tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27028086230451664602024-03-08T09:01:30.122-05:00Word of FaithDave Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459132329045725453noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702808623045166460.post-8252003503780384772012-08-16T10:51:00.000-04:002012-08-16T10:52:23.955-04:00Grace: A Higher Standard<span style="font-family: Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px;">Last time I wrote to you, we were discussing <a href="http://word-faith.blogspot.com/2012/08/freedom-from-law.html">“Freedom From the Law”</a>. I would encourage you to read that post, before you read this one, as it will provide much of the background for what this post is about.</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The 10 Commandments, or the ministry of death and the ministry of condemnation, was a good thing, but it’s only purpose was to show man that no matter how hard he tried, he could never meet God’s standards.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Then, Jesus came, and grace and truth came through Jesus. Not only did grace and truth come through Jesus, Jesus was (and is) full of grace and truth. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">That grace is what enables us to live a life free from sin! I don’t have to try to live by the 10 Commandments anymore, because when I try to live by the 10 Commandments, I’m trusting in myself to measure up and hit the mark, but when I trust in the grace on the inside of me, and trust in Jesus, who is Grace, I can hit the mark every time.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Well then, how should a Christian, who is full of Grace and Truth (or Jesus) live their life?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Here’s the thing, I can’t give you a list of “do’s and don’ts” on how to live your life. Jesus didn’t even do that. However, He did have this to say in Matthew 5:21-22 and 27-28.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“21 You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘<i>you shall not murder,</i> and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgement.’</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgement. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“27 You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘<i>You shall not commit adultery.’</i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">28 But I say to you that whoever looks a a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I know what you’re thinking right now. “I thought you said Jesus didn’t give us a list of do’s and don’ts? That’s what it looks like to me.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I know it does, but that’s because you’re reading it through the eyes of tradition.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">You see, the issue is that too many believers would rather manage their flesh than reckon it dead. They’re looking at the letter of what Jesus said, rather than the spirit of it. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Jesus is dealing with conditions of the heart here. He’s saying, “I know that you know not to murder, but I’m telling you that hatred without a cause is the beginning of murder, and it starts in the heart.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">He’s saying, “You know not to commit adultery, but when you lust, that is the beginning of adultery in the heart.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Jesus is more concerned with the condition of your heart than He is your actions, because He knows the condition of your heart will determine your actions.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So, when I’m trying to manage my flesh, and trying to say, “Ok, what can I do, and what can I not do?” I’m not living up to the grace that has been placed on the inside of me.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">But, when I say, “I’ve been born again, and this life I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God,” and I begin to trust in that grace that is inside of me to live right, and I trust in that grace to correct me, and I trust in that grace to show me what to do, I’m living up to the higher standard of grace.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">When I miss it, I only miss it because I’m not trusting in grace-I was trying to do it on my own. So what do I do? Repent, and it’s over and done with. The word “repent” simply means to change one’s mind. So, when I repent from sin, all I’m saying is, “I’m changing. I don’t want any part of this any more, and I am turning from it.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So, grace calls us to have our hearts right, and then enables us to make our hearts right, by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Do you see how simple grace is? How freeing it is? Do you see, that even though grace is a higher standard than the law, I don’t have to struggle to measure up, because Grace Himself will enable me to measure up?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">You see, I don’t have to try to make sure that I’m not going to lie, because I’ve got truth on the inside of me. I don’t have to make sure I don’t lust after a woman, committing adultery with her in my heart, because I’ve got grace inside of me. Grace enables me not to lust.</span></div>
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If you’re struggling with sin in your life, stop trying to manage it! Grace has a higher standard, and yet, that higher standard is easier to achieve than the fulfilling of the law. Just say, “Jesus, I trust in you. I thank you that I’m free from ‘<i>whatever you are struggling with.</i>’” Then, whenever the opportunity arises, just trust in the grace.</span></div>
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Do you see how easy that is? We’re not dealing with the flesh, and flesh management. We’re dealing with the heart. And when you deal with the heart, it will control the flesh.</span></div>
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Grace has given me a higher standard to measure up to. How am I going to do it? Especially if I couldn’t measure up to the law? I’m going to put my faith in the grace.</span></div>
Dave Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459132329045725453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702808623045166460.post-5917304944848821102012-08-02T01:26:00.000-04:002012-08-03T12:28:42.241-04:00Freedom From the Law<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I’m going to say something that may shock some of you. Are you sitting down? Good. Here it is.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I have stopped trying to live my life by the 10 Commandments.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Are you still with me? Don’t close the page just yet. Hear me out (more importantly, hear the Word out) before you decide if I’ve gone off the deep end.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I have stopped trying to live my life by the 10 Commandments. Do you know how freeing that is? </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I can hear it in your voices now, “Yea, it’s freeing because if you don’t live by the 10 Commandments, you can do whatever you want.” And, “Well brother, aren’t you just giving Christians a license to sin by saying something like that?” Man, Christians have been sinning without a license for years. What does it matter if I give them one?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Let’s go to the Bible for a little more light on the subject.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">In the book of Exodus, we find God giving the law to the Israelites. And watch what He had to do here. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Ex 29:36-37 “36 And you shall offer a bull every day <i>as</i> a sin offering for atonement. You shall cleanse the altar when you make atonement for it, and you shall anoint it to sanctify it.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">37 Seven days you shall make atonement for the altar and sanctify it. And the altar shall be most holy. Whatever touches the altar must be holy.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">So, we can see in this passage that sacrifices were offered to atone for sin. You see, for man to be holy under the Old Covenant, he had to keep the law. God knew this was impossible. He instituted the practice of offering a sacrifice to cover up for when man missed it. That’s what the sacrifice was for. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Hebrews addresses this too. In chapter 10 verse 1 it says this,</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">“1 For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, <i>and </i>not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect.</span>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins.</span>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">3 But in those <i>sacrifices there is </i>a reminder of sins every year.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">4 For <i>it is </i>not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">So, the sacrifices were instituted by God to cover sin, which He cannot be a part of, since He still desired a relationship with His family. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The reason they had to be instituted is this - God knew that no matter what man did, He couldn’t keep the law. He knew that man would try as hard as He could, and fail miserably. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">In fact, the Apostle Paul goes as far as to say, in the book of 2 Corinthians 3:7 and 9 to call the law, and the 10 Commandments both “the ministry of death” and “the ministry of condemnation”. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Wow. The ministry of death. The ministry of condemnation. The 10 Commandments. I never would have put those two together.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Why does it call it that? Well, let’s look at what Paul, by the Holy Ghost, had to say about it in Romans.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Romans 7:8-12 (MSG) “Don’t you remember how it was? I do, perfectly well. The law code started out as an excellent piece of work. What happened, though, was that sin found a way to pervert the command into a temptation, making a piece of “forbidden fruit” out of it. The law code, instead of being used to guide me, was used to seduce me. Without all the paraphernalia of the law code, sin looked pretty dull and lifeless, and I went along without paying much attention to it. But once sin got its hands on the law code and decked itself out in all that finery, I was fooled, and fell for it. The very command that was supposed to guide me into life was cleverly used to trip me up, throwing me headlong. So sin was plenty alive, and I was stone dead. But the law code itself is God’s good and common sense, each command sane and holy counsel.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I like the way the King James translates verse 9. “For I was alive without the law once” but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.” He then goes on to say that the law, which was ordained for life, was death. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">1st Corinthians 15:56 tells us that the law is what strengthens sin. When you attempt to follow the law, it strengthens the hold sin has on your life.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">So then how have I been able to stop trying to live by the 10 Commandments? It’s quite simple really. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">John 1:14-17</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">“14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, <b>full of grace and truth.</b> </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">17 For the law was given through Moses, <b><i>but </i>grace and truth</b> came through Jesus Christ.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Did that hit you the way it hit me? </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The law (the ministry of death and condemnation, remember) was given through Moses, but GRACE AND TRUTH came through Jesus Christ. The Word (Jesus), FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Wow. So, now, the Bible has drawn a line in the sand. There’s the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of death, and Jesus, who is full of grace and truth!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">So then, what is this grace? Oftentimes, we just think of it as a free gift. Unmerited favor. But it’s so much more than that. Grace is an enablement. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Hebrews 12:28 says this, “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may SERVE God ACCEPTABLY...”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">So, grace is what enables us to serve God acceptably. Wow. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">You see, when I’m trying to serve God by following the law, I’m actually strengthening sin in my life, because I’m trusting in myself to measure up. This brings me right back to death.</span><br />
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But when I trust in the grace, it isn’t about what I can do in the natural. It’s about what He can do. <br />
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I don’t need something to show me I can’t do it on my own. I know I can’t. But I know that the grace of God, which lives within me, can. I trust in that grace to measure up. I trust in that grace to hit the mark.<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I believe we have a little more ground to cover. Romans 4:15 in the New Living Translation says this, “</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!)”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">What does that mean? </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I’m going to give you an example I heard Dr. Creflo Dollar give.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">If I’m driving on the Autobahn in Germany, I can drive just as fast as I want. In fact, I might come into the house smiling from ear to ear. You ask, “What are you so happy about?” I would respond, “Man, I just got my car up to 150 MPH! I have never driven that fast before!”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">But, if we’re in the United States, and I came in from driving at 150 MPH, I would be checking over my shoulder, making sure there were no cops around, following me. I would probably be shaking and out of breath. When you asked me what was wrong, I’d say, “Dude, I just went 150 MPH...I hope the cops don’t find out!”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Do you see the difference there?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Where there is a law to break, it brings punishment. But without a law, there is no transgression.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">So, even though there is no law to break, what is my responsibility? Is it ok to drive 150 MPH on the Autobahn, and endanger myself, and kill other people in an accident? </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">It’s wrong. But, there is no transgression for simply going 150 MPH. However, if there is a law against it, even if I don’t endanger anyone, I’ve transgressed the law by driving that fast.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">So, we still have God’s standard of behavior, but there is no law to measure up to. Just grace to rely on. Where the law said not to commit adultery, and therefore made adultery a temptation that people fell into, grace enables me not to commit adultery.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Grace is the enablement to measure up to God’s standard. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">So, in not trying to keep the law, and trusting in the grace of God, I can serve God acceptably. I can please Him in everything I do. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I’m not trying to do this on my own. I let the grace that is in me do the trying. I let the grace do the measuring up. (1 Corinthians 15:10)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Even if I miss the mark, Jesus has already dealt with the sin. I just repent and move on. I keep trusting in the grace to empower me to not yield to the sin. I trust in the grace to enable me to live a life pleasing to God. I trust in the grace to allow me to do what I’m called to do. I trust in the grace, and since I trust in the grace, I don’t have to trust in the law.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Galatians 3 refers to the law as a tutor, or a schoolmaster, designed to bring us to Jesus. It did that by showing us we couldn’t measure up to God’s standard on our best day. But then we were brought to Christ, and justified by faith, and we are no longer in need of a tutor.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Look out for my next post, later this week, entitled, “Grace: A Higher Standard”. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I’m going to end with this verse. Let it penetrate you, and permeate your spirit.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Galatians 2:19-21, and 3:2-3</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">“</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">What actually took place is this: I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn't work. So I quit being a "law man" so that I could be God's man. Christ's life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not "mine," but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> Is it not clear to you that to go back to that old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in my relationship with God? I refuse to do that, to repudiate God's grace. If a living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping, then Christ died unnecessarily.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">“Let me put this question to you: How did your new life begin? Was it by working your heads off to please God? Or was it by responding to God's Message to you? Are you going to continue this craziness? For only crazy people would think they could complete by their own efforts what was begun by God. If you weren't smart enough or strong enough to begin it, how do you suppose you could perfect it?”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Grace.</span></div>Dave Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459132329045725453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702808623045166460.post-750577533497883492012-05-02T00:33:00.000-04:002012-05-02T00:33:38.261-04:00A Seed Will Meet Any NeedThere are many principles in the Scripture that are important for us to live by, but one of the most important is often overlooked. Now, this may or may not be intentional, but I do know this-the principle of seed time and harvest is one of the most prevalent themes in the Bible. <br />
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In Genesis 8:22 we see one of the first mentions of it by name. You can see it earlier in Genesis if you look for it, but for the purposes of our study, we will start here.<br />
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Genesis 8:22 is after the flood that covered the earth, and God had this to say to Noah,<br />
"While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest...shall not cease."<br />
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God Himself said it in His Word-as long as the earth is still here, and it is, seedtime and harvest will be here!<br />
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Now, people have gotten the mistaken idea that God only wants them to sow because He wants their money. No, nothing could be further from the truth. We find in both the Old Testament and the New Testament that sowing seed was a way for you to open the door, so that God could BLESS you! Hallelujah! How exciting is that? God doesn't just want my money, He wants me to give, so that He can give me even more, so I have more to do His work with!<br />
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Look at 2 Corinthians 8-9, and study it for yourself. (<a href="http://www.word-faith.blogspot.com/search/label/prosperity" target="_blank">see all postings in this blog labeled "Prosperity"</a>) God wants you BLESSED!<br />
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That's why this is one of the most fundamental principles in the Kingdom of God. Mark's Gospel, and the 4th chapter, lays this out perfectly. In fact, this chapter is one of the best prosperity chapters I've ever read. There is so much meat in here.<br />
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Mark 4, and verse 3,<br />
"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Listen! Behold, a Sower went out to sow...8 But other <i>seed</i> fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased, and produced" some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.</span>"<br />
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Then, look at the 26-27 verses.<br />
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"And He said, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">'The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow...</span>"<br />
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The Kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. That refers to sowing. This is the basis for the entire Kingdom! There's no recession in Heaven, because it's a seed based economy! As long as we're sowing, we're bound to be reaping!<br />
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Now, seeing that Jesus placed such an emphasis on sowing seeds, how can this apply to us? The title of this post is, "A Seed Will Meet Any Need," so what does that mean?<br />
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The answer is this-if you have a need in your life, sow a seed. God will show you what to sow, how to sow, and where to sow, and then, if you let Him, He'll even show you where you're going to be reaping. <br />
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So, if you need healing in your body, don't just sit there, and cry about "poor old me, I feel so bad." No, BLESS God, get out there, and start praying for somebody else! Someone else needs healing, and as you sow that healing seed, you're paving the way for your harvest. <br />
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It's the same thing financially. I'll give you an example in my own life. I was believing God for a new job (at His direction-I'll be touching on this soon), and I had a job interview come up. Well, I knew I needed increase financially. I felt in my spirit that I needed to pray a few hours before the interview, so I did.<br />
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Now, when I prayed, God spoke to me. I don't mean I heard an audible voice, but inside my spirit, clear as day, I heard the Lord tell me to, "Sow an additional $20 to the Copeland's Ministry, above and beyond your normal partnership."<br />
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He didn't have to wait long for me at all. As soon as He instructed me to do that, I said, "Yes Sir, I'll do it." I went to my computer, and sat down, and immediately sowed into their ministry.<br />
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Fast forward a week and a half (should sleep by night as rise by day, in Mark 4:27), and I got a phone call-I had the job! Hallelujah! I then found out how much they were paying me, and my jaw just about hit the floor. In a week an half, God had increased my annual salary $20,000! That's THE BLESSING at work!<br />
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Now, it's important to know this-I didn't sow $20 believing I'd receive $20,000 back. I knew increase would come, but I was waiting on His instructions. I sowed because He said to do it. That's the way we need to operate.<br />
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Did you know that God operates by this principle too? What is the most famous verse in the Bible? John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He <b>gave</b> His only begotten son..."<br />
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Like Jesse Duplantis is so fond of saying, "God sowed Christ, and He reaped Christians."<br />
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This is the way the Kingdom functions though. This is the way you and I are supposed to live. If I have a need, my first thought shouldn't be, "How can I meet this need???" No, BLESS God, it should be, "What can I sow? Dear God, I need to sow something! Tell me what it is Sir! I'll obey your command!"<br />
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So, what do you need in your life? Is it healing? Prosperity? Strength? I don't know what it is, but I do know how you can get your answer-sow a seed! Find out where He wants you to sow, and then do it. <br />
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A seed will meet any need!Dave Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459132329045725453noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702808623045166460.post-81431992558764792182012-04-06T22:30:00.001-04:002012-04-06T22:31:02.943-04:00Seeing LightLet's start this post off by looking at the 36 Psalm, and the 9th verse. It says this.<br />
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"For with you is the fountain of life;<br />
In Your light we see light."<br />
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I believe that passage contains one of the most powerful revelations known to mankind, and we have skipped over it, and treated it as unimportant. (I'm including myself in that group.)<br />
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The revelation is this: In the light of God, you see more light.<br />
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What does that mean?<br />
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Well, the answer is really very simple. When we get light on a subject from God, let's say healing or prosperity, too often we want to sit, and wait until we see the whole picture. But, that's not how God intended for it to work. He wants us to walk in the light that we have! <br />
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What does that mean? If you learn God wants to BLESS and prosper you, and that you need to tithe and give to activate THE BLESSING, don't sit there and wonder how God is going to meet your needs!<br />
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No, BLESS God, you begin to tithe, you begin to give, and as you walk in the light that you have, He will give you more light, whether it's a place to be, a person to help, a job to take, a phone call to make. But, you would not have gotten that light if you hadn't walked in the light you had already received. <br />
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Psalm 119:105 says it this way,<br />
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"Your word <i>is</i> a lamp to my feet<br />
And a light to my path."<br />
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What does that mean?<br />
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A lamp to your feet means the light is only shining around your feet. That's the area that's illuminated. It's lighting up the path around your feet. <br />
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Now, if you were to sit there, and say, "I'm not gonna take another step in the darkness until I get some more light, and can see what's out ahead of me," you would be wrong to do that. All you have to do is take a step.<br />
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Step forward, and the lamp to your feet moves with your feet. As you begin walking in the light you have, you'll begin to move forward, and see new things you haven't seen before. That's what this means-when you walk in the light, you get more light.<br />
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Will you walk in the light? If God has spoken to you, don't sit around and wait. Do what He said to do. He'll show you everything you need to know as you come to it, because in His light, we see light.<br />
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Walk in the light. Be ready to receive more light.Dave Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459132329045725453noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702808623045166460.post-40980792305035801762012-03-31T23:06:00.001-04:002012-04-07T22:08:55.492-04:00Receiving from God<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">"Do you want to enlarge your capacity to receive from Me?" The Lord asked Brother Keith that question some time ago, and His instructions were this, "Cultivate a lifestyle of thanksgiving."</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">What is a lifestyle of thanksgiving? What does that look like?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I can tell you right now, there are too many Christians, myself included, who walk around complaining about what isn't going right, instead of being thankful for what is.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">You see, too many times, we paint the picture that a Christian's life is going to be easy. It's going to all "pie in the sky". Well, no, that's not Biblical at all. The Christian's life isn't going to be easy, but you can win every time. The Bible tells us that, "Whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world, and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith." (1 John 5:4).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">So, as a Christian, we are supposed to be overcomers. More than conquerors. That's how we are supposed to live our lives.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">But what about when things aren't working out just like you thought? Maybe you thought you were supposed to get a particular job, paying a certain amount, and you didn't get it. Maybe you know that the Bible says you are the healed of the Lord's, but you are fighting off some symptoms, and you have been for some time. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Is that the time to get down, and beat yourself up, and say, "This faith stuff just isn't working..." No! This is the time to rejoice! Be thankful!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Now, you may be saying to yourself, "How can you rejoice and be thankful at a time like this?" It's very simple. You make a choice. You say, "I'm going to be thankful, no matter what."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Why is that important? Well, the Bible tells, "Now thanks <i>be</i> to God who always causes us to triumph in Christ." (2 Corinthians 2:14).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">What does that word always mean? I looked it up for you. It means, "<span id="hotword" style="position: static;"><span name="hotword" style="cursor: default; position: static;">Every</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">time;</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">on</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">every</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">occasion;</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default; position: static;">without</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">exception, </span></span><span id="hotword" style="position: static;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">all</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">the</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default; position: static;">time;</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">continuously;</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">uninterr-uptedly, </span></span><span id="hotword" style="position: static;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">forever, </span></span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">in</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">any</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default; position: static;">event;</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">at</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">any</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default; position: static;">time".</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span name="hotword" style="cursor: default; position: static;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">It seems to me like God didn't leave any room for His Word not to work.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">If that's the case, we ought to be giving thanks to God, because He is always causing us to triumph!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Furthermore, in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, the Bible tells us, "in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." Notice, He didn't say that everything was His will-remember, we live in a fallen world, that sin has corrupted-but He did say that no matter what, we are supposed to give thanks!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">That means there is always a reason, a chance to thank God. If you're still taking in breath, that's a reason to thank God. If you have one arm that's hurting, thank God the other one doesn't. If you're knee is bothering you, thank God you're feet aren't!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">You see, when you focus on the negative, you begin to close yourself off. You shut down your heart, and your ability to receive anything.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Think about it for a second. When you are focused on the negative, and what's going wrong in your life, how likely are you to receive someone correcting you, or trying to help you? Not very.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">You see, that's a trick of the enemy. If he can keep us looking to the negative, and saying, "Look how bad it is, I don't know how any good can come of this," we will always live in the negative.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Look at the 17 chapter of Jeremiah with me. Starting in verse 5,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>5</b> Thus says the Lord:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> "Cursed <i>is</i> the man who trusts in man</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> And makes flesh his strength, </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> Whose heart departs from the Lord.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>6 </b>For he shall be like a shrub in the desert,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> And shall not see when good comes,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i> In</i> a salt land <i>which is </i> not inhabited.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>7</b> Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> And whose hope is in the Lord.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>8</b> For he shall be like a tree</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> planted by the waters,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> Which spreads out its roots by</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> the river.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> And will not fear (see) when heat</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> comes.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> But its leaf will be free,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> And will not be anxious in the</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> Year of drought,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> Nor will cease from yielding </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> fruit.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">So, what is God trying to tell us here? Well, first off, if you aren't thankful, you aren't trusting God. There are no two ways about it. We read earlier that God always causes us to triumph. So, if I was trusting Him, I would be thankful, because I know I would be winning every time.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">So, the unthankful person is like the cursed man. Even when good things come his way, he doesn't see it! He inhabits the parched places in the wilderness. Do you see now why Brother Keith said that unthankfulness makes you dumb? If you aren't thankful, you'll be in the wrong place, and even if something good were to happen to you, you wouldn't even see it or recognize it as such.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">But, let's go ahead and be like the BLESSED man here. He's like a tree, planted by the waters, always yielding fruit. In fact, He is so close to the life source (the river, which represents God), that even when the drought (heat) comes, he doesn't fear it, or even see it! He doesn't stop producing in the year of drought!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />The thankful man is not moved by what he sees. The thankful man is not moved by what he hears. The thankful man is not moved by situations here on the earth. The thankful man is moved by one thing, and one thing alone, and that is the Word of God!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />He is staying positive, and staying thankful. No matter what comes his way, He has something to thank God for. Even if all he's got left is the fact that he's still taking in oxygen, that's something, and he is going to be thankful for it.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Thanksgiving keeps your heart open and receptive, more able to hear from God. It is a vital part of life for us, if we want to live in THE BLESSING.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">So, determine this for yourself today: Do you want to receive more from God? Do you want to increase your capacity to receive from Him? If the answer is yes, then begin to cultivate a lifestyle of thanksgiving.</span></h2>
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</div>Dave Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459132329045725453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702808623045166460.post-47699764896601822182012-02-06T23:38:00.004-05:002012-02-06T23:38:55.318-05:00Living Free From Condemnation<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." John 3:17</span></div>
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<span class="text John-3-17" id="en-NKJV-26138"><span class="woj"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I want you let those words sink in for a minute. Jesus was not sent by God to condemn you. He was sent to save you. </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="text John-3-17" id="en-NKJV-26138"><span class="woj"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What does that word, "condemn" mean? Well, the dictionary defines it like this:</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="text John-3-17" id="en-NKJV-26138"><span class="woj"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="sg" style="display: block; font-family: Baskerville; margin-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;"><span class="se1" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.2em;"><span class="se2" d:abs="1" style="display: block;"><span class="gp ty_label tg_se2" style="font-weight: 600;">1 </span><span class="msDict t_first" id="m_en_us1235185.001" style="display: inline; text-indent: -1em;"><span class="df" role="text"><span apple_mouseover_highlight="1">express</span> <span apple_mouseover_highlight="1">complete</span> <span apple_mouseover_highlight="1">disapproval</span> <span apple_mouseover_highlight="1">of</span>, <span apple_mouseover_highlight="1">typically</span> in public; censure</span></span><span class="gp tg_se2"></span></span><span class="se2" d:abs="1" id="DWS-186393" style="display: block;"><span class="gp ty_label tg_se2" style="font-weight: 600;">2 </span><span class="msDict t_first" id="m_en_us1235185.003" style="display: inline; text-indent: -1em;"><span class="df" role="text">sentence (someone) to a particular <span apple_mouseover_highlight="1">punishment</span>, esp. death</span><span class="gp tg_msDict" role="text"></span></span><span class="msDict t_subsense" d:priority="2" id="m_en_us1235185.004" style="display: block; text-indent: 0em;"><span class="gp tg_msDict" role="text">• </span><span class="df" role="text">officially declare (something, esp. a building) to be unfit for use</span><span class="gp tg_msDict" role="text"></span></span><span class="msDict t_subsense" d:priority="2" id="m_en_us1235185.005" style="display: block; text-indent: 0em;"><span class="gp tg_msDict" role="text">• </span><span class="df" role="text"><span apple_mouseover_highlight="1">prove</span> or show the guilt of</span><span class="gp tg_msDict" role="text"></span></span><span class="msDict t_subsense" d:priority="2" id="m_en_us1235185.006" style="display: block; text-indent: 0em;"><span class="gp tg_msDict" role="text">• </span><span class="df" role="text">(of circumstances) force (<span apple_mouseover_highlight="1">someone</span>) to endure something unpleasant or undesirable</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="text John-3-17" id="en-NKJV-26138"><span class="woj"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="se2" d:abs="1" style="display: block; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span><span class="se2" d:abs="1" style="display: block; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So, now that you know what that means, this verse makes more sense. Jesus wasn't sent to condemn you, but to save you! (As a quick side note, the Holy Spirit will convict you of sin and wrongdoing, but He will never condemn you)</span></span><span class="se2" d:abs="1" style="display: block;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="se2" d:abs="1" style="display: block; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So, since condemnation isn't from Jesus, we can simply conclude that it comes from the devil. </span></span><span class="se2" d:abs="1" style="display: block; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Condemnation is one of Satan's oldest attempts to make Christians ineffective while on the earth. When you are submitting to that condemnation, you are alloying the devil to be the lord over your life in whatever circumstance it is. </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="text John-3-17" id="en-NKJV-26138"><span class="woj"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For example, when you sin, you know you have been forgiven of that sin because of 1 John 1:9. But, a little while later, the devil comes around to remind you of what you did. Now, here's where "The rubber meets the road", so to speak. </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="text John-3-17" id="en-NKJV-26138"><span class="woj"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If you begin to feel bad, and get upset, and ask God for forgiveness again, the devil has gotten you into condemnation. But, if you just sit back, smile, and say, "I don't know what you're talking about, Mr. Devil. You're going to have to go talk to my Father about it. But He doesn't remember it either," you go free. </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="text John-3-17" id="en-NKJV-26138"><span class="woj"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">That's exactly what happened to Paul in the 28th chapter of Acts. If you remember, he was being taken to Rome as a prisoner, but his real reason for going was to preach before Caesar. He told them to Captain of the ship to stay in port at a particular location, but they didn't listen to him, and went headlong into a massive hurricane. After a few days, an angel appeared to Paul, and told him that the ship would be destroyed, but there would be no loss of life. They were then shipwrecked on an island.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="text John-3-17" id="en-NKJV-26138"><span class="woj"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So, Paul is building a fire in the 28th chapter of Acts. In verse 3</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, it says, "</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid <i>them</i> on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand." So, Paul has now been bitten by a poisonous snake. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now, watch this closely. Verse 4, "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live.”"</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">They called Paul a murderer. Do you remember the beginning of the book of Acts? Paul was a murderer, and held the coats of the men who stoned Stephen. He was on his way to Damascus to kill more Christians when he was stopped by Jesus, and got saved.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Clearly Paul understood forgiveness. He knew he was forgiven. How else could he say to the Corinthian church in 2 Corinthians 7:2, "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man."</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">You see, he was forgiven, and he knew it, but the devil is trying to get him back over into condemnation. At one point, he had been a murderer. But, when he made Jesus the Lord of his life, that murderer died, and a new creation was born. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">So, the devil was trying to get him over into condemnation here. But, Paul refused to bow to the pressure of condemnation, and subsequently stayed on THE BLESSING. When he stayed on THE BLESSING, he was able to shake that snake off, and not be affected by that poison one tiny bit.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Now, I am of the firm belief that if he had gotten into condemnation over this, he would have died from the snake bite, because he would have separated himself from THE BLESSING, and his connection to God.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Submitting to condemnation makes you subject to same penalty Jesus freed you from.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">So, I want to encourage you to live free from condemnation. Don't let the devil, or people, condemn you.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">When they try, you just smile real big, and say, "I've been forgiven according to 1 John 1:9, and my God is faithful and just to forgive me of my sin, and cleanse me from all unrighteousness! I refuse to be condemned. I'm forgiven. Now Satan, you get out of here and leave me alone in Jesus' Name!" </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">You watch, he'll run so fast, he'll be gone before you know it. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">So, I want to encourage you this week-stay free from condemnation! You don't need to live that way. You go free, and live life the way God wants you to-overflowing in every arena of life.</span></span></div>Dave Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459132329045725453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702808623045166460.post-41189058212025618812012-01-08T23:21:00.003-05:002012-01-08T23:22:44.611-05:00Encouraged by the ThornPerhaps nothing in the Bible has started as much conversation, and as many arguments, as Paul's thorn in the flesh. What was it? Who gave it to him? How did it effect Paul? Most people see this passage for far less than it really is, and what it is is an encouragement to you and me! <br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So, to really dig down deep into this, let's take a look at what Paul said.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 Corinthians 12:7-9</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-29026" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;">7</sup></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-29027" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;">8</sup></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-29028" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;">9</sup></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">And He said to me, “<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.</span>” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So, first things first, let's look at who Paul said sent this messenger. He never said God sent it. He said this was a messenger of Satan, sent to buffet him (some translations say harass). In fact, if any translation says God put this thorn on Paul, I would recommend that you be very careful looking at that translation, if you ever use it again. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The second thing we need to look at is what this "thorn" was. Now, "Thorn in the flesh/side" was a Hebrew idiom, or saying, similar to what we would say today, regarding something being a "pain in the neck/butt." You can see this in Numbers 33:55, Joshua 23:13, and Judges 2:3. Now, if you were to say something was a, "pain in the neck" today, would you be referring to a literal pain, or figurative? It's clearly not physical. That's not what Paul was talking about. In fact, if you look back a few verses, he told us exactly what the thorn was!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 Corinthians 11:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 10px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>24 </b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><b>From the Jews five times I received forty <i>stripes</i> minus one. <sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-29011" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;">25</sup> Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; <sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-29012" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;">26</sup> <i>in</i>journeys often, <i>in</i> perils of waters, <i>in</i> perils of robbers, <i>in</i> perils of <i>my own</i> countrymen, <i>in</i> perils of the Gentiles, <i>in</i> perils in the city, <i>in</i> perils in the wilderness, <i>in</i> perils in the sea, <i>in</i> perils among false brethren; <sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-29013" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;">27</sup> in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness— <sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-29014" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;">28</sup> besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. <sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-29015" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;">29</sup> Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn <i>with indignation?</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">That's what the thorn was he was referring to! It wasn't sickness, and it sure wasn't disease.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now, for the exciting part.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In verses 8 and 9 of chapter 12, Paul writes this.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-29027" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;">8</sup></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-29028" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;">9</sup></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">And He said to me, “<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.</span>” </span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now, the word "grace" there is the Greek word "charis", which means a supernatural empowerment or enabling. How does this change the meaning of this verse?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Paul said, (and I'm paraphrasing), "I asked the Lord three times to take this away from me. He said, "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">I've already done everything about this issue that I'm going to do. Use the supernatural empowerment (grace) I've given you to get rid of it, so you can show off just how strong I am!</span>"</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">How awesome is that? Jesus didn't tell him no-He said, "USE THE GRACE I'VE GIVEN YOU!"</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So, be encouraged! No matter what's going on in your life, don't ask God to take it away-use the Grace to remove it, and give the glory to God! He loves to show off for His children. Proverbs tells us that the "eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on the behalf of those whose hearts are perfect towards Him."</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This is an active thing with God. He's constantly looking for another way to show off in your life. Use the grace He's given you, and let Him do just that. </span></div>Dave Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459132329045725453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702808623045166460.post-11698069367406948122011-08-26T19:38:00.006-04:002011-08-26T21:12:18.439-04:00My God Shall Supply Your NeedIn keeping with our theme of "Prosperity", I want to look at the subject of Heavenly Supply.<div>
<br /></div><div>Heavenly Supply is a simple topic. The Apostle John tells us, by the Holy Ghost, "Beloved, I wish that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers." (3 John 2) That tells me that God desires us to prosper financially to the level of our soul's prosperity. There are no limits to how much your soul can prosper, when you renew your mind to the Word of God, so there should be no limits to how much you can prosper financially in this world! Hallelujah!</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Now, I want to focus on something that hasn't been talked about much by the church, on the subject of prosperity, and Heavenly Supply. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>In 1 Samuel 30:8-10, we find David and his men in a forced march, chasing after the Amalekites, who have captured their wives and children. </div><div>
<br /></div><div><b>8 So David inquired of the Lord, saying, "Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?" And He answered him, "Pursue, for you shall surely overtake<i> them</i> and without faith recover <i>all</i>"</b></div><div><i><b>
<br /></b></i></div><div><b>9 So David went, he and the six hundred men who <i>were</i> with him, and came to the Brook Besor, where those stayed who were left behind.</b></div><div><b>
<br /></b></div><div><b>10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred stayed <i>behind</i>, who were so weary that they could not cross the Brook Besor.</b></div><div>
<br /></div><div>So, what I want you notice here is that two hundred of David's men stayed behind, because they were too weak to cross the brook. It would have been dangerous for them to go. So, you read on, and find that they stayed behind, and guarded the supplies.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Now, let's jump on ahead to after the battle, when David and his men had captured the spoil, gotten their wives and children back, and were bringing it back to the men who had stayed behind, guarding the camp.</div><div>
<br /></div><div><b>21 Now David came to the two hundred men who had been so weary that they could not follow David, whom they also had made to stay at the Brook Besor. So they went out to meet David and to meet the people who <i>were</i> with him. And when David came near the people, he greeted them.</b></div><div><b>
<br /></b></div><div><b>22 Then all the wicked and worthless men of those who went with David answered and said, "Because they did not go with us, we will not give them <i>any</i> off the spoil that we have recovered, except for every man's wife and children, that they may lead <i>them</i> away and depart."</b></div><div><b>
<br /></b></div><div><b>23 But David said, "My brethren, you shall not do so with what the Lord has given us, who has preserved us and delivered into our hand the troop that came against us.</b></div><div><b>
<br /></b></div><div><b>24 "For who will heed you in this matter? But as his part <i>is</i> who goes down to the battle, so <i>shall</i> his part <i>be </i>who stays by the supplies; they shall share alike."</b></div><div><b>
<br /></b></div><div><b>25 So it was, from that day forward; he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day.</b></div><div>
<br /></div><div>Notice that-those who stayed behind, guarding the supplies got the same share as those who went into battle. That's a Godly principle. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>We're not quite finished laying the foundation for this. Let's look at what Paul says, by the Holy Ghost, in Romans.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Romans 8:14</div><div>
<br /></div><div><b>How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?</b></div><div><b>
<br /></b></div><div>So notice, people need a preacher, but we could also say that they need someone to send him. That brings us to Philippians (and I promise you, this will all tie together in a minute).</div><div><i>
<br /></i></div><div>Philippians 4:15-19</div><div>
<br /></div><div><b>15 Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only. </b></div><div><b>
<br /></b></div><div>So notice, the Philippian church was partnered with the Apostle Paul. They sent him money and supplies to travel and preach the Gospel to the World!</div><div>
<br /></div><div><b>16 For even in Thessalonica you sent <i>aid </i>once and again for my necessities.</b></div><div><b>
<br /></b></div><div><b>17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account.</b></div><div><b>
<br /></b></div><div><b>18 Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things <i>sent</i> from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.</b></div><div><b>
<br /></b></div><div>Now, this is where we want to get. Read this verse carefully.</div><div>
<br /></div><div><b>19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.</b></div><div><b>
<br /></b></div><div>Did you catch it? If you aren't shouting, and running around the room, I'm guessing not. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>The Apostle Paul didn't say, "And God shall supply all your need," or, "Your God shall supply all your need," or even, "Our God shall supply all your need." He said, "MY GOD shall supply all your need," Why did he say it that way? </div><div>
<br /></div><div>Because when they sowed into His ministry, their needs were met on His level! Hallelujah! They got their needs met on an Apostle's level! They were the ones who stayed behind and guarded the supplies, like David's soldiers, and they got the same reward as Paul, who was like the men who went into battle! They got the same credit that Paul got for his work, so they were able to receive on Paul's level!</div><div>
<br /></div><div>My God, do you know what that means? That means my needs aren't met on my level! They're met on the level of the people whose lives and ministries I sow into! When I sow into Brother Copeland's ministry, my needs are met on his level! When I sow into Brother Savelle's ministry, my needs are met on his level! It's met on their level, because that's the way God works. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>This may seem a little strange, but study this. We're becoming Kingdom minded. This is the way the Kingdom works. God will meet your needs on their level, and then, according to 2 Corinthians 9:10 He multiplies the seed you have sown! That means you're not just reaping what you have sown! You sow your seed into the ground, and God adds to it. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>Think of it this way. If I plant a corn seed, I'll get one corn plant, with ears of corn on it. That's a seed producing after it's own kind. But, if I sow a corn seed, and God sows three corn seeds on my behalf, I will reap four corn plants, with ears on each! The seed I sowed was supernaturally multiplied! That's what we're talking about here!</div><div>
<br /></div><div>We need to become Kingdom minded, instead of being so Babylonian minded. This is how the Kingdom of God works! He meets your need on a level higher than your own, and then He goes and multiplies the seed you've sown! He even ministers the seed to the sower! It all comes from Him, and He has set it up so that you can reap the benefits of it, and become a carrier of THE BLESSING to the earth, hallelujah!</div><div>
<br /></div><div>If you need a breakthrough, find a good ministry, and start sowing seed. A financial harvest never comes before a seed has been sown. You let God tell you where to sow, and He will meet and supply your every need. You must always be sowing seed. A seed will meet every need. And remember, when you sow, your needs aren't met just on your level! They're met on the level of those whom you have sown into! God will supply your every need! That's what it means to be a covenant partner in ministry!</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Heavenly seed produces Heavenly harvest! Praise God, I just preached myself happy!</div>Dave Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459132329045725453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702808623045166460.post-8695470405559210082011-05-27T23:17:00.006-04:002011-05-28T02:05:58.559-04:00Abound in this Grace Also<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">If you are my friend on Facebook or follow me on Twitter, you will notice that I have been posting a lot about the subject of prosperity.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Now, for some reason, prosperity is a divisive subject in the Body of Christ. The Bible makes its position on prosperity crystal clear. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I have been studying prosperity for the last few weeks, because not only do I need a manifestation of prosperity, the Church needs a revelation on prosperity. We will never usher in the End Times move of God if we are not prosperous. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So, without further ado, let's dive on into this subject. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">2 Corinthians 8:7, Paul is writing, and he says,</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">"But as you abound in everything-in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us-</span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">see</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> that you abound in this grace also."</span></span></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></i></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So, Paul is talking about grace. They've done a good job in these graces, but there is one that they are missing.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Verse 8, he says,</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">"I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others."</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So, apparently, what Paul is about to tell us is a test of the sincerity of our love.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Verse 9</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes, He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich." (A quick note on that verse. The Greek word translated "rich" means, "financially wealthy". This is not referring to spiritual riches, but wealth.)</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So, what Paul is saying is that, "Our prosperity is a measure of the sincerity of our love." (Oh man, I'm gonna get some comments on that statement!)</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Now, before we go any further, I need to deal with something here. When did Jesus become poor? Because whenever Jesus became poor shows us when we have the right to be made rich.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We know that poverty, sin, sickness and disease, and separation from God are under the curse. (Read Deuteronomy 28-it will tell you what the Blessing is and what the curse is). We don't have space in this post to talk about Jesus' earthly ministry, but suffice it to say, He never broke a commandment from God, so God's Covenant mandated that He walk in The Blessing while He was here on the earth.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So, let's examine each of these aspects here.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">2 Corinthians 5:21 tells us that, "He (God) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">to be </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Well, that gives us something else we need to look up. Jesus became poor at some point, and He became sin at some point. When did that happen?</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">1 Peter 2:24</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">"Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, the we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness-by whose stripes you were healed."</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Two things from that verse. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">1. The stripes on His back purchased your healing. So, a transaction had to be made. Just like with sin and poverty, Jesus had to be made sick at some point.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">2. This verse also tells us when. He bore our sins when? On the tree. So, Jesus took our sins upon Himself on the tree. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Now, when did Jesus become separated from God? On the cross He cried out, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?" (Matt. 27:46) So, Jesus was separated from God on the cross.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We have two separate portions of scripture that tells us Jesus was made a curse at the cross. Let's look at a third one (the Bible says in the mouth of two or three witnesses let every word be established-2 Corinthians 13:1). What we're doing is building an irrefutable case, so that no doubt can creep into your mind about God's will for you to prosper.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Galatians 3:13</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">"Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">"Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree")</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">"</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So, Jesus became a curse when He hung on the cross. That means that was when He became poor, that was when He became sin, that was when He became sickness, and that's when He became separated from the Father.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So, we were given the right to be called sons of God when Jesus was separated from the Father.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We were given the right to be healed when Jesus was made sick.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We were given the right to be righteous when Jesus became sin.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We were given the right to prosperity when Jesus became poor. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">All of that happened at the cross! That means, the second you made Jesus the Lord of your life, in the spirit, you were made healed, righteous, a son of the Living God, and prosperous. Now it's up to you to walk it out. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Now that that is established, let's continue on. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The Corinthian church abounded in many graces at the time Paul wrote 2 Corinthians by the Holy Spirit, but they did not abound in prosperity. That's what Paul is saying, "See to it that you abound in prosperity also."</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Now, one thing people say about prosperity all the time is, "Well, I give, but I never get anything back." I think you need to read on a little more.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">2 Corinthians 9:1-2</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">"Now concerning the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you: for I know your willingness (to give)" (Parenthesis mine)</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So, Paul is telling the church here that they knew how to give, but they didn't know how to receive.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">He said he didn't have to tell them abou</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">t giving, and ministering to the saints. He said it was "superfluous." </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The dictionary defines superfluous as, "</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="line-height: 1.25em; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: static; cursor: default; background- "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">being</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="line-height: 1.25em; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: static; cursor: default; background- "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">more</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="line-height: 1.25em; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: static; cursor: default; background- "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">than</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="line-height: 1.25em; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: static; cursor: default; background- "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">is</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="line-height: 1.25em; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: static; cursor: default; background- "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">sufficient</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="line-height: 1.25em; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: static; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">or</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="line-height: 1.25em; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: static; cursor: default; background- "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">required;</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="line-height: 1.25em; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: static; cursor: default; background- "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">excessive." </span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="line-height: 1.25em; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: static; cursor: default; background- "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="line-height: 1.25em; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: static; cursor: default; background- "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We could read it this way. "It would be excessive for me to exhort you to give. You have demonstrated your willingness time and time again."</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="line-height: 1.25em; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: static; cursor: default; background- "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="line-height: 1.25em; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: static; cursor: default; background- "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So, we can now see that people can sow seed without reaping a harvest. That means we have to learn how to reap our harvest. </span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="line-height: 1.25em; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: static; cursor: default; background- "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="line-height: 1.25em; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: static; cursor: default; background- "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Verse 6</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="line-height: 1.25em; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: static; cursor: default; background- "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">"But this </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I say</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully."</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="line-height: 1.25em; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: static; cursor: default; background- "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="line-height: 1.25em; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: static; cursor: default; background- "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So, your harvest is dependent upon the seed you sow.</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="line-height: 1.25em; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: static; cursor: default; background- "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="line-height: 1.25em; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: static; cursor: default; background- "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Notice, it isn't a dollar amount. Only you can define sparingly or bountifully in your own life. The greatest offering spoken of in the Bible is the widow's mite. She sowed all she had. </span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="line-height: 1.25em; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: static; cursor: default; background- "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="line-height: 1.25em; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: static; cursor: default; background- "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Now, according to the commentaries I have looked at concerning this passage, the two coins she sowed were equivalent to 6 minutes worth of pay. They were all she had. She had nothing.</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="line-height: 1.25em; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: static; cursor: default; background- "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="line-height: 1.25em; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: static; cursor: default; background- "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">But, she sowed what she did have. That was her significant seed. To the widow, this was a bountiful offering, and there is no doubt in my mind that the Blessing overtook her like it was promised to in the 28th chapter of the book of Deuteronomy. She received a harvest on that seed, and I believe she was never poor another day in her life. </span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="line-height: 1.25em; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: static; cursor: default; background- "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="line-height: 1.25em; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: static; cursor: default; background- "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Verse 7</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">"So </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">let</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> each one</span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> give</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver."</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Never let anyone force you into giving. You don't give to meet a need, or because of a desperate plea. No! You give for the purpose behind the need. I don't give to a ministry so that they can have enough money to put on a crusade or special meeting, I give because I know that as I give, I'm helping get people saved, healed, delivered and set free. That is the purpose behind the need!</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Verse 8</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">"And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">things,</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> may have an abundance for every good work."</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So, we're back to grace now. We know prosperity is a grace, and that we are supposed in that grace. Now, because of our sowing, God is able to make all grace abound toward you! </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">That means, if you're a sower, the grace to prosper is abounding towards you. All that's left is for you to receive it! God's done everything He's ever going to do about your prosperity-that was bought and paid for on the cross.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Verse 9</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">"As it is written: </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor, His righteousness endures forever."</span></span></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Verse 10</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">"Now may He who ministers seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness."</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">You are never without seed. If you are without financial seed, it is because you aren't a sower. He will minster seed to the sower. If you don't have any seed, determine that you will sow whatever seed you get. Start it off with prayer time, or something. You need to sow to get in on this grace. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Now, I want to get to this point here. God will multiply your seed sown. What is the multiplication of seed sown?</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Well, let's look at it in the natural. If I sow 1 corn seed, I will reap 1 corn plant. On that plant will be many ears of corn, but I will still only have one plant. So, there is some blessing there, and that is right and good.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Now, let's say I sow 1 corn seed, and you come up behind me and sow 5 corn seeds. Well, when harvest time comes, I am now going to reap 6 corn plants, because the seed was multiplied in the ground.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The same thing happens when you sow seed in faith. God will multiply the seed you have sown. He can do it a few different ways. One of the ways is that He can have angels supernaturally multiply the seed you have sown.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Another way is through covenant partnership. For example, if you, I and someone else, are told to each sow $10 into someone's ministry, we don't just receive credit on the $10. We receive credit on the whole thing! Heaven has it recorded that each one of us sowed $30, and that is credited to your account! That is the multiplication of seed sown!</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So, God wants you prosperous. In fact, He needs you prosperous!</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Start believing God! Abound in this grace! Expect harvest! Expect your seed to be multiplied! But the first thing you have to do is sow. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Find yourself some good ground, and sow seed. Get involved in what God is doing. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">This isn't something you have to work for-Jesus bought and paid for in His death, burial, and resurrection! As you walk in your sonship, realize that Jesus already did all this for you! He paid the price so you don't have to.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">This isn't works. We don't prosper so we can boast about our prosperity, or tell people what hotshots we are. We prosper so that God can show His goodness! We prosper so that we can finance this end times move of God!</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Remember that. You need to abound in this grace also.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">There may or may not be more posts coming in this series. Be blessed!</span></span></span></div>Dave Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459132329045725453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702808623045166460.post-27151692686549244312011-05-17T08:28:00.001-04:002011-05-25T21:17:53.876-04:00The Honor and Power Connection-Digging up the Wells of Your Father(s)In the last few posts, we have been looking at something the Lord spoke to me, called, "The Honor and Power Connection." I have been studying it, and think we're at the place where the Lord wants us to be, so let's jump on in.<div><br /></div><div>We have discussed reverence, honor, and how those are the keys to a manifestation of the power of God. I want to discuss one more thing on this topic. Maybe we'll revisit it later, but let's finish this series up.</div><div><br /></div><div>Gen<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">esis 26:12-18</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; "><sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-705" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "><br /></sup></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; "><sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-705" style="line-height: normal; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; ">12</span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "> Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the LORD blessed him. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "></span><sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-706" style="line-height: normal; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; ">13</span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "> The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous; </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "></span><sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-707" style="line-height: normal; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; ">14</span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "> for he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and a great number of servants. So the Philistines envied him. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "></span><sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-708" style="line-height: normal; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; ">15</span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "> Now the Philistines had stopped up all the wells which his father’s servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, and they had filled them with earth. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "></span><sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-709" style="line-height: normal; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; ">16</span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "> And Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, for you are much mightier than we.” </span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; "><sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-710" style="line-height: normal; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; ">17</span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "> Then Isaac departed from there and pitched his tent in the Valley of Gerar, and dwelt there. </span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "></span><sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-711" style="line-height: normal; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; ">18</span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "> And Isaac dug again the wells of water which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, for the Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Abraham. He called them by the names which his father had called them. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; ">Now, notice the key phrase here in verse 18. "Issac dug again the wells of water, which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father." I want to focus on that. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; ">I think we need to get back to the basics as the Body of Christ. We need to go back to what got us to where we are today. If we are to truly rise up, and be the Church, preparing the earth for the Last Days move of God, it's time we start acting like it. Let's get busy.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; ">We need to dig again the wells of our fathers! Go back to the early 1900's, dig up the wells of the Azusa Street revival, where people would fall out in the Spirit blocks away from the church!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; ">Dig up the wells of the Healing Revival, expecting God to move, and make Himself known with signs and wonders!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; ">Dig up the wells of the Charismatic Renewal, with the gifts of the Spirit flowing in our services!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; ">Dig up the wells of faith taught to us by such great men as Smith Wigglesworth, Kenneth E. Hagin, and (even though he's still alive) Kenneth Copeland!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; ">Dig up the wells of prosperity, so that we can finance the end times move of God!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; ">You see, the problem is, we've become too lax in the church. We're content to let a man like Brother Copeland, or Keith Moore, or some other great man of faith march in front of us, and tell us everything God's done in their lives, and then we leave the service, go home, and act just like everyone else in the world.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; ">Well, I'm tired of it. Get strong in the Word. Get yourself built up. Then go out and do something. Make a change. Part of the problem in the church is, we're so scared of missing God that we won't step out, and when we don't step out, we miss God.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">No saints, we need to be bold! Step out in faith! Lillian B. Yeomans said it this way, "God delights in His children stepping out over the aching void with nothing underneath their feet but the Word of God." </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">So, step over the line of faith. Refuse to pull back. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you look at all these revivals, they all have a few things in common. First, they occurred when a group of people prayed. And they prayed. And they prayed. And they prayed. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Revival is birthed in prayer. And in that time of prayer comes an expectation.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Second, the people who desired revival desired nothing more than the Word of God. They would go to meetings and hear the Word preached. They would spend time reading the Word, meditating on it, studying it. They lived the Word. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, get in some meetings! If you have to take time off work, or whatever, find where God wants you to go, and get there!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then the pray-ers and the ones who have made the Word first place step out in faith.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As they do that, they step out into what the Great Commission says in Mark 16. Notice at the end of that chapter, most Bibles say that the Lord was "working with<i>them</i> and confirming the Word through signs following" or something to that extent. The word "them is added by the translators. If they put it in, I can take it out. How does it read then? "The Lord working with and confirming the Word through signs following."</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Okay, so, the Lord is working the Word. It is irrelevant who is stepping out in faith to fulfill the Great Commission, because God isn't working with them, He's working with the Word. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When you put your faith in the Word, and put action to your faith, you'll see results happen. God will honor His Word, because He's not a respecter of persons-He's a respecter of faith.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When we step out in faith, we are honoring His Word (and we will be doing everything we talked about Honor being in the last two posts), and when we honor His Word, He honors us, by turning up the power. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm going to close this post out with a Word I believe the Lord has given me. "So go out, be bold. Be strong, and of a good courage. Dig up the wells of your fathers, and do not forget what I have taught you through them. Keep putting the teaching I have given them to work in your life, and you will see changes. Them that honor Me, I will honor, and them that despise Me, I will lightly esteem. Do not turn from My statutes, and I will honor you by turning up the power in your life"</span></div>Dave Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459132329045725453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702808623045166460.post-75837742685044656592011-03-14T22:12:00.004-04:002011-05-06T16:47:09.714-04:00The Honor and Power Connection-Turning up the PowerI want to start with a phrase from my last post. "Reverence is appropriate activity in the presence of God." Jeff Weber. <div><br /></div><div>What is appropriate activity in the presence of God?</div><div><br /></div><div>Most people have defined it as silence, and not being able to be expressive in church.</div><div><br /></div><div>That definition is not incorrect, but rather, I believe, incomplete. Sometimes it's appropriate to run, and jump, and sing at the top of your lungs. Other times silence is more appropriate. </div><div><br /></div><div>However, outward expressions aside, I think the far more pressing matter is the heart. Once the heart is set aright, the outward expressions will follow.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, we have determined to be reverent, what's next? How do we turn up the power? The answer is quite simple. </div><div><br /></div><div>1 Corinthia<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">ns 2:1-5 tells us what the Apostle Paul did. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> He said,</span></span></div><div><sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-28396" style="line-height: normal; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">1</span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; "><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span><sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-28397" style="line-height: normal; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">2</span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.</span></span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span><sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-28398" style="line-height: normal; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">3</span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.</span></span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span><sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-28399" style="line-height: normal; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">4</span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:</span></span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span><sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-28400" style="line-height: normal; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">5</span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.</span></span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">So, notice that Paul said his preaching was in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power. He didn't come and try to show the people his slick preaching and oratory skills. No! He came in, and possibly said something like this, "Alright boys, I could talk to you about the power, and how good God is, and what Jesus did, but, let's see some power in action. Who's got some back trouble? Step on out here and be healed." And the guy would have gotten healed.</span></span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I know that Brother Joe Morris, on one of his first crusades with a friend of his, went to a particular city, and they were greeted by the media-this was billed as a miracle and healing crusade. So, they started asking them about the meeting, and his friend said something to the effect of, "I dare you to bring your sick and diseased, and watch the power of God heal them!"</span></span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Well, Joe preached the first night. He said it was bad. One person came up to him after the service, and told him, "Don't do this for a living." It wasn't the preaching that got the power to show up.</span></span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">But, a night or two later, Joe saw a vision, during the service. Two angels, standing there. He asked God what they were there for, and God said to him, "They've come to give this woman a new heart." So, at the end of the service, his friend asked him if he had anything, and Joe told her what God had said. She went to the doctor the next day, and her heart was completely healed, and looked like it was brand new.</span></span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">She went to the newspapers, and there were headlines that said, "Angels deliver woman new heart." Well, you could barely get in the place that night, there were so many people there, and they had revival! People got healed, saved, set free!</span></span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">So, what am I saying? Don't rely on preaching and teaching for a miracle. It's good, and it has its place, but expectation is where the power comes from! Expect a demonstration of the Spirit and of power! Lives will be changed! People healed! People saved!</span></span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">But, a Gospel without power is like a well without water. It is utterly useless. So, honor God, and expect the power! </span></span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">My next post (maybe sooner than it took me to get this one out) will finish this series (unless God gives me more on this). It's going to be called, "Digging up the Wells of Your Fathers." </span></span></p></span>Dave Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459132329045725453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702808623045166460.post-69727294961836076212011-02-28T16:51:00.007-05:002011-03-09T23:54:10.116-05:00The Honor and Power Connection-Where is the Power?I've come to a realization lately. There is something missing. I don't mean there is something missing from myself, or God, or anything like that. I mean, there is something missing from the Body of Christ. The missing element is power. <div><br /></div><div>We all pray for God to turn up the power, but do we live our live's in a manner that qualifies us for more power? Are we doing what the men and women of God before us did to see the manifestations of the mighty, miracle working, power of God in their lives? I don't think so. </div><div><br /></div><div>The first part of this series is something the Lord has been ministering to me for quite a while now. It is simply called, "The Honor and Power Connection." Now, when He first spoke it to me, I was a little confused, and I didn't quite understand the meaning behind it. Thankfully, He is a patient teacher, and He is showing me what I needed to know.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, the first thing we have missed in the church is giving God honor. There is a severe lack of reverence in the church today. I'm sure we've all seen services where people are on their cell phones, texting away, or something to that extent. I was even at a meeting, and during the ALTAR CALL people we're streaming for the exits-just because the wanted to leave the service. A few nights later at this meeting, one of the ministers stood up there, and told people this altar call isn't time to leave, it's time to pray, because people are being ushered into the Kingdom of the Almighty God, and people still left. </div><div><br /></div><div>It saddened my spirit greatly to see people treat such an important event so lightly. </div><div><br /></div><div>Reverence is very important, and it's something we've lost in the church. I was having a conversation with my friend, Brother Jeff Weber, and we were discussing some of these things, and he made this statement, "Reverence is appropriate activity in the Presence of God." That blessed me so much Brother Jeff (and if you're reading this now, thank you). </div><div><br /></div><div>Let's look at a view verses that examine this subject of honor. In 1st Samuel, chapter 2, we find the Lord talking to Eli, the chief priest of Israel. If you read the surrounding verses, you find that Eli's sons we're wicked, evil men; stealing offerings from the Lord, and slept with the women who came to the tabernacle. Now, Eli was told about this, but didn't stop it, or remove them from the ministry. Verse 30 says,</div><div><br /></div><div>"Therefore the LORD God of Israel says, 'I said indeed that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever.' But now the LORD says, 'Far be it from Me, for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.'"</div><div><br /></div><div>Let's break apart that word, 'despise'. It doesn't mean to hate, or detest, or some of the strong meanings we have put on it today. In the Hebrew text, it means, "to treat lightly, and as of no importance." So, if we treat God's things lightly, and as if they have no importance, He has to treat us the same way. It's in His Word, and He is bound by His Word, to the point that He has exalted His Word even above His Name!</div><div><br /></div><div>But now, look at this, did God promise Eli and his family that they would walk before the Lord, and be His priests forever? Yes. However, Eli and his family's lack of honor caused the Lord to then go and remove them from that position. </div><div><br /></div><div>Is honor important to God? </div><div><br /></div><div>If we honor God, He will honor us.</div><div><br /></div><div>If we treat His things as light, unimportant, trivial, a waste of time, how is He gonna treat us? The same way.</div><div><br /></div><div>He gives us the honor that we give Him.</div><div><br /></div><div>Romans 13:7 tells us this,</div><div><br /></div><div>"Render therefore to all their due, taxes to whom taxes<i> are due</i>, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor."</div><div><br /></div><div>So, if we are commanded, by Scripture, to give honor to whom honor is due, shouldn't God be getting honor? Shouldn't we be glorifying Him in all that we do, not just in the church, but in our everyday lives? Shouldn't we allow Him to speak to us at all times, keeping an ear open to Heaven? And when we hear His voice, shouldn't we listen to it, and do what He is telling us to do?</div><div><br /></div><div>I think the answer is quite clear-the power is connected to the reverence, and to the honor, and to the Glory we give to Him. </div><div><br /></div><div>We haven't been giving Him enough.</div><div><br /></div><div>In our next post on this subject, we're going to examine how to turn up the power, and what happens as the power is turned up. I'm excited for where God is taking this!</div>Dave Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459132329045725453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702808623045166460.post-43205039519216573222011-01-29T11:26:00.005-05:002011-02-27T19:08:05.691-05:00The NameEdit-I have added this video of Brother Copeland teaching on the Name of Jesus. I think it adds a lot of depth to what I was saying in this post.<div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I was at prayer meeting on Monday, and these words just kept rolling around in my spirit: "The Name. The Name. The Name." I mean, I just couldn't get away from it. The Name. The Name.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">What does that mean? What name am I talking about?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The Name of Jesus. Let's look at what Paul had to say about The Name.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Philippians 2:8-11 "8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">9 Therefore God has also highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Let's break this down here.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We know through scripture that Jesus set aside everything that made Him God when He came to the earth. He operated on the earth as a man, specifically, a prophet under the Abrahamic Covenant.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So, He was crucified, buried, descending into hell where He suffered for three days and nights, taking our place, until God spoke. He then led captivity captive, was raised from the dead, and given a name by God. What is this name that Jesus was given?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Paul refers to it as "the name which is above every name." If you study it out, you will find that Paul is referring to what is often translated "L<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">ORD</span>" in many translations of the Bible. Some people have translated it, "Jehovah" or "Yahweh." In </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Hebrew</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, it </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">is </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span lang="he" dir="rtl"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">יהוה</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, or as we refer to in English, the Tetragrammaton. It is God's personal name. When He revealed Himself in the Old Testament to Moses, He used this name. Unfortunately, the pronunciation has been lost throughout the years, but it is made up of four letters in the Hebrew language. Yodh He Waw </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">He.</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Now, it is important to understand the significance of this name. The Jewish people stopped using it, because they were told if you use this name in vain, you will die. They decided the safest thing to do was to not use it at all. Now, that was incorrect of them, but you can surely understand their reasoning.</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So, what Paul is saying here, is that when God raised Jesus from the dead, He gave Jesus His PERSONAL NAME!</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We could read it this way. "There God has highly exalted Jesus, and given Him the name </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">יהוה, which is above every name, that at the Name of </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven and those on earth and those under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">יהוה,</span></span></span> to the glory of </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">יהוה forever!"</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">All the power in that Name was given to Jesus, and the Jesus went and delegated that power to you in the Great Commission! He gave you His Name to use! He told us to cast out devils, in His Name, to lay hands on the sick, in His Name (and they would recover)! You have been given the right and responsibility to use His Name!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So, I hope you understood why I went into this amount of detail on the subject. Jesus gave you His name, and you need to understand the power behind that name! That name carries the very power of God Himself!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So, when you pray, don't just say, "In Jesus' name, Amen" without understanding what you are saying. You are saying, "Situation! You listen to me! You have to bow your knee to the name of Jesus! I call upon the power in that Name to fix this situation! So be it!" That's what it means! The second you say, "In Jesus' name, Amen," Heaven records it as done the second you pray! So believe God. Pray in faith, and use the Name of Jesus, and the power within it to change your life!</span></span></div><div><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxUJ0x2UmeTjImjl9-sKiME1-5_adJmK4ubfirbEa_HAMfAPl_Imncwy7UNMhFs9gX5a4na304D5kt2KtQhNA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><div><br /></div></div></div>Dave Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459132329045725453noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702808623045166460.post-90432834480559246162010-12-06T20:57:00.005-05:002010-12-15T21:45:37.699-05:00Faith BlockersWelcome back, both to me and you! Work has been busy, but life is good, and so is God! Today, we'<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">re go</span>ing to continue o<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">ur series o</span>n Faith, with a message entitled, "Faith Blockers". This may be one <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">part, </span>or multiple parts, it depends on how God leads. <div><br /></div><div>James 1:6-8 says, "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span><sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-30274" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">7</span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span><sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-30275" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">8</span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">A double minded man is unstable in all his ways." </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Notice what the Bible calls someone who doubts. Double minded, and unstable. Someone who is double minded is saying one thing one minute, and then the opposite the next. Maybe you know someone like that. They talk the faith talk at church, and get excited about how God wants them healed, rich, and blessed beyond measure. But, when they get home, their tune changes. They start talking about the down economy, and the recession, and how are they ever gonna pay their bills, and the kids are getting worse, and their marriage is falling apart, and...you get the idea. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Well, they're gonna get exactly what you have talked about at home. They're being double minded, and have summarily disqualified themselves from receiving from God. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Doubt is one of the largest hindrances to your faith. How many times have you wanted to do something for God, only to stop yourself, and say, "But what if it doesn't work?" Right there, you have effectively shut the door on God moving in a situation. Doubt will stop the power every time.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Look at Peter for example, found in Matthew 14:28-31. Peter was walking on the water. I mean, literally, walking on top of the water. I don't know if it congealed under his feet or what, but he was doing it! As long as he kept his eyes on Jesus, he was able to walk on the water. The second he took his eyes off of Jesus, he began to sink. Jesus said to him afterwards, "Oh you of little faith, why did you doubt?" His doubt cause him to sink.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">You might be thinking, "Now wait just a minute, you mean to tell me that Jesus expected him to walk on the water with him? And then had the audacity to try and correct him when he failed?" Yes.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I want you to notice something about the situation. When Peter doubted, what was he looking at? If you answered, "The wind and waves," you are correct. There was a storm going on out there, and he started looking at it.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Let me ask you another question. What did the wind and waves have to do with Peter's ability to walk on the water? Absolutely nothing! He couldn't have walked on the water if it was perfectly calm, so what does it matter if it wasn't? It didn't matter. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">You know, that's the way the devil likes to get you. He gets you looking at something that doesn't change the situation at all, but because it looks scary, it throws doubt in there, and that causes your faith to fail. Doubt will cause a faith failure every time, because doubt cancels out faith.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Back to Peter. According to Jesus, if he didn't doubt, or we could read it this way-if he kept his eyes on Jesus, he would not have sank, and he would have been walking in faith. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">That's how we need to be. Every time a situation comes up, don't look at the circumstances, or the wind and the waves, around you. Stay in faith! Keep your eyes on Jesus!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The fact may be that you have cancer, the truth, or highest form of reality, is that Jesus took all your sins and sicknesses on His back for you, so you don't have to deal with it anymore! He took it! So, keep confessing Him as your healer! Don't doubt His will for your life! He is Jehovah Rapha! Then thank Him for it, and watch the healing come.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The fact may be that bills are due, and there isn't any way to pay them off. The highest form of reality says, "I'm a giver, I'm a tither. God promised to increase me, and I believe God for the hundredfold return! I confess Jesus is my provider! He's my high priest and my financier, my Melchizedek! His job is to receive my tithes, and bless them, so I believe God! I refuse to doubt! He will do it!" Then thank Him for it, and watch the increase come.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">So get doubt out of the equation. It is poisonous, and dangerous to your faith. Get it out of your life at all costs, and watch the victories pile up!</span></div>Dave Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459132329045725453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702808623045166460.post-22213016582466879282010-10-12T16:30:00.005-04:002010-10-12T20:12:12.083-04:00Faith Pt. 3 - Move Your Mountain!It's been a couple months, but let's continue our "Faith" series. In the first post, <a href="http://word-faith.blogspot.com/2010/08/faith-pt-1-substance-of-hope.html">The Substance of Hope</a> we looked at what Bible hope is, and how it affects our faith. In part two, <a href="http://word-faith.blogspot.com/2010/08/faith-pt-2-giving-evidence-to-unseen.html">Giving Evidence to the Unseen</a> we talked about how faith creates out of the realm of the unseen. In our final post, we're going to look at how to move your mountain.<br /><br />In Mark 11 we see Jesus and the disciples going to the temple, and Jesus sees a lying fig tree (the fig trees in that area grew leaves when they had fruit on them, so by having leaves and no fruit, this tree was a liar,) and cursed the tree and told it that no one would eat fruit from it again. Peter sees the tree the next day, and he remembers Jesus cursing the tree, so he reminds everyone about it. Jesus then begins to explain the principles behind what happened. Picking up in the 22nd verse, "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;">So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. </span>23<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"> For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. </span>24<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"> Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.</span>"<div><br />Wow. So much in there. Faith in God is the way we get results! That's what Jesus was saying in verse 22. He continues to tell them how to use their faith in God, "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); ">whoever says to this mountain.</span>" So notice, you have to do the saying. All the power in the world could be there, ready and waiting to work on your behalf, but it won't work until you speak. It's not that odd if you think about it, even God has to operate on those same principles. If you don't believe, look at Genesis 1, it talks about the Spirit of God, or the Holy Spirit moving on the waters. That means the power is there, ready to work. Notice though, that nothing happened, UNTIL GOD SAID, "Light be!", and then light was. So speaking faith filled words brings results. You have to initiate it.</div><div><br /></div><div>Natural things operate on the same principle. If you have a fireplace in your house, you can't tell it, "Give me some heat and I'll put some wood in you." No. That's idiotic. The power is available, everything is set up for it to work, but until you put some action to your desire by putting kindling and then wood in the fireplace and lighting it, you won't see any fire, nor receive any heat. </div><div><br /></div><div>Likewise, people always say, "I need to see some results before I say or believe that this situation can change." Well buddy, if you don't want it to ever change, keep on talking like that. Jesus said we needed to say to that mountain, "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); ">Be removed and be cast into the sea,</span>" and then he kept talking about saying. Believe what you said will be done, and then you will have whatever you said. </div><div><br /></div><div>So, when the mountain rises up in front of you, and you don't know what to do, don't just ask God for strength to make it over the mountain. "Oh God, if You could just make me a mountain climber, I could overcome this obstacle in my life. Give me the strength, if it is Your will, to climb this mountain, Oh Lord." You know what that is? Bull! Plain and simple. Bull. Don't ever pray a prayer like that. There is no faith in it, and the Bible says that whatsoever does not proceed from faith is sin! Don't get mad at me, the Bible says it, so I'm just gonna act like the Bible's so. </div><div><br /></div><div>So what do we do then, when a mountain is in our way? Sickness tries to attack your body? Lack tries to worm itself into your life? You speak to it! You holler at it, "Mountain! In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, you GET OUT OF MY WAY! In Jesus' Name, I'll not have you hindering me any longer! So you get out of my life right now, in Jesus' Name!" If it wants to stick around any longer, start throwing the Book at it, bless God! Use the Word of God! Tell sickness about 1 Peter 2:24, and that you have been redeemed from the curse of the law! Lack, you get out of here, now! Jesus became poor so that I might be rich! </div><div><br /></div><div>Start using the Word! Speak to that mountain in your life, and watch it move! If it doesn't seem like it's working, it's time to double up! </div><div><br /></div><div>I'll share a story with you, and then I'll quit. I graduated from technical school in April of this year, and I immediately began looking for a job. I didn't find one right away. Now, being raised in the Word, I knew I needed to find a verse to stand on. However, one didn't jump out at me right away, or in my studying. So, I figured Phillipians 4:19 was as good a verse as any for finding a job, and I went on that. </div><div><br /></div><div>Four months later, we're in July, and it doesn't seem to be working, but I stayed strong on my confession. I found out last minute that Pastor and Mrs. Hagin were going to be two hours away from my house preaching, so I went to the meeting. Man, I tell you, the anointing was so strong there as Ms. Lynette ministered to us, wow. Anyways, as I am known to do, I began browsing the book and tape table, seeing what was out there. To make a long story short, I got a pile of stuff, and was debating on whether or not to get this one last cd set, Campmeeting Classics, vol. 3. It was a decent amount of money, and I had already got a lot of stuff. So, I prayed, and picked it up, put it down. Prayed. Picked it up. Put it down. I must have done this for almost 15 minutes. Finally, I just went and grabbed it. I spent my entire CVS paycheck (two-hundred some odd dollars) at the table! So, I started listening to the CD's in my car. I went through them all. Then, I got to the last CD in vol. 3. It was a message entitled, "Faith's Corresponding Action," by Charles Capps. It was from Campmeeting 1982. So I listened to it. And I listened to it again. And again. And again. There was something in there my spirit needed, but I didn't know what it was yet.</div><div><br /></div><div>Finally, after going through it six or so times, revelation came to me. Brother Capps kept quoting the verse where Jesus said, "If you had faith as a seed you would say." That came alive on the inside of me. You know what I mean by that? It saturated my thought process, and me, to the core of my spirit. I knew that was the verse I needed.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, for the next two weeks, I kept saying, "Jesus said, 'If you had faith as a seed you would say.' I have faith that the Lord will provide the perfect job for me. I plant that seed of faith, in Jesus' name. I say, 'I have the perfect job.'" I did this for two weeks. At the end of those two weeks (not that I set a time frame, this is just how it happened), after receiving zero job offers in four months, I received six in that time frame. Most of them came in the last two or three days of that week. Within three and a half weeks, I had a full time job, paying me almost twice what my job at CVS paid an hour, with more hours and benefits each week, on a much better schedule! Glory to God! Don't come here telling me that this confession stuff doesn't work, you've come too late for me! </div><div><br /></div><div>Praise God! I'm glad you took the time to read this. Next time we talk, we're going to continue this series, but moving in a slightly different direction, as we talk about Faith Blockers. You don't want to miss it! </div>Dave Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459132329045725453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702808623045166460.post-73209440594331937462010-08-19T22:07:00.003-04:002010-08-19T23:40:53.855-04:00Faith Pt. 2 - Giving Evidence to the UnseenOn Tuesday we took a look at faith. We called the blog post, <a href="http://word-faith.blogspot.com/2010/08/faith-pt-1-substance-of-hope.html">Faith Pt. 1 - The Substance of Hope</a> I highly recommend reading that before jumping into this one. That being said, let's get started.<br /><br />Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Yesterday, we went fairly deep into the first half of that verse. Faith is now. And there has to be substance to your hope for your faith to work. But let's look at the second part of that verse. The evidence of things not seen. What does that mean? Well, let's look at the Amplified translation. "NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, (the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]."<div> <br />Faith is the title deed to what we are believing for! I really like that, but let's break apart the second part of that verse. "Faith...being the proof of things [we] do not see,". So, when we are in faith for something, we have it. If someone asks you for proof-your faith is your proof! Glory to God, that means, if I'm taking God at His Word, that I don't need any other proof! I have all my proof right there in my faith, and the example for that is in Hebrews 11:1. </div><div><br />I graduated from tech school in April of this past year, and began searching for a job. I stood on Philippians 4:19 for almost four months, and had no results. Finally, a verse that I had heard, came alive on the inside of me, and saturated my thinking, and became so real to me that real faith, I'm talking Bible faith, the faith that gets results, rose on the inside of me, and I began to confess that scripture over and over again. For two weeks, I spoke the Word, and spoke the Word, and believed the Word! Whenever someone asked me how the job hunt went, my answer was, "I have a job in Jesus' name!" or, even if I hadn't heard anything from any companies, "It's going great!" After two weeks, I had more responses than I had in 4 months of searching (6 vs. 0) and in 3 and 1/2 weeks, I had a job paying almost twice as much as my previous job, and many more benefits than I had before! I had the proof before I saw the end result, and like God, I spoke the end result from the beginning! That is faith!</div><div><br /></div><div>Praise God! So, not only is faith the proof of something happening, but it is the conviction of it's reality before it has been revealed to the senses! That's the God kind of faith! Let's look at the number one example of this.</div><div><br /></div><div>Genesis 1. One of the most famous passages of scripture. When the earth was without form and void, what did God say? He didn't look at Jesus and say, "What are we gonna do Jesus? The earth is void! We got trouble here! Holy Ghost, you got any ideas?" No, He used His faith, (remember, Hebrews 11:3 shows us that God create the world through faith filled words!) and spoke the end from the beginning! Faith was His conviction of that reality. When He said, "Light be!" light was. He expected to happen, because in the faith realm, it already had happened. It didn't surprise Him when it manifested in our natural realm! When you speak faith filled words like God does, you need to do the same thing! You speak the end result from the beginning, like it has already occurred.</div><div><br /></div><div>That means, if you are believing for healing, don't pray, "God, if it be Your will, heal me." Pray like this, "Lord, you said in Your Word that, 'by Your stripes, I was healed.' So Lord, I take Your Word above this sickness, I choose to believe what You say, and according to Your Word, I am healed! I believe that, and I know that I will see it come to pass, in Jesus' name! Amen!" </div><div><br /></div><div>That is a prayer of faith! That's the kind of prayer that gets results, that gets you an answer! That kind of prayer will cause you to see the Spirit move. Someone once said, "There's something about faith that will cause God to pass over a million people to get to you!" That's because that is how God is pleased-by our faith! (Hebrews 11:6)</div><div><br /></div><div>Well, that went a different way than I expected, but it was good! God definitely brought this where He wanted it. We're going to continue this series this weekend, Lord willing. Stay tuned for Faith Pt. 3 - Move Your Mountain</div>Dave Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459132329045725453noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702808623045166460.post-50854452323491042432010-08-17T21:26:00.006-04:002011-03-09T23:51:43.629-05:00Faith Pt. 1 - The Substance of Hope<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Habakk</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">uk</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> 2:4 says, "</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">just</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> shall </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">live</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> by his </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">faith</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">."</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Romans 1:17 "</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">faith</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> to </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">faith</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">: as it is written, The </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">just </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">shall </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">live</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> by </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">faith</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">."</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Galatians 3:11 "</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">But that no man is </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">just</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">ified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">just</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> shall </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">live </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">by </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">faith</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">."</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Hebrews 10:38 "</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Now the </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">just</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> shall </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">live</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> by </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">faith</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him."</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Anytime the Bible says something, it is important. I don't believe God wastes words like some of us do. So, if there is something that is repeated four times in the Bible, it is of vital importance. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">God keeps bringing various writers back to this phrase, "The just shall live by faith." So, we can readily see that faith isn't just a concept, or a belief, it is a way of life. For the believer, faith is the way we are to live! </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We have gotten too loose with what faith means in our modern society. People often will say something like, "I have faith in God," or interchange that with, "I believe in God." Well, that's great. What about Him gives you faith? What about Him causes you to believe? The Word says that even the devil's believe and tremble (James 2:19), so there has to be a piece that we're missing. I believe we have mixed up "faith", and "belief", and when you are done with this series, not only will you be able to tell the difference between the two, you will know how to use your faith to get results.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I looked up the word "live", and I came across this definition, "To conduct one's life in a particular manner; to pursue a positive, satisfying experience; enjoy life." So, we could say it this way, "The just (that's you if you're born again) shall conduct their life in a particular manner, (that is a positive, satisfying and enjoyable manner) by faith."</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">That means that our lives, as believer's, are meant to be enjoyable! How do we get to enjoy life? We live by faith. Doesn't that fit with what Jesus said in John 10:10, "I am come that they might have life, and have it more abundantly,"? An abundant life is a good life. An abundant life means, I'm prospering in every area of my life, in my spiritual life, in my finances, in my family, in my physical body, in my mind. Total prosperity then, is the same thing as the Hebrew word "shalom", which means, "nothing missing, nothing broken."</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">So, if enjoying total prosperity (shalom), is the way believer's are to live (and an evangelistic tool to reach the world), how do we get there? How do i enjoy prosperity in my body, in my finances, in my marriage? By faith!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">You see, we live in a faith controlled system. What you say, you will have. God didn't set out to create the heavens and the earth, and say, "Man, it sure is dark out. I hope we can light this place up somehow. What are we gonna do Jesus? Holy Ghost, you got any ideas?" No, He spoke the end result before He could see it. He said, "Light, be!" and light was. He was putting into practice the faith principles that Jesus taught us in Mark 11:23-24. But, before we get there, we have to understand what faith is.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Since this universe is a faith controlled system, God created the universe by faith (Hebrews 11 talks about God creating the seen things of the World by things which can not be seen, referring to faith.) So then, it stands to reason that we must learn what exactly faith is. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Well, the number one rule of Bible interpretation is to interpret the Bible in light of the Bible. So, let's look to the Word for a definition of faith. Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Don't let that word "hope" throw you off there. Bible hope isn't like our modern usage of the word hope. It doesn't mean, "Well, I hope it will happen." The word hope means, "a confident expectation." So, faith is the substance of things confidently expected. We could also say that hope is the goal-setter to faith. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">What do I mean by that? Well, look at the thermostat in your house. By itself, that little old unit wont do anything, just like hope wont, but, when it's tied to a heating or cooling system, it tells the system the goal temperature, and doesn't release your heat or air conditioning until it reaches it's goal! That's what real, Bible hope does. It finds out what God has said about your situation, and it stands on it, and it refuses to back to down, and it refuses to quit! (Remember, we have to find what God said about the situation, because faith begins where the will of God is known!) </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We find that scripture the the Lord has revealed to us, and then our hope holds fast to it, like the thermostat holds fast to the temperature it was set to, and no matter what happens, hope refuses to quit. We find in Romans, it tells us that Abraham, against all (natural) hope, believed in hope. He refused to quit, even though it was impossible in the natural.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">That's how we have to be, Bless God! We refuse to quit, no matter what comes against us. Your thermostat doesn't care if it's -30 degrees outside! As long as it has power, it will hold to it's setting of 68, and it will fight, and keep working, and keep working, and not give up, and not quit until it reaches the goal it has established for itself. That's how your hope is designed to work! Your hope, based and established on the Word of the Living God, will give substance to what it you have been believing for!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Tomorrow or Thursday, we will take a look at Pt 2 - Giving evidence to the unseen</span></span></div>Dave Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459132329045725453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702808623045166460.post-10994560741692001862010-06-27T23:12:00.003-04:002010-06-28T10:43:25.413-04:00What Are You Seeking?<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">This is something the Lord began to speak with me about a while ago, and I was just released to share it. I know many of you probably know about this, but I want to bring it to the forefront of our thinking. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I think that, as a Body, it is time for the Church to get a revelation. Now, this isn’t something that is wildly new, just something that we have lost sight of, in my opinion. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">What are you seeking? Are you seeking healing, or the Healer? Blessing, or the Blesser? Revelation, or the Revealer?</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Matthew 6:31-33, Jesus is speaking. He says, “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘what shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 BUT SEEK FIRST the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (emphasis mine)</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">So, we are to be seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness. I like the way the Amplified translates verse 33. “But seek (</span><span style="font: 8.0px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0.0px"><sup>[</sup></span><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px color:#3000ee;">a</span><span style="font: 8.0px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0.0px"><sup>]</sup></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (</span><span style="font: 8.0px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0.0px"><sup>[</sup></span><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px color:#3000ee;">b</span><span style="font: 8.0px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0.0px"><sup>]</sup></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">His way of doing and being right), and then all these things </span><span style="font: 8.0px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0.0px"><sup>[</sup></span><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px color:#3000ee;">c</span><span style="font: 8.0px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0.0px"><sup>]</sup></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">taken together will be given you besides.” </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Aim at and strive after not only God’s Kingdom, but His way of doing and being right. What does that mean? That means we don’t get to decide what’s right and wrong. We must bring right and wrong back to a common standard, and that standard must be the Word of God. That is a constant, never changing standard. When we start deciding what is right and wrong based on our opinions, we are left with shifting sand upon which we try to build a house. I like what Jesse Duplantis says about opinions, “Opinions are transitory forms of thought floating on the ocean of life. They change with every passing wave.”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">When we strive after God’s Kingdom, we are aiming at Him. That is something we can never lose. You can never know too much of God, or His Love. Paul, one of the greatest apostles that ever lived, wrote to the Philippian church, and said, “[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [</span><span style="font: 8.0px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0.0px"><sup>[</sup></span><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px color:#3000ee;">a</span><span style="font: 8.0px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0.0px"><sup>]</sup></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope]”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Now, this is after Paul had been walking with the Lord for 31 years, and He still had “progressively becom[ing] more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him” as His determined purpose in Life. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">That’s what we lose sight of today, and that’s really the main purpose of this post. I know myself, I often become so engrossed in, “I need to find favor here, I need healing, I need prosperity,” that I stop seeking the Provider, and start seeking the provision. That is not a healthy place for the Body to be, friends. When we stop seeking the One who made it all, we then put something else in it’s place, be it man’s philosophy and reasoning, under the guise of being, “open minded”, or earthly pleasures, and once something is sought instead of the Almighty God, the Source of all good things, it begins to distort our picture of God. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">You see, what you put into you will come out of you. In Proverbs, it tells us to, “Guard our heart, for out of it flows the issues of life.” (4:23) Jesus tells us in Luke 6:45 that, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” One translation uses the word “deposit” instead of treasure. So, you will speak based off of what you have deposited in your heart. If you seek the Kingdom of God, His Righteousness, and Jesus Himself, you desire that. You begin to study what Jesus said, and listen for the voice of God. You spend time in the Word, and in prayer. As you do that, you are making deposits in your heart. You are depositing the Kingdom in your heart, and the Righteousness of God in Christ Jesus! Then, when a situation arises, you immediately, without even stopping to think about it, start to bring forth from the treasure of your heart. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Now, if you start depositing the things of the world in there, your foundation isn’t built upon Jesus, and the whole thing begins to crumble. Then, when a situation rises against you, you either don’t turn to the Word at all, or, you turn to the Word without faith established on it, and it wont work without faith.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I could keep going, and probably will at a later date, but I want to leave you with this thought. If God isn’t real to you right now, it isn’t because He doesn’t exist, or He has pulled away from you. The Word says draw near to God and He will draw near to you. I want to encourage you to draw near to Him. Study the Word, and study the Character of God. Begin to seek first the Kingdom, and God’s way of doing and being right, and everything you have been looking for in the past will be added to you. </span></p>Dave Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459132329045725453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702808623045166460.post-9517754453003980322010-05-03T13:59:00.004-04:002010-05-03T14:02:50.461-04:00Subject to Change<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I had the Lord drop this in my spirit a few weeks ago, and it seemed particularly relevant with what Dad has been teaching lately, so, I feel led to share it with you.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Discouragement comes to all of us in life. “Why isn’t this working?” “Why did God allow that to happen?” “I don’t understand how this is all gonna work out. I thought God told me to do this.” “No one has ever had to deal with something this difficult before.” We have all either said or thought variations of this in our lives. However, there is good news for you! First of all, God didn’t cause the situation. Give it the John 10:10 test. If it steals, kills, and destroys, it’s from the devil. If it provides life, and life more abundantly, it’s God. Sounds simple enough, right?</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Next, remember that you aren’t the only one going through this situation. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” So, God has given you a way out! Bless God, your way out is in the words you speak. The Word says that you are justified and condemned by the words of your mouth. (Matthew 12:37). Start talking the solution, not the problem. Facing a mountain of debt? Check out 2 Corinthians 8:9. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might be rich.” You know what the two words translated rich here means? Material wealth and finances! Bless God, it’s a grace issue! He became poor at the cross (while becoming the curse of the law for us, so we could live in the blessing, Gal. 3:13-14, Deut. 28) so that we would be rich! Same thing with sickness, or anything else in the curse. He bore it for you, and provided a way out! </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Paul said this in 2 Corinthians 4:17. “For our light, momentary affliction (this slight distress of the passing hour) is ever more and more abundantly preparing and producing and achieving for us an everlasting weight of glory [beyond all measure, excessively surpassing all comparisons and all calculations, a vast and transcendent glory and blessedness never to cease!].” Notice that phrase. Our light, momentary affliction. It’s only temporary! Paul continues on, and tells us that we aren’t looking at what is seen, but what is unseen, (remember that faith doesn’t deal with the unknown, only the unseen). Because what is seen is temporal, or temporary. Do you know what that word means? Temporary means that your situation is subject to change!</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Your situations are subject to change. As a believer, all you have to do is speak the Word in faith. You say what God says, and watch the results. Check this out. Micah 4:9 (ESV), “Now why do you cry aloud? Is there no king in you?” The Lord is speaking to Zion, and the church is referred to as Zion! Now, according to Revelation 1:6, “[Jesus] has made us kings and priests to His God and Father.” Jesus has made us kings and priests! Bless God! He is the King of kings, but we’re the kings underneath Him! Now, what do kings do when they are faced with a situation? If a king needs something done, he doesn’t fret about how he’s going to do it. He declares it. If the king wants to go somewhere, he doesn’t worry about the cost. He says, “We’re going to go here on this date.” That’s it. Discussion is over. </span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Does that verse jump out at you a little more now? "Why do you cry aloud? Is there no king in you?" You are a king in Christ, and when you speak what the King of kings has said, in your authority that He has given to you, Heaven HAS to back it. Jesus said that whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven! (Matt. 16:19 and 18:18) </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">So start declaring what God has said! When you are being discouraged by a situation, don’t look at the problem, look at the solution! Have faith in God! He’s bigger than any situation that you are facing! You declare what He has declared, and do not doubt in your heart. Once it has been declared, it has to come to pass, for God said that His Word would not return unto Him void, but it shall accomplish what He set it out to do. Start declaring, as a king and a priest of the Almighty God, what you see in His Word over your finances, over your health, over your relationships, and over anything else that needs to change, and watch it come to pass! </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Man, I just preached myself happy while I was typing this out! Let me know any testimonies you have as a result of taking your place as a King and a Priest of the Almighty God! Be blessed!</span></p>Dave Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459132329045725453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702808623045166460.post-10197280485015954962010-04-29T16:47:00.002-04:002010-04-29T16:54:11.379-04:00I'm BackBack with a nice video for you. Teaching to come soon.<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz3MC2BzD4CXiIviOt1GoLpIa-UyI3EaV6QBnm9sB5asf_hfLh-Ul6JPBXsj8_1CKvoDgQO_PJb6EQNi-4U3Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Dave Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459132329045725453noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702808623045166460.post-88717667361011814712009-11-19T00:20:00.002-05:002009-11-19T00:50:51.263-05:00Where is your Faith?It's been way too long. I apologize for that. Without further ado, something the Lord has placed on my heart. <br /><br />The other night, I overheard a most interesting conversation at work. I was in the break room, eating my dinner and enjoying my Believer's Voice of Victory Magazine. Partway through, two of my coworkers came in and sat down. They began talking about flu season. "Every year I get sick!" one of them declared. The other one replied, "I get the vaccine every year, but it doesn't seem to help." Eventually the conversation turned to the dreaded swine flu. H1N1. They were talking about how scared they were of the swine flu, and how they were gonna get it if they couldn't get the vaccine (and if they keep talking like that they will unfortunately get something). I just sat there, and this rose up in my spirit. "Where is your faith?" <br /><br />We really need to think about that. Where is our faith? Fear activates the devil like faith activates God. God is moved by faith. He responds to that. Fear does the same thing for the devil. If we are afraid of sickness and disease, it opens the door for the devil to place it on us, and God can do nothing to stop it. F.F. Bosworth, in his book, "Christ the Healer" likens it to a game of checkers. Neither person can move out of turn. God sent Jesus, who paid the price for us, and provided salvation and healing, as well as all the other redemptive acts. Now it's our turn to move, and receive what He shed His blood for. When we receive that healing He gave us, He then moves, and we see a change, and then we thank Him for it. It's so simple. John 10:10 says that the devil came to steal, kill, and destroy, but Jesus came so we could have abundant life, or ZOE, the God kind of life. There's healing in that life! There's wholeness in that life!<br /><br />We have to determine where we place our faith! Is our faith in the disease to attack us, to manifest in our body? Or is our faith in Jesus, and the price He paid on the cross? Do we believe 1 Peter 2:24? The Bible says out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. If you believe in the disease more than God's ability and willingness to heal you and keep you well, you will talk about the disease, and worrying about getting sick.<br /><br />Oh, but if your faith is Jesus, and His healing power, then you can live above sickness! Above disease! And it will come out of your mouth, "I'm not getting sick! No swine flu is gonna touch me!" Or, as Brother Copeland so simply put it, "I ain't taking no flu off a pig!" <br /><br />Your mouth measures the condition of your heart. <br /><br />Where is your faith?Dave Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459132329045725453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702808623045166460.post-61452244101935812752009-08-25T00:49:00.001-04:002009-08-25T00:51:03.691-04:00The Hundred Fold ReturnI’m gonna warn you right now, this may upset you. That’s ok though, because it’s the Bible. Don’t get mad at me here, I’m just telling you what God said and living it out. <br /><br />Look in Matthew’s Gospel, the 13th chapter. Jesus is talking here, telling us a very well known parable. The parable of the sower. So, we know what happens. The sower sows on stony ground and it is scorched, and all the other things. I want to focus on the 8th verse. It says, “But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.” Jumping down again to the 23rd verse, we find that Jesus is explaining what happened here with the seed. Take a look at the way the Amplified Bible says it. “As for what was sown on good soil, this is he who hears the Word and grasps and comprehends it; he indeed bears fruit and yields in case a hundred times as much as was sown, in another sixty times as much, and in another thirty.” So, we see that there is a principle in effect here. Jesus said that when seed is sown, some reap thirty, some sixty, and some a hundred fold. Now, the seed here is the Word, but there are also other things that we are shown here. Using a farmer as his example, Jesus shows us that this is not just a principle limited to Word. This is a matter of sowing and reaping. Sowing and reaping. <br /><br />Check out 2 Corinthians 9:6. It says, “He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.” There is no faith required in that statement. It is a simple matter of fact. You give, God will bless. Thirty times what you gave sounds like a real good return on your investment, or your giving, but God says that you can also get sixty or one hundred times what you gave! That’s exciting, isn’t it? Glory to God. When we give, we must give generously to others. <br /><br />Let me share a story here from my own life, from seeing the hundred fold work. Last November, I was at Brother and Sister Copeland’s “Washington D.C. Victory Campaign” . Man, it was good. I was able to make two of the meetings with my school schedule, and I sowed into both of the offerings while I was there, on top of my normal tithe. One of the nights, and to be honest, I can’t remember which one it was, Brother Copeland took up the offering, and told us to name our seed. So, I wrote down what I was believing for, and I stuck it in my wallet. I didn’t tell anyone about it, just like the man of God said. Well, needless to say, I forgot about it. Today, while I was spending time with the Lord, He reminded me of this. I thought back to it. A few months after the meetings, my life had drastically changed. I had left of school, and was back home looking for a job. I was in debt just about up to my eyeballs, from school and credit cards, and just being stupid with money for the longest time, although I have gotten much better with it. So, come to find out, I was given a check that was nearly ONE HUNDRED times what I had given over those two nights! So, I had already gotten the hundred fold on one of my seeds, and then, a few months after that, the rest of it came in. I used that money to pay down many of my debts. What a blessing of the Lord! You see, He still meets needs through the hundred fold. I received the hundred fold on my seed! I paid off bills I wouldn’t have been able to pay! Glory! Now, you may say, “That doesn’t work, it isn’t true.” Well, it’s in red, so like Jesse Duplantis says, “Either Jesus is lying, or you’re lying. I pick you.” <br /><br />What people don’t seem to get, is that God wants to bless you! Proverbs 10:22 tells us that the Lord’s Blessing makes us rich, but without the sorrow that world adds to it! Glory to God! Sowing and reaping, seed time and harvest will be with us as long as the earth remains! Time to put it to work! God’s ways goes totally contrary to the world’s way. The world tells us to work and save and hoard our money. God tells us to give it away! <br /><br />You see, once you give, and help meet someone else’s needs, God shall supply your every need, want, and desire through His riches in glory, by Christ Jesus! You don’t believe me? Philippians 4:19, and Psalm 37:4. Giving, and being cheerful is delighting yourself in the Lord, so you qualify for God giving you the desires of your heart!<br /><br />Praise God! The Hundred Fold still works. I feel like Isaac must have, who, we are told in Genesis 26:12, sowed in a time of famine, and received the same year a hundred fold! Praise God! There hasn’t been a recession in Heaven, and God is not a respecter of persons. What He did for Isaac, He will do for you! Start asking God where you need to sow. Not only to make it through this tough financial time the world is facing, but to increase in it! That’s what I have done this whole recession! I am in a better position financially than I was a year ago! The world tells you that can't happen! But, we, as Christians, should be rising above all of this mess in the world! Like the children of Israel when they were held captive by the Egyptians, we can boldly tell the world the answer, and show them that while it may be dark in Egypt, there is light in Goshen! We have the answer out of this mess! It’s giving! Sowing and reaping! Thirty, sixty and a hundred fold return! Glory to God!Dave Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459132329045725453noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702808623045166460.post-63168555304369051142009-07-22T00:25:00.002-04:002009-07-22T02:33:27.015-04:00Hold Fast"Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. <br />14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness..." Ephesians 6:13-14. <br />Having done all, to stand. Stand therefore. That sounds to me like the Lord, through Paul, is telling us to keep standing. And standing. And when we can't do anything else, and we're worn out from standing, stand some more. Brother Hagin used to say something to this effect. If you are willing to stand forever, you won't be standing very long. But, if you aren't willing to stand, you will be there a while. And it is the truth.<br /><br />As Word people, we seem to have gotten off the Word lately. Many of us have backed down from our confessions. We stopped looking at what God said, and started looking at what the world said. Instead of seeing, "By His stripes ye were healed," and believing that, we have said, "Well, I've heard that before." Or, "I know that, but it didn't work last time." Or something like that. NO! We cannot stand for that! God's Word says it! I believe it! That settles it! I don't care if you haven't seen a result, I don't care if you say it didn't work. Either God's lying, or you're lying. I pick you.<br /><br />Start saying what His Word says about a situation!<br /><br />I know the world says you gotta be sick with something, but what does God's Word say? You were Healed! <br />I know the world says that we are in a recession, but what does God's Word say? The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich! God provides for your every need!<br />I know the world says that we need to be worried, but what does God's Word say? Cast all your cares on the Lord, for He cares for you!<br /><br />You see, it's not enough to know it, you have to speak it out of your mouth. God says, life and death are in the power of the tongue. God tells us that we can choose. Choose life!<br /><br />He tells us in Mark 11:23-24 to speak to the mountain, and tell it to move, and be cast into the sea! So speak to that mountain! Someone asks you about it, and if you can't talk about it in faith, just do like Brother Creflo does, and say, "I'm working on something!" Start thanking God for the answers! You see, we need to hold on to what we have been taught, we need to hold on to what Brother Hagin, Brother Copeland, and all these others have preached. Your words will shape your reality! Hold fast to your confession!<br /><br />We have to get back to this! I refuse to say anything contrary to the Word! I refuse to say that I am sick. I refuse to say that I am poor. I don't care what the circumstances say! What does the Word say? That must be the final authority in our lives. <br /><br />When the world is in a downturn, the Church must rise up, and be victorious! We are victors! Overcomers! In every area of life! Sickness and disease can't hold us! Poverty and lack can't hold us! Depression can't hold us! We are children of the Almighty God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ (the Anointed One and His Anointing)! Praise God!Dave Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459132329045725453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702808623045166460.post-91946562082236716202009-07-19T00:26:00.006-04:002009-07-19T14:31:32.622-04:00Back to BasicsIt has been a while. I apologize for the delay in posting, but it has been really busy here. The cool thing is that God has been so awesome while I've been busy. What is great about modern technology is it enables me to watch something like the West Coast Believer's Convention when I have a second between church, school, and work, and get built up on my faith (in addition to the time I normally spend with God). I encourage you to check out this link http://www.bvov.tv/kcm/ondemand/2009wcbc.php It is really dynamite stuff.<div><br /></div><div>One of the things this Convention, in particular, Brother and Sister Copeland's meetings, have inspired me to do, is get back to the basics. People so many times say, "I know the Bible says this, but..." Like Jesse says, "You gotta get your but(t) out the way." It isn't enough to know about God, we have to know who He is, and what He has done for us, and that should change our lives. I am currently preparing a message for our youth group at church, entitled "Who do you say that I am?" Now, this message is about knowing who Jesus is for yourself, and I will get into that in a later post. What God specifically told me to talk about here, is to get back to the basics of faith.</div><div><br /></div><div>Mark 11:23 and 24. If you have ever been around the faith movement, you know these verses. "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;">For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.</span>" Now, Jesus said this, right? So, the Bible is true, and Jesus' words are true, but He has to preface this statement by the word "verily", or, "I'm telling you the truth". Think about that. He had to tell His disciples that this was the truth, and that He wasn't kidding around. </div><div><br /></div><div>Whosoever...well that means anyone, right? So, anyone can talk to a mountain in their life, anything that is blocking them, and tell it to be removed, and be cast into the sea. If you don't doubt, but believe, you shall have whatsoever you say. So, whosoever can have whatsoever. I am reading to you exactly what Jesus said here. He also says that whatever you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them. So, the believing comes before the manifestation. That fits right in with Hebrews 11:1, which calls faith the substance or title deed of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen. </div><div><br /></div><div>Do you see this? Are you getting as excited as I am? If there is anything in your life, any mountain in your way, you have a right, given to you by Jesus, to tell that mountain to get out of your way, and be cast into the sea. You can tell that mountain to move, and it will. I didn't say it, Jesus said it, so get mad at Him if you want to get mad at someone. </div><div><br /></div><div>If we as the church would grab a hold of this, we would be seeing more healings, more deliverances, more people set free from financial difficulties. I mean, bless God, you can speak to whatever is blocking you, whatever mountain is in your way! Find a mountain to speak to, and you speak to it, cast it into the sea, and do not doubt in your heart, believe what you said will come to pass, and it will be done. Jesus left the door wide open for you to walk through and live victoriously! </div>Dave Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459132329045725453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702808623045166460.post-38450213588261002622009-05-26T23:50:00.005-04:002009-05-27T13:44:40.719-04:00What is Righteousness<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">What is righteousness? That question has baffled scholars and intellectuals for decades. Some men came up with many religious exercises so that they could become righteous according to their standards. Others clung to one verse in the Bible that they took out of context. People want to jump all over Romans 3:10 and say, “There is none righteous, no, not one.” But you have to understand this in context. In Romans 3:9 Paul is talking about Jews and Greeks that are under sin. After this passage, in Romans 3:19, he talks about these people being under the law. So then, those that are just under the law are not righteous. What we do see though, is a man who was under that law, was counted as righteous. James 2:23 says, “‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’ And he was called the friend of God.” So then, even though Abraham was under the law, he believed God, and because he believed God, God treated him like he was righteous, even though he wasn’t. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Now, to fully understand what this means, we need to define righteous. Righteousness is defined as without guilt or sin. We could also define it as right standing with God. So even though Abraham was under the law, and was not able to obtain this righteousness, because he believed God, God treated him like he was righteous. </span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The good news for us is that we have a NEW covenant established upon BETTER promises. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:21 that, “He made Him who knew no sin </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">to be</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” So, Jesus never sinned, right? He never did anything to deserve that sin being laid upon Him. But he took that sin on Him, He became sin, so that we, who didn’t do anything to become righteous, could then become righteous. So, because of Jesus’ sacrifice, God is able to treat us as if we have never sinned. That is why the Bible tells us to come boldly to the throne of Grace that we might obtain mercy and find that grace to help us in the time of need. (Hebrews 4:16) You see, the only way we are able to come to that Throne is because in God’s eyes, the second we ask for forgiveness, it’s like we never sinned. It’s like we are back in the Garden of Eden, and we can have the same relationship with Almighty God that Adam had before the fall. </span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">How awesome is that. To be able to just sit down, and talk with the Creator of the universe. God wants to bring each and every one of us into that relationship with Him. He wants to treat every one of us like we have never sinned. But He can’t, unless you let Him. If you have never said, God, I need You in my life. I want to go to heaven. I want to have a relationship with You, or maybe you have made that commitment, and have fallen away from it, but now you want to get back to that right standing with Him, just pray this prayer. Say, “God, I know that I have made mistakes. You said that we all have sinned, and fallen short of Your glory. I am sorry for the things I have done. I want to have a relationship with you. I want you to be my Father. I believe that You sent Your Son, Jesus, to the earth. I believe He lived a life without sin, and then died. Three days later, He rose from the dead. Come into my heart Jesus. Make me a new creation. Thank you for washing my sin away, and bringing me into a relationship with you. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">If you prayed that prayer, you are in the family. I want to congratulate you on making the best decision you ever could have made. I am so happy that you want to know God, instead of knowing about Him. Now, to grow in this, there are a few things that must happen. Number 1, find a good church. If you live in the Hartford area, I know of a great one. Number 2, get a Bible, and spend time reading it every day. Number 3, talk to God. Talk to Jesus. But listen too. It may be a little hard at first, but the more you spend time with Him, the more you can hear His voice, and it becomes familiar to you. If you prayed this prayer tonight, I would love to hear from you. Either send me a message on Facebook, or leave a comment here. Let me know anything that I can do to help you grow closer with the Lord.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Love all of you guys. Be blessed, and rejoice, we are in right standing with the Father.</span></span></p>Dave Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459132329045725453noreply@blogger.com31