Assurance Of Believing In The Power Of God

During this time of year people take on the spirit of giving.  Many say because it is because it is the season Jesus was born.  Others say this time of year is miraculous. Why is this time of year so special that it brings out the spirit of giving in people?  At this time of year murders are yet committed.  The politicians can't agree on anything.  People remain hungry and jobless.  There are people who are without love. What if everyone stopped for just one minute and hugged someone and tell them that they are love.  Tell someone how God loved the world so much that he gave his only begotten son. How much more does God have to give before people realize he wants to give to us, and want us to have life and have it abundantly, yet what God gives to us is misused daily on our lusts feeding the flesh and starving the spirit. Have a peaceful and wonderful holding and may God continue to enrich all of your lives.

In Acts 27 scripture shares with us the voyage of Paul to Italy.  The voyage had become dangerous.  Paul says in verse 10 these words; And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship but also of our lives. God sees danger that escapes our narrow vision, however, Paul's revelation was ignored.  Shortly there came a storm followed by a shipwreck. We ignore God's warnings.  He tell us to go left and we go right and end up shipwrecked.  Why get mad at God? you made the choice.  But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.  And now I exhort you to be of good cheer; for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship. (Acts 27: 21,22) The consequences was the lost of the ship.  We suffer consequences of some type, y...

Scripture tells us the joy of the Lord is our strength.  Scripture also says delight ourselves in the Lord and he will give us the desires of our hearts. Do we really know what joy is?  do we really know where true joy come from? do we know who gives us true joy?. Lets face it, some will say yes to all the above and some will say they don't know, and the honest will say the truth. Ask yourselves the above questions and when you do think about them before you answer.  When you do answer make sure you know who is the head of your life that will be a clue as to your joy.

On this Christian journey discovery of God's power, his goodness, is learned in ways we can not understand how God does what he does when he does it. Scripture states God's thoughts are not like our thoughts nor is his ways like our ways, therefore we should not strain ourselves to know what God thinks or act a certain because we think it is what God wants.  We will never achieve anything with that attitude because we will be too busy trying to think and act like which would prove to be contrary to God. God's way is absolute.  During our journey we are too remain faithful, trusting God and he will take care of us. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. (Psalm 91:1) I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God in him will I trust. (Psalm 91:2) Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler and from the noisome pestilence. (Psalm 91: 3) He shall cover thee with his feathers ...

Let the saints of God be in prayer for each other in season and out of season.  The seasons are praying without ceasing.  How can anyone pray without ceasing?  When seeking help and direction from God one will commune with God continually.  Praying for one another is required by God as a means of communicating or making our supplications, petitions known to God. The ones we love dearly we communicate with constantly.  If we love God the way we say we do then we should talk to Him in and out of season (prayer), furthermore, that same love should be displayed when we commune with each other.  Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils. (1 Cor 10:21)

In Joshua 9 it tells the story of how Joshua and his people were tricked into forming a league with a people slated to be destroyed by God. It came to pass, when all the kings which were on this Jordan, in the hill, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard thereof: (Joshua 9:1) In Genesis God used the flood to destroy all the evilness that plagued the land. Noah and his family of eight were the only ones God found worthy to escape the pending doom. Those evil spirits returned therefore since God made a covenant not destroyed the earth in that manner again He used Joshua and the sword to rid the promised land of its evil wicked people and take possession of the land that flows with milk and honey. As you can see from verse one these kings are forming a confederacy to fight Joshua and his people.  Really it is God they are fighting. To...

In recent times television is bombarded with various " Reality Shows."  These shows give its viewers a behind the look into the lives of people and their fleshly desires. These shows outline social and personal needs of women and men.  Although those shows displaying people acting out their lives before an audience is creating a distraction from the reality of real life as one may know it. Where is God in these people's lives? No, not any god, but the Living God.  I watched an episode of one of these shows and I questioned whether the people are actors or real people with real issues.  What I saw was females looking for men with money and men looking for a booty call. Morales's individuals displaying flesh and people will watch these shows religiously.  Where are the reality shows of a Christian family day to day life? Where are the shows of a mother's changed life after loosing a child? Where are the shows of family facing the day to day managin...

And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him; and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul. (Dt 10:12) Christians should not have an issue with serving God.  Walking in all His ways and loving God with all our heart and soul is sometimes mixed with worldly practices.  In the clubs, dance halls, and bars then the familiar "God knows my heart," is echoed when God convicts us.  To keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good? (Dt 10:13) God loves us and like a loving parent he wants the best for his children.  God tells us it is for our good to keep his commandments.  Scripture tells us his commandments are not grievous yet many choose to do what they want.  When the storm arises we run to God for protection.  When the storm clears we fall back into disobedience. Behold, the heaven and the ...

I beseech you therefore, brethren by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2) Not a dead sacrifice but a living one.  The transformation requires a renewing of the mind.  That transformation begins with the power of God not by our hands. Why? because it pleases God.  What man or woman has the power to guarantee anyone heaven or hell?  First neither of these places were created by humans, yet they are reserved for humans. The renewing process is daily.

How can face tomorrow when today is not over.  Full of uncertainties I look to the hills for help, my help comes from the Lord.  Help me be what you want me to be Lord..Amen

This is a day the Lord has made.  I will rejoice and be glad in it.  What a wonderful statement of assurance to wake up each day. Sure the world is full of bad stuff, and we sometime have to go through things that are not comfortable for us but we get through them with the help of God.  The only guarantee in life is that while we are blessed with it we should make the best of all situations. No one person can change a hair on their head or add a day to their life, therefore as it is written why worry.  God fights our battles.  When we focus on Christ and not our circumstances we learn no weapon formed against  us shall prosper. God knows what we are going through, and he said he will never leave us or forsake us.  We believe this? if so then there is nothing to worry about.  God has it all worked out for those who believe and have a working faith in His power and might. Praise Him that woke you up this morning and started you on your way....

The media is filled with despair, evil corruptness plaguing the world today.  Human interest stories appear to be a thing of the past.  From the highest level of government creating fear to the actual murderous spirits that plaque our neighborhoods people are finding living in perplexed times discouraging. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need . (Hebrew 4:16) This does not mean come with a prideful attitude.  Humble yourself, repent, and make your request known to the Lord. 

Each time the news is viewed it is full of bad things happening to people from all walks of life.  From the White House to the most remote areas in the United States.  People are saying, "I can't believe that happened here."  People aren't feeling safe in their protected havens. In the beginning the world became infested with so much evil God brought a mighty flood to destroy the evil.  The evil came back.  No one person wants to hear about all the evilness because it frightens them. Bible prophesy speaks about these latter days, however, some people seem to be surprise these things are happening.  Many of them listen to the scientist hoping to hear a word of encouragement, others shut themselves up in a self protective barrier refusing to live in the now.  They don't move forward because they are comfortable living in a time they will never live again.  In many circles that is called denial. Others are saying it is all the politicians fault...

Elijah Warns Ahab Of A Drought And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. (1 Kings 17:1) God raised Elijah up at a critical time, when the worship of Baal threatened the very existence of the worship of Jehovah in Israel. Elijah (my god is Jehovah), standing before King Ahab (uncle) makes a bold statement.  There is much in a name.  Baal-worship was connected with licentious rites.  The god of fertility.  Elijah's God is the living God before he stands tells the King, you think your god is god.  Let us all see whose god is really God.  Ahab could have ordered Elijah imprisoned or killed for speaking to him in such a manner.  Elijah has the assurance of Gods power. It did not rain for three years. And Elijah went to show himself unto Ahab.  And there was a sore famine in S...

For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a house-holder, which went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. (Matthew 20:1) Kingdom = God's Householder = Master Who is the master of the house? Jesus To hire = Calling of the disciples.  We are commissioned called laborers to work; see Matthew 28:16-28 Into his vineyard = The world where the gospel is to be taken i.e. the Jews, the unenlightened ones of Matthew 11:25 And when he had agreed with the laborers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. (Matthew 20:2) The laborers = The twelve apostles the first called sent into his vineyard (The Jews First). And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace. (Matthew 20:3) The third hour (9 a.m.), the hour name in Pentecost Acts 2:15. Others = Not thee the first hour.  Other laborers were engaged in Acts 4:36, Acts 6:1,5, Acts 8:4,12, Acts 9:10,25,27,30. And said unto them; Go ye also into the viney...

And when the people complained, it displease the Lord: and the Lord hear it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the Lord burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp. (Numbers 11:1) The source of discontent and complaint is described as the "mixed multitude," which is rendered in other versions as "rabble" and "foreigners." These people had come out of Egypt with Israel (Ex 12:38).  Since they were not Hebrews, they had no personal attachment either to the promise or to God.  They were tired of the manna and, forgetting all of the reasons for fleeing from Egypt, they remembered only the fish, onions, and garlic which were formerly available to them.  They were held in low esteem by the Israelites although Israel allowed themselves to be influenced by their grumbling. (Taken from note in Key Bible, pg 201) As Christians we should not be influenced in anyway by anyone at anytime especially when it brings the w...

When God calls will you be ready to answer? when He says go will you say where? when He calls your name will u say huh? when He answers your prayers will you say thank you? on this day let us pray for one another and pray for all those who are going through something worse than ourselves.  Consider the ones who complain about not having shoes, when there are those with no feet. Consider those who are hungry for the word of God, will you say God will be your bread in a starving land? are will you walk away and say I got mine you get yours?  Let us remember none of us have a heaven are hell to put anyone in. And when we look around we are closer to hell than heaven.  Pray for our young people, pray for our old, pray & work out your own salvation. May the power of Jesus, through the Holy Spirit rest rule abide in our lives today and evermore, now unto Him who is able to keep you from falling....Amen

And why call ye me, Lord, Lord and do not the things which I say? (Luke 6:46) Many call on the name of the Lord.  The commands are disobeyed, for the lack of patient, or rebellion. Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like: (Luke 6:47) He is like a man which built a house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon the house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. (Luke 6:48) House - The house is man Digged deep - Is a man studying to show himself approved, a workman who needeth not be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth. Laid the foundation - Building faith Rock - Is God in the name of Jesus. Flood - This comes in people, places, and things that will burst upon you to test the strength of your faith. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built a house upon the earth; against ...

At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee; O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou has hid these things from the wise and prudent, hast revealed them unto babes . ( Matthew 11:25) At that time- Of His rejection. I thank thee- I openly confess. The wise- Wise ones; The wise are enemy to God. The prudent- In their own eyes. Hast revealed- Spoken of things revealed from God i.e. taught, communicated, made known by His spirit and influences. Unto babes- One unlearned, unenlightened, simple, innocent. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. (Matthew 11:26) Seemed good- Well pleasing. All things are delivered unto me of my Father; and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal to him. (Matthew 11:27) Are delivered- Were delivered. No man- No one. Knoweth fully know- No created being has ever seen God in His essence as spirit. Will- Intendeth to reveal. Reveal- Unvei...

Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. ( 1 Timothy 4: 12) For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. ( 2 Timothy 1: 7) Many walk the Lord's earth; yes the Lord's earth.  The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof;  the world and they that dwell therein. (Psalm 24: 1) They walk the Lord's earth impersonating Christianity.  They are known by their speech (I'm blessed, but never blessing).  Those who are seeking the Lord are afraid to approach them because there is no charity (love) or purity in them, therefore the lost remain lost. We who fight the good fight remain faithful, humble, full of charity.  Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? (Psalm 24: 3) He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity nor sworn decei...

Elisha Makes an Axe Head Float And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us. (2 Kings 6: 1) Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell.  And he answered, Go ye. (2 Kings 6: 2) And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants, And he answered, I will go. (2 Kings 6:3) So he went with them.  And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood. (2 Kings 6: 4) But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed. ( 2 Kings 6: 5) And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he showed him the place.  And he cute down a stick, and cast in thither; and the iron did swim. (2 Kings 6: 6) Therefore said he; Take it up to thee.  And he put out his hand, and took it. (2 Kings 6: 7) This is a school of prophets.  The place had become to s...

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. (Isaiah 55: 8) Yet we make claims of knowing what the Lord is thinking at any given moment.  We respond to those thoughts.  When the expected results does not meet our expectations we claim that is not what the Lord wanted.  Sometimes we act out our dismay with powerless cliches, such as, maybe it is something I didn't do, or, maybe the Lord has another purpose therefore let me try something different to get the expected results. Clearly stated,  to obey is better than sacrifice. (1 Samuel 15: 22) We sacrifice much when there is no need.  The greater need is to obey, Jesus was the sacrifice. Often we ask God to take care of our wants.  Scripture states God knows what our needs are before we ask, therefore, our wants is what gets us into trouble.  When we want, we take our eyes off God, and place them on our wants. Wanting got the Israelites in trouble....

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us: ( 1 John 5: 14) And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desire of him. (1 John 5: 15) In the 21st century many are face with life's uncertainties.  Jesus said, he has overcome the world, therefore, those who follow Christ have overcome the world. God continues to test us to strengthen our faith.  Although we wavier at times, we should never give in to the wiles of the devil for his job is to destroy, kill, and steal our joy. Sure, some us face daily struggles.  Many are losing homes, jobs, lives, and their peace of mind.  Their is an appearance of no hope, and we forget whose we are.  I was reminded by a friend that God did not bring me this far to leave me.  No matter what it may look like in our eyes God always have something greater for us when we conti...

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed. (2 Cor 4: 8,9) Everyday is a battle, however the battle is not ours.  It is God who fights our battles.  Consider David when he met Goliath on the battlefield.  He bolted towards Goliath, his battle cry, "It is God who fights my battle," armed in God's armor he was victorious. It is the believer's victory:  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world:  and this is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith. (1 John 5:4) We face life's challenges everyday.  It is not a New Year's resolution we break five minutes after we make it.  It is not a promise we make to ourselves one night and by morning we don't remember.  It is a life style.  Knowing everyday that God bless us with another day of thanks, is another day in this spiritual war. Keep in mind we don't w...

Before one can go to war every solider is armed fully clothed in the necessary attire to do battle.  Christians are not exempt from this rule. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. (Ephesians 6:10) Put on the whole armor of God , that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. (Ephesians 6:11) Let it be known, it is God's armor, God's army, and Jesus is in charge. If that is understood; the battle is with the devil not each other. Along the path of Straight Street is the Strait Gate. To enter, one must strive. That is thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (Romans 10:9) For when we accept this method of justification we are immediately armed with: 3 for endurement, girdle, breastplate & shoes. 2 for defense, shield & helmet. 2 for offense, sword & spear. That equals 7 ...

I am the Lord thy God Thou shalt have no other gods before me Thou shall not make unto thee any graven image Thou shalt not take the name of the lord thy God in vain Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy Honor thy father and thy mother Thou shalt not kill Thou shall not commit adultery Thou shalt not steal Thou shalt not bear false witness Thou shalt not covet What efforts are made to secure eternal life? Do we say we are achieving? only to discover we fall short of keeping God's commandments.  We often discover along the way we keep man's traditions rather than God's commandments. The first five commandments deals with man's relationship with God.  The second five deals with man's relationship with one another. As God lives so does his commandments.

The 21st Century offers many conveniences.  Technology is advancing society at a rapid pace. With the push of a button, the flip of a switch, the sliding of a finger from sex to a meal is readily available. Fellowship one with another is in personable, therefore fellowship with God is now, in personable. Often God is asked to supply our wants.  When he supplies our needs we want to give the blessing back because it is not the right size, shape or color. Consider the Israelites; God brought them out of Egypt, parted a sea where they crossed on dry land. He caused them to wondered for forty years in the desert because of their disobedience.  During that time their clothes did not wear, neither did their shoes have holes in them.  God fed them bread from heaven.  All that God did for them, they later demanded a king to be over them because they took their eyes off of God and placed them on other nations. This grieved God, however, he gave them what the...

To put it plainly, there was no apple.  In the beginning God created heaven and earth by speaking them into existence.  It is written; The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof; the world and they that dwell in it. (Psalm 24:1) If it were an apple God's command would be don't eat from the apple tree! Consider this.  We cannot conceive Eve as holding a conversation with a snake, but we can understand her being fascinated by one, apparently "an angel of light."  Serpent in the Hebrew language is Nachash (the shinny one), therefore, a glorious angel possessing superior and supernatural knowledge. If a serpent was afterward called a nachash, it was because it was more shining than any other creature; and if it became wise, it was not because of its own innate positive knowledge, but of its wisdom in hiding away from all observation; and because of its association with one of the names of Satan (that old serpent) who beguiled Eve. (2 Cor. 11:3, 14) It is ...

My story is no different than many others who, at one time or another in their lives found themselves in bondage.  Filled with dreams of becoming more than I could ever be.  Life lessons brought me to the threshold of learning what life is. Life, well, it is temporary. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light and in him is no darkness at. (1 Jn 1:5) This passage describes God's nature and the relation that man has to the Living God.  I had no relationship with God.  I possessed an obligation to continue in sin.  To put it plainly, I served the pleasures of the flesh rather than submitting to the will of God.  That is not a task done in the flesh. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth. (1 Jn 1:6) In this passage, there are three false appeals that man makes against God.  First man claims that he has fellowship with God, but in ...

The Strait Gate The Strait Gate is a narrow entrance.   Consider the words of Jesus in Luke 13: 22-24. Verse 22:   And he went through the cities and village, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. Verse 23:   Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved?   And he said unto them, Verse 24:   Strive to enter in at the strait gate:   for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. The path to the kingdom is a narrow one.   Following any other path than Jesus, one will not be able to enter. The gospel is the good news.   What is the good news? The kingdom ! Is the good news Where is the king’s domain? Follow the path. Jesus said in Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and these things shall be added unto you. When we lean on our own understanding, Jesus is not first.   It is nothing wrong with having; however, those things gained will not ...

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not persih, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) To believe, one must get to know Christ.  Getting to know Christ is to study the living word (bible) and believe in your heart without doubt, and one's life must reflect that belief.  In the beginning God  created heaven and earth.  The world had it's birth when man ceased to follow God.  It's only what you do for Christ that will last, that is our love for Christ.

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (Genesis 2:7) And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. (Genesis 2:8) And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. (Genesis 2:9) Although there may have been other purposes for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil which are not mentioned in Scripture, it functioned as a test of obedience.  Adam and Eve had to choose whether to obey God or break His commandment.  There is conjecture as to what would have become of the tree and what other purpose it may have have served, but these views should be recognized as conjecture.  When they actually ate the forbidden fruit, the consequences of their actions became self-evident....

Most people know of Adam & Eve.  Eve famous for eating the apple in the Garden of Eden, however, I pose a question; where does it say in Genesis Eve took a bite out of an apple?