So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.
Romans 10:17
After we receive the Good News by faith we recieve all other things from God by faith.
We receive His strength by faith
Healing by faith
His word by faith
His miracles by faith
As we continue this faith walk be encouraged! He is for YOU and not against you! (Romans 8:31)
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
defeat is not an option, only VICTORY..
[Victory is...]
a success or triumph over an enemy in battle or war
I heard this phrase in a song yesterday, "defeat is no longer an option ONLY victory"
...and God hasn't let it leave my mind since.
This morning I decided to look up the word victory in the Bible and this is what I found:
{Romans 8:37}
No, despite all these things,
overwhelming victory is ours through Christ,
who loved us.
NLT
{Romans 8:37}
overwhelming victory is ours through Christ,
who loved us.
NLT
{Romans 8:37}
Yet in all these things we are
more than conquerors
through Him who loved us
He gives us victory over sin and death
through our Lord Jesus Christ.
{1 John 5:4}
For every child of God defeats this evil world,
and we achieve this victory
through our faith.
As a child of God we no longer have the option of defeat, we are VICTORIOUS through our faith. Remember...
John 16:33
"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." -Jesus
As the Christmas season is in full swing all around us, remember King Jesus is the reason for the Season...but in the hustle and bustle of all of the things we have in our mind that "WE HAVE TO GET DONE!" before Christmas, remember...
Jesus came so that we can be MORE THAN CONQUERORS through HIM -- defeat for believers is not an option, only victory!
Monday, December 10, 2012
teach me to do Your Will, for You are my God. teach me to do Your Will, for You are my God.
Psalm 143
A psalm of David.
1 Hear my prayer, O Lord;
listen to my plea!
Answer me because you are faithful and righteous.
2 Don’t put your servant on trial,
for no one is innocent before you.
3 My enemy has chased me.
He has knocked me to the ground
and forces me to live in darkness like those in the grave.
4 I am losing all hope;
I am paralyzed with fear.
5 I remember the days of old.
I ponder all your great works
and think about what you have done.
6 I lift my hands to you in prayer.
I thirst for you as parched land thirsts for rain. Interlude
listen to my plea!
Answer me because you are faithful and righteous.
2 Don’t put your servant on trial,
for no one is innocent before you.
3 My enemy has chased me.
He has knocked me to the ground
and forces me to live in darkness like those in the grave.
4 I am losing all hope;
I am paralyzed with fear.
5 I remember the days of old.
I ponder all your great works
and think about what you have done.
6 I lift my hands to you in prayer.
I thirst for you as parched land thirsts for rain. Interlude
7 Come quickly, Lord, and answer me,
for my depression deepens.
Don’t turn away from me,
or I will die.
8 Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning,
for I am trusting you.
Show me where to walk,
for I give myself to you.
9 Rescue me from my enemies, Lord;
I run to you to hide me.
10 Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God.
May your gracious Spirit lead me forward
on a firm footing.
11 For the glory of your name, O Lord, preserve my life.
Because of your faithfulness, bring me out of this distress.
12 In your unfailing love, silence all my enemies
and destroy all my foes,
for I am your servant.
for my depression deepens.
Don’t turn away from me,
or I will die.
8 Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning,
for I am trusting you.
Show me where to walk,
for I give myself to you.
9 Rescue me from my enemies, Lord;
I run to you to hide me.
10 Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God.
May your gracious Spirit lead me forward
on a firm footing.
11 For the glory of your name, O Lord, preserve my life.
Because of your faithfulness, bring me out of this distress.
12 In your unfailing love, silence all my enemies
and destroy all my foes,
for I am your servant.
teach me to do Your Will, for You are my God.
I love what David does in this Psalm. It's evident that he is going through something that has put him into some sort of depression, but listen to the first thing he says.
He calls out the unchanging attributes of God...
He calls out the unchanging attributes of God...
"...Answer me because you are faithful and righteous..."
He then reminds God that he is still His servant.
"...Don’t put your servant on trial..."
He focuses first on God and who He is, that he is still God's servant and then he points out what the enemy has done. What the enemy has done to David is what happens to so many of us. Knocks us to the ground, forces us to live in darkness, blinds us to hope, and paralyzes us with fear.
What David does next is key to his victory. He remembers all of the things that God has done for him. There is so much power in the testimony of our lives and remembering all that God has done for us. He then, despite what he was feeling, raised his hands in prayer and tells God that He is what will satisfy him.
His prayer intensifies as he tells the LORD to come quick to him.
If the enemy has come at you with unexpected finances, an unexpected doctor's report, anything that has "knocked you to the ground," let's take advice from David.
Call out to God because He remains faithful, righteous and in His unfailing love He responds as we cry out in faith.
Heavenly Father,
I pray that the life of your servant David would encourage us today.
Father when we come against opposition may we always remain faithful to call out to your faithfulness. You are our provider to every need that we may have. I love you my Lord.
In Jesus' Name
Amen
Sunday, December 9, 2012
"But I have this {one charge to make} against you: that you have left (abandoned) the love that you had at first {you have deserted Me, your first love}. Remember then from what heights you have fallen. Repent {change the inner man to meet God's Will} and do the works you did previously {when you first knew the Lord}, or else I will visit you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you change your mind and repent."
Revelations 2:4-5
How does losing sight of your first love happen anyway? As believers we get in the Word, pray to our Savior, worship and praise Him...but after a while if we aren't careful He can lose the spot as "first love".
For me, it started earlier this year. It seemed as though every minute was consumed with wedding details. Making arrangements to meet with the caterer, making appointments with the venue, contacting and setting details with the photographers, premarital counseling, picking out the right dress, groomsmen attire, John's attire, decorations, the list goes on and on...all the while doing my best to stay focused at work, selling my house, spending as much family time as possible knowing that I would be moving in a short 4 months and trying remain sane ;). I would still manage to spend time with the Lord, but it was evident to me that those mornings where I would get lost in His Word in the secret place were replaced with hitting the snooze and trying to make it through the daily stresses of life. I thought after the wedding it would definitely get back to normal, but it didn't. Before I knew it I was waking up in a life that didn't feel like my own. New last name, new state, new church...everything in my life that I knew as my constant wasn't anymore. I was so sad and then felt guilty about feeling sad. Surely God was disappointed in me for not being appreciative to the latest blessings He had brought to my life. After a month or so of not having a teaching job, I got a call for an interview and got a new teaching position. The busyness of life overhhelmed me again. Not to mention being consumed with the social networks that without even knowing it robbed me of quality time with those that were actually sitting in front of me and stole my peace of my mind a lot of the time.
Now one thing I know to be a constant in my life is that I am a "Daddy's Girl" to my core. Some of my favorite memories as a girl would be waiting for my Dad to pick me up from my Granny's house and running as fast as my little legs would take me to be caught up in his arms. I love my Dad with a love unlike any other and I believe God has given me that as a gift. When he hurts, I hurt. When he smiles, I smile (which is a lot, because he's the biggest goof there is!) I love just to be in his presence. I soak in and cherish our time together.
As God showed me Revelations 2:4-5 this morning I realized that not out of duty, but out of a love for my Heavenly Father I need to return to my first love and do the "works I did previously."
Oh Heavenly Father, I repent for letting earthly things that will eventually fade away get in the way of an intensely intimate relationship with You. My Father, empower me to live according to Your Will and not be distracted by the enemy and his tactics. May I be a shining light for You, for Your glory, for Your Kingdom. I pray Lord that Your Will be done as it is in Heaven through my life. You are my God, You are my King, You are my Daddy. May I hurt when you hurt and smile when you smile. May I soak in and cherish every moment we share together. Lord I pray I would run into your arms and be caught in Your grace daily. Thank you for always drawing me back to You. You are so gracious and I love with You with every ounce of who I am. I thank You for my earthly father that ultimately illustrates how intimate our relationship can be. With all my love...
In Jesus' Name
Amen
For me, it started earlier this year. It seemed as though every minute was consumed with wedding details. Making arrangements to meet with the caterer, making appointments with the venue, contacting and setting details with the photographers, premarital counseling, picking out the right dress, groomsmen attire, John's attire, decorations, the list goes on and on...all the while doing my best to stay focused at work, selling my house, spending as much family time as possible knowing that I would be moving in a short 4 months and trying remain sane ;). I would still manage to spend time with the Lord, but it was evident to me that those mornings where I would get lost in His Word in the secret place were replaced with hitting the snooze and trying to make it through the daily stresses of life. I thought after the wedding it would definitely get back to normal, but it didn't. Before I knew it I was waking up in a life that didn't feel like my own. New last name, new state, new church...everything in my life that I knew as my constant wasn't anymore. I was so sad and then felt guilty about feeling sad. Surely God was disappointed in me for not being appreciative to the latest blessings He had brought to my life. After a month or so of not having a teaching job, I got a call for an interview and got a new teaching position. The busyness of life overhhelmed me again. Not to mention being consumed with the social networks that without even knowing it robbed me of quality time with those that were actually sitting in front of me and stole my peace of my mind a lot of the time.
Now one thing I know to be a constant in my life is that I am a "Daddy's Girl" to my core. Some of my favorite memories as a girl would be waiting for my Dad to pick me up from my Granny's house and running as fast as my little legs would take me to be caught up in his arms. I love my Dad with a love unlike any other and I believe God has given me that as a gift. When he hurts, I hurt. When he smiles, I smile (which is a lot, because he's the biggest goof there is!) I love just to be in his presence. I soak in and cherish our time together.
As God showed me Revelations 2:4-5 this morning I realized that not out of duty, but out of a love for my Heavenly Father I need to return to my first love and do the "works I did previously."
Oh Heavenly Father, I repent for letting earthly things that will eventually fade away get in the way of an intensely intimate relationship with You. My Father, empower me to live according to Your Will and not be distracted by the enemy and his tactics. May I be a shining light for You, for Your glory, for Your Kingdom. I pray Lord that Your Will be done as it is in Heaven through my life. You are my God, You are my King, You are my Daddy. May I hurt when you hurt and smile when you smile. May I soak in and cherish every moment we share together. Lord I pray I would run into your arms and be caught in Your grace daily. Thank you for always drawing me back to You. You are so gracious and I love with You with every ounce of who I am. I thank You for my earthly father that ultimately illustrates how intimate our relationship can be. With all my love...
In Jesus' Name
Amen
Friday, May 25, 2012
What is this?
Anxiety, oppression, worry, fear, doubt...what is this? More importantly, what does God have to say about these life crippling diseases? I am beyond exhaustion living in this constant worry that I am making too many mistakes, not following God closely enough. Letting him down, letting the people down around me, letting myself down. Enough is enough--I am getting to the bottom of it. What does God have to say about these feelings that have drowned out my joy in life.
Typing in "anxiety" into the Biblegateway.com search engine...
1 Peter 5:7
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
"worry"
Matthew 6:25-34
“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? ...
"oppression"
Exodus 3:17
I have promised to rescue you from your oppression in Egypt. I will lead you to a land flowing with milk and honey—the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live.”’
Psalm 72:14
He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their lives are precious to him.
"fear"
1 John 4:18
Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.
"doubt"
Psalm 94:19
When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.
Matthew 21:21
Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen.
These are all promises from MY God. My covenant promise to my God is to serve Him to the best of my ability every day without giving up and this is what He promises me. What is a promise that the Word gives about Satan?
John 10:10
New Living Translation (NLT)
10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
OF COURSE I AM FLOODED WITH EVERY JOY STEALING, CRIPPLING THOUGHT-- The enemy wants me dead, he wants to steal every good thing that Jesus died on the cross to give me. And I am just sitting back and letting him?! Absolutely NOT!
Lord, FORGIVE ME, for every time I have allowed the enemy to zap all the life and light out of me by believing his LIES. Lord I was made for battle, I was made to fight the good fight of faith for YOU and YOUR KINGDOM and YOUR PEOPLE. Lord, GIVE ME STRENGTH because my flesh is WEAK. I need you more than anything else for now and eternity. May you flood me this day with reminders of Your goodness and Your love and may I never falter in what you have for me. Your love endures forever. My love for You will endure forever. Renew my mind in You, I need you. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
{..for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also} [matthew 6:21]
An alarm clock in my spare bedroom went off this morning an hour before I usually get up, reluctantly I got out of bed to turn it off. I figured while up I would go ahead and brew some coffee and get in the Word.
I turned to Matthew and conviction settled in almost immediately.
[when you worry, you're saying, "I don't trust You, God." So pray instead of worrying. -Thelma Wells]
"Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing....Therefore do not worry...Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." Matthew 6
"Do not lay treasures up for yourselves on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6
Flip over to Luke
"Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about your body, what you will put on...do not fear, little flock, for it your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. Sell what you have and give alms; provide for yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
So, I think God might be trying to say "do not worry."
But, worrying comes so naturally, doesn't it?
I mean in the past few weeks my car stops working, fridge stops working, find out my mortgage payment is going up by over $100 and God is telling me not to worry?
Yes, He is. Why? Because HE IS FAITHFUL.
One of my prayers this year has been one that I was afraid to pray...
Lord, humble me.
AH! I don't even like speaking it out, but all over in the word God speaks about the humble.
{And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. matthew 23:12}
[God says when you are humble, you are free from pride and arrogance. You know that in your flesh you are inadequate, yet you also know who you are in Christ. -D. Britton]
God has been answering my prayer. I am so aware that without Him I am completely in over my head, but He totally & completely has every detail of my life. I was never meant to take on the worries world because He has already overcome the world. The victory is His. He is my treasure. I am an overcomer. I am victorious in Him. I have faith that He will move every mountain in my life. I don't know how He does it, but it is beautiful to watch Him do His work. I am humbled that He looks down on me in my mess and faithfully works it all out because He loves me.
If I am always worrying, is that what I treasure and put on a pedastal in my life?
Lord, forgive me of my worry.
Lord, You are my treasure and my heart is with You, not the worries of this life.
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
I turned to Matthew and conviction settled in almost immediately.
[when you worry, you're saying, "I don't trust You, God." So pray instead of worrying. -Thelma Wells]
"Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing....Therefore do not worry...Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." Matthew 6
"Do not lay treasures up for yourselves on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6
Flip over to Luke
"Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about your body, what you will put on...do not fear, little flock, for it your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. Sell what you have and give alms; provide for yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
So, I think God might be trying to say "do not worry."
But, worrying comes so naturally, doesn't it?
I mean in the past few weeks my car stops working, fridge stops working, find out my mortgage payment is going up by over $100 and God is telling me not to worry?
Yes, He is. Why? Because HE IS FAITHFUL.
One of my prayers this year has been one that I was afraid to pray...
Lord, humble me.
AH! I don't even like speaking it out, but all over in the word God speaks about the humble.
{And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. matthew 23:12}
[God says when you are humble, you are free from pride and arrogance. You know that in your flesh you are inadequate, yet you also know who you are in Christ. -D. Britton]
God has been answering my prayer. I am so aware that without Him I am completely in over my head, but He totally & completely has every detail of my life. I was never meant to take on the worries world because He has already overcome the world. The victory is His. He is my treasure. I am an overcomer. I am victorious in Him. I have faith that He will move every mountain in my life. I don't know how He does it, but it is beautiful to watch Him do His work. I am humbled that He looks down on me in my mess and faithfully works it all out because He loves me.
If I am always worrying, is that what I treasure and put on a pedastal in my life?
Lord, forgive me of my worry.
Lord, You are my treasure and my heart is with You, not the worries of this life.
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Friday, October 7, 2011
chains be broken.
THEREFORE, [there is] now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live [and] walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life [which is] in Christ Jesus [the law of our new being] has freed me from the law of sin and of death. (Romans 8:1, 2 AMP)
The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). (John 10:10 AMP)
The enemy comes ONLY to steal that which Jesus came and died to give us. Jesus not only died on the cross for our salvation and for us to gain entrance into heaven, but He came for us to have abundant life here, now. The enemy would love for us to be blinded to all that is available to us through Jesus, but because of being His redeemed it says that we are God's children and that being said we are free
One of satans characteristics is that he is a deceiver and he would love for God's children to walk around blinded. There is a misconception that if you decide to live a life full out for God that you are in bondage to a lot of rules, zero fun; not so.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." (Romans 8:12-15 NIV)
So sin is only fun for a season, but it will lead to bondage and fear, death
...living by the Spirit brings life.
Don't let the enemy steal the life Jesus died to give you, be free.
The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). (John 10:10 AMP)
The enemy comes ONLY to steal that which Jesus came and died to give us. Jesus not only died on the cross for our salvation and for us to gain entrance into heaven, but He came for us to have abundant life here, now. The enemy would love for us to be blinded to all that is available to us through Jesus, but because of being His redeemed it says that we are God's children and that being said we are free
One of satans characteristics is that he is a deceiver and he would love for God's children to walk around blinded. There is a misconception that if you decide to live a life full out for God that you are in bondage to a lot of rules, zero fun; not so.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." (Romans 8:12-15 NIV)
So sin is only fun for a season, but it will lead to bondage and fear, death
...living by the Spirit brings life.
Don't let the enemy steal the life Jesus died to give you, be free.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)