Thursday, December 30, 2010

Take It!

MARK 11:24 NASB
24 "Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and
ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be
granted you.

The Greek word translated "received" is lambano, which means to
actively receive. In English we use the word "take" to describe
actively receiving.

For example, the following scriptures contain the Greek word,
"lambano." This may help you get a better understanding of what
receive means when it translates this word, lambano.

MARK 12:8 NKJ
8 "And they TOOK him and killed him and cast him out of the
vineyard.

JOHN 19:6 NKJ
6 ...Pilate said to them, "You TAKE Him and crucify Him, for I
find no fault in Him."

As the above passages show, sometimes lambano is translated as
take or took -- and is not at all passive, but very active.

MARK 11:24 SWANN
24 Therefore, I exhort you, All things whatever you pray for
and ask, have faith that you have taken hold, and it shall be
for you.

So, this verse is saying to us that when we pray, we are to
believe we take what we are asking for, and then we will have
those things.

How can we do that?

We must take them by faith. How do we "take them by faith?" We
release words of faith based on what God has said in His Word,
the Bible.

We are not talking about forcing God to do something, but to
receive (or take) what is already offered.

How can you "believe you have received" something before you
see it? Easy! You just need credible evidence.

If someone you trusted told you they had deposited money in
your bank account, you would not need to physically go to the
bank and see the cash before rejoicing.

Well, God -- who cannot lie -- has told us many things in His
Word. When we pray in line with what God's Word already says is
ours, that is our evidence on which we can base our belief.

When God says it -- we can believe it. So that is our evidence
by which we can "believe we receive" something when we pray.
So, by our faith, we "take it."

(We are not taking it from God. He has already given it to us.)

SAY THIS: When I pray I am supposed to "take" the answer by
faith.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

People Are Precious

JOHN 3:16 BBE
16 For God had such love for the world that he gave his only
Son, so that whoever has faith in him may not come to
destruction but have eternal life.

We may be too familiar with John 3:16 for its message to impact
us as it should. When it says that God loves the world, it
means the people of the world.

God loves people -- even the sinners. ALL the people of the
world are loved by God. (That does not mean He approves of
their behavior. But God loves them.)

People are created in the image of God. We are like God, His
children. (You must receive Jesus to be a true child of God,
but originally mankind was created in God's image, as His
children.)

Children are precious to their parents. No matter how many
children a parent has, every child is precious to them. They
are all loved.

So it is with God, who obviously has a huge capacity for love.

A parent may have a child who is a criminal, but that parent,
if they are a good parent, will still care for their son or
daughter and desire good for them. God is no less loving and
caring. He desires good for us -- every one.

When we deal with people who are acting terrible, it can be
difficult to remember they are precious to God.

LUKE 6:35-36 NLT
35 "Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without
expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be
very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the
Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and
wicked.
36 You must be compassionate, just as your Father is
compassionate.

People will last for eternity. People will live with God and
give Him pleasure in the ages to come.

Let's stay focused on what is really precious and worthwhile.
Material possessions are nice and have their place, but are
nothing compared to the worth of a human being -- even if that
human being is not perfected yet.

Even with rough edges, people are valuable. You are precious to
God! So is everyone else.

SAY THIS: Every person is precious to God.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Giving Is Planting Seed

2 CORINTHIANS 9:6-8 NLT
6 Remember this -- a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get
a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a
generous crop.
7 You must each make up your own mind as to how much you should
give. Don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For
God loves the person who gives cheerfully.
8 And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will
always have everything you need and plenty left over to share
with others.

God is love. Love gives and helps others. God wants you to be
like Him -- to be a giver.

God, knowing human nature, gave incentives to encourage us to
be givers. Not only does giving makes us feel good, but God
promises whatever we give will be multiplied back to us -- the
same way seed planted by a farmer produces a larger harvest.

LUKE 6:38 NLT
38 If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you
in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for
more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving --
large or small -- it will be used to measure what is given back
to you."

God's plan is to develop you into a loving, giving person who
trusts God.

Faith and love -- the two primary attributes God is working to
develop in us -- are both exercised by giving.

It takes faith to give. It seems safer and more prudent to hold
on to everything we have, just in case we might need it. But
God encourages us to be generous and give to others -- trusting
Him to multiply our giving back to us.

Someone has well said that whatever we give does not leave our
life, but just enters our future, where it will be multiplied.

SAY THIS: Whenever I give, I am planting seed for a harvest of
blessing.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Jesus Died For Sinners

ROMANS 5:6 NKJ
6 . . . Christ died for the ungodly.

Jesus Christ did not come to earth to help perfect people, but
to help ungodly sinners.

ROMANS 5:8 NKJ
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we
were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Jesus already paid the price for the forgiveness of all sins
through His death.

EPHESIANS 1:7 NKJ
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness
of sins, according to the riches of His grace

The devil tries to make people think God does not love them
because of their sins. But nothing could be further from the
truth. God loves sinners! Jesus died to save sinners.

1 TIMOTHY 1:15 NKJ
15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am
chief.

God is against sin because it is harmful to people, but He is
not against sinners.

If God could not or would not help a sinner, then He would
never help any human. The Bible tells the opposite story. We
have all missed the mark of perfection so we all need a Savior.
And we all have a Savior if we will but receive Him.

HEBREWS 9:26 NLT
26 If that had been necessary, Christ would have had to die
again and again, ever since the world began. But now, once for
all time, he has appeared at the end of the age to remove sin
by his own death as a sacrifice.

The sacrifice of Jesus was sufficient to deal with all sin. You
have been forgiven. Accept that forgiveness. Turn away from
going your own way and walk with God.

SAY THIS: Jesus died because He loved sinners, including me.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Leave Your Case With God

ROMANS 12:19 NLT
19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the
righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, "I will take
revenge; I will pay them back," says the LORD.

When people do us wrong, not taking revenge is difficult. It
seems natural to fight back when someone attacks us.

But the Bible tells us to let God judge them.

This is not saying you should never defend yourself, or what
belongs to you. But do not seek revenge after you have been
wronged. Instead, let God handle it.

People who try to take revenge, usually end up committing more
injustice. Often a deadly cycle develops. Instead of taking
revenge, God's Word tells us to bless our enemies.

PROVERBS 25:21 NKJ
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he is
thirsty, give him water to drink;

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,

God is aware of every injustice. And God promises to right
every wrong, eventually. God is a righteous judge, but all
judgment is not instant, or even in this life.

1 PETER 2:21,23 NLT
21 For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering,
just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you
must follow in his steps.
23 He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten
revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God,
who always judges fairly.

SAY THIS: I will not take revenge but trust God to bring
justice.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

How Do I Get God To Do What I Want?

Sorry, you have it backward. God is trying to get you to do
what He wants, because His way is perfect, and yours is
obviously not.

PSALM 18:30 NKJ
30 As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is
proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.

You don't need to get God to do anything. God knows what to do.
You are the one who does not know what to do.

Imagine a two year old child telling his parents what they
should be doing. It is even more crazy to think we know more
than God about what is best for us, and that we need to tell
Him what to do.

This attitude indicates immaturity.

If we were so good at figuring out things, we should be running
the universe instead of God. But look at what our decisions
have produced -- a mess. What we need is new management, not
just to get God to do something for us.

Even if we were to get God to do what we think He should do for
us, would it really fix our life?

For example, many people think getting a lot of money would
solve every problem, but the facts show differently. Just look
at the record of people who won the lottery. Some people think
getting a spouse would fix everything, but don't think about
how half the people who do get married then seek a divorce.

What you need is to let Jesus be Lord of your life. You need to
learn of Him and follow His directions. You need to learn His
ways. Your ways have gotten you in a mess. You need to change
your ways so you can have a change in your life.

God has already done what He needs to do. Now we must learn how
to receive His provision and walk in victory.

If you are on the road to destruction, why should God give you
a new car and gas money to go down that road? Your decisions
have produced wrecks in your life. What you need is a new
driver. Let Jesus take the wheel.

You don't need to argue with Jesus or tell Him what to do. You
just need to trust Him.

God knows more than you do, and loves you more than you love
yourself. He desires the best for you. You can trust someone
like that!

SAY THIS: Lord Jesus I trust You. Please take over management
of my life.

Friday, December 10, 2010

Forgive Yourself

1 JOHN 2:12 NLT
12 I am writing to you who are God's children because your sins
have been forgiven through Jesus.

COLOSSIANS 3:13 NIV
13 . . . Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

GALATIANS 5:14 NIV
14 The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your
neighbor as yourself."

For many people, the hardest person to forgive is themselves.

If God can forgive us, then we can, and must, forgive
ourselves. Not to forgive ourselves is to exalt ourselves above
God.

If God can decree that we are forgive-able, but we say we are
too bad to be forgiven, we are saying we know more than God.

Should your standards be higher than God's standards? He
forgives. Why won't you forgive yourself?

The devil wants you to stay focused on your past and your
failures, so you will not receive God's blessing.

God wants you to believe His Word and focus on His victory so
you will have a better future.

Which one will you choose to follow?

SAY THIS: Because God has forgiven me, I forgive myself.

Thursday, December 09, 2010

No Poor Among You

DEUTERONOMY 15:4 NLT
4 "There should be no poor among you, for the LORD your God
will greatly bless you in the land he is giving you as a
special possession.

The Word of God states there should be no poor among us.

"But wait preacher," someone might say, "that was written to
the Jews under the Old Covenant."

Yes! And we have a better covenant!

HEBREWS 8:6 NLT
6 But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry
that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one
who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on
better promises.

Some people seem determined to reject Good News from God, so
they say, "Our covenant is only better because of spiritual
blessings, not financial blessings, which were just for the Old
Testament saints."

Really? Where does it say that in the Bible? I have never seen
it.

No! The Bible is written to mankind -- in our language -- so we
can understand God's message. When the Bible says we have a
covenant that is far better, it has to include every blessing
from the Old Covenant as well as additional blessings. And it
does!

2 CORINTHIANS 1:20 NKJ
20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen,
to the glory of God through us.

Every promise -- old or new testament -- is yes in Christ.

EPHESIANS 1:3 NJB
3 Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has
blessed us with all the spiritual blessings of heaven in
Christ.

While God's blessing may be in spiritual form, as we
appropriate it by faith it will be manifest physically on
earth.

EPHESIANS 1:3 LAUBACH
3 I praise God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ because He
sent Christ to bless us. And Christ has blessed us with
heaven's every blessing.

One translation of this verse says "has blessed us with every
blessing that Heaven itself enjoys." The idea is that God gave
His best -- without holding back any good thing from us.

ROMANS 8:32 NKJ
32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for
us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all
things?

God gave His best when He gave us Jesus. What does God's best
cover? Everything!

2 PETER 1:3 NLT
3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for
living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to
know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his
marvelous glory and excellence.

Do you realize what it means to live a godly life? A god-like
life! Can a life marked by lack and poverty be described as
god-like? Do you really think the Creator God lives in poverty
and lack?

(Being rich certainly does not mean you are spiritual or godly
in every way. I am simply saying that God is good and desires
for all people to have their needs met abundantly.)

According to Scripture, God HAS already given us everything we
need so we can live a godly life. Certainly, that cannot mean
starve or be homeless.

Do you really believe it is God's will for any of His children
who love Him to be poor and lack basic necessities? If you do,
you don't know God very well.

Then why are so many believers struggling with so many unmet
needs? There may be many reasons, but the primary one is not
knowing the will of God in the matter.

If we don't know God's will, we can't have faith. Without
faith, we will not receive God's blessing.

(If you are poor, be encouraged. God loves you and desires good
for you. Begin to expect it and thank God for it.)

SAY THIS: God's plan and provision is that there be no poor
among His children.

Wednesday, December 08, 2010

It Is Written

MATTHEW 4:3-4 NKJ
3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, "If You are the
Son of God, command that these stones become bread."
4 But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live
by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth
of God.' "

When tempted, Jesus did not use any supernatural powers to
resist the devil. Jesus simply quoted the written Word of God
to the devil.

You must do the same thing. Jesus was our example, showing us
how to overcome the attacks of our enemy.

Notice how the devil came to tempt Jesus -- with a thought -- a
thought contrary to the written Word of God.

Then after Jesus quoted the Bible, the devil also quoted the
Bible but twisted the meaning. Jesus responded only with
another verse from the Bible.

MATTHEW 4:6-7 NKJ
6 and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself
down. For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over
you,' and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you
dash your foot against a stone.' "
7 Jesus said to him, "It is written again, 'You shall not tempt
the LORD your God.' "

If you read the whole passage in Matthew 4:1-11, you will see
that quoting the written Word was the only defense Jesus used
against the devil. Nothing else.

If you are going to overcome temptation and walk in victory,
you must follow Jesus' example and quote the Bible to the
devil. There is no other way.

God's Word in your mouth is your spiritual weapon. If you
neglect to use it, you will be overcome instead of walking in
all the victory and blessing Jesus has provided for you.

EPHESIANS 6:17 NKJ
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the
Spirit, which is the word of God;

Obviously you must know what the Bible says to quote it to the
devil. So it is evident how important it is to read and study
the Bible for yourself.

Yet it is not enough to just read the Bible or study it. When
thoughts come that are not in agreement with the Bible, we must
speak the Word to the devil who is behind those thoughts.

SAY THIS: I will resist the devil with what is written in God's
Word.

Tuesday, December 07, 2010

God Is Your Source

PHILIPPIANS 4:19 NIV
19 And my God will meet all your needs according to his
glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

God can use any avenue or any means to provide for you, but He
is the ultimate Source behind every blessing.

Your job or occupation is one avenue God can use to bless you.
But, your job is not your source.

God's plan for mankind is that we labor. So God will usually
provide for us by giving us a good job, good health, and the
ability to do that job.

However, God is not limited to providing for you through a job.
Even if you lose the job -- God is still your Source, and He
will still provide for you.

Even if you lose your health, God can and will still provide
for you. (And He will also heal you, if you let Him.)

God can bless you through friends and relatives, but they are
not your source. Even if they fail you or forsake you, God will
not.

PSALM 27:10 NKJ
10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will
take care of me.

HEBREWS 13:5 NKJ
5 Let your conduct be without covetousness, and be content with
such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never
leave you nor forsake you."

God deserves credit and thanks for everything good that has
ever happened to you. He was behind it. God was the source of
it. Was it a mother's love? God put that love in her for you.
Was it the love of a spouse? God created that love.

Every good thing in life owes its existence to God. We should
thank God for every good thing, no matter how it seems to come
to us.

God moves on people and influences them to bless you. God
causes situations to work out for your benefit. God is behind
every blessing.

So keep your eyes on God. Thank Him for every blessing, no
matter how it comes to you, because it is from Him.

SAY THIS: God is MY Source.

Monday, December 06, 2010

Saved By Grace

EPHESIANS 2:8-9 NLT
8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't
take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done,
so none of us can boast about it.

Being saved, and in right standing with God, is a gift! It is
something we don't deserve, but is freely given to us anyway.

We cannot earn it no matter what we do. Deliverance from the
curse, and right standing with God, is available only as a free
gift.

ROMANS 11:6 NRSV
6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works,
otherwise grace would no longer be grace.

It is not what we have done that matters, but what Jesus did
for us. He was our Substitute, suffering what we deserved, so
we could receive what He deserved as a gift.

God Himself has done what is necessary for us to be saved and
be in right standing with Him. Now we must believe in what God
has done, and thank Him for it.

ROMANS 4:5 NLT
5 But people are counted as righteous, not because of their
work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners.

People all over the world try to be right with God by what they
do: rituals, sacrifices, and devotion. But the Bible reveals we
cannot be right with God by our own actions -- it is a gift we
must receive.

ROMANS 3:20 NLT
20 For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the
law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.

By keeping the law it is impossible to be right with God,
because no human being can keep it by their own effort. We have
all sinned, according to the Bible.

ROMANS 3:23 NLT
23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious
standard.

God does not grade on a curve. All have sinned and come short.
So we all need a Savior.

ROMANS 10:9-10 NLT
9 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe
in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be
saved.
10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right
with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are
saved.

So salvation is a free gift. Anyone can receive it. It comes
wrapped up in a person -- the Lord Jesus Christ. Receive Jesus
-- no matter who you are or what you have done -- and instantly
you are saved (which means delivered) and put in perfect right
standing with God, as if you had never sinned. What a gift!

SAY THIS: I am saved by God's wonderful grace.

Sunday, December 05, 2010

How To Get Rich

PROVERBS 21:20 NLT
20 The wise have wealth and luxury, but fools spend whatever
they get.

The Bible teaches us how to get rich, and it is not by winning
the lottery. It is by walking with God and being diligent and
disciplined to do what God guides you.

Wise people wait and enjoy the fruit of their investments.
Foolish people eat all their "seed" now, instead of investing
any for a better future.

If you are reading this, then you have enough of what it takes
to become rich.

It is simple, really: just spend less than you make. Take the
money you don't spend and grow it by prayerfully investing
as God guides you.

Even if your annual income is not very high, over your lifetime
you will earn a large amount of money. Think how much money you
would have now if you had saved and invested ten percent of all
you have ever earned.

(If your life is about over, you won't get the full benefit you
could have by starting when you were young. But the principle
is still valid, and you may live longer than you think.
Whatever you do, be sure to teach this principle to your
descendants.)

You may not be able to save a large amount each pay period from
your present earnings. But God can take even small amounts and
multiply them when you look to Him in faith.

The devil is the one who wants us to spend all (or more) than
we make, so we will always be in bondage. To have financial
freedom, you MUST consume less than you make.

Modern advertising is a big culprit in tempting us to spend
more than we should. Its purpose is to convince you that you
cannot live or be happy without their product. Don't buy that lie!

Not everyone will earn a huge income. But everyone can
discipline themselves to save and invest from whatever they do
make. If they walk with God and prayerfully invest their
savings, over time, God will cause those investments to
multiply into riches.

SAY THIS: I will not eat all the seed God gives me.

Saturday, December 04, 2010

Four Main Keys To Abundance

2 CORINTHIANS 9:8 NKJ
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that
you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an
abundance for every good work.

No matter how little you make, acting on these 4 keys will
insure a brighter financial future. Neglecting them, no matter
how much you make, will eventually cause a financial crash.

1. Believe God desires to prosper you.

True belief requires evidence. God's Word has the evidence to
convince you: God's will is abundance for all. The world system
constantly shouts a different message, so we must continue to
feed on the truth of God's Word to keep our faith strong.

2. Worship God with a portion of all your income.

You need God's blessing in your finances. Put God first. Don't
neglect this.

3. Spend less than you make.

"If your outgo exceeds your income, then your upkeep will be
your downfall." Consume all you make and you will never have
anything.

Discipline yourself to never spend all your "seed." Always save
some to invest for a future.

4. Invest the rest, prayerfully.

God knows the future. Let Him guide you where to put your
money. Don't jump into things that seem like "sure things." Be
patient and pray. If you are not sure, don't do it.

God knows what's best for you, and He will guide you, if you
seek Him. Over time, with God's blessing, your investments, no
matter how small they start, will grow and be a great blessing.

Don't make excuses. Just act on these 4 vital keys and see what
God will do. Start today.

SAY THIS: I will act on God's wisdom and God will bless my
finances.

Friday, December 03, 2010

Love Gives

JOHN 3:16 NKJ
16 "For God so loved the world that He gave . . . .

GALATIANS 2:20 NKJ
20 ". . . I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and
gave Himself for me.

EPHESIANS 5:25 NLT
25 For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ
loved the church. He gave up his life for her

Love is only expressed through giving. If there is no giving,
there is no evidence that love exists. The only proof of love
is giving. Giving is the action that demonstrates love.

So, the measure of your giving is the measure of your love. The
more you give -- of yourself, your time, your attention, your
affection, your patience, your treasure -- the more you love.
This is what Jesus meant in John 15:13.

JOHN 15:13 NKJ
13 "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's
life for his friends.

Why did Jesus say there was no greater love than to give your
life? Because you can't give any more. That's total commitment!

So, whenever you see "love" in a sentence, you may substitute
"giving" and express essentially the same meaning.

JOHN 13:35 NKJ
35 "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you
have love for one another."

By understanding that love results in giving, we see that Jesus
indicated His disciples would be known for their giving. We are
to be famous for our giving! This is the way Jesus indicated
people would know His true followers: by their giving. (Not our
fighting, our preaching, or even our correct doctrine.)

We see in the early days of the church, this is exactly what
happened.

ACTS 4:34-35 NKJ
34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were
possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the
proceeds of the things that were sold,
35 and laid them at the apostles' feet; and they distributed to
each as anyone had need.

Don't think that your gifts should only go to churches and
preachers. Jesus made it clear that giving to any believer was
the same as giving to Him.

MATTHEW 25:40 NKJ
40 "And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say
to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My
brethren, you did it to Me.'

But God has not called us to give to others just so we could
end up poor, also. NO! God has promised to multiply what we
give, so we will have more to give in the future.

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."

2 CORINTHIANS 9:6-8 NLT 
6 Remember this -- a farmer who plants only a few seeds will
get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a
generous crop.
7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And
don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure. "For God
loves a person who gives cheerfully."
8 And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will
always have everything you need and plenty left over to share
with others.

So, based on God's promises, we can give to others in faith,
with confidence that God will continue to supply all we need.

EPHESIANS 4:28 NKJ
28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor,
working with his hands what is good, that he may have something
to give him who has need.

(This verse gives us an idea of how giving was paramount in the
thinking of early Christians.)

JOHN 15:12 NKJ
12 "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have
loved you.

If you desire to follow Jesus, love (giving) is not optional.

SAY THIS: As a disciple of Jesus, I will be a giver.

Thursday, December 02, 2010

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.

Wednesday, December 01, 2010

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.