Archive | February 2015

Where’s your focus?

Feb28

For those of us who call Jesus Lord and King, we have so much to be thankful for. For those who don’t yet know Him as Lord and King they have so much to gain by calling on His name. With Him in our life we are able to walk through any situation that life may throw at us. He doesn’t allow His kids to go through more temptation than they are able to bare if they abide in Him through the journey. He may allow a storm in our lives but He will never  bail on us during the thick of it. Never!

 

Too often we slip into a pattern of worry or fear with regards to the future. We forget that the lover of our soul never turns a blind eye to His church. Instead, He waits to hear from us. He longs for our fellowship. He is as close as the mention of His very name!

When we find ourselves feeling far from Him it is usually the result of setting our eyes on the natural. We forget that our relationship is a relationship of faith, not based on what we see but instead on the truth of the Word of God and the revelation of who Christ is through the Holy Spirit.  It is so important that we get ourselves back to the truth of the Word of God and the knowledge of who Christ is and will always be! He is Emmanuel, GOD with us! Don’t forget it! Instead let the truth of that sink into your heart! God loved us enough that He sent His own Son for our redemption. He wanted to restore a relationship with us so much that He allowed His Son to suffer and die on the cross for you and me!  That’s an awesome love right there!

When you find yourself reducing Christ and enlarging your problems, it’s time to get back to this basic truth. It’s time to heed Apostle Paul’s words taken from Colossians 3:1-3 NIV Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

You will only grow in your intimacy and love for Christ when you set your mind on things above. It is there in the realm of faith that He will begin to move the mountains in your life as your lean into Him and trust Him to do so! Keeping your eyes on your problems will keep you bound by them! Keeping your eyes on Christ will allow Him to move mightily!  James 1:8 KJV tells us 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.  We can’t keep our eyes focused on our problems and trust God for the answers at the same time. We must exercise our faith and turn them over to Him and trust Him to work everything  out for our good! He promised to do just that!  Romans 8:28 NIV 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

If you are struggling through a situation right now, take your eyes of your current situation and remember you have been raised with Christ through your redemption. Set your heart and mind  on things above. Remember that Christ is seated at the right hand of God and is ever making intercession for you, His church! There is nothing too big or difficult for Him to handle. Release the fear and stress of your situation into the hands of the ONE who loved and loves you more than His life itself!  Trust Him, He is worthy!

 

 

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He’s still moving! We must too!

Feb23

The last few weeks have been so busy. I have not had time to write as often as I like due to other commitments and responsibilities. Today I am happy to be able to settle in for a few minutes and share some of the things I see God doing in my small circle of life. We serve an awesome God, who not only hears the prayers of His saints but answers them in some pretty awesome ways! Not always in the way we expect, in fact very seldom in the way we expect but in much better ways.

I belong to a smaller country church that through prayer has been growing substantially. Numbers don’t mean much but the growth we are experiencing is also in a body hungering for more of God. Our bible study groups have grown, our worship teams are continually growing and the praise is most times out of this world! Our Pastor is preaching with power and anointing and the congregation is being fed. It is all as a result of the fervent prayer of the saints! We hear of churches having a hard time keeping their doors open, yet ours is growing in all the right areas.  I am so thankful to God for hearing our prayers and answering in the most wonderful ways.

I am also very privileged so see one of our son’s join the ministry. The changes God has done in his heart and life are nothing short of remarkable! As parents, when we see the lives of our children flourish in Christ it has got to be one of the most wonderful blessings we can have. God is awesome!

Also, our church has been joining  together over the last six months or so with a number of other churches for an evening gathering  of worship and prayer. This has been very exciting. To see multiple congregations gather for the sole purpose of worshiping and praying together is a beautiful example of the unity Christ offers the church! No barriers, just one family gathering together.

Despite the fact we are witnessing a wave rising against the body of Christ around the world right now we are called to continue in the work He has called each of us to do. Abide in Christ, pray, seek, study, grow and most of all love on those He puts in our path.  We are to continue working for our King and His Kingdom until He takes us up or calls us home!

His work continues. His Kingdom is growing. His church is being refined. Don’t allow any type of sin or discouragement distract you from moving forward! Instead get plugged in to a church body that is preaching the Word, moving in the Spirit and ministering to the body needs. Time is short. Don’t waste it on things that really don’t matter. Be ready for His return!

I will finish with some words of wisdom from Apostle Paul;

Ephesians 5:1-21 NKJV 5 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them.8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. 14 Therefore He says:  “Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.

 

Did I choose by chance?

Feb5

It is an exciting thing to know that if you are a follower of Jesus Christ, God Himself drew you to Him. Do you realize that?  It wasn’t just that one day you made the decision to follow Christ. Before that day ever happened God Himself drew you to the place where you would make Christ your Lord and Savior.

I think many of us forget what an interested and loving God we serve. He creates the desire in us in the first place! He calls us by name and draws us to His Son! It is impossible to come to Christ without the Father Himself first drawing us to Him!

In the book of John Jesus tells us just that. John 6:44-45 “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God’. Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.” What a beautiful thing to know that God was interested enough in you and I that He drew us to His beautiful Son for salvation and abundant life!

If you are struggling with feelings of inadequacy or thinking that you will never amount to much remember this,  GOD loved you enough to draw you to His Son!  That makes you incredibly special and important! He offers you abundant life! He offers you a life of purpose!  He doesn’t draw anyone to Christ to stay in the same place!

Let the awesomeness of that sink into your soul today as you go about your day. You are loved so much by your Heavenly Father that He has drawn you to His Son! When we begin to grasp the truth of the depth of God’s love for us we will live as God has called us to live, like lights in a dark world!

Matthew 5:13-16 NKJV

 13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Let the truth lighten you today!