THE ONE YOU LOVE
John 11:1, 3 (NIV)
Now a man named Lazarus was sick…
...So the sisters sent word to Jesus,
"Lord, the one You love is sick."
This verse says so much in so few words. Two sisters were calling on Jesus to help their brother and all they said was, "Lord, the one You love is sick." They did not beg Jesus to heal him; they did not list all of the reasons Jesus should heal him; they didn't scream and shout.
They simply told Jesus that the one He loved needed Him.
Do we understand how much He loves us? Do we go to prayer as "the one He loves," or do we go as a beggar desperately seeking help? When you know someone loves you, you can go to them without fear or doubt. Some days it may seem hard to believe that God loves us, but He does! We need to fill ourselves with verses that declare His love for us so that faith will be produced in that area. We let others tell us that they love us daily - we need to let God do the same.
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Go to God based on His love for you. He helps us because He loves us!
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Romans 8:37 ESV
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
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Christ loves you! He loves you so much that He wants to make you more than a conqueror. He wants you to be triumphantly victorious! Do you believe that? Faith works by love (Galatians 5:6); God's love for us is the foundation every promise is based on so surround yourself with His love for you and receive from Him.
2 Corinthians 5:14
For Christ's love
compels us…
Christ’s love compels us. What exactly does that mean?
To compel means to compress or arrest, to preoccupy, hold together, to constrain (to bring under control), to perplex.
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The love of Christ compels us; it keeps us in the Word of God. If we are in the Word for any other reason, then the Word will not produce the Spiritual fruit God intended. Some read the Word out of duty or out of fear, for example; this is not the way the Word is to be received. The Word is God’s love letter and it must be received that way. God's wants His love to preoccupy His children.
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The love of Christ is useful; it holds us together! As we abide in the love letter of the Word we will find that God is holding us together. The Word will keep us from falling apart in the midst of trials and problems. The Word induces faith and faith produces Spiritual actions that will overcome our carnal reactions.
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His love brings us under control – it keep us in the Spirit and out of the flesh. The love letter of the Word is our Spiritual weapon. If we ignore the Word, we ignore our Spiritual power!
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Christ’s love can even sometimes be perplexing. Christ’s love is the catalyst for change in us and we cannot even explain exactly how the transformation takes place. All we know is that the Word works – and it works because Christ loves us!
The Bible is God’s love in word form and we can never completely understand it's worth, but it compels us!
How To Keep Christ in Christmas
Luke 10:38-41 NIV
…a woman named Martha opened her home to Him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what He said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made…"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
Christmas is a busy time – many preparations have to be made and we will feel like Martha if we forget the one thing! No matter what time of year it is, no matter what is going on,
ONLY ONE THING IS NEEDED;
only one thing is necessary – this is how Jesus describes taking in His Word.
Christmas is to be celebrated and enjoyed. Each day should be a celebration of life. We need to focus on Christ daily and then we will be thankful every day of our lives! We keep Christ in Christmas and our daily lives by abiding in the Word. As we abide in the Word we'll feel a desire to celebrate.
The word for Sabbath is only one letter different from the word for celebrate in the Hebrew language. Celebrating is about resting – resting in Christ and what He has done for us! celebrating is not supposed to be a time of intensity – it is to be done simply and it is to be enjoyed thoroughly.
The world makes Christmas seem like nothing but work – baking, cooking, shopping, wrapping, and so on. Do not view these Christmas preparations as work – see them as a celebration of the family God has given you!
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How To Do
James 1:25 KJV
But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth [therein], he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
Many are stressing themselves out trying to figure out how to be a “doer.” There are countless classes, DVD’s, CD’s, and so on, that claim to teach us “how to do.” Such products fly off of the shelves and still we remain a society that lacks in the “doing” category. Wanting to do is not enough; we can desire to do good and still find ourselves doing wrong (Romans 7:15).4
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James explains to us the Biblical method for being a doer. The word itself, doer, enlightens us. The word translated as “doer” comes from a word that means to abide and agree, to continue and observe. The word translated as “continueth” also means to abide. We cannot become doers without continually abiding – abiding in the Word of God.
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James instructs us to look and continue. The word that “looketh” was translated from means to bend beside and to look within. We see in this definition that we must bend before we can look. What does bending have to do with anything? Bending represents humility. If we are going to abide in the Word of God we are going to have to understand our desperate need for the Word. We are going to have to understand that apart from Christ we can do nothing; this is humbling. Once we recognize our desperate need for Christ / the Word, we will find that continuing comes naturally. The person who looks and continues in the Word will be a doer because the Word produces faith and that faith produces Spiritual fruit. Spiritual actions are the result of abiding in the Word of God. A “forgetful hearer” is the person who “neglects” the Word! Do not be the forgetful hearer – abide in the Word!
Truth
Malachi 2:7-8 NIV
"For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, because he is the messenger of the LORD Almighty and people seek instruction from his mouth. But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble; you have violated the covenant with Levi," says the LORD Almighty.
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The covenant is the Word. It is living by faith. It is depending upon God rather than self by abiding in the Word.
Psalms 105:8 NIV He remembers His covenant forever, the promise He made…
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The covenant is His Word, His promises, His way or plan (from the beginning) and He remembers it.
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remember: to mark. To keep in mind; to be mindful of. To
recognize. Recount; record; make mention of; call to
remembrance.
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Malachi 2:5 NIV My covenant was with him, a covenant of life and peace, and I gave them to him; this called for reverence and he revered Me and stood in awe of My name.
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The covenant (His Word / Jesus Christ / His promises) produces life and peace. If we are living by His plan, His covenant, we will be participating in our Spiritual nature (life) and we will be at peace.
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Malachi 2:6 KJV The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with Me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.
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When we live by His plan or His covenant, the Word is alive and active in us because we are abiding in it. We are planting the Seed and Spiritual fruit is being produced. Spiritual fruit is part of the blessings of our relationship with Christ / the Word. The Word keeps us from sin - we can't do that on our own.
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Psalms 119:11 KJV Thy Word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
"Against thee" was added - it is not in the original Hebrew. We are not sinning against God - we must remember that when we sin it affects us and when we sin He is our advocate. He is advocating for us because He knows how harmful sin is to us. He is not mad, upset, or disappointed with us. Thank God He is advocating for us!
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1 John 2:1 …if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father - Jesus Christ the righteous One.
advocate: intercessor; consoler; comforter. Backer;
supporter; promoter; defender; champion; vindicate; justify; favor; further.
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Believing that we sin "against God" separates us from God - the only One who can help us stay away from sin! When we need Him most we will seek Him the least because we feel unworthy and separated if we live with this erroneous mindset.
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When the Word is in our mouth (because our heart is full of the Word) we will avoid sin. The Word works! It keeps us from sin.
We walk with Him in peace and equity when we are living according to His covenant.
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peace: safe; well; happy; friendly. Welfare;health; prosperity; rest.
Peace - calm; tranquility; harmony; serenity.
equity: level; plain; straightforward. Impartiality; justice.
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When we are truly walking with Christ we will experience these things. We live in the opposite of these things when we are ignoring Christ / the Word / His covenant.
His covenant calls for reverence or living in awe of God. His covenant puts the focus on Christ rather than self and when we are truly focused on Christ we will live in awe of Him. We will be wowed by His goodness and grace.
The leaders or priests taught contrary to this truth - and it is the same today. This false teaching puts the focus on self. This false teaching instructs us to live by works and works have man as the focal point and that causes man to stumble. Living by works sets man up as his own idol. We must understand this.
Focus on self will never lead to the blessed life God designed us to live. Shifting our focus from self to Christ will change everything. Stress will melt away, fear will flee, anxiety will give way to calm and so much more! His covenant has always had Christ as the focus because we cannot live life with self center-stage and participate in His Divine nature at the same time. We need Christ! He produces every good thing we desire.
Hebrews 11:1 KJV
Now faith is the substance of things
hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
substance: a setting under; a support. Essence (core; most important feature); assurance.Confidence.
evidence: proof; re-proof (the proving again of a fact or certainty). Conviction; confirmation; verification; support. Facts.
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Faith is our assurance; it is our proof of what is to come; it is our very essence and we need to remember the true source of Spiritual faith and never deviate from that truth.
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Romans 10:17 KJV
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.
by: the channel of an act; through. Because of; by reason of. After; always; among; within.
Faith comes from hearing and hearing the Word and faith is substance and evidence so substance and evidence come from hearing the Word. All of the definitions for substance and evidence come from our consistent intake of the Word.
It is crucial for us to remember that faith is not a decision we make and it is not something we can earn or deserve. Spiritual faith is the fruit of the Word, period. It comes after you abide in the Word. Spiritual faith only comes from the Word. It is the result of the time we spend abiding in the Word.
Faith, if it is Spiritual, has one source and that is the Word of God.
We cannot produce Spiritual faith apart from Christ / the Word.
Spiritual faith is of God; it is not human; therefore, it will never fail. We will always see victory when Spiritual faith is active in our lives.
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1 John 5:4 KJV
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
Faith is our victory when it is born of God. And it will overcome whatever comes against it.
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overcometh: to subdue. To conquer; to overcome, defeat, rise above.
Prevail; reign. Get the victory.
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Spiritual faith (which comes from the Word) will subdue the flesh and all that it brings with it. Spiritual faith will enable you to conquer your flesh and rise above it.
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When we are "losing" and being ruled over in this life, we can know we lack Spiritual faith.
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Spiritual faith will enable you to reign in this life because of Jesus Christ.
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Romans 5:17 NIV
…those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
The abundant provision of grace is the Word - and consistently taking the Word in will produce Spiritual faith. The abundant provision of grace (the Word) is what enables us to overcome the flesh and reign in life - but we will not receive that abundant provision correctly if we do not also receive the gift of righteousness - we must receive the Word as the dearly loved, righteous children of God that we are!
Is the faith you possess born of God or was its source something else? If you are consistently feeling defeated, then you can know it is not born of God!
We all have faith - the question is,
What kind of faith do we possess?
James 2:17 NIV
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
If there is dead faith then there is also living faith. Dead faith does not produce anything of Spiritual value - that is why we need to stay put in the Word and let God show us the truth.
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Habakkuk 2:1 NIV
I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what He will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint.
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Habakkuk 2:1 NLT
I will climb up to my watchtower and stand at my guardpost. There I will wait to see what the LORD says and how He will answer my complaint.
What does God have to say about what you are complaining about? What does God have to say about what you are believing? Does your answer agree with His? If not, you need to switch gears. If your faith is not Spiritual or born of God, then you will remain defeated.
Spiritual, living faith will produce Spiritual fruit in your life because of its source. The Word (which is alive!) will never come back void and it will display itself in your life! For example: if you are struggling with fear and you are abiding in the Word on fearlessness, the Word will produce faith in your life and it also will produce peace, calm, joy, etc. Fear will be replaced by Spiritual fruit because anything contrary to the Word cannot abide in the presence of the Word. Spiritual faith is your victory over the fear - and every other fruit of the flesh.
Spiritual faith is lively and active; it will never be alone in your life; it will be accompanied by Spiritual fruit.
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2 Peter 1:5-7 NIV
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.
2 Peter 1:4 KJV
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
2 Peter 1:5 KJV
And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge…
giving: to bear in alongside; to introduce simultaneously.
diligence: speed; eagerness.
add: to furnish beside. To fully supply. Nourishment.
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Along with faith we are fully furnished and supplied with goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection and love, so you can know you are operating in Spiritual faith when Spiritual fruit is evident in your life. The Spiritual Seed of the Word will produce every good thing we will ever need. Spiritual fruit is always the result of the Word and it will never contradict the Word and it will never be unproductive in your life.
Spiritual faith is the result of the time we spend abiding in the Word (as a dearly loved, righteous child of God) and it is our confidence and our guarantee of God's good promises. Spiritual faith will support us and it will enable us to reign in life rather than suffer through it. Spiritual faith will always be accompanied by other Spiritual fruit and we will never be found lacking. Spiritual faith gives us victory over the flesh.
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Faithis Worth Fighting For
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Mark 4:22 NIV
For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open.
In the fourth chapter of Mark, Jesus is describing the Word of God and He calls it Seed. Seed is hidden in the ground but it’s eventually transformed into a plant that everyone can see. The same is true with the Word of God. We hide the Word in our hearts and it produces Spiritual fruit that’ll be visible in our lives after time – Seed, time, and harvest.
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When this process seems to be taking forever you must remember your need for the Word and that God has a plan for you. You may not see any signs of the promise but realize that something is transpiring that you cannot see. That seed that is hidden in your heart will one day take root and produce fruit that can be seen – just like the seed the farmer plants will one day become a visible crop.
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We must hold on to the Word instead of letting it go. We must keep our focus on the Word even when it feels like we’ve been abiding forever and nothing is happening. There will be plenty of times that you do not feel like focusing on the Word. There will be times that you feel like giving up because you cannot see any progress. During these times remind yourself that what is hidden will be revealed – God’s Word will be displayed in your life in God’s perfect timing!
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What's Hidden Will Be Revealed - Be Encouraged!
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Isaiah 54:17 KJV
No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.
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No weapon formed against you has the right to prosper because of your heritage, your inheritance.
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Numbers 23:8a KJV How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed?
curse: to scoop out. To malign (slander). Execrate
(detest; condemn; criticize; speak evil of). To stab
with words.
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"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."
- Eleanor Roosevelt (original source: the Word!)
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No weapon formed against us has the right to prosper but we can give up our rights, we can afflict ourselves.
And just because the enemy doesn't have the right, doesn’t mean he won't try.
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1 Peter 5:8-9 NLT Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith…
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Keep your Spiritual eyes open. Stay focused on the Word and that will strengthen your faith. As you come against the enemy, you must realize that the only weapon capable of bringing victory is the Word / Jesus Christ. Faith is the victory that overcomes the world (1 John 5:4). Satan may be looking for someone to devour, but that someone does not have to be you! When we realize he has no right, no authority, we will start to realize we can stand against him. We have authority over all the power of the enemy thanks to Jesus Christ.
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Luke 10:19 KJV Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
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We have been given power. Jesus Christ has given us power - the same power that raised Him from the dead is ours! Let's look at the definition of the power He has given to us:
power: privilege. Force. Capacity; competence; freedom; mastery; superhuman; token of control; potentate (someone with power and authority). Delegated influence: - authority, jurisdiction, liberty, power, right, strength.
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The power Jesus Christ has given to us is OVER all the power of the enemy. The power of the enemy is nothing compared to the power Christ has given us.
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power: force; miraculous power; strength; violence.
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In comparing the two definitions we see that our power is authoritative. It is backed by Jesus Christ and it is commanding. We can be confident that our power is greater than the enemy's. Satan may be roaming around, but we are filled with the power of God and he cannot stand against Jesus Christ!
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Tongues may rise against you -
tongue: tongue; speech. Babbler; evil speaker; wedge.
Tongues may rise against us but we need to see them for what they are - evil babblers trying to put a wedge between God and His children
You have the power to disprove the message of the evil babbler!
Tongues may rise against us but we have power and authority over every evil babbler!
Every tongue that rises up against us we condemn in judgment!
condemn: to disturb; to violate; to denounce or publicly
criticize and announce the termination of. To censure or officially disapprove or condemn; to revile or despise; look down on. Make trouble; vex.
judgment: final verdict - GOD'S final verdict for your life! The Word of God; His great and precious promises!
Use the Word! Use the final verdict for your life to disprove the enemy's evil babbling! Disturb satan's plan for you by the Word. Publicly announce his defeat by speaking the promises of God. When satan's evil babbling is voiced into your life, you need to promptly denounce it! Officially disapprove of what he is saying and make trouble for him instead of letting him make trouble for you!
Are you condemning the enemy or are you approving his message? Stop afflicting yourself! Use what God has given you! Your heritage is yours for the taking - you have the power and authority over all the power of the enemy and you can condemn everything that disagrees with the Word in your life.
No Weapon
What a Man - a Real Man
Ephesians 5:22-25
For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, His body, of which He is the Savior… wives should submit (respond) to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church & gave Himself up for her.
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The Bible says the man is the head ~ are you the head?
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head: (in the sense of seizing); the head (as the part most readily taken hold of)
The head takes the heat. He puts himself on the line for the family. If someone is attacking the family the husband is the head making him the part most readily taken hold of -- that is why the head needs to be strong! The wife puts herself under the husband & finds protection ~ she is not supposed to be the one in the family who takes the heat. She is not to be the part most readily taken hold of. The husband is to be the protection for his family.
A real man fights for his family & he fights for what is his in Christ!
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1 Sam 4:9
Be strong, Philistines! Be men, or you will be subject to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Be men, & fight!
A real man fights the enemy - he doesn’t lie down & die. He is not a slave to the enemy. He is not a slave to sin. He is a warrior in Christ.
Nehemiah 4:14
After I looked things over, I stood up & said to the nobles, the officials & the rest of the people, "Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great & awesome, & fight for your brothers, your sons & your daughters, your wives & your homes."
A real man fights for his family. He doesn’t hand them over to the enemy. And he fights for them through Christ! He remembers God, he remembers His promises, he uses the armor & the weapons God has given him!
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Dads - are you fighting for your families?
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Are you teaching them about the Lord? Are you teaching them who they are in Christ so they won’t fall for the lies that the world & satan tells them about who they are? Are you teaching them the importance of the Word by your life?
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Deuteronomy 4:9
Only be careful, & watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children & to their children after them.
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Deuteronomy 11:18-20
Fix these words of Mine in your hearts & minds; tie them as symbols on your hands & bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home & when you walk along the road, when you lie down & when you get up.
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A real man knows the Word, he loves the Word! It is part of who he is. The Word is his life & he shares it with his family.
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Psalm 78:3
What we have heard & known, what our fathers have told us.
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Dads - are you spending time praying for your family & claiming promises for them?
1 Chronicles 29:18-19
O LORD… give my son Solomon the wholehearted devotion to keep your commands, requirements & decrees…
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Do you take the time to pray for your children? Jesus thought it was important!
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Matthew 19:13
Then little children were brought to Jesus for Him to place his hands on them & pray for them…
We need to pray for our children - dad, you are the head, you are to be the covering -- keep your kids covered in prayer!
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Acts 2:39
The promise is for you & your children...
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Claim God’s promises for you & your children! There are so many promises & they are all awesome! Here’s just a few ~
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Isaiah 59:21
"As for Me, this is My covenant with them," says the LORD. "My Spirit, who is on you, & My words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of their descendants from this time on & forever," says the LORD.
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Psalm 115:14
May the LORD make you increase, both you & your children.
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Isaiah 49:25
But this is what the LORD says: "Yes, captives will be taken from warriors, & plunder retrieved from the fierce; I will contend with those who contend with you, & your children I will save."
Dads, you need to get into the Word & see what God has to say about your kids!
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Dads -are you fighting for your family with your words - words that build up, not words that tear down & destroy?
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Proverbs 12:18
Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
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Proverbs 18:21
The tongue has the power of life & death, & those who love it will eat its fruit.
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James 3:5
Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.
What you say to your children matters! Let God tame your tongue.
How you say what you say is just as important as what you are saying~
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Ephesians 6:4
Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training & instruction of the Lord.
Col 3:21
Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
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Dads - what are you doing for your family?
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"Just as Christ loved the church & gave himself up for her."
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Think of the things Christ does for the church ~ Christ is our protection - He takes the heat for us! He took our place! He took our sin on Himself! He puts a hedge of protection around us! No one can touch us without His permission, etc!
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God instructs the man to be the leader of the marriage relationship, of the family - & with being the leader comes great responsibility. And as the Spiritual leader you need to be Spiritually fit~ so get fit in the Word, Dad!
Risen
John 2:22
After He was raised from the dead, His disciples recalled what He had said. Then they believed the Scripture & the words that Jesus had spoken.
The disciples believed because they saw the proof.
John 20:29
Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, & yet have believed.
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We, however, were not there. We did not physically see Jesus after He was raised from the dead -- so guess what, we are BLESSED! Blessed because we haven’t seen, but we believe!
blessed: supremely blest;. fortunate, well off:--blessed, happy (-ier).
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What a time of celebration Easter is ~ It is the time we recall the resurrection of our Savior! We should think about it more than just at Easter, but Easter is a special celebration of the resurrection.
This Easter realize that you are blessed! You are supremely blessed - not just a little blessed! You are fortunate, well off, & happy! Easter is a time of rejoicing. Rejoicing about what Christ did for you that resurrection day.
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Luke 10:20
However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but
rejoice that your names are written in heaven.
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The most important gift we’ve been given as Christians is a home in heaven. And we need to be mindful of that home. We need to live for that home & not this earthly one. And we do that by living through the Word of God here on earth.
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Col 3:1
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
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Since we are risen with Christ we need to keep our focus on the Spiritual. This Easter think about the fact that you were risen with Christ!
Col. 2:12
Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead.
You also have been raised up to live a new life! A Spiritual life!
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Mat 27:64
Command therefore that the sepulcher be made sure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night, & steal Him away, & say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.
Remember, as a participant in this “risen livin’” nothing has the power to keep you down! No matter what anyone did, they could not keep Jesus down & the same goes for us!
Romans 8:11
And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.
Remember that you have resurrection power living inside of you! It is at work inside of you! There is nothing that can keep you down!
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As a child of God you have a right to live a resurrected life! Quit living that old dead life - that life in the flesh. Come to life! Live in the Spirit!
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1 Pet 1:3-5
Praise be to the God & Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, & into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
Recognize what is yours because of the resurrection side of the cross!
We have new birth!
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1 Pet 1:23
For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living & enduring word of God.
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We have living hope!
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Heb 6:18-20a
God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm & secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf.
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Our hope is alive --- it is impossible for God to lie so if our hope is in the Word of God (which is alive!) then our hope is alive! And this living,Spiritual faith that is based on God’s promises keeps us stable. It anchors our soul ~ our mind, our will, our emotions! We have an inheritance that will last forever!
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Eph 1:18-20
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, & His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead & seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms.
We can be shielded by God’s power through faith!
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Eph 6:16
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Faith shields us, faith puts out the fire the devil tries to make in your life. Faith ~ We need it & through the Word of God we can have it!
We have salvation in our future -- salvation: the totality of what Jesus did for us -- & we experience this in heaven!
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1 Cor 15:51-53
Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-- in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, & we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, & the mortal with immortality.
Because He’s alive we will also be truly alive one day - our flesh will cease to exist and we will experience eternity with our loving Savior! Now that is something to celebrate!!
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Are You Living a Cursed Life?
Matt 9:29
Then He touched their eyes & said, "According to your faith will it be done to you."
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Too many people are believing for the curses in their lives - and be it done according to your faith! We need to recognize what we are believing for. We all have faith; the question is, what kind – the faith that comes from the Word or faith from another source?
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If we are believing for things that are contrary to the Word of God our faith is of the flesh and we are in for fruit that is of the flesh.
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When we begin to experience the fruit of the flesh, we need to fight back with the Word of God - our Spiritual Seed. We were never meant to live cursed lives of the flesh.
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Psalms 142:7
Set me free from my prison, that I may praise Your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of Your goodness to me.
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The Psalmist says, “Set me free from my ‘prison!’” Not, “Oh Lord, this must be part of Your plan for me!” God’s plan does not include cursing His children, but somehow we have become of the mindset that it does and as we believe so we receive. Ideas and philosophies contrary to the Word teach us that these things God lists as curses make us “better” people because people misunderstand God’s Word. They take verses and twist them and they do not understand what some words really mean.
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1 Tim 1:7 AMP
They are ambitious to be doctors of the Law (teachers of the Mosaic ritual), but they have no understanding either of the words & terms they use or of the subjects about which they make [such] dogmatic assertions.
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Too many people quote the Word and have no idea what they are really talking about. How many times do people say it is Spiritual to suffer and they will use verses to back them up - but they do not understand that the actual meanings of the words in the verses they are dogmatic about. The words have nothing to do with suffering in the way they think it does. Every good and perfect gift is from above - not evil gifts!
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People will say curses were good for them, that they taught them something, but that is not what God says – God says a wise person learns from a word and a foolish person has to learn from their circumstances. (The foolish person is the person who lives in the flesh.) The curses are never “good” for us and when we’re experiencing a cursed circumstance we need to rebuke that curse in the name of Jesus Christ! We ARE blessed in Jesus Christ and we need to proclaim it! We need to find all the verses we can that prove we are blessed. He became a curse for us so we wouldn’t have to put up with living under the curses anymore!
If you are not in agreement with the curses and your situation is still contrary to the blessings, it means your faith is being tested. That means we have to FIGHT the contrary situation THROUGH THE WORD!
Be encouraged when you find yourself in a time of testing – a test always precedes promotion! We cannot move on without being proficient in the situation we are in now. Stay focused on God's Word until it comes to pass in your life!
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Do not be deceived into believing a curse is part of God’s plan for you! When satan comes knocking and asks you, “Did God really say…?” you must answer emphatically, “YES, HE DID!!”
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For example, in Deuteronomy 15:4, God boldly declared that there shouldn’t be any poor among His people; yet, there are plenty of verses where God tells us how to treat the poor among us. Is God contradicting Himself? Was God’s promise of wealth not a valid one? No – He tells us not everyone will have faith and that is what inherits His promises or His blessings. Why are churches going under? Why are God’s people trapped in poverty? Because we will not get in agreement with His promises in the area of our finances - and being in agreement only comes from abiding in the Word. If God’s Word boldly promises provision and we’re not walking in it(outside of faith being tested), is God wrong or are we? We need to get over the fear of what people may say if we talk about money, we need to get over what we may have been taught about money, we need to get over our mindsets that are contrary to the Word of God’s philosophy on money, and we need to focus on Christ! In a time of famine God’s people should be prospering and if we aren't then we need to get in agreement with God's promises on provision.
We are blessed by the Word of God – by His promises!
Prov 3:33 AMP
The curse of the Lord is in & on the house of the wicked, but He declares blessed (joyful & favored with blessings) the home of the just & consistently righteous.
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God blesses us by SAYING – and faith comes by HEARING. It is all about faith; or in other words, our intake of the Word. Some say faith isn’t enough because some people say, “I believe” and nothing happens – but they don’t understand the difference between living faith and dead faith! We can have dead faith - faith that is not producing any Spiritual fruit. As we continue in the Word, our faith becomes active and alive and it is on display in our lives - we will see the fruit of faith that comes from our intake of the Word.
When we do not understand the difference between dead faith and living faith, we tend to try explain what God is saying– we don’t need to help God; He explains Himself just fine; we just need to study!
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When God says it is faith and patience that inherit His promises that is what He means – we do not have to add to it and tell people how they have to believe AND do something about what they believe. God tells us that Spiritual faith will automatically produce action, so why would we try to add an action to faith when faith already has action attached to it? The Word is referred to as the seed – if you want a carrot, you don’t plant a carrot, you plant a carrot seed. People tell people to give money if they need a financial breakthrough – what God says is you need Seed ~ the Word of God on money! The more you abide in what the Word says on money, the more of a giver you will become~ automatically!
Faith comes from the Word and faith is what produces the Spiritual actions in us! Stop living a cursed life by living in the Word!
Find out what God says about blessing you!!
LOVE
John 14:15
If ye love Me,
keep My commandments.
Love - it can be so confusing if we do not understand the Word of God. Love - how do we show our love to God? Is it by "doing" His commandments? If so, what about when we aren't "doing" His commandments? Some people look at this verse and misinterpret it and think that if they really loved God they would do all the
commandments -- we need to see the truth behind this verse!
In order to do this we have to go back to the original language the Bible was written in and take a deeper look at a couple words.
KEEP: to guard by keeping the eye upon; to detain (in custody; fig. to maintain); to withhold --hold fast, keep (-er),
(ob-, pre-, re) serve, watch. Hedge about as with thorns.
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COMMANDMENTS: His Word.
Keeping His commandments means we keep our eyes on His Word. We guard it in our lives, we would rather die than lose the Word in our lives.
When we misunderstand the Word we get wrong ideas. Just like with this verse - if we go around thinking that if we love Christ we’ll do everything right, we will be in big trouble!
We first need to realize we love Him ONLY because He first loved us! We cannot take credit or feel good about ourselves for loving God -- it’s only because of Him that we love Him anyway! He even gets the credit for us loving Him!
1 John 4:19
We love Him, because He first loved us.
Do not put the pressure of doing things right to prove your love for God on yourself. Realize you can only do right because of Christ!
John 3:21
But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.
Apart from Christ we can do nothing of Spiritual value (John 15:5) and we need to realize that ASAP! Depending on yourself, thinking you can love God enough to do right, etc. will cause you nothing but grief. And love is not about grief! Love is something we need to be excited about!!
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Rom 7:18
I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
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I can WILL to do right, but I cannot PERFORM it! My desire is my intent. But it takes more than intent ~
Rom 7:20
Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
It takes content, not intent - what I am filling myself with will come out of me in the form of actions, words, thoughts, and so on. If I am filling myself with the Word then my Spiritual nature will be revealed in my daily life.
1 John 4:9 AMP
In this the love of God was made manifest (displayed) where we are concerned: in that God sent His Son, the only begotten or unique [Son], into the world so that we might live through Him.
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God’s love is displayed when I choose to focus on Christ / the Word. I am allowing Him to shine through me instead of taking center stage myself when I focus on Him and His love for me.
What love! God sent His Son into this fallen world so that I could live a risen, Spiritual life.
If I am ignoring the Word, I only have my flesh to draw from and it produces sin. When I am operating in my flesh I will sin. If I am operating in my Spiritual nature I won’t. It's that simple.
Numbers 32:23
…be sure your sin will find you out.
Our sin finds us out~ it shows us what we’re really made of. It shows us who we really are outside of Christ. If we are in sin it shows us we are not in the Spirit. Our sin points out our desperate need for Jesus Christ / the Word. Find means come forth -- it brings your flesh to the forefront. It proves how much you need to fill yourself up with the Word.
If He didn’t love us we’d be hopeless! We would be nothing but a mess!
Psalm 66:20
Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld His love from me!
Because of His love for me I can go to Him any time! I do not have to feel guilty and ashamed and stay away from Him.
Heb. 10:19 (ampl.)
Therefore, brethren, since we have full freedom & confidence to enter into the [Holy of] Holies [by the power & virtue] in the blood of Jesus.
We have FULL freedom from sin! Confidence in Christ!
We don’t have to be afraid to go to God because of our sin - if we did we’d never be able to go to Him!! (we’re in sin way more often than we’d like to think and like to admit - Rom. 14:23)
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We need to remember we are NOT going to God based on us - we can only go to Him THROUGH CHRIST! That is why my sin cannot separate me from Him! It’s my wrong thinking that keeps me from Him!!
1 John 3:20 (KJV)
For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, & knoweth all things.
We need to get on the same page that God is on! He is not condemning us. He sees us as “blameless and upright” because of Jesus Christ. We need to get in agreement with God because on then will we go boldly to the throne like God tells us to.
1 John 3:21 (KJV)
Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
We need to see ourselves the way God sees us. When we do then we will have confidence -- confidence in Christ, not ourselves -- and we need confidence!
Prov 3:26
For the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared.
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Heb 10:35
So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.
Our confidence needs to be based on His love!
Ephesians 2:3-5
All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved.
Because of His love we do not have to live that same old life any more!
We don’t have to follow our flesh - we don’t have to give in to it’s desires any more. We can now be led by the Spirit! And we can now live the life Christ died for us to live -- not that dead life, but that alive life.
That life that is courtesy of the Spirit!
That life courtesy of LOVE - not us!
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Where are you headed? And are you enjoying the journey?
Eccl 5:18-20 (NASB)
Here is what I have seen to be good & fitting: to eat, to drink & enjoy oneself in all one's labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward. Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches & wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them & to receive his reward & rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God. For he will not often consider the years of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart.
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It is "good & fitting" for us to enjoy our life! Some people do not feel like they have the right to enjoy their life, but God’s Word tells us the opposite is true -as a matter of fact, Jesus came so we would have a good life! That’s His gift to us!
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John 10:10 (NASB)
… I (JESUS CHRIST!) came that they might have life, & might have it abundantly.
John 10:10 (NCV)
… but I came to give life--life in all its fullness.
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God gives each of us the ability to enjoy what we do & what we have. He wants us to forget the past & move on in Christ. Living in the past will keep us from enjoying today.
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Isa 54:4
"Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth & remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.
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Gen 41:51
Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh & said, "It is because God has made me forget all my trouble & all my father's household."
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He wants us to be so joyful now that we do not look back! He is not looking back. He is not holding our sin against us.
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Isa 65:16 (NASB)
Because he who is blessed in the earth shall be blessed by the God of truth… Because the former troubles are forgotten, & because they are hidden from My sight!
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If God is done with it we should be, too! He wants us to be too happy inside to even have time to consider being sad, depressed, condemned, feeling guilty, etc. Guilt is debilitating. It will imprison you if you let it. That is why God wants to set you free. He wants your heart to be "occupied with gladness!!"
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Psa 45:15
They are led in with joy & gladness…
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Isa 35:10
…the ransomed of the LORD will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness & joy will overtake them, & sorrow & sighing will flee
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GOD wants us to enjoy life - but something happens …life becomes less & less enjoyable. WHY? What bugs us? What can really ruin our day? What / who steals our joy?
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Satan tries to steal your joy! And he uses whatever works. From car trouble to a broken marriage and everything in between. He will use whatever works - and you determine what he is able to use. We have to remain focused on Christ and trust Him with every area of our lives. When we realize His love for us and the good plan He has for us, we can rest in Him no matter the circumstances. It may be a fight - but it is a fight worth fighting! Go to the Word and find God's promises for whatever is coming against you. Fight your trial with the Word of God. God can turn any situation around!
God wants us to enjoy our life so why don't we? Because we give in to satan's plan for our life~
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John 10:10 (NASB)
The thief comes only to steal, & kill, & destroy…
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Why does he want to steal our joy? What does he care? He wants to steal our joy because he knows it is our STRENGTH & he wants you to be a weak, wimpy Christian!
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Neh 8:10
Nehemiah said, "Go & enjoy choice food & sweet drinks, & send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."
Joy is Strength! We’re strongest when we are the most joyful!
Joy is not based on situations or circumstances or others - it is based on JESUS CHRIST! It is a fruit of His Spirit that lives within us, so we have joy if we’ve received Christ~ the question is "Do we believe it?!"
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Are you receiving His joy? Are you filling yourself with His Word? That is how we receive His joy.
Be strong in the LORD! Remain focused on Christ and receive His strength.
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Psa 28:7
The LORD is my strength & my shield; my heart trusts in Him, & I am helped. My heart leaps for joy & I will give thanks to Him in song.
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1 Chr 16:27 (NASB)
…Strength & joy are in His place.
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Psa 84:5 (NCV)
Happy are those whose strength comes from You…
God's plan for us is awesome! And it includes strength and joy! Satan loves it when we are weak & helpless! Don't give in to his plan for your life. Fight depression, guilt, and anything that drains you and disagrees with the Word.
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Remember the Bible says we are in a war & we cannot fight effectively in a war when we are weak!
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Psa 22:11, 15
Do not be far from me, for trouble is near & there is no one to help. My strength is dried up like a potsherd…
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Prov 17:22 (NCV)
… a broken spirit drains your strength.
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When we lack joy we are miserable!
Satan knows joy makes others want what we have in Christ!
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Acts 16:24-30
…About midnight Paul & Silas were praying & singing hymns to God, & the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, & everybody's chains came loose. The jailer woke up, & when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword & was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!" The jailer called for lights, rushed in & fell trembling before Paul & Silas. He then brought them out & asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
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Do others want what you have?! Can your life set someone else free or are you in bondage yourself?
If you are a joyful person that says a lot about you - it says your trust & hope are in God & satan wants you to be an unbelieving believer! A joyful person is a person who trusts God & can have joy no matter what is going on around them!
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Phil 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
Rom 12:12 (NCV)
Be joyful because you have hope. Be patient when trouble comes, & pray at all times.
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Rejoice in Tribulation - because our hope is in GOD!! Expect Him to do what needs done in your life because He promises in His Word that He will.
Fight those feelings of fear, sadness, and weakness with the Word!!
Happy New Year!
It's a new year, but any day can be a new beginning!
Ecclesiastes 11:4 (NLT)
Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.
We will never have perfect circumstances and we will never have perfect conditions. Life isn't perfect, but our God is! He is limitless; our circumstances do not discourage Him in the least. We look for the perfect moment, the perfect chance, but God tells us to look for Him.
God tells us to remain focused on things of eternal value rather than the temporary (Colossians 3:2) and that is just what we must do if we're ever going to take a step of faith. Faith is based on God's Word, not what we can see. Faith is based on God's Word, not our circumstances. Faith is based on what our God can do - not what we can do on our own. Our God can make a way where there is no way - we simply need to believe it. "Simply believing it" is not some we can do on our own. Faith comes from hearing the Word, so we need the Word if we are going to have faith. We need the Word on our God's ability if we are going to ignore our circumstances. We need to fill ourselves with His boundless promises. We need to be in agreement with our God when He says nothing is impossible for Him. The more we take in His Word regarding His power, the less we will be controlled by our circumstances.
What are you waiting for right now? What do you feel limited by? Your God is waiting for you to come to Him. He is waiting for you to set your mind on what He can do, rather than your ability.
Today is your day!
Jesus is the Gift that Keeps on Giving
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John 1:16 AMP
For out of His fullness (abundance) we have all received [all had a share & we were all supplied with] one grace after another & spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing & even favor upon favor & gift [heaped] upon gift.
Jesus is the gift that keeps on giving! Out of His fullness or completeness we can receive blessing after blessing.
It is important for us to realize that even though we have been supplied with all of the grace, favor & blessing we need, we have to receive it – just like any gift.
Psa 106:24-25 AMP
Then they spurned & despised the pleasant & desirable land [Canaan]; they believed not His word [neither trusting in, relying on, nor holding to it]; but they murmured in their tents & hearkened not to the voice of the Lord.
Spurning & despising mean to cast off or refuse. The Israelites doubted God’s promise regarding the promised land thereby refusing the promise. How many Christians are rejecting the promises God has made because they do not believe the Word?
Gal 5:2 AMP
…Christ will be of no profit (advantage, avail) to you [for if you distrust Him, you can gain nothing from Him].
Faith brings promises to pass; faith that comes from the Word! Our doubt = our refusal of receiving the promise!
Too many Christians are believing their situation over the Word! We add our take on things & our take includes our doubt & unbelief (usually because of our circumstances). God wanted to provide the Israelites with everything - when they didn’t see it as fast as they wanted to, doubt kicked in. Can we relate?!
Psa 106:13 AMP
But they hastily forgot His works; they did not [earnestly] wait for His plans [to develop] regarding them.
We hear of God’s promises & we experience blessings along the way to those promises in the same way the Israelites did. Unfortunately, many times, we forget about those blessings along the way like they did & we grow weary of waiting. Forgetting how blessed you truly are & all God has done for you inhibits faith.
The Bible tells us that faith & patience bring about the promises. Patience is not always a joy ride - but it is worth the trip; too many Christians turn back! The Israelites were promised this land & they believed it was theirs until they encountered some trials along the way. They began to reject the very thing God promised, just like many Christians today. We reject the idea of being blessed physically since sickness is so prevalent. We cast off being debt free because everyone has bills. We refuse the promise of ruling & reigning in this life because living “one down under” has just been our way of life... & so on!
Because they refused to believe, they murmured. Those who refuse God’s promises murmur against God or murmur against those who do, in fact, accept God’s promises.
James 4:1-2 AMP
What leads to strife (discord & feuds) & how do conflicts (quarrels & fightings) originate among you?...You are jealous & covet [what others have] & your desires go unfulfilled; [so] you become murderers. [To hate is to murder as far as your hearts are concerned.] You burn with envy & anger & are not able to obtain [the gratification, the contentment, & the happiness that you seek], so you fight & war. You do not have, because you do not ask.
Feuds arise between those who believe God’s Word wholeheartedly & those who don’t because some Christians have decided it would be better to not expect too much from God even though He tells us to boldly ask! We need to remember, He made the promises; they are HIS idea! He’ s longing to be good to us! He WANTS us to receive the promises!
John 16:24 NIV
Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask & you will receive, & your joy will be complete.
Receiving His promises makes our joy complete –- what else do we know about joy?
Psalms 16:11 NIV
You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence…
Joy is found in His presence & joy is made complete when I receive; therefore, receiving & being in His presence are one in the same.
It is time for God’s children to read the Word of God & find out just exactly what He has promised us!
1 Chron 16:15 KJV
Be ye mindful always of His covenant; the word [which] He commanded to a thousand generations.
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His covenant is His Word or His promises & we’re to be mindful of it. Meditate on what’s yours in the Word of God. Faith comes from hearing the Word & faith will make those promises a reality!
Don’t give up on ANY of the promises God has made in His Word! He is not a man that He should lie! He is NOT limited by circumstances! And it doesn’t matter if you are the only one who believes!
Rom 3:3-4 AMP, KJV
What if some did not believe & were without faith? Does their lack of faith & their faithlessness nullify & make ineffective & void the faithfulness of God & His fidelity [to His Word]? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar…
You don’t need any man to get on board with you! All you need is the Word of God! God has made radical promises – abide in His Word & experience the gift that keeps on giving!