GOD WILLS TO CALM THE STORM IN YOUR LIFE

“In the multitude of my (anxious) thoughts within me, Your comforts cheer and delight my soul!—Psalms 94:19 (Amplified)

 

I personally do not know of anyone who has not experienced a time of testing and trials, in their life.  The Apostle Paul gave us an example of his mind set concerning what he was going through when he wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 that, “We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken, struck down, but not destroyed.”  In essence he was saying, we may be going through hard times, but we are not going to be overwhelmed by them.  Today you may be experiencing some difficult times, but I want to encourage you.   You Are Going To Make It!  God will never leave you, nor forsake you.  He will never leave your side.  He is always with you, always willing to calm the storms of life. 

 

A man brought his son to Jesus’ disciples for a mute spirit to be cast out.  The disciples did not have any success in casting out the mute spirit, so when Jesus came up to see what was happening, He asked the scribes what were they talking about.  The father replied that he had brought his son for deliverance of a mute spirit that would seize his son, throw him to the ground, and cause him to foam at the mouth and gnash his teeth.  Jesus had the son brought to him, and told the father when he questioned if Jesus could cast out the spirit, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes” (Mark 9:14-27). 

 

Although the father had witnessed the distressing trial of the demon spirit seizing his son from time-to-time, the father still called out for help.  Jesus is still responding to the call for help even when times seem the darkest saying, “if you can believe, all things are possible.”  Furthermore, Jesus is not intimidated when the devil puts on a show.  The Scripture says that the enemy goes about as a roaring lion…he is not a lion. When your heart seems to be overwhelmed with anxious thoughts, remember that the Father has never left your side.  Reach out to Him with faith today; He is the peace in the storm.

 

Prayer—Father I thank You that You are always with me even when I am not aware of Your presence. You are there, in Jesus Name, Amen.         

REFOCUSING HELPS US HEAR GOD

“Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” – Psalms 46:10

 

A busy lifestyle is one of the reasons why a person does not hear the voice of God better.  He is speaking to us in a variety of ways, but often it’s drowned out amid all the turmoil of our daily lives. Our ego’s often push us into too many commitments and busyness that complicate our lives and drain us physically.  We make unnecessary commitments since it is easy to mistake the voice of flattery, for the voice of God.  Although God is constantly speaking to us, we often do not hear Him because of our constant activities.

 

In Psalms 146:10 “Be still,” means to stop all activity of talking, doing, and going.  “And know,” means to refocus on Him; stop trying to please everybody.  “That I am God,” speaks to us so that we can recognize the fact that we cannot be everywhere, be everything to everybody, and we are not as great as we or others may think that we are.  We can never be as great as He is.  I appreciate something a dear friend told me that the Lord had spoken to her, “Get over yourself.”  Let’s “get over ourselves,” and return our focus to hearing Him. 

 

Prayer—Dear Lord, I ask you to help me put you as the center of all of my activities, and to give up the distractions in my life that exalt themselves above you, in Jesus Name, Amen.

 

 

QUESTIONS HELPS US UNDERSTAND

“But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strife’s.”—2 Timothy 2:23

When you study Luke chapter one, you will notice a difference between two hearts.     Zacharias, a priest, and Mary, a young soon to be married virgin woman, were each visited by Gabriel, God’s angel, who came to deliver a prophetic message to them both.  Each was told that they would experience a miraculous birth of a son, and each was told what to name their child; however, upon contrasting these two experiences, you can discover a startling difference by the question each asked the angel.  Zacharias asked Gabriel how a thing like this could be, since both he and his wife were beyond childbearing age.  Because Zacharias’ question was asked in unbelief and in scorn, he was struck dumb until the birth of his son (Luke 1: 18-20).  Although Mary asked a similar question, she was asking the question to gain information, not with a doubting heart.  Therefore the angel gave to her, the answer to her question (Luke 1:26-38). 

There is nothing wrong in asking God questions.  He wants you to understand.  So when God speaks to you through His Word, or by His Spirit or by an angelic messenger, ask questions if you do not understand.  From time-to-time, we all may experience problems with understanding the ways of God.  He says, “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘ For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thought than your thoughts’” (Isaiah 55: 8-9).  You need wisdom that only God can give, and He does not mind if you ask questions, as long as you ask with sincerity in your heart.

 

Prayer—Father thank you that I have assurance that when I need your wisdom and understanding that I can ask of You, and you will give it to me, in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

LOVE IDENTIFIES WHO YOU ARE

“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”—John 13:35

 

I received a testimony from a woman who thanked me for praying with her concerning the salvation of her husband.  She contacted me several times over the years; we prayed that her husband would come to the saving knowledge of Christ.  He would accompany her to church from time-to-time, pastors would stop and present the gospel to him; however, nothing seemed to make a difference in her husband’s attitude.  Finally in exasperation, she told the Lord that she was just going to stop nagging him about going to church and living right. She would continue to pray for him, for she knew that it was His will for everyone to be saved, but she had said and threatened him with everything she knew.   She said that it felt like a big weight fell off her back when she decided to quit nagging him.  She began to be a nicer person and do extra things for him that demonstrated how she really felt about him.  After a few weeks, her husband began to notice and asked her why she was treating him so nice.  She replied, “Because I love you.”  Not long after that conversation with her husband, he went with her to church and received Christ’s salvation.

 

When we talked she was excited about her husband’s conversion, and asked me, after all these years, what I thought made such a huge change in his attitude.  I replied to her that the Scripture tells us that love covers a multitude of sins, and that some people are won by the conduct in which we live our lives (I Peter 4:8; 3:1). 

 

Jesus said that the one characteristic that would cause the world to identify us as His followers was our love for one another.  According to Jesus, the unity of believers through a genuine God-kind of love is the greatest tool of evangelism for the church.  Although the early church did not have the massive organizational structures that we see in the world today, nor the huge financial resources spend in campaigns for outreaches, they had evangelized the known world in less than thirty years. In fact the pagans of Thessalonica said of Paul and his companions, “these that have turned the world upside down have come here too” (Acts 17:6).

 

Jesus gave what is called “the Great Commission” to the church in Matthew 28:19-20.  “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  The fulfillment of the Great Commission will take place as we walk in love towards one another.  We are not to seek what is best for ourselves; but, in honor, we are to prefer our brothers and sisters and seek what is best for them.  Let love speak volumes through your life.

 

Prayer—Father I ask you to show me how I can express my love for my brothers and sisters, in Jesus Name. Amen

GOD PROVISION FOR LONELINESS

 “…for He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’”—Hebrews 13:5

 

People all over the world struggle with loneliness; however human beings were not designed to walk through this world alone.  God said that it was not good for man to be alone so He created him a helper, “And the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him’” (Genesis 2:18).  Loneliness can cripple a person emotionally and spiritually.  We are made for relationship, which God gladly supplies.  

 

Have you ever noticed that throughout Jesus’ life that He would say things like, “I must be about my Father’s business,” and “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working?” (Luke 2:49, John 5:17).   He was the first person that ever called God His Father, and through this we see how His life demonstrated that intimate connection with the Heavenly Father.  The Heavenly Father desires our companionship just like He did in the Garden before the fall.  In the Garden, He called out to Adam and Eve seeking them, “Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, ‘Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9).  God has not changed; He is still seeking those who are separated from Him and feel alone, “For the son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).  Only Christ can fill the void of loneliness in your life.  No man, no woman, no child, no object, or animal was ever created to take the place in our hearts that is reserved for God Himself.  He has said, “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3).

 

Although our source of intimate connection is to the Father, He has provided for our need to have emotional support and companionship through people.  The church is designed to meet our need for person-to-person intimacy.  A spiritual body works much like a human body—parts are both independent and interdependent, each needing others in order to function well.  We require support from our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Paul admonished people to accept one another, “Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God,” bear each other’s burdens, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill he law of Christ,” and avoid judging, “Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way” (Romans 14:13). 

 

You may be experiencing the enemy’s pressure of loneliness and isolation; however, the Lord stressed His constant presence because He knows our need for assurance, especially when we feel deserted or isolated (Matthew 28:20; Joshua 1:5).  Even when we feel that we are alone and that no one cares, nothing can compare to drawing near to God “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you…” (James 4:8).  God wants every believer to completely trust that He is near.  And in case we forget that the Lord is near, He gave the Bible this consistent theme: I love you and I am with you always.  People need one another—Look around you and allow the Holy Spirit to use you to bear another’s burden in some way.  When we help others, our problems do not look as big.

 

Prayer—Father I thank You for reminding me that You are with me always.  I ask You to open my eyes to see someone that I can help with the resources that You have given to me, in Jesus Name. Amen.

ALLOW LOVE TO FLOW THROUGH YOU AND BEAR FRUIT

“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”—1 John 4:19

 

The body of Christ must return to their revelation of how Christ first loved them.  This is one of the issues that Christ addressed in Revelation 2:4, “Nevertheless, I have this against you, that you have left your first love.”

 

Often, the preaching and teaching is centered on how we should love others.  Although this is certainly appropriate, the greatest and most distinguishing characteristic of a true Christian is their love for the brethren, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).  A true revelation of how much God loves us gives us the ability to genuinely love others.  Trying to do so without a vibrant, experiential love within us is like trying to give someone a drink from a well that has ran dry.  It can not be done! 

 

The Christian life is not just hard to live; it is impossible to live in our own strength.  True Christianity is not you and I living for Jesus, but Jesus living through us, “I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).  Nowhere is this more apparent than in loving people.  The kind of love that Jesus commands including turning the other cheek (Matthew 5:39) and forgiving those who crucify us (Luke 23:34).  This kind of love is humanly impossible.  It can only be done through allowing the supernatural love of God to flow through you. 

 

Therefore, loving others is the fruit—not the root—of God’s love for you.  As you return to the joy of understanding how much God loves you the way you did when you first received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you will love others more than you have before. 

 

Prayer—Father thank You for loving me and giving me a fresh revelation of how much You love me so that I can love others as You have loved me, in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

THE ENDURING WORD OF GOD TURNS HOPELESS SITUATIONS AROUND

“For you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.”—1 Peter 1:23

 

Today, the Holy Spirit has directed me to write to you about the “enduring Word of God.”  The word “endure” means to last, survive over a period of time, and continue.  In Genesis chapter 1, we discover how God created the heavens, the earth, and everything in the earth, under the earth, and above the earth—He spoke it into existence.  Luke chapter 1 tells us about Jesus’ conception.  The way He was born of a virgin was the same way that God created the universe.  God said that it will be done and it was done.  It is not impossible for God to perform His every declaration.  Mary, Jesus’ mother, asked the angel, “How” it could be possible for her a virgin to conceive a child when she never had a sexual union with a man?  She did not doubt, but only asked, “How.”  After she heard, “How,” she simply replied, “…be it done unto me according to thy word…”  She agreed with the Word, establishing that fact upon the earth, and it came into being.   

 

Today’s text, “For you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God” (1 Peter 1:23), shows us how we become born again.  The “re-birth” of our human spirit takes place because the Word of God lodged in our spirit.  It then caused us to act upon the Word, and we are born again.  At that moment, we become “born again” a brand new creation—the righteousness of God.  We heard the Word, it became planted into our spirit which caused us to become a new creation, because the Word of God declared it and no Word of His returns void.

 

Today, many people are facing situations that seem hopeless; but I want to encourage you—just speak the Word of God.  His Word is with Power, it will not return to you void, it will accomplish what it is sent forth to do it will succeed, “So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, and without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11 NAS).  God’s Word has enduring power.  It will survive, it will continue, it will succeed.  For those whose children who have gone astray, remember the Word is not corruptible.  Begin to speak those positive Words over your children; such as, my child (children) will not be given to another land, my children are the righteousness of God, etc.  Whatever your situation, begin to call those things that are not as though they are.  Say to the mountain, “Be removed and be cast into the sea.”   

 

Prayer—Father I thank You that Your Word is incorruptible and that it lives within me and that it is enduring.  Lord, I lift up my mountain of ___________________and I call it removed and cast into the sea, in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

 

 

GOD ASKS’ US TO GIVE

“Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves, a good foundation for the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life”—1 Timothy 6:17-19

 

The more skilled you are at a task, the more you’ll enjoy it. For instance, when an orchestra adeptly plays a masterpiece, an accomplished musician will derive greater pleasure from listening than would a person with an untrained ear. You might be surprised to learn that the same is true of giving.

God has many reasons for asking us to give. First, by returning a portion of our wealth to the Lord, we are acknowledging that everything actually belongs to Him, “For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills…For the world is Mine and all its fullness” (Psalm 50:10, 12b).   Second, giving is a way to obey, “Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring Me an offering, from everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering” (Exodus 25:2).  Third, when we contribute to a ministry or reach out to help the needy, we participate in kingdom work, which brings deep joy. Fourth, our offerings are an opportunity for God to reveal His character; as we demonstrate generosity, He faithfully provides for our needs and blesses us abundantly, “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8).   Over and over again, the saying, “You can’t out-give God” proves true.

Giving involves more than money. God has blessed us with talents, time, and resources— along with plenty of opportunities to share them with others. It is important to rely on the Holy Spirit’s guidance so we will know what, to whom, and how much we should give.

Remember, the Lord is continuously giving to us: salvation, comfort, encouragement, breath, life, and countless other blessings. We are indebted to Him and should give back, not just out of obligation, but with gratitude and joy, “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).  Ask God to reveal any selfishness or or other hindrance to sharing—and to help you become more skilled at giving.

Prayer—Father I thank You for the blessing of giving.  I ask You to reveal any selfishness or hindrance in my life that holds me back from giving and sharing what You have given to Me, in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

 

YOUR HEART IS WHAT MATTERS TO GOD

“And He said, ‘what comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from with, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. Al these evil things come from within and defile a man.”—Mark 7:20-23

 

The outward appearance of a person is not important.  It is the condition of a person’s heart that matters to God.  However, mankind has not always understood this.  The covenant of circumcision was give to Abram in Genesis 17:9-14.  God said that any man who did not carry this sign of the covenant in his flesh was to be killed.  This placed a great importance on the act of circumcision.  The Apostle Paul tells us that Abraham had already been justified by faith before he was circumcised, in Romans 4:3-13.  Abram’s faith in God and His promise saved him at least thirteen years before He commanded Abram to be circumcised.

 

Down through the centuries, the Jews turned their focus to the outward act of circumcision instead of the inward act of faith as the reason for salvation.  This was a source of contention between Jesus and the religious leaders too.  They emphasized all the outward acts the Lord had commanded and were totally disregarding the condition of their hearts.  Jesus said that if an individual would cleanse their heart, their actions would inevitably change too. 

 

The condition of a person’s flesh is not the important thing.  God is interested in a person’s heart, not if their flesh has been circumcised or not.  Today, the religious questions center around the doctrine of water baptism, church membership, and other outward acts that some preach are necessary for salvation. 

 

Your faith in the love of God, as expressed through Jesus on the Cross and in His resurrection is the only thing God demands for your justification.  Religious rites mean nothing when it comes to salvation.  Your heart is what matters to God.  You can rejoice today that your heart safely trust in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. 

 

Prayer—Father I thank You that my heart is right with You and because it is out of the abundance of my heart my mouth will utter things that are pleasing to You, in Jesus Name. Amen.

BECOME A FIT VESSEL

“But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor.  Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.”   –2  Timothy 2:20-21

 

In Luke 1: 26 - 37, is the account of the immaculate conception of Jesus.  There was and is only one Immaculate Conception; however as we read these scriptures, we can gain an understanding of the vessel that God chose to make His deposit in that would change the world. 

 

“Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David.  The virgin’s name was Mary.  And having come in, the angel said to her, ‘Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!’   But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.  Then the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.  He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.  And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.’  Then Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I do not know a man?’  And the angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.  Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren.  For with God nothing will be impossible.’  Then Mary said, ‘Behold the maidservant of the Lord!  Let it be to me according to your word.’  And the angel departed from her.”

 

The Vessel must be Spiritual Fit—In verse 28, we learn that Mary was spiritual fit, “And having come in, the angel said to her, ‘Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!’  Herbert Lockyer writes in his book, All the Women of the Bible that when the angel, Gabriel, declared to Mary that, “the Lord is with you,” he was saying that Mary was spiritual fit to receive that honor.  He went on to say that, “Augustine says that, ‘Mary first conceived Christ in her heart by faith, before she conceived in the womb,’ and the testimony of Elisabeth expresses and stamps the whole character of the Virgin, ‘Blessed is she that believeth,’ implying that she wore the crown of faith above all others.”

 

The Vessel is Selected by God—verse 30 tells us that God had selected the vessel who would carry His son, “Then the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.”  You have been selected by God, not rejected.  Scripture tells us that humankind, meaning male and female were created in the likeness of God, “male and female, created He them.”  You are a result of precise, careful, expert planning.  You are a remarkable special individual.  You are the only one God has like you.  There is a distinct purpose for you life.    I love the line in the movie “The Help” where the maid is teaching the little girl about self-value.  She taught her to say out-loud to herself, “I is smart, I is beautiful, I is important.”  You are one of a kind custom made individual created for a purpose.

 

The Vessel Trust’s God—verse 34-37, “Then Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I do not know a man?’  And the angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.  Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren.  For with God nothing will be impossible.’”  Mary knew God and trusted Him. She had heard prophesies concerning the coming Messiah, and immediately went to see her cousin Elizabeth after the angel left.  The issue with most individual’s today is that they do not trust God.  When you have a deep intimate relationship with the Father God, trust is not an issue.  Redemption helps us to discover the true nature of trust.  The true nature of trust does no mean that we are taken in by other people or false spirits that are pretending to be something that they are not. 

 

The Vessel must Activate God’s plan—verse 38, “Then Mary said, ‘Behold the maidservant of the Lord!  Let it be to me according to your word.’  And the angel departed from her.”  Mary agreed with God’s plan.  She did not question what the details or her life would be like—pregnant with out marriage.  Or what impact that her decision would have on her relationship with Joseph, her finance, her parents and family members.  What the people of the village would say or think about her.  She did not question if her parents would still love her, or if she would have an easy labor, or where the money would come from to support this child.  She did not delay.  Delay is a tactic of the enemy to keep us unfulfilled and frustrated.  It can even kill us.  Mary did not confer with flesh and blood.  She recognized that she was an individual and that she had a choice.  She chose to go with God and His way.  Mary trusted God that He would not destroy her life.

 

Prayer—Father I give myself to You.  Thank You for my spiritual fitness and if there is any area that needs to be corrected I ask that the Holy Spirit shine His light on that area so that I can correct it.  Lord thank You for selecting me.  I trust You Lord and I choose to activate Your plan in my life by saying, “be it unto me according to your Word,” in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

 

 

CHANGE THOUGHTS BY REPLACING THEM

“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he….”—Proverbs 23:7

 

I know a person who is constantly thinking about the things that are wrong in the world, the lack in his life and is always seems depressed to the point of being in self-pity.  However, this is just the opposite of the parameters given in Philippians 4:8 concerning our thought life, “ For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them](Amplified).” 

 

When we are “born-again,” it is our spirit that experiences the new birth, not our thought life.  We must literally “renew our minds” as the Apostle Paul writes, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2).  He went on to say that although we have a flesh and blood body, we are not to war according to the flesh.  We are to use the mighty weapons that God has given us to pull down strong holds in our thought life, by “casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).

 

I encourage you today to sincerely begin to think about what you are thinking about at any given moment.  If after examining your thought life you see that there are times that your thoughts are not agreeing with how God thinks, begin to change those thoughts by replacing them.

 

 I do not know of a believer who has not had to work at replacing the way they thought before being “born-again.”  I can testify that taking thoughts captive and then replacing them works.  I have had to do this in a number of areas in my life.  Cursing, how I thought about money, my husband and my family are just some of the areas that I have dealt with.  The more that I read and got to know how Jesus thought and acted the more I wanted to be like Him.  The Holy Spirit helped me by quickening me every time I had a thought that was contrary to God’s way of thinking.  He taught me to write 2 Corinthians 10: 3-5 and Philippians 4:8 on a piece of paper.  Every time I had a thought that was not God-like, I would take the paper out of my pocket and read the scriptures out-loud.  It took diligence and not giving up, but my thought life has changed, and is changing.

 

You may have to replace wrong thoughts every minute or two.  But do not let that discourage you.  Just keep replacing.  You are changing habits that are ingrained, and you are in a war with your enemy.  Isaiah 26:3 tells us, “You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You (Amplified).”    So do not give up; just replace the wrong thought with the right thought, as many times as necessary.

 

Prayer—Father I commitment my thought life to You.  I ask You to cleanse my mind of all unrighteous thoughts and I ask You to help me retrain the way that I think so all that I do will give glory to You, in Jesus Name. Amen.

COMPROMISE: A SERIES OF BAD CHOICES

“Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the LORD. Joyful are those who obey His laws and search for Him with all their hearts. They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in His paths. You have charged us to keep Your commandments carefully.”—Psalm  119:1-4 (NLT)

 

Carefully camouflaged landmines are deadly weapons of war.  If a soldier unknowingly steps on one, he or she will suffer serious injury or death.  What is true in the physical realms of battle is also true for spiritual battles.  Compromise is an invisible danger that has disastrous results that can cause major damage to unsuspecting to believers. 

 

To compromise is to make concessions or accommodations for someone who does not agree with a prevalent set of standards or rules. The Bible makes it clear that God does not condone compromising His standards.  Not compromising requires our unswerving submission to Him and to Him only, regardless of the world’s concession to godlessness, “With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!” ( Psalm 119:10).

 

King Solomon is a tragic example of how compromise affected his life.  God equipped him with surpassing wisdom to rule Israel and gave him the task of building His temple.  Yet despite these blessings, his heart began to drift from the Lord.  He followed his own desires and married many foreign women who led him into idolatry.  His heart did not become divided suddenly.  It developed through a slow process of bad choices that violated God’s commands.

 

There are those who profess to be Christians, yet live lives not in keeping with the precepts of the Scripture, i.e., compromising their biblical beliefs by giving in to worldly pleasures, like King Solomon did.   For them, the things of the world and its sensual allurements take precedence over the Word of God, “For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but of the world” ( 1 John 2:16).   Jesus referred to these people as “those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful” (Mark 4:18-19).  These are the ones who, though professing to follow Christ, compromise their faith by proudly craving worldly success and accolades from their fellow man. Jesus chastised such people who rationalized their questionable behavior: “How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?” (John 5:41-44).  

 

Jesus taught the concept of compromise brilliantly when He said, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24).  In other words, to compromise in one’s total allegiance and devotion to God is to allow the allurements of this world, with its accompanying worries, to take precedence over Christ. 

 

Compromising one time leads into a slippery slope where the enemy has a toehold into your life and will use it to draw you farther and farther along the pathway of disobedience.  Each progressive compromise becomes easier and easier until you are at the point of rationalizing that it is not sin. 

 

Here are some ways how we compromise the Word of God.

• When we fail to accept the Word: “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths” (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

• When we place our desires, and that of others, ahead of the Word of God: “While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God” (Acts 5:4).

As true believers in Christ, we must accept God’s Word as absolute, inerrant truth, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).  We must be fully obedient to His Word, “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3). And we must recognize that His Word is not to be compromised for any reason or for any one, “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot” (Revelation 3:15).  Make a quality decision to refuse to take the first step of compromise.  If you are already on the slippery slope of compromise repent and ask God to strengthen you to resist the temptation to compromise.

 

Prayer—Father I as You to deliver me from the temptation to compromise and its invisible danger.  I ask You to strengthen me by Your power and might in the inner man so that I can stand whole and complete in You and be a good witness for you, in Jesus Name.  Amen.

 

 

GOD COVERS SHAME

"I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered in shame" (Psalms 34:4-5, NIV).

 

A friend of mine related a life lesson that the Lord had taught her, “God is not ashamed when she sinned.”  As she related to me, the many times that she had become depressed when she did not always act as a Christian, my mind went back to the days of my childhood.  During the era that I was raised, a child’s behavior reflected on how others viewed his or her parents—at least this was the way my parents taught me.  So, if I or one of my brothers or sisters did not behave well in public then our parents would bemoan the fact that we brought shame upon the family name, and our parents would “never be able to show their face in public again.”  Of course they always did; however, this was so ingrained in our thinking as children that it carried over into our adult lives, and translated into how we viewed our Heavenly Father.     

 

My friend’s life lesson caused me to begin to reflect on the fact that many of our ideas on how God thinks about us are simply not based upon fact; but, rather on a faulty belief system whose biases cloud our view of how God really thinks about His creation.  Perhaps the root of this problem began in the Garden when Eve’s view of God was distorted and she and her husband sinned.  After Adam and Eve’s eyes were opened, they withdrew from God because they were ashamed: God was not ashamed He immediately began to deal with the problem and covered their shame (Genesis 3).

 

God is not ashamed of sin because He covered humanities sin with the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ.  His blood sacrifice never looses it power, “And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for our only but also for the whole world” (1 John 2:2).  God still covers sin for those of us who love Him, but at times our behavior does not reflect who we truly are as His children, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). 

 

Today, do not allow the enemy or cultural ideas distort your view of God and how He thinks about you.  He is not ashamed of you.  If you have done wrong, confess it to the Father, repent—turn from doing the same thing over and over again—by faith accept the fact that your Heavenly Father is not holding anything against you—and begin to conduct yourself as a child of the living God.

 

Prayer—Father I thank You that You are never ashamed of me.  Lord forgive for the times that I have thought that You were ashamed of me, cleanse my mind and my heart from false ideas and view points of who You really are, in Jesus Name. Amen

IS YOUR HOME AN OUTPOST FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD?

“…A certain man gave a great supper and invited many. And sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come for all things are now ready.’”—Luke 14:17

 

Our home has always seemed to hum with the activity of people.  We have always welcomed family, friends, and strangers into our home.  During our children’s teenage years, it seemed like our home was the central point of a gathering place for all their friends, and those who needed housing assistance when they were in a family crisis situation.  Recently, I heard a person make comment about their family coming for a visit, and that is when I realized that not everyone had the same view as I did on being hospitable.  The individual was upset because the visiting family members were interrupting their family’s schedule, and would require extra effort on their part.  Perhaps if this person had a clearer understanding about the practice of Christian hospitality she would have thought differently.

 

Dr. Christine Pohl, the author of Making Room, said that, “A lot of us see our homes as retreats from the world instead of outposts for the kingdom.  And so we are leery of whom we welcome and how much time it will take.”  She went on to say that some societies have become so task-oriented that their view of opportunities for hospitality seems as interruptions.  If our whole focus is on getting things done, then opening our homes to others will always be inconvenient. 

 

Perhaps the most inconvenient, if not uncomfortable, aspect to the biblical tradition of hospitality is its emphasis on welcoming the stranger into the home.  Jesus said when you welcome the least of these you have welcomed Me (Matthew 25:45).  The early Christians took these words so seriously that it was common practice to set aside a special room in their homes.  This room was called “Christ room,” or “prophet’s chamber,” so that as strangers had a need the believers would not miss an opportunity to welcome “Jesus.”   

A passage in Luke’s gospel teaches an important lesson about the best approach for taking in a stranger—we should not welcome others for personal gain.  On the Sabbath, Jesus dined in the home of a ruling Pharisee.  Noticing the dignified guests who were seated around the table, Jesus challenged the host not to invite friends, rich neighbors, or relatives, who could return the favor in one form or another: “But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just” (Luke 14:13-14).   

 

We as Christians are called to extend to strangers and those who are usually left-out the same kind of welcome that we extend to family and friends.  It is very difficult to show hospitality to strangers if we are not showing it to the people we know and love. 

 

Begin to ask yourself how you could expand your table, with questions such as: Who are the people in my world that need welcomed?  It is the person down the street whose family lives on the other side of the country?  Is it my child’s friends, an international student, a disabled church member, or a widower?  View your home not as a private haven but as a tool for the kingdom of God.  “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it” (Hebrews 13:2).

 

Prayer—Father forgive me for the times that it has seemed inconvenient to invite people into my home.  I purpose in my heart to look for ways to expand my table, and for my home to be used as a tool for Your kingdom, in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

LET LOVE SPEAK VOLUMES THROUGH YOUR LIFE

“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”—John 13:35

 

I received a testimony from a woman who thanked me for praying with her concerning the salvation of her husband.  She contacted me several times over the years; we prayed that her husband would come to the saving knowledge of Christ.  He would accompany her to church from time-to-time, pastors would stop and present the gospel to him; however, nothing seemed to make a difference in her husband’s attitude.  Finally in exasperation, she told the Lord that she was just going to stop nagging him about going to church and living right. She would continue to pray for him, for she knew that it was His will for everyone to be saved, but she had said and threatened him with everything she knew.   She said that it felt like a big weight fell off her back when she decided to quit nagging him.  She began to be a nicer person and do extra things for him that demonstrated how she really felt about him.  After a few weeks, her husband began to notice and asked her why she was treating him so nice.  She replied, “Because I love you.”  Not long after that conversation with her husband, he went with her to church and received Christ’s salvation.

 

When we talked she was excited about her husband’s conversion, and asked me, after all these years, what I thought made such a huge change in his attitude.  I replied to her that the Scripture tells us that love covers a multitude of sins, and that some people are won by the conduct in which we live our lives (I Peter 4:8; 3:1). 

 

Jesus said that the one characteristic that would cause the world to identify us as His followers was our love for one another.  According to Jesus, the unity of believers through a genuine God-kind of love is the greatest tool of evangelism for the church.  Although the early church did not have the massive organizational structures that we see in the world today, nor the huge financial resources spend in campaigns for outreaches, they had evangelized the known world in less than thirty years. In fact the pagans of Thessalonica said of Paul and his companions, “these that have turned the world upside down have come here too” (Acts 17:6).

 

Jesus gave what is called “the Great Commission” to the church in Matthew 28:19-20.  “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  The fulfillment of the Great Commission will take place as we walk in love towards one another.  We are not to seek what is best for ourselves; but, in honor, we are to prefer our brothers and sisters and seek what is best for them.  Let love speak volumes through your life.

 

Prayer—Father I ask you to show me how I can express my love for my brothers and sisters, in Jesus Name. Amen

SPIRITUAL GIANTS ARE NOT INTIMIDATED BY DWARFS

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”—Philippians 4:13

 

When I was a teenager, I went to a traveling carnival that advertised, among many other things, a man who was over seven feet tall and could lift over 400 lbs.   I will never forget how big this man was.  It was quite an experience to see him.

 

Goliath was a giant that was twice as tall as David (I Samuel 17).  David probably weighted no more than the coat of nail that Goliath wore, but he was bigger on the inside than Goliath was on the outside.  We too, often evaluate things only in physical terms.  Physically, Goliath was a giant; but in trusting God, he was a dwarf.  David was the giant in faith, and that was what won the battle.  Anyone who is strong in believing God is a giant in the spiritual realm, and able to do great exploits. 

 

We overestimate and over-emphasize the problems that confront us because we forget who we are in Jesus Christ.  David was God’s anointed king, but Jesus is the King of Kings, and Lord of Lord’s because He slew the greatest giant mankind has ever faced: sin.  Everyone born of God is a spiritual giant with power and authority far greater than anything we encounter from the enemy, the world, or our flesh, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith” (I John 5:4).

 

Ask God to open your eyes to who you are in the spirit.  You will find that you are a giant who will no longer be intimidated by dwarfs that the enemy has posed as giants!  The truth is that you are anointed and powerful as David and even more today because you have the Holy Spirit living inside you.

 

Prayer—Father I thank You that the greater one dwells in me and no longer will I be intimidated by “dwarfs.”  I speak to my mountain and command it to come down in the authority and Name of Jesus.  I know to whom I belong and I refuse to give place to the devil any longer, in Jesus Name. Amen. 

 

 

THERE IS A RESPONSIBILITY THAT COMES WITH GOD’S PROMISE

“Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.”

 

The Lord promises to give us the desires of our hearts; however, many people quote this scripture but forget that their own mindset plays a vital part in bringing the promise to fruition.  As someone once said, “where your mind goes, your feet go, so be careful what you think about.”

“Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.  For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.  Trust in the Lord, and do good;
dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.   Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.   He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.  Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.   Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret—it only causes harm” (Psalm 37:1-8).

 

What is your responsibility when it comes to claiming promises from God?

 

1)      Delight yourself in the Lord (Psalm 37:4).  Christians should rejoice in God and desire to walk in obedience.  The Lord must have first place in your life before you can claim the promises in this verse.

2)      Commit your way to the Lord (v. 5).  Allow God to change any aspect of your ambition that is not His will. 

3)      Trust in Him (v. 5).  God is merciful, all-knowing, kind, and generous.  You can trust him with your hopes and dreams.

4)      Rest in Him (v. 7).  Resting in the Lord means trusting Him to answer prayers in His timing or transform your aspirations so they conform to His will.

5)      Wait upon the Lord patiently (v. 7).  Jesus waited three decades before beginning His three-year ministry on earth.  According to His example, waiting is one of the key principles of Christian living.

 

Examine your heart today and ask yourself the following question.  Do your desires align with God’s purpose and plan for your life?  He longs to give His followers abundant blessings and fullness of joy.  So allow your dreams to be conformed to the Lord’s will, and follow His guidance faithfully.  Only when you surrender to Him will you experience God’s best for your life.

 

Prayer—Father I thank you for your promises to me and I surrender my will to Your will so that I might be conformed to your image and to Your likeness.  I ask You to help me to understand my responsibility for each promise that You make to me, in Jesus Name. Amen.

PRIDE AND VANITY CAST NETS OVER OUR SOULS

“Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.  Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, then to divide the spoil with the proud.”—Proverbs 16:18-19

 

Pride and vanity cast a net over our souls and brings us into captivity.   Many times the words pride and vanity are used interchangeably, but they are different.  Pride refers to a person’s sense of arrogance and self-importance while vanity most often refers to a sense of pride in personal appearance.  Pride and vanity both present dangers to us.

 

We can have pride and vanity in a variety of ways in our lives.  A proud and vain spirit can be evident no matter what economic or culture that a person is in or has come from.  People from each spectrum—rich or poor—well-dressed or in rags can walk in pride and vanity.  Pride knows no economic or cultural boundaries.  

 

Pride is very much hated by God.  “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate” (Proverbs 8:13).  But, God is instantly forgiving when pride is replaced by humility. 

We are warned not to put undo attention into our outward personal appearance, but that are attention should be to the hidden person of the heart, “Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel—rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God” (1 Peter 3:3-4).

Charles Finney wrote in his autobiography about a wealthy woman who was under conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit, but was afraid to receive salvation because she did not want it to interfere with the fun plans that she was making.  She agreed to see Rev. Finney and pray with him.  While they were praying together, Rev. Finney felt impressed to pray that she would become as a little child and receive salvation.  This burden of prayer was much impressed upon his mind and as he continued to pray along these lines he began to hear her say the same thing…asking the Lord to make her “as a little child.”  When she repented of her pride and humbly came to God as a little child she received salvation.  “…assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3).

Humility will always break pride.  One of the outward signs of humility is to kneel in prayer and allow the Holy Spirit to reveal any areas of pride in your life.  Genuine repentance will follow the humbling of yourself as a little child and God will cleanse your soul of vanity and pride.  “Behold you desire truth in the inward parts; and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.  Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me hear joy and gladness, that the bones [the pride and vanity] you have broken may rejoice…Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me… Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and uphold me in Your generous Spirit” (Psalm 51: 6-12).

When we ask the Lord to deliver us from the spear of the enemy of pride and vanity, He will deliver us from the will of our adversary, the devil (Psalm 27:12).

Father—today I genuinely repent of pride and vanity and I ask for Your forgiveness.  Cleanse me Lord, and renew a right spirit within me, teach me Your ways and lead me in the path of righteousness, in Jesus Name. Amen.

WALK IN THE REVELATION OF GOD NOT IN THE INFLUENCE OF OTHERS

“And I [Paul] went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles…”—Galatians 2:2

 

What the Apostle Paul was saying in Galatians 2:2, is that he went to Jerusalem about seventeen years after his conversion because it was divinely revealed to him that he should go and tell the church what he had been preaching among the Gentiles.  Read Galatians chapter 1 and you will discover that Paul was a highly educated and zealous man who worked fervently persecuting the Church before his conversion.  After his conversion, Paul writes, “But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mothers womb and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus” (vs. 15-17).  Paul points out that he was not influenced by others in what he should do after his conversion, but he walked in the revelation that he had.

 

John chapter 7 gives an account of when Jesus’ brothers did not believe that He was the Messiah, and how they tried to influence Him so that they would have positions of honor. 

“After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him. Now the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand. His brothers therefore said to Him ‘Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing. For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.’ For even His brothers did not believe in Him. The Jesus said to them, ‘My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready. The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil. You go up to the feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come’” (vs. 1-9).

 

The Feast of Tabernacles was held the 15-22 of September and this Feast was about seven months before His crucifixion.  This was a very solemn time for all the Jewish males and called for their personal attendance.  Jesus’ brothers (some of His kindred) tried to influence Jesus to go to Jerusalem so that more people could see His miracles.  This sounds like reasonable advice at first glance—more people get exposed to His ministry; however, reading a little further you discover that his brothers did not believe that He was the Messiah.  A Prophet—Yes but not the Messiah.  Perhaps they were thinking that they would be able to share in the “lime-light” if He was exposed to more people.  But, what we do know is that Jesus told them to go along with the other people; he was not going to Jerusalem at that time.  Closely examine the Scriptures and you will see that Jesus knew by revelation not to follow along with the rest of the people who were going.  Perhaps His going with them would have stirred up the people with animosity before it was prophetically time for His crucifixion, we do not know for sure.  But we do know that Jesus always walked in revelation of His timing and did not follow along with the crowd, and you can to. 

 

Jesus was not moved by ideas of grandeur and influenced by the needs of others.  He humbly stayed submitted to the Father and never did anything but what He heard the Father say and do.  We can walk in that same revelation by staying humble, walking in love and being submitted to the Father.

 

Prayer—Father I thank You for Your revelation.  I purpose not to walk ahead of my appointed times by being influenced by family and others in Jesus Name. Amen. 

 

 

THE ASSAULTING SPIRIT OF GUILT

“For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.”—2 Corinthians 7:10

 

I once read a survey that asked 500 people what emotions that they felt when experiencing guilt.  The answers really touched my heart.  People reported feeling punished, depressed, worthless, rejected, and isolated.  A general sense of low self-esteem overwhelmed the people who responded to the survey.  There was no joy, no hope, and no vitality.  In a sense, it is as though the feelings of guilt had completely blotted out everything else in their lives. 

 

These are the same emotions that many who are imprisoned in the penal systems around the world feel.  Prisoners tell me that they feel especially guilty about their families and what they are going through.  I ministered to a prisoner, I will call Joe (not his real name), who was a member of a vibrant Bible teaching congregation before he was sentenced to twenty years for shooting a man while committing a robbery.  Joe was a broken man, both spiritually and physically when I met him.  The open door to the root cause of Joe’s many physically aliments: Guilt.  Through much personal ministry, Joe began to discover where his guilt was coming from.

 

Are you dealing with intense feelings of guilt right now?  If so, consider one simple question: Where does your guilt come from? 

 

Joe began to understand that God was not mad at him and was not holding anything against him.  Joe discovered where his guilt was coming from—the enemy and himself.  Although he attended a lively church, he never devoted any of his time to personal spiritual growth, and fell back into his old habits and old friends.  He was plagued by personal guilt, and an Assaulting Spirit of Guilt by Satan.  This spirit would come into his cell at night and physically assault him leaving scratches and bruises.  I bound this spirit from assaulting Joe, until he was strong enough spiritually to stand against it when he was alone.  When Joe was strong enough, I cast the spirit out and the many others associated with it.  When I first met Joe, he was not strong enough spiritually to stand on his own against this spirit that is why I did not immediately cast this spirit out.  Jesus said, “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first” (Luke 11:24-26).

 

In 2 Corinthians 7:10, we see two forms of guilt.  One is a sorrow that comes from God.  This call to repentance is a tool that the Lord uses to draw unbelievers to Himself through salvation in Christ.  It also motivates believers to confess any wrongs causing “hindrance’” in their fellowship with Him.

 

A second form of guilt is the dark emotion that plagues people, like Joe, with remorse and the reactions mentioned on the survey.  Such sorrow is not from God at all, but from the world.

 

If you have received Jesus’ free gift of salvation but still struggle under the assault of guilt, let Scripture assure you; these feelings did not come from God.  He is not attacking you.  Rather, He holds the key to unlock the door to your freedom.  Do not fall victim to the Enemy’s lies.  In Christ, you are forgiven and fee.  Walk free today!

 

Prayer—Father I thank you for setting me free from guilt and shame.  Today, I will not allow the enemy to steal my freedom from me with feelings of guilt and hopelessness.  Thank You that You love me and believe in me and that You are not holding anything against me and that the Enemy’s power has been broken over my life in Jesus Name. Amen.