Use the Gift

Do not neglect the gift which is in you, that special inward endowment which was directly imparted to you by the Holy Spirit by prophetic utterance when the elders laid their hands upon you at your ordination. Practice and cultivate and meditate upon these duties; throw yourself wholly into them [as your ministry], so that your progress may be evident to everybody (1Tim 4:14-15 –Amplified).

Each of us has been given a special gift, talent, or ability by the Father. It’s just an embryo within us at first. Sometimes it manifests as a faint desire that glimmers faintly in the background of our thoughts.

This special ability won’t develop on its own. In fact in many people it lies dormant year after year, longing to be activated, but never given opportunity. Paul’s admonition to Timothy shows the practical way the gifts of God develop in us. You must practice, cultivate, meditate upon, and throw yourself wholly into them.

I was eighteen years old when I first sensed the call of God on my life to preach the Word. It came as an embryo of desire to begin with. I changed the course of my life from pursuing a career to pursuing this call. It was a general call to ministry at first, and following that desire I enrolled in Bible College.

Then I began to notice a strong desire to help people understand who they are in Christ and to help them apply the scriptures to their own lives. It was faint at first, but as I began to talk with people, it seemed like a “switch” would turn on inside and I found words pouring out of me with passion. That was the gift God placed in me seeking to manifest.

A while later I was asked to speak in the morning devotions for our large church staff. I was petrified by fear! But I said yes, and spent weeks studying, praying, and preparing. That “switch” cut on again as I spoke for the few minutes each day that week and the words just poured out. Later I ministered in hospitals, taught Bible studies, ministered to people one on one, and said yes anytime a need arose for someone to minister in a small meeting. The gift kept growing, until today, it dominates me!

The Father has placed a gift in you. Develop it. Allow it to grow by giving in to it. It may be only a faint desire, but go after it! Pursue your passion. Give yourself to the godly desire that rises from within. This desire will “tickle” your thoughts over and over again until you yield to it. Fear will seek to override it and keep you from acting, but go ahead and do it scared!

It may be a spiritual or natural desire, but give yourself to it. Some have a gift to make money and finance the kingdom of God in earth. Others yearn to stay in the background and be a support for those called into full time ministry. Some have a strong desire to teach and mentor children. Still other have a desire to reach out to the lonely, the down and out and provide practical relief. Some yearn to pray. Whatever the desire, you must give in to it and allow it to develop. It will not until you act.

With practice, the gift from the Father in you will make room for itself. Make room in your life for it, and watch what the Father will accomplish with it. He’s waiting on you to faithfully act!

Servant Leaders

But Jesus called them to Himself and said, you know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them.
Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave — just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many (Matthew 20:25-28).

There’s a lot out there these days about leadership. Seminars and self-help books abound. While much of the information is helpful, we must keep ourselves in check as believers. We live in a different kingdom. Jesus said my kingdom is not of this world. Our standards are different that that of the world’s. And our attitudes and motives are different.

We’re not called to acquire a big name for ourselves; we’re called to glorify Jesus in all we do. We’re not building our little kingdoms; we’re building the kingdom of God. We’re called to be servants. If we’re leading others, we’re called to be servant leaders. The greatest leaders among us must become the greatest servant of all. The more we lead, the more we serve.

Jesus washed the feet of the disciples in John 13. This was the job of the lowest servant in the house. It was a menial task to be sure. And Jesus didn’t stop until He had washed all of the disciple’s feet! He left us such a wonderful example. We need to be very careful in this day of big ministries, lots of money, and lots of helpers. We must never lose the perspective of servanthood in our lives, regardless of our position in ministry.

We should carry ourselves in such a way that attention is not brought to us, but to Jesus. In reading of the life of Smith Wigglesworth, he became troubled just before his home-going that people were bragging on him and his accomplishments too much, and he lamented that people were not deflecting the praise to Jesus. Poor Wigglesworth, he said. God must remove me from the scene soon. He longed for people to grasp the concepts of humility and servanthood.

I’ll leave you today with Paul’s comments that we best be familiar with:

For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God — and righteousness and sanctification and redemption — that, as it is written, He who glories, let him glory in the Lord (1 Corinthians 1:26-31).

Walk With a Limp

A man came and fought with Jacob until just before daybreak. When the man saw that he could not win, he struck Jacob on the hip and threw it out of joint.
They kept on wrestling until the man said, "Let go of me! It's almost daylight." "You can't go until you bless me," Jacob replied. Then the man asked, "What is your name?" "Jacob," he answered. The man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob. You have wrestled with God and with men, and you have won. That's why your name will be Israel."(Genesis 32:24-28 - Contemporary English Version)

Even before birth, Jacob, whose name means deceiver, was in a struggle. Since birth, he had pushed his way through life, doing whatever was necessary to make it. He took advantage of others, and thought nothing of deceiving to get his way.

One night of wrestling with an angel (the angel was possibly Jesus Himself!) changed Jacob from deceiver to Israel, prince with God. After that night of struggle, He walked with a limp. He was never the same again. His character was transformed.

Don’t ever give up on yourself. No matter how long you’re struggled with issues in your life, keep going forward! The Lord can transform you. It usually requires that you come to the end of yourself just like Jacob. When his best human efforts failed, Jacob finally realized his need to yield to God’s plan for his life, and he changed. His walking with a limp was an outward sign of his inward submission.

Moses was transformed at the burning bush. David was transformed from a shepherd to mighty warrior when he faced Goliath. Peter was transformed after denying Jesus and being filled with shame. The power of God’s mercy created within him a pastor’s heart. Saul was converted on the Damascus Road and was transformed into Paul, one of the greatest men of the church age.

In my own life, I was an extreme introvert, ruled by fear and rejection thinking. My only sense of value was through accomplishment. When I came to the end of my own ability, I found God’s grace to change. He replaced the fear with genuine love, the rejection with a knowing that I am accepted in the beloved, and the goodness by works attitude with a knowing that it’s not my deeds, but His grace that make me acceptable to God.

Take your personal frustrations with yourself and take your failures to the foot of the cross. Lay them by faith at the feet of Jesus. Humble yourself to Him and like Jacob, he will change your name! He’ll create in you the ability to be what He has called you to be.

At he end of your self-striving to accomplish, to be something, or to succeed, you’ll find the power of God to transform. But you must be willing like Jacob to walk with a limp.

Don't Despise Your Birthright!

Jacob then gave Esau some bread and some of the bean stew, and when Esau had finished eating and drinking, he just got up and left, showing how little he thought of his rights as the first-born (Genesis 25:34 - Contemporary English Version).

The story of Esau despising his first-born birthright is an excellent example to us of how yielding to the flesh can cost us the blessings of God.

Esau was born struggling. Before he and his brother were born, they were wrestling in the womb. When He was born, his twin brother Jacob had grasped his heel. Jacob means deceiver, schemer. These brothers were always disagreeing and fighting. Their personalities were opposite extremes. Jacob was a shepherd and stayed close to home. Esau was a hunter and loved the open field.

Esau came in from hunting one day and was overcome with hungry. He asked Jacob for a bowl of the soup he had made. The aroma had filled the house. Jacob was only willing to give Esau the soup if he would trade his firstborn birthright to him. Esau so little regarded his birthright that he gave it away for a simple bowl of soup!

The firstborn birthright meant that when his father died, he received 2/3 of the inheritance. The 1/3 left was divided among all of the rest of the siblings! This birthright was both an honor and a great responsibility! And Esau gave it away for next to nothing. He despised it.

As believers, we have a great heritage. We are heirs of God, and equal heirs with Jesus! We have inherited every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). We have God’s delegated authority, His favor, His nature. The Greater One lives within us. The gifts of the Spirit are available to us. Healing belongs to us. The Father has promised to prosper us as we honor Him. We have such a rich heritage!But if we yield to the flesh and refuse to walk in the spirit, we stand to lose it all. It’s just like Esau giving away his inheritance!

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21).

It’s just not worth yielding to the flesh to stand losing all that Jesus made available to us. Don’t allow Satan to dangle the carrot of the flesh in any area before your eyes! Just like the forbidden fruit, it may look good and taste good to your flesh, but it’s not worth the end result! Let’s respect our God given inheritance and walk in the spirit today!

No Demands

We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification (Romans 15:1-2). Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. Strength is for service, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, How can I help? (Romans 15:1-2 – The Message).

We had a really awesome men’s meeting this morning. The Lord began to speak to and through many of us of the importance of loving those close to us without demanding that they conform to our wishes. When we expect others to do things our way and refuse to accept them the way they are, we lose.

Many years ago when Susan and I had been married only a few years, God began to deal with me about my perfectionistic twinge. I wanted others to do things my way. Susan took the brunt of this when we were first married. She felt that she had to do things my way to please me. How immature was it of me to create an atmosphere like that in my home!

The Lord began to deal with me about walking in love. He began to show me that I must love Susan the way she is, and try to get her to conform to the way I do things. If I really walk in love, then I must allow her to be herself and not a clone of me. The height of self-centeredness is when I demand that others do things the way I do them.

When Jonathan was a toddler I would find his room in a mess! I would straighten it completely up; shoes lined up in the closet, all toys placed a certain way. A few hours later I would walk back in his room, only to find it looking like a cyclone hit it! Though I had standards, I had to learn that his personality was different than mine. He processed information differently and approached life differently than me. I grew up the day I learned to let my son be himself as he lived with certain home standards. Now, Jon is on his own in life. He’s a different personality than me, and I’m glad. He has abilities that I only wish I had. His abilities would have been stifled if I had not allowed him to be himself apart from me!

Ask yourself, do I allow others to be who they are without making them feel that they must conform to me? Love allows others to move at their pace in life as they grow. Can I be nice and sweet to those who approach life differently than me? This shows my stage of development in the Lord.

This is not something we can do ourselves. We must trust the Master Potter to mold us and shape us as we grow in life. Only He can bring permanent needed change to us. Let us throw ourselves at His feet and ask for His help! He is a very present help in our time of need.

The Blessing is on You!

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith (Galatians 3:13-14). And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:29).

Our nation is facing a great financial challenge at the moment. A lot is at stake worldwide due to the bad decisions of a few. Let me remind you that if you’re a believer, you are a covenant person! God has made a covenant with you to protect and provide! And this is not just any covenant, it is the Abrahamic covenant!

You are a son or daughter of Abraham as a believer. And everything that God promised Abraham also belongs to you. The above scriptures are proof.

This is the hour to lean on your covenant with God. Keep your eyes on the covenant, not on the needs around you. Regardless of what you hear, remind yourself and the Lord that you are a covenant person.

Abraham’s blessing was threefold. God promised Abraham deliverance from poverty, sickness, and spiritual death! And that belongs to us! We are redeemed from poverty! We are redeemed from sickness! We are redeemed from spiritual death!

God does not meet our needs according to the economy of the land we live in, but according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus! Act in faith every single day for your provisions. The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing (Psalm 34:10). Don’t yield to fear and circumstance. Keep your eyes and ears attuned to the word!

Be a giver in this hour. Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek in Genesis 14. The blessings of God was on him. He was a giver. Give tithes to your local church. Give to others. The law of giving is a spiritual law. Give and it will be given back to you. Give, and lean on your covenant with God.

I’ll leave you today with what the blessings of your covenant provide you as listed in Deuteronomy 28: 1-14:
Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God: "Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. "Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. "Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. "Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. "The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways. "The Lord will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you. "The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways. Then all peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of you. And the Lord will grant you plenty of goods, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your ground, in the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them. So you shall not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right or the left, to go after other gods to serve them.

Be Filled With the Spirit!

And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18).

The Message paraphrase of this verse reads, Don't drink too much wine. That cheapens your life. Drink the Spirit of God, huge draughts of him. And Weymouth’s translation declares, Do not over-indulge in wine--a thing in which excess is so easy- but drink deeply of God's Spirit.

The Greek verb in this verse is in the continuous present tense. It should read: be being filled with the Spirit, indicating progressive continuous action. When a person is born again, the Holy Spirit enters his or her body and changes their spirit from spiritual death to spiritual life; from darkness to light; from the power of Satan to the power of God.

When a believer receives the baptism with the Holy Spirit, that person enters into a closer relationship with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit immerses the person into Himself!

There is only one experience of the indwelling of the Spirit that we receive in the new birth. There is only one instance in a person’s life of receiving the baptism with the Holy Spirit. But there should be many instances of a believer being filled with the Spirit!

We leak. As we go through life we use up our spiritual energy reserves. They must be replenished. Being filled with the Spirit needs to be a daily experience for all of us!

Here’s how. Get alone; go into your “closet” where you privately fellowship with the Lord (a long, walk, a secluded room, just a real private place). Begin to worship, singing songs in English and singing in tongues! Tell the Lord of how wonderful He is and how thankful you are that He has and is transforming your life. Sing some more. Pick up your Bible and read a passage out loud. Lift your hands and praise some more. Sing some more in tongues. And just keep this regimen going for a while. Then pray, pouring your heart out to the Father, mentioning the things that trouble you to Him. Go into great detail, and ask Him to help you! Talk to Him about your personal weaknesses, and ask Him to help you overcome them! Then, lift your hands and sing and praise some more. Sing songs that you know, and sing in tongues. You may not “feel” it, but you’re being refreshed and filled with the Spirit as you to this!

Make the previous paragraph a daily thing! Be being filled every day! Speak to yourself in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make melody in your heart to the Lord! Stay close to Him. Mediate the Word. You’ll stay filled with the Spirit, and the devil will run and hide when you show up! He will sense the power of the Greater One that has risen within you!

A Mandate and a Promise

And there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars; and upon the earth there will be distress (trouble and anguish) of nations in bewilderment and perplexity without resources, left wanting, embarrassed, in doubt, not knowing which way to turn] at the roaring ( the echo) of the tossing of the sea, Men swooning away or expiring with fear and dread and apprehension and expectation of the things that are coming on the world; for the [very] powers of the heavens will be shaken and caused to totter. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with great (transcendent and overwhelming) power and all His kingly glory (majesty and splendor). Now when these things begin to occur, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption (deliverance) is drawing near (Luke 21:25-28- Amplified)

The world as we have known it us undergoing accelerated change right now. The masses of humanity little realize that this earth is preparing for the second coming of Christ. Look at what’s happening now in our own nation. Natural disaster after natural disaster is shaking us. The financial world that Americans so depend on for their way of life is being shaken at its very foundations! The wise men of our day don’t have the answers.

Iran’s President speaks of annihilating Israel and receives armament from Russia. Russia is again asserting itself as a military power. Israel stands against the very real probability of war with its neighbors in the near future. And our government is pressuring Israel to give up it's God bequeathed property. God has promised judgment on any who side against His will for Israel.

Our culture is decaying, giving in to the popular ideals that there are no moral absolutes. The foundations of family life are rotting before us.

In the midst of all of this we have a mandate and a promise. The mandate is to take to good news, the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to the whole world.. We are called to be the salt and the light of our generation. We must act now!

We’re given promises that in time of famine our God will provide for us. He who brought water out of rocks, Who shut the lion’s mouth, Who fed thousands with a little boy’s lunch, Who fed a prophet from the mouth of a raven, Who protected His own from the flame, and Who never fails to honor His word has promised us His personal care in time of difficulty.

I personally believe that the rapture of the church could happen at any time. World events are such now that they could take a sudden turn at any moment. We must be ready and stay ready for anything. We must keep our eye on eternity! And we must trust our God who never fails to help!

29 Years Today

Be happy with the wife you married when you were young. She gives you joy, as your fountain gives you water (Proverbs 5:18- New Century Version). The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the Lord (Proverbs 18:22- New Living Translation) House and land are handed down from parents, but a congenial spouse comes straight from God (Proverbs 19:14 – The Message).

Susan and I were married 29 years ago today on Saturday at 6 PM. The wedding took place at the First Assembly of God church in my hometown of Florence, SC. Susan and I dated for 13 months before we were married. I was not quite 21 years old.

We met in bible school where we both took courses on a part time basis before enrolling full time the next year. We would talk for hours in the parking lot outside the school while we stood in the winter chill. She had grabbed my heart!

So here we are 29 years, 4 children, and 12 moves later! In looking back over the years, here are some things that I believe have kept us together.

First, we committed before God that regardless of circumstance and hardship, divorce would never be an answer to any problem. That word has never come out of our mouths! There will always be challenges when you get two people together under the same roof who are raised in two different households with two different ways of dealing with life and its happenings.

Second, we made a decision to accept each other just the way we were without demanding that the other person change. Getting rid of the idealistic mate in your mind brings a sense of calm that nothing else will.

I also realized that though I had a call on my life into ministry, Susan didn’t have that same personal call except by default because she married me. And I’ve never pressured her to be anything but herself.

Third, we learned to respect each other and the different opinions we held about various things. And we’ve communicated those things freely from our hearts over the years.

Lastly, we made a commitment to let the love of God rule our hearts. This love is unconditional and self-sacrificial and enables us to put ourselves last and the other person and their needs first. Since our deepest need for love is met by the love of God, we’ve been free to love one another without being “clingy” or maybe you could use the word “co-dependant.” This has freed us from making demands on each other. Jesus really is our all in all.

If you’re married make a commitment in your heart to the Lord that you’re committed to your spouse for life. Then pray and ask the Father to help you be the best spouse your mate could possibly ask for. Don’t ask the Lord to change your spouse, ask Him to change you! Then watch what He does in your life as the years bring you into maturity!

Happy Anniversary Susan! You still have my heart!

Develop Your Own Faith

When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also (2 Timothy 1:5).

Faith can be inherited, as it was the case of Timothy. His grandmother and mother were believers, and he followed them into the kingdom of God.

While inherited faith can be a blessing, it can also be a hindrance. We can lean on others so much that we don’t develop the faith to stand on our own.

Lot was Abraham’s nephew, and lot was exceedingly blessed as long as he hung around Abraham. The land couldn’t contain them both. As soon as lot separated from Abraham, his blessing ceased. He ended up losing everything but the shirt on his back.

I’ve watched children who were raised in a strong Christian home seem to lose their faith when they left home. They didn’t realize the blessing that they had in life was because of the faith of their parents. They never developed a faith on their own apart from their parents.

I’ve seen Bible school graduates who sensed the call of God on their lives get involved in a large growing church. They didn’t realize that the blessing they had was because of the association with the man of God whose faith was carrying them. When they left to “go it alone” in starting a church in another town, they floundered. They found that they had been riding on the pastor’s faith.

My mother prayed me into the kingdom of God, and had an unusually close relationship with the Holy Spirit. She would know things about my future before I knew them. As a young man, I began to realize that I can’t “ride her coattails” to heaven. I had to purposely ask her to share no insights with me that she had received from the Lord, and to let me develop on my own.

As a pastor I’ve see people who seem to be robust in their faith and confidence in God. Yet when they leave our church, they lose the faith they thought they had.

Don’t allow your faith to only be an episode in your life. Make sure that you develop your own confidence in God, and that what you have is more than a derivative of faith that you received from another person. That way, if God calls you on to do something your own, you’ll be fully prepared and ready for the assignment.

Be a Lover

We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren. He who does not love His brother abides in death (1 John 3:14).

The first manifestation of the life of God in the believer is love. Not the natural human love that everybody has (phileo is the Greek word), but Agape, which is unconditional, self-sacrificial love. This agape is a direct manifestation of Zoe. Only believers have access to this love. It is to be the trademark of Christianity.

Jesus said that all would know that we’re His disciples by this Agape. You’ll find that as you grow spiritually, this love will dominate you more and more. You see, there is no spiritual growth without growth in love. God is love, and the closer and more intimate you get to Him, the more this love nature will manifest in your life.

Walking in the Spirit is really letting this love nature rule daily life. From the time you get up in the morning, until the time you go to bed, your success with God today will be determined by how much you allow this love nature to rule your being. Agape will mellow out the harshness that has crept into life. It will enable you to love the unlovely and selfish. It will enable you to overlook the petty faults of others.

This Agape love will cure friction in the home, and will enable you to walk in peace with all people. It is the ultimate social grace.
Above all you do today, make it a goal to be love led, love dominated. You’ll stand out in he crowd if you do. People will be drawn to this love in you. They will ask questions. And the Father will bless them through you.

I’m going to end with a quote from 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, which gives a fine description of the love nature of the Father. Take a moment to refresh your mind as to the attributes of this God nature. Let it loose today!

Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.
It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end] (1 Corinthians 13:4-8 - Amplified).

Feed the Life of God in You

Always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh (2 Corinthians 4:10-11).

As I mentioned yesterday, Zoe is the life of God manifested in the believer in the new birth. It is the nature of God placed within the believer. Given opportunity, this life will begin to crowd out the works of the flesh, and will produce stability and fruitfulness in the believer.

This life must be nurtured and not ignored. Believers that ignore this Zoe and refuse to do the things necessary to cause it to grow remain spiritual infants, with the carnality ruling their lives.

The food that nurtures this life of God is the Word! As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow thereby (1 Peter 2:2). Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4). I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth More than my necessary food (Job 23:12). The Word causes us to be partakers of the Divine Nature (2 Peter 1:3-4)!

The Word causes the life of God in you to grow. Doubt, fear, selfishness, unforgiveness, irritability, worry, lusts of the flesh, uncontrolled anger, lack of self-control, un-rest, impatience etc., are signs of spiritual malnourishment. If you have these symptoms, the cure is a rich diet of the Word so you’ll grow spiritually!

If you’ll allow this Zoe to grow and rule you, it will work its way in the fabric of your life and change you habits, your dominant thoughts, you desires, your relationships, your interests, and your job performance. It will move you to be a better father, mother, husband, wife, employee, manager, friend, and you’ll be motivated by love in all you do.

When thinking about this Zoe life, the Lord reminded me of some centipede grass I planted in the yard of a house I had built years ago. I sowed some centipede grass seed in along with the fescue that I had planted for quick ground cover. It took some time, but the centipede eventually crowded out the fescue, and hindered weed growth too! And that’s what Zoe will do if you allow it to grow in your life. It will begin to choke the “weeds” of the flesh and the world that seek to rob you of spiritual vitality! In fact, it will not cease to worm its way into all your dealings in life, and will move you to change areas that you’re slack in.

Zoe, the life God, brings a life of change to the believer. Let it loose in you today by treating the Word as the spiritual food that it is to you. If you do, the Divine nature will rise up and eventually overwhelm the weakness in your life so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in your body!

The Praise Antidote

Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising (Isaiah 60:1-3).

The Father moved in a sovereign way in our praise and worship last night with His wonderful refreshing presence! The end result was a time of refreshing for those in attendance. I do believe that here until the rapture of the church we’re going to see the Lord break out among us in this way on a frequent basis! It’s His way of ministering life to frazzled minds and emotions and it’s His way of giving us a quick spiritual charge!

The Father’s antidote for stress and potential worry is so different than what the world offers. Problems worldwide are increasing on an ever-widening scale. Politicians and financial gurus have no answers to the present overwhelming financial concerns worldwide. Society has fallen into moral depravity. And natural disasters are a dime a dozen.

We are living in the time just prior to the tribulation Jesus spoke of in Matthew 24. Folks, it’s not going to get any better in the world. It will be a continual downward spiral from here on out. Buckle up and get ready for the bumpy ride.

The fight we’re in is not against flesh and blood. It’s a fight between two kingdoms; the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. It’s light versus darkness. Darkness appeals to the lust of the flesh and to human pride. The Father appeals to the spirit of man through His Word and by the moving of His Spirit. He has given us His indwelling presence and His peace that passes ability to quantify. But we must avail ourselves to what He offers.

Praise and worship is the Father’s antidote to stress and pressure. According to Psalm 22:3, He enthrones Himself in the praises of His people! The word enthroned here means to sit down, to dwell, or to remain. Praise and worship enables His kingdom to manifest in a fallen world and particularly in your personal specific situation of life!

Listen to the notes that I’ve taken from the Spirit Filled Life Bible on Psalm 22:3: Since God is enthroned in the praises, worship is the key to entering fully into His presence. The concept here is that praise releases God’s glory, thus bringing to the worshippers actualized responses to His kingly reign. His enthroned responses through the Holy Spirit can take many forms, such as prophecy, healings, miracles, affirmation to individual hearts, a call to reverential silence and awe, conviction of sin and salvation of sinners. This verse should be a guiding goal for all personal and cooperate worship times.

When you come to a church service, prepare yourself to worship with abandon. Expect the Lord to show up in with His glory. He wants to relieve stress and give rest and refreshing each time we meet! Expect Him to do it and participate in the worship so He will be free to manifest!

Take some time during your hectic day and worship the Father. Allow Him to minister life to you in real time as He enthrones Himself in your personal praise!

The Refiner's Fire

But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire And like launderers' soap (Malachi 3:2).

God is Holy; set apart from all of creation; perfect from flaw and blemish; total purity. He revealed Himself in a burning bush to Moses. Then again on top of Mount Sinai He revealed Himself in lightning and thunder. Ezekiel saw the Lord and He appeared as a Being of fire. Yes, our God is a consuming fire!

Fire speaks of purity. Fire purifies precious metal. Fire cleanses germs from the surgeon’s instruments. The fire of God will purify a sin tainted life.

We’re baptized in the Holy Spirit and Fire. If allowed, this fire from the Father will melt away and dissolve impurity from the life of the believer. It works only as the believer applies the Word to his daily conduct and willfully chooses to walk away from the old lifestyle and embrace his new life. How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word (Psalm 119:9). Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You (Psalm 119:11).

Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God (2 Corinthians 7:1). Holiness starts in our hearts. We must choose to be like Him in thought and conduct. We must embrace the mind of Christ before we exhibit the character of Christ. As Paul said in Romans 6, we must recon ourselves dead to sin and alive unto God through the Lord Jesus.

Peter encourages us to walk in this holiness. But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy (1 Peter 1:15-16).

The good news is that the holiness of God has been placed in our spirits by the Holy Spirit. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God — and righteousness and sanctification and redemption (1 Corinthians 1:30). The word sanctification and holiness come from the same Greek word. So you can see in this verse that God’s holiness is already in you if you’re in Christ!

We must choose to allow this holiness to come alive in us. You will only walk in holiness by personal choice. Cry out for the fire of God to penetrate your mind, your emotions, your will, and your body. Ask Him to work His holiness into every part of you. Make a choice today to carefully guard what you hear and see.

All around us the enemy has polluted the world with his enticements to lust and selfishness. We will only walk in holiness by making daily choices to turn away from every single fleshly allurement. Ask the Father for His penetrating fire to protect you. Then refuse flesh encouraging TV shows, movies, magazines, and music all day, everyday.

On a very practical note, I have found that if I’ll spend quality time in the Word and prayer then I will be filled with desires for God and not the flesh. Attention determines desire. Praying in the spirit will also intensify the spirit of holiness in you. An hour of praying in tongues a day can be the catalyst for great life change!

Pray for the fire of God to consume you.

Feed Your Faith Daily

And He said to them, be careful what you are hearing. The measure of thought and study you give to the truth you hear will be the measure of virtue and knowledge that comes back to you — and more besides will be given to you who hear (Mark 4:24 –Amplified).

We’re really close to the tribulation, the rapture of the church, and the second coming of Christ. The bad news will continue to increase its volume! Since there’s so much negativity, it essential for you as a believer to take plenty of time each day to feed your faith. Faith comes when you feed on the word. Don’t just read, but feed or meditate on it. Chew it up and get all the nutrients out of it by allowing it to revolve over and over in your mind. When you can, speak the Word out loud.

Faith doesn’t come by praying or fasting. It only comes by ingesting the Word. What you have faith in will be determined by what you feed on in the days ahead. Make sure that you have a personal antidote from the Word for the unbelief and negativity that abounds from media sources.

Jesus told us to let the Word live big in us: If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you (John 15:7). Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (John 8:31-32). Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him (John 14:23).

Paul tells us to let the Word be our constant meditation. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord (Colossians 3:16).

Here’s a thought: If we’re not being absorbed in what the Father has already said to us in the Word, why would He even take time to speak something to our spirits? If we’ll listen to, be occupied with, and obey what He’s already said to us in the Word, then we’ll be in a position for Him to speak to us by His Spirit in these dangerous days. But if we ignore what He’s spoken in the Word, then there will be no additional help available!

Take time to day to feed your faith and starve your doubts.

Small Faith Beginnings

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses (1 Timothy 6:12).

Over the past several Sundays I’ve been teaching on the Lifestyle of faith. Faith is so important in our lives for without it we just won’t be able to receive from the Lord. The necessity of faith is mentioned often in the New Testament and was clearly demonstrated by Jesus in His earthly ministry.

We are admonished over and over to walk by faith and not by sight or feelings. It’s important to be practical with yourself when approaching the subject of faith and how to integrate it into your life. The key to growing faith is to build it up daily by meditation in the Word and by putting it into practice in the daily affairs of life.

One statement that I make regularly in teaching on this subject is that faith is for what you don’t yet physically have but has been promised to you by the Lord. Jesus said that we are to believe we receive the answer to our prayer before we tangibly see it in manifestation. If we do this then the answer will materialize (Mark 11:24).

An important point in this is to start small with your faith. Start believing for a raise on your job. Believe God to heal an ache in your body that you’ve experienced for a while. Believe you receive healing from a headache, from a cold, from a stomach virus, from a skin rash or from warts. Believe God for a certain amount of money to pay a bill or to give into a ministry. The idea here is to start small with small things with your faith. When it comes to pass, then your confidence in exercising faith will increase, and you’ll gradually be able to believe for greater things.

I mentioned in my sermon yesterday that Jerry Savelle came to the first Bible school that I attended in my hometown in the 1970’s. He taught us on faith and encouraged us students to believe God for small things. He made an impression on me when he told us that he believed God for a new pen, or for a pair of socks, a new suit, or a new pair of shoes. He exercised his faith for everything in his life, even the small things. This made a lasting impression on me and helped me to understand that if I’m going to live a faith lifestyle, then I’m going to have to start in the small things.

Faith is built up a little at a time. Jesus said, For the earth brings forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear (Mark 4:28). A corn stalk starts as a seed, grows into a tall plant, then bears fruit. That’s the way faith works. It starts small and increases in size and strength.

Make a decision that you will be a person who chooses to walk by faith. Begin today to exercise your faith in the small things in life. If you do, then when crisis time comes, or when someone need you in an emergency, you’ll be prepared to exercise your faith. If you wait to get faith when you need it, you’ll be at a great disadvantage. Do your homework now for the tests that will come in your future. Remember that all things are possible with God, and all things are possible to him who believes.

No Fear

The fear of the wicked will come upon him, and the desire of the righteous will be granted (Proverbs 10:24).

Fear and doubt are the twin enemies of the believer. Fear attracts the enemy the way faith attracts God! Fear is really faith in the negative. It is believing the wrong thing.

The enemy can smell fear a mile away! Job’s problems were a result of his allowing fear into his life. For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me (Job 3:25). Satan had spoken to God about Job and was taunting God about Job and his faith. The Lord told Satan that Job was already in his hands. How? Job had opened the door for Satan to rob and steal and kill through fear. The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe (Proverbs 29:25).

Fear is never the will of God! When an angel had a message for an individual it was usually prefaced with fear not! Face your fears today and refuse to give in to them. Resist them with the Word of God! God hasn’t given us a spirit that cowers to fear. He has given us a spirit of power, and of love and of a sound mind.

Fear can be an acronym for False Evidence Appearing Real. Satan is a master of disguise. He’ll wrap a problem up in fear and make you thing there’s no way out. It’s a bluff and a lie! Faith in the Word is the answer to fear! Commit yourself to the Father, believe you receive when you pray, and refuse to allow fear to dominate you.

Years ago I was on a missions trip and the ministry we were working with had a airplane that took the volunteer workers to the missions site. The plane crashed in bad weather while we were there and I was one of those who went to the sight to help survivors. When I arrived at the crash site and saw the plane wreckage, a strong fear suddenly grabbed me. At the same time, I heard the words; you better cancel that next missions trip you’ve planned. This may happen again (I had another trip planned a couple of months away).

Intuitively I knew that this fear was the enemy speaking. I immediately spoke out loud; I will not live my life in fear! I will go on the next trip and I won’t be afraid! As soon as the words came out of my mouth, the fear disappeared.

Never yield to fear. Commit you way to the Lord. Stand in faith. Speak God’s Word and refuse to yield to circumstance. The Word is the antidote to fear. Meditate on the Word instead of the fear thoughts that come. Find scripture that specifically refutes the lies and think on them!

Since God is for you, your enemies don’t stand a chance! Walk by faith and not by sight! We are more than conquerors! Fear not!

Faith for Effective Prayer

We’re having a time of prayer tonight at 6:00 PM. I invite you to come if you’re in this area. Prayer gives God the Father a legal right to invade a fallen world with His power and ability. Satan has been given a legal right to reign as god of this world until the Second Coming of Christ. But we Christians have been given authority over him through Christ’s resurrection. Until the rapture occurs, we believers need to cooperate with the Lord and use our God-given authority to ask the Father to manifest Himself in the earth.

As I mentioned yesterday, we’ll allow the Holy Spirit to lead the prayer meeting tonight. He will determine the theme of what we pray. He alone knows how best to pray about the things that are coming in our future.

I’ll leave you today with some scripture that will build your faith for effective praying.

So I say to you, Ask and keep on asking and it shall be given you; seek and keep on seeking and you shall find; knock and keep on knocking and the door shall be opened to you. For everyone who asks and keeps on asking receives; and he who seeks and keeps on seeking finds; and to him who knocks and keeps on knocking, the door shall be opened (Luke 11:9-10 -Amplified) Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you may be healed and restored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working] (James 5:16 -Amplified) Be unceasing in prayer [praying perseveringly]( 1 Thessalonians 5:17 -Amplified) Be earnest and unwearied and steadfast in your prayer [life], being [both] alert and intent in [your praying] with thanksgiving. And at the same time pray for us also, that God may open a door to us for the Word (the Gospel), to proclaim the mystery concerning Christ (the Messiah) on account of which I am in prison (Colossians 4:2-3 -Amplified) And they steadfastly persevered, devoting themselves constantly to the instruction and fellowship of the apostles, to the breaking of bread [including the Lord's Supper] and prayers. And a sense of awe (reverential fear) came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were performed through the apostles (the special messengers) (Acts 2:42-43 -Amplified) And now, Lord, observe their threats and grant to Your bond servants [full freedom] to declare Your message fearlessly, While You stretch out Your hand to cure and to perform signs and wonders through the authority and by the power of the name of Your holy Child and Servant Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place in which they were assembled was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they continued to speak the Word of God with freedom and boldness and courage (Acts 4:29-31 -Amplified) But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word (Acts 6:4). Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God's consecrated people). And [pray] also for me, that [freedom of] utterance may be given me, that I may open my mouth to proclaim boldly the mystery of the good news (the Gospel), For which I am an ambassador in a coupling chain [in prison. Pray] that I may declare it boldly and courageously, as I ought to do (Ephesians 6:18-20 –Amplified). Brethren, pray for us (1 Thessalonians 5:25). Furthermore,brethren, do pray for us, that the Word of the Lord may speed on (spread rapidly and run its course) and be glorified (extolled) and triumph, even as [it has done] with you, And that we may be delivered from perverse (improper, unrighteous) and wicked (actively malicious) men, for not everybody has faith and is held by it (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2 -Amplified). If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14 -Amplified). For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him (2 Chronicles 16:9). I looked for someone to stand up for me against all this, to repair the defenses of the city, to take a stand for me and stand in the gap to protect this land so I wouldn't have to destroy it. I couldn't find anyone. Not one (Ezekiel 22:30 -Message) I have set watchmen upon your walls, O Jerusalem, who will never hold their peace day or night; you who [are His servants and by your prayers] put the Lord in remembrance [of His promises], keep not silence, And give Him no rest until He establishes Jerusalem and makes her a praise in the earth (Isaiah 62:6-7 -Amplified) And no one calls on Your name and awakens and bestirs himself to take and keep hold of You; for You have hidden Your face from us and have delivered us into the [consuming] power of our iniquities (Isaiah 64:7 -Amplified) So too the [Holy] Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance. And He Who searches the hearts of men knows what is in the mind of the [Holy] Spirit [what His intent is], because the Spirit intercedes and pleads [before God] in behalf of the saints according to and in harmony with God's will (Romans 8:26-27 -Amplified).

A Holy Spirit Prayer Agenda

The Lord laid on my heart yesterday a desire for those who want to do so to pray together with me for our church and ministry. So I’m planning to set aside an hour on Saturday evening from 6:00 to 7:00 PM for those who desire to come and pray with me.

There are times in prayer that we need to allow the Holy Spirit to set the agenda. Instead of us praying what we know to pray from our heads, we need a time where the Holy Spirit is allowed to set the agenda. That’s the kind of prayer meeting we will have.

Let me explain what I mean by the Holy Spirit setting the agenda. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 14:14 (Amplified): For if I pray in an [unknown] tongue, my spirit [by the Holy Spirit within me] prays, but my mind is unproductive [it bears no fruit and helps nobody]. Praying in the spirit is praying in tongues. It is your own spirit communing with the Father about things your mind does not know. 1 Corinthians 14:2 (Amplified) reads: For one who speaks in an [unknown] tongue speaks not to men but to God, for no one understands or catches his meaning, because in the [Holy] Spirit he utters secret truths and hidden things [not obvious to the understanding].

So here’s how you cooperate with the Holy Spirit in prayer. Find a spot and get your mind and body quiet. Instead of allowing your thoughts to race and meander onto anything, make your thoughts concentrate on the Lord. Start praying in the spirit or in tongues. As you do, mentally see yourself right before the throne of God (See Hebrews 4:16). You’re not talking to Him from your mind, but from your spirit. This is spirit to spirit communion with the Lord.

Then as you continue to pray in the spirit, at some point there will be an anointing that will start from your spirit and rise up. Words may begin to float from your spirit to your mind. When they do, pray them out in English. Notice that Paul said in 1 Corinthians 14:15 (Amplified): Then what am I to do? I will pray with my spirit [by the Holy Spirit that is within me], but I will also pray [intelligently] with my mind and understanding; I will sing with my spirit [by the Holy Spirit that is within me], but I will sing [intelligently] with my mind and understanding also.

Ask the Lord before you begin to pray to help you to know what you’re praying about with your spirit as He deems it necessary. 1 Corinthians 14:13 (Amplified) encourages this: Therefore, the person who speaks in an [unknown] tongue should pray [for the power] to interpret and explain what he says.

Today is my 32nd birthday in the Lord. I was baptized in the Holy Spirit on Sunday, September 12, 1976, at 7:20 PM at the Florence Tabernacle at 600 East Palmetto Street in Florence, SC! Since that time, I’ve spent time every single day praying in the spirit in other tongues. And if you’ll allow the Holy Spirit to set the agenda in some of your prayer times, you’ll have some awesome experiences in God.

We will pray in this manner on Saturday night. I’ll give some brief instruction to everyone, and then we’ll turn it over to the Spirit of God to help us pray. It usually takes a bit of time praying in the spirit for the Holy Spirit to begin to give understanding as we speak out in English, but when the words rise from your spirit to your mind in English, let them flow! Come and expect the Lord to meet us. You won’t be disappointed!

Staff Prayer Time

I’m later than usual with my blog posting today. I was late getting in last night and up later this morning. The day has been filled with meetings!

The Holy Spirit manifested at our 11:00 Am staff prayer meeting today. We were prayer for a fresh move of the Holy Spirit in our church meetings. The Holy Spirit began to woo us into a greater intimacy with the Father and began urging us to make sure that we spend much more time with the Lord in this hour. Towards the end of the meeting, as I was praying in the spirit, my tongue changed and tongues and interpretation manifested.

The Lord said to us that we are entering into a time of accelerated change and that He did not want us to be taken by surprise by it. He said that the last 70 years laid the foundation for what will be doing now. He said that just as a carpenter takes plenty of time to lay a firm foundation, so he has been laying a foundation in the past decades of time. Now that the foundation is laid, and the walls have been erected, the roof is on, and the windows and doors are installed, He is now speeding up His work. He said that He is now erecting a place of habitation for that will culminate in His second coming and His Millennial reign where all of His enemies will be placed under His feet.

The Kingdom of God is manifesting on earth, and changes are taking place now on a more rapid scale to bring His kingdoms reign to earth.

He told us that now is the time to consecrate ourselves and separate ourselves from distractions. The enemy is seeking to distract believers with activities that will take their focus away from the things of Him and will get them to focus on the things of this life. He told us that darkness is coming to the earth and there will be some believers who become distracted by and overcome by the darkness. It will swallow them up.

He told is that many in this day are magnifying the presentation of what we do and the performance of how we minister. He told us that true ministry in these days will come from time spent alone with Him. True ministry will come from the life He provides from our private time with Him. True ministry is His life flowing through ours and this comes from times of intimacy. We should take plenty of time to seek Him and become prepared for what is coming.

He told us that the Holy Spirit is a jealous lover and that He is jealous of what we occupy ourselves with. He desires that we allow the jealous Lover to move in us and work through us.

I have been greatly affected by His word to us today. I’m still digesting what He said. Let’s ask the Lord to prepare us for t he times that are coming, and open ourselves to the inspection of the Jealous Lover who is seeking to be our continual guide.

The Prayer Habit

…Steadfastly maintain the habit of prayer (Romans 12:12-J.B. Phillips).

The Father wants us to develop our intimacy in prayer with Him. He wants prayer to become a habit. The prayer habit will be one habit that can transform the atmosphere of your life.

E.W. Kenyon in his book In His Presence says: Prayer should be as natural as breathing and as enjoyable as eating. Prayer should be as unconscious as our communication with one another. He goes on the say: You can’t spend any length of time in prayer without being affected by it. The quietness, the unshaken faith, the deep unsounded peace that pervades the Godhead, will overflow into the prayer’s life.

Many people find prayer a great challenge. The flesh struggles with relating to a God you can’t see. But God is the Father of spirits. He relates to our spiritual nature, not to our mentality and emotions. Here are some tips to help develop the prayer habit.

First, you must know that the Father sees you as righteous; that is, as though you had never sinned! Our sin debt has been completely paid by Jesus, and God sees us as pure as Jesus before Him! It’s as though we have never sinned!

Secondly, you must know that The Father loves you as much as He does His own Son. In John 17:23, Jesus prays that the Father will reveal to us the fact that You have loved them as you have loved me! You must know that you are endeared to the heart of the Father, and that He wants your companionship and fellowship.

Then you must begin to develop you fellowship with Him based on your right standing with Him according to the Word; not according to your feelings. Take some time to get alone and just tell Him that you love Him and tell Him how glad you are to be saved from sin and redeemed from hell.

Then, remind Him of what His word says about you, and of what His word says about answered prayer. Talk to Him in specific terms about every single concern you have in life, and ask Him specifically to help you.

Share your heart life with Him. Bear to Him your thoughts and feelings and ask for His aid.Take time too to pray in the spirit, in other tongues. Your spirit, in communion with the Holy Spirit will pray God’s perfect will in all areas of your life.

Start slowly. You may pray to begin with for ten or fifteen minutes. That’s just fine. If you keep it up every day, you’ll find the need to pray longer. You’ll find it easier and easier to express your heart and you’ll begin to want to take more time.

Life will become a partnership between you and the Father. You’ll begin to talk over every problem, every challenge, and every circumstance good and bad with Him. And before long, you will have developed and unconscious communion with Him that will erase fear and worry from your life.

Prayer will become and unconscious act of communion throughout your day. Daunting impossibilities will turn into opportunities for your Father to show Himself strong in your life. You’ll begin to fulfill Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

A Dream

I had a dream last night which I believe was from the Lord. It prompted me to get up earlier than usual this morning to pray. In the dream, I was with a number of people from our church. The setting seemed to be that we were engaging the enemy in some kind of battle. We all had rifles and weapons. I was being fired upon by a guy with a rifle. And I was asking the others with me to help cover me. But instead of helping, they were just sitting there with their arms by their side as if in a semi-conscious state or half-sleeping. They just would not help me. I shot at the enemy myself and I was concerned that I would be hit. Those with me seemed oblivious to my plight! I called out and called out but those with me just would not help me!

We are living in dangerous days just prior to the rapture of the church and the second coming of Christ. It seems as though we are very close to the time of tribulation spoken of by Jesus. We should be rising up to win the lost and minister to the multitudes in darkness around us. This is the time to believe for a harvest of souls and to be aggressive in the things of God.

Yet too many believers act as though they are asleep, absorbed in life and its activities and unaware of the actual dangers that are around spiritually. Soldiers must remain alert if they are to prevail in conflict.

A battle is not won by an army of one! A battle is won when the soldiers work together for the common cause of victory, helping one another and together aggressing to root out the enemy. When one soldier is attacked the others come to his aid.

Let’s arouse ourselves out of our slumber and pay attention to what happening around us with the deepening darkness. We have the tools for victory in this fight of faith. We have the Word of God, the Name of Jesus, the blood of Jesus, and praise and worship as the weapons of our warfare. If we sleep in the day of battle, we will lose the fight. But if we remain alert and aware, the Lord will enable us to win!

And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts (Romans 13:11-14).

But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him (1 Thessalonians 5:1-10).

Stay awake!

Seedtime and Harvest

While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease (Genesis 8:22).

Seedtime and harvest is a universal law of God on earth and in the kingdom of God. Everyday, with every act, we are planting seeds that will produce a harvest!
The harvest is determined by the seeds that are planted.

What kind of harvest are you expecting in the various areas of your life? Look at the seeds currently being planted by your words, thoughts, attitudes, and actions! Tomorrow’s health, material well being, relational stability, spiritual stamina, etc., are determined by what you sow today. You just don’t get something for nothing!

Give and it will be given to you: good measure pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you (Luke 6:38). This law is as stable as the rising and setting of the sun. Cooperate with it, and you’ll have a life of blessing. Work against it, and misery will keep you company!

Paul said it this way: Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

Let’s sow seeds today that will benefit the kingdom of God, and that will bring blessing to others and to our own lives. Sow time in the Word and in prayer today. Sow words that bless, heal, inspire, quicken, and mend. Sow attitudes that will glorify God and exalt Jesus. Sow actions that will produce health and plenty. You’re casting seed today with every action. Make it count!

Calling Those Things That Do Not Exist as Though They Did

(As it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations) in the presence of Him whom he believed — God, Who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did (Romans 4:17).

God wants us to imitate Him in all things. One of the ways He desires that we imitate Him is in calling those things that do not exist as though they did. The above verse is rich in helping us understand the basic concepts of walking by faith.

First of all, notice that it says that God calls things that do not exist as though they did. Calls in this verse refers to speaking words. And that’s an important part of understanding faith. Faith must be released with words! And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke, we also believe and therefore speak (2 Corinthians 4:13). But what does it say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preach) (Romans 10:8).

Faith never floats out of our heart independent of our words. Words convey faith from the human spirit to God.

Then notice in this verse that God calls those things that do not exist as though they did. He changed Abram (exalted father) to Abraham (father of a multitude). Jesus is the lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Everything exists in two realms; first the spiritual and then the natural. God spoke the world into existence from things unseen with words (Hebrews 11:3).

To put this together, I must speak what God says about me and my life even when it doesn’t seem that it is true. I must say I believe I’m healed according to the word while the symptoms get worse in my body. I must say my God is meeting all my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus while the bills are piling up. I must say in all these things I am more than a conqueror through Him who loved me while I feel defeated. I must say He promised to never leave me or forsake me even when I feel alone!

Faith receives before it sees the results. It believes before there is any manifestation of the answer to prayer. And it talks the way it wants things to be, not the way they are!

Start today to call those things that do not exist as thought they did and watch the miracle working power of God work for you!

Work out Marriage Problems

Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband. But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife (1 Corinthians 7:10-11)

I’ve often stated it this way: When you get married, regardless of the former circumstances, it becomes the will of God for you to stay married. The will of God for our lives in found in the Word, not in subjective circumstance.

In the above verses, Paul addresses the relationship between two believers in a marriage relationship. He tells both husband and wife that God’s best is that they not divorce when they have difficulties. He acknowledges that at times someone will succumb to the pressures of life and divorce, and in that case he tells believers to remain unmarried for a period of time because as long as they both remain unmarried, there is the possibility of restoring the relationship.

Susan and I have been married 29 years this month! She’s had a lot to put up with in me! We made a decision before we were married that when married, we would never consider separation or divorce as a way to solve problems that would arise.

Just like everyone else, we’ve had disagreements and challenges over the years. That comes with just being human! But we both made the choice to deal with ourselves and to let the Father deal with us.

For two believers, unless there is unrepentant infidelity involved, they should work together to solve their problems. Separation and divorce do not solve problems. Separation often creates a sense of false peace and removes the immediate pressure to problem solve together. And divorce doesn’t solve the problems either; those that go that route may find themselves dealing with the same problems they had in the previous relationship.

Some people say, well, we have marriage problems. Actually, it isn’t the marriage that is having the problem, it’s the two people that make up the marriage that have personal issues that they must face and deal with! Marriage problems are people problems!

God hates divorce because it hurts people, it wounds children, and it weakens society. For us Christians, we have tools available to us to help solve our personal problems that hinder marriage. We have the Word of God to believe and obey. We have the fruit of the spirit that we must choose to develop. We have the Holy Spirit that will help us change. We have the spiritual strength that comes from praying. We have the ability to pray the perfect will of God by praying in the spirit. We have the authority to command Satan to take his hands off of us and our family. We must use what God provides.

Work on your marriage today by working on yourself. You can change yourself. You can’t change your wife, and you’ll frustrate her and yourself if you try! Keep yourself built up in the Word. Pray for your spouse and for the Father to watch over you and your marriage. Ask for His help. Ask for His wisdom and strength. Refuse the taunting of the enemy to compromise with the influences of the world.

Stay Married!

The family unit is the basis for any human society. And marriage is the foundation of the family. If marriage loses its value, then that society is in danger of collapse. Marriage and family are God’s plan to pass values and morality from one generation to the next. As goes the family, so goes the nation.

In our nation, we have more couples living together in fornication and having children than ever before. Divorce is as rampant in the church as it is with the unbeliever. We are a nation in great danger. Our moral fabric is coming apart!

You and I can make a difference! How? By making an unqualified commitment to remain loyal and faithful in our marriage for life! Too many believers have an “escape clause” in their heads if problems in the marriage arise!

Here’s the bottom line. It is the will of God for you remain married for life to your present spouse. There are basically two God sanctioned reasons for divorce in the scriptures. Only two. And if the problems a couple have don’t fit those two, then they should work together to solve them. Every marriage will have some problems because we humans are imperfect! We just have to be willing to work on ourselves and change!

The two God sanctioned reasons for divorce are 1) adultery - But I tell you, whoever dismisses and repudiates and divorces his wife, except on the grounds of unfaithfulness (sexual immorality), causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a woman who has been divorced commits adultery (Matthew 5:32) and 2) desertion by the unbelieving party - But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to peace (1 Corinthians 7:15). This second God sanctioned reason also covers spousal abuse and neglect.

Other than these two reasons, generally speaking, stay married! Work your problems out. The Holy Spirit and the Word are God’s two problem solvers! If we’re really committed to Jesus, these two friends will help us find answers to the problems life brings! The Holy Spirit knows you, and the Word of God will change you! All it takes is a committed will.

If you’re already divorced, walk in the grace of God! God forgives and cleanses our past! Let the past go! There are innocent victims of divorce. The Father doesn’t hold guilty a person who has a spouse who chooses to go their own way and forsake God’s plan. If you’re experienced this, let the mercy and grace of the Father mend your heart. And walk in forgiveness.

We should pray for our spouses daily. Here’s a great prayer. Father, help me be the best spouse my mate could possibly have! Help me to be what he or she needs! Don’t pray, Lord, change my spouse! Pray, Lord, change me!

You’ve got to Say it!

Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place (2 Corinthians 2:14).Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us (Romans 8:37).

It’s right thinking, right believing, and right speaking, that will lead us into victory in our lives. The first thing that we must correct is our thinking. We are to think on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, positive, and worthy of praise. If our thinking is right, then our believing will be right. And if our believing is right, we’ll speak what we believe.

Words are so important. Your success or failure today will be determined by the tenacity of your confession in the hard place. You may feel and experience all kinds of things, but it’s important to say out loud what you really believe!

Even if it seems like the Word isn’t real and it isn’t working for you, it’s important to say it anyway! Perhaps you’ve heard someone say, so and so has said that so much that they really believe it! Well, the truth is that you can “school” yourself into believing by saying something over and over again.

Meditate on the Word in the area of challenge you face, and then start confessing out loud what the word says. At first, you may not seem to believe it, but just keep on saying it. Sooner or later your words will register on your heart, and you’ll begin to believe what you say. You’ll notice a quickening on the inside, and joy will rise on your spirit! I’ve used this principle so many times in a hard place.

Many years ago, Susan and I faced a financial challenge. It seemed as though lack dominated us! I felt trapped and defeated every day! On a note card, I wrote out scriptures that promised God’s blessings on those that obey Him and are givers.

I meditated on them every day and begin to repeat them out loud. And I would say every day, Father I thank you that we have not only enough money to meet our own needs, but we have enough to give away! I said this over and over again.

Slowly my thinking and believing changed, and I saw myself as a prosperous person. And what I said came to pass! The Lord has blessed us, and our needs are met, and we’re able to give and bless others! God’s Word never fails! He watches over His Word to perform it! Give Him something to watch over today! Start saying what you want to believe, and sooner or later you’ll believe it!

Don’t Quit!

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns (Phil 1:6 – NLT).

This verse has been a great encouragement to me over the years. Discouragement and disappoint affect us all at times. At one point in my life, it seemed as though all that the Lord had changed in me was for nothing. The enemy attacked me with discouragement as I looked back at where I had been and then looked at where I was at that time in my walk with the Lord. My goals had not been realized. My plans had been hampered by circumstances beyond my control.

I’ve found that the toughest times in life can actually be the times of greatest spiritual growth. As fire tempers metal, difficulties have a way of bringing the dross to the surface in us.

Ephesians 1 tells us that the Holy Spirit is the earnest of our inheritance. When the Father brought you into His family, He placed a down payment within you. The indwelling Holy Spirit is the guarantee that He will finish what He started.

Listen to Him speak to you today: The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands (Psalm 138:8). The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day (Proverbs 4:18 - NIV). Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:12-13). But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord (2 Corinthians 3:18).

The Lord is well able to finish what He started in you. Don’t give up while in process!

Prove Yourself Faithful

So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful (1 Corinthians 4:1-2-NIV).

Nothing can take the place of faithfulness in the life of a believer. When filling a position the world looks for qualifications. But when God is looking for someone to work for Him, He looks for faithfulness.

Faithfulness has to do with personal character. It’s doing the right thing because of principle rather than personal preference or feeling. What you are in the small things you will be in the big thing God calls you to do. For this reason, the Lord often starts us out in the ministry of helps if He’s calling us to ministry. There in the smaller responsibility character can be proven.

The Lord has often placed me in situations that were less than I wanted them to be. I know now that He was seeking to help me build character. He wanted to use me as a pastor so He placed me in situations that I could prove myself faithful when it wasn’t easy; when I disagreed with leadership; when I thought I knew a better way of doing this or that. Thankfully, I passed the tests.

The Father requires faithfulness from us all. Faithfulness will open the door to the will of God for your life and will move you into the position that Jesus has for you in the body of Christ. Could you be called a faithful person?

Look for ways to be faithful in your local church in the ministry of helps. Remember that the Father sees not only what we do but why we do it. Make a choice to honor the Father with your actions and attitudes. Be respectful of those that the Father places over you in the Lord. Flow with them even when it’s not convenient. If you do, then place the Lord has for in the family will eventually open up to you.

You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also (2 Timothy 2:1-2).

The Healing Word

He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions (Psalm 107:20).

The will of God is healing and health. It’s important to take some time daily and feed on the word to build up your faith in the Father for healing. Faith comes by hearing the Word over and over again and then practicing it. I woke up last night and spent time meditating on the healing word. Read the following scriptures and then take some time to meditate them. Let them revolve slowly over and over in your mind. This is God’s medicine. Allow it to do its healing work in you!

And said, If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you (Exodus 15:26). So you shall serve the LORD your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you (Exodus 23:25). And the LORD will take away from you all sickness, and will afflict you with none of the terrible diseases of Egypt which you have known, but will lay them on all those who hate you (Deuteronomy 7:15). Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases (Psalm 103:1-3). He also brought them out with silver and gold, and there was none feeble among His tribes (Psalm 105:37). My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh (Proverbs 4:20-22). He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:3-5). That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses (Matthew 8:17). Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness — by whose stripes you were healed (1 Peter 2:24). How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him (Acts 10:38).