Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me? (Jer 32:27)~ Isn’t it funny some of the things God has promised us or some of the things God has called us to do? What has God put on your spirit that has you thinking “God are you for real?” When we try to conceive it in our minds, it seems as if it can’t be done. But There is NO-THING too hard for God. This is where FAITH must supercede our so-called ‘common sense’. We will try to rationalize how it will come to be, but when we pray and leave it in the Covenant Keeping King’s Hands, then…. where for us it is difficult or even impossible, with God, IT IS ALREADY DONE! He SPECIALIZES in the impossible!! Abraham and Sarah thought it was strange to have children when they were almost 100! Lazarus had been dead for days! Everybody SAW Jesus die on the cross! They watched Him go up into Heaven on a cloud, promising to return the same way!!! But look! Be encouraged today! IF GOD SAID IT, JUST BELIEVE IT, AND LET THAT SETTLE IT. I mean we’re talking about the one that calls this that are not as though they were! He called everything from nothing to BE as it IS! I don’t think anything else would be a challenge!
As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. (Ps 103:12)~ As we struggle to change destructive patterns in our lives, shame always lies to us. Those inner whispers of “You’re still the same old you!”; “You aren’t who people think you are”; “You are such a disappointment”; haunt us as we live daily to be the better person! The enemy’s grip on us to remind us of our past is one that won’t concede so easily.
As long as we think of ourselves in these shameful manners, the more of these shameful ways we end up stuck in – As a man thinks in his heart, so is he! (Prov 23:7). But be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind (Rom 12:2) and confront those shaming thoughts with the truth! When the child of the father begins to head back home, the father runs out to embrace the wayward child. This is God! This is grace! The Lord meets us with unexpected tokens of His forgiving love. We are clothed in the robe of Christ’s righteousness, made partakers of the Spirit of adoption, prepared by peace of conscience and gospel grace to walk in the ways of holiness, and feasted with divine consolations.
When that shame, the tactic of the enemy wants you to think that you are not good enough for God; when evil tries you to believe that you have to get your life together because you have to meet a standard for God; when the devil keeps bringing your past into your mind and having you believe you are not ‘God-worthy’, remember: God’s grace accepts us just as we are, and He never leaves us there. He takes us somewhere else—where we cannot take ourselves.
Stop thinking you have to get your life together for God – Get with God and HE will get your life together!!! Those things you did…are things you ‘did’, not what you now ‘do’ nor who you now ‘are’. The determining element of dealing with our shame is this: If God—who alone has the right to shame us—chooses not to shame us, who are we to shame ourselves? And who are we to shame each other? Friend, Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God’s grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God’s grace.
For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company (Ps 55:12-14)~~
No wickedness so distresses us, as that which is from those who are closest to us; those who profess the loyalties of relationship with us. But we must expect trials from those with whom we have been united; and this will be very painful; but by looking unto Jesus we shall be enabled to bear it. Christ was betrayed by Judas, a close companion, a disciple, an apostle, who resembled Ahithophel (against King David – II Samuel 15:31–37; 16:20–17:23) in his crimes and doom. The thing to remember from this friend, is that in the cases of Judas and Ahithophel – rather than being met with wrathful retaliation, both were speedily overtaken by Divine vengeance.
Let this be your conscience and comfort, that as much as even your closest loved ones and friends may hurt you; as much as you would seek a greater vengeance than against your worst enemy; this is an exaltation privy only to the Lord and His justice IS justice. Your wrath cannot bring about God’s righteousness; your act of sin, though seemingly justified only gratifies your fleshly anger. Your prayer and trust in God though, calls on that fruit of the spirit: self control, and yields to Him the respect to His glory!
Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it (Isa 43:18-19) ~ We all have a past and the world likes nothing more than to remind us of it and keep us in it.
The world likes for us to remember and hold onto old pains, old mindsets, old ways of life, old customs and traditions, old desires, old drama. We focus on things that happened to us even as young children and today we can’t even get along in our own family because of how our brothers and sisters were when we were growing up. We can’t even love our spouses right because of how our mothers and fathers were around us growing up. Our children suffer the burden of the pain we felt when we were children because we see that old stuff as a way of life. We are still mad at that person that did this or that to us 25 years ago and they don’t even remember us! We’re mad at those type of people because of something that their ancestors did to our ancestors and that man or woman who is just as Christian as you are doesn’t-even-know-you! You can’t see the true goodness of some people because you’re constantly looking through your clouded judgement. Every time we try to move forward, we look back in that “old” room and pull out those “old” memories!
Friend, it’s time to close that “old” door, lock it and throw away the key! God is not telling you not to learn from the lessons of your past, He’s not telling you to forget what has happened in the past, but He IS telling you that you need to stop holding onto that past; you need to stop allowing it to have influence on your future – stop letting your past hold your future hostage! YOU are causing yourself to not be able to move forward even though God is doing NEW things… YOU are keeping yourself in the mindset of those old things to the point you can’t even fathom the possibility of newness in your life. YOU are holding on to anger and bitterness and frustration while life and God’s work goes forward. God has blessed you and you’re LIVING in that blessing…but you are still focused on the pain of that past! The scar has healed over but you keep thinking about how much it “may have” hurt – that’s right, half of it you didn’t even experience, you just heard about it!!! The people that hurt you are gone on with their lives and because YOU won’t forgive; because YOU won’t move on, YOU are the one still hurting! You’ve got to let it go, it’s ‘past’, it’s over and done and you can’t change it. Move on!
God is trying to take you into something brand new and awesome – something more than eyes have seen, ears have heard or that which has entered into any heart…but if you keep holding on to the old, you can’t receive your brand new. That new thing is made by Him to spring ‘forth’; not fall back. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Phil 3:13-14) Behold, God is doing a NEW thing; it shall spring forth; do you not see it? Friend, the past… LET IT GO and turn away from it… and that new thing.. you WILL see it!
Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof (Prov 18:21)~ If you want to know where your life is headed; what you will be like in the next few years, listen to what you’re saying now! Are you speaking frustration and failure or are you speaking faith and favor?
Be mindful of the words you speak, not just of yourself but to others! When we experience certain words and mindsets long enough, we start to live them. If you believe you are loved and you speak accordingly, you will live as if you are. If you believe and speak as if you are an outcast; a black sheep; an undesirable, you will carry yourself accordingly. So be careful what you pronounce!! – Rejection, disrespect, disassociation, dissolution and depression, fear, drama, confusion, unrealistic expectations…this is what the devil wants.
YOUR words form YOUR perception of life. No one gets to decide the words that come out of your mouth except for you. Therefore, your words have the power to set things in motion, good or bad for you. They are little seeds that you plant in life. When your words are filled with faith, hope and promise then you’ll enjoy the fruit of them. But if they’re filled with discouragement, fear and other negative attitudes you won’t enjoy your life.
Make your confessions personal and real, and allow God’s strength and power to move; to change things for the better. Instead of saying what you’re not, say what you are: Start saying “I am”: “blessed; able; healed; smart; gifted. I am everything God has called me to be!” Knowing that YOU have the WORDS in you to make life what you want it to be, what do you have to say?
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron (1 Tim 4:1-2)~
Where we are today!!! The Bible warned us!!
Increasingly mankind is buying in to a ‘new’ mindset that interprets the truth of God in a very different (and misguided) way… politically correct or incorrect; adjusted as seen fit to compensate for the “way things are” today; taking into considerations man’s feelings and desired (more and more particularly in favor of one group of “men” over another); in step with trending popularity; re-defining the intent of God’s word!
We have changed the truth of God into a lie; following and even worshipping the created (our own ideals) rather than the Creator (God)! This interpretation suggests that it’s okay to exist in a way other than God’s word; because what God expects from us is unrealistic and we can’t do it anyway! People now attach ‘language’ to sin to soften the blow of sin… to make it more acceptable and its consequence less punitive… like the lies the devil told in the Garden of Eden. Because society has propagated the belief that it’s unrealistic to live by the guidelines of God’s Word, today’s culture says that to follow the Word of God is out of step and out of date with ‘reality’. Now what used to be up is down, what used to be this way is now that way. God’s doctrines are now viewed as to be intended for those in ‘Biblical’ times.
Here’s the reality check: As much as it may disturb some to take it in, the truth of the matter is this: God is God alone and He does not change (Mal 3:6); He is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34) – He didn’t ask for, doesn’t require nor does He desire our opinion, feedback or interpretation. Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct Him? He that reproveth God, let him answer it (Job 40:2). He is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6) and His way IS the way…Acceptance by Him cannot be obtained on any other ground than that of the covenant of mercy, through the atonement of Christ. Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices (2 Cor 2:11).
We can’t shape things around political campaigns, public outcry and opinion or even organized rebellion. These are all areas that the enemy will use to get us to justify our rebellion. Satan has many plans to deceive, and knows how to make a bad use of our mistakes. Martin Luther King Jr. once said we have guided missiles and misguided men! We have the Word, that many of us have knowledge and understanding of, yet we act like it doesn’t exist when it comes to living life! We must also stand under that Word! Wisdom is to be used, that we take great care in the decisions we make and the doctrines we follow. We scream that we have ‘free will’ to do as we choose… but that doesn’t mean that what we choose will be right.
From the choices of Adam and Eve going aside of the Word of God in the Garden that set the course of a curse to all of mankind… to the choice of Abraham to trust God that brought the promise of abundant blessings to all that came behind him… and the choice of Jesus to do the Will of God that restored all of mankind… His Word is and must always be our foundation. No matter what is said, created as a new law or trending in popularity, God’s Word is still the ultimate truth and we must not depart from it!
I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust (Ps 91:2)~ For years I’ve seen many fall victim to situations that can turn life upside down. I’ve even been in a few – being no exception… and how I bounce back from this God only knows! But there is joy for me today that I am still here and for that I give God the glory!
I have the option of expressing other emotions like worry and anxiety over this situation or that one but there is a peace on me that only allows me to be thankful! The Spirit is binding me to the obedience of Philippians 4:6-7 and saying to me: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
He’s saying to me to “Don’t worry about all of this. I didn’t create a spirit of fear and worry in you! That doesn’t come from me!” So I’m just going to leave this in God’s hands and simply praise Him and enjoy my peace today!
These days the enemy will try to confuse our minds in fear and worry but remember that God will keep in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Him, because he trusts in Him! I can share many instances where I’ve been at a point where fear and unsettling circumstances seem to be rampant, including right now, but ever since I’ve learned to call on that perfect peace, God has remembered me and rewarded my faith and trust in Him; And in that fearful situation I can have complete confidence and calm… Perfect Peace; and that problem that makes my experience unpleasant can be moved out of my way! Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident (Ps 27:3) –
Friends, Praise God with me! Let this be a confidence for YOU: God is able and is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him! Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But IT SHALL NOT COME NEAR YOU (Ps 91:3-7) –
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places (Eph 6:12)~~ Things are so tense right now, whether it’s New York, Florida, Georgia, Texas, California or any other given place, but in so many places around the world; and worse yet, in our families and even in our own homes! People are at each other’s throats… and the burning question is “Why?”. Why are we in such a war with each other? Every little thing seems to bring up tensions nowadays. What’s so horrible about it is that it’s not just the big things like politics, or social injustices and racial tensions, but LITTLE things are setting us off and we’re making them bigger than they really are. The enemy is busy planting little seeds of discord among us and sprinkling just enough tension on it all and things are growing up into massive blooms of destruction of marriages, the family, friendships and every sort of relationship in existence. People cite things like race and status and other differences between classes of people. They bring up things like one’s affluence versus another’s struggle; the long-term hatred of a particular race. One says they’re trying to take this away from them or destroy that – that when “their kind” has a problem, they resort to violence so now everyone has to be on guard.
Political, social and economic differences are just as tense as a racial divide these days. Truth is, we’re all still…. people! We make enemies of people because they look different, or have different cultures or beliefs, or because they come from a different place… or simply because they’re a different … race! Sometimes it’s the simple words said by people, through the things that belong to our souls; and they labor to deface the heavenly image in our hearts. Seems like people can be experts at pushing our buttons. And the rapid-fire forums of social media contribute to and vastly accelerate the tension as so many more people and comments are made public within seconds of an activity. They can say or do just the right things to get your mind going and your blood boiling! Again, look back at this – – LITTLE things that are in and of themselves, really points of nothingness that have been transformed into the ticking time bombs of humanity and the acts of a war bigger than any two countries… man against man!
But the combat we often find ourselves in is not against human enemies, nor against our own corrupt nature; we have to do with an enemy who has a thousand ways of beguiling unstable souls. The devil insults and assaults us through random thoughts in our minds. Once evil has gained it’s stronghold, it succeeds in keeping you from God’s purpose in your life. The devil can’t harm us but he is a master at getting us to harm ourselves. So we riot and loot; we fight and lash out at each other as we all are tricked by the enemy’s evil principalities. If you look at the status of affairs in the world, look at the various movements and the overall mindset being developed by man these days – how many things that we were all raised to know as wrong have become acceptable practice? No, the devilcan’t take us out but if only he can turn us away from God…and then against each other…gotcha! Again, the devil can’t hurt us but he can get us to hurt ourselves and each other through his twisted plot!
Therefore my friend, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Eph 6:13-17). Friend, Don’t let people get to you! Don’t be fooled by the tricks of the enemy; but know who the ‘real’ enemy is and what’s happening around you! We must resolve by God’s grace, not to yield to Satan. Give no place to the devil! Resist him, and he will flee. If we react, we give way, and he will get ground. If we distrust either our cause, or our Leader, or our armour, we give the enemy an advantage. May you pray and receive when antagonized, that fruit of the Spirit… Self Control.
But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work..(2 Cor 9:6-8)~~ When God gives to us He gives His best… And is happy to do it… He knows what we need and what we want and He gives out of His goodness, not because we are deserving and certainly not because He’s obligated… after all, He’s given us everything we have and then gave His Son to save us!
When we ask of Him, He is pleased to hear us and gives into our lives with grace and abundance. In His example, we are not to be reservoirs of selfishness..hoarders of this goodness, but to give of that which with we are blessed… Sowing into good ground… For the good of others. So what do we give and how do we give it? Are we generous with our goodness from the heart or do we only give what we think someone is worthy of? Do we give just to say we did it or do we give because we like to see others blessed like we are and we enjoy giving to that cause? Do we give with an attitude because we feel obligated or because we truly want to share blessings that we can give?
Some of us act like giving of ourselves, financially or not…yes, even the non-financial type of giving, is a burden; and our response to it is quite ungrateful of our own benefit and disrespectful to our divine benefactor! It’s not that giving weakens our own stature, but that the very thought of giving somehow puts us out. News flash: God doesn’t NEED you to give the money He that blessed you with the ability to earn, He doesn’t NEED the joy that the efforts of your skills, time or words can put into someone else’s life. But remember– What you release into the world, you will receive back…and you will reap MORE than what you sow.. This is God’s guarantee! And what you hold back, will be held back from you. God’s blessing is about overflow…the more He can get through you, the more He will get TO you. And this is not just about money… Want more joy, peace or love in your life? Try giving some away! You will never run dry of the fruits of the Spirit because God will keep it flowing to you! Now if God can’t get a blessing through you … What if He were to stop sending it TO you? Next time there’s an opportunity to put something good into someone’s life’ just remember, God won’t let you tap out!
There is an ignorance … a misleading message out there today that Jesus is nonexistent. They say God is our imaginary friend! Some similar views say He was conjured up by a race or by a misleading faction of some type… Friends, this is the type of misled, misleading and baseless mindset that we as Christians are called to answer to. I just wonder how many people allow themselves to align and fall into this belief system that makes them question and even challenge grace and even the very existence of Jesus and His oneness with God… What I’m seeing is that it seems to be happening more prevalent with our younger generations today! Yes, this disturbing and I’ll tell you why in a minute.
There are some questions I would have liked to asked these people about why they made their comments – but it’s clear to me that the Bible itself was not factor in the reasoning of their statements unless those people are intent on making the truth of the Word into a lie!
But let’s look at this Question: “Is Jesus God? Did Jesus ever claim to be God?” I’m not even qualified to prove it but because of the Word given that I believe, my proof is spelled out!
The Bible never records Jesus saying the precise words, “I am God.” That does not mean, however, that He did not proclaim that He is God. Take for example Jesus’ words in John 10:30, “I and the Father are one.” We need only to look at the Jews’ reaction to His statement to know He was claiming to be God. They tried to stone Him for this very reason: “You, a mere man, claim to be God” (John 10:33). The Jews understood exactly what Jesus was claiming—deity. When Jesus declared, “I and the Father are one,” He was saying that He and the Father are of one nature and essence.
John 8:58 is another example. Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth … before Abraham was born, I am!” Jews who heard this statement responded by taking up stones to kill Him for blasphemy, as the Mosaic Law commanded (Leviticus 24:14-16). John reiterates the concept of Jesus’ deity: “The Word [Jesus] was God” and “the Word became flesh” (John 1:1, 14). These verses clearly indicate that Jesus is God in the flesh.
Acts 20:28 tells us, “Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.” Who bought the church with His own blood? Jesus Christ. And this same verse declares that God purchased His church with His own blood. Therefore, Jesus is God!
Thomas the disciple declared concerning Jesus, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). Jesus does not correct him.
Titus 2:13 encourages us to wait for the coming of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ (see also 2 Peter 1:1).
In Hebrews 1:8, the Father declares of Jesus, “But about the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, will last forever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom.’” The Father refers to Jesus as “O God,” indicating that Jesus is indeed God.
In Revelation, an angel instructed the apostle John to only worship God (Revelation 19:10). Several times in Scripture Jesus receives worship (Matthew 2:11; 14:33; 28:9, 17; Luke 24:52; John 9:38). He never rebukes people for worshiping Him. If Jesus were not God, He would have told people to not worship Him, just as the angel in Revelation did. There are many other passages of Scripture that argue for Jesus’ deity.
The most important reason that Jesus has to be God is that, if He is not God, His death would not have been sufficient to pay the penalty for the sins of the world (1 John 2:2). A finite created being, which Jesus would be if He were not God, could not pay the infinite penalty required for sin against an infinite God. Only God could pay such an infinite penalty. Only God could take on the sins of the world (2 Corinthians 5:21), die, and be resurrected, proving His victory over sin and death.
People – Study to shew thyself approved! There are many who would have you believe differently, turning the truth of God into a lie, justifying their own ways and unbelief with human rationalization and speaking to those with itching ears that would rather hear man’s doctrine than that of God’s truth! Challenge and act like a non-believer if you want to—- Nevertheless, at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ IS Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Tenntuxx 