Spiritual Mirror

James 1:22-25 (New Living Translation)

But don’t just listen to God’s word.

You must do what it says.
Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.

For if you listen to the word and don’t obey,
it is like glancing at your face in a mirror.
You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.

But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free,
and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard,
then God will bless you for doing it.

In the natural, the spirit realm can’t be seen or felt, the only way to accurately perceive spiritual truth is through the Bible. Simply take God’s Word and believe it!

Jesus said in John 6:63,

“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”

God’s Word reveals spiritual reality. If you want to know what your spirit is like, you must find out from the Word, not relying on emotions or other perceptions. God’s Word is spirit and life! It’s the reflection of who you really are.

When you look at your face in a mirror, you aren’t really seeing yourself, you’re viewing a reflection. Even though it’s only a reflection, you have learned to trust it and act on what you see. God’s Word is just like that mirror; it reflects perfectly who you are in the spirit.

You must look into God’s mirror and trust the spiritual reality you see! It reflects your new born-again spirit, your innermost part.


The context of this message was taken from a teaching by: Andrew Wommack
To read the entire article, Click Here

This article is part of a series entitled "Spirit, Soul, and Body". It is an excellent series and I highly recommend it. Following are links to the audio lessons of that series.

http://downloads.awmi.net/teaching/awm_1027a_basics.mp3

http://downloads.awmi.net/teaching/awm_1027b_redemption.mp3

http://downloads.awmi.net/teaching/awm_1027c_faith.mp3

http://downloads.awmi.net/teaching/awm_1027d_spirit.mp3

Type rest of the post here

A God of Second Chances

I am so grateful that we serve a God of second chances. The Word is full of examples of how God gave people another chance. It is full of examples of how God used, in a powerful way, people who were once far from him.

I too was once far from the Lord. My life was filled with deception, lies, addictions, self-centeredness, selfishness, depression, low self-esteem, anger, bitterness, drunkenness; the list goes on and on and on. But praise God; on December 24, 2004 I was born again!

Over the summer I spent a great deal of time studying the book of Romans. Romans is a very powerful book full of truths about the nature of God and the freedom that comes from being redeemed from the curse of the law. It is a book which reveals God’s amazing love, grace, and mercy.

In context with the topic of second chances, I wanted to share something that God personally spoke to me while I was meditating on a portion of Chapter 9. Let’s take a look at a few of these verses:


Romans 9:6-13 (New Living Translation)

Well then, has God failed to fulfill his promise to Israel? No, for not all who are born into the nation of Israel are truly members of God’s people! 7 Being descendants of Abraham doesn’t make them truly Abraham’s children. For the Scriptures say, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted,” though Abraham had other children, too. 8 This means that Abraham’s physical descendants are not necessarily children of God. Only the children of the promise are considered to be Abraham’s children. 9 For God had promised, “I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”
10 This son was our ancestor Isaac. When he married Rebekah, she gave birth to twins. 11 But before they were born, before they had done anything good or bad, she received a message from God. (This message shows that God chooses people according to his own purposes; 12 he calls people, but not according to their good or bad works.) She was told, “Your older son will serve your younger son.” 13 In the words of the Scriptures, “I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau.”

Look closely at the line found in verse 12. ““Your older son will serve your younger son.”. When I read that verse God immediately spoke to me and said this:

“Michael, so it is with you. You have been born again. You are now the younger son. That means that the older son, the old you, has to serve the younger son, the new you!”

Wow! As simple as that may sound, it was and is a very powerful revelation. It means that no longer do I have to obey my old habits. No longer do I have to fall prey to old patterns of behavior. No longer do I have to be dragged around by my emotions. The new me, the born-again me, is in control.

So now I can boss the old me around. I can say, “Body” you will get healthy. The Word of God says that you are a temple of the Holy Spirit and I command you to get in line with the Word. It has to obey!

I can say, “Depression, The Word of God says that I am to rejoice always and be full of joy”. I command you to praise God and be thankful” It has to obey!

I can say, “Limited thinking, The Word of God says that ALL things are possible with God”. I command you to stop putting limits on what can be accomplished in me through Christ. It has to obey!

My friends, if you are born-again the same Spirit that raised Christ Jesus from the dead dwells within you. As we know from 2 Corinthians 5:17, you are a new creature. All things have become new and everything that is old in your life has passed away. You have been given the authority to take control of yourself.


Romans 6:16 says this:
Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.

Make your old self obey the new, born-again you, which is indwelt with the very Sprit of God. Speak to those mountains. Cast those doubts into the sea. Resist the enemy and he will flee!

I pray that this simple little message will help you overcome some of the obstacles in your life that are hindering you from experiencing the fullness of the abundant life that Jesus came to bring us.

Take Control!

(See also Genesis 18:10, 14; and Genesis 25:23)

How far is the East from the West?

Psalm 103 (New Living Translation)
A psalm of David.

Let all that I am praise the LORD; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.

Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things he does for me.
He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.
He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!

The LORD gives righteousness and justice to all who are treated unfairly.
He revealed his character to Moses and his deeds to the people of Israel.
The LORD is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.

He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever.
He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.

For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.

He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.

Sidebar:
How far is the east from the west?

Picture the globe. If you were located at any point on the globe and then began to travel in a northerly direction, eventually you would round the north pole and then be traveling south. Likewise, if you were located at any point on the globe and then began to travel in a southerly direction, eventually you would round the south pole and then be traveling north.

However, if you were located at any point on the globe and then began to travel in a westerly direction, you could continue in that westerly direction for infinity. At no point in that journey would you be traveling east. Likewise, if you were located at any point on the globe and then began to travel in a easterly direction, you could continue in that easterly direction for infinity. At no point in that journey would you be traveling west.

East does not meet West and West does not meet East!

And so it is with our sin. No matter where you are on the globe, once you accept Jesus Christ as being the Son of God and confess him to be the Lord, you can leave your sin right there, head in the opposite direction, and never have to cross that path of sin again!

Now back to the passage:

The LORD is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him.

For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust.
Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die.

The wind blows, and we are gone—as though we had never been here.

But the love of the LORD remains forever with those who fear him.
His salvation extends to the children’s children of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments!

The LORD has made the heavens his throne; from there he rules over everything.
Praise the LORD, you angels, you mighty ones who carry out his plans, listening for each of his commands. Yes, praise the LORD, you armies of angels who serve him and do his will!

Praise the LORD, everything he has created, everything in all his kingdom.
Let all that I am praise the LORD.

Christ Is Supreme

Colossians 1:15-23 (New Living Translation)


Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything. For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross. This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul, have been appointed as God’s servant to proclaim it.


Paul was one sold out dude. I just love his passion for spreading the news. The Good News. The Almost-Too-Good-To-Be-True-News. Here Paul is further educating us as to just who Jesus is. He tells us here that Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before all of creation. It was through Christ and for Christ that all things were created. He holds all things together.

Notice that Paul is not speaking in the past tense here. Jesus is still and will always be supreme over all creation. He is the beginning and the end. How does Jesus operate today? Through the Word! You see, the bible clearly tells us that Jesus IS the Word. I wrote a blog a few days ago on this very topic. Included in it was this passage found in John Chapter 1. Verses 1 through 5 tell us this:

“In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.”

Then in verse 14 we learn this:
“So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son”

This is taught to us again in 1 John Chapter 1. I love this passage from Verses 1 through 4:

“We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us. We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy.”

So then we know that it is only through Christ (The Word) that we can be reconciled to God. That means that no matter how far you may have strayed along the wrong path, no matter what crime you may have committed, no matter how bad you think your life is, through faith in Christ you can be made whole again in the eyes of God himself. Notice in the passage where it says this:

“This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.”

Because of what Christ did for us, and because we believe in him, God not only brings us into his presence, but he sees us as “Holy” and “Blameless”, without a single fault! Isn’t that awesome? Without a single fault!

Colossians 2, verses 13 & 14 say it like this:

“You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.”


He canceled the record of the charges against us! Do you have some things on your record my friend that you are ashamed of? I know I did. I had a 40-year trail of bad records. My testimony is proof of that. But thank God for His Word. Thank God that he sent his word to us in human form so that we could believe. I encourage each of you to spend more time with Jesus. Spend more time in the Word. It is life, health, and healing to all. It will accomplish what he sent it to do!

I am out of time again but want to thank you for stopping by. Please feel free to leave your comments.

Michael

Do Not Love This World

1 John 2:15-17 (New Living Translation)

"Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. "


This is a pretty simple lesson here. John tells us that one of the ways we can tell that we have the love of the Father in us, is by the lack of desire or love for the things that the world has to offer. Paradoxically, if you love the things that this world has to offer then you do not have the love of the Father in you.

This isn’t saying that God doesn’t love you. According to Romans chapter 8, beginning in verse 35, nothing can separate us from the love of God. But what this verse is saying that if you are going after fancy cars, huge houses, constantly seeking physical pleasure, coveting the things that others have, trying to store up treasures here on this earth then you have not received the full portion of God’s love that he wants to give you. It’s just not in you. For when you are filled with the kind of love that comes only from God, giving that love to others is all that is important to you. The “things” of this world will no longer matter.

Friends, I can honestly say that I speak here from experience. I started making pretty good money back when I was 17. Then by the time I was 26 I owned my own business. I spent many years chasing after the things of the world and putting almost all of my attention on money. What I now know that I was lacking was love from the Father, therefore, love towards anyone else. This was a formula for disaster and this formula most definitely proved to be true. Here is a link to my testimony for any of you who care to see just how true that formula ended up being.

But now, Praise God, after seeking God diligently for a few years and renewing my mind to who I am in Christ, I can say that today I am filled with the love of the Father. I could care less about anything that this world has to offer. It’s all fading away, and in the long run, in the grand scheme of things, means absolutely nothing.

See, I have been at both ends of the spectrum. I have had much and I have had little. I have been miserable in both situations. But now that I let the love of God flow through me, I find that I can be quite content in either scenario. Paul said this same thing in Philippians chapter 4, verses 10-12. Check this out:

“How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little”. (NLT)


There are several other scriptures that come to mind and I feel like I could talk about this for hours. But here is my point: Are you tired of chasing after goals that seem impossible to reach? Have you reached certain steps on that company ladder only to find out that they are not nearly as fulfilling as you had hoped they would be? Are you happy running in the rat race that the world pressures you into? Did you know that whoever wins the rat race is just the greatest rat! Is that the title you are shooting for? My advice, spend some time with the Father. Begin to let his love flow into your heart. Renew your mind to his word and I believe you will find a brand new life for yourself. One that is filled with love, peace, joy, contentment, abundance, self-control, happiness and hope!

I am out of time but thanks for stopping by. Feel free to leave your comments!

Michael

The Wisdom of God

1 Corinthians 1:18-31 (New Living Translation)

The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.

As the Scriptures say, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.”


So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom. So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense. But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.

This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength. Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.

God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made Him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; He made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. Therefore, as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the LORD.”


What is the Power of God? Well, according to this passage it is” the message of the cross”. Paul states this emphatically in the Book of Romans. Check out these scriptures found in chapter 1, verse 16.

"For I am not ashamed of this “Good News about Christ”. It is the “power of God” at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. "

The good news about Christ is that he died for us but was raised from the dead. He now pleads with God on our behalf. It Seems foolish to most people. But to those of us who believe it is the “very power of God” at work within us. Jesus became wisdom for us. He is our wisdom. It is in Him and Him alone that we are made right with God.

I used to be the kind of person that always had to figure everything out. I could not believe in something unless I could see it, touch it, feel it and understand all the intricacies of how it worked. I used to be the guy saying “God, if you are real then send me a sign. Strike me with lightning. Let me hear audible answer to my prayers, anything! Well, according to this word, this train of thought is foolishness. How can we expect that an almighty, all-knowing, ever present God, the creator of everything we can and cannot see operate on the same level as us? That’s foolishness. Check out what he says in Isaiah 55, verses 8 & 9.

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”


Once I just let go of trying to operate in my own wisdom and opened my heart to the truth about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, my need to understand everything turned to an attitude of trust, belief and faith. Once you do this, God begins to reveal things to you that you could have never concluded in your own thinking. The Spirit Himself will reveal to you things that are unknown and the great mysteries of life.

Friends, today I encourage you to put your trust in the Good News. The Gospel of Christ. It is Power! It is Wisdom! It is Life! Choose it Today!


Thank you for visiting and feel free to leave a comment!

What are you saying?

Did you know that words are the most powerful thing in the universe? Everything we see and the things we cannot see were created because God spoke them into existence. Words are seeds that produce after their own kind. Every word that comes out of your mouth is a seed. It will produce life or death. You are sowing seed every time you speak and as we know from the truth of God's word, we reap what we sow!

As I mentioned in my previous posts I have been through a period of isolation during the last couple of weeks. I have been feeling lonely and depleted. I even blamed this attack on the devil. But as I was in prayer last night God reminded me that I have the power to create and the loneliness that I was experiencing was really just the result of me saying the wrong things about myself.

God's Word is full of scripture that teaches us about the power of the tongue. Proverbs says the tongue has the power to bring life or death. In Mark we are told that we can have whatsoever we say, as long as it lines up with the will of God*. In James we are told that, the like a rudder turns a huge ship, so it is with the tongue.

I am so short on time today that I don't have time to write all that I want to on this subject. I hope to be able to write a more complete blog entry this weekend. School just started back however and I have a considerable amount of reading to do. In the meantime, I encourage you to keep a close watch on your lips. Begin to speak the things that the Word says about you. There is so much power in the Word and it becomes creative power when you begin to speak it.

Remember that if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior; You are more than a conqueror! You are a royal priesthood! You are welcomed in the beloved! You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you! You are the apple of God's eye! You are without spot or blemish! Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world! You are a member of God's family! You are a friend of God!

Today I say Thank you Jesus!
In you I find my true identity!

Thank you for taking the time to read and comment on my blog!

*Please see commentrary

Satan is a Liar!

Thanks to all who have visited and left comments. I really appreciate you!

It's been quite a battle for me over the last couple of weeks. As I mentioned in my previous post Satan has been trying to keep me in isolation. He knows that I am a threat to his kingdom. He's trying to use his trickery to keep me from persevering unto God! What a liar he is!




James 4:7 tells us this:

So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you!

Did you know that resist means more than just ignoring Satan's temptations. Resist is an action word. It means that we have to literally fight against him. It means that we have to use all of our God-given weaponry and take affirmative action against him.

I almost fell pray to his latest attack. I have been spending much time alone, avoiding church activities, not studying the Word, not spending time in worship, dodging phone calls, etc. That's exactly where the devil wants me to be. He desires for us to feel alone. He desires for us to feel defeated. His sole purpose is to steal, kill and destroy.

But thank God that we have Jesus who never leaves us or forsakes us. Jesus came to give us an abundant life! And today I do resist the enemy! I do submit myself unto God! I do cast all my cares unto the Lord! I do receive the abundant life that he came to give me! It flows through every organ and every tissue of my being! I am like a tree that's planted by the rivers of water. I bring forth fruit in my season and my leaf shall not wither! Praise God!

I give God praise right now by saying publicly that I take Victory over the enemy in this battle! He is under my feet! I have taken the shield of faith and resisted all of his fiery darts!

Are you going through a similar battle today my friend? I encourage you to dig into the word of God with all you have. Even if it seems like you have to force yourself to do it. That force you feel coming against you is the enemy. But he cannot stand up against the Word. He never could and he never will! He is a defeated foe!

1 John 5:3-5

Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

Your Spouse is Not the Enemy

A message from my pastor. Dennis Rouse is the pastor over Victory World Church in Norcross, Georgia

A man and his wife are arguing. She is upset because he comes home from work every evening and plops down on the sofa with the remote control. He seems completely oblivious to her plight as she struggles to keep their two children from killing each other while simultaneously trying to keep dinner from burning on the stove. She shoots him dirty looks, but he is so focused on the football game that he doesn't even notice, and she says nothing.........

Later on, when they are all sitting at the dinner table eating, he chuckles and says, "Chicken again, honey?" Suddenly, she explodes at him. "You're always criticizing me! You don't like it? Maybe you should cook dinner for the rest of the week!" The husband is genuinely taken aback. "I didn't mean anything by it, honey. What's wrong?" She rolls her eyes and mutters, "Nothing." Annoyed, the husband does not press the issue, and for the rest of the meal, both husband and wife are brooding, speaking only to the children and not to one another. They continue to ignore each other for the rest of the evening. The wife gets more and more irritated as she corrals the kids and fights to get them bathed and ready for bed while her husband works on the computer to complete an unfinished task for his job. At bedtime, husband and wife exchange a terse "Good night" and collapse on opposite sides of the bed, still irritated with one another.

If you have been married for any significant period of time, you can relate to this couple. So what went wrong?

Both husband and wife allowed the devil to influence them in this situation, turning them against each other and causing unnecessary exasperation. Satan used a spirit of offense to drive a wedge between them, and a fight that could have easily been averted ended up ruining the entire evening. The first problem was that the wife did not ask her husband for help with the children while she made dinner. Instead, she stewed silently, getting angrier and angrier while he relaxed on the sofa after a long, hard day at work. Had she let him know that she needed his help, he may well have gotten up to help her. This was the first open door that Satan took advantage of. Obviously, we see her frustration finally come out at the dinner table when her husband makes what she perceives to be an antagonistic remark. This is the result of allowing offense to build up inside of you without making any effort to resolve the situation.

Now before you husbands get too smug, let's look at where the husband went wrong! Although he may have had a hard day at work, it is obvious that he did not make the effort to communicate with his wife when he got home. He could have told her just how long a day he'd had, and she may have been more understanding of his need to relax. At the same time, as the father and head of the household, he should have made the effort to help his wife with the children without her necessarily having to ask for help. Whether he simply kept them out of the kitchen while she was cooking, helped them with their school work, or went outside to play with them, he should have taken a proactive role in helping his wife and further developing his relationship with his children.

As we ultimately see, the situation escalates outrageously, with more and more offense being sown by the enemy as the evening goes on. Eventually, husband and wife go to sleep, still angry with one another.

How can we avoid situations like this? The key is to communicate. I cannot stress enough the importance of communicating with your spouse. By communicating honestly and being transparent with one another, you will be much more successful at avoiding Satan's trap of offense in your marriage. When you are irritated or angry with your spouse, tell them! Don't let it build up inside of you to the point where you explode.

This week as you seek to build and improve upon your marriage, make it a point to communicate your feelings to one another, keeping in mind that your spouse is not the enemy, and that Satan is the one attempting to sow strife and offense into your marriage. As you become more and more accustomed to communicating and being open with one another, you will find yourselves arguing less and less, and you'll also discover an intimacy with your spouse that is beyond anything you have ever experienced together.

A Solid Foundation

Luke 6:46-49

"So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.”

Check out how The Message translates this passage:

"Why are you so polite with me, always saying 'Yes, sir,' and 'That's right, sir,' but never doing a thing I tell you? These words I speak to you are not mere additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundation words, words to build a life on.
"If you work the words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who dug deep and laid the foundation of his house on bedrock. When the river burst its banks and crashed against the house, nothing could shake it; it was built to last. But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don't work them into your life, you are like a dumb carpenter who built a house but skipped the foundation. When the swollen river came crashing in, it collapsed like a house of cards. It was a total loss."

Words to build a life on! I love it. And how true. Take note of the fact that it says "when the floodwaters rise" not "if the floodwaters rise".

Storms are going to come your way. It is inevitable. My testimony is a prime example of what can happen to a life that is built with no foundation. I did everything my way. It' was the "Michael Plan". I built my family. I built my business. I built my house all on my own power. Now building under normal circumstances isn't a problem. It seems as though most of us can easily accomplish that. Look around you. For the most part people are prosperous. It's the land of opportunity, right?

But then along came a storm. Not just one storm, but an entire series of storms. It was hurricane season at it's finest. The morter of my meaningless life couldn't hold up. It began crumbling bit by bit. Soon entire bricks were falling to the ground. Next the walls started separating from the joists and eventually collapsed. A roof cannot support itself, it needs the walls, therefore, it was only a matter of time before my roof fell flat to the ground also. One that happened, my life was exposed to all of the elements. The floodwaters were terrible, and very tough to bear, yes. But now even a good rainfall was enough to make my life miserable.

Why did all this happen? I had no foundation. But thank God, I found Jesus!

Psalm 118:22-23
The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing, and it is wonderful to see.

Now that I not only hear what he says, but actually do it, I obey, my house is on it's way up once again. I have the foundation laid. The plumbing is all brand new. The walls are framed. The joists and rafters are in place. As I renew my mind, new wires are be routed. Soon I can begin putting up sheetrock, picking out colors and shopping for furniture. It will not be long before flowers and shrubs will be growing in the yard and birds of the air will begin nesting. The neighbors will be coming over for barbecues and equity will start to accumulate! Praise God!

Friends, where are you today? Do you get a little concerned about the stability of your own house? When you see those dark clouds off in the distance does it make you just a little uneasy? Have you thought about what is going to happen when the walls come crashing down?

Jesus is the answer. I promise you that with all my heart. Be like the smart carpenter. Dig deep. Lay a foundation. If you do this I assure you, you cannot be moved!

A.B.U.S.E.

Today I Join the folks over at BlogCatalog and post on the topic of abuse. There are so many types of abuse in today's world. Over the past couple of weeks I have been sharing how drug and alcohol abuse nearly ruined me. But I also shared how coming into "Relationship" with Jesus Christ not only freed me from my addictions, but also set me free from the issues that led me to substance abuse in the first place. Abuse is quite often a result of trying to fill a void. Face it, there is a void within each one of us that can only be satisfied by one thing; that one thing is The Love of God. Jesus is the answer for the world's problems today. if you don't believe that, I encourage you to get in the bible for yourself and find out what it has to say.

God's Word is Truth and the Truth Will Set you Free!

So, for the topic of abuse, I am going to let the Word speak for itself:

A. B. U. S. E

A. Apathy – “Lack of interest or concern, especially regarding matters of general importance or appeal; indifference. Comes from the Greek word “apatheia” meaning insensibility to suffering.

Romans 8:17 (NLT)
And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

B. Boastful – “exhibiting self-importance; "big talk"

2 Timothy 3:1-3
You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good.

U.Unfaithful. – “not faithful; false to duty, obligation, or promises; faithless; disloyal.”

2 Timothy 2:12-14
If we endure hardship, we will reign with him.
If we deny him, he will deny us.
If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny who he is.

S.Self-centered – “concerned solely or chiefly with one's own interests, welfare, etc.; engrossed in self; selfish; egotistical.”

1 Corinthians 10:23-24
You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is beneficial. Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others.

E. Egotistical – “characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance; "a conceited fool"; "an attitude of self-conceited arrogance"; "an egotistical disregard of others"; "so swollen by victory that he was unfit for normal duty"; "growing ever more swollen-headed and arbitrary"; "vain about her clothes"

Philippians 2:2-4
Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

End Abuse
JESUS IS THE ANSWER!

Yesterday, Today & Forever

Hebrews 13:8 (NLT)
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.


As I was meditating on this passage the Lord reminded me that Jesus IS the Word. We are told this several places in scripture. One solid example is found in John 1:1-5


"In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. "

Then again in verse 14 we are told:


"So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. "


Then in 1 John, Chapter 1, Verses 1-4 we are taught again:


"We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us. We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy. "


So therefore, if Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever; then The Word is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The Word will never leave you or forsake you. The Word will never change. God tells us this in Psalm 89, Verse 34:


"No, I will not break my covenant; I will not take back a single word I said. "


Not only will the Word NOT change, the Word CANNOT change. God is not a man that he should lie.


Are you dealing with unwanted situations and circumstances in your life? Are there things in your life or in the lives of loved ones that you want to see change? The Word is the answer. Since the Word cannot change, when you put any situation or circumstance up against the Word, the situations and circumstances have to change, the Word will not!


God gave us his Word to USE, not just to READ. Begin applying the principles and promises of God’s Word to your life today, tomorow, and forever.I guarantee you will see results.


God so loved the world that he gave us his everlasting Word.
And whosoever shall believe in it shall have eternal life!

Excellence in Discipleship

Thank you Casey!

I consider it an honor to have been presented with the Mathetes Award by Casey of Casey's Critical Thinking.

The award was started by Dan King of Management by God. He explains on his blog that “Mathetes is the Greek word for disciple, and the role of the disciple (per the Great Commission) is to make more disciples.”

As one of the latest recipients of this award, I will be choosing 5 other Christian Blogs, or disciples if you you will, to pass this award along to. During the course of the next couple of days I will be visiting many sites in an effort to choose 5 favorites. Please check back periodically to view my choices.

As a new blogger, I want to personally thank each and every one of my readers. It's a privledge to be listed alongside such mighty men and women of God as yourselves.

Ephesians 3:16b
"May your roots grow down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love!"

My Choices for fellow recipients

As some of you know, this blog has only been up for a little over a week. I have met some great people thus far and I am very impressed with some of the blogs I have seen. It makes choosing 5 very difficult. And before choosing I want to have ample time to know a little bit about the people I recommend. Having said that, I am still in the process of making my choices.

New to Blogger I am, but I am not new to Yahoo 360. Therefore, for my first two choices I would like to select a couple of very deserving recipients and friends from the 360 world.

Sara_Always_Sweet - Sara is such a great encourager. I always find great inspiration on her page!

Dale - Dale's page always presents a very in depth study of God's Word and makes me think!


More to follow......

Unforgiveness Will Eat Your Lunch!

Parable of the Unforgiving Debtor

“Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt. “But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.

“But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment. “His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded. But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.

“When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened. Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.

“That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.”

Matthew 18:23-35 (New Living Translation)

This parable is quite obviously teaching us about forgiveness. The two verses preceding this parable state this:

“Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven! “

Now some of you analytic people out there may have done the math and concluded that we are to forgive someone up to 490 times. But what Jesus is basically saying is that there is no limit to how often we are to forgive. He might as well as said ten million times.

Not forgiving will eat you alive. As Andrew Wommack says, “it will eat your lunch and pop the bag!” I spent many years angry with my ex-wife for some things that had transpired during our marriage. I just could not bring myself to forgive her. Holding on to that grudge was literally tearing me apart from the inside out. As much as I wanted to be free and to begin to rebuild my life, I was held in bondage by the exact thing that I was holding on to. What I was holding captive was actually captivating me. Not forgiving her eventually manifested in many ugly forms including a pornography addiction, alcoholism, drug addiction, depression, self-pity, isolation, just to name a few. I was falling apart but in the meantime she was living her life like nothing ever happened.

It was not until I understood and received forgiveness from God that I could truly forgive her. But the moment I did forgive her with all my heart, I received immediate healing. My entire life began to turn around for the good. I was literally set free. You see, this teaching about forgiveness is not just a way for us to avoid being punished. The truth is if you have not forgiven someone who has harmed you, you are already being punished more than you realize. Jesus message here is to help you, not condemn you, as is always the case.

This lesson here is very important my friends. In addition to teaching about forgiveness, I believe we can also learn a lesson about judging others. (See my blog entry entitled “Do Not Judge Others” posted on August 8th. Jesus said this in Matthew chapter 7, verse 2:

“For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged”

Although we can learn a lesson about judging others here, I don’t believe that was Jesus’ intention. He is teaching about forgiving. Following are a couple of scriptures to futher iterate the importance of forgiveness.

Matthew 6:14-15 (New Living Translation)
“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. “

One of the biblical principles I have learned is that you only have what you are willing to give away. It sounds odd I know, but isn’t that exactly what Jesus is telling us right here. If we forgive others we shall be forgiven. Give and it shall be given unto you. We all need forgiveness. Forgiving others is a two-fold benefit. It’s a win-win situation every time!

John 20:23
“If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

Ephesians 4:31-32
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”

Colossians 3:12-14
“Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.”

Mark 11:22-24
Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.”


Mark points out clearly that it is imperative for us to forgive if our prayers are to be answered. But he says that if we are not holding any grudges, that we can pray for anything and if we believe we receive it, it will be ours! Wow! How awesome is that?

Have you asked for things that line up with God’s will and not received? Do you feel condemned for things that you know are wrong in your life? Is there someone that has done great harm to you and you just can’t seem to let that go? Forgiveness is the answer. Forgiveness is like a door that will open up blessings in your life. Forgiveness will set you free. Maybe it’s yourself that you need to forgive. That was one of my biggest hindrances for years. I felt so unworthy. I felt like the terrible things I had done were beyond God or anyone else being able to ever look past. How wrong that thinking was. The moment I knew that God was not only willing, but waiting anxiously to forgive me, and then I forgave myself and everyone else I was angry with, freedom came upon me in such a way that I cannot find words to describe!

God’s desire is ALWAYS to help you. That’s the primary reason Jesus came to earth in the first place. It’s only reasonable that everything he teaches us is to build us up, to encourage us, to set us free. Take a step towards freedom today my friend. Let go and let God!

John 8:36
“So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.”


Thank you for taking the time to read my blogs. Please leave a comment!

Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew. “The farmer’s workers went to him and said, ‘Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds!

Where did they come from?’ “‘An enemy has done this!’ the farmer exclaimed. “‘Should we pull out the weeds?’ they asked. “‘No,’ he replied, ‘you’ll uproot the wheat if you do. Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.’”

Matthew 13:24-30 (New Living Translation)

Jesus explains the Parable of the Wheat and Weeds to his disciples:

Matthew 13:36-43
Then, leaving the crowds outside, Jesus went into the house. His disciples said, “Please explain to us the story of the weeds in the field.”
Jesus replied, “The Son of Man is the farmer who plants the good seed. The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one. The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the harvesters are the angels.
“Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!


Here's my commentary:

As with many passages from God’s word I get something new almost every time I read them. Jesus tells us quite plainly here that the wheat represents those who have become sons of God by believing in him and the weeds are those that are children of the devil. I was reading one interpretation earlier that likened this story to the Garden of Eden. God had planted the goods seeds of Adam and Eve there for the purposes of being fruitful and multiplying. But then the serpent came along and planted the seeds of evil. As a result Cain was born as a child of the devil and ultimately became the first murderer when he killed his brother Abel.

Notice how he says that the enemy came in at night when the workers were asleep, planted the weeds and then slipped away? That’s just the way the devil operates. He’s a wimp. He has to sneak around in the dark. He is a thief and a liar.

I also read this morning that the weeds that are often found in wheat fields tend to look a lot like the wheat itself. However, unlike the weeds, the wheat eventually sprouts a head and produces more seed. The weeds however do not produce anything. They simply attempt to choke out nutrients that would ultimately be beneficial for healthier and more productive wheat. It sounds a lot like the church today. Sure, there are some there who look just like Christians. They walk the walk and even talk the talk but ultimately produce no fruit! Here’s what Jesus has to say about them:

Matthew 7:21-23 (New Living Translation)
“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’

Where do the weeds come from? They come from thoughts, actions and words of anyone who isn’t a true child of God. Jesus says this:

Matthew 12:30 (New Living Translation)
“Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.”

We know that the only way to become a true Child of God is through Jesus. So there are no gray areas. Either you are a born again believer or you are not. If you are not then you my friend are a weed in the eyes of God.

Those evils seeds are thrown around us each and everyday. They come from the television we watch, the music we listen to, the websites we visit, the magazines we read, the billboards we look at and on and on and on. Satan is the prince and power of the air. He is the god of THIS world.

Should we pull out the weeds? Isn’t it just like us Christian to be the first to casts judgment on non-Christians? We want them out. We want to see them punished. Jesus says here, No! I’ll take care of that.
He tells us to be the light of the world, the salt of the earth. We are representatives of Christ and it is our responsibility to approach ALL others with love, kindness, meekness, gentleness, patience and so on.

He tells us that pulling out the weeds will actually uproot the wheat. This one is a little tough. I have thought for a while now how we would be uprooted by the removal of evil. One thing that came to mind is that he sends rain onto the entire field. We are all his children. Even though the weeds are of no essential value. It is possible for us to draw excess nutrients from them. Water would surely run off from their branches and we could use that water to sustain out own growth.

Matthew 5:45 (New Living Translation)
“In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.”

The last part is the part that most people want to just look right over as if it were any less important than the rest. I myself like to tell people about how God IS love and how he is willing to accept them just as they are. I speak of his grace and his mercy. But the fact remains that this earth is going to pass away. On judgment day each person, dead, or alive, man or woman, Jew or gentile, saved, unsaved, slave or free will have to face up to or account for whether or not we believed in Jesus. And if so, what did we do with our lives. Were we fruitful? Did we enhance the Kingdom? Did we make disciples? Did we feed the hungry? Did we give shelter to the homeless? Did we give to the poor?

I love the last line…”put the wheat in the barns” When I was a child I spent summers with my grandparents on their farm. It was fun doing the chores in the field, mending fences, running the tractor and such, but what I really loved was being in the barn. It was fun milking the cows and feeding the smaller animals. It was warm and lots of times, after the chores were over, I would go up in the hayloft and sleep the afternoon away! There was always plenty to eat and it just felt like home!

You are in the field of life my friend. Will the day come when you will grow a head and begin to produce fruit? Tied up in a bundle to be burned or put in the barn to lounge in the loft? The choice is yours.

You may be saying or thinking that it’s too late. I am already a weed and cannot become wheat. I have news for you. God has the ability to graft you into the wheat stalk. Check this out:

Romans 11:17 (New Living Translation)
But some of these branches from Abraham’s tree—some of the people of Israel—have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment from the root of God’s special olive tree.

It’s never too late but the sooner you make the right choice, the more fruitful you can be. There is no greater joy!

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog. Leave a comment.

Michael

Andrew Wommack Devotional

See My Blog Entry "Parable of the Great Feast"

Andrew Wommack Devotional for: September 17th
OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS IS IN CHRIST
Matthew 22:11 "And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:"

MATTHEW 22:8-14

In this time, it was customary for the host to provide their guests with wedding garments to wear to the wedding. It was an insult of the highest degree to refuse to wear the clothing provided since the guests were brought in directly from the highways and streets. The wedding garment speaks of the righteousness of Christ that God so graciously provides for all who accept His invitation into the kingdom. It must be put on by both good and bad (Mt. 22:10).

Right standing before a holy God is not to be achieved in keeping the law but in humble trust in the person and work of Jesus Christ. No one, who is trusting in his own righteousness, can have the benefit of Christ's righteousness. The righteousness that gives men relationship with God is the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD, and it comes freely through faith in Jesus Christ.

The way we obtain this righteousness is by putting faith in what Christ has done for us. When we place our faith in Christ, then the righteousness that Jesus obtained by His faith becomes ours.Through faith in Jesus, we can receive the very righteousness of God as a gift. God's righteousness is infinitely more in quality and quantity than man's puny righteousness.

No one can ever be justified in the sight of God based on his own righteousness which comes through acts of holiness. One must have God's righteousness which only comes through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. Paul said in Philippians 3:9, "And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." This is "the righteousness of God."

See My Blog Entry "Parable of the Great Feast"