Words To Remember - "The Year 2016"

We believe the Spirit of God is saying that 2016 is a year and season of Grace. 

Our focus text of Scripture for this season of Grace is II Corinthians 12:9, wherein the Apostle Paul says, "but he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.'  So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me."  (NRSV).

Words To Remember - "The Year 2015"

This is a year and season of Restoration. 

I Peter 5:10 says, "And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you." (NRSV).  We believe that God is working restoration in the lives and hearts of His people by His Spirit, in Jesus' name!

Words To Remember - "The Year 2014"

We believe this year is a year of the FAITHFULNESS OF GOD.  That is, in this year, we believe that the body of Christ will see and receive the faithfulness of God in a better way.  For it is not that God becomes more faithful, more loving, more gracious, etc... because He is perfect in all of His ways; but rather we see and receive His faithfulness, love, grace in a better way.

Our key scripture for this year is I Corinthians 10:13, which says:  "No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone.  God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it." (NRSV).

Now, in this year being a year of seeing and receiving the faithfulness of God in a better way, we must understand that it will also be a time of testing/temptation.  For faithfulness is not really seen unless it is tried.  But in the test, God is faithful, in that He will not allow us to be tested beyond our strength or what we are able to bear, but with the testing/temptation make a way of escape so that we can bear up in it.

Let us be encouraged in this year, for our God is faithful, and by His grace, we will see and receive His faithfulness in a better way.

Words To Remember - "The Year 2013"

We believe the Spirit of God is saying that in this coming season of the Year 2013, that it will be a time of MANIFESTATION.  It will be a season of "due season", in which things will be reaped that have been sown.  See Galatians 6:7-9, wherein the Apostle Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit penned the following:  "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."(KJV).

So let us look forward to God's grace and mercy in this season of MANIFESTATION.

Words To Remember - "The Year 2012"

We believe that the year 2012 will be a time and season in which God will bring a SHIFT; and with the shift, there will be a shaking.  Our scripture reference is found in Hebrews 12:25-29, wherein the writer said, "See that you do not refuse the one who is speaking; for if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject the one who warns from heaven!  At that time his voice shook the earth; but now he has promised, 'Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven.'  This phrase, 'Yet once more,' indicates the removal of what is shaken---that is, created things---so that what cannot be shaken may remain.  Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe; for indeed our God is a consuming fire." ~ NRSV


In the shift and shaking that God is doing, there will be a return of the people of God to the foundations of the kingdom of God; His righteousness, peace, and joy, which is in the Holy Spirit.  Therefore, whatever does not  line up with the kingdom of God (His righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit), will be shaken, and by it being shaken, it will be removed.  This is all so that we can operate more effectively in what God has designed for us for His glory.      

Words To Remember - "The Year 2011"

I believe that the Spirit of God is saying that this coming year, 2011, will be a year and season of THE NEW.  It will be a time of New Things.  Isaiah 43:18-19 says, "Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old.  I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?  I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." (NRSV).

Recall with me that we said in October of 2009 that the year 2010 would be a year and a season of Order, and during this season God would begin setting some things in order and setting some things right, and it would begin with His house (I Peter 4:17).  And it was also said that Matthew 6:33 would be a key verse within this season of Order because it speaks of order and priority as it relates to the kingdom of God.

So now that Order has been and is continuing to be established in the house of God (because the Word has gone forth and is continuing to go forth about the order and priority of the kingdom of God), God will now begin to bring forth new things in His house.  Now, we must understand that it was important that order should be established first before the new could come because the old way of disorder cannot inhabit the new way of life.  Jesus said it like this in Matthew 9:17, "Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined.  No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved." (NIV).

So as we enter into this new year of 2011, let us enter it with expectation and humility as we prepare to receive and enter into the New Things that God has for His people.

Words To Remember - "Kingdom Living"

The kingdom is key!  It is key to living a truly successful life.  Now, when we say living a successful life, one should not automatically think of big houses, nice cars, lots of money, or the like.  Although, there is nothing wrong with these things in and of themselves, it is just as Jesus said in Luke 12:15 that, "...one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions."  But when we speak of living a truly successful life, we are speaking of living a life that is in line with the kingdom of God, which is the rule, reign, and will of God.  In other words, successful living is kingdom living.


Now, if successful living is kingdom living, then we need to know what is involved in this kingdom living.  Or we might say, what is required and what are the results of kingdom living.  Well, we believe there are at least three things that can be identified among the requirements and results of kingdom living:

1)  Living a Spirit filled life (Ephesians 5:18)
2)  Living a Surrendered life (Luke 9:57-62)
3)  Living a Satisfied life (Philippians 4:10-13; Hebrews 13:5-6)

In living a Spirit filled life, we are living a life that is under the influence and control of the Holy Spirit vs. living a life that is under the control of substance, worries, emotions, and the like.  Also, in living a Spirit filled life, we are living a Word filled life.  For the Spirit of God always agrees with the Word of God.  Thus a life that is full of the Spirit, is a life that is full of the Word.

In living a Surrendered life, we are living a life that has forsaken and left all for sake of our Lord Jesus.  Of course this takes walking by faith and not by sight, for in the natural it can be quite scary to forsake our own will and desire for the sake of Jesus because in doing this, we lose control of our lives.  However, we must understand that if we lose control of our lives for the sake of Jesus, then we actually gain our lives; for Jesus said in Mark 8:35, "For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it."

In living a Satisfied life, we are living a life that is satisfied and content with God.  In living such a life, we are not looking for things to satisfy us, but we are looking to God and God alone; for He is our help and that is why we do not need to fear what man can do to us.  Now, in living this satisfied/content life, we need to implement gratitude, because it is very difficult, if not totally impossible, to live a satisfied/content life while being ungrateful.  Therefore, we need to exercise gratitude in a major way.

These three things of being Spirit filled; Surrendered; and Satisfied are some requirements and results in successful living and thus in kingdom living.
 

Words To Remember - "The Word Factor"

In continuation of our study on the kingdom of God, we again rehearse what we called "The Factors of the Kingdom", which are:  the Spirit of God, the Word of God, and Faith in God.  Now, we previously discussed "The Faith Factor", and in our study of this particular factor we saw that one of the main things about faith is that, its primary purpose and function is not to obtain a bigger house, a nicer car, more money, or any other thing that we can see in the natural, but rather its primary purpose and function is to please God (see Hebrews 11:6).  Now we move to the factor of the kingdom that deals with the Word of God, thus our title, "The Word Factor."

In our study of "The Word Factor", we see the Word of God being portrayed as at least three things:
1)  A seed
2)  A stone or solid rock
3)  A sword

In the Word being portrayed as a seed, we turn to Matthew 13:1-23, wherein Jesus gives a parable about a sower sowing seed, of which some fell on the path or wayside; some fell on rocky ground; some fell on amongst thorns; and some fell on good ground.  He then gives insight into the parable by equating the seed to the Word, and that contingent upon the understanding of the heart on which the seed/Word is sown, the outcome to either be path or wayside; rocky ground; thorns; or good ground will be seen.

In the Word being portrayed as a stone or solid rock, we turn to Matthew 7:24-27, wherein Jesus gives another parabolic statement in which He likens His words to that of a stone or a solid rock.  And in this statement, He incorporates that of a wise man and that of a foolish man.  The wise man is one who hears the words of Jesus and does them, thus building his house (life) on a foundation that is stable, secure, and sure, to the end that the storms of life cannot destroy his house (life).  However, the foolish man is one who hears the words of Jesus but does not do them, and is thus building his house (life) on a foundation that is unstable, insecure, and unsure, to the end that the storms of life can and do destroy his house (life) in a great way.

In the Word being portrayed as a sword, we turn to Ephesians 6:17, wherein the Apostle Paul likens the Word of God to that of a sword. This sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, is part of the whole armor of God found in Ephesians 6:14-17; and it is the only part of the armor that is not only defensive, but it is offensive as well.  So that with the Word as a sword, we can cut down and kill any giant and devil that comes to our mind to get us off track from the rule, reign, and will of God for our lives.  With the Word as a sword, we can cast down every imagination that would try to exalt itself against the knowledge of God; we can conquer thoughts of worry, oppression, and sin with the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

Words To Remember - "Grace"

When we talk about pleasing God, as we have done in our previous posts, and how that is connected with our faith, it can seem overwhelming and even at times impossible to the natural mind; and actually it is if we are relying on our own ability.  But there is something called GRACE, which can be defined not only as kindness, goodwill, mercy, favor, etc., but it can also be defined as an empowerment and an enabling from God to us so that we can do/be what we could not do/be in and of ourselves.  God's grace actually helps us to meet His standard and His requirement.  


Now, understand that this grace is attracted to humility.  For in James 4:6, the writer says, "But he gives all the more grace; therefore it says, 'God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.'" (NRSV).  And in connection with this, we see the writer in Hebrews 4:16 saying, "Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (NRSV).  So, in our approach to the throne of grace, we are humbling ourselves so that we can ultimately obtain more grace.  And this grace we find at the throne is: 
1) Saving (Ephesians 2:8)
2) Settling (Hebrews 13:9) 
3) Sufficient (II Corinthians 12:9)

Remember, beloved, God does not want us trying to please Him on our own strength, nor does He want us striving to walk by faith in our own might, but rather He wants us to come to His throne of grace with boldness (confidence, assurance) so that we can receive mercy and find (discover) His grace (empowerment, enabling) to help us in our time of need so that we can ultimately do/be what He wants and requires us to do/be.

Words To Remember - "Faith Made Effective"

Previously we had talked about the "Order of Faith", and that it speaks on this wise:  The primary purpose and function of faith is not to get a bigger house, a nicer car, more money, etc.  But rather the primary purpose and function of faith is to please God.  Now, with the purpose and function of our faith established toward God, we now look at what actually makes our faith effective.

In Galatians 5:6, the Apostle Paul says, "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing that counts is faith working through love." (NRSV).  According to this passage, faith works or is made effective through love.  

So, what is love?  Well, we have a biblical definition and description of it in I Corinthians 13:4-8(a) - "Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude.  It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth.  It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never ends."  (NRSV).

So, as we use our faith to please (love) God, we must also use it to love people.  For, "Those who say, 'I love God,' and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen." (I John 4:20 - NRSV).

So, as important as faith is to our walk with God, just remember that it is nothing if it is not fueled by love.  Love is how our faith is made effective, and is therefore how we are able to please God to the utmost.

Words To Remember - "What's Next?"

In our last two postings, we talked about "The Order of Faith."  And we said that the order of faith speaks on this wise:  The primary purpose and function of faith is not to get a bigger house, get a nicer car, get more money, etc.  But rather, the primary purpose and function of faith is to please God.  And in connection with this, we named at least three ways in which we can please God, which are: right living, right attitude, and right testimony.  

Now, after we have utilized our faith in accordance with its primary purpose and function, which is to please God, the question can then be easily asked, "What's Next?"  What more do I need or need to do in order to see things and circumstances change in my life, after all, I am living right; I do have a right attitude; and I do possess a right testimony, so what's next?  Aren't I suppose to be rewarded for pleasing God?  However, it seems like I am being passed over and that the reward is for some reason being delayed and even denied. So, what's next?

Well, in answer to the question, "What's Next?", we turn to the Scripture found in Hebrews 10:35-37 wherein the writer says the following:  "Do not therefore, abandon that confidence of yours; it brings a great reward.  For you need endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.  For yet 'in a very little while, the one who is coming will come and will not delay." (NRSV).  The "What's Next" that is needed in our lives after we have pleased (done the will of) God is endurance (patience)!  Now understand that when the Scripture says that we need endurance/patience, that it is not just simply saying that we need to wait, although it is involved.  But when the Scripture says that we need endurance/patience, it is saying (according to the BDAG Greek Lexicon) that we need "the capacity to hold out or bear up in the face of difficulty."  That means that in having endurance/ patience, we will have enough room to put up with the situation, the unfavorable circumstance, the troublesome issue that continues to stare us in the face until our change comes.

So, how do we do have and even increase in this much needed endurance/patience?  Well, I believe that there are at least three things that we need to do in order to have and increase in the endurance/patience that we need; and these things are:
1) Keep looking at Jesus - Hebrews 12:1-3  
2) Keep rejoicing in Jesus - Philippians 4:4
3) Keep standing in Jesus - Ephesians 6:13

So, what's next after we have pleased God?  Endurance/Patience. And what is endurance/patience?  The capacity to hold out or bear up in the face of difficulty.  And how do we obtain and even increase in endurance/patience?  By continuing to look at, rejoice, and stand in Jesus.  God bless you.

Words To Remember - "The Order of Faith" Part II

Continuing in "The Order of Faith", we now look at the following passages of Scripture:

Psalm 37:4 - "Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart"; and John 15:7 - "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." (NRSV).  

In the above verses, we see further confirmation to the truth of "The Order of Faith" which says:  the primary purpose and function of faith is not to acquire material things (i.e. a bigger house, a nicer car, more money, a better job, the perfect mate), but rather it is to please God.  See, we mostly hear about faith as it relates to acquiring material things, but we really do need to understand that the faith that we have is to primarily obey and please God.  For we can exercise our faith to acquire things, and thereby be impressive to ourselves and others, but all along we can be in a state of losing our own souls; that is definitely not God's will for our lives.

God wants us to first and foremost delight ourselves in Him.  He wants us to above all else abide or live in Him and His words in us, for it is then and only then will He grant us our hearts desire and grant us what we wish.  For if we are delighting or taking pleasure in Him; and if we are abiding in Him and His words in us, then that means that His desire becomes our desire, and our desire becomes His desire, so then He can give us what we desire and wish because it will not be contrary to His will and what pleases Him.

Again, there is an order to faith, and that order involves pleasing God, and then allowing Him to add all things to us.  "The Order of Faith."     

Words To Remember - "The Order of Faith"

Romans 1:17 says, "For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, 'The one who is righteous will live by faith.'"  And Hebrew 11:6 says, "And without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him."  (NRSV).

The greatest, most important question that one can ask, as it pertains to their life, is:  Am I right with God?  For after all is said and done; after we have accomplished this, and traveled there, and made that, and built here, the lingering and final question is:  Am I right with God?  And either the affirmative or negative answer will be as a result of our faith, and particularly, the object thereof.  For the way by which one is made right with God is through faith (trust, confidence) in Jesus Christ; and being made right with God is synonymous to being pleasing to God.  For if I am right with God, then I am pleasing to Him, and if I am pleasing to Him, then I am right with Him; and this is all done by faith.

So, if the most important thing in my life is being right and pleasing to God, and this is done by faith, then that tells me that there is an "Order of Faith" that goes like this:  The primary purpose and function of faith is not to obtain a bigger house; it is not to acquire a nicer car; it is not to get a better job; and it is not to make more money.  But the primary purpose and function of faith is to please God.  This is not to say that we don't use our faith to acquire things, but it is saying that even if we do not get the things that we want when and how we think we should get them, that we still have an obligation to please God.  For at the end of the day, we need to please God.

Now, how do we please God?  Well, I believe there are three ways in which we can please God, and actually they are what we previously posted under "Ways of the Kingdom", and those things are:

1)  Right Living - I Thessalonians 4:3-7.
2)  Right Attitude - I Thessalonians 5:16-18
3)  Right Testimony - I Peter 2:15

If we practice these things as ways of pleasing God, then our faith is in order and then we can believe God for other things that we desire and need and see Him move on our behalf for His glory.  "The Order of Faith."

  

Words To Remember - "Mother's Day 2010: A Day of Hope & Restoration"

On this special day, Mother's Day, we celebrate and honor the mothers in our lives.  This celebration, though, should go beyond cards, flowers, and candies, as we see the depth that is inherent within a mother.

A mother/woman, is a carrier/bearer of hope.  For when a woman is pregnant, we say that she is "expecting"; and what is hope, but expectation.  Thus we can say that a mother/woman is a bearer of hope.  And with hope comes restoration.  So, we declare this day, Mother's Day 2010, "A Day of Hope & Restoration."

Our scripture reference for our subject title is Isaiah 49:14-16, wherein the prophet said, "But Zion said, 'The LORD has forsaken me, my Lord has forgotten me."  Can a woman forget her nursing child, or show no compassion for the child of her womb?  Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.  See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me'." (NRSV).

Understand that the context of the aforesaid scripture, is after the people of Judah experienced tragedy, destruction, and pain as a result of judgement that came because of their iniquities; but also understand that God did not plan to leave His people there.  For He shined a ray of hope and restoration in the midst of the darkness that surrounded His people by reassuring them of His ever abiding presence; and He used the analogy of a woman/child relationship to express this reassurance to His people.  God showed that, just like a woman/mother cannot (normally) forget her child, so He cannot and will not forget His people.  God has His people on His mind, and even when it "feels" like He is not there, He wants His people to be reminded that He will never leave them, nor forsake them.  The walls of His people are continually before Him.

So, let this day, Mother's Day 2010, be a day of hope and restoration.  Expect again, and let restoration be made active in your life today.  No matter what happened yesterday, this is a new day, so walk in the fullness of the new mercies that it brings.  "A Day of Hope & Restoration."  Happy Mother's Day!

 

Words To Remember - "How To Feed Your Faith" - Repost

Hebrews 11:6 ~ "And without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." (NRSV)

Using the preceding verse as our launching text, we continue on the subject matter of faith, and how it influences our flow within the kingdom of God.  And with this in mind, we look again on how we can feed our faith.  For in November of 2009, we posted the subject title, "How To Feed Your Faith"; and now I sense that we are to repost it, as it is an appropriate message for our current message on faith.  So, with that, be blessed as you read and meditate on the following repost from November 2009:

We need to feed our faith; for without it, we cannot please God, or do His will.  And if we cannot do His will, then we cannot be blessed; for the will of God is the place of blessing.

So how do we feed our faith, so that we can please God; so that we can do the will of God; so that we can be in the place of blessing?  Well, I believe that there are four laws that aid in the facilitation of the feeding of our faith; and these are:  1) The Law of Hearing; 2) The Law of Forgiving; 3) The Law of Confessing; and 4) The Law of Doing.

1) The Law of Hearing (Romans 10:14-17).  In these verses, we see faith being connected with the continual hearing of the Word of God.  As we continually hear the Word of God, our faith is fed.

2) The Law of Forgiving (Luke 17:1-6).  In these verses, we see faith being connected with forgivness.  For when Jesus instructed His disciples to forgive, even if sinned against seven times in a day, the apostles asked the Lord to increase their faith.  But Jesus' reply assured them that they could do great things with the little faith they had; yes, even forgive.  As we forgive, our faith is fed.

3)  The Law of Confessing (II Corinthians 4:13).  In this verse, we see faith being connected with what we say or confess that is in line with the Word of God.  As we confess the Word of God, our faith is fed.

4)  The Law of Doing (James 1:22-25; 2:26).  In these verses, we see faith being connected with doing the Word of God.  It is not enough just to hear the Word, but we must ultimately apply the Word.  It is not enough just to say we have faith, but we must ultimately show evidence of our faith.  As we do the Word of God, our faith is fed.

Words To Remember - "The Faith Factor"

Hebrews 11:6 - "And without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." (NRSV).

In our last posting, we looked at our faith and identified it as the target of our arch-enemy, Satan.  In that, we saw how the enemy first attacks our minds; to then attack our hearts; to ultimately destroy our faith (trust, confidence) in God.  Satan wants our faith, and we guard it by guarding our hearts and minds.

Now, the question can be asked, "Why does Satan want our faith?"  Well, I believe the answer is found in our preceding verse, Hebrews 11:6, "And without faith it is impossible to please God..."  Satan wants our faith because he does not want us to please God.  For if we are pleasing God, then we are operating within the will of God; and if we are operating within the will of God, then we are flowing and navigating properly within the kingdom (rule, reign, will) of God; and if we are flowing and navigating properly within the kingdom of God, then our lives are shining lights, and people are seeing our good works and giving glory to our Father in heaven.

So, we see that faith is an important piece in our kingdom walk.  Therefore, let us be strong in faith, even when we don't "feel" strong, for faith doesn't flow with feelings, but it rather feeds on the Word of God.  And understand this as well, that faith counts when we don't see a way out.  In other words, faith doesn't take its cue from what is seen, but rather from what is not seen; for as the Apostle Paul said in II Corinthians 4:18, "Because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal." (NRSV).  Be encouraged in your faith (trust, confidence) in God. "The Faith Factor"

Words To Remember - "Another Lesson on the Kingdom of God"

Our key verse for this year and season of Order continues to be Matthew 6:33 - "But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (NRSV).  The kingdom is key!


We said previously in one our postings titled, "The Factors of the Kingdom", that "Faith in God" was one of those factors of the kingdom.  And by this we meant that, our ability to navigate properly and effectively within the kingdom of God, would be determined by our faith being grounded and anchored in God.

So, we see that faith in God is a crucial factor to our place within the kingdom (the rule, reign, and will) of God.  And with that said, we now turn to the subject of today's title, "Another Lesson on the Kingdom of God."

If there is another lesson that we can learn about the kingdom of God, it would be that Satan wants to rob us of our faith (trust, confidence) in God.  II Peter 1:1 describes our faith in God as "precious"; I John 5:4 describes our faith in God as "victory"; and I Timothy 6:12 describes our faith in God as "a good fight."  So, Satan knows that if he can rob us of our faith in God, then he can rob us something that is precious; something that is victorious; and something that is a good fight.  If he can rob us of our faith in God, then he can ultimately rob us of both our effectiveness within the kingdom of God, and the effectiveness of the kingdom of God within us.  That means that the rule, reign, and will of God's righteousness, peace, and joy will not be found in us, nor we in them.

So, how does Satan rob us of our faith in God?  Well, I believe he starts with the mind.  Satan, through everyday trials and temptations of life (i.e. financial challenges, family challenges, health challenges, job challenges, etc...), brings things to our minds for us to think on, so that these things in turn can consequently get into our hearts, and then ultimately rob us of our faith in God.

So, how then do we keep Satan from robbing us of our faith in God?  Well, we need to guard our hearts.  Proverbs 4:23 says, "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life." (NRSV).  The heart houses our faith.  So, if we guard our hearts, then our faith in God will stay intact.

So, how then do we guard our hearts in order that our faith in God can stay intact?  Well, I believe that is where the mind comes in.  For if we watch what we allow our minds to think on, then we guard our hearts from evil, and consequently our faith in God remains intact.  I'm reminded of what the Apostle Paul said in Philippians 4:8 concerning our thought life, "Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise think about these things." (NRSV).  And in II Corinthians 10:4-5 he said, "For the weapons of our warfare are not merely human, but they have divine power to destroy strongholds.  We destroy arguments and every proud obstacle raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ." (NRSV).

So, we guard our faith by guarding our hearts, and we guard our hearts by guarding our minds.  Let us therefore not allow Satan to rob us our faith in God, which is something that is precious; something that is victorious; and something that is a good fight.  And let us not allow Satan to rob us of our faith in God, and consequently render our lives ineffective within the kingdom (the rule, reign, and will) of God, and the kingdom (the rule, reign, and will) of God within our lives.  Guard the mind, guard the heart, guard the faith and be blessed in your life.  "Another Lesson on the Kingdom of God."  

Words To Remember - "A Lesson on the Kingdom of God"

We declared by the Spirit of God that this year, 2010, would be a year and season of Order.  It is a year in which God would begin bringing Order to His house, which is His people; for the people of God, comprise the house of God.  In addition, in this season of Order, we said that a verse of emphasis would be Matthew 6:33, wherein the Lord Jesus said, "But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (NRSV).  This verse speaks of priority and order, as it relates to the place and even the affect of the kingdom of God in our lives.

Now that we rehearsed the season of this year and the role that the kingdom of God has in it, we now turn to the subject title of this posting which is, "A Lesson on the Kingdom of God."  Our verse for this subject title is Matthew 13:31-32, wherein the following is said:  "He put before them another parable:  'The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.'" From this verse, we gather "A Lesson on the Kingdom of God", and that is:


"GOD DOESN'T NEED A WHOLE LOT, TO DO A WHOLE LOT."


In the aforesaid verse, Jesus likened the kingdom of heaven/kingdom of God, to that of the mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds, but when it is planted, grows and becomes the greatest of shrubs, even to the point of being a place of lodging for the birds of the air.  So then, we see that if there is anything that we can learn about the kingdom of God, it is that, "God doesn't need a whole lot, to do a whole lot."  Now, this is quite different from the world's way of doing things, because it says that "You have to be qualified for this...", or "You have to know this person...", or "You have to have this much of something..."  But God's way says, "Give Me the little, and I will make it a lot", and "Turn this over to Me, and I will turn it around for good."  God doesn't need a whole lot, to do a whole lot.  Remember, Jesus took two fish and five loaves of bread and fed over five thousand people.  Remember, only one hundred and twenty persons were in the upper room in Acts 2, but from that one hundred and twenty, three thousand souls were added to the church.  Remember that from Abraham and Sarah, a nation was birthed.  Remember that from Adam and Eve, a whole world was populated.  And most of all, remember that from God's only Son, many sons were added into the kingdom of God.  God doesn't need a whole lot, to do a whole lot.


So what has God told you to do that may seem impossible, because you may not have the resources in the natural, or at least according to that of the world's standard?  What has God placed in your spirit to do, but because of what was said to you by the world, you became discouraged and gave up?  Well, God wants you to know that He is still the same God yesterday, today, and forever; and all He needs from you is a "YES", and with that "YES", He can do a lot in and through your life.  For God specializes in taking the small things and making them into great things.  So remember, God doesn't need a whole lot, to do a whole lot.  Just give Him your "YES", and watch Him make something that will turn out to be the greatest and the best.  "A Lesson on the Kingdom of God."

Words To Remember - "The Road To Resurrection"

I Corinthians 15:3-4 says, "For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received:  that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures." (NRSV).

On this Easter day, we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  In His resurrection we see:  hope, joy, and victory.  However, before we see a resurrection, we see death and burial.  Before we see hope, we see hopelessness; before we see joy, we see sorrow; and before we see victory, we see defeat.  Jesus did not begin at resurrection, but rather there was a path in which he traveled to arrive there, hence our title caption, "The Road To Resurrection."

Jesus' road to resurrection, I believe, involved at least three things:

1) Humility:
In Philippians 2:5-8, we see these words by the Apostle Paul, "Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death-even death on a cross." (NRSV).  On His road to resurrection, Jesus humbled himself before the will of God.

2) Suffering:
In I Peter 2:23, we see these words by the Apostle Peter, "When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but entrusted himself to the one who judges justly." (NRSV).  On His road to resurrection, Jesus suffered for the will of God.

3) Commitment:
In Luke 23:46, we see these words, "Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, 'Father, into your hands I commend (commit) my spirit.'  Having said this, he breathed his last." (NRSV).  And in I Peter 2:23 again, we see, "When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but entrusted (committed) himself to the one who judges justly." (NRSV).  On His road to resurrection, Jesus committed Himself to the will of God.

Now, just like our Lord implemented humility, suffering, and commitment on His road to resurrection, we too, must do the same.  Although ours is not for our sins, because Jesus did that for us, but as His followers, we must do as it is written in I Peter 4:1, which says, "Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with same intention (for whoever has suffered in the flesh has finished with sin)." (NRSV).

Therefore, on our road to resurrection...on our road to hope, joy, and victory, we must:

1)  Humble ourselves before the will of God:
I Peter 5:6 says, "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time." (NRSV).

2) Suffer for the will of God:
I Peter 4:19 says, "Therefore, let those suffering in accordance with God's will entrust themselves to a faithful Creator, while continuing to do good." (NRSV).

3) Commit ourselves to the will of God:
II Timothy 1:12 says, "And for this reason I suffer as I do.  But I am not ashamed, for I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that day what I have entrusted (committed) to him." (NRSV).

Resurrection...hope, joy, and victory, came to our Lord as He journeyed faithfully on the road to resurrection; and it will come to us too, if we stay on the path that involves humility before; suffering for; and commitment to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  "The Road To Resurrection."

Words To Remember - "Knowing the King of the Kingdom"

"But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:33 - NRSV).

Last week we identified Jesus as "The King of the Kingdom"; and in that we saw that to confess Jesus as Lord, is to confess Him not only as God, but also as King, thus our declaration that Jesus is "The King of the Kingdom."

So, now that we have identified "The King of the Kingdom" as Jesus, we now turn our attention to "Knowing the King of the Kingdom."  In this, we look at Philippians 3:3-11, wherein the Apostle Paul says, "For it is we who are the circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and boast in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh---even though I, too, have reason for confidence in the flesh.  If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more:  circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.  Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ.  More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.  For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith.  I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead."---NRSV. 

In the aforesaid verses, we see the Apostle Paul above all else wanting to know Christ Jesus his Lord (King).  But didn't Paul already "know" Jesus, after all, he was one of the greatest, and probably the most influential of the apostles in the 1st Century; so how could he say that he wanted to "know" Christ Jesus?  Well, Paul's knowledge of Jesus went beyond a head knowledge and went into a heart and experiential knowledge that ultimately was demonstrated in and through his life.  Paul wanted to have a continuous knowledge of Jesus that would result in a continuous changed life, and that is how we should want to know Jesus our Lord (King).

Now, if we are going to know Jesus, there are at least three things that are going to take place in our lives; and they are as follows:

1)  Surrender (to Jesus).  We must surrender our lives daily, if we are going to continually know Jesus.  The Apostle Paul was surrendered to Jesus, that is why he could say that he wanted to know Jesus.  Knowing Jesus, requires surrender to Jesus.

2)  Fellowship/Prayer (with Jesus).  We must continually be in fellowship/prayer with Jesus, if we are to continually know Jesus.  For how can we know someone if we never or hardly ever communicate with them; and that is what prayer is, communion and communication with God.  Therefore, we should make it a habit to fellowship/pray with Jesus daily.  Knowing Jesus, requires a life of fellowship/prayer.

3)  Word (of Jesus).  We must continually be in the Word of God, if we are to continually know Him.  We should make it a habit to read the Word of God daily, so that not only our head knowledge of Jesus increases, but more importantly our heart and experiential knowledge of Him increases to the point that our lives demonstrate His life.  Knowing Jesus, requires a life of being in His Word.