THE SECRET OF GOD'S WILL
Ephesians 1:9-14
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Ephesians+1:9-14
Dear Father, King of an eternal kingdom,
You have made known to us the secret of your will, the purpose
which you set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time.
Thank you, O God, for what you have made known - that you intend to
unite everything in Christ - things in heaven and things on earth.
Divine Lord, you accomplish all things according to your will.
Thank you that we who first hoped in Christ have been destined and
appointed to live for the praise of his glory. Thank you also that
in Christ we who have heard the word of truth, the Good News of our
salvation, and have put our trust in him, have been sealed with
your own Holy Spirit.
We exult in you, Father, because you have given us this Spirit,
which is the guarantee, the down payment on our inheritance, until
we acquire possession of it - for the praise of your glory!
In the name of Jesus and by his authority I pray. Amen.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Answering the Call to Holiness
Dr. Betty R. Price
Many Christians do not take holiness seriously. They do not realize that to be holy is a commandment from God. Since God has called us to holiness, we have to will ourselves to live the holy life. In 1 Peter 1:13 -16, we see God's call to holiness: "Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, 'Be holy, for I am holy.'"
We also find in II Timothy 1:8-9, "...share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began."
Everything that refers to God is holy. Holiness is the very essence of who He is. Our lives should always exemplify what Jesus' life was like when He lived on earth, because He exemplified what God's life is-a life of holiness. This was evident when Satan tempted Him in the wilderness. No matter what Satan tempted Jesus with, or how often Satan tempted Him, Jesus never yielded to him.
Holiness is the quality of life. It should not be confused with two similar terms such as sanctification, which means to be set apart, and righteousness, which means right standing with God. When you were born again, you were made the righteousness of God through Jesus Christ.
Paul tells us this in II Corinthians 5:21, "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." He also writes in 1 Corinthians 1:2, "... to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints..."
God makes us righteous and sanctifies us through Jesus Christ; those are things that He does. But it is up to us to be obedient to His call to holiness. We do not have to do anything to be sanctified, other than to live a sanctified life. Living the sanctified life is called holiness. This is how our character gets established. So Christians can't do anything to be righteous or sanctified, but everything to be holy.
It may seem difficult, but you can be holy, just as God the Father and Jesus are holy. It will take effort because it does not come overnight. You have to train yourself and remove yourself from unholy people, places, things and actions. You have to will yourself to do it. You have to go in the opposite direction of where your flesh or your mind may want to take you. You must remember that God cannot be involved in any kind of sin or immorality. When you get into sin or immorality, you park His power at the door and enter at your own risk.
Christians should desire to be pleasing to God instead of compromising their standards to please others. They must tell themselves, "I can abstain from fornication; I will not commit adultery; I will not worry; I will not overeat; I will not be jealous; I will not be envious; I will not be full of strife; I will not lie; I will not do anything that Jesus wouldn't do because I am holy."
To be victorious in living a life of holiness, you need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. You need the Holy Spirit, the power of God, to help you because Satan will oppose you when you commit to obeying the Word of God. You need the supernatural power of God because Satan is a supernatural enemy. It is a supernatural life that God has called you to. It is a life of joy, peace and fulfillment.
The act of holiness is not an impossible task. God would never tell us to do something or be something that is impossible to accomplish. You can be holy; you can count yourself as dead to sin; you can overcome those temptations just as Jesus did because God has already made a way of escape.
Paul tells us this in 1 Corinthians 10:13, "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."
So, whatever challenge you're faced with, don't give up. It's a fight all your life. It doesn't matter how many times you fall; get up because one of these times, you're going to get the victory over that temptation so you can be right for God and live the life of holiness as you were called to do.
Dr. Betty R. Price
Many Christians do not take holiness seriously. They do not realize that to be holy is a commandment from God. Since God has called us to holiness, we have to will ourselves to live the holy life. In 1 Peter 1:13 -16, we see God's call to holiness: "Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, 'Be holy, for I am holy.'"
We also find in II Timothy 1:8-9, "...share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began."
Everything that refers to God is holy. Holiness is the very essence of who He is. Our lives should always exemplify what Jesus' life was like when He lived on earth, because He exemplified what God's life is-a life of holiness. This was evident when Satan tempted Him in the wilderness. No matter what Satan tempted Jesus with, or how often Satan tempted Him, Jesus never yielded to him.
Holiness is the quality of life. It should not be confused with two similar terms such as sanctification, which means to be set apart, and righteousness, which means right standing with God. When you were born again, you were made the righteousness of God through Jesus Christ.
Paul tells us this in II Corinthians 5:21, "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." He also writes in 1 Corinthians 1:2, "... to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints..."
God makes us righteous and sanctifies us through Jesus Christ; those are things that He does. But it is up to us to be obedient to His call to holiness. We do not have to do anything to be sanctified, other than to live a sanctified life. Living the sanctified life is called holiness. This is how our character gets established. So Christians can't do anything to be righteous or sanctified, but everything to be holy.
It may seem difficult, but you can be holy, just as God the Father and Jesus are holy. It will take effort because it does not come overnight. You have to train yourself and remove yourself from unholy people, places, things and actions. You have to will yourself to do it. You have to go in the opposite direction of where your flesh or your mind may want to take you. You must remember that God cannot be involved in any kind of sin or immorality. When you get into sin or immorality, you park His power at the door and enter at your own risk.
Christians should desire to be pleasing to God instead of compromising their standards to please others. They must tell themselves, "I can abstain from fornication; I will not commit adultery; I will not worry; I will not overeat; I will not be jealous; I will not be envious; I will not be full of strife; I will not lie; I will not do anything that Jesus wouldn't do because I am holy."
To be victorious in living a life of holiness, you need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. You need the Holy Spirit, the power of God, to help you because Satan will oppose you when you commit to obeying the Word of God. You need the supernatural power of God because Satan is a supernatural enemy. It is a supernatural life that God has called you to. It is a life of joy, peace and fulfillment.
The act of holiness is not an impossible task. God would never tell us to do something or be something that is impossible to accomplish. You can be holy; you can count yourself as dead to sin; you can overcome those temptations just as Jesus did because God has already made a way of escape.
Paul tells us this in 1 Corinthians 10:13, "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."
So, whatever challenge you're faced with, don't give up. It's a fight all your life. It doesn't matter how many times you fall; get up because one of these times, you're going to get the victory over that temptation so you can be right for God and live the life of holiness as you were called to do.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
HEAVENLY BLESSINGS
HEAVENLY BLESSINGS
Ephesians 1:5-8
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Ephesians+1:5-8
Dear Father, King of an eternal kingdom,
In love you destined us to be your sons through Jesus Christ,
exactly as you wanted to do.
My heart overflows with thanksgiving and praise for this glorious
graciousness which you bestowed on us in your beloved Son.
Thank you that in him and through his blood we are forgiven of
every sin and released from our bondage to sin - all of this
according to your unfailing love lavished on us!
In the name of Jesus and by his authority I pray. Amen.
Ephesians 1:5-8
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Ephesians+1:5-8
Dear Father, King of an eternal kingdom,
In love you destined us to be your sons through Jesus Christ,
exactly as you wanted to do.
My heart overflows with thanksgiving and praise for this glorious
graciousness which you bestowed on us in your beloved Son.
Thank you that in him and through his blood we are forgiven of
every sin and released from our bondage to sin - all of this
according to your unfailing love lavished on us!
In the name of Jesus and by his authority I pray. Amen.
The Hard Fight Against Lust
The Hard Fight Against Lust
Dr. Creflo A. Dollar
The American Heritage Dictionary defines lust as "a sexual craving, especially excessive or unrestrained; any overwhelming desire or craving." While there are many types of lust, sexual lust is probably one of the most dangerous because it is a seed that, when planted, can produce a harvest of fornication and even death.
James 1:14-15 (AMP) says, "But every person is tempted when he is drawn away, enticed and baited by his own evil desire (lust, passions). Then the evil desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is fully matured, brings forth death."
Anytime you have an overwhelming sexual desire for someone who is not your spouse, it has the potential to kill you and pull you away from the will of God for your life.
Why do people give in to sexual lust? Because it "feels good" or because they don't really believe that there are consequences. The truth of the matter is that lust can be difficult to control because it is a desire that cannot be quenched. Lust will never be satisfied; it must always have more.
To combat lust, you must create boundaries in your life that help keep you out of potentially compromising situations. If you're single, for example, avoid late-night visits and phone conversations with members of the opposite sex.
Or, if you know you are challenged in this area, confide in a friend who can keep you accountable and help you maintain your purity. But the best way to quench the fire of lust is through the Word of God. It is always the best source of power when it comes to defeating any type of sin, including lust. If you are struggling with lust, follow these steps to help you overcome this sin in your life:
1) Focus on the will of God. When you choose to give your attention to anything that opposes God's Word, you leave yourself vulnerable for lust to enter your mind, body and spirit. It then conceives and brings forth sin, and eventually leads to death. Stay focused on God's will and plan for your life. Stay on track!
2) Guard your eyes and ears. If you conceive a child, nine months later a child will be born. It is the same way with lust. If you sit up all night watching pornography, for example, that seed will be planted into your spirit and you'll eventually see the results of it in your life. Make it a point to monitor the material you allow into your spirit through your eyes and ears. It really does have an ability to alter your behavior.
3) Think about the Word. Satan's most powerful weapon is the power of suggestion. His job is to try to inject a pattern of thinking into your mind that goes against the Word of God. But if you continue to read and study God's Word, your mind will be better equipped to discern the truth from Satan's lies.
4) Speak the Word. Try this exercise. Count to yourself from 1 to 10, keeping your mouth closed. Now say out loud, "Glory Hallelujah!" What happened to your counting? It stopped. Why? Because it was captured by what was coming out of your mouth. You can combat lustful thoughts and desires by shifting your focus to the Word of God and making daily verbal confessions over your life about your purity and wholeness in Christ.
Make this confession over your life: Father, I thank You that today I am free from the spirit of lust. I will no longer think lustful thoughts, but instead I will think on things that are true, things that are noble, just and pure (Philippians 4:8).
I walk in complete victory and self-control over my mind and my body in Jesus' name, amen!
Dr. Creflo A. Dollar
The American Heritage Dictionary defines lust as "a sexual craving, especially excessive or unrestrained; any overwhelming desire or craving." While there are many types of lust, sexual lust is probably one of the most dangerous because it is a seed that, when planted, can produce a harvest of fornication and even death.
James 1:14-15 (AMP) says, "But every person is tempted when he is drawn away, enticed and baited by his own evil desire (lust, passions). Then the evil desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is fully matured, brings forth death."
Anytime you have an overwhelming sexual desire for someone who is not your spouse, it has the potential to kill you and pull you away from the will of God for your life.
Why do people give in to sexual lust? Because it "feels good" or because they don't really believe that there are consequences. The truth of the matter is that lust can be difficult to control because it is a desire that cannot be quenched. Lust will never be satisfied; it must always have more.
To combat lust, you must create boundaries in your life that help keep you out of potentially compromising situations. If you're single, for example, avoid late-night visits and phone conversations with members of the opposite sex.
Or, if you know you are challenged in this area, confide in a friend who can keep you accountable and help you maintain your purity. But the best way to quench the fire of lust is through the Word of God. It is always the best source of power when it comes to defeating any type of sin, including lust. If you are struggling with lust, follow these steps to help you overcome this sin in your life:
1) Focus on the will of God. When you choose to give your attention to anything that opposes God's Word, you leave yourself vulnerable for lust to enter your mind, body and spirit. It then conceives and brings forth sin, and eventually leads to death. Stay focused on God's will and plan for your life. Stay on track!
2) Guard your eyes and ears. If you conceive a child, nine months later a child will be born. It is the same way with lust. If you sit up all night watching pornography, for example, that seed will be planted into your spirit and you'll eventually see the results of it in your life. Make it a point to monitor the material you allow into your spirit through your eyes and ears. It really does have an ability to alter your behavior.
3) Think about the Word. Satan's most powerful weapon is the power of suggestion. His job is to try to inject a pattern of thinking into your mind that goes against the Word of God. But if you continue to read and study God's Word, your mind will be better equipped to discern the truth from Satan's lies.
4) Speak the Word. Try this exercise. Count to yourself from 1 to 10, keeping your mouth closed. Now say out loud, "Glory Hallelujah!" What happened to your counting? It stopped. Why? Because it was captured by what was coming out of your mouth. You can combat lustful thoughts and desires by shifting your focus to the Word of God and making daily verbal confessions over your life about your purity and wholeness in Christ.
Make this confession over your life: Father, I thank You that today I am free from the spirit of lust. I will no longer think lustful thoughts, but instead I will think on things that are true, things that are noble, just and pure (Philippians 4:8).
I walk in complete victory and self-control over my mind and my body in Jesus' name, amen!
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
VERSE:
VERSE:
The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him,
and delivereth them.
-- Psalm 34:7
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Psalm+34:7&translation=kjv
THOUGHT:
I don't see him, but I know he's there! The same angel of the
Lord who destroyed Israel's enemies is now fighting to win the
spiritual battle that rages around you and me.
PRAYER:
Give me faith, dear Father, to believe that your heavenly
messengers are around me to deliver me to you with glory and great
joy. Thank you! In Jesus name. Amen.
The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him,
and delivereth them.
-- Psalm 34:7
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Psalm+34:7&translation=kjv
THOUGHT:
I don't see him, but I know he's there! The same angel of the
Lord who destroyed Israel's enemies is now fighting to win the
spiritual battle that rages around you and me.
PRAYER:
Give me faith, dear Father, to believe that your heavenly
messengers are around me to deliver me to you with glory and great
joy. Thank you! In Jesus name. Amen.
Monday, October 5, 2009
ALTAR OF WORSHIP
ALTAR OF WORSHIP
Hebrews 13:10-21
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Hebrews+13:10-21
Dear Father,
Thank you for providing an altar of worship for me and all those
who have faith in Jesus. Thank you that our Lord Jesus was willing
to suffer outside the gate in order to call to himself a people
sanctified through his blood. Thank you that I am one of these!
Let me therefore go to him outside the camp, bearing abuse for
him. Father, here I have no lasting city, no permanent country, but
I seek the city which is to come, that you are preparing.
Through Christ therefore I offer up to you a continual sacrifice
of praise, the fruit of my lips which acknowledge your name.
My Lord, help me never to neglect to do good and to share what I
have, for I know these sacrifices are pleasing to you.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Hebrews 13:10-21
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Hebrews+13:10-21
Dear Father,
Thank you for providing an altar of worship for me and all those
who have faith in Jesus. Thank you that our Lord Jesus was willing
to suffer outside the gate in order to call to himself a people
sanctified through his blood. Thank you that I am one of these!
Let me therefore go to him outside the camp, bearing abuse for
him. Father, here I have no lasting city, no permanent country, but
I seek the city which is to come, that you are preparing.
Through Christ therefore I offer up to you a continual sacrifice
of praise, the fruit of my lips which acknowledge your name.
My Lord, help me never to neglect to do good and to share what I
have, for I know these sacrifices are pleasing to you.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
EXHORTATIONS
EXHORTATIONS
Hebrews 13:1-5
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Hebrews+13:1-5
Dear Father, hospitable king,
Fill me with brotherly love. Make me a generous provider of
hospitality to strangers. Let angels find provision under my roof,
even when I don't know who they really are.
Help me remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with
them, and those who are ill-treated, since I am also in the body.
Help me hold marriage in honor. May my own marriage bed remain
forever undefiled.
Keep me from the love of money. Help me be content with what I
have, knowing that you will never fail me or forsake me.
In the name of Jesus. Amen.
Hebrews 13:1-5
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Hebrews+13:1-5
Dear Father, hospitable king,
Fill me with brotherly love. Make me a generous provider of
hospitality to strangers. Let angels find provision under my roof,
even when I don't know who they really are.
Help me remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with
them, and those who are ill-treated, since I am also in the body.
Help me hold marriage in honor. May my own marriage bed remain
forever undefiled.
Keep me from the love of money. Help me be content with what I
have, knowing that you will never fail me or forsake me.
In the name of Jesus. Amen.
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