Standing at the plate of life, I glance out at the stands
The tool to make my fans all cheer, gripped tightly in my hands
The hurler looked me in the eye, ball held as to deceive
I’ll bring my fans straight to their feet, if only I believe
He draws way back, his leg kicked high, anticipation great
I’ll drive this ball straight to the wall, this one’s fast and straight
From the side his arm swung wide, the ball began to swerve
I was thinking fastball, but life threw me a curve
With all my might I swung that bat, to my surprise I missed
Strike one, I heard the umpire yell, while thousands sighed and hissed
That’s only one, I said inside. That will not happen twice
Keep your eye upon that ball, they yelled to me advice
I stepped back up, then tapped my cleats and spit upon the ground
With shame I looked out towards the stands, the crowd without a sound
Once again he drew way back, again his leg kicked high
Thinking low and straight and fast, it curved and slid right by
Strike two, I heard the umpire yell, one more and this game’s through
I backed away, head bowed to pray, Oh Lord, what should I do?
His voice rose up within me, and I clearly heard Him say
Step back up and set your sights, you will not lose today
With Jesus’ words inside me, I stepped back to the plate
I looked that hurler in the eye, my confidence was great
From the side his arm swung wide, the ball began to swerve
Man I need a fastball, but here’s another curve
I waited a bit longer, I loosened up my grip
Anticipation killing me, while biting on my lip
I swung the bat more slowly, my eyes without a blink
I’ll hit this ball straight to that wall as long as I don’t think
Crack! - I heard that sound so loud, the ball it took a flight
Over the wall and then the stands, that ball was out of sight
My fans jumped straight up to their feet, the wave went round and round
The hurler was defeated, his curve had let him down
I trotted through the bases, tipped my hat and waved
They handed me a microphone but all that I could say
was; Jesus was the batter, cause I can't hit the swerve
If you prefer a fastball, let Jesus hit that curve!
By: Michael E. Moore
Type rest of the post here
Dec 19, 2007
Life Threw Me a Curve
Dec 15, 2007
Hell Is Not That Hot
Pop pills, seek thrills, lusting for the fame
God who? Screw you. Don’t bow to any name.
Snort coke, drink beer, smoke a little pot
Who’s God? Where’s God? Hell is not that hot.
Livin large, me in charge, all about the game
I am great, no debate, don’t believe in shame
Running wild with flower child, Makin’ love, not war
Get high, get by, that’s what life is for.
No hope, need dope, cannot stand the pain
Always high, wanna die, come on acid rain
Snort coke, drink beer, smoke a little pot
Who’s God? Where’s God? Hell is not that hot.
Lifeless, unemployed, livin' on the street
Ruthless, careless, starting to feel heat.
No friends, no ends, beggin' for a meal
Need a hit, can’t get it, gotta cheat and steal.
Locked up, facing time, bouncing off this cell
Cryin out, without a doubt, I’m going straight to hell
20 years, I’m in tears, can’t believe the deal
Need God. Where’s God? God are you for real?
Found the Word, flipped a page, lookin for a verse
Jesus lived, then he died, freed me from the curse
Bowed a knee, cried a plea, searchin' for some love
Somethin' broke, ain’t no joke, presence of a dove
Set free, new me, brand new chance at life
Out of jail, free from hell, givin’ you advice
Seek the Lord, all your heart, no need to understand
Seek Him, serve Him, reach out and take His hand.
No pills, simple thrills, free from guilt and shame
God you came through. Name above all names!
Diet coke, root beer, shrimp boiling in the pot
What a God! An Awesome God! My past he has forgot!
By: Michael E. Moore
Type rest of the post here
Nov 15, 2007
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
Nov 7, 2007
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)
Nov 3, 2007
How far is the East from the West?
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!
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 does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.
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:
Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die.
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.
Oct 27, 2007
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
Oct 24, 2007
Do Not Love This World
"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
Oct 23, 2007
The Wisdom of God
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!
Oct 22, 2007
How Do You Study The Bible?
During my first quarter of school one of my classes was "How To Study The Bible". There is a huge difference between reading the bible and studying the bible. The book we used as a guideline was entitle "Bible Study Methods" by Rick Warren. I highly recommend this book to all who are serious about growing in your knowledge of God. Perhaps I will blog at a later time about the different methods he describes and some of the ways to apply those to your everyday reading.
This quarter I am taking a class called Evangelism / Making Disciples. I can tell already that this is going to be my favorite class. On the first night of class we were introduced to an entirely new way of looking at scripture as it applies to evangelism. The method seeks to discover 5 major areas of each passage of scripture. Those areas are as follow:
The Master: The Father, The Son, and or The Holy Spirit - What part did they play in this passage?
The Masses: Who specifically was this message directed to?
The Messengers: Who was it that was actually delivering the message?
The Message: What was it exactly that was being communicated?
The Method: How was the message presented?
My first passage that I studied in this method was Luke 9:1-11. Below I have posted an outline of this study. Feel free to offer additions to this list. The Lord speaks to each of us in our own way and I would be interested to see what you pull from this passage. Feel free to utilize your own version and also to offer your comments.
And now for my study.........
Scripture Passage: Luke 9:1-11 (New Living Translation)
One day Jesus called together his twelve disciples and gave them power and authority to cast out all demons and to heal all diseases. Then he sent them out to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. “Take nothing for your journey,” he instructed them. “Don’t take a walking stick, a traveler’s bag, food, money, or even a change of clothes. Wherever you go, stay in the same house until you leave town. And if a town refuses to welcome you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.” So they began their circuit of the villages, preaching the Good News and healing the sick. When Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, heard about everything Jesus was doing, he was puzzled. Some were saying that John the Baptist had been raised from the dead. Others thought Jesus was Elijah or one of the other prophets risen from the dead. “I beheaded John,” Herod said, “so who is this man about whom I hear such stories?” And he kept trying to see him. When the apostles returned, they told Jesus everything they had done. Then he slipped quietly away with them toward the town of Bethsaida. But the crowds found out where he was going, and they followed him. He welcomed them and taught them about the Kingdom of God, and he healed those who were sick.
The Master – God and His part in evangelism?
• Jesus gave the twelve disciples power to cast out demons and heal all diseases
• God provided for all their physical needs along the way
• God’s Kingdom is the reason for them being sent
The Masses – The audience of evangelism?
• Everyone
• Those who needed healing
• Those who needed deliverance from demonic influences
• Towns and villages
• Town of Bethsaida
The Messengers – Believers and their role in evangelism?
• The twelve disciples were given power and authority to cast out demons and heal all diseases
• Must depend upon God to provide all of their needs
• Must show appreciation to those who welcomed them
• Must know that not everyone will be receptive to their message
• Jesus was a messenger himself in a sense because Herod Antipas “heard” about everything he was doing.
• The apostles told Jesus about everything they had done
• Jesus taught all the crowds that followed him
The Message – What is communicated?
• The Kingdom of God
• Healing (physical, emotional, and mental) - Spirit, soul, and body.
The Method – How is the message communicated?
• Telling everyone about The Kingdom of God
• Healing those that were sick
• Preaching the Good News
• Showing respect by not moving from house to house
• Shaking the dust off their feet when leaving towns that would not receive the message
• Welcoming followers
Personal Application – Which Truth in the passage seems most important to you?
• The Kingdom of God is not just a spiritual message that will happen “some day”.
• The Kingdom of God is also physical and provides for healing of all diseases.
• The Kingdom of God is available here and now in the hearts of all who will believe
What is a practical way to apply this truth in your life?
• The same power that Jesus gave to his disciples is available to me today.
• I want to be able to operate more fully in these powers and let people know that the Kingdom of God is available right now.
• I also want to grasp more fully that God will provide for me when he has asked me to do something.
• He always makes provisions to assure his mission gets completed.
Oct 19, 2007
What are you saying?
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
Oct 16, 2007
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.
Sep 28, 2007
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!
Sep 27, 2007
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. So, for the topic of abuse, I am going to let the Word speak for itself:
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!
Sep 26, 2007
Yesterday, Today & Forever
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!
Sep 24, 2007
Everything Has a Name
And Everything that has a Name must Bow to the Name Of Jesus!
But what I also know is that there is
Everything on this earth must bow to that name. That means crack is not above Jesus! If you are currently addicted to crack, or know someone who is, I am here today to tell you that Jesus IS the answer. I have known people who have spent countless thousands of dollars on secular programs to become free from this addiction, to no avail. But one Word from Jesus spoken straight to your heart WILL SET YOU FREE.
You see, crack is not merely just physical. There is a very strong demonic force behind it. It's one of satan's ploys to drive you into the dirt. He wants you to feel like the scum of the earth. He wants you to think that there is no hope for you. But I have some very serious news for you my friend. Even satan himself cannot stand against the name of Jesus!
Are you truly ready to break free? Have you had enough of selling everything you have to get more crack. Have you had enough of hiding from your family? Have you had enough of lying about everything? Have you had enough of being treated like a slave?
I know the answer. I have been there. The answer is Jesus. I promise you that. If you do not know Jesus, and have not accepted him as your personal Savoir, then I beseech you to make that your very first step. I would be more than glad to pray with you and for you. If not me, then I can certainly lead you someone who will gladly talk to you. I have several Christian friends online who would also like to reach out to you.
Once you have taken that step, then you need to learn what authority you have over the enemy. You have to learn who you are in Christ and you have to learn what the Word says about you. There is a multitude of help available for you my friend. Do not hesitate to leave me a comment including how I can get in touch with you.
You are not alone!
Sep 23, 2007
Build a Team
In my previous post I shared my testimony of how entering into a relationship with Jesus changed my life. I also mentioned that God wants me to use this site to reach out to the alcoholics and drug addicts. Drugs and alcohol turned my life into a living hell. If I can do anything at all to keep someone else from going through what I went through, whatever it takes, then that is my mission.
All day long I have been thinking about this. Thinking how am "I" going to make this happen? I was just having dinner a few moments ago. Sitting alone in a little Asian cafe, looking around at all the people in and around my complex, and God very subtly said, "You aren't, we are." Then he said Michael, "remember what I told you in John 4:24, I am spirit. Then he said, "and my words are spirit, and they are life", John 6:63. Ok God, but what are you getting at? He said, "I dwell in the hearts of the believers". Ok God, I know this, but what are you getting at more specifically, I am kind of hard headed at times. He said "you're telling me". Ouch. Then he said, "build a team". That's it. That's all I got. Build a team.
So now I''m thinking, "how to build a team". I don't have that answer just yet, but it's a start!
Luke 10:1-2
The Lord now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit. These were his instructions to them: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.
Sep 15, 2007
Hypocrites Love to Pray!
A Better Way To PrayBy Andrew Wommack
Related Materials
Free MP3 download
Online TV broadcast
CD album
Tape album
DVD album
Many years ago, actually decades ago, I was participating in an all-night prayer meeting in which we were bombarding the gates of heaven. I remember beating the wall and yelling, “God, if You loved the people in Arlington, Texas, half as much as I do, we’d have revival!” Immediately, my lightning-fast mind realized that there was something seriously wrong with my theology. It stopped me dead in my tracks. What was I thinking?
Did I really believe I loved these people more than God? No, not exactly. Like so many Christians, I believed God was angry with the human condition and that it was up to me to turn Him from His wrath and judgment. I was interceding, pleading with God on the behalf of others. What could possibly be wrong with that? As I learned later, a lot. I am not saying that anyone who doesn’t pray as I do is “of the devil.” I wasn’t “of the devil” in the way I used to pray. I loved God with all my heart and the Lord loved me, but the results weren’t there.
The things the Lord has revealed to me about prayer since then have totally changed my life, and I’m now seeing miraculous results. If you aren’t getting the results you know the Lord wants you to have, maybe it’s time to consider a better way to pray.
First, we need to recognize that God isn’t angry at mankind anymore. He is no longer imputing or holding our sins against us.
“God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:19).
We are NOW reconciled to God through Jesus. That means we are in harmony and are friendly with God right now. He isn’t mad; He’s not even in a bad mood. The war between God and man is over. That’s what the angels proclaimed at the birth of Jesus.
Luke 2:14 says,
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
These angels weren’t saying that peace would reign on earth and wars between people would cease. That certainly hasn’t happened. They were proclaiming the end of the war between God and man. Jesus paid a price that was infinitely greater than the sins of the whole human race.
God’s wrath and justice have been satisfied. Jesus changed everything. God isn’t angry. His mercy extends to all men. He loves the world, not only the church, but the whole world. He paid for all sin.
The Scriptures say in 1 John 2:2,
“And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”
In the Old Testament, God’s judgment was poured out on both individuals and nations. In the New Testament, God’s judgment was poured out on Jesus. That is the nearly-too-good-to-be-true news of the Gospel. We no longer get what we deserve; we get what Jesus paid the price for, if we will only believe. Before I understood this, I would say, “If God doesn’t judge America, He will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.” Now I say, “If God judges America, He will have to apologize to Jesus.” Understanding what Jesus did completely changes your perspective.
Second, Jesus is now the Mediator. A mediator is one who seeks to reconcile, or make peace between, two opposing parties. In the Old Testament, man had not yet been reconciled to God through Jesus. The people needed a mediator, someone to intercede with God on their behalf. That is where we find men like Abraham and Moses pleading with God.
In Genesis 18:23-25, you find Abraham interceding with God on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah:
“Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
In fact, Abraham actually negotiated with God until He agreed not to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah if there were ten who were righteous. But there weren’t ten righteous people in the whole city, and only some of Lot’s family survived.
Moses actually told God, “Repent!” What nerve! What is even more amazing is that God repented. From these and other stories in the Old Testament, modern-day “intercessors” believe we too must stand in the gap, or mediate, between God and man. Just as I did decades ago, they believe we must plead with God to save the lost, to withhold His wrath from those He is ready to judge, and to be merciful to those whose needs He is unwilling to meet because of their unworthiness.
That couldn’t be further from the truth, but it is what’s being taught in many churches today. It ignores the fact that Jesus is now seated at the right hand of the Father (Heb. 10:12) ever making intercession for us (Heb. 7:25). If Moses or Abraham could persuade God, don’t you think that Jesus could do at least as well?
In 1 Timothy 2:5 we read,
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”
In the New Covenant, Jesus is the ONLY mediator needed to stand between God the Father and mankind. Sin is no longer a problem with God; it’s been atoned for and we are now the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. That is how God sees us. If we understand that, it will change the way we pray.
It was appropriate for Abraham and Moses to pray as they did, because God’s wrath had not yet been appeased through Jesus. Today, under the New Covenant, if you try to mediate in that way, you are actually antichrist—against Christ. You are saying that Jesus was not enough, not esteeming what Christ has done. When Jesus became our Mediator, He put all other mediators out of business, forever. I know these words are strong, but they are the truth.
Satan is behind much of the wrong teaching on “prayer” in the body of Christ today. Consider how crafty his plan is and the fruit it produces. He has convinced believers to stay in their closets taking the place of Jesus in intercession. There, they spend hours pleading with God to turn from His wrath, to pour out His Spirit, and to meet the needs of the people.
Meanwhile, families, co-workers, and neighbors are going to hell and dying from disease. The Bible doesn’t say that salvation comes through intercession, but by the foolishness of preaching (1 Cor. 1:21). And we are not told to pray for the sick, but to heal the sick by commanding healing into their broken bodies (Matt. 10:8).
We have been deceived into believing prayer is all about persuading God to release His power. We believe He can save, heal, and deliver but that He is waiting on us to shape up and earn it. The truth is, we don’t deserve it, and we will never be good enough. Because of Jesus, all that God has is ours. That’s good news. We no longer need to beg or plead; we need to exercise the authority He as given us and receive His blessings.
There really is a better way to pray. I am not saying it’s the only way, but it is working for me. I have only touched on this subject in this letter, so I encourage you to order my new book A Better Way to Pray.
This message is also available in a CD, cassette, or DVD album. In the book and album, I talk about the primary purpose of prayer; the importance of speaking to your mountain about God, not to God about your mountain; the process of prayer; and I reveal many of the misconceptions about prayer.
These truths have changed the way I pray and the results I get. But more importantly, I believe they could revolutionize the body of Christ. I pray that you will take advantage of these truths and help me share them with others.
Spread the Word!
