Eph 6:12-For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].
This is an interesting statement from the Apostle Paul. Could it be that we as Christians are supposed to fight something.........or someone? The meaning of the original Greek word that is interpreted 'wrestle' in this sentence is:
pale-1) wrestling (a contest between two in which each endeavours to throw the other, and which is decided when the victor is able to hold his opponent down with his hand upon his neck)
Outiside of Jesus Christ, who is the best soul winner that is ever known? Why, it's the Apostle Paul. After his conversion, he spent all of his energy winning souls to Christ everywhere that Jesus would send him. Since I am not as good as he is at soul winning, then I need to check out his writings a little bit closer to see if he can give me some tips on winning souls.
Notice he did not say to wrestle with the deacons, pastors, worship leaders or church members that don't want to do the way you tell them to do. Paul says that one of the keys to his success in soul winning is not to wrestle people---flesh and blood. But he does say to wrestle against principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world and spiritual wickedness in high places. If this successful church builder doesn't wrestle against the people in the church, then why do we bother with them? Why do we fight among ourselves? Because when our only enemy, satan, the greatest ruler of darkness, can get us to fight one another, (read the meaning of the word wrestle again) he has thrown us and is the decided victor because satan is holding us down with is hand upon our necks. When you hold somebody by the neck, you control the direction they look. When satan gets you to look at your fellow christian in a demeaning way and fuss at him, HE HAS CONQUERED YOU. When he gets people in the church to speak against one another HE HAS CONQUERED THEM. No wonder our churches are powerless and are no longer reaching the lost.
2 Cor 10:3-For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
2 Cor 10:4-(For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
Pretty plain, huh? Paul tells the Corinthians that our fight is not against each other. That's why the churches are losing souls. We are not fighting the right opponent. Our war is not necessarily with the leaders of nations or terrorists. Our fght is not against the Congress and our elected officials---but with spiritual powers that rule over them.
Luke 10:19 declares-Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Jesus GAVE us power and authority over ALL the power of the enemy. But, how much do we use that power. Now, keep in mind, that Jesus never built up the massive following that He had by bashing the High Priest and berating the church leaders or the people who attended the synagogues. People thronged around Him because He destroyed the power of the devil that had been destroying their lives.
John the beloved declares in 1 John 3:8- For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
John walked and talked with Jesus for three years. Surely he picked up this valuable information by what he saw Jesus doing. Everywhere Jesus went, He was bent on destroying the works of the devil, not people who were oppressed by the devil. Jesus never picked a fight with anybody. Our only enemy, satan, has conquered us. He is holding our neck and forcing us to fight each other while he gets some of his slaves to sell dope to our children. HEY! WAKE UP CHURCH. IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE THE DOPES. As long as we argue with each other, we are conquered.
The enemy is not the ruler of Iran or Columbia or the President of the United States. Our fight should not just be with the terrorists or with Congress. Paul says that a successful soul winner will fight against the evil powers that are behind all of these that oppress us. We should not seek to apprehend and bind with chains these people. We should seek to apprehend and bind the "powers" that govern these people. That's what Paul did. He wrestled against the evil powers that ruled the darkness of the region that he was in. Jesus said that we could bind the devil and loose his grasp from people (Matt 18:18).
How do we do that? We do that by prayer of course. That's the same way Jesus and Paul did it. That's the way that any revival ever got started. It started by getting in tune with the Liberator of souls, Jesus Christ. It began to grow and grow inside saints that would daily spend time in His presence. To be honest, the more you spend time with Jesus, the more you become aware of His awesome Presence. You also begin to realize how physically powerless we are against the power of sin. The more you are in His Presence, the more you realize your total dependence on Him.
Let's take a look at two of the pieces of the armour of God mentioned in Ephesians 6. The first one is the shield of faith in verse 16. Faith becomes a shield to you when you begin believing that what God says is true and what man says contradictory to the Word of God is false. In verse 17, Paul declares that our weapon of choice is the 'Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God." The Word of God is the weapon that we use against the principalities, the powers and the rulers of the darkness of this world. Instead of using our tongue to cut people down to the quick, we can stop the evil rulers by attackin the spiritual force that is causing them to oppress others.
How many times have you gotten angry at these overbearing rulers and politicians for their ungodly ways? Have you ever wished you could get them alone in some back alley and pop the stew out of them a time or two? We all have, but we all know that we could never get the chance. BUT, every day that we are alive, we have the chance to war against the powers behind them. I will never get the chance to go to Iran, or Columbia or to the Congress. However, everywhere that I am, I can call on the name of Jesus over them and use the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. Every day and all day, I can bind the powers that are pushing the rulers of Iran into their wickedness. I can't be with the soldiers as they look for and fight the terrorists. But, I can declare confusion into the camp of the enemy (see Part 1 of this series). I can't walk around Savannah and try to break up the drug deals I see going on. But, I can bind the ugly spirit that drives men to buy and sell drugs. I can't be everywhere to do all the things that need to be done in our nation. But, I can plead the blood of Jesus over this nation while I am praying at home, driving my car or walking about the town.
Folks, it doesn't depend on how much of our weight we throw around. Our petty fusses in church have never brought the lost thronging to the alter. However, prevailing before the throne of Grace in prayer day and night has always brought revival. Let's get acquainted with the Word of God and begin standing on it in prayer. If nothing else, let's plead the blood of Jesus over our particular area and cry out for lost souls to be saved.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Prayer-Shake the Nations Part 2
We need to understand that our God is a sovereign God. Even though He allows man to rule his own life, God is still the final say in any matter. You can find God's final say. It is called the Holy Bible. Whenever mankind makes their stand against God's Word, God shows up and interrupts man's plans any way He wants to. He is still the Lord of lords and the King of kings.
As praying Christians, we should never be hindered in our prayers by what we see mankind doing. Too often, we never bring our prayers to the throne of grace simply because some ruler of some country makes bigoted remarks and threats. We see this man has power. This man has an army. This man is in the newspaper and on TV. This man has a history of doing dastardly things to people who stand against him. We don't see anyone else standing against him or even say that they are praying for him. We act like we are helpless to stop this maniac.
God's Word is our basis for prayer. God's Word portrays His will for mankind. Most folks do not know how or what to pray about in these situations because they don't know what the Word says about it. In Part 1, I shared with you some of the scriptures that I use when I pray for the leaders of the nations. I not only pray for the leaders of the nation, I pray for the nations themselves. God sent His only begotton Son so that "whosoever" believeth in Him should not perish. 2 Peter 3:9 tells us that God's will is that "all" come to repentence. If it's God's will that they be saved, then I have a right and a demand from the throne of Grace to pray for them.
Let me give you a Fox News Alert about God and His will. As much as some of the leaders and terrorist groups brag and blow, God never has to ask any of them for their permission to answer prayer. God never has to ask for their permission to confound and confuse their plans against innocent people (See Part 1). God DOES, however, pay attention to believers who will hold fast to His promises and pray in the manner He prescribed. (1 John 5:14) He never asks if it is OK or would they mind. If a believer stands on God's Word and prays and believes-------God sovereignly answers. He will honor His Word no matter who doesn't like it.
God promised Abraham that his children would be slaves in a foreign land for 400 years. He promised that He would bring them out with great substance and judge the nation. God spoke to his great-grandson, Joseph in dreams that his famil would all bow down to him one day. That excited his brothers to no end. They plotted to fake his death and sell him into slavery to the Ishmaelites. It was all part of God's plan. The Ishmaelites sold him to Potiphar as a slave. It was all part of God's plan. Later on, he was put in jail. God's plan, again. Pharaoh's cup bearer got thrown in jail and had a dream. Joseph interpreted it. God's plan, again. A few years later, Pharaoh had a weird dream that nobody could interpret. He was upset with his soothsayers until his cup bearer told him of Joseph. Wow. What a coincidence. Nope. It was God's plan. God orchestrated the whole thing from the beginning. Joseph knew God would honor His Word to Abraham and honor what He told him in his dreams. That is why Joseph was so successful in Potiphar's house and the jail. They all saw that God blessed Joseph in adverse circumstances. Why? Joseph's faith in God's Word gave him a great attitude even when he was surrounded by evil and harsh circumstances.
Now, did God ask Pharaoh if He could operate that way? After all it was his country. He was the supreme ruler, wasn't he? He might have been supreme ruler over Egypt at that time, but he was not the supreme ruler over God's promises. God never gave a promise He could not keep. Pharaoh, who thought he was the supreme ruler over Egypt, actually became a pawn in God's hand so that God could keep His promise to Abraham and to Joseph. God did not need Pharoah's approval to do anything. God stood by the believer who held on to His Word.
Four hundred years later, there was 2 million Hebrews in the land of Egypt and it was time to come out. In Exodus 2:23, we find that the children of Israel finally began to cry out to God. Most of them could count and knew that it was about the 400 year mark. God tapped Moses on the shoulder, talked to him from the burning bush and told him it was time for His children to inherit the promised land. I don't know about your Bible, but I have never read where God pleaded and bribed Pharaoh to let His people go. I don't find where God even ASKED Pharaoh. He TOLD Pharaoh to let His people go. In the middle of unbelief, God showed up in power and majesty. He toyed with Pharaoh just enough to make him mad. After he let God's people go, Pharaoh changed his mind and ran after them with his mighty army. That really scared God, didn't it? God put a cloud between His children and Pharaoh's army so they could not attack. Then, when Pharaoh and his army tried to chase the children through the sea, he destroyed the entire army. Did God ask them for their permission? No. Did He warn them? No. Pharaoh had many, many chances to honor God's people but, instead, made their lives harder and more miserable. God sovereignly moved in a way that brought Pharaoh to his destruction. All because His people stood on His Word and cried out for His deliverance.
The ruler of the nations, the nations themselves, and the individual terrorist groups have had ample opportunity to bless people. Instead, they have chosen to oppress and destroy innocent lives. When God's people begin to humble themselves and pray, God moves sovereignly. When we cry out in line with what the Word of God says, God will honor that Word at the expense of any of the mighty men. God's love is towards all men. His favor is towards the righteous. If men chose not to receive God's offer of love, they also chose not to be in His favor. There are elected officials here in he United States that have turned a deaf ear to the cries of the poor. They, too, have had choices to make.
As God's people of prayer, we have the command from God's Word in Ezekiel 22:30-And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. We have been called to stand in the gap for those who are oppressed and burdened so that they will not be destroyed by the rulers and the hardships of this world. As an individual with limited resources, I can't do much to help, but I CAN stand in the gap and pray. Joseph and Moses experienced a "God thing" as I call it. A time when the Almighty God of all creation comes down and moves anybody and everybody any way He wants to because a believer is praying. That's what I am praying for. A "God thing." Our Christian history has seen several revivals that swept through areas and closed up hell holes. Entire towns came to Jesus. And it all started out with 2 Chronicles 7:14. God's people humbling, repenting, turning to God and praying instead of expecting politics to bring us the answer. Next, God promises a "God thing." We get to hear from heaven. Let's join together in seeking Him. Now, pass this along.
As praying Christians, we should never be hindered in our prayers by what we see mankind doing. Too often, we never bring our prayers to the throne of grace simply because some ruler of some country makes bigoted remarks and threats. We see this man has power. This man has an army. This man is in the newspaper and on TV. This man has a history of doing dastardly things to people who stand against him. We don't see anyone else standing against him or even say that they are praying for him. We act like we are helpless to stop this maniac.
God's Word is our basis for prayer. God's Word portrays His will for mankind. Most folks do not know how or what to pray about in these situations because they don't know what the Word says about it. In Part 1, I shared with you some of the scriptures that I use when I pray for the leaders of the nations. I not only pray for the leaders of the nation, I pray for the nations themselves. God sent His only begotton Son so that "whosoever" believeth in Him should not perish. 2 Peter 3:9 tells us that God's will is that "all" come to repentence. If it's God's will that they be saved, then I have a right and a demand from the throne of Grace to pray for them.
Let me give you a Fox News Alert about God and His will. As much as some of the leaders and terrorist groups brag and blow, God never has to ask any of them for their permission to answer prayer. God never has to ask for their permission to confound and confuse their plans against innocent people (See Part 1). God DOES, however, pay attention to believers who will hold fast to His promises and pray in the manner He prescribed. (1 John 5:14) He never asks if it is OK or would they mind. If a believer stands on God's Word and prays and believes-------God sovereignly answers. He will honor His Word no matter who doesn't like it.
God promised Abraham that his children would be slaves in a foreign land for 400 years. He promised that He would bring them out with great substance and judge the nation. God spoke to his great-grandson, Joseph in dreams that his famil would all bow down to him one day. That excited his brothers to no end. They plotted to fake his death and sell him into slavery to the Ishmaelites. It was all part of God's plan. The Ishmaelites sold him to Potiphar as a slave. It was all part of God's plan. Later on, he was put in jail. God's plan, again. Pharaoh's cup bearer got thrown in jail and had a dream. Joseph interpreted it. God's plan, again. A few years later, Pharaoh had a weird dream that nobody could interpret. He was upset with his soothsayers until his cup bearer told him of Joseph. Wow. What a coincidence. Nope. It was God's plan. God orchestrated the whole thing from the beginning. Joseph knew God would honor His Word to Abraham and honor what He told him in his dreams. That is why Joseph was so successful in Potiphar's house and the jail. They all saw that God blessed Joseph in adverse circumstances. Why? Joseph's faith in God's Word gave him a great attitude even when he was surrounded by evil and harsh circumstances.
Now, did God ask Pharaoh if He could operate that way? After all it was his country. He was the supreme ruler, wasn't he? He might have been supreme ruler over Egypt at that time, but he was not the supreme ruler over God's promises. God never gave a promise He could not keep. Pharaoh, who thought he was the supreme ruler over Egypt, actually became a pawn in God's hand so that God could keep His promise to Abraham and to Joseph. God did not need Pharoah's approval to do anything. God stood by the believer who held on to His Word.
Four hundred years later, there was 2 million Hebrews in the land of Egypt and it was time to come out. In Exodus 2:23, we find that the children of Israel finally began to cry out to God. Most of them could count and knew that it was about the 400 year mark. God tapped Moses on the shoulder, talked to him from the burning bush and told him it was time for His children to inherit the promised land. I don't know about your Bible, but I have never read where God pleaded and bribed Pharaoh to let His people go. I don't find where God even ASKED Pharaoh. He TOLD Pharaoh to let His people go. In the middle of unbelief, God showed up in power and majesty. He toyed with Pharaoh just enough to make him mad. After he let God's people go, Pharaoh changed his mind and ran after them with his mighty army. That really scared God, didn't it? God put a cloud between His children and Pharaoh's army so they could not attack. Then, when Pharaoh and his army tried to chase the children through the sea, he destroyed the entire army. Did God ask them for their permission? No. Did He warn them? No. Pharaoh had many, many chances to honor God's people but, instead, made their lives harder and more miserable. God sovereignly moved in a way that brought Pharaoh to his destruction. All because His people stood on His Word and cried out for His deliverance.
The ruler of the nations, the nations themselves, and the individual terrorist groups have had ample opportunity to bless people. Instead, they have chosen to oppress and destroy innocent lives. When God's people begin to humble themselves and pray, God moves sovereignly. When we cry out in line with what the Word of God says, God will honor that Word at the expense of any of the mighty men. God's love is towards all men. His favor is towards the righteous. If men chose not to receive God's offer of love, they also chose not to be in His favor. There are elected officials here in he United States that have turned a deaf ear to the cries of the poor. They, too, have had choices to make.
As God's people of prayer, we have the command from God's Word in Ezekiel 22:30-And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. We have been called to stand in the gap for those who are oppressed and burdened so that they will not be destroyed by the rulers and the hardships of this world. As an individual with limited resources, I can't do much to help, but I CAN stand in the gap and pray. Joseph and Moses experienced a "God thing" as I call it. A time when the Almighty God of all creation comes down and moves anybody and everybody any way He wants to because a believer is praying. That's what I am praying for. A "God thing." Our Christian history has seen several revivals that swept through areas and closed up hell holes. Entire towns came to Jesus. And it all started out with 2 Chronicles 7:14. God's people humbling, repenting, turning to God and praying instead of expecting politics to bring us the answer. Next, God promises a "God thing." We get to hear from heaven. Let's join together in seeking Him. Now, pass this along.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Prayer-Shake the Nations Part 1
One of the leaders of the Scottish Reformation in the mid-1500's was an ex-Catholic priest named John Knox. He was a man of strong prayer. The ruler of Scotland for a time, Mary Queen of Scots, was quoted as saying, "I fear the prayers of John Knox more than all the assembled armies of Europe." That speaks highly of a man of God. The prophet Elijah prayed and it stopped raining for over three years. Then, he prayed and fire came down from heaven. He prayed again and it began raining. He prayed two other times and fire came down and consumed a couple of bands of soldiers sent to kill him.
The prayers of mighty men have shaken nations. I firmly believe that we as Christians can turn the tide of current events by the way we pray. This is for certain, if we DON'T pray, things will NEVER change. Jesus said this in Mat 21:22-And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. John the Beloved wrote in 1 John 5:14-And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
1Jo 5:15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
I know that you are going to say, Bro. Henry, God will only answer if it is according to His will. Boy! You catch on quick, don't you?
Let's look at the following scriptures.
Psalm 37:7-fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
David, the great king and psalmist, said not to worry about the man who brings wicked things to pass. Do you know any world rulers who bring wicked things to pass to make us afraid? Do you know any religions that do it? How about rulers in this nation? How about local, state and federal legislators?
Let's group several scriptures and then talk about prayer for a minute.
Psalm 10:2-The wicked in [his] pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.
Psalm 9:16-The LORD is known [by] the judgment [which] he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands.
Psalm 35:4-Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.
These are prayers of King David that became songs that the Israelites sang during worship. The Holy Spirit breathed these words into existence though him. Here we find the will of God for wicked people. It specifically talks about the wicked people who persecute the poor, seek after our souls and devise or plan things that hurt us. Does this describe people on planet earth today? How about some of the rulers of the nations? Yes, you have several groups of individuals that would love to inflict harm on the United States. You have several nations that would love to wipe out Israel. And, these groups have been planning to hurt us right now.
Let's touch another subject. How about the local, state, and federal branches of our government. Have they persecuted the poor? Do they seek after our soul and devise laws to our hurt? Some of the things they have done, not all, have wound up hurting more people than they have helped. We have seen over the past several months that some people in our government are not carrying out their duties in an honorable fashion. But, how do we know their hearts and their intentions? How do we know which ones are good and which ones only want to make dishonest gain?
Take a look at this scripture- Ecc 12:14-For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether [it be] good, or whether [it be] evil.
For over a year, I have been praying for our Congress, state and local officials, our armed forces an our police and fire departments. I have prayed for the rulers and those who have authority over us. (1 Tim 2) In the past several months, I have seen God answering those prayers. God is bringing the wicked down. I know that it was not just my prayers but prayers of thousands of Godly men and women all over the world praying for the same thing.
Here's how I pray. I keep these scriptures handy to help me pray them until they are committed to memory. I do not claim to be an expert in the political realm and don't want to be. I want to be an expert in the Word of God and an expert in prayer. I firmly believe that we can shake the nations through appropriate praying. First, since I am not a political expert, I ask God to bring every work into judgment. Bring the good ones into judgement and bless them and bring the bad ones into judgement and stop them. (Keep referring to the verses in Psalms.) I ask God to confuse the counsel of those that are seeking ways to hurt His people. I speak confusion into their committee meetings. I speak confusion into their battle plans. I declare that their weapons formed against us would not prosper, Is 54:17. For the Congress as well as the armies that stand against us, I pray that they be snared in the work of their own hands.
There is no telling what can be done in this earth if God's people begin praying strong prayers. If we truly believe that God is a prayer answering God, then let's get down to the business of doing it. Don't pray in a haphazard manner. Find scriptures that deal with the particular need that you have. Listen for the unction of the Holy Ghost. If you are sincere in building a strong prayer life, God is more that willing to help you. It is His desire that we live in peace. Peace doesn't come through politics. It comes through peace. If you feel that this blog has been helpful to you, pass it on to friends.
In the next part, I will share some more about praying for the nations, expecially ours.
The prayers of mighty men have shaken nations. I firmly believe that we as Christians can turn the tide of current events by the way we pray. This is for certain, if we DON'T pray, things will NEVER change. Jesus said this in Mat 21:22-And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. John the Beloved wrote in 1 John 5:14-And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
1Jo 5:15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
I know that you are going to say, Bro. Henry, God will only answer if it is according to His will. Boy! You catch on quick, don't you?
Let's look at the following scriptures.
Psalm 37:7-fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
David, the great king and psalmist, said not to worry about the man who brings wicked things to pass. Do you know any world rulers who bring wicked things to pass to make us afraid? Do you know any religions that do it? How about rulers in this nation? How about local, state and federal legislators?
Let's group several scriptures and then talk about prayer for a minute.
Psalm 10:2-The wicked in [his] pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.
Psalm 9:16-The LORD is known [by] the judgment [which] he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands.
Psalm 35:4-Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.
These are prayers of King David that became songs that the Israelites sang during worship. The Holy Spirit breathed these words into existence though him. Here we find the will of God for wicked people. It specifically talks about the wicked people who persecute the poor, seek after our souls and devise or plan things that hurt us. Does this describe people on planet earth today? How about some of the rulers of the nations? Yes, you have several groups of individuals that would love to inflict harm on the United States. You have several nations that would love to wipe out Israel. And, these groups have been planning to hurt us right now.
Let's touch another subject. How about the local, state, and federal branches of our government. Have they persecuted the poor? Do they seek after our soul and devise laws to our hurt? Some of the things they have done, not all, have wound up hurting more people than they have helped. We have seen over the past several months that some people in our government are not carrying out their duties in an honorable fashion. But, how do we know their hearts and their intentions? How do we know which ones are good and which ones only want to make dishonest gain?
Take a look at this scripture- Ecc 12:14-For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether [it be] good, or whether [it be] evil.
For over a year, I have been praying for our Congress, state and local officials, our armed forces an our police and fire departments. I have prayed for the rulers and those who have authority over us. (1 Tim 2) In the past several months, I have seen God answering those prayers. God is bringing the wicked down. I know that it was not just my prayers but prayers of thousands of Godly men and women all over the world praying for the same thing.
Here's how I pray. I keep these scriptures handy to help me pray them until they are committed to memory. I do not claim to be an expert in the political realm and don't want to be. I want to be an expert in the Word of God and an expert in prayer. I firmly believe that we can shake the nations through appropriate praying. First, since I am not a political expert, I ask God to bring every work into judgment. Bring the good ones into judgement and bless them and bring the bad ones into judgement and stop them. (Keep referring to the verses in Psalms.) I ask God to confuse the counsel of those that are seeking ways to hurt His people. I speak confusion into their committee meetings. I speak confusion into their battle plans. I declare that their weapons formed against us would not prosper, Is 54:17. For the Congress as well as the armies that stand against us, I pray that they be snared in the work of their own hands.
There is no telling what can be done in this earth if God's people begin praying strong prayers. If we truly believe that God is a prayer answering God, then let's get down to the business of doing it. Don't pray in a haphazard manner. Find scriptures that deal with the particular need that you have. Listen for the unction of the Holy Ghost. If you are sincere in building a strong prayer life, God is more that willing to help you. It is His desire that we live in peace. Peace doesn't come through politics. It comes through peace. If you feel that this blog has been helpful to you, pass it on to friends.
In the next part, I will share some more about praying for the nations, expecially ours.
Monday, January 4, 2010
John 4
If you are not familiar with the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well in John chapter 4, please take a moment and review it. In this story, Jesus meets a woman who had made a lot of mistakes. This woman had a lot of animosity toward Jesus because he was a Jew and maybe because he was a man. She was argumentative and quite defensive at Jesus' questions. Are you like that? Do you know anyone like that who needs to be saved? Then this word is for you.
The first thing we need to look at is that Jesus had more love than she had anger. Often, we view some types of people as being beyond hope. They seem to be too mean and beyond all hope of ever coming to know Jesus as their personal Saviour. We might be personally wrestling with some situations that seem far beyond our ability to handle. No matter how angry, bitter or defensive this woman became, Jesus had more love than she had anger. Whatever we are facing, Jesus is more than enough. As a Christian, we need to have more of God's love in us than sinners have anger. That's the challenge to us as soul winners.
Here is something else you might not have thought of in this situation. Jesus was her answer when she didn't even know the right question. This woman threw argument after argument at Jesus. Do you know anybody like that? Have you argued with anyone like that? Have you faced anyone that brought up the same old, tired defensive statements over and over again? Have you faced Jesus with the same arguments and defensive statements. Jesus is still the answer. He hung in there with her like a Holy Ghost bulldog until His love wore her down. When you pray and as you deal with the lost, Jesus is still the answer and He always knows how to reach them. Our challenge is to spend more time with Jesus and become more like him. Then the Jesus within us becomes more of an answer than they have questions. The questions she posed were all religious arguments. Sound familiar? You'll never win in a religious argument. Her real need was a relationship with the Father.
She kept looking to the physical for deep satisfaction. Jesus knew that real satisfaction came out of a relationship with the Father. (Does it sound like I am repeating myself? There's probably a reason.)
Her slaps and jabs at a Jewish man did not originate in hatred. Hatred and anger are the fruits that grow from the root of bitterness and hurt. Remember that in dealing with the lost. Remember that as you pray for the lost. Anger and hatred are false shields that people through up to keep from obeying Jesus. Remember also, that sinners are not the only ones that are filled with hatred and anger. Christians get caught up in them also. If you find your life entangled with these two poisonous attitudes, get alone with God and deal with your own root of bitterness before trying to reach someone else. Remember, Jesus's love was greater than her hurt. His love has to be the greater factor in our own lives as well.
1 Corinthians 13:8-Chaity never faileth. Jesus' persistent agape love never, never, never, never fails. His love disarmed every question and broke every defense mechanism she had. His Love. His Love. It was His Love for her that looked past her arguments and saw her real need. Her real need was a relationship with the Father. Again, we need to spend time in prayer until God's Love is perfected in us.
You need to notice, that at every defensive statement she made, Jesus came back with the same answer. He said it in different ways but the answer was the same. Jesus persisted until her vertical relationship with the Father was corrected. When that was corrected, her horizontal relationships became corrected, also.
The point to remember is this. Jesus' persistent love prevailed. If we are to be successful Christians and, most importantly, successful soul-winners, we have to spend more time developing our love relationship with Jesus first. Agape love never fails.
The first thing we need to look at is that Jesus had more love than she had anger. Often, we view some types of people as being beyond hope. They seem to be too mean and beyond all hope of ever coming to know Jesus as their personal Saviour. We might be personally wrestling with some situations that seem far beyond our ability to handle. No matter how angry, bitter or defensive this woman became, Jesus had more love than she had anger. Whatever we are facing, Jesus is more than enough. As a Christian, we need to have more of God's love in us than sinners have anger. That's the challenge to us as soul winners.
Here is something else you might not have thought of in this situation. Jesus was her answer when she didn't even know the right question. This woman threw argument after argument at Jesus. Do you know anybody like that? Have you argued with anyone like that? Have you faced anyone that brought up the same old, tired defensive statements over and over again? Have you faced Jesus with the same arguments and defensive statements. Jesus is still the answer. He hung in there with her like a Holy Ghost bulldog until His love wore her down. When you pray and as you deal with the lost, Jesus is still the answer and He always knows how to reach them. Our challenge is to spend more time with Jesus and become more like him. Then the Jesus within us becomes more of an answer than they have questions. The questions she posed were all religious arguments. Sound familiar? You'll never win in a religious argument. Her real need was a relationship with the Father.
She kept looking to the physical for deep satisfaction. Jesus knew that real satisfaction came out of a relationship with the Father. (Does it sound like I am repeating myself? There's probably a reason.)
Her slaps and jabs at a Jewish man did not originate in hatred. Hatred and anger are the fruits that grow from the root of bitterness and hurt. Remember that in dealing with the lost. Remember that as you pray for the lost. Anger and hatred are false shields that people through up to keep from obeying Jesus. Remember also, that sinners are not the only ones that are filled with hatred and anger. Christians get caught up in them also. If you find your life entangled with these two poisonous attitudes, get alone with God and deal with your own root of bitterness before trying to reach someone else. Remember, Jesus's love was greater than her hurt. His love has to be the greater factor in our own lives as well.
1 Corinthians 13:8-Chaity never faileth. Jesus' persistent agape love never, never, never, never fails. His love disarmed every question and broke every defense mechanism she had. His Love. His Love. It was His Love for her that looked past her arguments and saw her real need. Her real need was a relationship with the Father. Again, we need to spend time in prayer until God's Love is perfected in us.
You need to notice, that at every defensive statement she made, Jesus came back with the same answer. He said it in different ways but the answer was the same. Jesus persisted until her vertical relationship with the Father was corrected. When that was corrected, her horizontal relationships became corrected, also.
The point to remember is this. Jesus' persistent love prevailed. If we are to be successful Christians and, most importantly, successful soul-winners, we have to spend more time developing our love relationship with Jesus first. Agape love never fails.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
There's a Season for the Believer
Psa 1:1--¶Blessed [is] the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
Psa 1:2--But his delight [is] in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
Psa 1:3--And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
Psa 1:4--The ungodly [are] not so: but [are] like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
Psa 1:5--Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
Psa 1:6--For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
In my previous post, I talked about Caleb and Joshua obtaining the promise and going into the promised land. Let's walk through Psalm 1 and get some insight on how they did it. As you know, they had to wander around the wilderness for fourty years until all of the doubters died. Here is some of what they faced.
From verse #1: They retained their joy because they would not listen to the counsel of the ungodly, or walk with sinners, or sit in the seat of the scornful. There were people who rose up in rebellion against Moses and the Word of God. They all got swallowed up in a fire-filled earthquake. There were people who murmured, griped and complained about the way that God's man, Moses, was leading them. They died of snake bite. Caleb and Joshua were not among them. They believed the Word of God and honored God's Man of the Hour.
From verse #2: They retained their joy because they considered the promises of God to be the LAW and not a pipe dream that might never come to pass. They chose to meditate (think about) on what was going to happen when God did what He said He would do. They did not stop to fuss and cuss and fume about the way things were going right then, even though a lot of people (ungodly, sinners and scournful) were consumed with griping and doubting. Caleb and Joshua were consumed with believing. It was THEIR CHOICE, it was THEIR CHOICE, listen to me, it was THEIR CHOICE to meditate, think about and day-dream about God's promise. Caleb kept thinking about Mt. Hebron, and he finally got it.
From verse #3: Here is what happens when you think about the promise instead of the nasty now-nows. The idea, or day-dream that the Word of God brings, becomes firmly planted inside you like a little seed. The idea of a tree planted by the rivers of waters is this. In the Eastern cultures there was not a lot of rain that went around. So, if somebody had a tree that was their favorite, they would did a little path from the well or nearby stream so that their precious tree would have nourishment all of the time. God's Word says that when we meditate on His Word day and night, that the Holy Spirit will water that seed constantly and allow it to grow faster and faster. When you start meditating on the what's-happening-right-now, the river gets cut off.
However, you will have to wait until your season. Fruit trees have different maturity rates. Some bear fruit in the first year. Oranges take from five to seven years to start bearing. I have read that lemon trees take from 15-20 years. I'm glad that I'm not waiting for that crop to come in. Anyway, the maturity rate is up to God. He is the One Who gave the promise and His is the One Who is Faithful to bring it to maturity. So, Caleb and Joshua had to wait for fourty years, but their crop DID come in.
However, during this time their leaf did not wither. Leaves are what a tree holds toward the sunshine, or in this case the Son-shine, TO BRING IN FOOD AND NOURISHMENT to help towards maturity. As you stand firm on the Word, meditate on the Law, you hold your heart up in praise and admiration to the Lord Jesus Christ who is honor bound to bring His Word to pass. Don't let your leaf wither. Keep the dream alive in you and your praises HOT. God will mature His Word for you.
From verse #6: God knows the way of the righteous. Being righteous means believing what God said to be the truth and thinking about it all the time. God knows the right path for you, Jer 29:11. He knows how to get you from point A to point B. We honor God to the highest degree when we choose to believe Him and His Word in every situation. In turn, God honors us because of His love for His children.
Happy Believing,
Henry
Psa 1:2--But his delight [is] in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
Psa 1:3--And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
Psa 1:4--The ungodly [are] not so: but [are] like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
Psa 1:5--Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
Psa 1:6--For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
In my previous post, I talked about Caleb and Joshua obtaining the promise and going into the promised land. Let's walk through Psalm 1 and get some insight on how they did it. As you know, they had to wander around the wilderness for fourty years until all of the doubters died. Here is some of what they faced.
From verse #1: They retained their joy because they would not listen to the counsel of the ungodly, or walk with sinners, or sit in the seat of the scornful. There were people who rose up in rebellion against Moses and the Word of God. They all got swallowed up in a fire-filled earthquake. There were people who murmured, griped and complained about the way that God's man, Moses, was leading them. They died of snake bite. Caleb and Joshua were not among them. They believed the Word of God and honored God's Man of the Hour.
From verse #2: They retained their joy because they considered the promises of God to be the LAW and not a pipe dream that might never come to pass. They chose to meditate (think about) on what was going to happen when God did what He said He would do. They did not stop to fuss and cuss and fume about the way things were going right then, even though a lot of people (ungodly, sinners and scournful) were consumed with griping and doubting. Caleb and Joshua were consumed with believing. It was THEIR CHOICE, it was THEIR CHOICE, listen to me, it was THEIR CHOICE to meditate, think about and day-dream about God's promise. Caleb kept thinking about Mt. Hebron, and he finally got it.
From verse #3: Here is what happens when you think about the promise instead of the nasty now-nows. The idea, or day-dream that the Word of God brings, becomes firmly planted inside you like a little seed. The idea of a tree planted by the rivers of waters is this. In the Eastern cultures there was not a lot of rain that went around. So, if somebody had a tree that was their favorite, they would did a little path from the well or nearby stream so that their precious tree would have nourishment all of the time. God's Word says that when we meditate on His Word day and night, that the Holy Spirit will water that seed constantly and allow it to grow faster and faster. When you start meditating on the what's-happening-right-now, the river gets cut off.
However, you will have to wait until your season. Fruit trees have different maturity rates. Some bear fruit in the first year. Oranges take from five to seven years to start bearing. I have read that lemon trees take from 15-20 years. I'm glad that I'm not waiting for that crop to come in. Anyway, the maturity rate is up to God. He is the One Who gave the promise and His is the One Who is Faithful to bring it to maturity. So, Caleb and Joshua had to wait for fourty years, but their crop DID come in.
However, during this time their leaf did not wither. Leaves are what a tree holds toward the sunshine, or in this case the Son-shine, TO BRING IN FOOD AND NOURISHMENT to help towards maturity. As you stand firm on the Word, meditate on the Law, you hold your heart up in praise and admiration to the Lord Jesus Christ who is honor bound to bring His Word to pass. Don't let your leaf wither. Keep the dream alive in you and your praises HOT. God will mature His Word for you.
From verse #6: God knows the way of the righteous. Being righteous means believing what God said to be the truth and thinking about it all the time. God knows the right path for you, Jer 29:11. He knows how to get you from point A to point B. We honor God to the highest degree when we choose to believe Him and His Word in every situation. In turn, God honors us because of His love for His children.
Happy Believing,
Henry
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Transformed by What God Said
Romans 12:2--And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.
We all have to admit that God says some pretty wild things. He told Abraham, at the age of 75, that he would father a multitude of children. On top of that, that they would come from his 69 year old wife. We know the story that Sarah only had one child, but on down through the years, one grew to be a multitude just like God said.
When the Hebrews were in Egyptian bondage, God said that He was going to set them free and GIVE them a land flowing with milk and honey. Sounds unvelievable, huh? We'll talk more about that later.
Let's talk about Abraham. Why did God wait 25 years just to give him ONE child? Because, by that time, it was impossible for man to do it. Was He mad at Abraham for some reason? No. Is God just a real mean God and doesn't like to see people happy? On the contrary, He sent His Son so that our joy could be full. (John 16:24) Then, why in thunder does God do goofy stuff? Because He is trying to show that He is able to do anything for His children. He is proving to Abraham AND HIS DESCENDANTS that He is well able to do whatever He promises.
Here is something that I have never heard preached or taught or even talked about. See if you have. When Isaac began getting to an age where he could reason, he started looking at all of the young men and young women who were having children. He looked at married couples 69 and 75 years old and figured out that they didn't have children, much less a couple in their 90's. Reasoning would have yelled out at Isaac, "Hey, there really is something to this God stuff my Dad has been preaching to me." When his daddy took him up to a mountain to sacrifice him and the angel stopped Abraham and talked to him, Isaac must have thought, "Hey, there really is something to this God stuff my Dad has been preaching to me." And all that Abraham did, was believe what God said instead of what it looked like. God said that was the righteous thing to do. (Rom 4:3, Gal 3:6, Jam 2:23) By not conforming to the world's way of doing things and saying what God said, Abraham transformed not only his life but TRANSFORMED HIS CHILDREN'S LIVES, ALSO. How about it mom's and dad's? Is standing on the Word of God worth the lives and souls of your children? I reckon so.
God said something pretty nifty to the Hebrews in Egyptian bondage. He told them that He would bring them out with great prosperity and them give them their on plot of land in Canaan that they and their children could own. All of this was well and good until they sent 12 spies into the land just to see how good it really was. They all agreed that the land was a good land just like God said. However, 10 of them said that there were giants in the land and that THEY ARE STRONGER THAN WE ARE. Duh! Of course they were. God already told them that they would be and not to panic. So this doesn't really rate a Fox News Alert. They must not have been paying attention to the rest of what God said. He said that He would drive their enemies out. He told them specifically that, with His help, they would conquer seven nations stronger than they were.
Here's the jist of the conversation.
Num 13:30--And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. Num 13:31--But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they [are] stronger than we.
Now, which ones are conformers and which ones are transformers. The 10 spies were being conformed by what they saw. That is extremely dangerous when you begin contradicting what God has said. Long story short. Caleb and Joshua agreed with God and started thinking and talking what God said. They got what God said they could have. It took them 40 years plus five years of battle, but they got the land of their dreams. Not only that, but Mt. Hebron belonged to Caleb's children, grandchildren, etc,. etc. By what he went through and stood for, Caleb proved what is that good and perfect will of God to his children. Thanks, Dad.
How about the 10 conformists. They were conformed by what they saw and died with unfulfilled
desires. They were miserable, cantankerous and rebellious and left no hope for their children. Their children had to believe the Word of God for themselves. Thanks for nothing, Dad.
Is praying for and believing God for revival worth it? You bet. Are you willing to step out on a limb and believe His Word instead of what you see? I hope so. When you refuse to conform and you believe in the transforming power of God, God will prove to you AND YOUR CHILDREN that He is a God worth serving.
Happy loving,
Henry
We all have to admit that God says some pretty wild things. He told Abraham, at the age of 75, that he would father a multitude of children. On top of that, that they would come from his 69 year old wife. We know the story that Sarah only had one child, but on down through the years, one grew to be a multitude just like God said.
When the Hebrews were in Egyptian bondage, God said that He was going to set them free and GIVE them a land flowing with milk and honey. Sounds unvelievable, huh? We'll talk more about that later.
Let's talk about Abraham. Why did God wait 25 years just to give him ONE child? Because, by that time, it was impossible for man to do it. Was He mad at Abraham for some reason? No. Is God just a real mean God and doesn't like to see people happy? On the contrary, He sent His Son so that our joy could be full. (John 16:24) Then, why in thunder does God do goofy stuff? Because He is trying to show that He is able to do anything for His children. He is proving to Abraham AND HIS DESCENDANTS that He is well able to do whatever He promises.
Here is something that I have never heard preached or taught or even talked about. See if you have. When Isaac began getting to an age where he could reason, he started looking at all of the young men and young women who were having children. He looked at married couples 69 and 75 years old and figured out that they didn't have children, much less a couple in their 90's. Reasoning would have yelled out at Isaac, "Hey, there really is something to this God stuff my Dad has been preaching to me." When his daddy took him up to a mountain to sacrifice him and the angel stopped Abraham and talked to him, Isaac must have thought, "Hey, there really is something to this God stuff my Dad has been preaching to me." And all that Abraham did, was believe what God said instead of what it looked like. God said that was the righteous thing to do. (Rom 4:3, Gal 3:6, Jam 2:23) By not conforming to the world's way of doing things and saying what God said, Abraham transformed not only his life but TRANSFORMED HIS CHILDREN'S LIVES, ALSO. How about it mom's and dad's? Is standing on the Word of God worth the lives and souls of your children? I reckon so.
God said something pretty nifty to the Hebrews in Egyptian bondage. He told them that He would bring them out with great prosperity and them give them their on plot of land in Canaan that they and their children could own. All of this was well and good until they sent 12 spies into the land just to see how good it really was. They all agreed that the land was a good land just like God said. However, 10 of them said that there were giants in the land and that THEY ARE STRONGER THAN WE ARE. Duh! Of course they were. God already told them that they would be and not to panic. So this doesn't really rate a Fox News Alert. They must not have been paying attention to the rest of what God said. He said that He would drive their enemies out. He told them specifically that, with His help, they would conquer seven nations stronger than they were.
Here's the jist of the conversation.
Num 13:30--And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. Num 13:31--But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they [are] stronger than we.
Now, which ones are conformers and which ones are transformers. The 10 spies were being conformed by what they saw. That is extremely dangerous when you begin contradicting what God has said. Long story short. Caleb and Joshua agreed with God and started thinking and talking what God said. They got what God said they could have. It took them 40 years plus five years of battle, but they got the land of their dreams. Not only that, but Mt. Hebron belonged to Caleb's children, grandchildren, etc,. etc. By what he went through and stood for, Caleb proved what is that good and perfect will of God to his children. Thanks, Dad.
How about the 10 conformists. They were conformed by what they saw and died with unfulfilled
desires. They were miserable, cantankerous and rebellious and left no hope for their children. Their children had to believe the Word of God for themselves. Thanks for nothing, Dad.
Is praying for and believing God for revival worth it? You bet. Are you willing to step out on a limb and believe His Word instead of what you see? I hope so. When you refuse to conform and you believe in the transforming power of God, God will prove to you AND YOUR CHILDREN that He is a God worth serving.
Happy loving,
Henry
Monday, November 9, 2009
Read about Jesus-Learn about God's Heart
Jhn 9:1
¶ And as [Jesus] passed by, he saw a man which was blind from [his] birth.
Jhn 9:2
And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
Jhn 9:3
Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
Don't the disciples sound like a lot of so-called Christians that you know? Something bad happens and it's time for the church members to break out the ole cross again. Either that or bar-b-que and french fry some struggling Christian.
Let's start off with a very important point. None of us are perfect, especially me. There are thousands of mistakes that I have made and every one of them I regret. A lot of them I regret with a broken heart but that doesn't give me a chance to do it all over again to get it right. As for right now.......today is concerned.....it won't take a whole lot of lookin' to find faults in my life. U-u-u-u-h.........and if I spent some time around you, I could find a couple if I was looking. However, don't count on me looking. I learned a long time ago, through many bumps and bruises on the road of life, it's a lot easier to enjoy someone when you're not looking for their "sins". When you get right down to it, and you took the time to do it, you could write down more good things about folks than bad things. I know, I know, it might take a lot longer to find the good in some people, but if you were to get into the habit of looking for the good, you would get into the habit of finding the good.
You see, looking at people with their faults at the center of your thoughts acts like a veil between you and the other person. When you get around them 'zip' the veil goes up and you almost don't hear a word they say or see a thing they do because you have put their 'sins' between you and them. If, while you are around them, you would find something good about them and think about that, you would sense that veil being torn to shreds. The problem you might have now is that you will find yourself liking that person. Isn't that a gruesome thought?
Let's look at God's heart manifested through what Jesus did. The apostle, Peter, spent a lot of time side by side with Jesus and he summed it up with this: 1Pe 4:8--And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. The disciples were not ole meany-guts. They were normal, everyday guys doing what the normal, everyday person is prone to do----judge people just like everybody else does. They heard it all of their lives. Their mammas and daddies did it, uncles, aunts, etc. The neighborhood did it. Everybody did it........but Jesus.
Jesus is the only begotten Son of the Creater God. God gave all of His authority to bless and curse to the Heir to the throne, Jesus Christ. Father God did not come down and brow beat Jesus into submission and MAKE Him like the blind man. Jesus, with the Divine Love of Almighty God beating in His heart, CHOSE to ignore the man's past and had only ONE thought about him. That thought was this---"I just CAN'T let him stay this way while I have the power to heal him. I want him to see s-o-o-o-o bad. I have GOT to heal him right now." You have heard it preached over and over again---For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. That included this man. However, Jesus never asked him was he 'saved.' He never asked him was he 'baptized.' He never asked him what church he was affiliated with. His love covered the multitude of this man's sins and Jesus healed him. Th Word of God also, says that He treats everybody the same. You know what He says about me? His love covers the multitude of my sins and He says----"I just CAN'T let Henry stay this way while I have the power to heal him. I want him to be healed s-o-o-o bad. I have GOT to heal him right now." How about you? What does God say about you? His love covers the multitude of your sins and He says----"I just CAN'T let him/her stay this way while I have the power to heal him/her. I want my beloved to be healed s-o-o-o-o bad. I have GOT to heal him/her right now." He is the same to all of us.
Can we see two things. First of all, God doesn't hate you for anything. There is no reason at all why God doesn't love you. There is no reason that exists. Quit beating yourself up and accept the love of God into your heart. Forget your past. Jesus did, even before He died for you. He sees your need and hears the cry of your heart for the mistakes you have made in the past. He is overlooking any and all sins that you have committed and wants nothing else but to hold you in His arms until the hurting stops.
More importantly, we need to practice the second thing. And that is to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. (I've heard that before, haven't you?) Forgive them so that God can forgive you. Then, cultivate the desire to see that person healed on the inside as well as on the outside. As you allow the love of God to be perfected in your life, God's love will flow into every conversation that you have. You will become a conduit for His very presence, the irresistable drawing of the Holy Spirit of God. In essence, you will be come a soul winner. AND, you will find your own heart being healed as you strive to bring healing to others. Is there any grudge that you may have worth holding back healing for you and your loved ones? Absolutely not.
Good Forgiving and Good Loving my Friends,
Henry
¶ And as [Jesus] passed by, he saw a man which was blind from [his] birth.
Jhn 9:2
And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
Jhn 9:3
Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
Don't the disciples sound like a lot of so-called Christians that you know? Something bad happens and it's time for the church members to break out the ole cross again. Either that or bar-b-que and french fry some struggling Christian.
Let's start off with a very important point. None of us are perfect, especially me. There are thousands of mistakes that I have made and every one of them I regret. A lot of them I regret with a broken heart but that doesn't give me a chance to do it all over again to get it right. As for right now.......today is concerned.....it won't take a whole lot of lookin' to find faults in my life. U-u-u-u-h.........and if I spent some time around you, I could find a couple if I was looking. However, don't count on me looking. I learned a long time ago, through many bumps and bruises on the road of life, it's a lot easier to enjoy someone when you're not looking for their "sins". When you get right down to it, and you took the time to do it, you could write down more good things about folks than bad things. I know, I know, it might take a lot longer to find the good in some people, but if you were to get into the habit of looking for the good, you would get into the habit of finding the good.
You see, looking at people with their faults at the center of your thoughts acts like a veil between you and the other person. When you get around them 'zip' the veil goes up and you almost don't hear a word they say or see a thing they do because you have put their 'sins' between you and them. If, while you are around them, you would find something good about them and think about that, you would sense that veil being torn to shreds. The problem you might have now is that you will find yourself liking that person. Isn't that a gruesome thought?
Let's look at God's heart manifested through what Jesus did. The apostle, Peter, spent a lot of time side by side with Jesus and he summed it up with this: 1Pe 4:8--And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. The disciples were not ole meany-guts. They were normal, everyday guys doing what the normal, everyday person is prone to do----judge people just like everybody else does. They heard it all of their lives. Their mammas and daddies did it, uncles, aunts, etc. The neighborhood did it. Everybody did it........but Jesus.
Jesus is the only begotten Son of the Creater God. God gave all of His authority to bless and curse to the Heir to the throne, Jesus Christ. Father God did not come down and brow beat Jesus into submission and MAKE Him like the blind man. Jesus, with the Divine Love of Almighty God beating in His heart, CHOSE to ignore the man's past and had only ONE thought about him. That thought was this---"I just CAN'T let him stay this way while I have the power to heal him. I want him to see s-o-o-o-o bad. I have GOT to heal him right now." You have heard it preached over and over again---For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. That included this man. However, Jesus never asked him was he 'saved.' He never asked him was he 'baptized.' He never asked him what church he was affiliated with. His love covered the multitude of this man's sins and Jesus healed him. Th Word of God also, says that He treats everybody the same. You know what He says about me? His love covers the multitude of my sins and He says----"I just CAN'T let Henry stay this way while I have the power to heal him. I want him to be healed s-o-o-o bad. I have GOT to heal him right now." How about you? What does God say about you? His love covers the multitude of your sins and He says----"I just CAN'T let him/her stay this way while I have the power to heal him/her. I want my beloved to be healed s-o-o-o-o bad. I have GOT to heal him/her right now." He is the same to all of us.
Can we see two things. First of all, God doesn't hate you for anything. There is no reason at all why God doesn't love you. There is no reason that exists. Quit beating yourself up and accept the love of God into your heart. Forget your past. Jesus did, even before He died for you. He sees your need and hears the cry of your heart for the mistakes you have made in the past. He is overlooking any and all sins that you have committed and wants nothing else but to hold you in His arms until the hurting stops.
More importantly, we need to practice the second thing. And that is to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. (I've heard that before, haven't you?) Forgive them so that God can forgive you. Then, cultivate the desire to see that person healed on the inside as well as on the outside. As you allow the love of God to be perfected in your life, God's love will flow into every conversation that you have. You will become a conduit for His very presence, the irresistable drawing of the Holy Spirit of God. In essence, you will be come a soul winner. AND, you will find your own heart being healed as you strive to bring healing to others. Is there any grudge that you may have worth holding back healing for you and your loved ones? Absolutely not.
Good Forgiving and Good Loving my Friends,
Henry
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