King's Heart Devotional
Blessings abound, Evangelist Karen Hurdle
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POWER
Thursday, September 2nd, 2011
Matthew 9:13b "For thine is the Kingdom, and the Power and the Glory, forever, Amen." Power belongs to God! "The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof."
God has the power to heal, to deliver, to give wealth, to save, to make us victorious, ONLY GOD! He does this by way of the Holy Spirit through our Faith in Jesus Christ and what He did on the Cross of Calvary. David said it all, and said it beautifully in 1 Chronicles 29:10b and this today is our prayer.........
"Blessed be Thou, Lord God of Israel our Father, for ever and ever. Verse 11 "Thine, O Lord, is the Greatness, and the POWER, and the Glory, and the Victory, and the Majesty: for all that is in the Heaven and in the Earth is Thine; Thine is the Kingdom, O Lord, and You are exalted as Head above all."Verse 12 "Both riches and honour come of You, and You reign over all; and in Your hand is POWER and might; and in Your hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all." Verse 13 "Now therefore, our God, we thank You and praise Your Glorious Name." Amen!! Halleluia!!!!!!
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POWER
Thursday, September 1st, 2011
Isaiah 40:29 "He gives power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increases strength."
God never tires or grows weary or is weak, no matter the situation, circumstance or state of our affairs, He never tires. But men do grow weary and weak, however strong they might appear to be, they grow feeble at some point. But God is ready to give His superabundant power to those of His beloved who do faint, nothing is a surprise to Him, He knows our weaknesses and our strengths, but He is ready and willing to give us power to strengthen and renew us to continue doing His Will. Be encouraged!
Lord Jesus, We thank you that in Your strength our weakness is made strong. We are ever grateful that You are the Great Shepherd and You are continually looking out for Your Sheep, ready to give us Your Spiritual Gifts, in Jesus Name, Amen~
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POWER
Wednesday, August 31st, 2011
Acts 1:8 "But you shall receive power after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you; and you shall be witnesses unto Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."
We have a mandate to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to all people. This requires a laying down of one's life, denying self, and taking up our cross to follow Jesus and in His likeness, win souls for the Kingdom. If we don't do this, it will mean that souls will be lost. We are to be a mouthpiece for God and do His bidding in obedience. The ability to do these tasks can only come from God, we need the empowerment of His Holy Spirit to enable us to take the gospel to all areas of the world, witnessing to all kinds of people, every creed, colour, gender, nationality and race. God would have none of us perish, so we must work while it is day, because nighttime cometh when no man can work. So in obedience, today, let us make up our minds to do the work of an Evangelist and spread the gospel to a dying world, one soul at a time.
Dearest Lord and Saviour, we are so thankful that you have called us out of darkness into your marvelous light, and Dear Lord, we pray for those who have not yet found their way or made you their choice. Father, we pray that you would equip us to be able to witness effectively for you in this world. Send to us those who are attached to us that we may share the gospel with them and that they may be won to You, in Jesus Name, Amen.
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POWER
Monday, August 29th, 2011
John 14:12 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he who believes on Me, the Works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father."
Tuesday, August 30th, 2011
John 14:13 "And whatsoever you shall ask in My Name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son."
This is a promise for each and every believer, that we can be endued with power so that we can do all the works of Christ, and even greater works than what He did. We as believers have been given "Power of Attorney" to ask things in Jesus' Name. The purpose is that it glorifies God to answer our prayers,to save, heal, deliver and to bless all men materially, but He can only do this if we ask in faith believing, with unwavering faith. Also as believers, most of us don't really realize the power that has been given us, or we would use it. But this power comes by way of the Holy Spirit.
Dearest Lord Jesus, we come once again thanking you for another day, for your grace, and mercy, also asking for forgiveness of any sin in our lives, we are so grateful for the promise you made to us, to give us power and authority to do great works for You and in Your Name, help us to bring you honour and glory, in Jesus Name, Amen.
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Wednesday, August 24th, 2011
Giving Ourselves Away (to God)
Daniel 4:3 "How great are His signs! And how mighty His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And His Dominion is from generation to generation."
Our God is an AWESOME God! A MIGHTY God! An EXCELLENT God! Nebuchadnezzar, the King, was very fortunate to have people like Daniel and the three Hebrew boys in his Empire. But although King Nebuchadnezzar praised Daniel's God, he still did not fully believe in Him or submit to Him.
And this is how some of us are today. In the church, there are many that attend, do all the right things, say all the right things, using spiritual language, but they really don't believe and have not fully submitted to Him. So from today, let us consecrate ourselves, press forward into Christ, dying to self , giving ourselves away totally to Him and for His service!
Almighty God, today we ask for forgiveness of all our sin and iniquity. We thank you that your strength is made perfect in our weaknes", we are totally reliant on you and need you, help us to surrender our all to you, we give you thanks, in Jesus Name, Amen.
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GIVE MYSELF AWAY (TO GOD)
Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011
2 Thessalonians 3:13 "Do not grow weary in doing good."
Sometimes in service to our Lord and King, we give so much of ourselves away that we become very weary. That is a dangerous place to be, because it is when we are down that the enemy can sneak up on us. Do you ever find yourself feeling irritable when you are tired? We have to be so careful to rest and replenish. Go to the Source, (God) and He will restore you and give you a peace that surpasses all understanding. There is much work to do, and it is the faithful few who are constantly working. Jesus said, "The Harvest is plenteous, but the labourers are few." We are admonished by the Apostle Paul to NOT grow weary in doing good things for others, we do it all as unto God. Therefore we have to do what it takes to keep ourselves Kingdom ready, ready to minister to those whom the Lord will send to us.
Dear Father God, Many times our spirit is willing but our flesh is weak. We ask that you restore and replenish us. Revive us Lord, body, mind and spirit so that we can carry on Your work in Your Vineyard, in Jesus Name, Amen.
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GIVE MYSELF AWAY (TO GOD)
Friday, August 19th, 2011
Acts 9:36 "At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did." 9:37a "But it happened in those days that she became sick and died."
Dorcas was a good woman, a Godly woman, who gave so much of herself to help others. She was a seamstress she made many garments for the poor and also the widows. She was following Godly principles, because the Bible says to take care of the widows and the fatherless. Many widows were mourning her death when Peter was called in to pray for her. She gave away herself to others, so much so, that she got sick and died. We get so busy with our everyday lives, and all may be necessary, like taking care of the husband, children, home, work, and all the related functions, including childen's activities, church work, school assignments and homework, etc. But we can give too much of ourselves, if we don't take time to replenish ourselves and rest. We could become sick or even die. Looking at this in the spiritual sense, we also have to be careful to replenish when we are being used of the Lord. If we continually give ourselves away and do not allow the Lord to pour back into us, we may find ourselves in a burned-out state and if not careful we could risk falling away or dying spiritually. The enemy loves us to be too busy, because then we don't have time to spend with God. We become weak and ineffective. The good news is that Dorcas was brought back to life when Peter prayed. She was retored and because of that many souls were won to the Lord. We too can be restored if we take the time to spend quality time with the Lord, through prayer and studying the Word of God. God will restore and equip you to be an effective minister of the Gospel, triumphantly spreading everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him. (2 Cor. 2:14) Blessings abound!
Dear Lord Jesus, how excellent is Your Name in all the earth! We have learned about giving ourselves away to You, help us Lord Jesus, to release every part of ourselves to You, our wants, our desires, our plans. Your way is best and we want to walk in Your Divine Will. We thank You in advance, and give you all the Glory, Honour and Praise, in Jesus Name, Amen.
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Thursday, August 18th, 2011
Luke 14:26 "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple."
14:27 " And whosoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple."
These two verses show that if we are called by the Lord, we better count the cost. Some callings have a very high cost. He is saying be ready to leave your family behind, to crucify yourself (give yourself away), and even be willing to lay down your very "LIFE" for His sake. Remember most of the disciples lost their lives because of service to our Lord and Saviour. It makes no sense to run away from the calling because there is very high cost to disobedience also! So beware!
Missionaries in the field face all kinds of danger and some have lost their lives because they stood for God, determined to spread His Gospel all round the world. Often we look at people who are Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Preachers and Teachers and think preaching is an easy task, but the cost is high and there is much sacrificing. What we see in the pulpit when the message is going forth, is the end result of seeking God through prayer, much studying, fasting, and lost sleep. Sometimes the commitment causes you to have to forego a family event or some other event you would indeed like to attend. Count the cost! Are you being called, are you willing to take up your cross and follow Him, no matter the cost? There is an earthly cost, but you will receive a FAR greater Heavenly reward!
Dear Kind and Loving Father, the one who loved us so much that You were willing to lay down your life for wretched sinners like us. You give so much, but ask so little of us, help us to be obedient to your calling Lord, giving ourselves away to Your service and to the service of Your people. Sometimes we fear Lord, but give us the courage and strength to step out for You and boldly do your bidding, so that souls may be won to the Kingdom and that You will be Glorified, we give You all the Praise, Honour, and Glory, in Jesus' Name, Amen!~
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GIVE MYSELF AWAY (TO GOD)
Wednesday, August 17th, 2011
Matthew 4:18 "And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen."
4: 19 Then He said to them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."
4:20 " They immediately left their nets and followed Him."
4:21 "Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them."
4:22 "and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him."
Continuing on with sacrificing and giving ourselves away, what if you were asked to do something really hard by the Lord, would you be able to do it? Would you want to do it? And even further, would you be able to do it right away without hesitation, in obedience to Him? I would dare to say that most of us would have difficulty and might fail on at least one of those questions. But Saints, this is the place the Lord is trying to get us to, to perfect us so that we can be obedient to His Call.
Peter and Andrew were business men, they had a "fishing" business, they most likely owned a boat, nets and other related fishing gear which I am sure was worth something! Yet, at the call of Jesus, they IMMEDIATELY dropped their nets and followed Him to become fishers of men! How many of us could leave our businesses immediately and follow Jesus if called to? Would we question and worry about our "stuff", about our money, and put it before the greatest opportunity of our lives.....to give ourselves away to the Master, to win souls for the Kingdom, to allow our lives to be changed forever, to be able to sit at the feet of the greatest Teacher of all time and be taught by Him in order to help others??
Or like James and his brother John, who had to walk away from their own father, would we be able to leave family without hesitation, and answer the Lord's call if He asks? They didn't say "this is not a good time" or the like, they just left the boat, AND their father and went! They just knew in their hearts that Jesus was the real deal, that they had nothing to lose and everything to gain. How many of us care more for our houses, cars, property, boats and things than spending time with the Lord, especially when we KNOW that He wants to spend time with us, but we just shove Him aside and go about doing our own thing.....think on these things.........
Dear Father, tonight our hearts are grieved and sorry for the many times we shove You in the background or outright reject You, forgive us Lord. We know, especially as we look back over our lives and see Your mercy, we can see that You loved us way before we loved You. Help us to realize You are coming soon, and in Your calling us to give ourselves away to You, You are just trying to fit us up for Eternity. These earthly possessions are just temporary, but we put so much importance on them, forgive us. Only what we do for YOU will last. Help and strengthen us in our weak areas and help us to keep our focus on You, the Author and Finisher of our Faith. Thank You for Your patience with us Lord, help us not to procrastinate in giving ourselves away to You and Your service, we give You Praise, Honour, and Glory, in Jesus' Name, Amen!~
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GIVE MYSELF AWAY (TO GOD)
Monday, August 15th & Tuesday 16th, 2011
John 13:38a "Jesus answered him, Will you lay down your life for My sake?."
2Timothy "You therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ."
Peter loved our Lord Jesus with all his heart and so wanted to serve Him, to be with Him and to do all he could to please Him. But only God knows what is in our hearts. Jesus knew that Peter would deny Him, not once , but THREE times before the rooster crowed.
To give ourselves wholly and solely to God is not an easy thing. It means yielding our whole heart to Him, to let go of "our" plans, "our" desires and "our" will, so that HIS Will can be done in our lives. It is a process that may take many years to accomplish. Look at Peter, he walked with Jesus daily and loved Him, but never dreamed he would deny his beloved Lord three times after Jesus was taken by the guards.
As Peter found out later, there is suffering attached to being close to the Lord. There is a cost, a high cost. But the rewards are even greater! Do not be afraid, we can endure the hardness, in HIS strength! We can trust our Lord to do what is best in our lives, to bring us to a good end. He will equip you and strengthen you to bear the hardship and endure the pain for HIS Glory!!!!!
Dear Father God, We come to bless and glorify your Holy Name. Halleluia! How awesome you are! Father, we ask you to remember all those who are going through right now, and in the Name of Jesus, we ask you to give them strength, Lord. Touch every situation removing any thing that is not of you, allowed by You or ordained by You. Bless and fortify your children who are pressing on in their walks to higher places, in spite of their situations and circumstances. Help them to keep their eyes on you as they learn to give themselves away to you daily. Make their desires your desires, and let their will be your will. this we ask, in Jesus' Name, Amen!~
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SACRIFICES
Friday, August 12th, 2011
Psalm 51:17 "The SACRIFICES of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart --these O God, you will not despise."
Psalm 27:6 "And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies, all around me; Therefore I will offer SACRIFICES of JOY in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord."
The Lord has to break us sometimes, not to hurt us, but to keep us humble, and looking to Him as our source, otherwise we could tend to think more highly of ourselves than we ought. True repentance always includes a broken spirit and a broken and contrite heart. Of course, repentance means that we are to turn from our wicked ways, not to keep doing the same things over and over. A truly repentant heart will effect change. When true repentance takes place, we can then be filled with the joy of the Lord, and can offer to Him the sacrifice of Joy, praising Him and thanking Him for the price He paid that our sins can be forgiven. Let us joyfully sing praises to our God for all that He has done for us. Have you accepted this wonderful Saviour into your heart?
Dear Lord, Once again we come with humble and repentant hearts to ask your forgiveness for all our sins and short comings. Create in us clean hearts and renew right spirits within us. We gladly give You the sacrifice of praise, singing joyfully unto You, from a merry heart, for only You can forgive our sins, fight our battles, provide for our needs, and change our sadness to gladness, we give you thanks and praise, in Jesus Name, Amen! ~
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SACRIFICES
Wednesday, August 10th & Thursday August 11th, 2011
Hebrews 13:15 "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the SACRIFICE OF PRAISE to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His Name."
Verse 16 "but do not forget to do good and to share, for with such SACRIFICES God is pleased."
We have so much to be thankful for, to give God the Glory for. He deserves our Sacrifice of Praise, whether we feel like it or not, and especially when we dont' feel like it, we are offering the Sacrifice of Praise, the Sacrifice of our Lips. This would include thanking Christ for HIS Sacrifice on the cross and telling others about it. How about when we are feeling low, going through trials and tribulations? What a perfect time to make a Sacrifice of Praise unto a Holy God. That confuses the enemy, but pleases God, because He enhabits the praises of His people. Acts of kindness and sharing are particularly pleasing to our God. He sees all and knows all, so even when our kindnesses and sharing go unnoticed by people, He knows!!! On Tuesday night, I had electrical problems at home which caused my computer to be out of commission. This was the Word I had planned to write about, so I said "What a perfect time to give God some Praise!" Which is exactly what I did. Praise Him in the good times, but also in the bad. Be blessed and encouraged!
Dear Father God, we thank You for Your Word, which gives us instruction. Thank you for Your Holy Spirit who teaches us and prompts us to do Your Will. We glorify and magnify your Holy Name. There is none like You, none beside You. You are Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. You are a mighty God, but full of love, mercy and grace. We love You so much Lord. Thank You for always being there, always caring, always loving. Help us to continually give You a Sacrifice of Praise, to do good, and to help others, in Jesus Name, Amen!~
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SACRIFICES
Tuesday, August 9th, 2011
Psalm 4:5 "Offer the SACRIFICES of RIGHTEOUSNESS, and put your trust in the Lord."
David wrote this Psalm and in his day worship included sacrificing animals by the Priests in the Tabernacle. The animal's blood covered the sins of the one offering the animal. There were specific rules to follow when offering sacrifices, but more important to God was the attitude of submission and obedience of the person offering the sacrifice. Today, the "Sacrifice of Righteousness" is the same, it requires our submission, total obedience and heartfelt praise as our sacrifice. But the blood of Jesus, which He shed on Calvary's Cross is what covers our sins today. They are under the blood if we cry out to Him and accept Him into our hearts. I ask you, will you do it today!
Heavenly Father, I lift up to You the Soul that does not know you as their personal saviour. Your Word says that "You would have none of us perish", so kind Father, I ask you right now to draw them by Your Holy Spirit, rescue them and make a way for them to surrender their will to Your Will in obedience which will be their sacrifice of righteousness, that they might have Eternal Life. I thank You Lord because I know You hear this humble prayer, and because You hear, You will answer, In Jesus Name, Amen, Amen, Amen!~
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SACRIFICES
Monday, August 8th, 2011
1 Chronicles 29;21 "And they made SACRIFICES to the Lord and offered burnt offerings to the Lord on the next day: a thousand bulls, an thousand rams, a thousand lambs, with their drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel."
In the Old Testament, the people made "sacrifices" unto God or their "gods" for various things. Of course, nothing lasts unless it is rooted in God's unchanging character. For the most part animals were sacrificed, but other things were also sacrificed. In this case, Israel was sacrificing in celebration of their new King, Solomon. The drink offering was wine that they poured out, also as SACRIFICES to God in acknowledging how He had provided a King for His people. There are many types of sacrifices, some were pleasing to God and some were not. This week we shall look at a few. What is a SACRIFICE? 1. To give or offer something to a god (usually for the purpose of propitiation.)
2. The giving of a life, usually an animal.
3. To give up something for something else or someone else. (e.g. as a mother would give of herself for her child)
4. An inconvenience or giving a costly gift.
Heavenly Father, as we learn more about sacrifices, give us a better understanding of the Supreme Sacrifice that you made for us on the Cross of Calvary, by which we can have Salvation and Eternal Life. We give you thanks and praise for what you did for us. In Jesus Name, Amen.~
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PROVISION
Friday, August 5th, 2011
Habakkuk 3:17 "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:"
Verse 18 "Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation."
Verse 19 "The Lord is my strength, and He will make my feet like hinds' feet, and He will make me to walk upon my HIGH PLACES....."
Are you facing some type of adversity? Does it seem like trouble is everywhere? Are you feeling like even though you are trying to live right, everything is going wrong? Does it seem as if problems are coming one after the other like waves of the ocean crashing down on you, and as soon as you get back up on your feet, another comes along to knock you down? Your finances have dried up, children acting up, sickness knocking at your door, friends turning against you, co-workers talking about you, family deserting you? Or like Habakkuk, you may be wondering why the wicked seem to prosper, and why God allows it. Today, I want to encourage you to press on in faith, believing that God is still providing for us. Habakkuk asked God why He was bringing the Babylonians in to deal with Judah, because the Babylonians were much worse. But God showed Habakkuk through visions His Divine judgment, that the wicked only SEEM to prosper, they are not really prospering, because inside they are unsatisfied and insecure, and they have no peace. It all hinges on our faith in God, that He is able to take care of all our situations and troubles. We have to look to Him to provide for us. Habakkuk pressed into his faith and uttered the words above, which mean - no matter what we are going through, no matter what we don't have, no matter how we feel, no matter what is going wrong, and when all seems lost, when we are stripped down to nothing, YET, we are to still rejoice in the Lord, and joy in the God of our salvation. Because through it all, God is building us, strenthening us, building our character. The feet of Deer are able to withstand the roughness of the mountainside, the rocks and stones, they are tough, as they climb to the higher places on the mountainside, so it is with us as the Lord prepares us to go to HIGHER PLACES in Him. We can trust Him and rejoice as we allow Him to lead us on our journey.
Dear Father, so often we get overwhelmed by what we see going on around us and in our lives. Help us Dear Lord, never to take our eyes off You. You are the only way, You are the only source. All that we need is in You, our joy, our peace, our strength, our health, our provision, our salvation. Lord, we just want to say thanks and Praise Your Holy Name, for all that You are. In Jesus Name, Amen!
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Thursday, August 4th, 2011
Job 38:41 "Who provides for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat."
Matthew 6:25 "Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor yet for your body, what you shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Verse 26 "Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much better than they?"
Did you realize that even one anxious thought shows a lack of trust in the Lord? These verses show how God cares for even the tiniest creatures, he feeds the ravens and the fowls of the air, if He gave us dominion over them, wouldn't we be more important to Him than they? He clothes the grass and the lillies of the field, won't He clothe us too? Yet we worry about what we will wear, and what we will eat, how our bills will be paid. Our Heavenly Father knows we have need of these things. Worry cannot produce a thing or change a thing, or pay one bill. Have you ever just stopped and taken time to watch a rooster in all it splendour with all the beautiful coloured feathers and the colours of the various species of birds and ducks? Have you closely looked at the intricate colours, patterns and designs of the flowers? Each having their own specific colour or mixture of colours, some brilliantly bright, not faded by sun. Only a MARVELLOUS God could come up with such a configuration of designs and combinations, looking like a breath-takingly beautiful tapestry as they sway in the breeze in the fields and gardens. Look at the fish, the colours, stripes, circles, sizes, shapes. What a God! Is not such an AWESOME God able to take care of us and know us...........our likes, dislikes, desires and our needs? O for a faith that will not shrink.......
Dear Father God, the God that made the Heavens and the Earth, the God that put the Stars in place with all their splendour and every grain of sand on t he earth, how EXCELLENT, how MARVELLOUS, how AWESOME you are!!! When I think of Your goodness, I can only say "Halleluia" to Your Precious Name! What is man that you are mindful of him? Dear God, if we had a thousand tongues, we could not thank you enough for all that you have done for us, are doing and will do. We can only say "Praise God!!" for dying for us, for loving us, for caring for us and providing for us. You are WORTHY to be Praised! Our hearts are so grateful for your faithfulness. Help us, Dear Lord, to trust you more. In Jesus Name, Amen!
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PROVISION
Tuesday, August 2nd, 2011
Matthew 6:11 "Give us this day our daily bread."
This verse was a part of the model prayer that Jesus taught us to pray, and He taught us to ask daily for our provision. This bread represented not only our physical, but also our spiritual food, because His Name is Jehovah Jireh, our Provider.
Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011
Psalm 23:1 " The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want."
Our God is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, He is the First and the Last, He is God Almighty, All Powerful, Omnipotent, Omnicient, King of Kings and Lord of Lords! He is all that and much, much more!! Is it any wonder that He can provide for His precious sheep, His children, His beloved? All that we need is in Him. We just have to trust Him! He will not fail us!!
Dear Father Lord, maker of Heaven and Earth, and all that is within it are yours. We thank you for all your provision, whether it be food, clothing, protection, money, even Salvation! You made a way for it all. We are so grateful that we are in Your care, kind and loving Father, what better hands could we be in, and we know with assurance that you will take care of every one of our needs. For this we say thank you, thank you, thank you! In Jesus Name, Amen.
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Monday, August 1st, 2011
Exciting news!!
Save the Date!!! August 2nd, 3rd, & 4th, 2012
"Heading for High Places" Women's Retreat
Crane Resort, St. Phillip, Barbados, W.I.
Habakkuk 3:17-19
Come and be refreshed, revived and renewed spiritually and physically as well as pampered!
Stay tuned, more information coming soon..............God bless!
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Wednesday, July 27th, 2011
HEALING OF THE SOUL
Psalm 41:4 " I said, Lord, be merciful unto me: HEAL MY SOUL; for I have sinned against thee."
The soul is the seat of our emotions, passions, feelings, and desires. Job says in chapter 12:10 that the soul of every living thing is in the hand of the Lord. David was asking the Lord to heal his soul of sin he had committed and was asking for mercy from a repentant heart, he was "feeling" sorry for what he had done. While bodily healing is mentioned hundreds of times in the Scriptures, this is the only mention of Soul Healing.
HEALING OF HURT
Psalm 41:7 "All that hate me whisper together against me: against me do they devise my HURT." also vs. 9, "Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me."
These verses although written by David, could have pertained to himself or our Lord, the Messiah, because each statement could be understood of both men. "Lifted up his heel against me" means "taking action against someone or planning their HURT". "Which did eat of my bread"- meant that when an enemy was invited to eat at your house in the East, it was customary that you were then made friends, and rights of hospitality were not to be broken. It sealed the bond of mutual friendship, kindness and protection of each other. Verse 9 shows how Judas was a genuine trusted disciple and friend at one time, but he fell into transgression. Jesus did not want this to happen, but forsaw that Judas would not remain true to Him and thus Judas planned Jesus' "HURT" by delivering Him into the hands of His enemies. But Praise be unto God, we are living proof of the outcome of that "hurting plan" against our Lord, He bore all our sins and was crucified on a cross, was dead and buried, and rose again on the third day, with HEALING in His hands, victorious over death, hell and the grave, and today we can freely have Salvation. Because of that terrible plan to hurt our Lord, it set the plan in motion for our Salvation. Halleluia! This same Salvation is available to you today, simply pray this prayer from your heart:
"Lord Jesus, I give myself to you today. I open my heart and ask you to come in and wash my heart clean from all my sins, forgive all my transgressions and iniquities. I believe that you died on a cross for me, bearing all my sins, and that you were buried and rose again, and are alive today! And because I believe that, I am saved. I am yours, take my life and use it to Your Honour and Your Glory. In Jesus' Name, Amen."
If you prayed this prayer earnestly from your heart, you are saved! Please send us an email to let us know about your experience, and please share this devotion with your friends. May God richly bless you!
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Tuesday, July 26th, 2011
HEALING THE BROKENHEARTED
Luke 4:18 " The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised."
First of all, when a person is anointed by the Spirit of the Lord coming upon them, supernatural things happen. There is no example of the Spirit coming upon someone and leaving them powerless to do what they were called to do. If God gives you an assignment, He equips you to do the assignment. Jesus spoke this passage at the synagogue in Nazareth describing in essence His Ministry , and the basic ministry He passed on to us the church. He was anointed of God to be a healer and a messenger of freedom and comfort to all people, the poor and the needy, the brokenhearted - those wounded, hurting and crushed, the captives or prisoners - those bound, the blind - who were blind physically and spiritually, and to the bruised and to many more. God gave Jesus POWER, and He gave His disciples POWER, and that same power is available to us. Matthew 10:1b says "He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease."
Bruises show after a blow, the heart is broken after a blow, but Jesus is a HEALER, He repairs the brokenness, takes away the pain, and gives you His peace. Psalm 147:3 says "He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds." Give Him your heart today and let Him repair the brokenness. Send your prayer request on the website below. God bless you!
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Monday, July 25th, 2011
BODILY HEALING
Isaiah 23:25 " And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and He shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee."
As I promised, this week we are going to look at different types of healings. Last week Monday, we looked at Exodus 15:26 which was about bodily healing. Today we are going to look even deeper into that scripture as it relates to today's scripture. Exodus 15:26 points out four conditions of healing. They are:
Isaiah 23:22-25 also sets some conditions for healing:
and then He promises what He will do, if we are obedient:
Friday, July 22nd, 2011
HEALING
Isaiah 58:8 " Then shall your light break forth as the morning, and your health shall spring forth speedily: and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard."
Psalm 58 talks about the true fast. It also points out man's hypocrisy and self-righteousness in doing things our own way, a way in which we are comfortable. But if we can press through our struggles and be obedient to God's way, the rewards will be great. Our health and healing will spring forth quickly, our righteousness will be seen and we will be GLORY carriers, carrying about the Glory of the Lord!!! There are 10 kinds of healings mentioned in the scripture - Bodily healing, Soul healing, Healing of the land, Backslidings, Brokenhearts, Water, Hurt, Empires, National healing and healing of Nations-preservation of life. Next week we will take a look at some of these.
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Thursday, July 21st, 2011
HEALING
Isaiah 53:5 " But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed."
This Verse clearly states that bodily sickness was also included in the price Jesus had to pay for us by suffering on the Cross of Calvary. He not only made a way for Salvation and our redemption from sin, but also made a way for healing for our bodies. He was wounded for our transgressions (meaning sin, wickedness, rebellion), bruised for our iniquities (like bruises on the inside of the skin, this is the inward hidden sin, like hate, envy, jealousy, unforgiveness, etc.), chastised and punished for our peace, and He bore 39 stripes on his back for our healing. We can receive all this if we believe.........
Thank you Lord for the supreme sacrifice that You made for us, that we might be saved and healed by faith. In Jesus Name, Amen.~
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Wednesday, July 20th, 2011
HEALING
Psalm 107:20 " He sent His Word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions."
God alone can heal. He performs His healing through miraculous means (supernatural miracles), by natural means (Herbs, plants, medicines, etc.) and by human means (doctors, surgeons, nurses). Sometimes healing is instant, sometimes it is slow. Sometimes sickness is a result of sin, as in disobedience, going against the Will of God. In this Psalm, the text implies(vs.19) that we can cry out to God for deliverance from a repentant heart, as did Hezekiah in 2 Kings 20:11. After being informed by the Prophet Isaiah that he would die from his illness, he cried out to God and God heard him and healed him and added 15 years to his life (miraculous), but Isaiah also told him to apply a poultice of figs to his boil (human and natural healing).The Lord will hear such a cry, and we can speak the Word over ourselves for healing, as did Jesus for the Centurion's servant in Matt. 8:8. The Centurion had faith enough to believe that all Jesus had to do was speak the Word and his servant would be healed. He did not need Jesus to lay hands on his servant. He had great faith. Vs. 21 says "Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!" God is so GOOD to us, so MERCIFUL, LOVING and so KIND!!! Make Him your choice today, this healing is for you too!~
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Tuesday, July 19th, 2011
HEALING
James 5:16 " Confess your faults one to another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a Righteous man availeth much."
Just being able to express our feelings to a trusted friend brings so much healing. Keeping things bottled up will sometimes make us sick. Being able to admit our wrongs also brings healing as it frees us of the guilt and shame. And of course, we must pray one for the other. This keeps us humble, as we admit our dependance on God, our Healer. When we pray the prayer of faith, much can be accomplished.~
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Monday, July 18th, 2011
HEALING
Exodus 15:26 " And said, If you will diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord your God, and will do that which is right in His sight, and will give ear to His Commandments, and keep all His Statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon you, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord who heals you."
Key words -"For I am the LORD who heals you." God had to punish the Egyptians with many afflictions before Pharoah would let His people go free. Then after being miraculously delivered by way of the Red Sea, only three days later, here they are complaining because there was no drinkable water, the water at Marah was bitter. Are we not like that when we cannot have our own way. But Moses interceded for them, and the Lord showed him how to put a tree in the water, the water could become sweet. The tree was a symbol of the Cross of Jesus Christ, and the debt He paid for us there. Thus by putting the Cross or Jesus into the midst of our bitter problems and situations, whatever they may be, we can be healed. God promised that He would not bring the same afflictions on them IF they kept his Statutes and Ordinances. The healing promised here does not only mean from physical diseases, but emotional and spiritual diseases as well. It is our choice, we can be healed IF we make the choice to abide by and live by His Commandments and Statutes. these are His conditions. He is Jehovah Rapha, our healer. Claim Him as your healer today!~
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Friday, July 15th, 2011
Psalm 1:2 "But his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in His Law does he meditate day and night."
119:165 "Great peace have those who love Your Law, and nothing causes them to stumble."
We have spent two weeks looking at the importance of the Word of God. It is fact, it is truth, it is life, it is light, iit is pure, it is our guide, it is our delight and it is our instruction and much more, and nothing will change it, it is forever settled in heaven. If we delight in God's Law, His Word, we will be blessed, because it will teach us how to avoid the pitfalls set for us, and even when we fall, it will show us the way back up. We must keep our eyes fixed and focused on God, through His Word, not looking at our circumstances and situations around us. If we do these things, and in obedience, follow the instructions in His Word, GREAT shall be our peace, and He will keep us from stumbling. To God be the Glory! There are many more scriptures in the Bible concerning the Word, let's continue this study and seek them out for ourselves and see what the Lord is saying to us individually. God bless you!
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Thursday, July 14th, 2011
Proverbs 30:5. " Every Word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who trust in him."
6. "Do not add to His Words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar."
God's Word is PURE, ordained and inspired by God, the Almighty Creator of Heaven and Earth and all that is in it, how can we mortal beings think we know more than He. We have to be careful not to change, add to, or take away from His Word. We can trust that His Words are True, and if you have a question, ask Him, and He will give you clear revelation. When Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness while he fasted 40 days, he quoted the unadulterated Word of God to him. Let us be careful and reverent of the Word of God, memorizing it, so that we quote it correctly, and bring honour to our God.
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Wednesday, July 13th, 2011
Psalm 119:89. " Forever, O Lord, Your Word is settled in heaven."
Matthew 24:35 "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My Words will by no means pass away." Matthew 5:18 " For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled."
Luke 16:17 "And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail." Isaiah 40:8 "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever."
If you were questioning what I said yesterday about the fact that God will NEVER go back on His Word, these scriptures confirm that God's Word will NEVER change. As I said before, what He said He will do......He will do! His promises are sure! His Word is settled in heaven. Man may try to pervert the scriptures by changing things to suit themselves as the false prophets do, and the Bible warns us to beware of them, but God 's Word will never change or fail! A tittle is a very small mark, this word is used to emphasize that not even one little jot or mark of God's Word will change. God 's word is true, it is sure, and it is forever settled! I challenge you to find out for yourself! Look in the scriptures!
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Tuesday, July 12th, 2011
Psalm 119:50. " This is my comfort in my affliction, for Your Word has given me LIFE."
When your body, soul or mind is afflicted, speak the Word of God. Speak the promises of God, put God in remembrance of His Word. God will not go back on His Word. If He said it He will do it, He does not lie. Speak it, and in faith believe, and you shall receive, because there is LIFE in the Word!!!!
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Monday, July 11th, 2011
Psalm 119:11. " Your Word have I hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You."
The only way to be able to resist sin, is to obey the Word of God. When Jesus was tempted when He had fasted 40 days in the wilderness, He spoke the Word of God to the devil. That was His defense and it worked. That is why it is so important to read and study the Word of God, and it is also important to memorize as much of it as we can, so that we can hide it in our hearts", and pull it out when we need it to fight off temptation and the enemy. It is a weapon of warfare, the Sword, so let the Word of God be in your hearts and on your lips. Speak the Word. Amen.
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Friday, July 8th, 2011
Psalm 119:105. " Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
140. Your Word is very pure; therefore Your servant loves it. 160. The entirety of Your Word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever."
The Word of God is a lamp and a light for us, it illuminates the path that we should take, it gives us instructions, shows us the way to go in every circumstance and every situation we encounter. It is very pure, it is Holy, it is all God. It is truth, if God said it, it "will" come to pass. God does not go back on His Word, and His Word will stand throughout eternity. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever." Hebrews `13:8 Amen!
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Thursday, July 7th, 2011
Psalm 119:66. " Teach me good judgement and knowledge, For I believe Your commandments.
68. You are good, and do good; Teach me your statutes."
Dear Father, I want to know you better and to hear you clearer, so that I can walk righteously before You. Forgive all my sins, my shortcomings, my iniquity and my disobedience. Open the eyes of my understanding that I may see and gain knowledge and understanding as I read your Precious Word. Teach me how to read it, how to disect the scriptures, and Dear Lord, allow your Holy Spirit to reveal Your truths, to enlighten me, and help me to apply your Word to my life daily, that I may grow with good judgement and character, so that I can live according to your statutes, and be used effectively by You to bless others, to encourage, to edify, to help, to work in your Vineyard, and to win souls to the Kingdom. I thank you Lord for hearing this humble prayer, and I ask all these things in the Precious Name of Jesus, Amen.
"Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, and I shall keep it to the end." Psalm119:33 Amen!
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Wednesday, July 6th, 2011
Psalm 138:2. " I will worship toward Your Holy Temple, and praise Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; for you have magnified Your Word above all Your Name."
Let us worship the Lord. "You alone are my God, my King, you are Jehovah Rapha (My Healer), Jehovah Jireh (My provider), Jehovah Nissi (My Banner), Jehovah Shammah (You are with me), Jehovah Shalom (My Prince of Peace), Jehovah Tsidkenu (My Righteousness), Jehovah sabaoth (The Lord of Hosts), Jehovah Raah (My Shepherd), Adonai (My Lord), Elohim (the Creator), El Shaddai (the All Sufficient One), El Elyon (God Most High), Lord you are all this and more, Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. You are Sovereign, the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, we exalt and magnify Your Name. We worship you, we glorify you and bless Your Holy Name!"
"O Lord, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth..." Psalm. 8:1 There are many, many scriptures exalting the Name of the Lord, but in spite of this, Psalm 138:2b says He magnifies His WORD above ALL His Name. This is an awesome revelation, which shows us in no uncertain terms, how important His Word is! So important, that He magnifies it ABOVE His Name. "Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, and I shall keep it to the end." Psalm119:33 Amen!
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Tuesday, July 5th, 2011
Psalm 119:15. " I will meditate on Your precepts, and contemplate Your ways.
16. I will delight myself in Your satutes; I will not forget Your Word"
God wants us to read, to ponder, to disect, to learn, to get instruction, to be obedient to His Word. We can question Him about the things we do not understand, and He will answer, just be patient. As we look into the scriptures, let us dig into each word and see what the Lord is telling us. Read verses before and after to get a full understanding of His Precious Word. Let us delight ourselves in His Word!
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Monday, July 4th, 2011
Psalm 118:24 " This is the day that the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."
We are rejoicing because we are finally back on line after having many technical problems for two months! God has restored all and we are so grateful! Today is a day of celebration for many, Americans celebrate their Independence, my Husband and I celebrated 19 years of marriage, King's Heart Ministries is celebrating one year of existance, and many more, but most of all we are rejoicing because the Lord has allowed us to see yet another beautiful day, a day that He designed and orchestrated.........just because He loves us! So no matter the circumstances, no matter the situations, no matter the trials, no matter the hurts, the heartaches, the financial difficulties, the problems with children, co-workers, family, whatever may be going on in your life, just stop and give God a high note of Praise, for He is WORTHY to be PRAISED!!! HALLELUIA!!!!! Thank you Lord!!
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Thursday, April 21st, 2011
Luke 23:46 "And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, He said, Father into your hands I commend My Spirit: and having said thus, He gave up the ghost."
It was finished. The purpose for which Jesus came to earth was fulfilled. His purpose in coming was to die. He had done what the Father had required of Him. He was despised and rejected by mankind. He had borne all our griefs and carried all our sorrows. The Lord had laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He that had no sin became sin for us. He suffered, bled and died, alone on that cross for you and for me. Because of His Love for us, He "willingly" laid down His Life. He could have called 10 thousand angels to rescue Him, but He didn't, He could have murmured and complained, but He didn't. Instead, "He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes, we are healed." Isaiah 53:5. The price for our redemption was paid in full, all sin was atoned, and His death became His Glory. The way was made not only for our Salvation, but the veil was torn in two, giving us access to the Father. We can now have a personal relationship with the Father, we don't have to go by way of the Priest, we don't have to slay any animals anymore. We can now approach the Throne of Grace, in faith, believing. What love the Father has bestowed on us that He would give up His only begotten Son to die for us. "What is man that thou art mindful of Him?" Psalm 8:4. Why does He love me so....I don't know.... but I am SO glad He does. What about you?
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Wednesday, April 20th, 2011
Matthew 27:29 "And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon His head, and a reed in His right hand: and they bowed the knee before Him, and mocked Him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!"
27:30 "And they spit upon Him, and took the reed, and smote Him on the head."
27:31 "And after that they had mocked Him, they took the robe off from Him, and put His own raiment on Him, and led him away to crucify Him."
After having studied the scriptures Mark 9:42-48 last week, and learning about hell and the fire that will never be quenched and the worm (man) that will not die, meaning those that will not accept the Lord Jesus into their hearts, will go to hell where they will burn forever and ever and the fire will never be put out and they will never die. Again I will reiterate how hard it is to imagine a fire that will burn for eternity, and how Jesus tried to really warn us, as He repeated Himself 5 times about the fire that will not be quenched, 3 times about the worm that will not die, and He mentioned hell 3 times. So this drives home the seriousness of what He was saying, that it would cause Him to repeat Himself so many times. I have not been able to move on to another scripture as I had to do some real soul searching and repenting, and am still asking the Lord to show me any wicked way in me so that I might ask forgiveness.
How fitting though a week later, here we are commemorating Easter, and what Jesus did for us on the cross of Calvary to make a way for our sins to be forgiven, that we might obtain the Grace of God in our lives. He died that we might be forgiven and receive eternal life! Isaiah 53:5 says "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are healed." Jesus paid the price for humanity to be redeemed by taking on all the sins of the world and suffering through the beatings, the mockings and scorn, having a crown of thorns put on His head and a sword piercing His side and then being crucified on a cross. He did all that for you and me, to make a way just so that we would not perish, but have everlasting life! I love Him so much for doing that for me, but He loves me even more, and He loves you too. Won't you accept Him today before it is too late?
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Tuesday, April 12th, 2011
Mark 9:43 "And if your hand offend you, cut it off: it is better for you to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched."
9:44 "Where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched."
9:45 "And if your foot offend you, cut it off: it is better for you to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:"
9:46 "Where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched."
9:47 "And if your eye offend you, pluck it out: it is better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:"
9:48 "Where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched.
These verses contain a very SERIOUS warning, that cannot be taken lightly. Jesus is using the hand, the foot and the eye, as symbols of things that cause us to sin. He is warning that it is FAR better to get rid of those things that could cause us to go to hell, to rid ourselves of the stumbling blocks or sins NOW, than to be cast into eternal torment by fire. If anyone ever wondered if there is a hell, you can see from these verses that Jesus talked about it plainly. He not only mentioned the name, He further explained that the fire will never go out or be quenched, and says it FIVE times!!! Jesus was a man that spoke what He meant. He could not lie, so for Him to say this FIVE times, means it was EXTREMELY IMPORTANT!!
Then He further explains that the worm does not die, along with the fire not ever being quenched. I have found 3 different schools of thought concerning the meaning of this "worm" that never dies, but the one I think is right is that the "worm" refers to "man", as it is used several times in the Bible (Job 25:6, Psalm 22:6, Isaiah 41:14 and 66:24). the conciousness and life of an individual who goes to hell, will forever feel remorse at not doing what they could have done to avoid the penalty of hell fire.
Now that you know for sure there is a hell, a fire that will not be quenched, think about it, and that individuals that end up there will not die, but will continue to burn FOREVER in the fire, are you ready to do it God's way, rather than suffer these horrific consequences of sin? Why not ask Jesus to come into your heart right now....today? Just say this prayer......
Dear Lord Jesus, I ask you to forgive all my sins, wash me in your precious blood. Come into my life and be my Saviour. I believe you died on a cross for me, was buried, and rose again on the Third Day. Take charge of my life, I ask these things in the Name of Jesus, Amen
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Monday, April 11th, 2011
Mark 9:42 "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea."
We have to be VERY careful how we handle God's precious "little ones" (the new babes in Christ, new believers, new converts or immature disciples). In the verse above, Jesus makes it very clear how He feels about anyone who causes His little ones to stumble, to sin or to be hindered in their discipleship. A millstone was the one that donkeys turned in circles to grind wheat, it was very large and very heavy, and if thrown into the sea with this around one's neck, drowning would be a sure thing. As terrible as drowning is, Jesus was saying that it would be "better" than suffering the consequences or punishments that would follow if you cause the downfall of one of His precious babes. Therefore, be warned to be very careful in handling those who are new in the Faith.
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Friday, April 1st, 2011
PRAYER
Matthew 6: 9 "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11. Give us this day our daily bread.
12. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen"
This was the model prayer given by Jesus, that all might know how to pray. It is to be prayed in full confidence that the Heavenly Father will hear and answer according to His Will.
The seven-fold way to pray to get answers (James 1:6)
Dear Father God, We praise and magnify your name today. We are seeking your face, for your Will to be done in our lives on earth as it is in heaven. Father as we search your Word on prayer, we ask that you hide Your Word in our hearts that we might not sin against you, thank you for the many many scriptures on prayer, and please teach us your Word which is our daily bread. Forgive all our sins and come into our hearts afresh, we forgive all that have wronged us in any way, and when we are tempted to sin, please make a way of escape from the evil one. We know that you are the Holy One, the Almighty, the Everlasting Father, and Yours is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory, in Jesus' Name, Amen.
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Thursday, March 31st, 2011
PRAYER
James 5:14 "Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:" Vs. 15a "And the prayer of faith shall save the sick,....."
James tells us to call on Pastors/Elders to pray over us when we are sick, anointing us with oil in the Name of Jesus. Anointing with oil has no medicinal purpose, but it is merely symbolic of the healing of God by the Holy Spirit. Praying in agreement with someone else and joining your faith, gives more power. Matthew 18:19 says "....If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven."When the prayer of faith is prayed and the Name of Jesus invoked, the Lord will raise up the sick. This power to heal is promised to every believer, not only the elders/Pastors of the church. There are many scriptures that promise us that if we pray, and in faith believe, we SHALL receive. (Matthew 21:22, Mark 9:23, 11:23-24, John 14:12-14)
Dear Lord Jesus, We thank you that you said if we believe in you, then we will be able to do even greater works than you did, and if we ask anything in Your Name, You will do it, help us to pray in faith believing, never doubting, in Jesus' Name, Amen.
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Wednesday, March 30th, 2011
PRAYER
John 5:14 "And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according to His Will, He hears us:" Vs. 15 "And if we know that He hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him."
This week we have looked at praying boldly, fervently, effectually, and now we will look at praying with CONFIDENCE that our prayers WILL be answered. God cannot deny His Word. He is not a man that He should lie. If He said it, then it is so. So in order to pray effectively, we have to pray according to His Will, and this means according to what the Word says. We have to put Him in remembrance of His Word, pray His Word, speak His Word, believe His Word and declare His Word with CONFIDENCE, knowing that He will do what He says, expecting the answers as sure as if we already have them.
Heavenly Father, How blessed we are as believers to be able to pray to You with the confidence and assurance that if we pray according to Your Will, you will hear us, and you will grant our petitions. We thank you Lord, in Jesus Name. Amen.
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Tuesday, March 29th, 2011
PRAYER
James 5:16 "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a Righteous man availeth much."
James tells us to be honest enough to admit our faults, failings and sins to someone else. God already knows what we have done, but to be able to speak about it to someone else requires humility and honesty. It helps us acknowledge the fault and face our wrong. It also frees us from the bondage of shame, that the enemy tries to hold us with, if we let him. Also we should pray for one another so that our sicknesses may be healed, but we are to pray earnestly and with passion (fervent), but also making sure that our hearts are right before God, so that we will see the results(effectual) we require as our prayers are answered.
Dear Lord, help us to be open and honest and to be able to share our faults with someone we trust. Teach us to pray earnestly and sincerely from a heart of faith, so that we may receive the required answers to our prayers. Amen.
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Monday, March 28th, 2011
PRAYER
Hebrews 4:16 "Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain Mercy, and find Grace to help in time of need."
God has given us permission to come to the Throne of Grace with our concerns, troubles and situations. The Throne of Grace is a place of Divine Power, where we can meet with God by way of the vehicle of PRAYER. It is a place from which all Grace abounds. He not only bids us to come, but to come boldly, not in fear, letting our petitions be made known.
In Israel, the Throne of Grace was the mercy-seat or covering for the Ark of the Covenant between the two cherubim. The High Priest was allowed to approach this once a year and that with the blood of atonement. If he transgressed in anything he would be struck dead. His approach was with fear and trembling.
New covenant believers can come boldly to God's Throne without fear and trembling, daily and at any time of the day. This is the freedom, confidence and liberty of approach that we have. We have absolute confidence of access to God by way of the blood that was shed at Calvary which removed the sin which had separated us from God, giving us free access. If we have sin in our lives, we do not and cannot have this liberty of access. God will not hear our prayers.
Let us pray: Most Gracious and Eternal Lord, I come boldly to your throne, because you bid me come. I have sinned and fallen short of your Glory. I am sorry for all my sin, whether in thought, in word, or in deed. I repent and ask your forgiveness. I thank you for the forgiveness, mercy and grace you so freely give. In Jesus Name. Amen.
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Friday, March 25th, 2011
SUFFERING
Job 1:21 "And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither; the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."
1:22 "In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly."
We cannot speak about suffering and sorrow without speaking about Job, a perfect and upright man who feared God and hated evil. Job was very rich and had it all, wife, 7 sons, 3 daughters, land, a great household with servants, cattle, 500 yoke of oxen, 5 hundred she asses, 7 thousand sheep, and 3 thousand camels (can you imagine!).......but Job lost every one of those possessions, verses 14-19. God loved Job, and was bragging to satan about him and how faithful he was, so satan desired to sift Job, to try and test him to see if he would remain as faithful as God said.
Job's family died, he lost all his possessions and beside that, he became very sick. When all those things happened to Job, verse 20 says Job tore his robe, shaved his head (in exceeding sorrow) and fell to the ground and worshipped God. He worshipped God!!! It also says Job sinned not, and nor did he blame God. Job was an excellent example of how we should deal with our pain and suffering. The loss of a loved one, pain and sickness or a broken marriage can make your heart ache so much it becomes physical, but God's Grace is sufficient for you to make it through these difficult times. Lean on Him, call to Him and be encouraged, that you CAN make it through to victory. You are more than a conqueror!
1 Peter 5:10 "But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you."
5:11 "To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen."
Have a blessed and safe weekend!
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Wednesday, March 24th, 2011
SUFFERING
2 Timothy 1:12 "For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day."
The Apostle Paul again speaks here of his suffering. He tells how he suffered those things for the reason of establishing the Church. Apparently some were ashamed of Paul and the fact that he had been imprisoned, but Paul boldly proclaimed that he was not ashamed, the reason was because he knew the Lord Jesus Christ in a personal way, in whom he believed, and was fully persuaded that the Lord was able to keep and preserve his soul through every trial and tribulation. The soul which he had committed to God until such time as the Lord would return on that Day to collect His Church, His Bride.
Like Paul, we too, need to have that same victorious attitude when we are going through. Some situations we face are so painful and overwhelming, we just want to give up, but God has a good plan for our lives, plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. So don't get weary in well doing for in due season (soon) you SHALL reap a harvest, if you don't give up.
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Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011
SUFFERING
2 Corinthians 4:17-18
17. "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory."
18. "While we do not look at the thing which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal."
As we continue our journey on the road of suffering, we can be encouraged by the scripture above. Paul was explaining that whatever we are going through is only a light affliction compared to what our Lord Jesus had to suffer. He made the supreme sacrifice on Calvary's Cross, and if we can hold on and make it THROUGH our suffering, which is not for long, we will receive the Glory of God.Have you ever been in a storm, or a hurricane? How long did they stay in one place? Not long, they are always moving, whether slow or fast. So it is with our afflictions, they are here a little while, because they are always moving. You will not be in it forever.
God will bring us to a place of victory and glory, and will give us a more exceeding reward of Glory at the Resurrection. We will be His "Glory Carriers". The Glory of God's anointing and power will be upon us. So let us not worry about the things that we can see, which are our trials and sufferings on this earth, but let us await with anticipation the unseen things, which are what God has prepared for us when He returns for His Church. It will FAR outweigh anything in the earth realm, and it will be for all eternity. Are you ready for his appearance?
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Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011
SUFFERING
2 Corinthians 4:7-9
7. "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of GOD and not of us."
8. "We are hardpressed on every side, yet not in despair;"
9. "persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed-" (NKJV)
Our trials do not just happen, they are allowed by God to bring about a specific result in our lives. That is how we grow, become strong and build character. How could we know how strong we are if we never had a trial? How could we know how much we have grown if we are not tested? We are the earthen vessels spoken of, just mere clay, but the priceless treasure within, is the Power of the Holy Spirit that dwells in us. And it is only by the Grace of God and the Power of the Holy Spirit that we are not in despair, or forsaken or destroyed. Trials and tribulations may knock us down, but we are not out, God is with us in every trial, and we can get back up again and press on.
Paul knew what he was speaking about here, because he himself had to go through so much persecution and suffering, he was beaten many times, locked up in jail, bitten by a snake, to name just a few, all to the Glory of God as he went about winning souls for the Lord, but God was with him. Like Paul, we too can make it through our sufferings, by the "excellence of the power of God", not in our own strength. If we persevere, God WILL get the Glory from our lives, and we will go from strength to strength in our Christian walk as God's Glory is revealed in us. Be encouraged!!
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Monday, March 21st, 2011
SUFFERING
1 Peter 4:12 "Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;"
4:13 "but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His Glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy." (NKJV)
After we submit and commit our lives to the Lord Jesus Christ, there is a time of testing. God will allow some things in our lives to try us to see if we are really committed to Him. Peter was speaking to the Jewish Believers and encouraging them to be courageous through their persecution. Persecution can cause us to either grow or to be bitter. It is our choice, and our response will determine the outcome. As Believers, our character and conduct must be above reproach.
Many times when going through our trials and tribulations we question "why me?" But these verses explain that just as Christ suffered, so should we. Praise God, our sufferings are no where as bad as what He had to go through, but we have that blessed hope, that when His Glory is revealed, we can rejoice and be exceeding glad. We know the story has a happy ending! Halleluia!!
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Friday, March 18th, 2011
GRACE
2 Corinthians 13:14 "The GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Love of God, and the Communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen."
What is a Benediction? It is the asking of a blessing from God, an nnouncement, declaration, or decree over someone. It is usually at the end of service or gathering. The Apostle Paul spoke the benediction (above) over the Corinthian Church after he had instructed them concerning true Christian principles and Ministry. He desired to bless them, and after a week of looking at the "GRACE of God", I would like for you to blessed in like manner. So today, I decree and declare, the Sanctifying GRACE (unmerited favour) of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Son), and the Divine Love of God (the Father), and the Sweet Communion (fellowship) of the Holy Spirit (the Comforter), be with you all. In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen!!
Have a BLESSED and SAFE and GODLY weekend!
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Thursday, March 17th, 2011
GRACE
Hebrews 4:16 "Let us come boldly unto the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain Mercy, and find Grace to help in time of need."
The Lord bids us to come to Him BOLDLY in prayer (having no fear, knowing to whom we belong, like a child to a parent, knowing that the parent will favour him/her because the parent loves him/her, but with an attitude of love, respect and reverence) unto the Throne of Grace (a place of Divine Authority and Power, a place from where favour proceeds, the source of boundless Grace, a place where we can find favour we have not earned) that we may obtain Mercy (goes hand in hand with Grace, Mercy is what God gives us instead of the penalty we really deserve for our sin), but we have to pray boldly for this Mercy and very often we have to pray for Mercy for someone else (one another) as well. And the same way God is merciful unto us, He expects us to be merciful unto others. We cannot be without his Grace and Mercy especially in time of need, and we need a fresh supply every day! The Psalm 23:6 ends by promising "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us, ALL the days of our lives and we shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever! Amen!
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Wednesday, March 16th, 2011
GRACE
2 Corinthians 12:9 "And He said unto me, My Grace is sufficient for you: for My strength is made perfect in weakness."
Have you ever had to go through something that made you feel overwhelmed, like it was just too much, that you couldn't handle it, that you could not make it through? I am sure most of us have had a situation like this at one time or another, but yet, after a while, when you look back, you are still here, you made it through, the situation is dealt with and may be behind you, or it could still be with you, yet you have made it thus far, and you press on.........
The Apostle Paul was just like that, he had a thorn in his flesh (the Bible does not say what it was), and he asked God three times to take it away. But God did not take it away, but told Paul "My Grace is sufficient for you: for My strength is made perfect in weakness", meaning God's favor was upon Paul and he was given strength enough to overcome any situation that would arise, not in any strength of his own, but in the strength of the Lord........even with the thorn still there.
We have assurance in scripture where the Lord promises us that "He will never give us more than we can bear". Therefore, if God trusts us with that situation, then we know with an assurance He will give us the GRACE needed to get through it if we can just put our faith and trust in Him to bring us through.
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Tuesday, March 15th, 2011
GRACE
James 4:6 "But He gives more Grace. Wherefore He said, God resists the proud, but gives Grace unto the humble."
Pride promotes strife. God resists the proud. He exalts the man/woman of lowly estate, the one that humbles himself/herself. But no matter how many times we sin, or fail, He gives us MORE GRACE every time we come back to Him. If He gave us what we deserve, no one would be left on the earth. But God is not short on Grace. He gives it, and gives it and gives it again.
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Monday, March 14th, 2011
GRACE
Ephesians 2:8 "For by Grace are you saved through Faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the Gift of God:"
Grace is the Goodness of God, it is unmerited favour, in other words favour that we have not, could not and would not earn. It is strictly and freely given to us from God the Father because of His Love for us. We definitely do not deserve it, but He still gives it to us, and for that we are extremely grateful. Thank you Lord!
For those who have been called out of darkness into God's Marvellous Light (Salvation), it is through faith in Christ and His sacrifice on the Cross of Calvary, and purely the GRACE of God by which we have been saved. It is not because of anything we have done, but all is of Him. It is a GIFT from our Father God.
Have you ever noticed sometimes we ask God for something, but we mess up and sin, and even though we repent we know we don't deserve to even ask anything of Him, let alone receive it....but in His Love and Mercy, He sometimes still blesses us with that thing......that is GRACE!!!
Hymn: Grace, Grace, God's Grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within,
Grace, Grace, God's Grace,
Grace that is Greater than all our sin.
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Friday, March 11th, 2011
HE IS COMING SOON! ARE YOU READY??
1 Thessalonians 4:17 "Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."
Vs. 18, "Wherefore comfort one another with these words."
Yesterday, we talked about the "dead in Christ". In case you were wondering, those that are yet "alive in Christ"(living believers) at the time of His return, will not be forgotten. After the "dead in Christ"(the resurrected believers) will be caught up in the air with Jesus, then straightway, as the verse above says, those yet alive will also be caught up to meet Him in the air, and all will be transported to Heaven for a period of about 7 years, which will be the Tribulation years, when the enemy will be loosed on the earth, and it will be much harder than before for those left behind to serve God, there will be perilous times, such as have never been before.
But Praise be unto God, those believers who are or were serving God before the Rapture will be spared all of this. This will be the reward for those who accepted and believed in The Lord Jesus Christ and what He did for us on the cross of Calvary. They will be taken out of the earthly realm with all its wickedness and peril, and kept safe in Heaven with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Isn't this reason enough to accept Him and serve Him while you can?? Don't you want this GLORIOUS future, free from sickness, pain, death and the like? Please don't let pride and rebellion keep you from the Glorious Rapture that the Saints of God are eagerly looking forward to, and by which we comfort and encourage one another.
Will you accept Him today before it is too late??
Song: Some golden daybreak, Jesus will come,
Some golden daybreak, battles all won,
He'll shout the Victory
Break through the blue
Some golden daybreak, for me and for you.
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Thursday, March 10th, 2011
HE IS COMING SOON! ARE YOU READY??
1 Thessalonians 4:15 "For this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
Vs. 16, For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the Trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:"
These verses reiterate the fact that the dead "in Christ" (meaning born again Christians who died) shall rise first to be with the Lord when He returns for His Church.
This represents the Doctrine of the Rapture of the Church, when the Lord Himself (in person), shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel (Michael). The Lord will not come right down to the earth, but will come close. We are told in Acts 1:11 that "this same Jesus who ascended "into" Heaven, will return in like manner". He will catch up all the Saints to be with Him in the air, the dead shall be resurrected first and they shall be transported to Heaven in their new Glorified bodies.
Can you just picture that scene? What a GLORIOUS thought!! The Bible says that God does nothing unless He tells His Prophets first. The Prophets are saying how close the Lord's Coming is, all the signs are in place. 1 Peter 4:7 says "the end of all things is at hand, be ye therefore sober and watchful unto prayer." I cannot stress enough how important it is to be ready!!!!
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Wednesday, March 9th, 2011
HE IS COMING SOON! ARE YOU READY??
1 Thessalonians 4:13 "But I would not have you to be ignorant, Brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that you sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
Vs. 14, For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him."
Have you ever wondered what happens to you when you die? Many people fear death....but today I have some comforting news for you. If you make the Lord Jesus Christ your choice, and allow Him to come into your heart and life, and be your Lord and Master, you can have ETERNAL life. Death holds no terror for the Believer, because when Believers die, the Bible says "We are confident........to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord."
(2 Corinthians 5:8) At death, the soul and spirit of the Child of God instantly go to be with Jesus, while the physical body returns to dust.
In the scriptures above, Paul was explaining to the Thessalonian Christians that they need not worry and sorrow when someone dies who is a Christian, as those who do not know the Lord. Those individuals who are not Believers have much to sorrow for, because they will have no hope of being a part of the coming "Rapture", when our Lord returns for those who believe in Him, and Him crucified, dead, and risen again, having paid the price for the remission of their sins. So just as Christ was resurrected, so will the Believers "who sleep in Jesus" be resurrected. When the Lord returns for His Church, the souls and spirits of each individual will come with Jesus to be reunited with their glorified bodies.
How wonderful is that! What blessed hope for the Believers, and it can be yours also, just get right with God and you will be included!!!
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Tuesday, March 8th, 2011
HE IS COMING SOON! ARE YOU READY??
Matthew 25:13 "Watch, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh."
As believers, we look forward to the day of the return of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, because we know He will return to collect all those who have died as christians and also those christians who are yet alive. This verse (above) follows the parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1-12), which tells that there were 5 wise virgins who had prepared and had oil and extra oil, and 5 foolish virgins who had only the oil in their lamps. They were on their way to meet the Bridegroom for the marriage feast. While they waited, they all slept and the oil in their lamps burned out. At Midnight there was a shout "The Bridegroom cometh, go out and meet him!" All the virgins arose and trimmed their lamps, but the five foolish found that their oil had run out. They then tried to borrow from the 5 wise virgins, but were told to go and buy some for themselves. The story says that when they went to buy, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went in to the marriage feast and the door was shut. When the five foolish virgins returned they tried to get in, but the answer was "I know you not".
The five wise virgins signified the believers who are prepared and ready for the Lord's return (The Rapture). The five foolish are those who are not living right and who do not have the light of Christ (The Holy Spirit) in their lives. As you can see from this parable, we need to be WATCHFUL for signs of the Lord's return, and also to be READY, so that we will not be left behind when He returns for His people.
Are you like the wise virgins or the foolish virgins? Get ready before it is too late!
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Thursday and Friday, March 3rd and 4th, 2011
Ephesians 5:26 "that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word."
5:27 "that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be HOLY and without blemish."
We have been dealing with HOLINESS this week, acknowledging that we cannot come to a Holy God with sin in our hearts. God knows we will fall short, but we are to get back on track as quickly as we can, by repenting and not harbouring any sin in our hearts. Things like unforgiveness must be dealt with as soon as possible. Realizing our God is a patient and long suffering God, but we don't want the Holy Spirit to leave us because we are holding on to sin in our hearts.
In Psalm 51 David prayed for forgiveness of sin. He repented humbly before God. In verse 10 he asked God to create in him a clean heart and renew a right spirit (attitude), and right after that in verse 11, he said "Cast me not away from your presence; and take not Your Holy Spirit from me." If sin is not dealt with and we continue in our rebellious ways, God will eventually cast us away from His Presence and take the Holy Spirit from us. We cannot live any old way and expect the blessings of a Holy God. And this goes for all sins we commit. Do we show love for one another? Are we kind, compassionate, considerate and encouraging? Or are we envious, jealous or hateful toward one another. We HAVE to repent and turn away from that sin in obedience to God's Word. We like to hold on to stuff and have our own way, then we wonder why things are going wrong.........we are not fooling God, and it may just be that God is not pleased!
I encourage you today and I encourage myself, let us be quick to repent, and turn from our wicked ways, and be a church without spot or wrinkle, HOLY, without blemish, to please our HOLY God, and to be ready for the return of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ!
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Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011
Ephesians 1:4 "just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love."
Before we were thought of, conceived or born, the Lord knew each one of us, and had a plan for our lives. He chose us, and because of that, we are to be holy and blameless before Him. We cannot straddle the fence, we cannot live any old way, we have to live by God's principles and instructions which will lead us to a clean and pure life in love before Him. This is what He requires of us. Anything less, will not do. He has given us all the tools we need in His Word, to be able to do it. The Holy Spirit will empower us, so let's be obedient and see what God has for us, so that we can share it with others.
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Tuesday, March 1st, 2011
2 Corinthians 7:1 "Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."
In the scriptures, we are promised many, many wonderful blessings of the Lord, one of which is Eternal Life with our Father in Heaven. In order for these blessings to manifest in our lives, there are certain requirements, one of which is to be Holy! It is therefore imperative that we renew our commitment to the Lord each day, asking Him to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness, to give us a clean and pure heart and renew a right spirit within us. We must do this in obedience, in reverence and in the fear of a Holy God! God wants a church without spot or wrinkle, so we must do this in order to be ready when Christ returns for His Bride, the Church, the SOON coming of our Lord Jesus!
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Monday, Feb. 28th, 2011
Giving thanks and honour to God my Father for another day of life, health and strength....... another week to share the Word of God with you......... another year that He has brought me through safe from dangers seen and unseen........... and yet another Birthday!!!
1 Peter 1:15 "but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct."
What does "HOLY" mean? It means consecrated, set apart for service to God, spiritually perfect, pure in heart, sacred. We serve a HOLY God, who has inspired the writings in the HOLY Bible which is our instruction manual, thus, we are expected to live a HOLY life, as following these examples and instructions in obedience. Holiness does not come overnight, but is a continual process as long as we are in this earthly realm, as we strive to obtain that spiritual perfection that our hearts long for, and as the Lord God requires of us. God called us out of darkness into His marvelous light, so we have to be determined to allow the Holy Spirit to guide and empower us so that in ALL our conduct, we may live Holy and righteous, which is required by, and pleasing to, our Holy God.
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Friday, Feb. 25th, 2011
1 Peter 1:16 "because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."
God expects us to live a holy and sanctified life after we receive the gift of Salvation. This can only come by way of the Holy Spirit, who will develop holiness in our lives, if we walk in obedience to God's Word. He is holy, therefore we should walk in holiness in like manner, for we are made in His Image, so we should strive to be like Him.
This is also for those who have been saved a long time, we should forever be doing "heart maintenance", continually being humble enough to go back to the Cross and confess our sins and ask for forgiveness, making sure that sin does not reside in our hearts and block us from God. We do this to keep our hearts pure and holy before a Holy God.
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Thursday, Feb. 24th, 2011
1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
So if we confess our sins, repenting with humble and contrite hearts, we will receive the blessing of being forgiven our sins and iniquities, and our hearts will be made clean, washed in the Blood of the Lamb, made white as snow, free from the guilt and shame of the past, forgiven and now in right standing with the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, a joint heir with the Father, a royal priesthood, a chosen generation, Children of the Most High God and blessed to be able to live with Him forever in Eternity.
God has so much for us, if we but open ourselves to receive Him, seek Him and all these things will be added unto us.
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Wednesday, Feb. 23rd, 2011
1 John 1:8 "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."
The Bible says "All have sinned", so let's be real and confess that we each have sinned and failed God at times. This shows us we have to have a repentant heart before God. We must humble ourselves and ask His forgiveness daily in order to walk in right standing with Him. We cannot deceive ourselves into thinking we have arrived, but continue ever pressing forward to the mark of the prize of the high calling of God which is in Christ Jesus.
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Tuesday, Feb. 22nd, 2011
Acts 16:30b ".........What must I do to be saved?"
Say this prayer........but you must mean it from your heart............
Heavenly Father, I confess I am a sinner. I acknowledge my sinful state, and realize that I am eternally dead and on my way to hell. But, I now confess my belief that, because of your love for me, you sent Jesus Christ = your only Son - to die for me. I believe that He arose from the dead so that I may have eternal life. Based on these beliefs, I invite Your Son, Jesus Christ, to come and live in my heart, and save me from my sin.
I now submit myself to you, Lord Jesus.. Take me and make me what you want me to be, In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen!
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Monday, Feb. 21st, 2011
Rev. 3:20a "Behold I stand at the door and knock, if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him."
Is Jesus knocking on your heart's door? Answer the door and let Him come in.....He is waiting, don't miss your opportunity!
If you desire to be prayed with or for, please let us know by return email and we can make arrangements, or you put a prayer request on the website below.
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Friday, Feb. 18th, 2011
Let's continue on THE ROMANS ROAD to SALVATION.
Romans 6:22 "But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, you have your fruit unto Holiness, and the end Everlasting Life."
If you have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour, you are now free from the bondage of sin, and you have become servants of the Most High God, meaning that you no longer serve the devil, you have changed Masters and you now serve a Holy God. This will result in living a life of holiness which the Holy Spirit will bring about in your life in due time, and the end result will be Eternal Life with our Lord, providing you make the cross the object of your Faith, denying self and living a life of sowing to the Spirit.
If you or someone you know has received Salvation during this study, please email us and let us rejoice with you!
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Wednesday, Feb. 16th & Thursday, Feb. 17th, 2011
Let's continue on THE ROMANS ROAD to SALVATION.
Romans 10:9 "..that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
(10) For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
Believing that the Lord Jesus is your Saviour, that He died for you and that God raised Him from the dead, and speaking about it with your mouth gives you victory over the devil and you are saved!
So the next stop on our path is:-
- If you know that God is knocking on your heart's door, ask Him to come into your heart.
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Monday, Feb. 14th, & Tuesday Feb. 15th, 2011
Hope everyone had a very Happy Valentine's Day!!!!
Matthew 26:38 "Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
vs. 39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt."
Recently I spoke on the topic, "When Love Says NO!!"
When Jesus went into the Garden of Gathsemane with Peter, James and John. He told them to stay with him while he went off a distance to pray. I believe He wanted them nearby him for support. He shared in verse 38, how He felt.....exceeding sorrowful. He knew His time was drawing near, and in verse 39, He had a moment of weakness when He asked His Father if He could avoid what He knew He was destined for. We don't know if God actually said NO, but we know that He did not say YES, and Jesus conceded "Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt." In other words, "Your will be done." I was so moved by the fact that because of that "NO", and because of God's Love, all mankind, you and I, can have Salvation and Eternal life. For God is love!
If God had given Jesus a "Yes", where would we be? Without the gift of salvation, which Jesus paid for with His life, we would be lost in sin forever. But Praise be unto God, because of His undying love for us, He did not give His own beloved Son a "yes", but Love (God) said "NO", and Jesus, although exceeding sorrowful, even unto death, still did, in obedience to His Father, what He knew He was born to do, because He loved us also. He took all our sins upon Himself and was beaten, mocked, scorned and crucified on a cross, died, paid the price for us, that we might have eternal life.
And, Praise God, on the third day, He rose again, victorious over satan, hell and death. He LIVES and because of this, we have the choice to live and reign with Him eternally in Heaven. BUT, we must accept Him into our hearts, humbly repent of our sins, and love and serve Him with all our hearts.
Won't you receive HIS LOVE today? Won't you make Him your choice?
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Friday, Feb. 11th, 2011
THE ROMANS ROAD to SALVATION in the New Testament. It is a pathway and if you walk down this road, you will end up understanding how to be SAVED.
Romans 10:13 "For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved."
God is no respecter of persons. Whether you Jew or Gentile, no matter the race, colour or creed, rich or poor, tall or short, the Word says "WHOSOEVER", shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved. He has given everyone of us that privilege, to call on Him and He is willing to save. When you pray, pray IN THE NAME OF JESUS and He will hear you.
So the next stop on our path is:-
- Call out to God in the name of Jesus!
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Thursday, Feb. 10th, 2011
THE ROMANS ROAD to SALVATION in the New Testament. It is a pathway and if you walk down this road, you will end up understanding how to be SAVED.
Romans 5:8 "But God commendeth His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us!"
When Jesus died on the cross He paid sin's penalty. He paid the price for all sin, and when He took all the sins of the world on Himself on the cross, He bought us out of slavery to sin and death! He loved us when we did not love him, some in fact hated Him, and He still demonstrated immeasurable love by sacrificing Himself for us.
The only condition is that we believe in Him and what He has done for us, understanding that we are now joined with Him, and that He is our life. He did all this because He loved us and to make a way that we could be saved! We cannot even comprehend that kind of love!
So the next stop on our path is:-
- Give your life to God.....
His love poured out in Jesus on the cross is your only hope to have forgiveness and change. His love brought you out of darkness into His marvellous light. His love is what saved you....not religion, or church membership. GOD loves you!!! Unconditionally!!!
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Wednesday, Feb. 9th, 2011
THE ROMANS ROAD to SALVATION in the New Testament. It is a pathway and if you walk down this road, you will end up understanding how to be SAVED.
Romans 6:23b "....but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Salvation is a free gift from God to us! God send His only begotten Son to live on earth, to die a horrible death, taking on the sins of the world, being crucified on a cross. He died, was buried and rose again in victory to live forever more, having conquered hell, death and the devil, making a way that we can now be saved and have eternal life, to live and reign with Him in eternity forever! We could never earn this gift, it is a precious gift, given to us freely through Jesus' sacrifice. We just have to make a choice to reach out and receive it.
Revelation 21:8 says "But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:"
So the next stop on our path is:-
- Ask God to forgive you and save you.
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Tuesday, Feb. 8th, 2011
Romans 6:23a "....the wages of sin is death."
There is a penalty for sin. That penalty is death. We all face physical death, that is the result of sin, the sin of disobedience in the Garden of Eden by Adam and Eve. Because of their sin, mankind now has to face physical death. But worse than the physical death is spiritual death, which alienates us from God, because it can last for all eternity. The Bible teaches about a place called the "Lake of Fire" where those who are lost will end up in torment forever. God gives us so many opportunities to make things right, because He loves us so much, and so many continually turn their backs on Him and prefer to stay in sin, and this is going to be their result......
Revelation 21:8 says "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone......"
So the next stop on our path is:-
- Understand that you deserve death for your sin.
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Monday, Feb. 7th, 2011
This week we are going to look at THE ROMANS ROAD to SALVATION in the New Testament. It is a pathway and if you walk down this road, you will end up understanding how to be SAVED.
Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God."
We ALL have sin in our hearts. We ALL were born with sin. Because of the fall of the first Adam, we were born under the power of sin's control.
Romans 3:9 says "What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, they are all under sin;"
vs 10 "As it is written, THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NO, NOT ONE."
So the first stop in our path is:-
- Admit that you are a sinner.
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Friday, Feb. 4th, 2011
Acts 16:31 "So they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household."
In light of what we said yesterday, let's look at this belief. It has to be the kind of faith that will surrender all to God and believe with the heart the truth, which is Romans 9 and 10, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." It must be a genuine heartfelt transaction of repentence and faith. This backs up the fact that your faith "and" repentence are necessary in order to be saved. And this salvation is not merely limited to you, but the whole house must meet the same terms for all to be saved, and if they meet these conditions of faith and repentence the same salvation is available to them also.
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Praise God, we are back! Thank you for your patience while we were absent due to completion of a course, and travelling, among other reasons. It was our intention to start on Feb. 1st, but was not able due to computer problems, but Praise be to God, here we are today, up and running again, and we are truly thankful!!!
Wednesday, Feb. 2nd, 2011
Isaiah 55:6 "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:"
It is important to realize that we are not just required to believe to be saved from sin. Belief is certainly required, but we also have to SEEK God, REPENT, CALL UPON God, CONFESS, PRAY, HUMBLE SELF, HEAR and OBEY. The truth is that all these terms are used many times in scripture to tell mankind what they must do to find God.
Also this scripture verse suggests that there must be times when men cannot find God, the Bible mentions 6 of those times, they are:-
1. When they turn their hearts away from Him and will not hear. (Deuteronomy. 30: 17-18)
2. When they mock God and scorn at His dealings until calamity comes. (Proverbs 1:23-31)
3. When they become too proud and stubborn to humble themselves before Him. (Numbers 16)
4. When they neglect to settle all matters with Him until judgment falls. (Acts 5:1-11)
5. When they die in sin. (Hebrews 9:27)
6. When they blaspheme the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 12: 31-32)
Thursday, Feb. 3rd, 2011
Isaiah 55:7 "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."
Three commands are given to the wicked in this verse, and they are (a) to forsake his wicked ways, (b) to forsake his unrighteous thoughts, and (c) to return to the Lord. These things constitute true repentence. As long as one continues in his wicked ways and unrighteous thoughts, he is still in rebellion and sin and is not returning to God with his whole heart, and these sins will cause one to break God's Law and they carry a death sentence. BUT, if he returns to the Lord, he will obtain mercy and will be abundantly pardoned.
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Thursday, Nov. 11th, 2010
Psalm 3:3 "But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory, and the lifter up of my head."
Friday, Nov. 12th, 2010
Psalm 3:4 "I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and He heard me out of His holy hill."
David knew that it was God, and God alone, who had placed him on the Throne as King. God was his protector (shield), his glory (in winning battles and in crowning him King) and the lifter of his head (when his head was bowed low in humiliation because his people had turned on him.) And God can be all these things for us also, no matter the stupid mistakes we make, God will still lift our heads and bestow His Glory on us, if you make Him your Lord and King. We are His Glory carriers! When people see us down, and we can rise again, God gets the Glory! Halleluia, down..... but not out....we fall down, but we get up!
Like David, in our situations, we have to cry out to the Lord, and He will hear us and deliver us out of our messes. He is a prayer answering God. Open your heart today and invite Him in.
Proverbs 28:26 "He who trusts in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walks wisely, he shall be delivered
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Monday, Nov. 8th, 2010
Psalm 3:1 "Lord, how are they increased who trouble me! many are they who rise up against me."
Tuesday, Nov. 9th, 2010
Psalm 3:2 "Many there be which say of My soul, There is no help for Him in God. Selah."
Have you ever felt totally ostracized? Have you ever been made to feel like everyone is against you, disliked or hated, rejected, having everyone turn their backs on you, talking about you?
This was the position David was in when he wrote this Psalm. His own son, Absolom, had turned on him and the hearts of the people of Israel were with Absolom, so David had to flee for his life, because everyone was against him.
This is not a good feeling or a good place to be. I am sure we have all been made to feel this way at one time or another in our lives. But you know what, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, was even treated this same way, He was rejected by His very Own people. If He was treated like this being who He was, how much more will we be treated this way?
But there is hope, if you love God and have received Christ by faith into your heart, then you have a God that cares, and is touched by whatever you are feeling, and you will NEVER be alone, even if everyone turns their backs on you. All you have to do is come to Him and surrender your life to Him, and HE will take on your battles and fight them for you! He will love you and protect you as your Heavenly Father, better than an earthly Father would. Try Him today.
Proverbs 23:26 "My son (daughter), give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways."
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Wednesday, Oct. 27th, 2010
Romans 5:19 "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One, shall many be made Righteous."
Adam was characterized by disobedience, but thanks be unto God, Jesus Christ (the second Adam) was characterized by obedience. He was without sin, yet He humbled himself and was obedient to the point of death(Phil.2:8). He was crucified, died and was resurrected, and is now seated at the Right Hand of the Father, making intercession for us. He did all that for us, that we could be forgiven and have eternal life. He righted Adam's wrong. Oh how He loves us, to bear all the pain and suffering in our place, taking upon Himself ALL our sin. All Hail King Jesus!!! We owe Him everything!!
The hymn writer wrote:
Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe,
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.
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Tuesday, Oct. 26th, 2010
Romans 5:12 "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned;"
When presented with the Gospel, you may think or say, "Why do I need to be saved? I am a good person, I do good deeds, I was raised right, I treat people kind, I go to church, I am alright". But this is not true, because we were all born in sin and this verse explains it.
Adam, the first man, created by God from the dust of the earth, was a perfect man who lived in the Garden of Eden, a friend of God, he communed with God daily. Then God gave him a gift in the person of Eve, created by God from Adam's rib. They had a perfect life, they had the whole garden to eat from and enjoy, except that one tree. But the devil tempted Eve to eat the fruit that God forbid them to eat, and Adam partook also. By this disobedient act sin entered into Adam and into the world. Sin and death fell on all humanity, because all were in Adam, and Adam's seed was passed on from one generation to another for all time, even to the present, thus we are all born in sin. We all need to be saved, we need the Saviour to forgive our sins and cleanse our hearts or we will be lost. What would you rather, eternal life or eternal damnation? Selah......think on these things....
Proverbs 22:17 "Bow down your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart unto my knowledge."
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Monday, Oct. 25th, 2010
Romans 5:1 "Therefore being Justified by Faith; we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Justification by Faith, is the process we go through when we accept the Lord Jesus Christ into our lives. By Faith, we believe that Jesus died on a Cross for our sins, so that with the blood that He shed on the cross, our hearts can be cleansed from all unrighteousness and sin, and we also believe that we will have eternal life. With this belief and knowledge, we can have peace, a peace that passes all understanding, knowing that we have been snatched from the clutches of hell and will spend eternity with our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Do you have this peace?
Proverbs 22:17 "Bow down your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart unto my knowledge."
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Wednesday, Oct. 20th, 2010
Isaiah 45:21 "Declare what is to be, present it--let them take counsel together. Who foretold this long ago, who declared it from the distant past? Was it not I, the Lord? And there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me.
Thursday, Oct. 21st, 2010
Isaiah 45:22 "Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.
Friday, Oct. 22nd, 2010
Isaiah 45:23 "By Myself I have sworn, My mouth has uttered in all integrity a Word that will not be revoked; Before Me every knee will bow; by Me every tongue will swear.
God is God, all by Himself. He is a jealous God. There is none like Him, none beside Him. He is a Righteous God, a Holy God, the Almighty God, the all Powerful God, all Knowing God, a Saviour, a Deliverer, a Redeemer, a Father and a Friend. There is none to compare!! Halleluia!!
In these verses, God is speaking to idolaters, those that were worshipping other gods, idols. He was reminding them who He is!!! God is SO patient with us, but we do try His patience sometimes. In today's world, we make many things our gods, homes, cars, boats, jobs, sports, money, things, sometimes even people!!!! The list goes on and on, but we MUST NOT take God for granted. He bids us, every one of us, all the earth, to come to Him NOW and be saved while we have the chance. We cannot take for granted our time here on earth, we don't know when we will take our last breath. Young folk are even dying more, it is not about waiting until you are old anymore, we are not promised tomorrow. These are the last days, and they are crucial days.
God is a God of integrity, He CANNOT lie, and He will not take back His Word. What He says will be, will be, and you can take that to the bank! Although many are turning their backs on Him, living a riotous life, making all kinds of wrong choices, God's words still stand today........ "EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL CONFESS THAT HE IS LORD". He said it and it will come to pass. Why not turn to Him now while His Grace offers you sure and eternal Salvation?
Proverbs 28:18 "Whoso walks uprightly shall be saved: but he who is perverse in his ways shall fall at once."
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Tuesday, Oct. 19th, 2010
Romans 10:12 "For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all who call upon Him.."
All mankind are equal in Christ. There is but one way to be saved and that is through Jesus and what He did on the Cross for us. So everyone has the same opportunity and must go through the same door. God is no respecter of persons. Whether you are black or white, Jew or Gentile, rich or poor, no matter the class, nationality, age, gender, race or culture, all must come to the Father through Jesus, the Son, who will bestow the riches of His Grace on all who earnestly call on Him.
Proverbs 28:18 "Whoso walks uprightly shall be saved: but he who is perverse in his ways shall fall at once."
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Monday, Oct. 18th, 2010
Romans 10:10 "For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
This verse is an extension of verse 9 as seen on Friday, belief has to take place in our hearts, and what our hearts receive, is to be spoken with our mouths. In the beginning of our life in Christ, we receive Salvation, by faith, in our hearts, by Christ and what He did on the Cross for us, and when we confess this with our mouths, it seals the contract between us and the Father, and we can also by faith receive and believe all the promises of God in His Word, declaring them throughout our life in Christ.
Proverbs 28:13 "He who covers his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy."
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Friday, Oct. 15th, 2010
Romans 10:9 " That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved."
The way to Salvation is not hard, because of what Jesus did on the cross, but the devil tries to make it seem so difficult. By simply confessing verbally your belief in the Lord Jesus Christ, that He is the Son of God, that He died and was raised from the dead, it is then confirmed and sealed in your heart. This verbal expression of belief declares a submission and reliance upon our Lord which produces obedience. It is just that simple!
Proverbs 21:21 "He who follows after righteousness and mercy finds life, righteousness, and honour."
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Thursday, Oct. 14th, 2010
Ephesians 5:2 " And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us, and has given Himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling Savour."
Again, this talks about the love that God wants us to show others as we walk after Christ who was our perfect example, and who gave Himself for us as a Sin offering, taking on all our sin, and being crucified, sacrificing His Life for each of us because of His Great Love for us! Jesus' sacrificial offering went up to God as a sweetsmelling savour, meaning it was good and accepted by God. By this sacrifice, the way was made to the Cross where we can receive forgiveness for our sins and can have everlasting life! Won't you accept Him into your heart today?
Proverbs 25:12 "As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear."
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Wednesday, Oct. 13th, 2010
Ephesians 5:1 " Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children."
The only perfect example was Jesus, and it is imperative that we do our best to model our lives after Him. If we imitate Him, we will learn to walk as obedient children of God, and will show others the perfect love God requires of us. For our own lives, and for those whom we mentor or instruct, let us constantly bear in mind that we must examplify Christ and not man, in all that we do and say.
Proverbs 17:27 "He who has knowledge spares his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit."
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Tuesday, Oct. 12 th,2010
Psalm 51: 2 " Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin."
We tend to err everyday in some way or other, in our thoughts, by the unkind words that we speak, or by our deeds. But God...... in His Tender Mercy is quick to forgive us, as long as we forgive others that sin against us. We have to ask forgiveness every day, sometimes several times a day. There are some sins that so easily beset us. The enemy knows how to tempt us and deceive us and before you know it, we have sinned. But God is gracious to us, always ready to forgive. We just have to humble ourselves and ask for that forgiveness.
Dear Lord, Thank you for your Grace! I thank you for the blood that you shed on Calvary because that same blood cleanses my heart from all sin. I ask you to wash me afresh, remove all iniquity, which is my hidden sin. I fall so far short of your Glory Lord, but I thank you that your Mercy affords me the opportunity to get back up again. Thank you for your love for me which surpasses anything I could ever earn or ever deserve. I thank you for hearing this humble prayer, in Jesus Name, Amen.
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Monday, Oct. 11th, 2010
Philippians 2:11 "And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the Glory of God the Father."
All Praise be to God the Father, for Jesus Christ the Son! Because God sent Jesus to the Cross, and for all that He went through there, because He died and rose again, we can now acknowledge Him in all His Glory! And one day....EVERY tongue will confess that He is our LORD, our MASTER, and KING!! There is none like Him, none beside Him. He is our SOVEREIGN LORD!!
While many may reject Him now, one day they too will have to acknowledge Him, rendering with their tongues complete and final homage to Him. They will see Him for themselves in all His Glory returning to gather His people, to reign and rule eternally. If you accept Him by faith now, you too can live with Him in eternity!
Jesus is Lord!!
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Sunday, Oct. 10th, 2010 = 10/10/10......Special Edition
Philippians 2:10 "That at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in Heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth."
Many people think they are in control of their lives. They think that they make things happen or not happen by what they do or don't do. But nothing happens unless GOD does it or allows it. He is the ultimate authority, the Almighty, the Alpha, the Omega, the Beginning, the End, the First and the Last, and He alone has the ultimate Power.
Although many do not given Him homage now, there WILL come a day, when EVERY knee shall bow before Him and will acknowledge that HE is the Christ, the Son of the Living God......... every angel(things in Heaven), every human(things in earth), and every demon spirit(things under the earth), EVERY LAST ONE will have to acknowledge who He is!!!!!!
I usually start the devotional on Mondays, but had to acknowledge this Special and Significant Day 10-10-10, giving all Honour and Glory to our King, Halleluia to our LORD and SAVIOUR!!
"Oh magnify the Lord, for HE is worthy to be praised!!"
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Thursday, Oct. 8th, 2010
St. Matthew 24:30 "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in Heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the Earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of Heaven with power and great glory."
Then Jesus will appear in His Glorified Body and ALL shall see Him, and will know with a certainty that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God!! He is returning for His Chosen ones, to live and reign with Him for eternity!!!! Some people's heart will fail them for fear. But can you imagine what that will be like for the Saints??!!! Those who have lived for Him, loved Him and served Him, eagerly awaiting His promised return!!
The songwriter says:-
Oh, what a meeting, there in the skies,
No tears nor crying shall dim our eyes;
Loved ones united, eternally,
Oh, what a daybreak, that morn will be.
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POWER
Thursday, September 2nd, 2011
Matthew 9:13b "For thine is the Kingdom, and the Power and the Glory, forever, Amen." Power belongs to God! "The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof."
God has the power to heal, to deliver, to give wealth, to save, to make us victorious, ONLY GOD! He does this by way of the Holy Spirit through our Faith in Jesus Christ and what He did on the Cross of Calvary. David said it all, and said it beautifully in 1 Chronicles 29:10b and this today is our prayer.........
"Blessed be Thou, Lord God of Israel our Father, for ever and ever. Verse 11 "Thine, O Lord, is the Greatness, and the POWER, and the Glory, and the Victory, and the Majesty: for all that is in the Heaven and in the Earth is Thine; Thine is the Kingdom, O Lord, and You are exalted as Head above all."Verse 12 "Both riches and honour come of You, and You reign over all; and in Your hand is POWER and might; and in Your hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all." Verse 13 "Now therefore, our God, we thank You and praise Your Glorious Name." Amen!! Halleluia!!!!!!
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POWER
Thursday, September 1st, 2011
Isaiah 40:29 "He gives power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increases strength."
God never tires or grows weary or is weak, no matter the situation, circumstance or state of our affairs, He never tires. But men do grow weary and weak, however strong they might appear to be, they grow feeble at some point. But God is ready to give His superabundant power to those of His beloved who do faint, nothing is a surprise to Him, He knows our weaknesses and our strengths, but He is ready and willing to give us power to strengthen and renew us to continue doing His Will. Be encouraged!
Lord Jesus, We thank you that in Your strength our weakness is made strong. We are ever grateful that You are the Great Shepherd and You are continually looking out for Your Sheep, ready to give us Your Spiritual Gifts, in Jesus Name, Amen~
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POWER
Wednesday, August 31st, 2011
Acts 1:8 "But you shall receive power after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you; and you shall be witnesses unto Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."
We have a mandate to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to all people. This requires a laying down of one's life, denying self, and taking up our cross to follow Jesus and in His likeness, win souls for the Kingdom. If we don't do this, it will mean that souls will be lost. We are to be a mouthpiece for God and do His bidding in obedience. The ability to do these tasks can only come from God, we need the empowerment of His Holy Spirit to enable us to take the gospel to all areas of the world, witnessing to all kinds of people, every creed, colour, gender, nationality and race. God would have none of us perish, so we must work while it is day, because nighttime cometh when no man can work. So in obedience, today, let us make up our minds to do the work of an Evangelist and spread the gospel to a dying world, one soul at a time.
Dearest Lord and Saviour, we are so thankful that you have called us out of darkness into your marvelous light, and Dear Lord, we pray for those who have not yet found their way or made you their choice. Father, we pray that you would equip us to be able to witness effectively for you in this world. Send to us those who are attached to us that we may share the gospel with them and that they may be won to You, in Jesus Name, Amen.
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POWER
Monday, August 29th, 2011
John 14:12 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he who believes on Me, the Works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father."
Tuesday, August 30th, 2011
John 14:13 "And whatsoever you shall ask in My Name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son."
This is a promise for each and every believer, that we can be endued with power so that we can do all the works of Christ, and even greater works than what He did. We as believers have been given "Power of Attorney" to ask things in Jesus' Name. The purpose is that it glorifies God to answer our prayers,to save, heal, deliver and to bless all men materially, but He can only do this if we ask in faith believing, with unwavering faith. Also as believers, most of us don't really realize the power that has been given us, or we would use it. But this power comes by way of the Holy Spirit.
Dearest Lord Jesus, we come once again thanking you for another day, for your grace, and mercy, also asking for forgiveness of any sin in our lives, we are so grateful for the promise you made to us, to give us power and authority to do great works for You and in Your Name, help us to bring you honour and glory, in Jesus Name, Amen.
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Wednesday, August 24th, 2011
Giving Ourselves Away (to God)
Daniel 4:3 "How great are His signs! And how mighty His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And His Dominion is from generation to generation."
Our God is an AWESOME God! A MIGHTY God! An EXCELLENT God! Nebuchadnezzar, the King, was very fortunate to have people like Daniel and the three Hebrew boys in his Empire. But although King Nebuchadnezzar praised Daniel's God, he still did not fully believe in Him or submit to Him.
And this is how some of us are today. In the church, there are many that attend, do all the right things, say all the right things, using spiritual language, but they really don't believe and have not fully submitted to Him. So from today, let us consecrate ourselves, press forward into Christ, dying to self , giving ourselves away totally to Him and for His service!
Almighty God, today we ask for forgiveness of all our sin and iniquity. We thank you that your strength is made perfect in our weaknes", we are totally reliant on you and need you, help us to surrender our all to you, we give you thanks, in Jesus Name, Amen.
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GIVE MYSELF AWAY (TO GOD)
Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011
2 Thessalonians 3:13 "Do not grow weary in doing good."
Sometimes in service to our Lord and King, we give so much of ourselves away that we become very weary. That is a dangerous place to be, because it is when we are down that the enemy can sneak up on us. Do you ever find yourself feeling irritable when you are tired? We have to be so careful to rest and replenish. Go to the Source, (God) and He will restore you and give you a peace that surpasses all understanding. There is much work to do, and it is the faithful few who are constantly working. Jesus said, "The Harvest is plenteous, but the labourers are few." We are admonished by the Apostle Paul to NOT grow weary in doing good things for others, we do it all as unto God. Therefore we have to do what it takes to keep ourselves Kingdom ready, ready to minister to those whom the Lord will send to us.
Dear Father God, Many times our spirit is willing but our flesh is weak. We ask that you restore and replenish us. Revive us Lord, body, mind and spirit so that we can carry on Your work in Your Vineyard, in Jesus Name, Amen.
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GIVE MYSELF AWAY (TO GOD)
Friday, August 19th, 2011
Acts 9:36 "At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did." 9:37a "But it happened in those days that she became sick and died."
Dorcas was a good woman, a Godly woman, who gave so much of herself to help others. She was a seamstress she made many garments for the poor and also the widows. She was following Godly principles, because the Bible says to take care of the widows and the fatherless. Many widows were mourning her death when Peter was called in to pray for her. She gave away herself to others, so much so, that she got sick and died. We get so busy with our everyday lives, and all may be necessary, like taking care of the husband, children, home, work, and all the related functions, including childen's activities, church work, school assignments and homework, etc. But we can give too much of ourselves, if we don't take time to replenish ourselves and rest. We could become sick or even die. Looking at this in the spiritual sense, we also have to be careful to replenish when we are being used of the Lord. If we continually give ourselves away and do not allow the Lord to pour back into us, we may find ourselves in a burned-out state and if not careful we could risk falling away or dying spiritually. The enemy loves us to be too busy, because then we don't have time to spend with God. We become weak and ineffective. The good news is that Dorcas was brought back to life when Peter prayed. She was retored and because of that many souls were won to the Lord. We too can be restored if we take the time to spend quality time with the Lord, through prayer and studying the Word of God. God will restore and equip you to be an effective minister of the Gospel, triumphantly spreading everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him. (2 Cor. 2:14) Blessings abound!
Dear Lord Jesus, how excellent is Your Name in all the earth! We have learned about giving ourselves away to You, help us Lord Jesus, to release every part of ourselves to You, our wants, our desires, our plans. Your way is best and we want to walk in Your Divine Will. We thank You in advance, and give you all the Glory, Honour and Praise, in Jesus Name, Amen.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------GIVE MYSELF AWAY (TO GOD)
Thursday, August 18th, 2011
Luke 14:26 "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple."
14:27 " And whosoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple."
These two verses show that if we are called by the Lord, we better count the cost. Some callings have a very high cost. He is saying be ready to leave your family behind, to crucify yourself (give yourself away), and even be willing to lay down your very "LIFE" for His sake. Remember most of the disciples lost their lives because of service to our Lord and Saviour. It makes no sense to run away from the calling because there is very high cost to disobedience also! So beware!
Missionaries in the field face all kinds of danger and some have lost their lives because they stood for God, determined to spread His Gospel all round the world. Often we look at people who are Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Preachers and Teachers and think preaching is an easy task, but the cost is high and there is much sacrificing. What we see in the pulpit when the message is going forth, is the end result of seeking God through prayer, much studying, fasting, and lost sleep. Sometimes the commitment causes you to have to forego a family event or some other event you would indeed like to attend. Count the cost! Are you being called, are you willing to take up your cross and follow Him, no matter the cost? There is an earthly cost, but you will receive a FAR greater Heavenly reward!
Dear Kind and Loving Father, the one who loved us so much that You were willing to lay down your life for wretched sinners like us. You give so much, but ask so little of us, help us to be obedient to your calling Lord, giving ourselves away to Your service and to the service of Your people. Sometimes we fear Lord, but give us the courage and strength to step out for You and boldly do your bidding, so that souls may be won to the Kingdom and that You will be Glorified, we give You all the Praise, Honour, and Glory, in Jesus' Name, Amen!~
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GIVE MYSELF AWAY (TO GOD)
Wednesday, August 17th, 2011
Matthew 4:18 "And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen."
4: 19 Then He said to them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."
4:20 " They immediately left their nets and followed Him."
4:21 "Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them."
4:22 "and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him."
Continuing on with sacrificing and giving ourselves away, what if you were asked to do something really hard by the Lord, would you be able to do it? Would you want to do it? And even further, would you be able to do it right away without hesitation, in obedience to Him? I would dare to say that most of us would have difficulty and might fail on at least one of those questions. But Saints, this is the place the Lord is trying to get us to, to perfect us so that we can be obedient to His Call.
Peter and Andrew were business men, they had a "fishing" business, they most likely owned a boat, nets and other related fishing gear which I am sure was worth something! Yet, at the call of Jesus, they IMMEDIATELY dropped their nets and followed Him to become fishers of men! How many of us could leave our businesses immediately and follow Jesus if called to? Would we question and worry about our "stuff", about our money, and put it before the greatest opportunity of our lives.....to give ourselves away to the Master, to win souls for the Kingdom, to allow our lives to be changed forever, to be able to sit at the feet of the greatest Teacher of all time and be taught by Him in order to help others??
Or like James and his brother John, who had to walk away from their own father, would we be able to leave family without hesitation, and answer the Lord's call if He asks? They didn't say "this is not a good time" or the like, they just left the boat, AND their father and went! They just knew in their hearts that Jesus was the real deal, that they had nothing to lose and everything to gain. How many of us care more for our houses, cars, property, boats and things than spending time with the Lord, especially when we KNOW that He wants to spend time with us, but we just shove Him aside and go about doing our own thing.....think on these things.........
Dear Father, tonight our hearts are grieved and sorry for the many times we shove You in the background or outright reject You, forgive us Lord. We know, especially as we look back over our lives and see Your mercy, we can see that You loved us way before we loved You. Help us to realize You are coming soon, and in Your calling us to give ourselves away to You, You are just trying to fit us up for Eternity. These earthly possessions are just temporary, but we put so much importance on them, forgive us. Only what we do for YOU will last. Help and strengthen us in our weak areas and help us to keep our focus on You, the Author and Finisher of our Faith. Thank You for Your patience with us Lord, help us not to procrastinate in giving ourselves away to You and Your service, we give You Praise, Honour, and Glory, in Jesus' Name, Amen!~
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GIVE MYSELF AWAY (TO GOD)
Monday, August 15th & Tuesday 16th, 2011
John 13:38a "Jesus answered him, Will you lay down your life for My sake?."
2Timothy "You therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ."
Peter loved our Lord Jesus with all his heart and so wanted to serve Him, to be with Him and to do all he could to please Him. But only God knows what is in our hearts. Jesus knew that Peter would deny Him, not once , but THREE times before the rooster crowed.
To give ourselves wholly and solely to God is not an easy thing. It means yielding our whole heart to Him, to let go of "our" plans, "our" desires and "our" will, so that HIS Will can be done in our lives. It is a process that may take many years to accomplish. Look at Peter, he walked with Jesus daily and loved Him, but never dreamed he would deny his beloved Lord three times after Jesus was taken by the guards.
As Peter found out later, there is suffering attached to being close to the Lord. There is a cost, a high cost. But the rewards are even greater! Do not be afraid, we can endure the hardness, in HIS strength! We can trust our Lord to do what is best in our lives, to bring us to a good end. He will equip you and strengthen you to bear the hardship and endure the pain for HIS Glory!!!!!
Dear Father God, We come to bless and glorify your Holy Name. Halleluia! How awesome you are! Father, we ask you to remember all those who are going through right now, and in the Name of Jesus, we ask you to give them strength, Lord. Touch every situation removing any thing that is not of you, allowed by You or ordained by You. Bless and fortify your children who are pressing on in their walks to higher places, in spite of their situations and circumstances. Help them to keep their eyes on you as they learn to give themselves away to you daily. Make their desires your desires, and let their will be your will. this we ask, in Jesus' Name, Amen!~
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SACRIFICES
Friday, August 12th, 2011
Psalm 51:17 "The SACRIFICES of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart --these O God, you will not despise."
Psalm 27:6 "And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies, all around me; Therefore I will offer SACRIFICES of JOY in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord."
The Lord has to break us sometimes, not to hurt us, but to keep us humble, and looking to Him as our source, otherwise we could tend to think more highly of ourselves than we ought. True repentance always includes a broken spirit and a broken and contrite heart. Of course, repentance means that we are to turn from our wicked ways, not to keep doing the same things over and over. A truly repentant heart will effect change. When true repentance takes place, we can then be filled with the joy of the Lord, and can offer to Him the sacrifice of Joy, praising Him and thanking Him for the price He paid that our sins can be forgiven. Let us joyfully sing praises to our God for all that He has done for us. Have you accepted this wonderful Saviour into your heart?
Dear Lord, Once again we come with humble and repentant hearts to ask your forgiveness for all our sins and short comings. Create in us clean hearts and renew right spirits within us. We gladly give You the sacrifice of praise, singing joyfully unto You, from a merry heart, for only You can forgive our sins, fight our battles, provide for our needs, and change our sadness to gladness, we give you thanks and praise, in Jesus Name, Amen! ~
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SACRIFICES
Wednesday, August 10th & Thursday August 11th, 2011
Hebrews 13:15 "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the SACRIFICE OF PRAISE to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His Name."
Verse 16 "but do not forget to do good and to share, for with such SACRIFICES God is pleased."
We have so much to be thankful for, to give God the Glory for. He deserves our Sacrifice of Praise, whether we feel like it or not, and especially when we dont' feel like it, we are offering the Sacrifice of Praise, the Sacrifice of our Lips. This would include thanking Christ for HIS Sacrifice on the cross and telling others about it. How about when we are feeling low, going through trials and tribulations? What a perfect time to make a Sacrifice of Praise unto a Holy God. That confuses the enemy, but pleases God, because He enhabits the praises of His people. Acts of kindness and sharing are particularly pleasing to our God. He sees all and knows all, so even when our kindnesses and sharing go unnoticed by people, He knows!!! On Tuesday night, I had electrical problems at home which caused my computer to be out of commission. This was the Word I had planned to write about, so I said "What a perfect time to give God some Praise!" Which is exactly what I did. Praise Him in the good times, but also in the bad. Be blessed and encouraged!
Dear Father God, we thank You for Your Word, which gives us instruction. Thank you for Your Holy Spirit who teaches us and prompts us to do Your Will. We glorify and magnify your Holy Name. There is none like You, none beside You. You are Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. You are a mighty God, but full of love, mercy and grace. We love You so much Lord. Thank You for always being there, always caring, always loving. Help us to continually give You a Sacrifice of Praise, to do good, and to help others, in Jesus Name, Amen!~
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SACRIFICES
Tuesday, August 9th, 2011
Psalm 4:5 "Offer the SACRIFICES of RIGHTEOUSNESS, and put your trust in the Lord."
David wrote this Psalm and in his day worship included sacrificing animals by the Priests in the Tabernacle. The animal's blood covered the sins of the one offering the animal. There were specific rules to follow when offering sacrifices, but more important to God was the attitude of submission and obedience of the person offering the sacrifice. Today, the "Sacrifice of Righteousness" is the same, it requires our submission, total obedience and heartfelt praise as our sacrifice. But the blood of Jesus, which He shed on Calvary's Cross is what covers our sins today. They are under the blood if we cry out to Him and accept Him into our hearts. I ask you, will you do it today!
Heavenly Father, I lift up to You the Soul that does not know you as their personal saviour. Your Word says that "You would have none of us perish", so kind Father, I ask you right now to draw them by Your Holy Spirit, rescue them and make a way for them to surrender their will to Your Will in obedience which will be their sacrifice of righteousness, that they might have Eternal Life. I thank You Lord because I know You hear this humble prayer, and because You hear, You will answer, In Jesus Name, Amen, Amen, Amen!~
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SACRIFICES
Monday, August 8th, 2011
1 Chronicles 29;21 "And they made SACRIFICES to the Lord and offered burnt offerings to the Lord on the next day: a thousand bulls, an thousand rams, a thousand lambs, with their drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel."
In the Old Testament, the people made "sacrifices" unto God or their "gods" for various things. Of course, nothing lasts unless it is rooted in God's unchanging character. For the most part animals were sacrificed, but other things were also sacrificed. In this case, Israel was sacrificing in celebration of their new King, Solomon. The drink offering was wine that they poured out, also as SACRIFICES to God in acknowledging how He had provided a King for His people. There are many types of sacrifices, some were pleasing to God and some were not. This week we shall look at a few. What is a SACRIFICE? 1. To give or offer something to a god (usually for the purpose of propitiation.)
2. The giving of a life, usually an animal.
3. To give up something for something else or someone else. (e.g. as a mother would give of herself for her child)
4. An inconvenience or giving a costly gift.
Heavenly Father, as we learn more about sacrifices, give us a better understanding of the Supreme Sacrifice that you made for us on the Cross of Calvary, by which we can have Salvation and Eternal Life. We give you thanks and praise for what you did for us. In Jesus Name, Amen.~
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PROVISION
Friday, August 5th, 2011
Habakkuk 3:17 "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:"
Verse 18 "Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation."
Verse 19 "The Lord is my strength, and He will make my feet like hinds' feet, and He will make me to walk upon my HIGH PLACES....."
Are you facing some type of adversity? Does it seem like trouble is everywhere? Are you feeling like even though you are trying to live right, everything is going wrong? Does it seem as if problems are coming one after the other like waves of the ocean crashing down on you, and as soon as you get back up on your feet, another comes along to knock you down? Your finances have dried up, children acting up, sickness knocking at your door, friends turning against you, co-workers talking about you, family deserting you? Or like Habakkuk, you may be wondering why the wicked seem to prosper, and why God allows it. Today, I want to encourage you to press on in faith, believing that God is still providing for us. Habakkuk asked God why He was bringing the Babylonians in to deal with Judah, because the Babylonians were much worse. But God showed Habakkuk through visions His Divine judgment, that the wicked only SEEM to prosper, they are not really prospering, because inside they are unsatisfied and insecure, and they have no peace. It all hinges on our faith in God, that He is able to take care of all our situations and troubles. We have to look to Him to provide for us. Habakkuk pressed into his faith and uttered the words above, which mean - no matter what we are going through, no matter what we don't have, no matter how we feel, no matter what is going wrong, and when all seems lost, when we are stripped down to nothing, YET, we are to still rejoice in the Lord, and joy in the God of our salvation. Because through it all, God is building us, strenthening us, building our character. The feet of Deer are able to withstand the roughness of the mountainside, the rocks and stones, they are tough, as they climb to the higher places on the mountainside, so it is with us as the Lord prepares us to go to HIGHER PLACES in Him. We can trust Him and rejoice as we allow Him to lead us on our journey.
Dear Father, so often we get overwhelmed by what we see going on around us and in our lives. Help us Dear Lord, never to take our eyes off You. You are the only way, You are the only source. All that we need is in You, our joy, our peace, our strength, our health, our provision, our salvation. Lord, we just want to say thanks and Praise Your Holy Name, for all that You are. In Jesus Name, Amen!
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Thursday, August 4th, 2011
Job 38:41 "Who provides for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat."
Matthew 6:25 "Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor yet for your body, what you shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Verse 26 "Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much better than they?"
Did you realize that even one anxious thought shows a lack of trust in the Lord? These verses show how God cares for even the tiniest creatures, he feeds the ravens and the fowls of the air, if He gave us dominion over them, wouldn't we be more important to Him than they? He clothes the grass and the lillies of the field, won't He clothe us too? Yet we worry about what we will wear, and what we will eat, how our bills will be paid. Our Heavenly Father knows we have need of these things. Worry cannot produce a thing or change a thing, or pay one bill. Have you ever just stopped and taken time to watch a rooster in all it splendour with all the beautiful coloured feathers and the colours of the various species of birds and ducks? Have you closely looked at the intricate colours, patterns and designs of the flowers? Each having their own specific colour or mixture of colours, some brilliantly bright, not faded by sun. Only a MARVELLOUS God could come up with such a configuration of designs and combinations, looking like a breath-takingly beautiful tapestry as they sway in the breeze in the fields and gardens. Look at the fish, the colours, stripes, circles, sizes, shapes. What a God! Is not such an AWESOME God able to take care of us and know us...........our likes, dislikes, desires and our needs? O for a faith that will not shrink.......
Dear Father God, the God that made the Heavens and the Earth, the God that put the Stars in place with all their splendour and every grain of sand on t he earth, how EXCELLENT, how MARVELLOUS, how AWESOME you are!!! When I think of Your goodness, I can only say "Halleluia" to Your Precious Name! What is man that you are mindful of him? Dear God, if we had a thousand tongues, we could not thank you enough for all that you have done for us, are doing and will do. We can only say "Praise God!!" for dying for us, for loving us, for caring for us and providing for us. You are WORTHY to be Praised! Our hearts are so grateful for your faithfulness. Help us, Dear Lord, to trust you more. In Jesus Name, Amen!
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PROVISION
Tuesday, August 2nd, 2011
Matthew 6:11 "Give us this day our daily bread."
This verse was a part of the model prayer that Jesus taught us to pray, and He taught us to ask daily for our provision. This bread represented not only our physical, but also our spiritual food, because His Name is Jehovah Jireh, our Provider.
Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011
Psalm 23:1 " The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want."
Our God is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, He is the First and the Last, He is God Almighty, All Powerful, Omnipotent, Omnicient, King of Kings and Lord of Lords! He is all that and much, much more!! Is it any wonder that He can provide for His precious sheep, His children, His beloved? All that we need is in Him. We just have to trust Him! He will not fail us!!
Dear Father Lord, maker of Heaven and Earth, and all that is within it are yours. We thank you for all your provision, whether it be food, clothing, protection, money, even Salvation! You made a way for it all. We are so grateful that we are in Your care, kind and loving Father, what better hands could we be in, and we know with assurance that you will take care of every one of our needs. For this we say thank you, thank you, thank you! In Jesus Name, Amen.
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Monday, August 1st, 2011
Exciting news!!
Save the Date!!! August 2nd, 3rd, & 4th, 2012
"Heading for High Places" Women's Retreat
Crane Resort, St. Phillip, Barbados, W.I.
Habakkuk 3:17-19
Come and be refreshed, revived and renewed spiritually and physically as well as pampered!
Stay tuned, more information coming soon..............God bless!
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Wednesday, July 27th, 2011
HEALING OF THE SOUL
Psalm 41:4 " I said, Lord, be merciful unto me: HEAL MY SOUL; for I have sinned against thee."
The soul is the seat of our emotions, passions, feelings, and desires. Job says in chapter 12:10 that the soul of every living thing is in the hand of the Lord. David was asking the Lord to heal his soul of sin he had committed and was asking for mercy from a repentant heart, he was "feeling" sorry for what he had done. While bodily healing is mentioned hundreds of times in the Scriptures, this is the only mention of Soul Healing.
HEALING OF HURT
Psalm 41:7 "All that hate me whisper together against me: against me do they devise my HURT." also vs. 9, "Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me."
These verses although written by David, could have pertained to himself or our Lord, the Messiah, because each statement could be understood of both men. "Lifted up his heel against me" means "taking action against someone or planning their HURT". "Which did eat of my bread"- meant that when an enemy was invited to eat at your house in the East, it was customary that you were then made friends, and rights of hospitality were not to be broken. It sealed the bond of mutual friendship, kindness and protection of each other. Verse 9 shows how Judas was a genuine trusted disciple and friend at one time, but he fell into transgression. Jesus did not want this to happen, but forsaw that Judas would not remain true to Him and thus Judas planned Jesus' "HURT" by delivering Him into the hands of His enemies. But Praise be unto God, we are living proof of the outcome of that "hurting plan" against our Lord, He bore all our sins and was crucified on a cross, was dead and buried, and rose again on the third day, with HEALING in His hands, victorious over death, hell and the grave, and today we can freely have Salvation. Because of that terrible plan to hurt our Lord, it set the plan in motion for our Salvation. Halleluia! This same Salvation is available to you today, simply pray this prayer from your heart:
"Lord Jesus, I give myself to you today. I open my heart and ask you to come in and wash my heart clean from all my sins, forgive all my transgressions and iniquities. I believe that you died on a cross for me, bearing all my sins, and that you were buried and rose again, and are alive today! And because I believe that, I am saved. I am yours, take my life and use it to Your Honour and Your Glory. In Jesus' Name, Amen."
If you prayed this prayer earnestly from your heart, you are saved! Please send us an email to let us know about your experience, and please share this devotion with your friends. May God richly bless you!
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Tuesday, July 26th, 2011
HEALING THE BROKENHEARTED
Luke 4:18 " The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised."
First of all, when a person is anointed by the Spirit of the Lord coming upon them, supernatural things happen. There is no example of the Spirit coming upon someone and leaving them powerless to do what they were called to do. If God gives you an assignment, He equips you to do the assignment. Jesus spoke this passage at the synagogue in Nazareth describing in essence His Ministry , and the basic ministry He passed on to us the church. He was anointed of God to be a healer and a messenger of freedom and comfort to all people, the poor and the needy, the brokenhearted - those wounded, hurting and crushed, the captives or prisoners - those bound, the blind - who were blind physically and spiritually, and to the bruised and to many more. God gave Jesus POWER, and He gave His disciples POWER, and that same power is available to us. Matthew 10:1b says "He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease."
Bruises show after a blow, the heart is broken after a blow, but Jesus is a HEALER, He repairs the brokenness, takes away the pain, and gives you His peace. Psalm 147:3 says "He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds." Give Him your heart today and let Him repair the brokenness. Send your prayer request on the website below. God bless you!
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Monday, July 25th, 2011
BODILY HEALING
Isaiah 23:25 " And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and He shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee."
As I promised, this week we are going to look at different types of healings. Last week Monday, we looked at Exodus 15:26 which was about bodily healing. Today we are going to look even deeper into that scripture as it relates to today's scripture. Exodus 15:26 points out four conditions of healing. They are:
Isaiah 23:22-25 also sets some conditions for healing:
- Obey His voice
- Do all that He speaks
- Do not bow down to other Gods, nor serve them, nor obey them
- Overthrow them and get rid of their images
and then He promises what He will do, if we are obedient:
- He will be an enemy to our enemies
- An adversary to our adversaries
- His Angel will go before us
- He will cut off our enemies
- He will bless our bread and our water
- HE WILL TAKE OUR SICKNESSES AWAY!!!
Friday, July 22nd, 2011
HEALING
Isaiah 58:8 " Then shall your light break forth as the morning, and your health shall spring forth speedily: and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard."
Psalm 58 talks about the true fast. It also points out man's hypocrisy and self-righteousness in doing things our own way, a way in which we are comfortable. But if we can press through our struggles and be obedient to God's way, the rewards will be great. Our health and healing will spring forth quickly, our righteousness will be seen and we will be GLORY carriers, carrying about the Glory of the Lord!!! There are 10 kinds of healings mentioned in the scripture - Bodily healing, Soul healing, Healing of the land, Backslidings, Brokenhearts, Water, Hurt, Empires, National healing and healing of Nations-preservation of life. Next week we will take a look at some of these.
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Thursday, July 21st, 2011
HEALING
Isaiah 53:5 " But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed."
This Verse clearly states that bodily sickness was also included in the price Jesus had to pay for us by suffering on the Cross of Calvary. He not only made a way for Salvation and our redemption from sin, but also made a way for healing for our bodies. He was wounded for our transgressions (meaning sin, wickedness, rebellion), bruised for our iniquities (like bruises on the inside of the skin, this is the inward hidden sin, like hate, envy, jealousy, unforgiveness, etc.), chastised and punished for our peace, and He bore 39 stripes on his back for our healing. We can receive all this if we believe.........
Thank you Lord for the supreme sacrifice that You made for us, that we might be saved and healed by faith. In Jesus Name, Amen.~
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Wednesday, July 20th, 2011
HEALING
Psalm 107:20 " He sent His Word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions."
God alone can heal. He performs His healing through miraculous means (supernatural miracles), by natural means (Herbs, plants, medicines, etc.) and by human means (doctors, surgeons, nurses). Sometimes healing is instant, sometimes it is slow. Sometimes sickness is a result of sin, as in disobedience, going against the Will of God. In this Psalm, the text implies(vs.19) that we can cry out to God for deliverance from a repentant heart, as did Hezekiah in 2 Kings 20:11. After being informed by the Prophet Isaiah that he would die from his illness, he cried out to God and God heard him and healed him and added 15 years to his life (miraculous), but Isaiah also told him to apply a poultice of figs to his boil (human and natural healing).The Lord will hear such a cry, and we can speak the Word over ourselves for healing, as did Jesus for the Centurion's servant in Matt. 8:8. The Centurion had faith enough to believe that all Jesus had to do was speak the Word and his servant would be healed. He did not need Jesus to lay hands on his servant. He had great faith. Vs. 21 says "Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!" God is so GOOD to us, so MERCIFUL, LOVING and so KIND!!! Make Him your choice today, this healing is for you too!~
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Tuesday, July 19th, 2011
HEALING
James 5:16 " Confess your faults one to another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a Righteous man availeth much."
Just being able to express our feelings to a trusted friend brings so much healing. Keeping things bottled up will sometimes make us sick. Being able to admit our wrongs also brings healing as it frees us of the guilt and shame. And of course, we must pray one for the other. This keeps us humble, as we admit our dependance on God, our Healer. When we pray the prayer of faith, much can be accomplished.~
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Monday, July 18th, 2011
HEALING
Exodus 15:26 " And said, If you will diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord your God, and will do that which is right in His sight, and will give ear to His Commandments, and keep all His Statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon you, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord who heals you."
Key words -"For I am the LORD who heals you." God had to punish the Egyptians with many afflictions before Pharoah would let His people go free. Then after being miraculously delivered by way of the Red Sea, only three days later, here they are complaining because there was no drinkable water, the water at Marah was bitter. Are we not like that when we cannot have our own way. But Moses interceded for them, and the Lord showed him how to put a tree in the water, the water could become sweet. The tree was a symbol of the Cross of Jesus Christ, and the debt He paid for us there. Thus by putting the Cross or Jesus into the midst of our bitter problems and situations, whatever they may be, we can be healed. God promised that He would not bring the same afflictions on them IF they kept his Statutes and Ordinances. The healing promised here does not only mean from physical diseases, but emotional and spiritual diseases as well. It is our choice, we can be healed IF we make the choice to abide by and live by His Commandments and Statutes. these are His conditions. He is Jehovah Rapha, our healer. Claim Him as your healer today!~
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Friday, July 15th, 2011
Psalm 1:2 "But his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in His Law does he meditate day and night."
119:165 "Great peace have those who love Your Law, and nothing causes them to stumble."
We have spent two weeks looking at the importance of the Word of God. It is fact, it is truth, it is life, it is light, iit is pure, it is our guide, it is our delight and it is our instruction and much more, and nothing will change it, it is forever settled in heaven. If we delight in God's Law, His Word, we will be blessed, because it will teach us how to avoid the pitfalls set for us, and even when we fall, it will show us the way back up. We must keep our eyes fixed and focused on God, through His Word, not looking at our circumstances and situations around us. If we do these things, and in obedience, follow the instructions in His Word, GREAT shall be our peace, and He will keep us from stumbling. To God be the Glory! There are many more scriptures in the Bible concerning the Word, let's continue this study and seek them out for ourselves and see what the Lord is saying to us individually. God bless you!
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Thursday, July 14th, 2011
Proverbs 30:5. " Every Word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who trust in him."
6. "Do not add to His Words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar."
God's Word is PURE, ordained and inspired by God, the Almighty Creator of Heaven and Earth and all that is in it, how can we mortal beings think we know more than He. We have to be careful not to change, add to, or take away from His Word. We can trust that His Words are True, and if you have a question, ask Him, and He will give you clear revelation. When Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness while he fasted 40 days, he quoted the unadulterated Word of God to him. Let us be careful and reverent of the Word of God, memorizing it, so that we quote it correctly, and bring honour to our God.
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Wednesday, July 13th, 2011
Psalm 119:89. " Forever, O Lord, Your Word is settled in heaven."
Matthew 24:35 "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My Words will by no means pass away." Matthew 5:18 " For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled."
Luke 16:17 "And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail." Isaiah 40:8 "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever."
If you were questioning what I said yesterday about the fact that God will NEVER go back on His Word, these scriptures confirm that God's Word will NEVER change. As I said before, what He said He will do......He will do! His promises are sure! His Word is settled in heaven. Man may try to pervert the scriptures by changing things to suit themselves as the false prophets do, and the Bible warns us to beware of them, but God 's Word will never change or fail! A tittle is a very small mark, this word is used to emphasize that not even one little jot or mark of God's Word will change. God 's word is true, it is sure, and it is forever settled! I challenge you to find out for yourself! Look in the scriptures!
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Tuesday, July 12th, 2011
Psalm 119:50. " This is my comfort in my affliction, for Your Word has given me LIFE."
When your body, soul or mind is afflicted, speak the Word of God. Speak the promises of God, put God in remembrance of His Word. God will not go back on His Word. If He said it He will do it, He does not lie. Speak it, and in faith believe, and you shall receive, because there is LIFE in the Word!!!!
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Monday, July 11th, 2011
Psalm 119:11. " Your Word have I hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You."
The only way to be able to resist sin, is to obey the Word of God. When Jesus was tempted when He had fasted 40 days in the wilderness, He spoke the Word of God to the devil. That was His defense and it worked. That is why it is so important to read and study the Word of God, and it is also important to memorize as much of it as we can, so that we can hide it in our hearts", and pull it out when we need it to fight off temptation and the enemy. It is a weapon of warfare, the Sword, so let the Word of God be in your hearts and on your lips. Speak the Word. Amen.
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Friday, July 8th, 2011
Psalm 119:105. " Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
140. Your Word is very pure; therefore Your servant loves it. 160. The entirety of Your Word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever."
The Word of God is a lamp and a light for us, it illuminates the path that we should take, it gives us instructions, shows us the way to go in every circumstance and every situation we encounter. It is very pure, it is Holy, it is all God. It is truth, if God said it, it "will" come to pass. God does not go back on His Word, and His Word will stand throughout eternity. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever." Hebrews `13:8 Amen!
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Thursday, July 7th, 2011
Psalm 119:66. " Teach me good judgement and knowledge, For I believe Your commandments.
68. You are good, and do good; Teach me your statutes."
Dear Father, I want to know you better and to hear you clearer, so that I can walk righteously before You. Forgive all my sins, my shortcomings, my iniquity and my disobedience. Open the eyes of my understanding that I may see and gain knowledge and understanding as I read your Precious Word. Teach me how to read it, how to disect the scriptures, and Dear Lord, allow your Holy Spirit to reveal Your truths, to enlighten me, and help me to apply your Word to my life daily, that I may grow with good judgement and character, so that I can live according to your statutes, and be used effectively by You to bless others, to encourage, to edify, to help, to work in your Vineyard, and to win souls to the Kingdom. I thank you Lord for hearing this humble prayer, and I ask all these things in the Precious Name of Jesus, Amen.
"Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, and I shall keep it to the end." Psalm119:33 Amen!
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Wednesday, July 6th, 2011
Psalm 138:2. " I will worship toward Your Holy Temple, and praise Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; for you have magnified Your Word above all Your Name."
Let us worship the Lord. "You alone are my God, my King, you are Jehovah Rapha (My Healer), Jehovah Jireh (My provider), Jehovah Nissi (My Banner), Jehovah Shammah (You are with me), Jehovah Shalom (My Prince of Peace), Jehovah Tsidkenu (My Righteousness), Jehovah sabaoth (The Lord of Hosts), Jehovah Raah (My Shepherd), Adonai (My Lord), Elohim (the Creator), El Shaddai (the All Sufficient One), El Elyon (God Most High), Lord you are all this and more, Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. You are Sovereign, the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, we exalt and magnify Your Name. We worship you, we glorify you and bless Your Holy Name!"
"O Lord, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth..." Psalm. 8:1 There are many, many scriptures exalting the Name of the Lord, but in spite of this, Psalm 138:2b says He magnifies His WORD above ALL His Name. This is an awesome revelation, which shows us in no uncertain terms, how important His Word is! So important, that He magnifies it ABOVE His Name. "Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, and I shall keep it to the end." Psalm119:33 Amen!
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Tuesday, July 5th, 2011
Psalm 119:15. " I will meditate on Your precepts, and contemplate Your ways.
16. I will delight myself in Your satutes; I will not forget Your Word"
God wants us to read, to ponder, to disect, to learn, to get instruction, to be obedient to His Word. We can question Him about the things we do not understand, and He will answer, just be patient. As we look into the scriptures, let us dig into each word and see what the Lord is telling us. Read verses before and after to get a full understanding of His Precious Word. Let us delight ourselves in His Word!
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Monday, July 4th, 2011
Psalm 118:24 " This is the day that the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."
We are rejoicing because we are finally back on line after having many technical problems for two months! God has restored all and we are so grateful! Today is a day of celebration for many, Americans celebrate their Independence, my Husband and I celebrated 19 years of marriage, King's Heart Ministries is celebrating one year of existance, and many more, but most of all we are rejoicing because the Lord has allowed us to see yet another beautiful day, a day that He designed and orchestrated.........just because He loves us! So no matter the circumstances, no matter the situations, no matter the trials, no matter the hurts, the heartaches, the financial difficulties, the problems with children, co-workers, family, whatever may be going on in your life, just stop and give God a high note of Praise, for He is WORTHY to be PRAISED!!! HALLELUIA!!!!! Thank you Lord!!
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Thursday, April 21st, 2011
Luke 23:46 "And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, He said, Father into your hands I commend My Spirit: and having said thus, He gave up the ghost."
It was finished. The purpose for which Jesus came to earth was fulfilled. His purpose in coming was to die. He had done what the Father had required of Him. He was despised and rejected by mankind. He had borne all our griefs and carried all our sorrows. The Lord had laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He that had no sin became sin for us. He suffered, bled and died, alone on that cross for you and for me. Because of His Love for us, He "willingly" laid down His Life. He could have called 10 thousand angels to rescue Him, but He didn't, He could have murmured and complained, but He didn't. Instead, "He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes, we are healed." Isaiah 53:5. The price for our redemption was paid in full, all sin was atoned, and His death became His Glory. The way was made not only for our Salvation, but the veil was torn in two, giving us access to the Father. We can now have a personal relationship with the Father, we don't have to go by way of the Priest, we don't have to slay any animals anymore. We can now approach the Throne of Grace, in faith, believing. What love the Father has bestowed on us that He would give up His only begotten Son to die for us. "What is man that thou art mindful of Him?" Psalm 8:4. Why does He love me so....I don't know.... but I am SO glad He does. What about you?
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Wednesday, April 20th, 2011
Matthew 27:29 "And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon His head, and a reed in His right hand: and they bowed the knee before Him, and mocked Him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!"
27:30 "And they spit upon Him, and took the reed, and smote Him on the head."
27:31 "And after that they had mocked Him, they took the robe off from Him, and put His own raiment on Him, and led him away to crucify Him."
After having studied the scriptures Mark 9:42-48 last week, and learning about hell and the fire that will never be quenched and the worm (man) that will not die, meaning those that will not accept the Lord Jesus into their hearts, will go to hell where they will burn forever and ever and the fire will never be put out and they will never die. Again I will reiterate how hard it is to imagine a fire that will burn for eternity, and how Jesus tried to really warn us, as He repeated Himself 5 times about the fire that will not be quenched, 3 times about the worm that will not die, and He mentioned hell 3 times. So this drives home the seriousness of what He was saying, that it would cause Him to repeat Himself so many times. I have not been able to move on to another scripture as I had to do some real soul searching and repenting, and am still asking the Lord to show me any wicked way in me so that I might ask forgiveness.
How fitting though a week later, here we are commemorating Easter, and what Jesus did for us on the cross of Calvary to make a way for our sins to be forgiven, that we might obtain the Grace of God in our lives. He died that we might be forgiven and receive eternal life! Isaiah 53:5 says "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are healed." Jesus paid the price for humanity to be redeemed by taking on all the sins of the world and suffering through the beatings, the mockings and scorn, having a crown of thorns put on His head and a sword piercing His side and then being crucified on a cross. He did all that for you and me, to make a way just so that we would not perish, but have everlasting life! I love Him so much for doing that for me, but He loves me even more, and He loves you too. Won't you accept Him today before it is too late?
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Tuesday, April 12th, 2011
Mark 9:43 "And if your hand offend you, cut it off: it is better for you to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched."
9:44 "Where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched."
9:45 "And if your foot offend you, cut it off: it is better for you to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:"
9:46 "Where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched."
9:47 "And if your eye offend you, pluck it out: it is better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:"
9:48 "Where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched.
These verses contain a very SERIOUS warning, that cannot be taken lightly. Jesus is using the hand, the foot and the eye, as symbols of things that cause us to sin. He is warning that it is FAR better to get rid of those things that could cause us to go to hell, to rid ourselves of the stumbling blocks or sins NOW, than to be cast into eternal torment by fire. If anyone ever wondered if there is a hell, you can see from these verses that Jesus talked about it plainly. He not only mentioned the name, He further explained that the fire will never go out or be quenched, and says it FIVE times!!! Jesus was a man that spoke what He meant. He could not lie, so for Him to say this FIVE times, means it was EXTREMELY IMPORTANT!!
Then He further explains that the worm does not die, along with the fire not ever being quenched. I have found 3 different schools of thought concerning the meaning of this "worm" that never dies, but the one I think is right is that the "worm" refers to "man", as it is used several times in the Bible (Job 25:6, Psalm 22:6, Isaiah 41:14 and 66:24). the conciousness and life of an individual who goes to hell, will forever feel remorse at not doing what they could have done to avoid the penalty of hell fire.
Now that you know for sure there is a hell, a fire that will not be quenched, think about it, and that individuals that end up there will not die, but will continue to burn FOREVER in the fire, are you ready to do it God's way, rather than suffer these horrific consequences of sin? Why not ask Jesus to come into your heart right now....today? Just say this prayer......
Dear Lord Jesus, I ask you to forgive all my sins, wash me in your precious blood. Come into my life and be my Saviour. I believe you died on a cross for me, was buried, and rose again on the Third Day. Take charge of my life, I ask these things in the Name of Jesus, Amen
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Monday, April 11th, 2011
Mark 9:42 "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea."
We have to be VERY careful how we handle God's precious "little ones" (the new babes in Christ, new believers, new converts or immature disciples). In the verse above, Jesus makes it very clear how He feels about anyone who causes His little ones to stumble, to sin or to be hindered in their discipleship. A millstone was the one that donkeys turned in circles to grind wheat, it was very large and very heavy, and if thrown into the sea with this around one's neck, drowning would be a sure thing. As terrible as drowning is, Jesus was saying that it would be "better" than suffering the consequences or punishments that would follow if you cause the downfall of one of His precious babes. Therefore, be warned to be very careful in handling those who are new in the Faith.
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Friday, April 1st, 2011
PRAYER
Matthew 6: 9 "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11. Give us this day our daily bread.
12. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen"
This was the model prayer given by Jesus, that all might know how to pray. It is to be prayed in full confidence that the Heavenly Father will hear and answer according to His Will.
The seven-fold way to pray to get answers (James 1:6)
- Pray to the Father (John 16: 23)
- In the Name of Jesus (John 14:12-15)
- By the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26)
- With full understanding of rights and privileges
- (1 Corinthians 14:14-15)
- In harmony with the Word (John 15:7)
- In faith, nothing doubting (James 1:6)
- With praise for the answer (Philippians 4:6)
Dear Father God, We praise and magnify your name today. We are seeking your face, for your Will to be done in our lives on earth as it is in heaven. Father as we search your Word on prayer, we ask that you hide Your Word in our hearts that we might not sin against you, thank you for the many many scriptures on prayer, and please teach us your Word which is our daily bread. Forgive all our sins and come into our hearts afresh, we forgive all that have wronged us in any way, and when we are tempted to sin, please make a way of escape from the evil one. We know that you are the Holy One, the Almighty, the Everlasting Father, and Yours is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory, in Jesus' Name, Amen.
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Thursday, March 31st, 2011
PRAYER
James 5:14 "Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:" Vs. 15a "And the prayer of faith shall save the sick,....."
James tells us to call on Pastors/Elders to pray over us when we are sick, anointing us with oil in the Name of Jesus. Anointing with oil has no medicinal purpose, but it is merely symbolic of the healing of God by the Holy Spirit. Praying in agreement with someone else and joining your faith, gives more power. Matthew 18:19 says "....If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven."When the prayer of faith is prayed and the Name of Jesus invoked, the Lord will raise up the sick. This power to heal is promised to every believer, not only the elders/Pastors of the church. There are many scriptures that promise us that if we pray, and in faith believe, we SHALL receive. (Matthew 21:22, Mark 9:23, 11:23-24, John 14:12-14)
Dear Lord Jesus, We thank you that you said if we believe in you, then we will be able to do even greater works than you did, and if we ask anything in Your Name, You will do it, help us to pray in faith believing, never doubting, in Jesus' Name, Amen.
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Wednesday, March 30th, 2011
PRAYER
John 5:14 "And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according to His Will, He hears us:" Vs. 15 "And if we know that He hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him."
This week we have looked at praying boldly, fervently, effectually, and now we will look at praying with CONFIDENCE that our prayers WILL be answered. God cannot deny His Word. He is not a man that He should lie. If He said it, then it is so. So in order to pray effectively, we have to pray according to His Will, and this means according to what the Word says. We have to put Him in remembrance of His Word, pray His Word, speak His Word, believe His Word and declare His Word with CONFIDENCE, knowing that He will do what He says, expecting the answers as sure as if we already have them.
Heavenly Father, How blessed we are as believers to be able to pray to You with the confidence and assurance that if we pray according to Your Will, you will hear us, and you will grant our petitions. We thank you Lord, in Jesus Name. Amen.
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Tuesday, March 29th, 2011
PRAYER
James 5:16 "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a Righteous man availeth much."
James tells us to be honest enough to admit our faults, failings and sins to someone else. God already knows what we have done, but to be able to speak about it to someone else requires humility and honesty. It helps us acknowledge the fault and face our wrong. It also frees us from the bondage of shame, that the enemy tries to hold us with, if we let him. Also we should pray for one another so that our sicknesses may be healed, but we are to pray earnestly and with passion (fervent), but also making sure that our hearts are right before God, so that we will see the results(effectual) we require as our prayers are answered.
Dear Lord, help us to be open and honest and to be able to share our faults with someone we trust. Teach us to pray earnestly and sincerely from a heart of faith, so that we may receive the required answers to our prayers. Amen.
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Monday, March 28th, 2011
PRAYER
Hebrews 4:16 "Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain Mercy, and find Grace to help in time of need."
God has given us permission to come to the Throne of Grace with our concerns, troubles and situations. The Throne of Grace is a place of Divine Power, where we can meet with God by way of the vehicle of PRAYER. It is a place from which all Grace abounds. He not only bids us to come, but to come boldly, not in fear, letting our petitions be made known.
In Israel, the Throne of Grace was the mercy-seat or covering for the Ark of the Covenant between the two cherubim. The High Priest was allowed to approach this once a year and that with the blood of atonement. If he transgressed in anything he would be struck dead. His approach was with fear and trembling.
New covenant believers can come boldly to God's Throne without fear and trembling, daily and at any time of the day. This is the freedom, confidence and liberty of approach that we have. We have absolute confidence of access to God by way of the blood that was shed at Calvary which removed the sin which had separated us from God, giving us free access. If we have sin in our lives, we do not and cannot have this liberty of access. God will not hear our prayers.
Let us pray: Most Gracious and Eternal Lord, I come boldly to your throne, because you bid me come. I have sinned and fallen short of your Glory. I am sorry for all my sin, whether in thought, in word, or in deed. I repent and ask your forgiveness. I thank you for the forgiveness, mercy and grace you so freely give. In Jesus Name. Amen.
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Friday, March 25th, 2011
SUFFERING
Job 1:21 "And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither; the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."
1:22 "In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly."
We cannot speak about suffering and sorrow without speaking about Job, a perfect and upright man who feared God and hated evil. Job was very rich and had it all, wife, 7 sons, 3 daughters, land, a great household with servants, cattle, 500 yoke of oxen, 5 hundred she asses, 7 thousand sheep, and 3 thousand camels (can you imagine!).......but Job lost every one of those possessions, verses 14-19. God loved Job, and was bragging to satan about him and how faithful he was, so satan desired to sift Job, to try and test him to see if he would remain as faithful as God said.
Job's family died, he lost all his possessions and beside that, he became very sick. When all those things happened to Job, verse 20 says Job tore his robe, shaved his head (in exceeding sorrow) and fell to the ground and worshipped God. He worshipped God!!! It also says Job sinned not, and nor did he blame God. Job was an excellent example of how we should deal with our pain and suffering. The loss of a loved one, pain and sickness or a broken marriage can make your heart ache so much it becomes physical, but God's Grace is sufficient for you to make it through these difficult times. Lean on Him, call to Him and be encouraged, that you CAN make it through to victory. You are more than a conqueror!
1 Peter 5:10 "But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you."
5:11 "To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen."
Have a blessed and safe weekend!
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Wednesday, March 24th, 2011
SUFFERING
2 Timothy 1:12 "For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day."
The Apostle Paul again speaks here of his suffering. He tells how he suffered those things for the reason of establishing the Church. Apparently some were ashamed of Paul and the fact that he had been imprisoned, but Paul boldly proclaimed that he was not ashamed, the reason was because he knew the Lord Jesus Christ in a personal way, in whom he believed, and was fully persuaded that the Lord was able to keep and preserve his soul through every trial and tribulation. The soul which he had committed to God until such time as the Lord would return on that Day to collect His Church, His Bride.
Like Paul, we too, need to have that same victorious attitude when we are going through. Some situations we face are so painful and overwhelming, we just want to give up, but God has a good plan for our lives, plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. So don't get weary in well doing for in due season (soon) you SHALL reap a harvest, if you don't give up.
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Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011
SUFFERING
2 Corinthians 4:17-18
17. "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory."
18. "While we do not look at the thing which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal."
As we continue our journey on the road of suffering, we can be encouraged by the scripture above. Paul was explaining that whatever we are going through is only a light affliction compared to what our Lord Jesus had to suffer. He made the supreme sacrifice on Calvary's Cross, and if we can hold on and make it THROUGH our suffering, which is not for long, we will receive the Glory of God.Have you ever been in a storm, or a hurricane? How long did they stay in one place? Not long, they are always moving, whether slow or fast. So it is with our afflictions, they are here a little while, because they are always moving. You will not be in it forever.
God will bring us to a place of victory and glory, and will give us a more exceeding reward of Glory at the Resurrection. We will be His "Glory Carriers". The Glory of God's anointing and power will be upon us. So let us not worry about the things that we can see, which are our trials and sufferings on this earth, but let us await with anticipation the unseen things, which are what God has prepared for us when He returns for His Church. It will FAR outweigh anything in the earth realm, and it will be for all eternity. Are you ready for his appearance?
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Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011
SUFFERING
2 Corinthians 4:7-9
7. "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of GOD and not of us."
8. "We are hardpressed on every side, yet not in despair;"
9. "persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed-" (NKJV)
Our trials do not just happen, they are allowed by God to bring about a specific result in our lives. That is how we grow, become strong and build character. How could we know how strong we are if we never had a trial? How could we know how much we have grown if we are not tested? We are the earthen vessels spoken of, just mere clay, but the priceless treasure within, is the Power of the Holy Spirit that dwells in us. And it is only by the Grace of God and the Power of the Holy Spirit that we are not in despair, or forsaken or destroyed. Trials and tribulations may knock us down, but we are not out, God is with us in every trial, and we can get back up again and press on.
Paul knew what he was speaking about here, because he himself had to go through so much persecution and suffering, he was beaten many times, locked up in jail, bitten by a snake, to name just a few, all to the Glory of God as he went about winning souls for the Lord, but God was with him. Like Paul, we too can make it through our sufferings, by the "excellence of the power of God", not in our own strength. If we persevere, God WILL get the Glory from our lives, and we will go from strength to strength in our Christian walk as God's Glory is revealed in us. Be encouraged!!
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Monday, March 21st, 2011
SUFFERING
1 Peter 4:12 "Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;"
4:13 "but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His Glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy." (NKJV)
After we submit and commit our lives to the Lord Jesus Christ, there is a time of testing. God will allow some things in our lives to try us to see if we are really committed to Him. Peter was speaking to the Jewish Believers and encouraging them to be courageous through their persecution. Persecution can cause us to either grow or to be bitter. It is our choice, and our response will determine the outcome. As Believers, our character and conduct must be above reproach.
Many times when going through our trials and tribulations we question "why me?" But these verses explain that just as Christ suffered, so should we. Praise God, our sufferings are no where as bad as what He had to go through, but we have that blessed hope, that when His Glory is revealed, we can rejoice and be exceeding glad. We know the story has a happy ending! Halleluia!!
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Friday, March 18th, 2011
GRACE
2 Corinthians 13:14 "The GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Love of God, and the Communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen."
What is a Benediction? It is the asking of a blessing from God, an nnouncement, declaration, or decree over someone. It is usually at the end of service or gathering. The Apostle Paul spoke the benediction (above) over the Corinthian Church after he had instructed them concerning true Christian principles and Ministry. He desired to bless them, and after a week of looking at the "GRACE of God", I would like for you to blessed in like manner. So today, I decree and declare, the Sanctifying GRACE (unmerited favour) of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Son), and the Divine Love of God (the Father), and the Sweet Communion (fellowship) of the Holy Spirit (the Comforter), be with you all. In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen!!
Have a BLESSED and SAFE and GODLY weekend!
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Thursday, March 17th, 2011
GRACE
Hebrews 4:16 "Let us come boldly unto the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain Mercy, and find Grace to help in time of need."
The Lord bids us to come to Him BOLDLY in prayer (having no fear, knowing to whom we belong, like a child to a parent, knowing that the parent will favour him/her because the parent loves him/her, but with an attitude of love, respect and reverence) unto the Throne of Grace (a place of Divine Authority and Power, a place from where favour proceeds, the source of boundless Grace, a place where we can find favour we have not earned) that we may obtain Mercy (goes hand in hand with Grace, Mercy is what God gives us instead of the penalty we really deserve for our sin), but we have to pray boldly for this Mercy and very often we have to pray for Mercy for someone else (one another) as well. And the same way God is merciful unto us, He expects us to be merciful unto others. We cannot be without his Grace and Mercy especially in time of need, and we need a fresh supply every day! The Psalm 23:6 ends by promising "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us, ALL the days of our lives and we shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever! Amen!
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Wednesday, March 16th, 2011
GRACE
2 Corinthians 12:9 "And He said unto me, My Grace is sufficient for you: for My strength is made perfect in weakness."
Have you ever had to go through something that made you feel overwhelmed, like it was just too much, that you couldn't handle it, that you could not make it through? I am sure most of us have had a situation like this at one time or another, but yet, after a while, when you look back, you are still here, you made it through, the situation is dealt with and may be behind you, or it could still be with you, yet you have made it thus far, and you press on.........
The Apostle Paul was just like that, he had a thorn in his flesh (the Bible does not say what it was), and he asked God three times to take it away. But God did not take it away, but told Paul "My Grace is sufficient for you: for My strength is made perfect in weakness", meaning God's favor was upon Paul and he was given strength enough to overcome any situation that would arise, not in any strength of his own, but in the strength of the Lord........even with the thorn still there.
We have assurance in scripture where the Lord promises us that "He will never give us more than we can bear". Therefore, if God trusts us with that situation, then we know with an assurance He will give us the GRACE needed to get through it if we can just put our faith and trust in Him to bring us through.
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Tuesday, March 15th, 2011
GRACE
James 4:6 "But He gives more Grace. Wherefore He said, God resists the proud, but gives Grace unto the humble."
Pride promotes strife. God resists the proud. He exalts the man/woman of lowly estate, the one that humbles himself/herself. But no matter how many times we sin, or fail, He gives us MORE GRACE every time we come back to Him. If He gave us what we deserve, no one would be left on the earth. But God is not short on Grace. He gives it, and gives it and gives it again.
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Monday, March 14th, 2011
GRACE
Ephesians 2:8 "For by Grace are you saved through Faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the Gift of God:"
Grace is the Goodness of God, it is unmerited favour, in other words favour that we have not, could not and would not earn. It is strictly and freely given to us from God the Father because of His Love for us. We definitely do not deserve it, but He still gives it to us, and for that we are extremely grateful. Thank you Lord!
For those who have been called out of darkness into God's Marvellous Light (Salvation), it is through faith in Christ and His sacrifice on the Cross of Calvary, and purely the GRACE of God by which we have been saved. It is not because of anything we have done, but all is of Him. It is a GIFT from our Father God.
Have you ever noticed sometimes we ask God for something, but we mess up and sin, and even though we repent we know we don't deserve to even ask anything of Him, let alone receive it....but in His Love and Mercy, He sometimes still blesses us with that thing......that is GRACE!!!
Hymn: Grace, Grace, God's Grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within,
Grace, Grace, God's Grace,
Grace that is Greater than all our sin.
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Friday, March 11th, 2011
HE IS COMING SOON! ARE YOU READY??
1 Thessalonians 4:17 "Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."
Vs. 18, "Wherefore comfort one another with these words."
Yesterday, we talked about the "dead in Christ". In case you were wondering, those that are yet "alive in Christ"(living believers) at the time of His return, will not be forgotten. After the "dead in Christ"(the resurrected believers) will be caught up in the air with Jesus, then straightway, as the verse above says, those yet alive will also be caught up to meet Him in the air, and all will be transported to Heaven for a period of about 7 years, which will be the Tribulation years, when the enemy will be loosed on the earth, and it will be much harder than before for those left behind to serve God, there will be perilous times, such as have never been before.
But Praise be unto God, those believers who are or were serving God before the Rapture will be spared all of this. This will be the reward for those who accepted and believed in The Lord Jesus Christ and what He did for us on the cross of Calvary. They will be taken out of the earthly realm with all its wickedness and peril, and kept safe in Heaven with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Isn't this reason enough to accept Him and serve Him while you can?? Don't you want this GLORIOUS future, free from sickness, pain, death and the like? Please don't let pride and rebellion keep you from the Glorious Rapture that the Saints of God are eagerly looking forward to, and by which we comfort and encourage one another.
Will you accept Him today before it is too late??
Song: Some golden daybreak, Jesus will come,
Some golden daybreak, battles all won,
He'll shout the Victory
Break through the blue
Some golden daybreak, for me and for you.
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Thursday, March 10th, 2011
HE IS COMING SOON! ARE YOU READY??
1 Thessalonians 4:15 "For this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
Vs. 16, For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the Trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:"
These verses reiterate the fact that the dead "in Christ" (meaning born again Christians who died) shall rise first to be with the Lord when He returns for His Church.
This represents the Doctrine of the Rapture of the Church, when the Lord Himself (in person), shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel (Michael). The Lord will not come right down to the earth, but will come close. We are told in Acts 1:11 that "this same Jesus who ascended "into" Heaven, will return in like manner". He will catch up all the Saints to be with Him in the air, the dead shall be resurrected first and they shall be transported to Heaven in their new Glorified bodies.
Can you just picture that scene? What a GLORIOUS thought!! The Bible says that God does nothing unless He tells His Prophets first. The Prophets are saying how close the Lord's Coming is, all the signs are in place. 1 Peter 4:7 says "the end of all things is at hand, be ye therefore sober and watchful unto prayer." I cannot stress enough how important it is to be ready!!!!
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Wednesday, March 9th, 2011
HE IS COMING SOON! ARE YOU READY??
1 Thessalonians 4:13 "But I would not have you to be ignorant, Brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that you sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
Vs. 14, For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him."
Have you ever wondered what happens to you when you die? Many people fear death....but today I have some comforting news for you. If you make the Lord Jesus Christ your choice, and allow Him to come into your heart and life, and be your Lord and Master, you can have ETERNAL life. Death holds no terror for the Believer, because when Believers die, the Bible says "We are confident........to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord."
(2 Corinthians 5:8) At death, the soul and spirit of the Child of God instantly go to be with Jesus, while the physical body returns to dust.
In the scriptures above, Paul was explaining to the Thessalonian Christians that they need not worry and sorrow when someone dies who is a Christian, as those who do not know the Lord. Those individuals who are not Believers have much to sorrow for, because they will have no hope of being a part of the coming "Rapture", when our Lord returns for those who believe in Him, and Him crucified, dead, and risen again, having paid the price for the remission of their sins. So just as Christ was resurrected, so will the Believers "who sleep in Jesus" be resurrected. When the Lord returns for His Church, the souls and spirits of each individual will come with Jesus to be reunited with their glorified bodies.
How wonderful is that! What blessed hope for the Believers, and it can be yours also, just get right with God and you will be included!!!
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Tuesday, March 8th, 2011
HE IS COMING SOON! ARE YOU READY??
Matthew 25:13 "Watch, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh."
As believers, we look forward to the day of the return of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, because we know He will return to collect all those who have died as christians and also those christians who are yet alive. This verse (above) follows the parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1-12), which tells that there were 5 wise virgins who had prepared and had oil and extra oil, and 5 foolish virgins who had only the oil in their lamps. They were on their way to meet the Bridegroom for the marriage feast. While they waited, they all slept and the oil in their lamps burned out. At Midnight there was a shout "The Bridegroom cometh, go out and meet him!" All the virgins arose and trimmed their lamps, but the five foolish found that their oil had run out. They then tried to borrow from the 5 wise virgins, but were told to go and buy some for themselves. The story says that when they went to buy, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went in to the marriage feast and the door was shut. When the five foolish virgins returned they tried to get in, but the answer was "I know you not".
The five wise virgins signified the believers who are prepared and ready for the Lord's return (The Rapture). The five foolish are those who are not living right and who do not have the light of Christ (The Holy Spirit) in their lives. As you can see from this parable, we need to be WATCHFUL for signs of the Lord's return, and also to be READY, so that we will not be left behind when He returns for His people.
Are you like the wise virgins or the foolish virgins? Get ready before it is too late!
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Thursday and Friday, March 3rd and 4th, 2011
Ephesians 5:26 "that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word."
5:27 "that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be HOLY and without blemish."
We have been dealing with HOLINESS this week, acknowledging that we cannot come to a Holy God with sin in our hearts. God knows we will fall short, but we are to get back on track as quickly as we can, by repenting and not harbouring any sin in our hearts. Things like unforgiveness must be dealt with as soon as possible. Realizing our God is a patient and long suffering God, but we don't want the Holy Spirit to leave us because we are holding on to sin in our hearts.
In Psalm 51 David prayed for forgiveness of sin. He repented humbly before God. In verse 10 he asked God to create in him a clean heart and renew a right spirit (attitude), and right after that in verse 11, he said "Cast me not away from your presence; and take not Your Holy Spirit from me." If sin is not dealt with and we continue in our rebellious ways, God will eventually cast us away from His Presence and take the Holy Spirit from us. We cannot live any old way and expect the blessings of a Holy God. And this goes for all sins we commit. Do we show love for one another? Are we kind, compassionate, considerate and encouraging? Or are we envious, jealous or hateful toward one another. We HAVE to repent and turn away from that sin in obedience to God's Word. We like to hold on to stuff and have our own way, then we wonder why things are going wrong.........we are not fooling God, and it may just be that God is not pleased!
I encourage you today and I encourage myself, let us be quick to repent, and turn from our wicked ways, and be a church without spot or wrinkle, HOLY, without blemish, to please our HOLY God, and to be ready for the return of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ!
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Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011
Ephesians 1:4 "just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love."
Before we were thought of, conceived or born, the Lord knew each one of us, and had a plan for our lives. He chose us, and because of that, we are to be holy and blameless before Him. We cannot straddle the fence, we cannot live any old way, we have to live by God's principles and instructions which will lead us to a clean and pure life in love before Him. This is what He requires of us. Anything less, will not do. He has given us all the tools we need in His Word, to be able to do it. The Holy Spirit will empower us, so let's be obedient and see what God has for us, so that we can share it with others.
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Tuesday, March 1st, 2011
2 Corinthians 7:1 "Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."
In the scriptures, we are promised many, many wonderful blessings of the Lord, one of which is Eternal Life with our Father in Heaven. In order for these blessings to manifest in our lives, there are certain requirements, one of which is to be Holy! It is therefore imperative that we renew our commitment to the Lord each day, asking Him to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness, to give us a clean and pure heart and renew a right spirit within us. We must do this in obedience, in reverence and in the fear of a Holy God! God wants a church without spot or wrinkle, so we must do this in order to be ready when Christ returns for His Bride, the Church, the SOON coming of our Lord Jesus!
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Monday, Feb. 28th, 2011
Giving thanks and honour to God my Father for another day of life, health and strength....... another week to share the Word of God with you......... another year that He has brought me through safe from dangers seen and unseen........... and yet another Birthday!!!
1 Peter 1:15 "but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct."
What does "HOLY" mean? It means consecrated, set apart for service to God, spiritually perfect, pure in heart, sacred. We serve a HOLY God, who has inspired the writings in the HOLY Bible which is our instruction manual, thus, we are expected to live a HOLY life, as following these examples and instructions in obedience. Holiness does not come overnight, but is a continual process as long as we are in this earthly realm, as we strive to obtain that spiritual perfection that our hearts long for, and as the Lord God requires of us. God called us out of darkness into His marvelous light, so we have to be determined to allow the Holy Spirit to guide and empower us so that in ALL our conduct, we may live Holy and righteous, which is required by, and pleasing to, our Holy God.
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Friday, Feb. 25th, 2011
1 Peter 1:16 "because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."
God expects us to live a holy and sanctified life after we receive the gift of Salvation. This can only come by way of the Holy Spirit, who will develop holiness in our lives, if we walk in obedience to God's Word. He is holy, therefore we should walk in holiness in like manner, for we are made in His Image, so we should strive to be like Him.
This is also for those who have been saved a long time, we should forever be doing "heart maintenance", continually being humble enough to go back to the Cross and confess our sins and ask for forgiveness, making sure that sin does not reside in our hearts and block us from God. We do this to keep our hearts pure and holy before a Holy God.
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Thursday, Feb. 24th, 2011
1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
So if we confess our sins, repenting with humble and contrite hearts, we will receive the blessing of being forgiven our sins and iniquities, and our hearts will be made clean, washed in the Blood of the Lamb, made white as snow, free from the guilt and shame of the past, forgiven and now in right standing with the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, a joint heir with the Father, a royal priesthood, a chosen generation, Children of the Most High God and blessed to be able to live with Him forever in Eternity.
God has so much for us, if we but open ourselves to receive Him, seek Him and all these things will be added unto us.
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Wednesday, Feb. 23rd, 2011
1 John 1:8 "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."
The Bible says "All have sinned", so let's be real and confess that we each have sinned and failed God at times. This shows us we have to have a repentant heart before God. We must humble ourselves and ask His forgiveness daily in order to walk in right standing with Him. We cannot deceive ourselves into thinking we have arrived, but continue ever pressing forward to the mark of the prize of the high calling of God which is in Christ Jesus.
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Tuesday, Feb. 22nd, 2011
Acts 16:30b ".........What must I do to be saved?"
Say this prayer........but you must mean it from your heart............
Heavenly Father, I confess I am a sinner. I acknowledge my sinful state, and realize that I am eternally dead and on my way to hell. But, I now confess my belief that, because of your love for me, you sent Jesus Christ = your only Son - to die for me. I believe that He arose from the dead so that I may have eternal life. Based on these beliefs, I invite Your Son, Jesus Christ, to come and live in my heart, and save me from my sin.
I now submit myself to you, Lord Jesus.. Take me and make me what you want me to be, In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen!
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Monday, Feb. 21st, 2011
Rev. 3:20a "Behold I stand at the door and knock, if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him."
Is Jesus knocking on your heart's door? Answer the door and let Him come in.....He is waiting, don't miss your opportunity!
If you desire to be prayed with or for, please let us know by return email and we can make arrangements, or you put a prayer request on the website below.
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Friday, Feb. 18th, 2011
Let's continue on THE ROMANS ROAD to SALVATION.
Romans 6:22 "But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, you have your fruit unto Holiness, and the end Everlasting Life."
If you have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour, you are now free from the bondage of sin, and you have become servants of the Most High God, meaning that you no longer serve the devil, you have changed Masters and you now serve a Holy God. This will result in living a life of holiness which the Holy Spirit will bring about in your life in due time, and the end result will be Eternal Life with our Lord, providing you make the cross the object of your Faith, denying self and living a life of sowing to the Spirit.
If you or someone you know has received Salvation during this study, please email us and let us rejoice with you!
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Wednesday, Feb. 16th & Thursday, Feb. 17th, 2011
Let's continue on THE ROMANS ROAD to SALVATION.
Romans 10:9 "..that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
(10) For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
Believing that the Lord Jesus is your Saviour, that He died for you and that God raised Him from the dead, and speaking about it with your mouth gives you victory over the devil and you are saved!
So the next stop on our path is:-
- If you know that God is knocking on your heart's door, ask Him to come into your heart.
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Monday, Feb. 14th, & Tuesday Feb. 15th, 2011
Hope everyone had a very Happy Valentine's Day!!!!
Matthew 26:38 "Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
vs. 39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt."
Recently I spoke on the topic, "When Love Says NO!!"
When Jesus went into the Garden of Gathsemane with Peter, James and John. He told them to stay with him while he went off a distance to pray. I believe He wanted them nearby him for support. He shared in verse 38, how He felt.....exceeding sorrowful. He knew His time was drawing near, and in verse 39, He had a moment of weakness when He asked His Father if He could avoid what He knew He was destined for. We don't know if God actually said NO, but we know that He did not say YES, and Jesus conceded "Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt." In other words, "Your will be done." I was so moved by the fact that because of that "NO", and because of God's Love, all mankind, you and I, can have Salvation and Eternal life. For God is love!
If God had given Jesus a "Yes", where would we be? Without the gift of salvation, which Jesus paid for with His life, we would be lost in sin forever. But Praise be unto God, because of His undying love for us, He did not give His own beloved Son a "yes", but Love (God) said "NO", and Jesus, although exceeding sorrowful, even unto death, still did, in obedience to His Father, what He knew He was born to do, because He loved us also. He took all our sins upon Himself and was beaten, mocked, scorned and crucified on a cross, died, paid the price for us, that we might have eternal life.
And, Praise God, on the third day, He rose again, victorious over satan, hell and death. He LIVES and because of this, we have the choice to live and reign with Him eternally in Heaven. BUT, we must accept Him into our hearts, humbly repent of our sins, and love and serve Him with all our hearts.
Won't you receive HIS LOVE today? Won't you make Him your choice?
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Friday, Feb. 11th, 2011
THE ROMANS ROAD to SALVATION in the New Testament. It is a pathway and if you walk down this road, you will end up understanding how to be SAVED.
Romans 10:13 "For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved."
God is no respecter of persons. Whether you Jew or Gentile, no matter the race, colour or creed, rich or poor, tall or short, the Word says "WHOSOEVER", shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved. He has given everyone of us that privilege, to call on Him and He is willing to save. When you pray, pray IN THE NAME OF JESUS and He will hear you.
So the next stop on our path is:-
- Call out to God in the name of Jesus!
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Thursday, Feb. 10th, 2011
THE ROMANS ROAD to SALVATION in the New Testament. It is a pathway and if you walk down this road, you will end up understanding how to be SAVED.
Romans 5:8 "But God commendeth His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us!"
When Jesus died on the cross He paid sin's penalty. He paid the price for all sin, and when He took all the sins of the world on Himself on the cross, He bought us out of slavery to sin and death! He loved us when we did not love him, some in fact hated Him, and He still demonstrated immeasurable love by sacrificing Himself for us.
The only condition is that we believe in Him and what He has done for us, understanding that we are now joined with Him, and that He is our life. He did all this because He loved us and to make a way that we could be saved! We cannot even comprehend that kind of love!
So the next stop on our path is:-
- Give your life to God.....
His love poured out in Jesus on the cross is your only hope to have forgiveness and change. His love brought you out of darkness into His marvellous light. His love is what saved you....not religion, or church membership. GOD loves you!!! Unconditionally!!!
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Wednesday, Feb. 9th, 2011
THE ROMANS ROAD to SALVATION in the New Testament. It is a pathway and if you walk down this road, you will end up understanding how to be SAVED.
Romans 6:23b "....but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Salvation is a free gift from God to us! God send His only begotten Son to live on earth, to die a horrible death, taking on the sins of the world, being crucified on a cross. He died, was buried and rose again in victory to live forever more, having conquered hell, death and the devil, making a way that we can now be saved and have eternal life, to live and reign with Him in eternity forever! We could never earn this gift, it is a precious gift, given to us freely through Jesus' sacrifice. We just have to make a choice to reach out and receive it.
Revelation 21:8 says "But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:"
So the next stop on our path is:-
- Ask God to forgive you and save you.
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Tuesday, Feb. 8th, 2011
Romans 6:23a "....the wages of sin is death."
There is a penalty for sin. That penalty is death. We all face physical death, that is the result of sin, the sin of disobedience in the Garden of Eden by Adam and Eve. Because of their sin, mankind now has to face physical death. But worse than the physical death is spiritual death, which alienates us from God, because it can last for all eternity. The Bible teaches about a place called the "Lake of Fire" where those who are lost will end up in torment forever. God gives us so many opportunities to make things right, because He loves us so much, and so many continually turn their backs on Him and prefer to stay in sin, and this is going to be their result......
Revelation 21:8 says "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone......"
So the next stop on our path is:-
- Understand that you deserve death for your sin.
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Monday, Feb. 7th, 2011
This week we are going to look at THE ROMANS ROAD to SALVATION in the New Testament. It is a pathway and if you walk down this road, you will end up understanding how to be SAVED.
Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God."
We ALL have sin in our hearts. We ALL were born with sin. Because of the fall of the first Adam, we were born under the power of sin's control.
Romans 3:9 says "What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, they are all under sin;"
vs 10 "As it is written, THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NO, NOT ONE."
So the first stop in our path is:-
- Admit that you are a sinner.
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Friday, Feb. 4th, 2011
Acts 16:31 "So they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household."
In light of what we said yesterday, let's look at this belief. It has to be the kind of faith that will surrender all to God and believe with the heart the truth, which is Romans 9 and 10, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." It must be a genuine heartfelt transaction of repentence and faith. This backs up the fact that your faith "and" repentence are necessary in order to be saved. And this salvation is not merely limited to you, but the whole house must meet the same terms for all to be saved, and if they meet these conditions of faith and repentence the same salvation is available to them also.
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Praise God, we are back! Thank you for your patience while we were absent due to completion of a course, and travelling, among other reasons. It was our intention to start on Feb. 1st, but was not able due to computer problems, but Praise be to God, here we are today, up and running again, and we are truly thankful!!!
Wednesday, Feb. 2nd, 2011
Isaiah 55:6 "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:"
It is important to realize that we are not just required to believe to be saved from sin. Belief is certainly required, but we also have to SEEK God, REPENT, CALL UPON God, CONFESS, PRAY, HUMBLE SELF, HEAR and OBEY. The truth is that all these terms are used many times in scripture to tell mankind what they must do to find God.
Also this scripture verse suggests that there must be times when men cannot find God, the Bible mentions 6 of those times, they are:-
1. When they turn their hearts away from Him and will not hear. (Deuteronomy. 30: 17-18)
2. When they mock God and scorn at His dealings until calamity comes. (Proverbs 1:23-31)
3. When they become too proud and stubborn to humble themselves before Him. (Numbers 16)
4. When they neglect to settle all matters with Him until judgment falls. (Acts 5:1-11)
5. When they die in sin. (Hebrews 9:27)
6. When they blaspheme the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 12: 31-32)
Thursday, Feb. 3rd, 2011
Isaiah 55:7 "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."
Three commands are given to the wicked in this verse, and they are (a) to forsake his wicked ways, (b) to forsake his unrighteous thoughts, and (c) to return to the Lord. These things constitute true repentence. As long as one continues in his wicked ways and unrighteous thoughts, he is still in rebellion and sin and is not returning to God with his whole heart, and these sins will cause one to break God's Law and they carry a death sentence. BUT, if he returns to the Lord, he will obtain mercy and will be abundantly pardoned.
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Thursday, Nov. 11th, 2010
Psalm 3:3 "But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory, and the lifter up of my head."
Friday, Nov. 12th, 2010
Psalm 3:4 "I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and He heard me out of His holy hill."
David knew that it was God, and God alone, who had placed him on the Throne as King. God was his protector (shield), his glory (in winning battles and in crowning him King) and the lifter of his head (when his head was bowed low in humiliation because his people had turned on him.) And God can be all these things for us also, no matter the stupid mistakes we make, God will still lift our heads and bestow His Glory on us, if you make Him your Lord and King. We are His Glory carriers! When people see us down, and we can rise again, God gets the Glory! Halleluia, down..... but not out....we fall down, but we get up!
Like David, in our situations, we have to cry out to the Lord, and He will hear us and deliver us out of our messes. He is a prayer answering God. Open your heart today and invite Him in.
Proverbs 28:26 "He who trusts in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walks wisely, he shall be delivered
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Monday, Nov. 8th, 2010
Psalm 3:1 "Lord, how are they increased who trouble me! many are they who rise up against me."
Tuesday, Nov. 9th, 2010
Psalm 3:2 "Many there be which say of My soul, There is no help for Him in God. Selah."
Have you ever felt totally ostracized? Have you ever been made to feel like everyone is against you, disliked or hated, rejected, having everyone turn their backs on you, talking about you?
This was the position David was in when he wrote this Psalm. His own son, Absolom, had turned on him and the hearts of the people of Israel were with Absolom, so David had to flee for his life, because everyone was against him.
This is not a good feeling or a good place to be. I am sure we have all been made to feel this way at one time or another in our lives. But you know what, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, was even treated this same way, He was rejected by His very Own people. If He was treated like this being who He was, how much more will we be treated this way?
But there is hope, if you love God and have received Christ by faith into your heart, then you have a God that cares, and is touched by whatever you are feeling, and you will NEVER be alone, even if everyone turns their backs on you. All you have to do is come to Him and surrender your life to Him, and HE will take on your battles and fight them for you! He will love you and protect you as your Heavenly Father, better than an earthly Father would. Try Him today.
Proverbs 23:26 "My son (daughter), give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways."
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Wednesday, Oct. 27th, 2010
Romans 5:19 "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One, shall many be made Righteous."
Adam was characterized by disobedience, but thanks be unto God, Jesus Christ (the second Adam) was characterized by obedience. He was without sin, yet He humbled himself and was obedient to the point of death(Phil.2:8). He was crucified, died and was resurrected, and is now seated at the Right Hand of the Father, making intercession for us. He did all that for us, that we could be forgiven and have eternal life. He righted Adam's wrong. Oh how He loves us, to bear all the pain and suffering in our place, taking upon Himself ALL our sin. All Hail King Jesus!!! We owe Him everything!!
The hymn writer wrote:
Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe,
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.
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Tuesday, Oct. 26th, 2010
Romans 5:12 "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned;"
When presented with the Gospel, you may think or say, "Why do I need to be saved? I am a good person, I do good deeds, I was raised right, I treat people kind, I go to church, I am alright". But this is not true, because we were all born in sin and this verse explains it.
Adam, the first man, created by God from the dust of the earth, was a perfect man who lived in the Garden of Eden, a friend of God, he communed with God daily. Then God gave him a gift in the person of Eve, created by God from Adam's rib. They had a perfect life, they had the whole garden to eat from and enjoy, except that one tree. But the devil tempted Eve to eat the fruit that God forbid them to eat, and Adam partook also. By this disobedient act sin entered into Adam and into the world. Sin and death fell on all humanity, because all were in Adam, and Adam's seed was passed on from one generation to another for all time, even to the present, thus we are all born in sin. We all need to be saved, we need the Saviour to forgive our sins and cleanse our hearts or we will be lost. What would you rather, eternal life or eternal damnation? Selah......think on these things....
Proverbs 22:17 "Bow down your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart unto my knowledge."
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Monday, Oct. 25th, 2010
Romans 5:1 "Therefore being Justified by Faith; we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Justification by Faith, is the process we go through when we accept the Lord Jesus Christ into our lives. By Faith, we believe that Jesus died on a Cross for our sins, so that with the blood that He shed on the cross, our hearts can be cleansed from all unrighteousness and sin, and we also believe that we will have eternal life. With this belief and knowledge, we can have peace, a peace that passes all understanding, knowing that we have been snatched from the clutches of hell and will spend eternity with our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Do you have this peace?
Proverbs 22:17 "Bow down your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart unto my knowledge."
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Wednesday, Oct. 20th, 2010
Isaiah 45:21 "Declare what is to be, present it--let them take counsel together. Who foretold this long ago, who declared it from the distant past? Was it not I, the Lord? And there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me.
Thursday, Oct. 21st, 2010
Isaiah 45:22 "Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.
Friday, Oct. 22nd, 2010
Isaiah 45:23 "By Myself I have sworn, My mouth has uttered in all integrity a Word that will not be revoked; Before Me every knee will bow; by Me every tongue will swear.
God is God, all by Himself. He is a jealous God. There is none like Him, none beside Him. He is a Righteous God, a Holy God, the Almighty God, the all Powerful God, all Knowing God, a Saviour, a Deliverer, a Redeemer, a Father and a Friend. There is none to compare!! Halleluia!!
In these verses, God is speaking to idolaters, those that were worshipping other gods, idols. He was reminding them who He is!!! God is SO patient with us, but we do try His patience sometimes. In today's world, we make many things our gods, homes, cars, boats, jobs, sports, money, things, sometimes even people!!!! The list goes on and on, but we MUST NOT take God for granted. He bids us, every one of us, all the earth, to come to Him NOW and be saved while we have the chance. We cannot take for granted our time here on earth, we don't know when we will take our last breath. Young folk are even dying more, it is not about waiting until you are old anymore, we are not promised tomorrow. These are the last days, and they are crucial days.
God is a God of integrity, He CANNOT lie, and He will not take back His Word. What He says will be, will be, and you can take that to the bank! Although many are turning their backs on Him, living a riotous life, making all kinds of wrong choices, God's words still stand today........ "EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL CONFESS THAT HE IS LORD". He said it and it will come to pass. Why not turn to Him now while His Grace offers you sure and eternal Salvation?
Proverbs 28:18 "Whoso walks uprightly shall be saved: but he who is perverse in his ways shall fall at once."
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Tuesday, Oct. 19th, 2010
Romans 10:12 "For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all who call upon Him.."
All mankind are equal in Christ. There is but one way to be saved and that is through Jesus and what He did on the Cross for us. So everyone has the same opportunity and must go through the same door. God is no respecter of persons. Whether you are black or white, Jew or Gentile, rich or poor, no matter the class, nationality, age, gender, race or culture, all must come to the Father through Jesus, the Son, who will bestow the riches of His Grace on all who earnestly call on Him.
Proverbs 28:18 "Whoso walks uprightly shall be saved: but he who is perverse in his ways shall fall at once."
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Monday, Oct. 18th, 2010
Romans 10:10 "For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
This verse is an extension of verse 9 as seen on Friday, belief has to take place in our hearts, and what our hearts receive, is to be spoken with our mouths. In the beginning of our life in Christ, we receive Salvation, by faith, in our hearts, by Christ and what He did on the Cross for us, and when we confess this with our mouths, it seals the contract between us and the Father, and we can also by faith receive and believe all the promises of God in His Word, declaring them throughout our life in Christ.
Proverbs 28:13 "He who covers his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy."
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Friday, Oct. 15th, 2010
Romans 10:9 " That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved."
The way to Salvation is not hard, because of what Jesus did on the cross, but the devil tries to make it seem so difficult. By simply confessing verbally your belief in the Lord Jesus Christ, that He is the Son of God, that He died and was raised from the dead, it is then confirmed and sealed in your heart. This verbal expression of belief declares a submission and reliance upon our Lord which produces obedience. It is just that simple!
Proverbs 21:21 "He who follows after righteousness and mercy finds life, righteousness, and honour."
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Thursday, Oct. 14th, 2010
Ephesians 5:2 " And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us, and has given Himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling Savour."
Again, this talks about the love that God wants us to show others as we walk after Christ who was our perfect example, and who gave Himself for us as a Sin offering, taking on all our sin, and being crucified, sacrificing His Life for each of us because of His Great Love for us! Jesus' sacrificial offering went up to God as a sweetsmelling savour, meaning it was good and accepted by God. By this sacrifice, the way was made to the Cross where we can receive forgiveness for our sins and can have everlasting life! Won't you accept Him into your heart today?
Proverbs 25:12 "As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear."
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Wednesday, Oct. 13th, 2010
Ephesians 5:1 " Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children."
The only perfect example was Jesus, and it is imperative that we do our best to model our lives after Him. If we imitate Him, we will learn to walk as obedient children of God, and will show others the perfect love God requires of us. For our own lives, and for those whom we mentor or instruct, let us constantly bear in mind that we must examplify Christ and not man, in all that we do and say.
Proverbs 17:27 "He who has knowledge spares his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit."
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Tuesday, Oct. 12 th,2010
Psalm 51: 2 " Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin."
We tend to err everyday in some way or other, in our thoughts, by the unkind words that we speak, or by our deeds. But God...... in His Tender Mercy is quick to forgive us, as long as we forgive others that sin against us. We have to ask forgiveness every day, sometimes several times a day. There are some sins that so easily beset us. The enemy knows how to tempt us and deceive us and before you know it, we have sinned. But God is gracious to us, always ready to forgive. We just have to humble ourselves and ask for that forgiveness.
Dear Lord, Thank you for your Grace! I thank you for the blood that you shed on Calvary because that same blood cleanses my heart from all sin. I ask you to wash me afresh, remove all iniquity, which is my hidden sin. I fall so far short of your Glory Lord, but I thank you that your Mercy affords me the opportunity to get back up again. Thank you for your love for me which surpasses anything I could ever earn or ever deserve. I thank you for hearing this humble prayer, in Jesus Name, Amen.
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Monday, Oct. 11th, 2010
Philippians 2:11 "And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the Glory of God the Father."
All Praise be to God the Father, for Jesus Christ the Son! Because God sent Jesus to the Cross, and for all that He went through there, because He died and rose again, we can now acknowledge Him in all His Glory! And one day....EVERY tongue will confess that He is our LORD, our MASTER, and KING!! There is none like Him, none beside Him. He is our SOVEREIGN LORD!!
While many may reject Him now, one day they too will have to acknowledge Him, rendering with their tongues complete and final homage to Him. They will see Him for themselves in all His Glory returning to gather His people, to reign and rule eternally. If you accept Him by faith now, you too can live with Him in eternity!
Jesus is Lord!!
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Sunday, Oct. 10th, 2010 = 10/10/10......Special Edition
Philippians 2:10 "That at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in Heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth."
Many people think they are in control of their lives. They think that they make things happen or not happen by what they do or don't do. But nothing happens unless GOD does it or allows it. He is the ultimate authority, the Almighty, the Alpha, the Omega, the Beginning, the End, the First and the Last, and He alone has the ultimate Power.
Although many do not given Him homage now, there WILL come a day, when EVERY knee shall bow before Him and will acknowledge that HE is the Christ, the Son of the Living God......... every angel(things in Heaven), every human(things in earth), and every demon spirit(things under the earth), EVERY LAST ONE will have to acknowledge who He is!!!!!!
I usually start the devotional on Mondays, but had to acknowledge this Special and Significant Day 10-10-10, giving all Honour and Glory to our King, Halleluia to our LORD and SAVIOUR!!
"Oh magnify the Lord, for HE is worthy to be praised!!"
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Thursday, Oct. 8th, 2010
St. Matthew 24:30 "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in Heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the Earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of Heaven with power and great glory."
Then Jesus will appear in His Glorified Body and ALL shall see Him, and will know with a certainty that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God!! He is returning for His Chosen ones, to live and reign with Him for eternity!!!! Some people's heart will fail them for fear. But can you imagine what that will be like for the Saints??!!! Those who have lived for Him, loved Him and served Him, eagerly awaiting His promised return!!
The songwriter says:-
Oh, what a meeting, there in the skies,
No tears nor crying shall dim our eyes;
Loved ones united, eternally,
Oh, what a daybreak, that morn will be.
- Chorus
Some golden daybreak, Jesus will come;
Some golden daybreak, battles all won,
He'll shout the vict'ry, break through the blue,
Some golden daybreak, for me, for you.
- If you don't know Him, I implore you, to get to know him NOW before it is too late!!
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Wednesday, Oct. 7th, 2010
St. Matthew 24:29 "Immediately after the tribulation of those days, shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from Heaven, and the powers of the Heavens shall be shaken:."
If we think these are perilous times, we have not seen anything yet. These verses show how important and how serious it is to be ready now so that you will be caught up in the Rapture and then you will be with the Lord, instead of going through such hardships as will come. Those left behind will have to endure SO much to make it in. We have the opportunity to freely come to the Lord now and give our hearts to Him and to serve Him with gladness, because of His Grace. Why wait.......and have to face the tribulation period?
Proverbs 1:29 "For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord:"
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Wednesday, Oct. 6th, 2010
St. Matthew 24:27 "For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be."
When our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, returns for His people, no one will question that it is Him, it will be completely obvious. For when He cracks the sky and comes in all His Glory, there will be no mistaking. This verse speaks of the second coming of our Lord, this is after a period of about seven years after the Rapture. During that period there will be "great" Tribulation!! Jesus will come again in all His Glory, this time "with" the saints and just in time, lest the whole world be destroyed. It will be so spectacular, that no one will doubt His appearing. We must be ready! Time is short!
Proverbs 1:29 "For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord:"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------Friday, Oct. 1st, 2010
St. Matthew 25:11"Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us."
Monday, Oct. 4th, 2010
St. Matthew 25:12 "But He answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not."
Tuesday, Oct. 5th, 2010
St. Matthew 25:13 "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh."
In the Parable of the 10 virgins, Jesus illustrated the point that we have to "watchful". Five virgins were wise in taking extra oil in their lamps, the other foolish virgins had no extra oil, and their oil soon ran out and they wanted to borrow from the wise virgins, who said no, that they should go and buy their own oil. When the foolish virgins left to get their oil, the bridegroom came and they missed Him and the door was locked. They cried out for the Lord to let them in, but He answered He did not even know them.
How it relates to us today is that, we go about doing what we want to do, not preparing for the Lord's return to gather the Christians that are serving him now, not to bothered to have a relationship with Him through reading his Word daily and communicating with Him through prayer. If the Lord should return tomorrow there are many of us, who will not even make because He will say He knows us not! How sad will that be to professing Christians, who are out there doing "works" for the Lord, but not having a relationship with Him. He longs to know us each personally.
So Jesus was pointing out that we should be watchful, lest this happen to us, because NO MAN knows the day or the hour that the Son of Man, the Lord Jesus, will return to collect the saints. It could be tomorrow..........don't you want to be ready? I do.
Prayer: Dear Father, through your Son, and by the Holy Spirit, help us to be obedient, to develop our relationship with you, and love and serve you with all our hearts, in Jesus Name, Amen.
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Thursday, Sept. 30th, 2010
Romans 5:8 "But God Commendeth His Love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
God loved us SO much, more than we can even comprehend, immeasurable love, unconditional love.........that He sent His only Son, Jesus, to be nailed to a cross for us, to bear our sins, to be beaten, mocked and scorned, to make a way that we can be saved, so that we can have eternal life with Him. He did this while we did not love Him back, while we hated Him, while we were doing our own thing, while we turned our backs on Him, while we were selfish, while we were lost in sin, while we were having a good time in the world, while we were denying Him. Aren't you glad He did not hold a grudge like we do? This was proof of a love far beyond anything our minds can comprehend.
Proverbs 22:19 "That your trust may be in the Lord, I have made known to you this day, even to you."