All Things Are Possible

MARK 9:23 NKJ
23 Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are
possible to him who believes."

From our early years we are educated in what is impossible.

But progress continues to be made by people who attempt the
impossible and achieve it.

Some have said that mankind's only real obstacle is between our
two ears.

We ARE limited by what we believe, according to Jesus.

So, how can we change what we believe? Only by getting new
evidence, which is available from the Word of God.

MATTHEW 17:20 NKJ
20 So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for
assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed,
you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and
it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

A conventional approach will not achieve the "impossible." It
will require being different from the crowd, who probably won't
understand you or support you. Speaking to things and telling
them to move, as Jesus taught, is certainly not conventional.

Acting differently than everyone else can be scary. It's like
getting out of the boat to walk on water. But do you want
conventional results?

As you read the Bible and see the instructions God gave us, you
will usually find them unconventional. But the person who acts
on God's Word will be blessed.

SAY THIS: All things are possible!

Be Thankful For What You Have

COLOSSIANS 3:15 CEV
15 Each one of you is part of the body of Christ, and you were
chosen to live together in peace. So let the peace that comes
from Christ control your thoughts. And be grateful.

If you are reading this, there are literally millions of people
who would trade places with you. They envy you and would be
very grateful to enjoy all that you do.

Usually the more someone has, the less thankful they become.

So how can you overcome ingratitude? Only by changing your
beliefs. As long as you believe you're getting a raw deal, or
less than you deserve, you will never become a thankful person.

An attitude of gratitude is the result of what we focus on.

Remember, you deserved punishment. Instead, God gave you what
He deserved, and EVERYTHING you have -- every breath -- is a
gift. Keep this in focus and you will become a thankful person.

(An extra bonus is that a thankful person is a happy person.)

HEBREWS 13:5 NIV
5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content
with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave
you; never will I forsake you."

What could be greater? Almighty God promises to always take
care of you! Never will you be forsaken! Never will you be left
facing life all alone! (You may feel forsaken, but it's a lie.)

A rewarding, satisfying, and fulfilling life does not depend on
being rich. Jesus is the one who told us, and He knows.

LUKE 12:15 LB
15 Beware! Don't always be wishing for what you don't have. For
real life and real living are not related to how rich we are."

SAY THIS: I will be thankful.

Do You Want To Be Happy?

What are you waiting for?

Most people are waiting for something -- something "special"
that will make their life great, so they can be happy.

Ask yourself: have others had this, and are they all happy? No,
they're not, and it won't give you lasting happiness, either.

Happiness is not determined by external circumstances, but by
internal circumstances.

Everyone chooses how happy they are by what they choose to
think about.

Your attitude is determined by your perspective, which is
determined by what you think about -- your focus. You choose
your focus, so ultimately, you are the one who chooses whether
to be happy, or not.

Perspective is what the Beatitudes (Matthew 5) are about.
Seeing a bigger picture than just this one small moment of
time. (The Beatitudes are where Jesus explained how some are
blessed, or happy -- even in difficult situations.)

(The word we translate as "happy" in the New Testament is
usually translated as "blessed.")

You won't get happiness by chasing what the world has to offer.
It has already been tried and found wanting.

And, you will never be happy as long as you are self-centered.
A focus on self is guaranteed to prevent happiness.

Right after Jesus performed the menial task of washing his
disciple's feet -- akin to cleaning toilets today -- He told
them:

JOHN 13:15,17 ICB
15 I did this as an example for you. So you should do as I have
done for you.
17 If you know these things, you will be happy if you do them.

You will be happy if you help others. If you take your focus
off yourself. That's what Jesus taught.

SAY THIS: I choose to focus on God and be thankful and happy.

Pride and Selfishness

PHILIPPIANS 2:3-4 NKJ
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but
in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than
himself.
4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but
also for the interests of others.

Pride and selfishness always go together. A truly humble person
cannot be selfish.

Pride is self-importance and self-focus -- which leads to
selfishness which is selfish thinking and selfish acting -- the
opposite of Jesus' command of agape love in John 13:34.

Pride produces selfishness. All selfishness is a manifestation
of pride -- thinking you are better, or more important, than
others.

Pride is the root of selfishness -- and thus the root of all
evil. Pride is hidden but manifests as selfish acts.

JAMES 3:16 TEV
16 Where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is also
disorder and every kind of evil.

Selfishness causes all evil. All evil proceeds from selfish
actions. Selfishness is the only manifest problem, but pride
feeds it. Dealing with the root cause of the problem is the
only lasting solution.

Submitting to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and realizing we
are not the center of the Universe, is the answer.

Without Jesus, you can do nothing. Apart from His grace, you
would not be able to take that next breath of air!

SAY THIS: Jesus is Lord and I submit to Him.

Selfishness

The only thing necessary to change heaven into hell -- if God
were to allow it -- is selfishness.

Selfishness is mankind's fundamental defect. Selfish means:
self-centered, self-serving, self-important.

At the root of every problem is selfishness.

JAMES 3:16 TEV
16 Where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is also
disorder and every kind of evil.

Every selfish person is potentially your enemy.

All sin is selfish. No one ever sins for someone else -- we do
it for selfish reasons.

Divine love is the opposite of selfishness. Giving is the
opposite of acting selfishly.

We are products of a corrupt culture that teaches selfishness,
so it's not unusual for us to think it's not so bad.

But you must die to selfishness -- or self-destruct. However,
you're unable to change by yourself. You can't change the fruit
without changing the root. That's why you must be born again!
Only by receiving Jesus Christ and letting Him change you
inwardly can you become a truly unselfish person.

No other "religion" teaches putting others first even to the
point of loving your enemies. Only Christianity teaches you can
be totally changed and become a person with a new nature. There
is no cure apart from Jesus!

SAY THIS: Jesus, please cure me of being selfish.

The Message Of The New Testament

Mankind has a fatal defect, which manifests as selfishness.

There is a cure -- but only one which is effective permanently.

The cure requires injection of new life into your inner being.
This life is called eternal life, because it is the life that
God, the Eternal One, has.

The cure is free, but the only way to obtain it is to receive
and acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord.

Freedom from this defect requires two things. First, the gift
of eternal life, which can be obtained now by receiving the
Lord Jesus Christ.

Second, knowing that God loves you greatly -- even more than
you love yourself.

Therefore, you no longer have to live a self-centered life,
worrying about and seeking your own welfare -- because you know
that God Himself watches out for you.

God will protect you and provide for you -- not just enough to
barely make it -- but an abundant, joy-filled life.

All people who reject this freely offered cure, must soon be
placed in quarantine, to be kept from spoiling life for those
who do partake of God's cure.

To receive Jesus and His new life, you basically do it the same
way you get married. You say: I want to, and I do.

Jesus is listening now, waiting for your decision. He loves you
enough to die for you.

SAY THIS: I receive and acknowledge Jesus Christ as my Lord.
Change me, Lord, into what I should be.

Healing Can Never Pass Away

PSALM 107:20 NKJ
20 He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from
their destructions.

Many Christians have been taught that healing and miracles have
ceased. They think such things only happened long ago. (Funny,
that's what they thought in Jesus' day, too.)

But since God's Word will never pass away, healing can never
pass away!

MARK 13:31 NKJ
31 "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no
means pass away."

1 PETER 1:23 NKJ
23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but
incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides
forever,

Yes, healing from God's Word comes in "seed form" which has to
be planted in our hearts to see it's full fruition. But, once
planted and watered, God's living Word will bring health and
healing to all your flesh.

PROVERBS 4:20-22 AMPLIFIED
20 My son, attend to my words; consent and submit to my
sayings.
21 Let them not depart from your sight; keep them in the center
of your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them, healing and health
to all their flesh.

"But how can the Bible bring healing and health to all my
flesh?"

God's Word is full of life. But, just like medicine from a
doctor, God's Word must be ingested to be effective. But if you
faithfully take it, you'll find it's the best medicine.

God's Word heals -- and it will endure forever. The case is
settled. Healing can never pass away.

Will you believe God's Word? Or must you have Jesus touch you
(or you touch Him -- like Thomas), before you will believe?

God is a Healer. He never changes. So healing will never cease.

All things are possible. So YOU can be healed!

SAY THIS: Healing from God is still available.

Make Prayer A Habit

ROMANS 12:12 NRSV
12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in
prayer.

Prayer is a habit that, like every other good habit, must be
developed.

You know you need to pray. You need God's help, His wisdom and
His guidance. But you must persevere in prayer. The activities
of life try to keep you from praying. So persevere!

LUKE 21:36 BBE
36 But keep watch at all times with prayer, that you may be
strong enough to come through all these things and take your
place before the Son of man.

In communing with God, you gain strength that comes in no other
way. You find the wisdom and courage to face life and overcome.

1 THESSALONIANS 5:17-18 ICB
17 Never stop praying.
18 Give thanks whatever happens. That is what God wants for you
in Christ Jesus.

Learn to always include God in your thoughts. Ask Him about
everything. Cultivate your relationship by continual
communication. And one of the most important things for you to
communicate to God is your gratitude. Thank God for everything.

Don't relegate prayer to just when you're on your knees. As you
go about your activities, include God by constant communion
with Him.

Talk to God about everything!

SAY THIS: Lord, help me to develop the habit of continual
communication with you.

Temporary!

This is what you should say to your circumstances when they
don't line up with God's Word:

Temporary!

2 CORINTHIANS 4:18 NIV
18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is
unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is
eternal.

You may not realize it -- but problems often "speak" to you.
They say things like, "You can't get rid of me. I'll be with
you as long as you live."

"Your parents died from this and you will, too."

"Your family was poor and you'll always be poor. You'll never
have abundance. You'll never get out of debt."

Actually, it's the demonic forces behind the problems that
speak to our minds -- trying to keep us in doubt and unbelief.
We must resist those thoughts -- and the first step is to talk
back!

We should speak to thoughts of doubt and unbelief that are
contrary to what God has said in His Word -- for His Word is
truth.

Don't be passive. Resist!

The Bible tells us to resist the devil. That means to resist
his thoughts and ideas, too.

Long ago, God gave mankind dominion on earth. That dominion
included naming things. You still have that form of dominion
today. If you name your troubles as "yours" and "permanent" --
they will stay. But if you call them "temporary" -- they will
eventually leave.

Jesus told us to speak to our mountains and tell them to be
gone. But what should you say after you have spoken to the
mountain and it's still there?:

TEMPORARY!

SAY THIS: My circumstances are subject to change!

Jesus Is Lord

ACTS 2:36 NKJ
36 "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God
has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."

Many preachers tell people they "need to make Jesus Lord."

While I understand what they're trying to say -- it's too late!

Jesus ALREADY is Lord! God made Jesus the Lord almost 2000
years ago.

ACTS 10:36 NKJ
36 "The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching
peace through Jesus Christ--He is Lord of all--

What we must do is recognize and agree that Jesus is Lord. The
Bible calls this "confessing," which certainly involves more
than just glibly speaking a few words.

ROMANS 10:9 NKJ
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in
your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

We need to realize we're not the center of the Universe, but
Jesus Christ is, and therefore, we should submit to His
Lordship, instead of trying to run our own lives.

But we don't really "make Him Lord" -- we just yield to His
Lordship.

No matter what it may seem like at times, Jesus Christ is Lord.
He is ruler, boss, king: the One ultimately in charge.

It's true that Jesus has not yet exercised His prerogative and
taken charge of everything that's His by virtue of being Lord
of all -- but that's only a temporary situation.

PHILIPPIANS 2:10-11 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,
11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Eventually, everyone will know the truth. You have the great
privilege of knowing it, and acting on it, today.

Jesus is Lord!

SAY THIS: God made Jesus to be Lord, and I accept His Lordship
over my life, and over all creation.

When To Rejoice

1 THESSALONIANS 5:16 KJV
16 Rejoice evermore.

1 THESSALONIANS 5:16 NASB
16 Rejoice always;

If you only rejoice when things are perfect, you may not
rejoice much in this life.

Why miss out on something so pleasant?

ROMANS 12:12 NRSV
12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in
prayer.

You can rejoice in hope! That means to rejoice ahead of time.

Why? Because you expect deliverance. You know God's blessing is
coming your way -- because God is faithful. So rejoice now!

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

God never changes. He's always good. Focus on Him and you will
have something to rejoice about.

SAY THIS: I will rejoice in the Lord always.

Jesus' Invitation

REVELATION 3:20 NKJ
20 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My
voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with
him, and he with Me.

Most people think this verse is directed to non-believers. Not
so. Jesus was talking to those already in the church.

How sad!

This is the Lord, the Head of the church, speaking to His own
people. "If you will open up to Me, we will enjoy times of
fellowship."

God desires your fellowship. He wants you to spend time with
Him. But He invites -- He never forces.

We enjoy the presence of those who love us, especially when we
also love them. God loves you more than anyone else does. So,
you shouldn't need to be forced, or talked into, spending time
in fellowship with God.

1 CORINTHIANS 1:9 NIV
9 God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus
Christ our Lord, is faithful.

God has called you. You must choose whether to answer.

Who would you rather know than God?

Spending time with someone is the way you get to know them. You
begin to know what they like and dislike, and how they think.
When you spend time with the Lord in His Word and prayer, you
get to know Him.

Spending time with someone is the only way to build a
relationship.

SAY THIS: Jesus, I open up the door to You!

Speak To Your Mountain

MARK 11:23 NKJ
23 "For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain,
`Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in
his heart, but believes that those things he says will come to
pass, he will have whatever he says.

"Talk to mountains? Do you think I'm crazy?"

Jesus talked to things, and taught that "whoever" could also
speak to mountains.

A mountain is primarily any obstacle that stands in your way.

Faced with obstacles, most Christians pray to God. But Jesus
told us to speak directly to the obstacle and tell it to be
removed.

There is nothing wrong with discussing things with God. You
should. But when something is blocking your progress -- Jesus
said YOU should tell it to get out of the way.

Most Christians just speak to God about the mountain, instead
of following Jesus' directions and speaking directly to the
mountain.

Are you just talking to God about the problems in your life,
instead of talking directly to the problems and telling them to
be removed?

MATTHEW 17:20 NKJ
20 So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for
assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed,
you will say to this mountain, `Move from here to there,' and
it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

According to Jesus, unbelief keeps us from speaking to our
mountains.

What is the mountain in your life? What stands in the way of
your progress? What holds you back from going forward and
fulfilling God's plan?

Speak God's Word to that mountain!

Speak to the devil and his forces and tell them to get out of
your affairs.

Speak to sickness and tell it that it can't stay in your body.

Speak to debt and financial lack and tell them to be removed
from your life.

Speak to doubt, fear, and worry and tell them to be gone.

If you say, "I just can't believe it would do any good for me
to talk to problems," that's why you still have them.

Read what Jesus said again, and again.

SAY THIS: I will speak to the mountains that try to hold me
back.

Faith Pleases God

HEBREWS 11:6 NKJ
6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who
comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder
of those who diligently seek Him.

Our experience does not always agree with what the Bible says.

For example, the Bible says that God will supply all your needs
in Phillipians 4:19, but it may seem like your needs are not
being met.

The Bible says that God always leads us in triumph, but it may
seem like you are losing.

When our experience does not agree with the Bible, it is an
opportunity to keep our faith in what God said, or to give up
on that faith.

Circumstances are subject to change. But God will never change
what He has said. When we hold on to our faith in God's Word,
circumstances will change.

Believing what the Bible says when the circumstances disagree
can be very difficult. It's a great temptation to give in and
forget what God said.

But what greater purpose could your life have than to please
God?

Many people strain and sacrifice to please other humans. How
much greater of a goal it is to please God!

Resist unbelief! Keep your faith in God! You will be rewarded!

SAY THIS: I will believe God's Word regardless what the
circumstances say, because faith pleases God.

The Benefit Of Prayer

ISAIAH 40:31 NKJ
31 But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and
not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

Most people look at prayer only as asking God for things. If
that defines your prayer life, you are really missing out.

Prayer is communication with God -- the greatest privilege on
earth.

Prayer is visiting with God. It can include asking for things,
but is primarily spending time in God's presence, soaking up
His life, His wisdom, and His strength.

Isaiah reveals an important truth to us: those who spend time
with God get new strength. Literally, they exchange strength
with Him. When we spend time with God He somehow takes away our
weakness and replaces it with His strength. What a deal!

As we spend time focused on God, in His presence, we are also
changed into His likeness.

2 CORINTHIANS 3:18 NKJ
18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the
glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image...

So, if you need more strength to face life, if you want to be
more like God, or if you want to develop a closer relationship
with the most amazing Being in the universe -- prayer is your
answer.

Don't worry about knowing the right words or being formal. Just
talk to God as you would to a well-respected friend.

SAY THIS: Excuse me, I think I'll visit with God.

Imitate God

Did you know that the Bible tells you to imitate God?

It surely does!

EPHESIANS 5:1-2 NIV
1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and
live a life of love,
2 just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a
fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

No doubt you have seen a child imitating their parent.
Sometimes the parent is glad -- sometimes embarrassed.

Just as earthly children imitate their parents, children of God
are supposed to imitate their Heavenly Father.

In what way are we to imitate God? Should we try to create
planets? (You're probably not quite ready for that! But who
knows about the future.)

We are to imitate God by walking in love instead of
selfishness. By being givers instead of takers.

SAY THIS: I will imitate God my Heavenly Father, and walk in
love.

Rejoice In Trouble

Life can be hard.

Maybe you have been forsaken by your spouse. Or are struggling
with the death of a loved one. Or facing the constant pain of
disease. Or the loss of a job or business. Or, maybe just the
daily grind of life.

What can you do? You always have choices. You choose how you
respond. With God's help, you don't have to let the problems of
life defeat you.

A prophet named Habakkuk had the attitude we all need:

HABAKKUK 3:17-18 NIV
17 Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on
the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce
no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in
the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my
Savior.

Even if everything seems to go wrong, you can rejoice in the
Lord, for He is good and His mercy endures forever!

There is no darkness so dark that Jesus cannot overcome. There
is no situation that is hopeless. There is no problem too big
for God to fix.

When you face trouble in life, will you whine and complain, or
will you rejoice in God?

Maybe I should ask, "Would you prefer to get better or to get
worse?"

As you rejoice in the Lord, you will find strength to go on and
face life. God will give you strength to overcome.

We all face struggles in life. Focusing on God -- who has the
solution to every problem -- is a way out of the jaws of defeat
into glorious victory.

Whatever your struggle is, look to God. Rejoice in Him!

Don't let the devil steal your joy. Rejoice in the Lord!

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

SAY THIS: I will rejoice in God even when I face trouble.

Hang On To Your Faith

The devil's whole strategy is to get you to turn loose of your
faith in God and His Word.

MARK 4:15 NIV
15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is
sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the
word that was sown in them.

How can the devil steal the Word from someone? Only when it
seems untrue. People don't turn loose of what they believe is
true.

So, to steal the Word, the devil must convince people it's not
true. The devil does this by getting us to focus on what our
senses tell us, instead of on God's Word, the seed which
changes our circumstances when we retain it.

As with any seed, the full manifestation of its life is not
apparent immediately, but manifests over time with the proper
care. God's Word will change your circumstances!

If you don't believe God's Word, you won't act on it. Without
following God's instructions, you will not be made free (see
John 8:31-32).

Actions cannot be separated from believing. Whatever you are
acting on is what you really believe.

In the New Testament, "faith" is the noun and "believe" is the
verb form of the same Greek word. So, hanging on to your faith
means to keep believing what God said -- regardless of
circumstances.

HEBREWS 10:23 KJV
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without
wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

A key to hanging on to your faith is found in what you say.
When you speak of fear and doubt, faith shrivels. But when you
speak faith words in line with the Bible, your faith grows
strong.

The devil tries to get you to doubt God and His Word. The devil
wants you to give up on God, to not trust Him, to not expect
Him to do what He said in His Word. Do not give up! God can be
trusted.

SAY THIS: I will keep on believing and acting on God's Word.

Focus On Jesus

True Christianity is not a religion based on rules and rituals,
but a living relationship with Jesus Christ.

Many people reduce Christianity down to attending church
meetings and trying not to commit a list of certain sins.

But being a Christian is being united with Jesus, a member of
His body, with His life in your heart.

Jesus should be your focus -- not religious activity -- but the
person of Jesus, the Lord and Christ.

1 CORINTHIANS 1:9 NIV
9 God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus
Christ our Lord, is faithful.

Church meetings, Bible reading, etc. can be good, but should
not be allowed to become an end in themselves. They are tools
to help us know Jesus and walk more closely with Him.

The Bible says we are to be faithful; but faithful to what: a
religious system, an organization -- or, a Person? Are you
serving Jesus -- or serving something else as His substitute?

The focus of your life should be to please Jesus.

COLOSSIANS 1:18 NRSV
18 He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning,
the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have
first place in everything.

Does Jesus have first place in your life? In your schedule? If
not, why not?

In everything, Jesus should be central.

SAY THIS: I will keep my focus on Jesus Christ.

You Can Cast Out Demons

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;

A demon is a member of the devil's forces. Any Christian can
cast out demons, because all believers have authority over
demons in Jesus' Name.

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,

All believers have the delegated authority to use the Name of
Jesus -- at which every knee shall bow in submission.

Demons operate through fear. But you don't have to be afraid,
because Jesus is backing you up. So, when you command demons to
leave in the Name of Jesus, they must obey you.

Don't limit this to casting out demons from "demon-possessed"
people. If there is demonic activity in any area of life
affecting you, use your authority in Christ and throw the
demons out in Jesus' Name. Command them to cease their
activities and stop their operations against you.

How do you know if something is demonic? If it steals, kills,
or destroys -- it certainly is not of God! (See John 10:10.)

JAMES 4:7 NKJ
7 . . . Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

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

The Bible tells you to not give any place to the devil, and to
resist him, so it is obvious you can do so. If the devil, or
his forces, have a place in your life, it means you allowed it.

SAY THIS: I can cast out demons, in Jesus' Name.

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 NKJ
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?"

Please think about the following Scriptures. Then, you will
understand why you should read the Bible.

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.

Letters To Christians

2 TIMOTHY 2:15 NKJ
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker
who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of
truth.

All of God's Word is truth, but we must rightly divide the
Bible, or we will be confused and misled.

ALL Scripture is written FOR us, but it is not all written TO
us, nor is it all ABOUT us.

While we can learn many things from reading a letter written to
someone else, reading one written directly to us is much more
meaningful.

The whole Bible is the inspired Word of God, but only the
letters in the New Testament are specifically and directly
written to us.

The letters to Christians (epistle is another word for letter)
are found in the New Testament starting with Romans. Therefore
we should (and must if we are to be accurate), base the bulk of
our teachings on what we find in the Bible specifically written
to us, the New Testament Epistles.

The book of Acts is not a letter, but it is a history of the
beginning of the church as they began to understand and walk in
the New Covenant.

While the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) are
included in the section of our Bibles we call the New
Testament, they actually record the life and ministry of Jesus
which took place under the Old Covenant with Israel. (For the
New Covenant could not start until the blood of Jesus was shed
for the remission of our sins.)

Now we live under a new and better covenant. This New Covenant
started at the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. No one
could be included in the New Covenant until after Jesus
finished His work and was raised from the dead.

The ministry of Jesus on earth, recorded in the Gospels, was to
the people of Israel. So much of what is said in the Four
Gospels is written to backslidden Jews under the Law who had
essentially rejected God.

Surely you realize that God would talk differently to His
family than to a group that has rejected Him.

We should rejoice in our New Covenant and all its blessings.
And while we can learn many things from the whole of the Bible,
our primary focus should be on the part written to us.

SAY THIS: Because I am in Christ, I am part of His body on
earth, the church. So the letters in the Bible written to the
church are written to me.

Another Helper

Who among us could not use another helper?

JOHN 14:16-18 NKJ
16 "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another
Helper, that He may abide with you forever,
17 "even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive,
because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him,
for He dwells with you and will be in you.
18 "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

JOHN 14:26 NKJ
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 things that I said to you.

JOHN 16:7 NKJ
7 "Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage
that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not
come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.

JOHN 16:13 NKJ
13 "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will
guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own
authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will
tell you things to come.

ROMANS 8:26 NKJ
26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do
not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit
Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot
be uttered.

SAY THIS: Thank you Lord for sending your Holy Spirit to be my
Helper.

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.

You Are Born To Win

1 JOHN 5:4 NIV
4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the
victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

God does not expect any of His children to be failures.

There is nothing wrong with failing. It's part of learning. No
child learns to walk without falling down multiple times. But
they do not stay down, they get back up.

No one is a failure until they accept and believe they are a
failure.

Growth is a process. We learn and then make adjustments. No one
is born mature.

So don't be discouraged by your present state. Don't give up
just because you have fallen over and over. Get up and go
again!

You are a child of God if Jesus is your Lord, and God placed
within you everything you need to be a winner -- an overcomer.
As you trust in Him, and keep on keeping on, you can walk in
victory.

SAY THIS: Because of Jesus, I am born again to win!