WORSHIP AND VICTORY
As I start the new year,my heart speaks to me saying; Thanksgiving and praise are what the Lord desires from His children. ( Ps.113:3 )," From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lords name is to be praised."
Praise Him in the morning.Praise Him at noon.Praise Him at night.Praise Him for Calvary, for healing and freedom. In all things great or small give praise to the Lord for them. Each time we praise the lord we are causing the devil great pain, he can't stand to hear those praises and yet he can only try to stop them. So don't be defeated by his craftiness by trying to make you feel inadequate in your praises. Our God inhabits the praises of His people. As I learn to praise Him for all that comes my way I see His hand showing me the walk that I should follow.This is that which leads me to victory in Jesus! AMEN
, Worship can be defined as the act of honoring and loving, I want to let God know how much I love Him and I seek to walk in the uprightness of His word (Jesus). How many times during the day do I take time to stop and listen to hear His voice? You see I get so involved in the things of the world that time passes by before I realize that I missed the opportunity to allow the Lord to show me His way. I ask myself what is that which over cometh the world and all it's problems? Yes I know it is the word of God that directs and if left to control my tongue ,His Spirit will guide me to truth, in all situations. It is Gods ability to control all that is happening and when I turn to Him He will not fail to show me that which I ask of Him. My worship is honoring Him in all that I do,making time to ask,listen and then act upon His revelations, Yes Lord this is my way to worship you and this is what has led me to victory. So today when you hear His voice do not harden your heart,but praise Him and tell Him of your love for Him.
" He who has an ear let him hear".......I.H.L,tom
Monday, December 31, 2012
Saturday, December 8, 2012
ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE HEART
Alive in Christ; "Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord,so walk in him. Rooted and built up in Him,and established in the faith, just as you were taught abounding in thanksgiving."( Col.2:6-7 ). As Paul (Col.2:1-15) spoke to the church wanting them to know how great a struggle he had for them and those he had not seen face to face.Wanting there hearts to be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of WISDOM and KNOWLEDGE. So as not to be deluded with plausible arguments, though being absent in body,but with us in spirit,rejoicing to see our good order and firmness of our faith in Christ. Paul speaks to us in word,but it is Christ revealing His wisdom to us today.He sees that we are capable of being deceived by philosophy and human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
We have been filled by Him who is the head of all rule and authority.Buried with Him, raised with Him through FAITH in the powerful working of God,He made us alive together with Him. He disarmed the rulers authorities and put them to open shame,by triumphing over them in HIM. We too are qualified, therefore awaken yourself to the living word with in you and discard the flesh and walk in the spirit,put on the new self and seek the things that are above,where Christ is seated at the right hand of the father. Set your mind on the things above,not on things on the earth...And know when Christ appears,who is your life,you also will appear with Him in Glory................amen
Alive in Christ; "Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord,so walk in him. Rooted and built up in Him,and established in the faith, just as you were taught abounding in thanksgiving."( Col.2:6-7 ). As Paul (Col.2:1-15) spoke to the church wanting them to know how great a struggle he had for them and those he had not seen face to face.Wanting there hearts to be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of WISDOM and KNOWLEDGE. So as not to be deluded with plausible arguments, though being absent in body,but with us in spirit,rejoicing to see our good order and firmness of our faith in Christ. Paul speaks to us in word,but it is Christ revealing His wisdom to us today.He sees that we are capable of being deceived by philosophy and human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
We have been filled by Him who is the head of all rule and authority.Buried with Him, raised with Him through FAITH in the powerful working of God,He made us alive together with Him. He disarmed the rulers authorities and put them to open shame,by triumphing over them in HIM. We too are qualified, therefore awaken yourself to the living word with in you and discard the flesh and walk in the spirit,put on the new self and seek the things that are above,where Christ is seated at the right hand of the father. Set your mind on the things above,not on things on the earth...And know when Christ appears,who is your life,you also will appear with Him in Glory................amen
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Question: "Why do so many people struggle with a lack of faith?"
Answer: The Apostle Paul exhorts Christians to “walk by faith and not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). What we see here is a contrast between truth and perception—what we know and believe to be true and what we perceive to be true. This is where the Christian struggle with a lack of faith finds its basis. The main reason why so many Christians struggle with a lack of faith is because we follow our perceptions of what is true rather than what we know to be true by faith.
Perhaps before going any further it may be helpful to come up with a working definition of faith. Faith, contrary to popular opinion, is not “belief without proof.” This is the definition that many skeptics give for faith. This definition reduces faith to mere fideism – i.e., “I believe despite what the evidence tells me.” Skeptics are right to reject this concept of faith, and Christians should reject it too. Faith is not belief without proof, or belief despite the evidence, rather faith is a complete trust or confidence in someone or something. That trust or confidence we have in someone is built up over time as they prove themselves faithful time and time again.
Christianity is a faith-based religion. It is based on faith in God and in His Son, Jesus Christ. God has provided us with His Word, the Holy Bible, as a testimony of His faithfulness to His people all throughout history. In its bare essentials, Christianity is faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ claimed to be the promised Messiah and the Son of God. His life was one of perfect righteousness according to the revealed law of God and His death was an atoning sacrifice for the sins of His people. By placing our faith and trust in Christ alone for our salvation, God takes our sin and places it on the cross of Christ and awards us, by grace, with the perfect righteousness of Christ. That, in a nutshell, is the Christian message. As Christians, we are called to believe this message and live in light of it.
Despite this, Christians still struggle with believing the biblical account because it doesn’t match up with our perception of reality. We may believe that Jesus was a real person, we may believe that He died by crucifixion at the hand of the Romans, we may even believe that He led a perfect life according to God’s law, but we don’t “see” how faith in Christ makes us righteous before God. We can’t “see” Jesus atoning for our sins. We can’t “see” or “perceive” any of the great truths of Christianity, and therefore, we struggle with lack of faith. As a result of this lack of perception, our lives often do not reflect the fact that we really believe what we claim to believe.
There are many reasons for this phenomenon among Christians. The main reason we struggle with faith is that we don’t truly know the God in whom we profess to have faith. In our daily lives, we don’t trust complete strangers. The more intimately we know someone and the more time we have had to see them “in action,” the more likely we are to believe what they say. But if God is essentially a stranger to us, we are less likely to believe what He has said in His Word. The only cure for this is to spend more time in God’s Word getting to know Him.
The world, the flesh, and the devil often distract us. By “the world” is meant the accepted “wisdom” of the unbelieving world and the culture in which we find ourselves. For those of us living in Europe and North America, that dominant worldview is naturalism, materialism, skepticism, and atheism. “The flesh,” refers to our sinful nature that still clings to Christians and with which we struggle on a daily basis. “The devil” refers to Satan and his horde of evil spirits who excite and entice us through the world and our senses. These things all afflict us and cause us to struggle with faith.
That is why Christians need to be constantly reminded of what Christ has done for us and what our response should be. The Apostle Paul says, “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). Our faith is built up as we have the gospel continually preached to us. Our churches need to be built on the solid preaching of the historic Christian faith and the regular observance of the sacraments. These are the means of grace that Christ has ordained to feed us spiritually and help us grow in our faith. Instead, too many churches spend their time, energy, and resources on the creation of “programs” that neither feed the sheep nor draw a clear distinction between godliness and ungodliness.
Consider the example of the Israelites in the Old Testament. God had performed great miracles in rescuing His chosen people from slavery in Egypt—the Ten Plagues, the pillar of smoke and fire, and the crossing of the Red Sea. God brings His people to the foot of Mount Sinai, gives them the law and makes a covenant with them. No sooner does He do this than the people begin to grumble and lose faith. With Moses gone up on the mountain, the people convince Aaron, Moses’ brother, to construct an idol (against God’s clear prohibition) for them to worship (Exodus 32:1-6). They were no longer walking by faith, but by sight. Despite all the clear miracles God did in their redemption, they lost faith and began to go on their perception.
That is why God instructed the new generation of Israelites before going into the Promised Land to continually remind themselves of what God has done for them: “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). God knows that the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak (Mark 14:38), and so He commands His people to be in constant remembrance of these things.
In conclusion, we need to heed the example of the disciple Thomas. When Thomas heard the stories of the resurrection, he wouldn’t believe them until he saw Jesus with his own two eyes. Jesus accommodated Thomas’ lack of faith by making an appearance to him and allowing him to see and touch Him. Thomas responds in worship, and Jesus says to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Many skeptics today echo Thomas’ sentiment: “Unless I see Jesus face to face, I will not believe!” We must not behave as the unbelievers do. We need to continually keep in mind Paul’s exhortation to walk by faith rather than sight. We learn in the book of Hebrews that without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6) because faith is believing the word of God and acting upon it, not responding to our perceptions.
Answer: The Apostle Paul exhorts Christians to “walk by faith and not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). What we see here is a contrast between truth and perception—what we know and believe to be true and what we perceive to be true. This is where the Christian struggle with a lack of faith finds its basis. The main reason why so many Christians struggle with a lack of faith is because we follow our perceptions of what is true rather than what we know to be true by faith.
Perhaps before going any further it may be helpful to come up with a working definition of faith. Faith, contrary to popular opinion, is not “belief without proof.” This is the definition that many skeptics give for faith. This definition reduces faith to mere fideism – i.e., “I believe despite what the evidence tells me.” Skeptics are right to reject this concept of faith, and Christians should reject it too. Faith is not belief without proof, or belief despite the evidence, rather faith is a complete trust or confidence in someone or something. That trust or confidence we have in someone is built up over time as they prove themselves faithful time and time again.
Christianity is a faith-based religion. It is based on faith in God and in His Son, Jesus Christ. God has provided us with His Word, the Holy Bible, as a testimony of His faithfulness to His people all throughout history. In its bare essentials, Christianity is faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ claimed to be the promised Messiah and the Son of God. His life was one of perfect righteousness according to the revealed law of God and His death was an atoning sacrifice for the sins of His people. By placing our faith and trust in Christ alone for our salvation, God takes our sin and places it on the cross of Christ and awards us, by grace, with the perfect righteousness of Christ. That, in a nutshell, is the Christian message. As Christians, we are called to believe this message and live in light of it.
Despite this, Christians still struggle with believing the biblical account because it doesn’t match up with our perception of reality. We may believe that Jesus was a real person, we may believe that He died by crucifixion at the hand of the Romans, we may even believe that He led a perfect life according to God’s law, but we don’t “see” how faith in Christ makes us righteous before God. We can’t “see” Jesus atoning for our sins. We can’t “see” or “perceive” any of the great truths of Christianity, and therefore, we struggle with lack of faith. As a result of this lack of perception, our lives often do not reflect the fact that we really believe what we claim to believe.
There are many reasons for this phenomenon among Christians. The main reason we struggle with faith is that we don’t truly know the God in whom we profess to have faith. In our daily lives, we don’t trust complete strangers. The more intimately we know someone and the more time we have had to see them “in action,” the more likely we are to believe what they say. But if God is essentially a stranger to us, we are less likely to believe what He has said in His Word. The only cure for this is to spend more time in God’s Word getting to know Him.
The world, the flesh, and the devil often distract us. By “the world” is meant the accepted “wisdom” of the unbelieving world and the culture in which we find ourselves. For those of us living in Europe and North America, that dominant worldview is naturalism, materialism, skepticism, and atheism. “The flesh,” refers to our sinful nature that still clings to Christians and with which we struggle on a daily basis. “The devil” refers to Satan and his horde of evil spirits who excite and entice us through the world and our senses. These things all afflict us and cause us to struggle with faith.
That is why Christians need to be constantly reminded of what Christ has done for us and what our response should be. The Apostle Paul says, “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). Our faith is built up as we have the gospel continually preached to us. Our churches need to be built on the solid preaching of the historic Christian faith and the regular observance of the sacraments. These are the means of grace that Christ has ordained to feed us spiritually and help us grow in our faith. Instead, too many churches spend their time, energy, and resources on the creation of “programs” that neither feed the sheep nor draw a clear distinction between godliness and ungodliness.
Consider the example of the Israelites in the Old Testament. God had performed great miracles in rescuing His chosen people from slavery in Egypt—the Ten Plagues, the pillar of smoke and fire, and the crossing of the Red Sea. God brings His people to the foot of Mount Sinai, gives them the law and makes a covenant with them. No sooner does He do this than the people begin to grumble and lose faith. With Moses gone up on the mountain, the people convince Aaron, Moses’ brother, to construct an idol (against God’s clear prohibition) for them to worship (Exodus 32:1-6). They were no longer walking by faith, but by sight. Despite all the clear miracles God did in their redemption, they lost faith and began to go on their perception.
That is why God instructed the new generation of Israelites before going into the Promised Land to continually remind themselves of what God has done for them: “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). God knows that the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak (Mark 14:38), and so He commands His people to be in constant remembrance of these things.
In conclusion, we need to heed the example of the disciple Thomas. When Thomas heard the stories of the resurrection, he wouldn’t believe them until he saw Jesus with his own two eyes. Jesus accommodated Thomas’ lack of faith by making an appearance to him and allowing him to see and touch Him. Thomas responds in worship, and Jesus says to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Many skeptics today echo Thomas’ sentiment: “Unless I see Jesus face to face, I will not believe!” We must not behave as the unbelievers do. We need to continually keep in mind Paul’s exhortation to walk by faith rather than sight. We learn in the book of Hebrews that without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6) because faith is believing the word of God and acting upon it, not responding to our perceptions.
©
Thursday, November 1, 2012
THE VIOLENT TAKE BY FORCE!
"A share in the heavenly kingdom is sought with most ardent and intense exertion." (amplified bible) Matt.11:12, what I am finding is that we must get so committed to the word (Jesus) that we will withstand any attempt to take (Him) them from us. To many Christians are much like the Jews who wondered in the wilderness. Moses told them to follow Gods orders and to enter in and take the land (Deut.31:1-46),but we find excuses not to listen. When we as individuals make the decision to hold fast to the word and not allow anything to interfere with the word, that as we develop a boldness and overcome our fears,we will be more than conquerors. Remember when God sent the Israelite's into Canaan He said "send the armed men to go before you." We have the armor of God (Eph.10:20) and we are the armor bearers (the word) and take the sword to the fight.Yes this is what God intends for us to do,not to refrain from anything that would stand against the word. We are the chosen, so learn to fight with the power and authority of Gods word,Stand firm in Him and know that the out come is to the the strong in the Lord. Come out from the wilderness and stop sitting in doubt and unbelief.We have Gods permission to take back what rightfully belongs to us ,that is all the promises of God through Christ Jesus.....Amen
He who can hear......tom
"A share in the heavenly kingdom is sought with most ardent and intense exertion." (amplified bible) Matt.11:12, what I am finding is that we must get so committed to the word (Jesus) that we will withstand any attempt to take (Him) them from us. To many Christians are much like the Jews who wondered in the wilderness. Moses told them to follow Gods orders and to enter in and take the land (Deut.31:1-46),but we find excuses not to listen. When we as individuals make the decision to hold fast to the word and not allow anything to interfere with the word, that as we develop a boldness and overcome our fears,we will be more than conquerors. Remember when God sent the Israelite's into Canaan He said "send the armed men to go before you." We have the armor of God (Eph.10:20) and we are the armor bearers (the word) and take the sword to the fight.Yes this is what God intends for us to do,not to refrain from anything that would stand against the word. We are the chosen, so learn to fight with the power and authority of Gods word,Stand firm in Him and know that the out come is to the the strong in the Lord. Come out from the wilderness and stop sitting in doubt and unbelief.We have Gods permission to take back what rightfully belongs to us ,that is all the promises of God through Christ Jesus.....Amen
He who can hear......tom
Friday, October 26, 2012
DARE TO TAKE YOUR PLACE
"But God,who is rich in mercy,for his great love wherewith he loved us,Even when we were dead in sins,hath quickened us together with Christ....And has raised us up together,and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus."(Eph.2:4-6)
Stop and think about what this says,God has raised us up to sit together with Christ Jesus.....
Now what does this mean to you, To me it means that I have been brought along side of Jesus so that we could be made what Jesus already is.Jesus didn't need exalting, He already was exalted and one with the father.He put on a physical body to come to earth so that He could show us how to take authority over sin,sickness ,disease,demons,poverty and all the other curses that came when the law of death came into the earth at the fall of Adam and Eve.He did it,He mastered everything in the intellectual world and the physical world. You and I are the reason Jesus came into the world,He didn't do this for himself but for you and me.He did this so we could wear His name and have that same authority and power and wield it in the earth.When we were born again we were made the righteousness of God in Christ! So now as a born again believer,dare to receive this message,meditate on it,and act on it---I DARE YOU TO TAKE YOUR PLACE......AMEN
your brother in Christ,tom
"But God,who is rich in mercy,for his great love wherewith he loved us,Even when we were dead in sins,hath quickened us together with Christ....And has raised us up together,and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus."(Eph.2:4-6)
Stop and think about what this says,God has raised us up to sit together with Christ Jesus.....
Now what does this mean to you, To me it means that I have been brought along side of Jesus so that we could be made what Jesus already is.Jesus didn't need exalting, He already was exalted and one with the father.He put on a physical body to come to earth so that He could show us how to take authority over sin,sickness ,disease,demons,poverty and all the other curses that came when the law of death came into the earth at the fall of Adam and Eve.He did it,He mastered everything in the intellectual world and the physical world. You and I are the reason Jesus came into the world,He didn't do this for himself but for you and me.He did this so we could wear His name and have that same authority and power and wield it in the earth.When we were born again we were made the righteousness of God in Christ! So now as a born again believer,dare to receive this message,meditate on it,and act on it---I DARE YOU TO TAKE YOUR PLACE......AMEN
your brother in Christ,tom
Sunday, October 14, 2012
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM THE NAME...JESUS
Jn14:13> " What ever you ask in my Name,I will do it,that the father may be Glorified in the son. And if you ask anything in my name I will do it."
All that we ask in the name Jesus is not just an add on at the end of prayer, all that God is and does is represented in the name of Jesus.All that we ask is granted,not because we are worthy but because Jesus is! And whats more is His name carries authority over all other names. ( Phil.2:9 ) Paul says " God has exalted His name above every other name,that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and on earth and under the earth."
Despite the power in His name and what the word of God says,most believers don't put much stock in it.We'll turn right around and say or think "I sure hope He will answer that prayer. Have you heard the phrase ( for Christ sake) you know that Jesus didn't say to ask for His sake but to ask in His name. We must dig into the word to find the power and authority it really carries. So stop Hoping God will answer and start expecting Every circumstance in your life to bow it's knee in honer of His Glorious name....Read Jn.16:13-24....HE WHO CAN HEAR....in His Love,tom
Jn14:13> " What ever you ask in my Name,I will do it,that the father may be Glorified in the son. And if you ask anything in my name I will do it."
All that we ask in the name Jesus is not just an add on at the end of prayer, all that God is and does is represented in the name of Jesus.All that we ask is granted,not because we are worthy but because Jesus is! And whats more is His name carries authority over all other names. ( Phil.2:9 ) Paul says " God has exalted His name above every other name,that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and on earth and under the earth."
Despite the power in His name and what the word of God says,most believers don't put much stock in it.We'll turn right around and say or think "I sure hope He will answer that prayer. Have you heard the phrase ( for Christ sake) you know that Jesus didn't say to ask for His sake but to ask in His name. We must dig into the word to find the power and authority it really carries. So stop Hoping God will answer and start expecting Every circumstance in your life to bow it's knee in honer of His Glorious name....Read Jn.16:13-24....HE WHO CAN HEAR....in His Love,tom
Friday, October 12, 2012
THE HOLY SPIRIT,SPIRIT OF GRACE.....LEARN TO LISTEN!
Titus 2:11>If you desire to know God invite the Holy Spirit into your heart, It is He the Holy Spirit that will council your heart. If we live in the world than we will only listen to the voice of the world,which is cursing and brings forth death eternally. The word of God when established in our thoughts and heart brings forth life eternal,of course that means reading and studying the word. But in doing so you will start to hear the voice of God leading you in truth and guiding you into His thoughts,His will for you, and the desire to grow each day closer to Him. Many times I have thought He is trying to show me to eliminate some activities that are not uplifting to Him and do not glorify His presence. He many times prompts me to spend more time with Him in His word,( but you know I just need to do something else and then I'll get into the word.) But the world will call to you so that you don't find your self seeking the way you should. Fellowship is a two way street and when those trials come and they will come, being prepared to handle them in a godly way is directly proportional to the time spent in Gods word.The word built up in you is the strength you have to fight back Satan's attacks. Many people have asked God into their lives but say they never felt His presence so they gave up on Him. Their mistake is not because their desire wasn't there,but because they did not pursue after God to truly find Him. Don't hesitate to chase after God ,He is easily caught,pick up the Bible and find how His word will open to you as you seek Him with a purpose in your thoughts and heart to know His truth......
"He Who Can Hear," tom
Titus 2:11>If you desire to know God invite the Holy Spirit into your heart, It is He the Holy Spirit that will council your heart. If we live in the world than we will only listen to the voice of the world,which is cursing and brings forth death eternally. The word of God when established in our thoughts and heart brings forth life eternal,of course that means reading and studying the word. But in doing so you will start to hear the voice of God leading you in truth and guiding you into His thoughts,His will for you, and the desire to grow each day closer to Him. Many times I have thought He is trying to show me to eliminate some activities that are not uplifting to Him and do not glorify His presence. He many times prompts me to spend more time with Him in His word,( but you know I just need to do something else and then I'll get into the word.) But the world will call to you so that you don't find your self seeking the way you should. Fellowship is a two way street and when those trials come and they will come, being prepared to handle them in a godly way is directly proportional to the time spent in Gods word.The word built up in you is the strength you have to fight back Satan's attacks. Many people have asked God into their lives but say they never felt His presence so they gave up on Him. Their mistake is not because their desire wasn't there,but because they did not pursue after God to truly find Him. Don't hesitate to chase after God ,He is easily caught,pick up the Bible and find how His word will open to you as you seek Him with a purpose in your thoughts and heart to know His truth......
"He Who Can Hear," tom
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