Month: July 2017

Appropriate Your Blessings

Appropriate Your Blessings

 “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.”  (Acts 10:34-35)

God is no respecter of persons.  We’re all blessed and valued equally by Him.  We need to respond to what God has already made provision for.  God is not withholding ANY good thing from us (Ps 84:11), so the responsibility is on us to appropriate our blessings.

Something may be limiting us from being all that God wants us to be or having all that God wants us to have.  We need to ask God what is preventing us from tapping into our inheritance as children of God.  He may reveal unbelief, fear, or worry is hindering us.  We limit God with unbelief.  Root out any negative influences by reading and meditating upon the Word of God which will build you up in your faith.  (Rom 10:17) 

Observe how God does things, and do likewise.  Think and act like God does!  As God’s ambassadors, we’re to demonstrate to the world what God’s ways and God’s will can accomplish in their lives.  Study the Word and study the many, beautiful promises of God.  Memorize and meditate upon them.

Realize that you’re covered by the blood of Jesus, and stay under the blood because it cleanses, heals, and protects you.  We’re free from sin, satan, and the world.  Live in God’s promises and receive their benefits. 

We walk by faith and not by sight.  (2 Cor 5:7)  FOREVER!  We never “arrive”—we must continue every day to walk and live by faith.

PROMISES FOR MEDITATION:

The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; yes, I have a good inheritance.  (Ps 16:6)

For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.  (2 Cor 1:20)

But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”  (Mat 19:26; Mk 10:27)

“Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”  (Mat 18:19-20)

And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.  (Joh 14:13-14)

 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.  (Joh 15:7)

Jesus Has Got You Covered!

Jesus Has Got You Covered!

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.  (Ps 91:1)

Jesus, as our Savior, poured out His blood on the mercy seat in heaven for our salvation.  (Lev 16:14-15)  Jesus was the perfect Lamb of God slain before the foundation of the world.  (Joh 1:29; Rev 13:8)

We are the sheep of His pasture (Ps 95:7; 100:3) and we do abide under the shadow of the Almighty.  Our Savior has covered us with the blood of the Lamb, so that we may REST in the shadow of the Almighty. 

Remember when the good Samaritan poured oil and wine on the wounds of the injured man on the roadside? (Lk 10:30-37)  The Samaritan did that to cleanse the wound, to soothe it, and to promote healing.

Jesus pours oil on our wounds for our healing.  The wine represents Jesus’ blood.  The blood of a lamb has a cleansing agent in it (in the natural realm).  Jesus’ blood supernaturally cleanses us from all sin, guilt, and shame.  His blood is sufficient.  Receive His cleansing.  Understand that all of your sin and guilt have been washed away!

Stop striving in your soul.  Jesus has already done everything for you!  Relax in God’s arms.  Abide in Him and rest.  He’s got you covered.  Allow God to bless you and to give you rest. 

Proclaiming His Death

Proclaiming His Death

. . .  and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”  26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.   (1 Cor. 11:24-26)

To proclaim means to announce, declare, make known, broadcast, or state publicly.  In the verse shown above, Jesus tells us to remember Him through the Communion ceremony.  He also says that as often as we take Communion, we proclaim His death till He comes.  Why is it important to proclaim His death?

As often as we announce Jesus’ death, we are making known the New Covenant He established by His blood.  (1 Cor. 11:25)  We are declaring the Good News that we have been reconciled to God through Jesus. 

We are broadcasting Jesus’:

  • Resurrection (Acts 4:33);
  • Triumph over sin and evil (2 Cor. 2:14; Eph. 4:8-10);
  • Soon return. (1 Cor. 11:26; John 14:3)

We are stating that we:

  • Are united together in the likeness of His death and in the likeness of His resurrection (Rom. 6:5);
  • Abide in Christ and He abides in us (John 6:56);
  • Are under the covenant of grace (2 Cor. 13:14);
  • Live in covenant with the One who has destroyed the works of the devil.  (1 John 3:1)

The Bible teaches us the importance of declaring the Truth in Christ:

He who speaks truth declares righteousness, but a false witness, deceit.  (Pro 12:17)

A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth; from the produce of his lips he shall be filled.  (Pro 18:20)

Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled. Who among them can declare this, and show us former things? Let them bring out their witnesses, that they may be justified; or let them hear and say, “It is truth.”  (Isa 43:9)

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach) . . . (Rom 10:8)

Partaking of Communion is a prophetic act—a declaration.  Did you know that actions can speak?  They announce our faith, obedience, and allegiance to Jesus Christ.  It’s good to remember when we take communion that in doing so, we proclaim His death in obedience to the Word of God.

Truth Changes Things

Truth Changes Things

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.  (Joh 14:6 – emphasis added) 

Jesus said very clearly, in the above Bible verse, that He is the Truth.  Jesus is synonymous with Truth.  One thing that I know; that the application of Truth changes things.  Applied Truth changes you, your life, your character, your circumstances, and your future!

Jesus is the Truth and when you accept Him as your Savior and Lord, you have effectively applied His Truth (His very essence) to your entire being!  Afterward, all that we need to do is to submit to Jesus and to the Word of God.  Yield to the Word of God in your life and in your circumstances. 

You will begin to experience profound changes in every area of your life:  your character; your personality; your desires; your job; your relationships; your hopes and dreams.  Everything begins to change because the God who is Truth has become a part of your very being!  

Meditate upon these Scriptures and the nature of truth.

He is the Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice, a God of truth and without injustice; righteous and upright is He.  (Deut 32:4)

Only fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.  (1 Sam 12:24)

Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day.  (Ps 25:5)

For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes, and I have walked in Your truth.  (Ps 26:3)

For the word of the Lord is right, And all His work is done in truth.  (Ps 33:4)

Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O Lord; let Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me.  (Ps 40:11)

Mercy and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed.  (Ps 85:10)

Truth shall spring out of the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven.  (Ps 85:11)

For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.  (Ps 100:5)

You are near, O Lord, and all Your commandments are truth.  (Ps 119:151)

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.  (Joh 1:14 – emphasis added)

For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.  (Joh 1:17)

“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”  (Joh 4:24)

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.  (Joh 8:32)

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.  (Joh 16:13)

For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.  (2 Cor 13:8)

For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.  (1 Thes 2:13)

How Do We Keep Our Spiritual Ears Open?

How Do We Keep Our Spiritual Ears Open?

The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the Lord has made them both.  (Pro 20:12)

For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.’  (Mat 13:15)

When we open the Bible and read it, it’s one of the ways of keeping our spiritual ears open.  Meditating upon various Scriptures is another way.

Attending Church services where the Word of God is preached, and having fellowship with other Christians are two more ways to maintain a hearing ear.  Being sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit is yet another way to keep your spiritual ears open.

Because the Holy Spirit lives with us after we accept Christ, He will teach us and give us revelation knowledge concerning the Scriptures whenever we’re reading the Bible.  Expect God to teach you as you read the Bible.  Listen for the prompting of the Holy Spirit as you listen to preaching.  He will insert valuable thoughts and concepts in the midst of excellent preaching and teaching.  It is the Holy Spirit’s way of enriching your understanding and maturing you.

Recognize that God is always communicating with you, because He’s in relationship with you.  That’s why He provided mankind with such a beautiful salvation because He desired to be in relationship with us.  What a blessing and an honor!

God’s Word in My Mouth, Part 2

God’s Word in My Mouth, Part 2

(This is a continuation of my most recent blog posting.  I encourage you to begin speaking God’s Word from YOUR mouth, too.)

Because God is unchanging, I know that His will and His purposes are established and stable.  I can rely upon Him to always be good, loving, merciful, forgiving, and full of truth.  He’s never going to change His mind and take away the blessings of salvation!

I, the Lord, do not change.  (Malachi 3:6 NKJV)

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.  (Heb. 13:8 NKJV)

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.  (James 1:17 NKJV)

The last point I’d like to make is that I KNOW that God has already answered me with “Yes” to every promise He has written in the Scriptures.  I know this because the Bible, in 2 Corinthians 1:20, says: For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.  (emphasis added)

I have experienced many gracious and love-filled miracles from the Lord through the years since I got saved.  Here are just a handful of my own, personal testimonies:

  • After Word-filled prayer, the Lord sent someone to turn on the electricity in an apartment that I had just moved into on a Saturday. (1973)
  • After relying upon many Bible passages concerning healing; speaking them out loud to myself; and commanding my body to obey the Word, the Lord gave me these miraculous healings:
    • Healed of a sprained ankle (1976)
    • Healed of severe abdominal pain when I was 8 months’ pregnant with my second child (1985)
    • Healed of dizziness (1989)
    • Healed of migraines (1995)
    • Healed instantly of a band of pain (in the abdomen) going from my right to left side (2000)
  • Miraculous provision of a lump sum of money after my husband had been out of work for several months.  (1986)

God is not a respecter of persons!  (Deut. 10:17; 2 Chron. 19:7)  What He has done for me and thousands of others, He will do for anyone who stands upon His Word and declares it with faith and confidence!

God actually delights in rescuing us!  (Ps. 18:19)  Why not create an opportunity for the Lord to delight in rescuing you by speaking His Word and believing it with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength?  The results will deepen your faith, strengthen your courage, and bring great glory to God through your testimony of victory.

God’s Word in My Mouth, Part 1

God’s Word in My Mouth, Part 1

In my life’s experiences, I’ve discovered that God’s Word coming forth from my own lips builds my faith, attracts heavenly intervention, and brings about victory!  Glory to God!

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  (Romans 10:8, 9 NKJV)

It comes back to the question:  “Whose report will you believe?” 

I’ve made a decision to value God’s Word in my life more than anyone else’s—more than my own word, more than my loved ones’ words, more than my friends’ words, and more than the words of my extended family members!

Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: “That you may be justified in your words, and may overcome when you are judged.”  (Romans 3:4 NKJV)

God and His Word are inseparable because all of God’s power and might is invested in the Words He speaks.  His Words are creative.  The Words have power in themselves to bring themselves to pass!  That’s pretty awesome AND it gives me great confidence, faith, and trust in His Word.

Then said the Lord unto me, “Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten My Word to perform it.”  (Jeremiah 1:12 KJV)

For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.  (Heb. 4:12 NKJV)

When I speak God’s Word and teach God’s Word—whether to myself or to others—it attracts all of the power of the Kingdom of God!  Hebrews 1:3 tells us that Jesus upholds ALL things by the Word of His power! 

Be bold and courageous and begin speaking God’s Word out of YOUR mouth with firm faith and expectation.

How Do You Worship God? Part 2

How Do You Worship God? Part 2

(This is a continuation of my most recently posted blog article on how to worship the Lord.)  Here are additional ways to worship God:

  • Worship God in the assembly while the singers sing and the musicians play their instruments (2 Chronicles 29:28)
  • Sing praises to God with joy and bow down and worship Him.  (2 Chronicles 29:30)  Joy is an essential component of worship!  Bowing down in worship is a sign of humbling ourselves before the Lord, out of respect and reverence.
  • Worship the Lord with reverence and rejoice with trembling.  (Psalm 2:11 NKJV)  Worship includes reverence (respect, admiration, awe, and astonishment) as well as celebration, cheer, and joy with trembling.  The trembling is an outward manifestation of the reverence of the worshipper.
  • Worship the Lord and glorify His Name.  (Psalm 86:9)  Glorify means to adore, exalt, elevate, praise, or venerate.  When we elevate and exalt the Name of Jesus, we are partaking in worship.
  • Worship at Jesus’ feet (Matthew 28:9)
  • True worshippers worship the Father in spirit and in truth (John 4:23)
  • God is spirit and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.  (John 4:24 NKJV)
  • Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.  (Romans 12:1 NKJV)  Offering your entire life for service and all that you do to the Lord as an offering is worship!

Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; For ALL THE NATIONS WILL COME AND WORSHIP BEFORE YOU, FOR YOUR RIGHTEOUS ACTS HAVE BEEN REVEALED.  (Rev 15:4 NKJV)

How Do You Worship God? Part I

How Do You Worship God? Part I

There are a number of ways to worship God!  Here are several mentioned in the Bible:

  • Bow low and worship God (Genesis 24:26, 48; 47:31; Exodus 4:31; 12:27; 34:8; Judges 7:15)
  • Arise and worship (Exodus 33:10)
  • Arise early in the morning and worship (1 Samuel 1:19)
  • Go to the house of the Lord and worship (2 Samuel 12:20; 2 Chron. 29:20)
  • Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His Name.  Worship the Lord in holy array.  (1 Chronicles 16:29; Psalm 29:2; 96:9)  Ascribe means to credit someone with something they deserve; to give recognition, acknowledgment, tribute, or acclaim.  Glory means splendor, beauty, wonder, brilliance, fame, praise, success, or magnificence.  So this verse instructs us to give the Lord recognition and acclaim because He deserves to receive it due to His splendor, beauty, brilliance, and wonderful attributes.  We’re to offer our worship to the Lord in beautiful and holy clothing and finery!
  • Bow down with your face to the ground and worship (2 Chronicles 7:3; 20:18; Nehemiah 8:6)
  • Worship and give praise to the Lord saying, “Truly He is good, truly His lovingkindness is everlasting.”  (2 Chronicles 7:3)  Worship is essentially acknowledging all of God’s beautiful qualities and personality traits!  When we acknowledge God’s righteousness, power, and holiness, and marvel in His presence—that is worship!