Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death. Hebrews 11:19
True faith is never blind or unreasonable.
Because faith comes from hearing and believing what God says, and because what God says is truth, you can draw certain conclusions about your life based on what God has promised you.
For example, God promised Abraham a son, Isaac. He promised Abraham that through Isaac Abraham would be the father of nations. So when God commanded Abraham to kill Isaac as a sacrifice, Abraham reasoned like this:
1. God promised that through Isaac I would be the father of nations.
2. God commanded me to kill Isaac.
3. Therefore, God, who cannot lie, will raise Isaac from the dead.
Notice how Abraham's reasoning assumes two things:
1. God's faithfulness.
2. Abraham's obedience.
In other words, Abraham assumes that he will actually go through with killing his son. He expects Isaac to actually die, and thus for God to actually resurrect him. This is reasonable, if it is a given that God cannot lie.
True faith is never blind or unreasonable.
Let's take another example.
Jesus said that if you seek first God's kingdom and righteousness, God will provide your needs. Say you are seeking God's will for a trip you need to go on. You need to repair your car in order to make the trip, or so you believe. God reveals to you that it is His will for you to make the trip, and that you will indeed make it to your destination. Now these things must follow reasonably:
1. God will provide you with the money you need to repair your car and make the trip.
2. The money you already have is enough to repair your car and make the trip.
3. If you have no money, and God does not provide the money, then your car will make the trip without being repaired (or he will provide another car.)
One of these three things has to be true if God indeed promised you would make the trip.
True faith is never blind or unreasonable.
If you start with what God says, commands, or promises, knowing that God cannot lie, you can draw certain conclusions from His words, and those conclusions are expressions of faith.
What has God promised you? As a result, what must be true in your life?
Friday, April 25, 2014
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
You Confidence and Assurance
"You're destroying your life! Think about what you're doing son. It doesn't make any sense!"
"Mom, I know you don't understand. Trust God and trust me."
"I do, but I want what's best for you, and I don't know if you've thought this through."
"I've not only thought it through, but I've prayed about my decision and I have peace about everything I'm doing."
"How can you be so confident? What assurance do you have?"
"What Jesus said gives me assurance of what I hope for: Do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. This is the assurance of what I hope for, and the evidence of what I don't see at the moment. I know I only want God's will, so I also know that He will not only reveal His will, but provide for me to do it."
"I understand son. I'm with you and will pray that God blesses your faith in Him."
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1
"Mom, I know you don't understand. Trust God and trust me."
"I do, but I want what's best for you, and I don't know if you've thought this through."
"I've not only thought it through, but I've prayed about my decision and I have peace about everything I'm doing."
"How can you be so confident? What assurance do you have?"
"What Jesus said gives me assurance of what I hope for: Do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. This is the assurance of what I hope for, and the evidence of what I don't see at the moment. I know I only want God's will, so I also know that He will not only reveal His will, but provide for me to do it."
"I understand son. I'm with you and will pray that God blesses your faith in Him."
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1
Monday, April 21, 2014
The Key to Your Power (In One Word)
"Be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger..."
James, the Brother of Jesus
Your phone rings. You look at your caller ID. It's your boss, who usually calls you on your day off to ask you to come in. It's your decision. He can't make you, but you usually yield to his manipulation.
The caller ID gives you the key to your power, expressed in one word:
PAUSE.
Because you see whose calling, you have that precious moment of decision, to answer or not answer. To let the answering machine pick up the call, or you can pick up the phone. It's up to you.
These moments, these pauses, are experienced throughout your day, if you allow them, if you choose them. The pause is your choice, a God given ability.
How can you choose the pause when you feel rushed or pressured to act or speak?
When do you feel rushed or pressured? What situations or persons rush you or pressure you?
You know them. You can probably list them right now if you wanted to.
Now imagine the beginning of your day. Is your boss, or whoever it is that pressures you, in your bedroom with a gun to your head? Of course not. Your day begins with you and your Lord, and He never pressures you.
Prayer is the first act of pause for your day.
At the beginning of your day, if you pray against all sources of pressure, against everything that rushes you to speak or act before considering the will of God, then you will deal with the spiritual enemies who seek to block your liberty.
Having prayed at the beginning of your day, you may practice pausing in little things throughout the day:
1. Pause and thank God before you eat your breakfast, before you take one sip of coffee or one bite of cereal.
2. Pause before you leave the house, just a moment, as you make sure you lock the door, say a prayer of submission to the Spirit.
3. Pause before you drive to your first destination of the day, just a moment, to think and pray, or adjust your music to a song that focuses you.
These small practices of pauses will put you in the mindset of pausing before you speak to difficult people, or before you face difficult situations.
Pausing is the key to your power, the power to choose, the power to decide.
If you choose to use this power, you will protect yourself from regret.
If you refuse to use this power, you will act without thought or prayer.
James, the Brother of Jesus
Your phone rings. You look at your caller ID. It's your boss, who usually calls you on your day off to ask you to come in. It's your decision. He can't make you, but you usually yield to his manipulation.
The caller ID gives you the key to your power, expressed in one word:
PAUSE.
Because you see whose calling, you have that precious moment of decision, to answer or not answer. To let the answering machine pick up the call, or you can pick up the phone. It's up to you.
These moments, these pauses, are experienced throughout your day, if you allow them, if you choose them. The pause is your choice, a God given ability.
How can you choose the pause when you feel rushed or pressured to act or speak?
When do you feel rushed or pressured? What situations or persons rush you or pressure you?
You know them. You can probably list them right now if you wanted to.
Now imagine the beginning of your day. Is your boss, or whoever it is that pressures you, in your bedroom with a gun to your head? Of course not. Your day begins with you and your Lord, and He never pressures you.
Prayer is the first act of pause for your day.
At the beginning of your day, if you pray against all sources of pressure, against everything that rushes you to speak or act before considering the will of God, then you will deal with the spiritual enemies who seek to block your liberty.
Having prayed at the beginning of your day, you may practice pausing in little things throughout the day:
1. Pause and thank God before you eat your breakfast, before you take one sip of coffee or one bite of cereal.
2. Pause before you leave the house, just a moment, as you make sure you lock the door, say a prayer of submission to the Spirit.
3. Pause before you drive to your first destination of the day, just a moment, to think and pray, or adjust your music to a song that focuses you.
These small practices of pauses will put you in the mindset of pausing before you speak to difficult people, or before you face difficult situations.
Pausing is the key to your power, the power to choose, the power to decide.
If you choose to use this power, you will protect yourself from regret.
If you refuse to use this power, you will act without thought or prayer.
Sunday, April 20, 2014
How To Know God Will Provide For You
Jesus give you a guarantee of God's provision if you meet this condition:
Seek as your first priority God's rule on earth, God's will in your life.
The Lord promised that God would add to this the food and clothing that your Father already knows you need. You need not run around in anxiety like those who don't believe, like those who live as if food and clothing are very points of life. Jesus made it clear they are not. Life is more than food and clothing, and he feeds the birds who don't work, as well as clothing the lilies that are here today and burned tomorrow. You're worth more than both.
And God will not only feed you, but feed you well and daily, like He does the birds. Our Father won't just clothe us, but He'll clothe us with splendor that surpasses the glory of King Solomon...if we meet this condition:
Seek as our first priority God's kingdom and will.
If you know you want nothing more, less, or other than God's will, then you can know with absolute certainty that your needs are as met as the birds you see eating every day, and the flowers you see in their beauty.
Please pray with me if you agree:
God, I want one thing: Your will. Because of this, I know you have provided all of my needs, already knowing them before I ask. Thank you for this assurance. Amen.
Seek as your first priority God's rule on earth, God's will in your life.
The Lord promised that God would add to this the food and clothing that your Father already knows you need. You need not run around in anxiety like those who don't believe, like those who live as if food and clothing are very points of life. Jesus made it clear they are not. Life is more than food and clothing, and he feeds the birds who don't work, as well as clothing the lilies that are here today and burned tomorrow. You're worth more than both.
And God will not only feed you, but feed you well and daily, like He does the birds. Our Father won't just clothe us, but He'll clothe us with splendor that surpasses the glory of King Solomon...if we meet this condition:
Seek as our first priority God's kingdom and will.
If you know you want nothing more, less, or other than God's will, then you can know with absolute certainty that your needs are as met as the birds you see eating every day, and the flowers you see in their beauty.
Please pray with me if you agree:
God, I want one thing: Your will. Because of this, I know you have provided all of my needs, already knowing them before I ask. Thank you for this assurance. Amen.
Saturday, April 19, 2014
How To Release The FIRE in YOU
Do not quench the Spirit. The Apostle Paul
Your fire burns naturally and effortlessly...unless you suppress it. Unless you refuse or fail to express it.
What is your fire?
It is the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, manifest when you use your spiritual gift.
Every reference to "quenching" that I found in the New Testament had to do with fire, extinguishing a fire. John the Baptist said he baptized with water, but that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit, and with fire. When the Spirit came on the day of Pentecost, flaming tongues of fire hovered over each of the 120 believers, and they were filled with the Spirit. Paul told Timothy to "fan into flame" his spiritual gift, to do the opposite of quenching the Spirit. Paul also said that our "shield of faith" would "quench the fiery darts of the wicked one," extinguishing the burning accusations and temptations of Satan.
FIRE
YOUR FIRE
To release your fire, the presence and power of the Spirit, the spiritual gift Jesus gave you, do two things:
1. Recognize the burning passion God gave you to honor Him and help others.
2. Express that passion today. It will take great effort to suppress it or keep it in.
For example, when I read a scripture, certain truths or words jump out at me. I feel inspired to either write about those words, or to tell someone what God just showed me, namely YOU. My fingers flow, or the words flow out of my mouth. Flow. Burning truth from the Spirit. My fire.
Yours may be a desire to pray for someone or something that you simply can't get off your mind or out of your heart until you pray.
The fire is burning. You feel it or you have felt it. God gave it. Let it out. Let it burn.
If you agree, pray with me:
God, in the name of Jesus, let the fire of your Spirit burn in me and from me and through me. Show me my fire, or remind me what it is, so that from this moment forward, I many never quench the Spirit again. Amen.
Your fire burns naturally and effortlessly...unless you suppress it. Unless you refuse or fail to express it.
What is your fire?
It is the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, manifest when you use your spiritual gift.
Every reference to "quenching" that I found in the New Testament had to do with fire, extinguishing a fire. John the Baptist said he baptized with water, but that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit, and with fire. When the Spirit came on the day of Pentecost, flaming tongues of fire hovered over each of the 120 believers, and they were filled with the Spirit. Paul told Timothy to "fan into flame" his spiritual gift, to do the opposite of quenching the Spirit. Paul also said that our "shield of faith" would "quench the fiery darts of the wicked one," extinguishing the burning accusations and temptations of Satan.
FIRE
YOUR FIRE
To release your fire, the presence and power of the Spirit, the spiritual gift Jesus gave you, do two things:
1. Recognize the burning passion God gave you to honor Him and help others.
2. Express that passion today. It will take great effort to suppress it or keep it in.
For example, when I read a scripture, certain truths or words jump out at me. I feel inspired to either write about those words, or to tell someone what God just showed me, namely YOU. My fingers flow, or the words flow out of my mouth. Flow. Burning truth from the Spirit. My fire.
Yours may be a desire to pray for someone or something that you simply can't get off your mind or out of your heart until you pray.
The fire is burning. You feel it or you have felt it. God gave it. Let it out. Let it burn.
If you agree, pray with me:
God, in the name of Jesus, let the fire of your Spirit burn in me and from me and through me. Show me my fire, or remind me what it is, so that from this moment forward, I many never quench the Spirit again. Amen.
Friday, April 18, 2014
How To Have Unity In the Church (Part 1)
There is only one way to have unity in the church.
By "the church," I mean those who gather together under the Lord's authority, for his glory, with Him actually among them. His presence alone, in this way, unifies. Yet there is a specific condition that must be met for there to be unity.
There must be a divine commander giving a divine command to bring unity to the church.
Follow me from Acts chapter one to Acts chapter two.
In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. Acts 1:1-2 ESV
Here Jesus is obvious The Divine Commander giving His divine command, through the Holy Spirit. This is very significant. Jesus was born of the Spirit, then at the age of 30 He was filled, led, and empowered by the Spirit for His ministry. Now, after rising from the dead, by the Spirit (according to Paul,) Jesus is still dependent on the Holy Spirit to give commands to His apostles.
We who are born of the Spirit through faith in Christ must be just as dependent on the Spirit as Jesus was, even after He rose from the dead. This dependence on The Spirit will reveal Christ as our Divine Commander. Following His Spirit is what reveals the Lord's divine commands. The divine command of the Lord Jesus to his apostles and followers was to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Remember this command, and from whom it came.
All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. Acts 1:14 ESV
Notice the words "with one accord." You will see these words again. They mean complete unity in purpose. No divisions. No dissentions. No separate opinions. One mission expressed in one action: prayer. If the church knows nothing else, it should be prayer. If there is nothing else we can agree to do, at the same time and place, it's pray. This is the easiest unifying action we can take. But to take this unifying action, we must have a divine commander unifying the followers by a divine command from the Lord. They all were unified by obedience to the command of the Lord: Wait for the Spirit. So they waited, devoting themselves to prayer until the time of waiting was over. But notice something else that happens:
In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. Acts 1:15-16
This will happen again and again. Peter, or Paul, or some other leader in the church, will stand up, and in doing so, unify the body, under the Lord's authority. He will speak words that unify everyone listening.
Now stay with me as we move to Acts Chapter 2. (Click here.)
By "the church," I mean those who gather together under the Lord's authority, for his glory, with Him actually among them. His presence alone, in this way, unifies. Yet there is a specific condition that must be met for there to be unity.
There must be a divine commander giving a divine command to bring unity to the church.
Follow me from Acts chapter one to Acts chapter two.
In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. Acts 1:1-2 ESV
Here Jesus is obvious The Divine Commander giving His divine command, through the Holy Spirit. This is very significant. Jesus was born of the Spirit, then at the age of 30 He was filled, led, and empowered by the Spirit for His ministry. Now, after rising from the dead, by the Spirit (according to Paul,) Jesus is still dependent on the Holy Spirit to give commands to His apostles.
We who are born of the Spirit through faith in Christ must be just as dependent on the Spirit as Jesus was, even after He rose from the dead. This dependence on The Spirit will reveal Christ as our Divine Commander. Following His Spirit is what reveals the Lord's divine commands. The divine command of the Lord Jesus to his apostles and followers was to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Remember this command, and from whom it came.
All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. Acts 1:14 ESV
Notice the words "with one accord." You will see these words again. They mean complete unity in purpose. No divisions. No dissentions. No separate opinions. One mission expressed in one action: prayer. If the church knows nothing else, it should be prayer. If there is nothing else we can agree to do, at the same time and place, it's pray. This is the easiest unifying action we can take. But to take this unifying action, we must have a divine commander unifying the followers by a divine command from the Lord. They all were unified by obedience to the command of the Lord: Wait for the Spirit. So they waited, devoting themselves to prayer until the time of waiting was over. But notice something else that happens:
In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. Acts 1:15-16
This will happen again and again. Peter, or Paul, or some other leader in the church, will stand up, and in doing so, unify the body, under the Lord's authority. He will speak words that unify everyone listening.
Now stay with me as we move to Acts Chapter 2. (Click here.)
How To Have Unity In the Church (Part 2)
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Acts 2:1
All together.
In one place.
Unity.
One command: Wait for the Spirit.
One commander: The Lord Jesus Christ.
Now, the Spirit comes, just as Jesus promised. The crowd watches in amazement, but some mock what they see. And who stands up to speak? Read and see:
Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say."Acts 2:14
Again, Peter as a leader stands up and speaks on behalf of Christ and His church. There wasn't a fight over who would address the mockers, with believers interrupting each other. No. When the Spirit filled them, He unified them. And in doing so, He chose Peter to be the one, key word: ONE, who would speak on the Lord's behalf in the church. Now look at this:
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common.
Acts 2:42-44
Notice three things:
1. Devotion to the apostles teaching and fellowship
2. Awe of the apostles because of signs and wonders.
3. The believers were together with everything in common.
What unified the believers was the apostles, or leaders, of the church, those divinely appointed by the Lord Himself, evidenced by the supernatural power they displayed. In the book of Acts we'll see the same thing continually happening: Peter will stand up as a spokesperson. Later in Acts we'll see Paul as the primary leader, speaker, and unifier, backed by the authority of the Lord.
The reason the church is so divided is because of a lack of Spirit led and empowered leadership.
The Spirit led and Spirit empowered leader will unlock the gifts in each member of the church so that they are no longer spectators, but participators in the mission of Christ:
Preaching the Gospel and Making Disciples.
One leader, one representative of the Lord, filled with His Spirit, brings unity in the body so that everybody, using his or her gift, manifests the Spirit of Christ.
This is better and higher than "democracy," yet it is not a democracy at all. It is the Kingdom of God.
There is but one King: The Lord Jesus. One Father and Creator. One Holy Spirit and Master.
The leader is indeed a follower, a follower of the Spirit of Christ.
This is the only way to have unity in the church.
Your role is to follow a Spirit filled leader, or to be a Spirit filled leader.
All together.
In one place.
Unity.
One command: Wait for the Spirit.
One commander: The Lord Jesus Christ.
Now, the Spirit comes, just as Jesus promised. The crowd watches in amazement, but some mock what they see. And who stands up to speak? Read and see:
Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say."Acts 2:14
Again, Peter as a leader stands up and speaks on behalf of Christ and His church. There wasn't a fight over who would address the mockers, with believers interrupting each other. No. When the Spirit filled them, He unified them. And in doing so, He chose Peter to be the one, key word: ONE, who would speak on the Lord's behalf in the church. Now look at this:
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common.
Acts 2:42-44
Notice three things:
1. Devotion to the apostles teaching and fellowship
2. Awe of the apostles because of signs and wonders.
3. The believers were together with everything in common.
What unified the believers was the apostles, or leaders, of the church, those divinely appointed by the Lord Himself, evidenced by the supernatural power they displayed. In the book of Acts we'll see the same thing continually happening: Peter will stand up as a spokesperson. Later in Acts we'll see Paul as the primary leader, speaker, and unifier, backed by the authority of the Lord.
The reason the church is so divided is because of a lack of Spirit led and empowered leadership.
The Spirit led and Spirit empowered leader will unlock the gifts in each member of the church so that they are no longer spectators, but participators in the mission of Christ:
Preaching the Gospel and Making Disciples.
One leader, one representative of the Lord, filled with His Spirit, brings unity in the body so that everybody, using his or her gift, manifests the Spirit of Christ.
This is better and higher than "democracy," yet it is not a democracy at all. It is the Kingdom of God.
There is but one King: The Lord Jesus. One Father and Creator. One Holy Spirit and Master.
The leader is indeed a follower, a follower of the Spirit of Christ.
This is the only way to have unity in the church.
Your role is to follow a Spirit filled leader, or to be a Spirit filled leader.
Thursday, April 17, 2014
What It Means for YOU To Be HOLY
It is written: Be holy, because I am holy. Peter, apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ
I thought about holiness at two extremes:
1. A kind of spooky kooky weirdness, where you walk around moaning and groaning
2. A samurai warrior seriousness, where you remain silent unless ordered to speak
The first extreme involves the otherworldly nature of holiness, which is true.
The second extreme involves the dedication and focus of holiness, which is also true.
Yet what the Spirit showed me is a picture of a husband and wife talking freely and intimately. There is something heavenly and thus otherworldly about this. There is also a dedication and focus on each other that this man and woman have with no other person. Their love is exclusive, set apart. They belong to each other.
This is what it means for you to be holy.
It means an exclusive and set apart relationship with God that is the most intimate relationship you have and can have. Who else can live in your body? Who else is with you always, all day, everyday? The Spirit of God is the Holy Spirit. Your body is His temple. You are not your own. You are one spirit with the Lord, as a husband is one body with his wife. This is holiness.
To experience this, you need only to believe in Jesus and enjoy the wonder of His Spirit in your body.
If you agree, pray with me:
"Holy Spirit, I honor You. You are God, and my body is Your temple. I welcome You. I love You. I am one with You, both now and forever. In the Father. By the Son. Amen."
I thought about holiness at two extremes:
1. A kind of spooky kooky weirdness, where you walk around moaning and groaning
2. A samurai warrior seriousness, where you remain silent unless ordered to speak
The first extreme involves the otherworldly nature of holiness, which is true.
The second extreme involves the dedication and focus of holiness, which is also true.
Yet what the Spirit showed me is a picture of a husband and wife talking freely and intimately. There is something heavenly and thus otherworldly about this. There is also a dedication and focus on each other that this man and woman have with no other person. Their love is exclusive, set apart. They belong to each other.
This is what it means for you to be holy.
It means an exclusive and set apart relationship with God that is the most intimate relationship you have and can have. Who else can live in your body? Who else is with you always, all day, everyday? The Spirit of God is the Holy Spirit. Your body is His temple. You are not your own. You are one spirit with the Lord, as a husband is one body with his wife. This is holiness.
To experience this, you need only to believe in Jesus and enjoy the wonder of His Spirit in your body.
If you agree, pray with me:
"Holy Spirit, I honor You. You are God, and my body is Your temple. I welcome You. I love You. I am one with You, both now and forever. In the Father. By the Son. Amen."
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
What We Can't Live Without
Jesus told us, His followers, to stay connected to Him.
Why? Because we can't do anything without Him.
As helpless as a leaf fallen from a tree.
A branch disconnected from a vine.
I can see what Jesus means.
I've been very sick lately, so sick I couldn't write or read my Bible.
All I could do was say quick prayers like:
"God, please help me."
"God, please heal me."
" I submit to God and resist the devil."
Quick prayers. That's it.
Then I'd try to position myself in bed where I felt the least pain.
Those quick prayers were the best I could do to stay connected to Jesus by the Spirit.
Without Him, I could do nothing. I needed Him to comfort me, and pray for me.
I'm better now, thank God. Better meaning the moment it hits you that you actually feel "normal."
It's not just the sickness though. It's life in this world.
All of it seems to be against us. Sometimes it doesn't seem to let up.
Everywhere. Every day.
Sometimes it feels like I'm just holding on until Jesus returns. When it feels like that, I know I can't make it another moment without the Spirit's leading and power. Apart from Him, I can do nothing.
If you agree, pray with me:
"Father, by Your Son, I depend on Your Spirit. At this moment, every step I take, I take following Him. Without Him, I'm lost. Amen."
Why? Because we can't do anything without Him.
Apart from Me you can do nothing.
As helpless as a leaf fallen from a tree.
A branch disconnected from a vine.
I can see what Jesus means.
I've been very sick lately, so sick I couldn't write or read my Bible.
All I could do was say quick prayers like:
"God, please help me."
"God, please heal me."
" I submit to God and resist the devil."
Quick prayers. That's it.
Then I'd try to position myself in bed where I felt the least pain.
Those quick prayers were the best I could do to stay connected to Jesus by the Spirit.
Without Him, I could do nothing. I needed Him to comfort me, and pray for me.
I'm better now, thank God. Better meaning the moment it hits you that you actually feel "normal."
It's not just the sickness though. It's life in this world.
All of it seems to be against us. Sometimes it doesn't seem to let up.
Everywhere. Every day.
Sometimes it feels like I'm just holding on until Jesus returns. When it feels like that, I know I can't make it another moment without the Spirit's leading and power. Apart from Him, I can do nothing.
What we can't live without is the Spirit of Christ.
If you agree, pray with me:
"Father, by Your Son, I depend on Your Spirit. At this moment, every step I take, I take following Him. Without Him, I'm lost. Amen."
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
You Are Well Provided For
One day Ruth's mother-in-law Naomi said to her, "My daughter, I must find a home for you, where you will be well provided for. Ruth 3:1
I read this and felt immediate comfort, and I hope you feel what I felt.
I know that God, our Heavenly Father, loves us infinitely more than Naomi loved Ruth. Jesus put it this way:
“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! Matthew 7:9-11
I am a imperfect father, yet I do my best to make sure my children not only have a home and are provided for, but that they are well provided for.
I'm encouraged and comforted by the love of Naomi and the love of even imperfect fathers like me, because I know that God's love as my heavenly Father is perfect.
He not only finds a home for me, but he finds one where I am well provided for.
He does the same for you.
I read this and felt immediate comfort, and I hope you feel what I felt.
I know that God, our Heavenly Father, loves us infinitely more than Naomi loved Ruth. Jesus put it this way:
“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! Matthew 7:9-11
I am a imperfect father, yet I do my best to make sure my children not only have a home and are provided for, but that they are well provided for.
I'm encouraged and comforted by the love of Naomi and the love of even imperfect fathers like me, because I know that God's love as my heavenly Father is perfect.
He not only finds a home for me, but he finds one where I am well provided for.
He does the same for you.
Monday, April 7, 2014
What Does YOUR NAME Mean?
“Don’t call me Naomi,” she told them. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.” Ruth 1:20-21
Your name, what you are literally called, is in fact your calling. The meaning of your name is who you are supposed to be, and what you are supposed to do. It is the atmosphere your life is supposed to create. A woman named Naomi understood this.
Naomi's husband and two sons died. At the time of her life as an Israelite woman, this left her destitute and desperate, considering her life bitter by the hands of the Almighty. So she no longer wanted to be called "Naomi," which means "pleasant." Instead she felt her name should be "Mara," which means "bitter." She believed her name should match who she really was and what her life was really like. Naomi understood the significance of what you called her. So does God, who gives names according His callings. Look at how He does this:
If you don't already know the meaning of your name, you can look it up as soon as you finish reading my words. The meaning of your name is who you are, or at least it should be. Look up the meaning of your name and see if who you are fits what your name means. If it doesn't, it should. Or at least you should strive to be what you are literally called.
But what if your name has a "bad meaning," or no real meaning at all that you can find? A man named Jabez was in your situation. Listen to him:
Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.
The name "Jabez" sounds like the Hebrew word for pain. But Jabez didn't want that to be his identity or destiny. So Jabez prayed that it wouldn't be. And God granted his request. The same is true for you if you feel the name your parents gave you doesn't express your God given identity and destiny.
If you agree, pray with me:
"God, my Father and Creator, You alone know who I am, and what my name should be. If the name that I have expresses who you see me to be, then affirm me. If not, give me a new name, a new identity, my true destiny, that I may be who you see me to be. In the name of Jesus, amen."
Your name, what you are literally called, is in fact your calling. The meaning of your name is who you are supposed to be, and what you are supposed to do. It is the atmosphere your life is supposed to create. A woman named Naomi understood this.
Naomi's husband and two sons died. At the time of her life as an Israelite woman, this left her destitute and desperate, considering her life bitter by the hands of the Almighty. So she no longer wanted to be called "Naomi," which means "pleasant." Instead she felt her name should be "Mara," which means "bitter." She believed her name should match who she really was and what her life was really like. Naomi understood the significance of what you called her. So does God, who gives names according His callings. Look at how He does this:
- God said, "No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations."
- God also said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah."
- God said, “No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him.
- God said to him, "Your name is Jacob, but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel." So he named him Israel.
What does your name mean?
If you don't already know the meaning of your name, you can look it up as soon as you finish reading my words. The meaning of your name is who you are, or at least it should be. Look up the meaning of your name and see if who you are fits what your name means. If it doesn't, it should. Or at least you should strive to be what you are literally called.
But what if your name has a "bad meaning," or no real meaning at all that you can find? A man named Jabez was in your situation. Listen to him:
Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.
The name "Jabez" sounds like the Hebrew word for pain. But Jabez didn't want that to be his identity or destiny. So Jabez prayed that it wouldn't be. And God granted his request. The same is true for you if you feel the name your parents gave you doesn't express your God given identity and destiny.
If you agree, pray with me:
"God, my Father and Creator, You alone know who I am, and what my name should be. If the name that I have expresses who you see me to be, then affirm me. If not, give me a new name, a new identity, my true destiny, that I may be who you see me to be. In the name of Jesus, amen."
- If you don't know the meaning of your name, look it up right now.
- If you already know it, and it is how God sees you, be the meaning of your name.
- If your name doesn't express how God sees you, ask Him what to do.
Sunday, April 6, 2014
How Does It Feel to Be Filled With The Spirit? (Part 1)
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit...
The Apostle Paul
I heard a man who claimed to be a Christian refer to himself as a "spiritual bartender," who got believers "spiritually tipsy." He said this in relation to being filled with the Spirit. This is straight foolishness. I write to expose it and replace it with the truth.
Drunkenness is a "work of the flesh," according to the Apostle Paul. The works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit are opposed to each other. So being filled with the Spirit is not like being drunk on wine. To be drunk on wine takes away your self control. To be filled with the Spirit gives you complete self-control. This principle is what distinguishes the Holy Spirit from Satanic spirits.
There is a connection between what Paul is saying about wine and the Spirit. But remember, he uses the word "instead." And remember, drunkenness is opposed to the Spirit's influence in your life.
Yet the word "influence" is the connection between wine and the Spirit. Instead of being under the influence of wine, be under the influence of the Spirit.
Again, how does it feel to be under the Spirit's influence, versus under the influence of wine?
Here is the difference:
The Apostle Paul
I heard a man who claimed to be a Christian refer to himself as a "spiritual bartender," who got believers "spiritually tipsy." He said this in relation to being filled with the Spirit. This is straight foolishness. I write to expose it and replace it with the truth.
Drunkenness is a "work of the flesh," according to the Apostle Paul. The works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit are opposed to each other. So being filled with the Spirit is not like being drunk on wine. To be drunk on wine takes away your self control. To be filled with the Spirit gives you complete self-control. This principle is what distinguishes the Holy Spirit from Satanic spirits.
- Satan wants you passive in mind and will. In a trance. Under hypnosis. Mindless. "Open." Controlled.
- The Holy Spirit wants your mind and will active, for you to be free, as it is written, "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom."
There is a connection between what Paul is saying about wine and the Spirit. But remember, he uses the word "instead." And remember, drunkenness is opposed to the Spirit's influence in your life.
Yet the word "influence" is the connection between wine and the Spirit. Instead of being under the influence of wine, be under the influence of the Spirit.
Again, how does it feel to be under the Spirit's influence, versus under the influence of wine?
Here is the difference:
- Wine is a substance.
- The Holy Spirit is A Person.
How does it feel To Be Filled with The Spirit? (Part 2)
Imagine the number one person in your life, the one who has made the biggest impact on you, positively or negatively. It may be your father or mother, brother or sister, a teacher, or a friend. Even an enemy. Now when I say impact, I mean you think a certain way, or try to avoid thinking a certain way, because of this person. Your emotional states are affected by how you've related to this person. The choices you make are affected by decisions this person has made in your life that have shaped who you are. When you are with this person, you feel like you can physically do anything, or like you can no nothing at all. When you are under the influence of a powerful person, it feels like everything I just described.
To be filled with the Spirit means He is the number one Person in your life, the one who impacts you to such an extent that He influences your every thought, emotion, and choice. His presence determines your bodily actions because you've given your life to Him, to do whatever He wants.
Imagine a man with his personal trainer. He completely looks up to his trainer. He wants a body just like his. So he is willing to do whatever his trainer says, no matter how hard it is, no matter how much it hurts, if he can only look like his trainer. In fact, the more it hurts, the better. "Pain is weakness leaving the body!" When this man is with his personal trainer, he is completely under the trainer's influence. His mind is filled with his trainer's words. His emotions are filled with his trainer's energy. His will is completely, knowingly, willingly, and actively, submitted to the will of his trainer. He moves his body at his trainers command.
Think of the Spirit as your personal trainer, then do what you would do with your personal trainer. Imagine the Spirit of God, who is in you, right there with you, just like a personal trainer would be. The mindset you would have with your personal trainer, one of being completely teachable, one of a complete follower, is the exact mindset to have with the Holy Spirit. When someone is with a personal trainer, she comes completely open to whatever the plan of the trainer is. Do the same with the Spirit. Ask Him what the plan is, and wait for Him to give it to you, whatever it is.
If you agree, pray with me:
"Our Father in Heaven, in the name of Jesus, I submit to Your Spirit as my Personal Trainer. I place myself completely under His authority, under His influence. I will allow my mind to be filled with His thoughts, my emotions with His passions, and my will one with His will. I will say what He tells me, and do what He tells me to do with my body."
Now listen to your Personal Trainer.
Be filled with the Spirit.
To be filled with the Spirit means He is the number one Person in your life, the one who impacts you to such an extent that He influences your every thought, emotion, and choice. His presence determines your bodily actions because you've given your life to Him, to do whatever He wants.
Imagine a man with his personal trainer. He completely looks up to his trainer. He wants a body just like his. So he is willing to do whatever his trainer says, no matter how hard it is, no matter how much it hurts, if he can only look like his trainer. In fact, the more it hurts, the better. "Pain is weakness leaving the body!" When this man is with his personal trainer, he is completely under the trainer's influence. His mind is filled with his trainer's words. His emotions are filled with his trainer's energy. His will is completely, knowingly, willingly, and actively, submitted to the will of his trainer. He moves his body at his trainers command.
Think of the Spirit as your personal trainer, then do what you would do with your personal trainer. Imagine the Spirit of God, who is in you, right there with you, just like a personal trainer would be. The mindset you would have with your personal trainer, one of being completely teachable, one of a complete follower, is the exact mindset to have with the Holy Spirit. When someone is with a personal trainer, she comes completely open to whatever the plan of the trainer is. Do the same with the Spirit. Ask Him what the plan is, and wait for Him to give it to you, whatever it is.
If you agree, pray with me:
"Our Father in Heaven, in the name of Jesus, I submit to Your Spirit as my Personal Trainer. I place myself completely under His authority, under His influence. I will allow my mind to be filled with His thoughts, my emotions with His passions, and my will one with His will. I will say what He tells me, and do what He tells me to do with my body."
Now listen to your Personal Trainer.
Be filled with the Spirit.
Saturday, April 5, 2014
How To Be Led By the Spirit in 5 MINUTES
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
After you read this post, you'll know how to follow the Spirit every day of your life, for the rest of your life.
Daniel prayed three times a day. That's the first thing for you to do:
1. Divide your day into three parts: Beginning, Middle, and End.
For example. Say you work a 12 hour job. There are three 4 hour segments in your work day. You get to work in the first segment. You most likely take a break by the second segment, and you are getting ready to get off in the third. These are the sections of your work day. Having divided your work day, go to the next step.
2. Take 5 minutes at the beginning of these 3 segments to pray. When you pray, tell God what you have in mind to do, what your plans are. NOT HIS PLANS, FOR NOW. Yours. I'll explain this later.
3. Having told God YOUR plans (NOT ASKING FOR HIS), see if you sense "the peace of God, which transcends all understanding." If you do, then you know you are in agreement with God's will, and you should proceed with your plans. If you don't feel perfect incomprehensible peace that can only be described as from God, then go to YOUR "plan b," and c, and d, until you do sense God's peace.
Take at least 5 minutes of uninterrupted time in prayer to seek God's perfect incomprehensible peace at the beginning, middle, and end of your day, whether it is your work day, or your time at home.
Now, why did I focus you on what YOUR plans are and NOT God's plans?
In this "stage," it's easier to know what you want to do. Some believers try to "discern God's will" and they can't...because they are so distracted by their own will. God knows this. You know this. So instead of trying to act like you're trying to find God's will at the time, be honest. God knows what's plaguing your mind. I'm not saying to disregard God's will, or to not seek His will. I'm saying start where you are in your maturity with Christ. If you are at a place where you can silence your mind, spirit, and emotions and genuinely seek God's will, do that.
But if you're learning to follow the Spirit, the beginning stage is like with young children. At first, you just say "yes," and "no" to their requests. Young children aren't usually going to come to their parents and say, "Daddy and Mommy, let your kingdom come and your will be done in my life. Not mine will but thine be done!" They are immature and thus, to a certain extent, self-centered. But parents work with them from where they are. God does the same.
You know what you have in mind, and you also know that you do want God's will to be done in your life, even if its' not your will. So start with your will, and see if it agrees with His will through Him giving you peace in prayer. As you grow, you will begin to be "neutral" spiritually. This means when you do already have something in mind, you won't be hell bent on it. You can go either way. Or, you really won't have any preference at all because you've come to know that God's will is so much better than yours.
You know where you are in your relationship with Jesus.
Everything I've written can help you, no matter the stage of your walk with Him.
If you agree, pray this prayer with me:
"Father in heaven, I plan to seek your will, three times a day at least for five minutes at least. Starting now. In Jesus name. Amen."
Now take 5 solid minutes to pray to God.
Let me know how it went.
After you read this post, you'll know how to follow the Spirit every day of your life, for the rest of your life.
Daniel prayed three times a day. That's the first thing for you to do:
1. Divide your day into three parts: Beginning, Middle, and End.
For example. Say you work a 12 hour job. There are three 4 hour segments in your work day. You get to work in the first segment. You most likely take a break by the second segment, and you are getting ready to get off in the third. These are the sections of your work day. Having divided your work day, go to the next step.
2. Take 5 minutes at the beginning of these 3 segments to pray. When you pray, tell God what you have in mind to do, what your plans are. NOT HIS PLANS, FOR NOW. Yours. I'll explain this later.
3. Having told God YOUR plans (NOT ASKING FOR HIS), see if you sense "the peace of God, which transcends all understanding." If you do, then you know you are in agreement with God's will, and you should proceed with your plans. If you don't feel perfect incomprehensible peace that can only be described as from God, then go to YOUR "plan b," and c, and d, until you do sense God's peace.
Take at least 5 minutes of uninterrupted time in prayer to seek God's perfect incomprehensible peace at the beginning, middle, and end of your day, whether it is your work day, or your time at home.
Now, why did I focus you on what YOUR plans are and NOT God's plans?
In this "stage," it's easier to know what you want to do. Some believers try to "discern God's will" and they can't...because they are so distracted by their own will. God knows this. You know this. So instead of trying to act like you're trying to find God's will at the time, be honest. God knows what's plaguing your mind. I'm not saying to disregard God's will, or to not seek His will. I'm saying start where you are in your maturity with Christ. If you are at a place where you can silence your mind, spirit, and emotions and genuinely seek God's will, do that.
But if you're learning to follow the Spirit, the beginning stage is like with young children. At first, you just say "yes," and "no" to their requests. Young children aren't usually going to come to their parents and say, "Daddy and Mommy, let your kingdom come and your will be done in my life. Not mine will but thine be done!" They are immature and thus, to a certain extent, self-centered. But parents work with them from where they are. God does the same.
You know what you have in mind, and you also know that you do want God's will to be done in your life, even if its' not your will. So start with your will, and see if it agrees with His will through Him giving you peace in prayer. As you grow, you will begin to be "neutral" spiritually. This means when you do already have something in mind, you won't be hell bent on it. You can go either way. Or, you really won't have any preference at all because you've come to know that God's will is so much better than yours.
You know where you are in your relationship with Jesus.
Everything I've written can help you, no matter the stage of your walk with Him.
If you agree, pray this prayer with me:
"Father in heaven, I plan to seek your will, three times a day at least for five minutes at least. Starting now. In Jesus name. Amen."
Now take 5 solid minutes to pray to God.
Let me know how it went.
What It Means To Be CALLED (Part 2)
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine." Isaiah 43:1b
To be called is to be summoned, chosen, and empowered for a specific task that only you can do. The key word to focus on is SPECIFIC.
To be called is to be summoned, chosen, and empowered for a specific task that only you can do. The key word to focus on is SPECIFIC.
Only you can be what you are called to be, and do what you are called to do.
This is how you know your calling.
There was only one Noah, and only he could build the ark.
There was only one Abraham, and only he could have Isaac.
There was only one Sarah, and only she could mother Isaac.
One Moses.
One Joshua.
One you.
In fact, you can imagine your calling as the literal calling of your name, what you are literally "called." Your name is your calling, the meaning of your name and the reputation of your name. We see this consistently with God, who gave and changed names. We see it from the beginning of his summoning or callings of created things. He named all of creation. He named the man. The man named woman, and the first woman. Each name was a calling.
God changed Abram's name to Abraham, and Sarai's name to Sarah.
God gave the name Isaac to the child of promise, and the name Israel to Jacob.
Each name was a calling.
The names of John the Baptist and the name of Jesus were their callings from God.
It's the same with you.
You are called by name, by your specific name.
Only you are you, and only you can be you.
To know and experience your callings in life, all that is necessary is to see what you alone are, and what you alone can do. If you agree, pray with me:
"God, my Creator, I honor You in the name of Jesus, my Lord and Savior. Thank you for making me. Thank You for saving me. Thank You for indwelling me by Your Spirit. You knit me together in my mother's womb and created my inmost being. I am Yours. You are mine. We are one. I dedicate my life to fulfilling my calling, to fulfill the purpose for which You made me. Only I can be me. Only I can do what You made me to do. Thank you. Amen."
Now look into your life and see the unique places you hold in relationships to others. For example, I only am the husband of my wife and the father of my children. These are my callings. I alone, as Olatunde, son of God, am writing to you right now what the Spirit gives me, and is giving me alone. There is no other Olatunde in all of creation writing this blog that you are reading.
In the same way, there are things that only you are doing and can do. These things are obvious. These things are what you are called to do. Do them for God's glory and fulfill your destiny.
Friday, April 4, 2014
What It Means to Be CALLED (Part 1)
To be called means you are summoned, chosen, and empowered to do a specific task assigned only to you.
--That yell, that call to the head surgeon's office, is John's summon.
John goes to the head surgeon's office.
"Have a seat John. We have 10 capable surgeons in this hospital, but your focus and discipline stand out to me. So I'm choosing to send you to a special medical operations camp in Washington by order of the President. You will be assigned to troops who return from Afghanistan who are in need of special surgical attention. Do you accept this commission?"
"Very much sir. Thank you," John replies.
John was summoned, chosen by the head surgeon, and empowered for a specific mission. He was called for a specific task.
This is what it is like to be called.
You are also called and experiencing being called even as you read.
How do I know?
Your very existence is a call from God.
By creation you are summoned, chosen, and empowered to be you, an assignment only you can fulfill, as it is written,
"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb." Psalms 139:13
Knitting is a very intimate and intricate act. When God made you in your mother's womb, it took time and attention. This is your summons. You were chosen to be God's creation. You were empowered by the God who knit you together in your mother's womb and created your inmost being, your unique personality and abilities.
Your very first and foremost call is to simply be what God mad you to be today.
Here are two ways to experience your calling:
1. Commit right now to be completely and utterly honesty. Don't let a word come out of your mouth that doesn't reflect the absolute truth as you know it.
2. Commit to doing only what you are very good at. Only use the talents you know you have.
If you do these two things, you will experience how God knit you together in your mother's womb and created your inmost being.
You will experience what it means to be called.
But there is more. Stay tuned for part 2.
- God called Noah to build the ark.
- He called Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to be the nation that would bless all nations.
- He called Joseph to rule in Egypt.
- He called Moses to deliver Israel.
- An example of being called in our day would look like this.
--That yell, that call to the head surgeon's office, is John's summon.
John goes to the head surgeon's office.
"Have a seat John. We have 10 capable surgeons in this hospital, but your focus and discipline stand out to me. So I'm choosing to send you to a special medical operations camp in Washington by order of the President. You will be assigned to troops who return from Afghanistan who are in need of special surgical attention. Do you accept this commission?"
"Very much sir. Thank you," John replies.
John was summoned, chosen by the head surgeon, and empowered for a specific mission. He was called for a specific task.
This is what it is like to be called.
You are also called and experiencing being called even as you read.
How do I know?
Your very existence is a call from God.
By creation you are summoned, chosen, and empowered to be you, an assignment only you can fulfill, as it is written,
"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb." Psalms 139:13
Knitting is a very intimate and intricate act. When God made you in your mother's womb, it took time and attention. This is your summons. You were chosen to be God's creation. You were empowered by the God who knit you together in your mother's womb and created your inmost being, your unique personality and abilities.
Your very first and foremost call is to simply be what God mad you to be today.
Here are two ways to experience your calling:
1. Commit right now to be completely and utterly honesty. Don't let a word come out of your mouth that doesn't reflect the absolute truth as you know it.
2. Commit to doing only what you are very good at. Only use the talents you know you have.
If you do these two things, you will experience how God knit you together in your mother's womb and created your inmost being.
You will experience what it means to be called.
But there is more. Stay tuned for part 2.
Thursday, April 3, 2014
How To Interpret Signs From God (Part 3)
Gideon replied, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me. Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you."And the Lord said, “I will wait until you return.”
Judges 6:17-18
Judges 6:17-18
Now that you know how to interpret signs from God, know that God is compassionate. Affirming. Encouraging. If you need a sign from Him, He is more than willing, and very able, to give you one. As He did for Gideon, He will gladly do for you.
God didn't get angry with Gideon when Gideon asked for a sign. He patiently waited for Gideon to return, and God gave him the sign he asked for. God gave Gideon three more signs after the first one I quoted at the very top of this blog, four signs in all.
- The second and third sign are the famous "Gideon's fleece" signs that have come to be a symbol of sign seeking. I've heard ministers discourage "putting fleeces out for God."
If by this they mean we think we need a "sign" before we do anything, including simple daily obedience, then yes, this is bad. But that's not what Gideon was doing. And if you are in the same position as Gideon, simply needing God's affirmation and encouragement, God respond to you like He responded to Gideon, because He is the same, yesterday, today, and forever.
- The fourth sign God gave Gideon was by God's own initiation. Listen to God Himself speaking to Gideon:
During that night the Lord said to Gideon, “Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands. If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp.”
Judges 7:9-11 (underline mine)
Look at the goodness of the God of Gideon.
The God of affirmation and attestation.
The God of encouragement and compassion.
God acknowledges Gideon's fear without condemnation or displeasure towards him. Instead, God sought to encourage Gideon and give him a sign that He was with Gideon.
If you are afraid about where you are in life and need to know that God is with you, He will give you a sign if you ask Him for one. He won't turn you away or rebuke you in your fear. Ask Him to give you a sign if you need one, if you feel afraid or discouraged or unsure of where you are going. Read the prayer below, and if you agree, pray it with me.
"Dear God, I'm afraid like Gideon was. I'm discouraged. I need to know that You are with me right now, or more importantly, that I am with You. Please give me a sign today that I'm in Your will, and that You are pleased with me. In Jesus name, by Your Spirit. Amen."
God loves you deeply, intensely, and intimately. He is your Father if you believe in Jesus. (And if you don't believe in Jesus, He still loves you, deeply, intensely, and intimately, and He wants you to believe in Him so that you may become His child today, right now. Believe in Him right now. Simply say, "God, I now put my trust in you.") He wants you to know His will for your life, wherever you are in life. Ask Him for a sign, and He will give you one. God loves you. I love you. Peace be with you.
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
How To Interpret Signs from God (Part 1)
How do you know if God is giving you a "sign" to do something, or to not do something? If everything is going "your way," is that a "sign" that God is with you and blessing you? And if nothing seems to be going your way, is that a sign that God is cursing you?
At first I was going to go through every scripture that dealt with signs from God. But then the Spirit showed me something that doesn't directly relate to signs from God, but gives a principle for interpreting signs. Here it is:
For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.
1Peter 2:19-20 (underlines mine)
Read the two verses above again.
Now imagine the two concepts I asked about earlier with two different kinds of men:
The officer is having a very bad day stopping him, and other criminals.
Can the criminal say that God is giving him a "sign" that he is on God's side?
Can the officer say that God is giving him a "sign" to no longer be a police officer?
Imagine this.
When the criminal tries to get a good night sleep, he simply can't. His conscience won't let him. He has all of these dreams about dying in a gunfight with police, and he wakes up knowing he should give up his life of crime.
When the officer sleeps, he also has "nightmares," but his are discouraging and disheartening; demons taunt him and torment him with fear of dying in a gunfight.
What's the difference between their "bad dreams" or insomnia?
Imagine once again.
After praying for a confirmation of his call to be an officer, the good officer receives a call to go to a house where there is a domestic dispute. He goes to the house, solves the dispute, and the husband says these words, "It's clear you were meant to be a police officer. You just saved our marriage."
After praying to "whatever gods of thieves their may be," the career criminal sees the perfect opportunity for the perfect car theft: A stupid woman leaves her car running and goes into the bathroom. It's the easiest car theft ever!"
What distinguishes one "sign" from another in the life of the career criminal or the good officer?
Click HERE to find out.
At first I was going to go through every scripture that dealt with signs from God. But then the Spirit showed me something that doesn't directly relate to signs from God, but gives a principle for interpreting signs. Here it is:
For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.
1Peter 2:19-20 (underlines mine)
Read the two verses above again.
Now imagine the two concepts I asked about earlier with two different kinds of men:
- A good police officer.
- A career criminal.
- for the career criminal, everything is going "his way."
- and for the good police officer, nothing is going "his way."
The officer is having a very bad day stopping him, and other criminals.
Can the criminal say that God is giving him a "sign" that he is on God's side?
Can the officer say that God is giving him a "sign" to no longer be a police officer?
Imagine this.
When the criminal tries to get a good night sleep, he simply can't. His conscience won't let him. He has all of these dreams about dying in a gunfight with police, and he wakes up knowing he should give up his life of crime.
When the officer sleeps, he also has "nightmares," but his are discouraging and disheartening; demons taunt him and torment him with fear of dying in a gunfight.
What's the difference between their "bad dreams" or insomnia?
Imagine once again.
After praying for a confirmation of his call to be an officer, the good officer receives a call to go to a house where there is a domestic dispute. He goes to the house, solves the dispute, and the husband says these words, "It's clear you were meant to be a police officer. You just saved our marriage."
After praying to "whatever gods of thieves their may be," the career criminal sees the perfect opportunity for the perfect car theft: A stupid woman leaves her car running and goes into the bathroom. It's the easiest car theft ever!"
What distinguishes one "sign" from another in the life of the career criminal or the good officer?
Click HERE to find out.
How to Interpret Signs From God (Part 2)
For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.
1Peter 2:19-20 (underlines mine)
There are two principles of interpreting signs from God:
1. Motivations
2. Origins
The motivation of your actions is either God's will or your will, good or evil.
The origin of "signs" is either God or the devil. Here is my proof:
Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20:30-31
But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. Revelation 19:20
If your only motivation is God's will, then anything that goes against it is of the devil, including any so called "signs" that you should stop what you are doing.
If your only motivation is your will, then anything or any "sign" that is helping you is also from the devil.
If your only motivation is God's will, even the evil that tries to stop you is a "sign" that you are on the right track. And any obviously supernatural "coincidences," like answers to prayer, people simply being "in the right place at the right time," perfect circumstances involving perfect timing, and everything that clearly encourages you to keep doing God's will, all of these are "signs from God."
In other words, as Peter said in the verse at the very top of this blog, if you are doing good, or God's will, and you are suffering, the bad experience is commendable in this evil world, where there is an evil one. The suffering isn't a "sign" that God is against you, but that God is in fact for you. You are being attacked, directly or indirectly, by the devil, who by definition wants to stop everything good. He's "the evil one," so he's going to come against everything good every opportunity he gets.
So the way to interpret signs from God is by interpreting the motivation of your actions. Those motivations will determine the origins of any and every "sign" you experience in your life. Both God and Satan give "signs" to their followers, and to the followers of their enemies. In other words, God gives "signs" to His followers to keep doing what they are doing, as well as "signs" to Satan's followers to stop doing what they are doing. Satan gives false "signs" to his followers so they will keep disobeying God, and false signs to God's followers to stop them from obeying God.
You can't simply focus on whether things are "going your way," but rather whether thing are going "God's way." If that is your focus, you'll never be confused about any sign in your life.
Commit to God's will right now, and to only God's will. If you do this, expect two things:
1. God will confirm you with signs along the way, by His Spirit, by people in your life, and by circumstances in your life.
2. Satan will attack you to try to discourage you, by demonic spirits, by people in your life, by circumstances in your life.
Submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Read the prayer below. If you agree, pray it with me.
"My father in heaven, I submit to your will alone, and I resist the devil's will absolutely. In Jesus name. Amen."
1Peter 2:19-20 (underlines mine)
There are two principles of interpreting signs from God:
1. Motivations
2. Origins
The motivation of your actions is either God's will or your will, good or evil.
The origin of "signs" is either God or the devil. Here is my proof:
Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20:30-31
But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. Revelation 19:20
If your only motivation is God's will, then anything that goes against it is of the devil, including any so called "signs" that you should stop what you are doing.
If your only motivation is your will, then anything or any "sign" that is helping you is also from the devil.
If your only motivation is God's will, even the evil that tries to stop you is a "sign" that you are on the right track. And any obviously supernatural "coincidences," like answers to prayer, people simply being "in the right place at the right time," perfect circumstances involving perfect timing, and everything that clearly encourages you to keep doing God's will, all of these are "signs from God."
In other words, as Peter said in the verse at the very top of this blog, if you are doing good, or God's will, and you are suffering, the bad experience is commendable in this evil world, where there is an evil one. The suffering isn't a "sign" that God is against you, but that God is in fact for you. You are being attacked, directly or indirectly, by the devil, who by definition wants to stop everything good. He's "the evil one," so he's going to come against everything good every opportunity he gets.
So the way to interpret signs from God is by interpreting the motivation of your actions. Those motivations will determine the origins of any and every "sign" you experience in your life. Both God and Satan give "signs" to their followers, and to the followers of their enemies. In other words, God gives "signs" to His followers to keep doing what they are doing, as well as "signs" to Satan's followers to stop doing what they are doing. Satan gives false "signs" to his followers so they will keep disobeying God, and false signs to God's followers to stop them from obeying God.
You can't simply focus on whether things are "going your way," but rather whether thing are going "God's way." If that is your focus, you'll never be confused about any sign in your life.
Commit to God's will right now, and to only God's will. If you do this, expect two things:
1. God will confirm you with signs along the way, by His Spirit, by people in your life, and by circumstances in your life.
2. Satan will attack you to try to discourage you, by demonic spirits, by people in your life, by circumstances in your life.
Submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Read the prayer below. If you agree, pray it with me.
"My father in heaven, I submit to your will alone, and I resist the devil's will absolutely. In Jesus name. Amen."
Your Truest Ministry (Part 4)
Pursue love and desire spiritual gifts....The Apostle Paul
USE YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFT
The most loving and powerful thing you can do for your fellow believers in Christ is you use your spiritual gift, and to ONLY use your spiritual gift. Nothing else you do is helpful or beneficial, because only what the Spirit empowers you to do will cause them to grow in faith in Christ.
Hear that again.
The only help you can give your fellow believer is your spiritual gift.
Or even an unbeliever for that matter.
How do I know?
Because Jesus told His very own followers to wait in Jerusalem to be clothed with power from on high. These men had been with Jesus for 3 years and only had to go and tell what they had seen and heard. How hard was that? They learned from God Incarnate for three years. They saw Him risen from the dead. They saw him ascend into heaven. And they were commissioned to simply go into all the world and tell everyone the good news:
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He died for your sins. He rose from the dead. He ascended into heaven. He is Lord, and He's coming again. We are eyewitnesses of this.
They were to preach this gospel and make disciples, simply teaching those who believe to do what Jesus taught them to do for three years.
Yet they were commanded by Jesus to stay in Jerusalem and NOT fulfill the great commission until they had power from the Spirit. For 10 days the world waited for the believers in Christ to be clothed with power and to hear the message, a message that they were commanded NOT to preach until they received power from the Spirit.
In the same way, you dare not attempt to glorify God and help people without God's power in you, without your spiritual gift.
Now that you know what your spiritual gift is, make it your first and foremost priority to use it in everyway, to shape your life so that your job, your friendships, and every relationship and thing you do involves the use of your gift.
If your spiritual gift is the ability to give "messages of wisdom" according to 1 Corinthians 12, then take every opportunity on your job, at home, or in your relationships to in fact give messages of wisdom to those who lack it, or those who want to increase their wisdom. There is no where you can go, and no relationship you can be in, where someone doesn't need wisdom. Because the Spirit has gifted you with wisdom, it stands to reason that He has placed people in your life, or placed you in someone's life, who desperately needs your spiritual gift. Find them and help them. If you agree, pray this prayer with me:
"My God and Father, show me the people in my life who need my spiritual gift. In Jesus name, amen."
Now actively look for the people in your life who need your spiritual gift. Then by faith, follow the Spirit in using your spiritual gift in his or her life. God is with you. I'm with you. Jesus is Lord.
USE YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFT
The most loving and powerful thing you can do for your fellow believers in Christ is you use your spiritual gift, and to ONLY use your spiritual gift. Nothing else you do is helpful or beneficial, because only what the Spirit empowers you to do will cause them to grow in faith in Christ.
Hear that again.
The only help you can give your fellow believer is your spiritual gift.
Or even an unbeliever for that matter.
How do I know?
Because Jesus told His very own followers to wait in Jerusalem to be clothed with power from on high. These men had been with Jesus for 3 years and only had to go and tell what they had seen and heard. How hard was that? They learned from God Incarnate for three years. They saw Him risen from the dead. They saw him ascend into heaven. And they were commissioned to simply go into all the world and tell everyone the good news:
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He died for your sins. He rose from the dead. He ascended into heaven. He is Lord, and He's coming again. We are eyewitnesses of this.
They were to preach this gospel and make disciples, simply teaching those who believe to do what Jesus taught them to do for three years.
Yet they were commanded by Jesus to stay in Jerusalem and NOT fulfill the great commission until they had power from the Spirit. For 10 days the world waited for the believers in Christ to be clothed with power and to hear the message, a message that they were commanded NOT to preach until they received power from the Spirit.
In the same way, you dare not attempt to glorify God and help people without God's power in you, without your spiritual gift.
Now that you know what your spiritual gift is, make it your first and foremost priority to use it in everyway, to shape your life so that your job, your friendships, and every relationship and thing you do involves the use of your gift.
If your spiritual gift is the ability to give "messages of wisdom" according to 1 Corinthians 12, then take every opportunity on your job, at home, or in your relationships to in fact give messages of wisdom to those who lack it, or those who want to increase their wisdom. There is no where you can go, and no relationship you can be in, where someone doesn't need wisdom. Because the Spirit has gifted you with wisdom, it stands to reason that He has placed people in your life, or placed you in someone's life, who desperately needs your spiritual gift. Find them and help them. If you agree, pray this prayer with me:
"My God and Father, show me the people in my life who need my spiritual gift. In Jesus name, amen."
Now actively look for the people in your life who need your spiritual gift. Then by faith, follow the Spirit in using your spiritual gift in his or her life. God is with you. I'm with you. Jesus is Lord.
Your Truest Ministry (Part 3)
Walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh. The Apostle Paul
These are the steps in fulfilling your truest ministry:
Today we are focusing on step 3.
FOLLOW THE SPIRIT'S LEADING.
As master martial artist Bruce Lee once said,
"Knowing is not enough, you must apply. Willing is not enough, you must do."
Or as James, the brother of Jesus, said, "Faith without works is dead," or useless.
Now that you know how the Spirit leads you, being taught this in my first blog of this series, you have to do it.
Actively choose to follow the Spirit's leading, step by step, day by day. Today. Right now.
As a child of God, this is your obligation.
Everything hinges on this, and this alone.
"My Father in heaven, in the name of Jesus, please lead me by your Spirit. Amen."
It's an easy prayer to remember and pray.
After you pray it, present to the Lord what you have in mind to do to serve Him. If you have in mind to read the Bible, ask Him where to begin, or what to read. If you have in mind to encourage a brother or sister in the Lord, tell Him what you have in mind to say, and see if you have the incomprehensible perfect peace of God in those words. If not, the Spirit will give you different words to say. He will lead you if you follow Him. The choice is yours.
Follow the Spirit's leading to achieve your truest ministry.
1. Know how the Spirit leads you.
2. Know how to use your spiritual gift.
3. Follow the Spirit's leading.
4. Use your spiritual gift.
As master martial artist Bruce Lee once said,
Everything hinges on this, and this alone.
- Before you read the scriptures, stop and pray that the Spirit leads you in your reading. When you do this, certain scriptures or passages will stand out to you. This is His revelation, meant for your inspiration and application.
- Before you talk to someone, pray that the Spirit leads the conversation. He will help you to listen and hear insights into the person's heart, and He will give you words that will draw him to Christ, words that will conform her to the image of Christ.
Before you say or do anything, pray this prayer, if you agree with it:
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Your Truest Ministry (Part 2)
We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.. in accordance with your faith...Romans 12:6
Before we move on...
Now that you know how to follow the Spirit, you also know how to discover and use your gift:
The Spirit knows what your spiritual gift is and how to instruct you in using it. He's the one who gave you your spiritual gift in the first place. And He gives you guidance through the verse at the top of this post. I'll break the verse down in three steps for you. Read the verse again, then read the three steps.
1. Know that you do have a spiritual gift, at least one. (We have different gifts)
2. Know that your gift has a limited authority or ability. (according to the grace given to each of us)
3 Know that your gift is based on what you can imagine can happen. (in accordance with your faith)
Start from the assumption that you have a supernatural spiritual ability to bring God glory by helping those in The Body. You have a spiritual gift. The Apostle Paul said it. The Spirit inspired him to say it. Because you believe what the Spirit inspired Paul to write, say this quick prayer:
"My Father in heaven, thank you for my spiritual gift. By Your spirit reveal it to me so that I may use it today. In Jesus name, amen."
Now skip step two and go to step three.
Do you want people to be close to God? Do you want prayers to be answered? This is what Paul means when he says "in accordance with your faith." Remember how Jesus would often say to people, "Let it be so according to your faith?" Or Jesus would say something like, "Your faith has healed you." Jesus also said, "All things are possible for those who believe." So imagine what you want to happen in the lives of believers, how you want to help them to know and be like God. How you do you want to encourage them or comfort them.
If you want to encourage believers, your gift is encouragement, so encourage them. If you want to speak words from God to people, your gift is prophecy, so prophecy to God's people. If you want to pray for people, then that is your gift. Pray. Do this according to what you can imagine can happen. And accept the limitation of your imagination right now. That limitation is the "measure of grace" in step two. Now go to step two.
You aren't God, so you aren't all powerful. In other words, your spiritual gift is limited in power, authority, and territory. You can't help everybody with everything. A 6th grade math teacher has the ability to teach math to 6th graders. Not college students. Not science. In the same way, your gift is for a specific purpose and people, according to what you can imagine can happen. Stay in your zone of authority for God's glory, and you will see God's glory in your life today.
You have a spiritual gift.
Your imagination is the limitation of how you use it.
Right now,
If you have any questions, write me those as well.
- I'm writing to you if you are believer in Christ who wants to follow the Spirit and use your spiritual gifts, but you feel you don't know how to do it practically. You are my focus if this is your focus.
- If you know how to follow the Spirit, you know everything you need to know for the effective Christian life.
- If you know how to use your spiritual gift, you know everything you need to do to be an effective Christian.
- In reviewing what I said in the last post, when you think of "the peace of God," think of His peace as being the same as His agreement with you, and thus your agreement with Him. In other words, when you sense God's peace, which is perfect and incomprehensible, you are sensing His agreement with your decision, which means you are in agreement with His will for you at that moment.
Now that you know how to follow the Spirit, you also know how to discover and use your gift:
Follow the Spirit.
2. Know that your gift has a limited authority or ability. (according to the grace given to each of us)
3 Know that your gift is based on what you can imagine can happen. (in accordance with your faith)
- What can you imagine yourself doing for God's glory?
- What do you want to do for members of the Lord's Body, the church, those who believe in God?
- What is your passion as a Christian?
What you want to do for those who believe in Jesus,
and what you can imagine doing for them,
is your spiritual gift.
If you want to encourage believers, your gift is encouragement, so encourage them. If you want to speak words from God to people, your gift is prophecy, so prophecy to God's people. If you want to pray for people, then that is your gift. Pray. Do this according to what you can imagine can happen. And accept the limitation of your imagination right now. That limitation is the "measure of grace" in step two. Now go to step two.
Your imagination is the limitation of how you use it.
- Imagine how you want to help people know and be like God.
- Realize that this is your spiritual gift.
- Find two opportunities with two people who need you to use your spiritual gift.
If you have any questions, write me those as well.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)