You Have Authority Over The devil

LUKE 10:19 NKJ
19 "Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and
scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing
shall by any means hurt you.

Jesus defeated the devil for you. According to Matthew 28:18,
all authority on Earth now belongs to Jesus. As His earthly
representatives, Jesus has delegated His authority to us in
certain ways.

MARK 16:17 NKJ
17 "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name
they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;

All believers have authority to use the Name of Jesus Christ.
In Jesus' Name, or authority, we can cast out the devil and all
his forces.

PHILIPPIANS 2:10 NKJ
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in
heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,

After Jesus' resurrection, Scripture clearly puts
responsibility on the believer to exercise the delegated
authority of Jesus to resist the devil, and all his works.

EPHESIANS 4:27 NKJ
27 nor give place to the devil.

JAMES 4:7
7 ...submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

1 PETER 5:8-9 NKJ
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks
about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith,....

You can resist the devil and not allow him any place in your
life, because you have authority over the devil.

SAY THIS: In Christ, I have authority over the devil, all his
forces, and all his works.

What Are Alms?

"Alms" are not some kind of tree, but something you should know
about -- and do.

The Greek word translated alms in the New Testament originally
meant mercy or kindness, then came to represent the kind deeds
caused by mercy and kindness. So it came to mean charitable
giving to the poor -- or giving motivated by love.

Many times this word is translated as "charitable deed."

LUKE 12:33 NKJ
33 "Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money
bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does
not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys.

Jesus often spoke of giving alms. But He made it clear that our
motives are important.

MATTHEW 6:2-4 NRSV
2 "So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before
you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets,
so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they
have received their reward.
3 But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what
your right hand is doing,
4 so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who
sees in secret will reward you.

The Bible tells of Cornelius, "a devout man and one who feared
God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the
people, and prayed to God always" (Acts 10:2), who had an angel
deliver this message:

ACTS 10:4 NKJ
4 . . . he said to him, "Your prayers and your alms have come
up for a memorial before God.

God was impressed with this Roman soldier's giving to meet the
needs of the poor.

Alms are not offerings to God, or His ministers. Alms are
charitable deeds -- gifts to the poor and needy. Helping people
who are in trouble.

Alms impress God.

SAY THIS: Alms are gifts of love to help people in trouble.

The Cure For Weak Faith

MARK 6:6 NIV
6 And he was amazed at their lack of faith. Then Jesus went
around teaching from village to village.

Don't despair if your faith is weak. Everyone starts out with
weak faith.

Your faith can be fed and grow strong.

Faith requires evidence to rest upon. The Bible provides the
evidence that your faith needs.

ROMANS 10:l7 New Life
17 So then, faith comes to us by hearing the Good News. And the
Good News comes by someone preaching it.

Correct teaching on a subject produces faith in your heart.

But it is not enough just to hear teaching on a subject. To
keep your faith strong you must feed on scriptures pertaining
to that subject, by reading, speaking, and thinking about those
scriptures.

And you must exercise your faith for it to grow strong. That
is: act on what you learn from Scripture.

Your faith can be strong in one area while being weak in
another. For example, most Christians have strong faith
concerning the new birth, but weak faith concerning healing,
because they have never heard much teaching on the subject of
healing.

It is true, as Jesus said in Matthew 4:4, that we need every
word that God has spoken -- not just some of them.

So, if you want your faith to grow in any area, listen to
anointed teaching on that subject, then continue to read,
speak, meditate, and act on those scriptures.

SAY THIS: I will feed my faith on God's Word and it will grow.

Why Read The Bible?

"I'm a busy person. I have a lot to do. Why should I spend my
time reading the Bible? I don't have time to do all I need to
do as it is."

"I already believe in Jesus Christ, that He's the Son of God
and my Savior. I've already heard the Gospel."

"Why should I read the Bible?"

Read the following Scriptures. Then, if you still wonder why
you should read the Bible, you need help.

JOHN 8:31-32 RSV
31 Jesus then said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you
continue in my word, you are truly my disciples,
32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you
free."

JOHN 14:23-24 Rieu
23 Jesus replied: 'If anyone loves me he will cherish my word;
my Father will love him and we will come to him and make him
our abode.
24 He that does not love me neglects my words. Yet the word you
hear is not my own but that of the Father who sent me.

ACTS 20:32 NKJ
32 "So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of
His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an
inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

SAY THIS: I will read and study the Bible.

Who Can Be Against Us?

ROMANS 8:31 NKJ
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us,
who can be against us?

We all face opposition. No one likes it. But opposition is a
fact of life on earth.

But here's a more important fact: with God for us, opposition
doesn't really matter.

With God on our side, what does it matter who opposes us? The
worst anyone can do is kill us -- which would be doing us a
favor. (Being a martyr for Christ and going to be with Him in
Heaven is not bad!)

And never forget: God IS for you!

PSALM 56:9 KJV
9 When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this
I know; for God is for me.

PSALM 118:6-7 LB
6 He is for me! How can I be afraid? What can mere man do to
me?
7 The Lord is on my side; he will help me. Let those who hate
me beware.

SAY THIS: God is for me, so no one can successfully be against
me.

Should Poor People Give?

ACTS 20:35 NIV
35 . . . the Lord Jesus himself said: `It is more blessed to
give than to receive.'"

Giving benefits the giver. The poorer you are the more you have
a need to give.

Those who don't understand giving as planting seeds usually
think it's wrong for a poor person to give to God. But giving
is planting seed for a harvest.

2 CORINTHIANS 9:6-8 NKJ
6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap
sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap
bountifully.
7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not
grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that
you, always having all sufficiency in all things, have an
abundance for every good work.

LUKE 6:38 NKJ
38 "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed
down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your
bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be
measured back to you."

By giving, seed is planted for a larger harvest of blessing.
Nobody needs that more than a poor person.

Jesus commended a poor widow for giving all she had.

LUKE 21:1-4 NKJ
1 Then He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into
the treasury,
2 and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.
3 So He said, "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put
in more than all;
4 "for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings
for God, but she out of her poverty has put in all the
livelihood that she had."

SAY THIS: Giving is a way to be blessed.

How Does God Bless Us?

Does God bless us by giving us everything we think we should
have, even if it's bad for us?

Does God bless us by always letting us have our way -- whether
it's the best way for us, or not?

Does God bless us by letting us get away with self-destructive
behavior?

Does God bless us by letting us mistreat other people with
impunity?

Does God bless us by giving us more responsibility, more money,
or more fame, than we can handle?

Does God bless us by allowing us to never face the consequences
of our actions?

Does God bless us by never allowing us to struggle or overcome
difficulty?

If God blessed us in any of those ways, He would not be a good
Father.

God blesses us by changing us into what we should be. He makes
us to BE a blessing. That puts us into God's category, where we
can enjoy fellowship with Him -- which is the greatest blessing.

GENESIS 12:2 NIV
2 "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I
will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.

SAY THIS: Thank you Lord for your blessing.

God Communicates

ACTS 2:28 KJV
28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make
me full of joy with thy countenance.

Of course, God can communicate in any way He chooses, but it is
very rare for Him to speak so that our ears hear a voice.
However, God communicates all the time.

God normally communicates by thoughts which are whole ideas,
not just individual words.

Sometimes God may communicate through individual words
(especially if they are a quote from the Bible). But usually it
is much faster than that and comes as a complete thought, not
just one word at a time.

God lives inside the believer in Jesus Christ. As a believer,
you are joined with Jesus in your spirit.

1 CORINTHIANS 6:17 NKJ
17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.

So when you are having a conversation with God, it will usually
seem like you are having an inward conversation with yourself.
Don't expect it to be coming from "outside of you."

So talking with God can sometimes seem like just talking with
yourself, because God lives inside you. 1 Cor 6:19, 2 Cor 6:16

The thought may also come through another person. God lives in
other believers, not just in you. It may have been recorded
previously, either in written, spoken, or pictorial form.

It is not unusual for God to communicate with someone through
another person without them even realizing they have been
involved in a message from God.

God can communicate through a sermon. But that does not mean
every sermon, or every idea it may contain, is from God -- no
matter who preaches it.

Of course, every thought you have is NOT from God. Some
thoughts originate with the devil. Some thoughts are just your
flesh trying to control you. Some thoughts are the ideas of
other people you have picked up.

So you have to learn to discern which thoughts are from God and
which ones are not.

There are two criteria by which we can determine whether a
thought is from God. The first is a knowledge of the written
Word of God, the Bible.

God never changes. What He has said in the past is still what
He would say today. Truth must be consistent. So when God
communicates, those thoughts will line up with the written Word
of God. They will never contradict the Bible.

The more familiar we are with the Bible, not just the letter of
it, but the spirit of it also, the easier it will be for us to
"know God's voice" and determine when a thought is from God.

Every verse of the Bible is inspired by God and can therefore
be trusted. That does not mean it is a direct statement from
God, but that even if it is telling history or a genealogy, God
meant for it to be recorded. Thus, in that way, every verse is
a thought of God, and therefore carries a message. This does
not mean everything said in the Bible is the truth, for
the Bible even records some lies of men. But everything in the
Bible is truly recorded, and in that sense is the truth, and
therefore a message from God.

The second criteria is the inner witness. We will say more
about the inner witness on another day.

Sometimes it is said that God communicates through nature. In
the sense that God's creation gives the message of His great
power, wisdom, and brilliance it is true. We can look at all
God has created and know He is a genius.

However, God actually communicates directly with us through
thoughts. Those thoughts can be about nature, but they are
still thoughts.

God desires for you to communicate with Him, also. You should
"talk" to Him about everything. Ask Him all the questions you
want. (You won't always get an instant answer. But God doesn't
mind you being curious. And when you are ready and capable of
understanding the answer, God will get it to you.)

You can "talk" to God by actually talking out loud, or by an
inward conversation, just in your thinking. God will hear you
either way. And He will respond. Again, it may not always be an
instant response. There could be many reasons for this. But if
you will stay alert, you will realize when God responds and you
will know He did.

The more you cultivate a relationship with God, the more you
will understand this and enjoy it. Remember that all
relationships are nurtured and deepened by communication.

1 CORINTHIANS 1:9 NKJ
9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship
of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

SAY THIS: Thank you God for communicating with me. Help me
learn how to know what you are saying and help me to be alert
to your communication.

Open Eyes

2 KINGS 6:17 NKJ
17 And Elisha prayed, and said, "Lord, I pray, open his eyes
that he may see." Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young
man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses
and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

What we see with our physical eyes is not all that's happening.

Spiritual forces are active around us. Unless God "opens our
eyes" we're in the dark to what's really happening.

Of course, it shouldn't be necessary for us to "see" into the
spirit realm to believe what God has said, such as that His
angels would keep charge of us always to protect us.

ACTS 26:18 NKJ
18 'to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light,
and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive
forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are
sanctified by faith in Me.'

When God told Paul what his calling was, the first step
mentioned was "to open their eyes . . . that they may receive."

For us to receive all that God has provided for us, we must
also have "our eyes opened."

Our prayer needs to be that of the Psalmist.

PSALM 119:18 NKJ
18 Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law.

SAY THIS: Lord, open my eyes. Give me understanding and
insight.

God Is The Original Parent

EPHESIANS 3:15 Amplified
15 For Whom every family in heaven and on earth is named--
[that Father] from Whom all fatherhood takes its title and
derives its name.

Barclay translates verse 15, "of whose fatherhood all heavenly
and earthly fatherhood is a copy,".

A note in the Translator's N.T. says, "A play on Greek words is
involved here. The meaning is that the whole human idea of
family and fatherhood owes its origin to God the Father."

The Tyndale N.T. Commentary says, "He is also the One from whom
alone all the fatherhood that there is derives its meaning and
inspiration. From Him it derives its existence and its
concept...."

What does this all mean?

God is the original Father, the original parent, and everything
good that has ever been in any parent is just a copy of what
was first in God.

God looks upon you as a good parent looks upon their child.

PSALM 103:13 Beck
13 As a father loves His children, so the LORD loves those who
fear Him.

According to the experts, love in Psalm 103:13 means "deep
love, cherishing, to behold with tenderest affection."

There has never been a parent who loved their child more than
God loves you.

SAY THIS: Thank you God, for being my Father, and loving me.

Faith Is The Victory

1 JOHN 5:4 NKJ
4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is
the victory that has overcome the world--our faith.

We all love to win.

Victory is sweet. One reason it's so sweet is that it's usually
not easy. Victory takes effort -- often great effort.

Effort is also required in the spiritual battle of good against
evil we are all engaged in. But the effort required of us is to
maintain our attitude of faith in God and His Word.

We cannot overcome the strategies of the devil by our
willpower, or by our own strength. We must use the spiritual
weapons God has provided for us.

As a child of God -- you are a winner! The victory is already
yours through what Jesus Christ did on your behalf. Don't let
the enemy steal the victory away from you.

Your enemy comes to steal your faith. Don't let it happen.

SAY THIS: I overcome and walk in victory by my faith in God.

You Reap What You Sow

GALATIANS 6:7 NKJ
7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man
sows, that he will also reap.

The Bible says it, so you can count on it.

EPHESIANS 6:8 NKJ
8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the
same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.

LUKE 6:38 NKJ
38 "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed
down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your
bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be
measured back to you."

The world has a saying for this, "Whatever goes around, comes
around."

If you are unkind, you can expect unkindness to come toward
you.

If you are merciful, you can expect others to be merciful to
you.

If you are generous, others will be generous with you.

You cannot expect to plant carrot seeds and harvest tomatoes.
It does not work in the physical realm, neither does it
work in the spiritual realm. You will reap what you plant, and
only what you plant.

2 CORINTHIANS 9:6 NKJ
6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap
sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap
bountifully.

PROVERBS 11:24-25 NKJ
24 There is one who scatters, yet increases more; And there is
one who withholds more than is right, But it leads to poverty.
25 The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will
also be watered himself.

Whatever you need, or whatever you desire in your life -- give
that to someone else.

If you desire friendship, be friendly to others. If you desire
forgiveness, forgive others. If you desire to be loved, show
love to others. If you desire money, give some money away.

MATTHEW 7:12 NKJ
12 "Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to
them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

SAY THIS: I will reap what I sow.

Make Friends Of Enemies

PROVERBS 25:21-22 LB
21-22 If your enemy is hungry, give him food! If he is thirsty,
give him something to drink! This will make him feel ashamed of
himself, and God will reward you.

Why would anyone want to be an enemy of someone who treated
them well?

Your actions should cause your enemy to reconsider being your
enemy.

When you treat your enemies well, not only do you have a good
chance of making them friends, but also God will reward you.

ROMANS 12:19-21 LB
19 Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God,
for he has said that he will repay those who deserve it. [Don't
take the law into your own hands.]
20 Instead, feed your enemy if he is hungry. If he is thirsty
give him something to drink and you will be "heaping coals of
fire on his head." In other words, he will feel ashamed of
himself for what he has done to you.
21 Don't let evil get the upper hand, but conquer evil by doing
good.

The way to turn an enemy into a friend is to treat them in a
friendly manner.

This is God's plan. It should be your plan, too.

SAY THIS: Treat enemies like friends and you won't have any
enemies.

Faith And Patience

HEBREWS 6:12 NKJ
12 that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who
through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Patience is not just putting up with things.

Patience means to continue, to persevere, to stay steady, to
maintain your course, to not grow weary in doing good and quit.

Patience is a fruit of the spirit, so to walk in Bible patience
you must keep your spiritual life strong, by feeding on the
Word and fellowshiping with God.

We receive from God by faith, but our faith has to be
undergirded by patience to possess and enjoy His promises.

It's normal for there to be a time of waiting and testing when
we believe the promises of God. But hang on to your faith and
it will see you through.

JAMES 5:10-11 NIV
10 Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of
suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
11 As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered.
You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the
Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and
mercy.

God's Word will come to pass in your life. Don't quit
believing.

Hang in there!

SAY THIS: I will imitate those who through faith and patience
inherit the promises of God.

According To Your Faith

MATTHEW 9:29 NKJ
29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith
let it be to you."

God responds to faith.

God blesses people who have faith.

Don't you appreciate people who have faith in you? Well, God
appreciates people who have faith in Him.

But His reason is not just selfish -- as ours may be. God knows
His ways are right and bring blessing, while protecting people
from harm. So, when we have faith in God, we will follow His
instructions, and the world will be a better place.

When everyone has faith in God, and follows His way of love,
the world will be a perfect place.

Many people don't understand God because they think He should
respond to need, instead of responding to faith.

God doesn't do that because it doesn't work. Meeting human need
without them having faith in God brings no lasting benefit.

MATTHEW 8:13 NKJ
13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go your way; and as you
have believed, so let it be done for you." And his servant was
healed that same hour.

SAY THIS: God responds to my faith.

Accept God's Acceptance

God accepts you, because of what Jesus did as your substitute,
and because He loves you.

EPHESIANS 1:6 NKJ
6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made
us accepted in the Beloved.

All barriers between you and God were broken down by Jesus
Christ. God forgave you, and offers cleansing from all the sin
you ever committed.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:18-21 NLT
18 All this newness of life is from God, who brought us back to
himself through what Christ did. And God has given us the task
of reconciling people to him.
19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no
longer counting people's sins against them. This is the
wonderful message he has given us to tell others.
20 We are Christ's ambassadors, and God is using us to speak to
you. We urge you, as though Christ himself were here pleading
with you, "Be reconciled to God!"
21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering
for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through
Christ.

God's intention is to have a family -- a loving family. He
wants you to be a part of it.

ROMANS 15:7 NCV
7 Christ accepted you, so you should accept each other, which
will bring glory to God.

SAY THIS: I accept that God has forgiven me and accepted me
into His family.

Be A Minister

2 CORINTHIANS 3:5-6 NIV
5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for
ourselves, but our competence comes from God.
6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant--not
of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the
Spirit gives life.

A minister's job is turning people to God.

No one has to appoint you, ordain you, or give you credentials
to make you a minister.

A minister is one who serves -- serves God, and people, by
turning people to God so they can receive help.

Being a minister does not require you to have a title such as
pastor, bishop, or priest.

While it is true that God does call some to special places of
ministry, it is a mistake to think that we all cannot, or
should not, minister.

A minister is a middle-man like a real estate agent. A person
can find out about God on their own with a Bible, just like
someone can buy a house directly, but it is easier and faster
to have a more experienced person who knows the territory help
you.

Someone who helps another is a minister. You can do that.

SAY THIS: God made me able to minister -- to help someone.

All The Promises Of God

2 CORINTHIANS 1:20 NCV
20 The yes to all of God's promises is in Christ, and through
Christ we say yes to the glory of God.

Although the entire Bible is a message to us today, not all of
it is written directly to us.

The New Testament epistles are written directly to us who are
in the church, the Body of Christ, which includes all
believers.

We do need to rightly divide the Bible, but since all the
promises of God are yes in Christ -- they find their
fulfillment in Him -- we can take any promise of blessing in
the entire Bible and appropriate it by faith.

God has blessed us with every blessing in Christ!

EPHESIANS 1:3 NKJ
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly
places in Christ,

Every promise in the Bible is not directed to us specifically.
But, by faith in Jesus Christ, we can appropriate every
blessing God has to offer.

When we do receive the promised blessings of God's Word, it
brings glory to God.

All this is not automatic. You have to actively receive. But
the main "activity" involved with receiving blessing from God
is believing. To truly believe you need evidence. That's why
you need to read and study the Bible.

SAY THIS: Every Bible promise of blessing is mine in Christ.

I Am Wrong

"What are you wrong about, preacher?"

I don't know. If I knew I would change.

"Then how do you know you're wrong?"

Unless I'm perfect and know everything -- I must be wrong about
some things. I just don't know what.

"But I thought preachers knew everything."

Some of them may think they do. But even the Apostle Paul, who
wrote most of the New Testament, said he only knew in part.

1 CORINTHIANS 13:12 NIV
12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we
shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know
fully, even as I am fully known.

There are two ways to face life: thinking you know everything
and are doing everything right, or realizing you are not yet
perfect. The first way is pride, the second is humility.

If you think you know everything, you cut yourself off from
learning. If you think everything you do is right, you almost
eliminate any chance of improvement.

Do you really desire to never know more than you do now? Would
it please you to never make any progress from where you are
now?

Then, to protect you from the enemy of pride, start each day
saying, "I am wrong. Lord, show me where to change."

Pride stunts your growth as a person. Pride retards progress.
Pride robs you — and can kill. Pride causes strife and destroys
relationships. Pride isolates. Pride closes doors of
opportunity.

Humility is the only antidote for pride and all its horrible
consequences.

The first step to wholeness is to realize you have a problem.

SAY THIS: I am wrong. Lord, please correct me.

Surrounded By Favor

PSALM 5:12 NIV
12 For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround
them with your favor as with a shield.

God's favor can change your life.

Someone who is favored is called a favor-ite.

(The New Testament teaches that being righteous (in right
standing with God), is a gift we receive when we receive Jesus
-- not something we attain by our works.)

So, the promise of Scripture is that God surrounds you with
favor. What does that mean?

Favor is the blessing of God making people like you and treat
you well.

Is it automatic? We have access to God's grace only through
faith (Romans 5:2). So, you will never experience the fullness
of God's favor without believing for it.

Faith is released through words. So every day thank the Lord
for giving you favor with people, for surrounding you with
favor!

Don't say, "People don't like me." or "Everybody seems to be
against me." or "I never get a break."

Instead say, "Thank you Lord for giving me favor with people."

Then watch God begin to move on your behalf!

SAY THIS: Thank you Lord for surrounding me with favor.

Why I Tithe

MALACHI 3:10 ICB
10 Bring to the storehouse a tenth of what you gain. Then there
will be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord of
heaven's armies. "I will open the windows of heaven for you. I
will pour out more blessings than you have room for.

Tithing is giving ten percent of your income to God.

While tithing is not a command given in the New Testament, what
we do with our money is a test of our love and commitment to
the Lord.

In truth, all we have as believers really belongs to the Lord.
Ten percent is a low figure, yet it is a starting point. Sadly,
one which many Christians have never reached.

I practice tithing to God because:

* Tithing is a way of expressing my worship in a tangible way.

God is worthy of my all -- my best -- and so much more. Nothing
I could ever give would be sufficient, but that is no reason to
do nothing. The money I give is tangible evidence that I do
value God.

* The Lord promised blessing to those who tithe.

There are books full of testimonies from people -- even non-
Christians -- who put God to the test, as He challenges us in
Malachi 3:10, and found God faithful to prosper them, as He
promised.

* Tithing is an act of faith, which pleases God.

It takes faith to give when you don't have enough. Many people
do not tithe for this very reason; they are afraid God will not
come through and take care of them.

I have experienced miraculous provision many times. I can
testify that God is faithful, and will always, somehow, take
care of His children who trust Him.

SAY THIS: Giving money to God is an act of worship.

Do You Believe In Love?

MATTHEW 5:44 NKJ
44 "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse
you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who
spitefully use you and persecute you,

Most people believe in force: guns and armies.

Most people believe in money: "financial power."

Many people believe in education, that "If we just educate
people enough we can change the world."

Hardly anyone seems to believe in the power of love to change
things. No one seems to think it would do any good to "turn the
other cheek."

Jesus didn't tell us to "turn the other cheek" just so we could
get beat up more. Jesus believes in the power of love. Jesus
believes that evil can be overcome with good.

ROMANS 12:20-21 NKJ
20 Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is
thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals
of fire on his head."
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

God still believes in the power of love. He believes that if
you love enough, and for long enough, people will finally come
to their senses and respond to that love.

JOHN 13:34-35 NIV
34 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved
you, so you must love one another.
35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you
love one another."

Jesus said the mark of His believers would be their love. Where
did we go wrong?

SAY THIS: Lord, help me to believe in love, and to act in love.

Jesus Became Poor . . .

2 CORINTHIANS 8:9 NKJ
9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though
He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you
through His poverty might become rich.

Most people know that Jesus became poor. They just don't know
why.

Some people may tell you this verse refers only to being made
"spiritually rich." Don't fall for that. Look at the context
and you will see it is discussing money.

"Then why aren't Christians rich?"

The main reason is because of a lack of teaching on this
subject. Everything we receive from God must be received by
faith. If we don't believe it, we won't receive it.

(Jesus died so that everyone could be saved. However, until
people hear the message and believe it, they continue lost in
their sins. Yet the price has already been paid by Jesus for
their freedom.)

Instead of teaching that prosperity is a blessing available to
believers, most churches have taught the opposite -- that it
was the will of God for us to be poor.

What we need is to hear preaching and teaching about it being
God's will for us to prosper. We need to continue in the Word
on that subject, to be set free in that area of life.

I am NOT saying being prosperous makes you a better person, or
that it is a sign of great faith. I AM saying that poverty and
lack is part of the curse -- which Jesus redeemed us from.

God's prosperity is a growing thing that will not destroy you,
unlike winning the lottery, or other get-rich-quick schemes.
Time and continued obedience to God are required.

But the fact remains, according to Scripture, Jesus became poor
to set you free from poverty -- to make you rich.

SAY THIS: Jesus became poor to make me rich.

We Receive From God By Faith

MATTHEW 9:29 NKJ
29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith
let it be to you."

Have you ever wondered why God blessed someone -- when it was
obvious they did not deserve it?

Do you wonder why you are not more blessed -- even though you
are doing your best to be a good Christian?

The answer is faith.

We do not receive from God based on what we deserve, but on
what we believe.

GALATIANS 3:9 ICB
9 Abraham believed this, and because he believed, he was
blessed. It is the same today. All who believe today are
blessed just as Abraham was blessed.

Our receiving from God is not based on our works, but on God's
grace. We have access to God's grace by our faith -- not
through our merit.

ROMANS 5:2 NKJ
2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in
which we stand . . . .

Many try to earn something from God when He has already given
us all things through Christ. Now by faith we must appropriate
what God has provided.

Don't despair if your faith is not too strong. The cure for
weak faith is to feed on the Word of God, the Bible.

ROMANS 10:17 NKJ
17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of
God.

If you feed your heart and mind the Word of God, your faith
will grow strong. You feed it in by reading it, hearing it,
speaking it, and meditating on it.

SAY THIS: I will feed on God's Word and my faith will grow.
Then I will receive all God has for me.

Why I Speak In Tongues

1 CORINTHIANS 14:18 NIV
18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.

Speaking in tongues is speaking in a language you have never
learned. It is a supernatural act possible only by the help of
the indwelling Holy Spirit.

MARK 16:17 NKJ
17 "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name
they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;

It is estimated that today over 500 million Christians, in
every country on earth, do speak in tongues. It started on the
day of Pentecost, as recorded in Acts 2:4.

ACTS 2:4 NKJ
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to
speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Every believer can speak in tongues, if they desire. It is a
free gift available to all believers.

1 CORINTHIANS 14:5 NKJ
5 I wish you all spoke with tongues . . . .

I think this doctrine has been so controversial because the
devil is against it, knowing how helpful it is to believers.

I have no desire to argue with anyone. I do desire to see
everyone enjoy all the benefits God has freely provided for us.

I speak in tongues because:

* It allows me to communicate with God better. There are things
my mind just cannot put into words which I can express through
the spirit by praying in tongues.

1 CORINTHIANS 14:2 NKJ
2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to
God . . . .

* It builds me up spiritually and refreshes me.

1 CORINTHIANS 14:4 NKJ
4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself . . . .

There are other benefits. I hope you are enjoying them, too.

SAY THIS: Thank you Lord that I can speak in tongues.

Why Are There Delays?

JAMES 1:2-4 NIV
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials
of many kinds,
3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops
perseverance.
4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature
and complete, not lacking anything.

Why are prayers not all answered instantly? Why don't we always
experience the blessings promised in the Bible immediately?

If all results were instant, we could never walk in faith.
Without faith, we could never please God. (Hebrews 11:6)

If you always reaped the harvest of your deeds immediately, the
incentive to do right and refrain from wrongdoing would only be
selfish. No faith, or love for God, would be required.

During delays we have opportunity to demonstrate whether we
really love God, and trust Him, or not.

A delay is a test. Without testing, there could be no reward.
God does not test us so that we can fail, but so that we can
overcome. He believes we will make it with His help.

We desire an instant manifestation of victory. God's desire is
for us to press into Him and His Word and walk in faith until
we see victory.

To overcome there must be opposition and struggle. God cannot
always shield us from problems without taking away from us the
privilege of overcoming.

Victory is sweet. What makes it sweet is that it is not easy.

If we really trust God, time is not a problem. Leave that with
God. His timing is perfect and He is dependable! We know He
promised, and can never fail -- and that is enough.

SAY THIS: I will persevere in faith, and the Bible says I will
end up not lacking anything.

Be Slow To Speak

JAMES 1:19 NIV
19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be
quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,

How many times have you said something and later regretted it?

Too often we practice: Speak now and think later.

What would happen if you silently consulted with God before
speaking? If you thought about, and prayed about, everything
you said -- before you said it -- your life would be different.

1 PETER 3:10 LB
10 If you want a happy, good life, keep control of your tongue,
and guard your lips from telling lies.

Words are powerful and should be used to accomplish a purpose.
Don't just talk for no reason.

PROVERBS 17:28 NIV
28 Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and
discerning if he holds his tongue.

Remember, you can always learn more by listening than you can
by talking.

Be slow to speak!

SAY THIS: God, please help me to control my tongue.

The Holy Spirit Will Teach You

JOHN 14:26 NASB
26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send
in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your
remembrance all that I said to you.

What a wonderful, patient teacher the Holy Spirit is!

This teacher has no limits. He never has to call on anyone else
for an answer. He knows everything.

Whatever you are doing, He can help you -- and teach you how to
do it better. Just ask.

Jesus said it, "He will teach you all things."

I love the story of George Washington Carver, who asked God to
teach him about the peanut -- then changed our world with the
knowledge he gained of the peanut.

Do not hesitate to ask God to teach you about even the smallest
things. He understands every detail and is never too busy for
you.

From child raising to atomic science -- He is the most
knowledgable and capable teacher.

And the Holy Spirit is always available! No need to wait for
office hours to call on this professor. Call on Him anytime.

SAY THIS: The Holy Spirit is teaching me.

Sing A New Song

PSALM 96:1 NIV
1 Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth.

No doubt God, who makes every snowflake different, enjoys new
things.

Five times Scripture tells us to sing to the Lord a new song.

You, with God's help, can sing a song to the Lord that's never
been sung before.

Don't say you can't do it! God made your mouth and He can give
you words to sing.

God is a Creator, and you are His child. Step out in faith. Ask
the Lord to help you.

PSALM 105:2 NASB
2 Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; speak of all His wonders.

Get by yourself and practice. Sing a new song. Make it up as
you go. If you mess up, God won't laugh at you. It may not be
very good. But every parent cherishes their child's first
attempts.

Make a joyful noise. Rejoice in the Lord. Both you and the Lord
will enjoy it.

EPHESIANS 5:19 NIV
19 . . . Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,

After you practice in private, you may even want to try it in
public.

SAY THIS: I will sing a new song to the Lord.

Sin Hurts

ROMANS 6:23 ICB
23 When someone sins, he earns what sin pays--death. But God
gives us a free gift--life forever in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Sin is a teacher whose lessons are hard and painful.

You can't keep your hand in fire without being burned. And you
can't sin without hurting people.

Sin harms humans. That's why God classifies it as sin. All sin
hurts someone. The reason God is against sin is because He is
for people.

Because sin has consequences, it eventually will convince you
of the error of sinning -- if you live long enough. But why
ruin your life finding out what you can know now just by
reading the Bible?

God is not a killjoy. His purpose is not to keep the human race
from enjoying life.

All that God has written in the Bible is for our benefit. God
already knows everything. He gave us the Bible so we could know
the truth.

The truth is: sin is bad. Sin hurts.

SAY THIS: Sin is deadly and I want nothing to do with it.

Rejoice In The Lord

PHILIPPIANS 4:4 NIV
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

No matter how bad things are around you, you can always rejoice
in the Lord.

God is good -- even when circumstances are bad.

You can look beyond the temporary problems of life and focus on
the Eternal God and His goodness. You can rejoice that God
loves you and that you have a home in Heaven.

If you only rejoice when you feel like it -- and circumstances
warrant it -- you may never rejoice much. But you will miss a
lot of joy. For when you rejoice in the Lord and focus on Him,
joy begins to flow out of your inner being and strengthens you.

This is God's answer for depression. Focus on God. Rejoice in
Him, and receive the spiritual strength you need to carry on in
victory.

HABAKKUK 3:18 NIV
18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my
Savior.

"Yet I WILL." Whenever you decide to, you can rejoice. In spite
of feelings and circumstances, you can choose to rejoice.

Rejoicing is subject to your will -- not your circumstances.

When can you rejoice? When should you rejoice?

1 THESSALONIANS 5:16 NASB
16 Rejoice always;

SAY THIS: I will rejoice -- in the Lord!