control an individual without his consent.
Many battles have been fought over whether or not a Christian can be demon possessed. The Greek word for "possessed" literally means "to be demonized." The Bible makes no clear distinction between degrees of demon activity (such as oppressed, depressed, possessed, etc.), but simply refers to people as being "demonized." All Christians are fighting against spiritual powers. If we don't put on the whole armor of God, Satan can certainly affect us or even control us.
The best way to administer deliverance is through God's Word. As a person receives the Word, it will set him free and also help guard against this situation when the demon tries to come back in with seven other spirits. In severe cases of being demonized, the individual clearly needs the help of a believer, and that's the reason why Jesus equipped all believers with authority over evil spirits.
Anointed praise and worship will also drive off evil spirits. One thing reserved for God alone is worship, and the devil has always sought that. If he can't be the one to receive worship, then he seeks to turn others away from giving true worship to the most High God. Praise and worship to the Lord is such a powerful tool against Satan. He can't stand to see God worshipped. Worship God today in spirit and in truth. The Father seeks those who will worship Him this way. He's waiting for you.
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).
Your prayers can help bring about change in your nation. Take time every day to pray for your country and its leaders.
THE BEST FISHING HOLES
He was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words. —2 Corinthians 12:4
My friend Gus passed away a few months ago. Gus was a fellow trout fisherman. Weekends usually found him in his little boat on a nearby lake, casting for fish. I got a letter from his daughter Heidi the other day. She told me she’s been talking about heaven with her grandkids since Gus went to his home in heaven. Her 6-year-old grandson, who also loves to fish, explained what heaven is like and what Great-Grandpa Gus is doing: “It’s really beautiful,” he mused, “and Jesus is showing Grandpa Gus where the best fishing holes are.”
When Paul reported his God-given vision of heaven, words failed him. He said, “I was caught up to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words” (2 Cor. 12:4 nlt). Words cannot convey the facts of heaven—perhaps because we humans are unable to comprehend them.
While we might gain some comfort from knowing more details about heaven, it is not the knowledge of heaven that assures us; it is our knowledge of God Himself. Because I know Him and I know how good He is, I can leave this life and everything in it with utter confidence that heaven will be beautiful and Jesus will show me “where the best fishing holes are”—because that’s the kind of God He is!
Let us beg and pray Him day by day to reveal Himself to our souls more fully, to quicken our sense, to give us sight and hearing, taste and touch of the world to come.
Nothing on earth compares to being with Christ in heaven.
TOO MUCH FOR ME
O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. —Matthew 26:39
“God never gives us more than we can handle,” someone said to a father whose 5-year-old son had just lost his battle with cancer. These words, which were intended to encourage him, instead depressed him and caused him to wonder why he wasn’t “handling” the loss of his boy at all. The pain was so much to bear that he could hardly even breathe. He knew his grief was too much for him and that he desperately needed God to hold him tight.
The verse that some use to support the statement “God never gives us more than we can handle” is 1 Corinthians10:13, “When you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it” (niv). But the context of these words is temptation, not suffering. We can choose the way out of temptation that God provides, but we can’t choose a way out of suffering.
Jesus Himself wanted a way out of His upcoming suffering when He prayed, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. . . . O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me” (Matt. 26:38-39). Yet He willingly went through this for our salvation.
When life seems too much to bear, that’s when we throw ourselves on God’s mercy, and He holds on to us.
Father, I feel vulnerable and weak. I know You are my refuge and strength, my help in trouble. I call upon Your name, Lord. Hold on to me.
With God behind you and His arms beneath you, you can face whatever lies ahead.
When God created you He wasn’t having a bad day. You are equipped, empowered, and well-able. You have the skill, wisdom, creativity and everything you need to fulfill your destiny.
EMBRACE YOUR SEASON ...
The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day - Proverbs 4:18, NLT
God has ordained seasons in your life. It’s easy to get frustrated when our dreams aren’t coming to pass on our timetable. When that happens, we have to submit our plans to Him and trust that He has a better plan. Understand that in God’s kingdom, every season is not harvest. There are plowing seasons. There are planting seasons. There are watering seasons. And sure, we would love for every season to be a time of increase, but without the other seasons, we wouldn’t be prepared. It’s during the plowing seasons when God’s bringing issues to light that we need to deal with. He’s getting us prepared for promotion. If you’re not making as much progress as you would like, the key is to not lose any ground. Don’t go backwards. Hold your position by keeping an attitude of faith and expectancy, even when it’s hard. Keep plowing by speaking the Word daily. As you do, you’ll pass the test, and God promises your due season is coming!
SERVANT POWER ...
Mark 4:41, "And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"
When God created this physical world and all of its inhabitants, He gave mankind authority to rule and subdue His creation. Although God still owned the universe and all that was in it, He gave control of the earth to man.
When man sinned, he began to use this power against God's wishes. God did not ordain all the terrible things that have happened throughout history, and yet He did not take back man's right to dominate the earth. Instead, He became a man and took back that authority to Himself by conquest. After Jesus' resurrection, He said in Matthew 28:18, "...All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth," and then He gave the great commission to His disciples, thereby conferring that authority upon them, also. Jesus becoming flesh was absolutely essential for gaining all power (or authority) in heaven and in earth. Jesus was a "God-man." As stated in 1 Timothy 3:16, He was God manifested in the flesh, which is a great mystery.
Jesus came in the power and authority of His Father to point men to the Father God. Jesus existed before His advent on this earth in the form of God and was equal with God; yet, He humbled Himself and became a servant while here on earth. He did not come to promote Himself but to give Himself as the way unto the Father.
This is radically different from the way so called "great men" present themselves. The Roman Caesar of Jesus' day proclaimed that he was God and demanded worship. Lesser leaders ruled by exalting themselves over the people they governed. But, Jesus showed us that "whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many" (Mt. 20:26-28).
Free Christian Ebooks http://walthope.tripod.com
http://walthope.wordpress.com
https://plus.google.com/u/0/100302133262254344211/posts
You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.ISAIAH 26:3
Doctors tell us that many of the sicknesses we suffer in our bodies are psychosomatic, meaning they are a result of mental or emotional stress that we have put ourselves under.
Perhaps you were abused or emotionally hurt by someone you trusted. Maybe you still feel angry and hurt when you think about it. Beloved, I want to encourage you to start involving Jesus. He is your answer. See the Lord holding you, gently healing your wounds. See Him restoring you, putting courage into your heart and taking away every sense of shame and guilt.
At the cross, Jesus took on Himself the bitter sting of every one of your frustrations, hurts and emotional pains when He wore the crown of thorns on your behalf (John 19:2). He did it so that you can be free from fears, depression and stress.
Today, bring the Lord into every situation of stress instead of allowing it to accumulate and affect your health. Let Jesus saturate your heart and mind with His peace and rest.
WORSHIP IS WARFARE ...
Mark 5:6, "But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him."
The word "worshipped" is taken from the Greek word "proskuneo" which means "to prostrate oneself in homage to; do reverence to; adore." The fact that this tormented man ran to Jesus, and not away from Him, indicates that even "demon-possessed" people have a free will and Satan cannot control an individual without his consent.
Many battles have been fought over whether or not a Christian can be demon possessed. The Greek word for "possessed" literally means "to be demonized." The Bible makes no clear distinction between degrees of demon activity (such as oppressed, depressed, possessed, etc.), but simply refers to people as being "demonized." All Christians are fighting against spiritual powers. If we don't put on the whole armor of God, Satan can certainly affect us or even control us.
The best way to administer deliverance is through God's Word. As a person receives the Word, it will set him free and also help guard against this situation when the demon tries to come back in with seven other spirits. In severe cases of being demonized, the individual clearly needs the help of a believer, and that's the reason why Jesus equipped all believers with authority over evil spirits.
Anointed praise and worship will also drive off evil spirits. One thing reserved for God alone is worship, and the devil has always sought that. If he can't be the one to receive worship, then he seeks to turn others away from giving true worship to the most High God. Praise and worship to the Lord is such a powerful tool against Satan. He can't stand to see God worshipped. Worship God today in spirit and in truth. The Father seeks those who will worship Him this way. He's waiting for you.
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).
Your prayers can help bring about change in your nation. Take time every day to pray for your country and its leaders.
THE BEST FISHING HOLES
He was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words. —2 Corinthians 12:4
My friend Gus passed away a few months ago. Gus was a fellow trout fisherman. Weekends usually found him in his little boat on a nearby lake, casting for fish. I got a letter from his daughter Heidi the other day. She told me she’s been talking about heaven with her grandkids since Gus went to his home in heaven. Her 6-year-old grandson, who also loves to fish, explained what heaven is like and what Great-Grandpa Gus is doing: “It’s really beautiful,” he mused, “and Jesus is showing Grandpa Gus where the best fishing holes are.”
When Paul reported his God-given vision of heaven, words failed him. He said, “I was caught up to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words” (2 Cor. 12:4 nlt). Words cannot convey the facts of heaven—perhaps because we humans are unable to comprehend them.
While we might gain some comfort from knowing more details about heaven, it is not the knowledge of heaven that assures us; it is our knowledge of God Himself. Because I know Him and I know how good He is, I can leave this life and everything in it with utter confidence that heaven will be beautiful and Jesus will show me “where the best fishing holes are”—because that’s the kind of God He is!
Let us beg and pray Him day by day to reveal Himself to our souls more fully, to quicken our sense, to give us sight and hearing, taste and touch of the world to come.
Nothing on earth compares to being with Christ in heaven.
TOO MUCH FOR ME
O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. —Matthew 26:39
“God never gives us more than we can handle,” someone said to a father whose 5-year-old son had just lost his battle with cancer. These words, which were intended to encourage him, instead depressed him and caused him to wonder why he wasn’t “handling” the loss of his boy at all. The pain was so much to bear that he could hardly even breathe. He knew his grief was too much for him and that he desperately needed God to hold him tight.
The verse that some use to support the statement “God never gives us more than we can handle” is 1 Corinthians10:13, “When you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it” (niv). But the context of these words is temptation, not suffering. We can choose the way out of temptation that God provides, but we can’t choose a way out of suffering.
Jesus Himself wanted a way out of His upcoming suffering when He prayed, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. . . . O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me” (Matt. 26:38-39). Yet He willingly went through this for our salvation.
When life seems too much to bear, that’s when we throw ourselves on God’s mercy, and He holds on to us.
Father, I feel vulnerable and weak. I know You are my refuge and strength, my help in trouble. I call upon Your name, Lord. Hold on to me.
With God behind you and His arms beneath you, you can face whatever lies ahead.
When God created you He wasn’t having a bad day. You are equipped, empowered, and well-able. You have the skill, wisdom, creativity and everything you need to fulfill your destiny.
EMBRACE YOUR SEASON ...
The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day - Proverbs 4:18, NLT
God has ordained seasons in your life. It’s easy to get frustrated when our dreams aren’t coming to pass on our timetable. When that happens, we have to submit our plans to Him and trust that He has a better plan. Understand that in God’s kingdom, every season is not harvest. There are plowing seasons. There are planting seasons. There are watering seasons. And sure, we would love for every season to be a time of increase, but without the other seasons, we wouldn’t be prepared. It’s during the plowing seasons when God’s bringing issues to light that we need to deal with. He’s getting us prepared for promotion. If you’re not making as much progress as you would like, the key is to not lose any ground. Don’t go backwards. Hold your position by keeping an attitude of faith and expectancy, even when it’s hard. Keep plowing by speaking the Word daily. As you do, you’ll pass the test, and God promises your due season is coming!
SERVANT POWER ...
Mark 4:41, "And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"
When God created this physical world and all of its inhabitants, He gave mankind authority to rule and subdue His creation. Although God still owned the universe and all that was in it, He gave control of the earth to man.
When man sinned, he began to use this power against God's wishes. God did not ordain all the terrible things that have happened throughout history, and yet He did not take back man's right to dominate the earth. Instead, He became a man and took back that authority to Himself by conquest. After Jesus' resurrection, He said in Matthew 28:18, "...All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth," and then He gave the great commission to His disciples, thereby conferring that authority upon them, also. Jesus becoming flesh was absolutely essential for gaining all power (or authority) in heaven and in earth. Jesus was a "God-man." As stated in 1 Timothy 3:16, He was God manifested in the flesh, which is a great mystery.
Jesus came in the power and authority of His Father to point men to the Father God. Jesus existed before His advent on this earth in the form of God and was equal with God; yet, He humbled Himself and became a servant while here on earth. He did not come to promote Himself but to give Himself as the way unto the Father.
This is radically different from the way so called "great men" present themselves. The Roman Caesar of Jesus' day proclaimed that he was God and demanded worship. Lesser leaders ruled by exalting themselves over the people they governed. But, Jesus showed us that "whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many" (Mt. 20:26-28).
Free Christian Ebooks http://walthope.tripod.com
http://walthope.wordpress.com
https://plus.google.com/u/0/100302133262254344211/posts
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