Wednesday, November 30, 2011

God Is Pleased With Faith

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.

Faith is often preached from the human perspective: believe God
and get your needs met. There's nothing wrong with that, but
it's a one-sided perspective.

So let's also try to look at faith from God's perspective.
Would you get any pleasure out of people who doubted you?
Surely God gets no pleasure out of people doubting His Word,
either.

Does God deserve respect?

YES!!!

To doubt what someone says shows disrespect. While humans can
be wrong, God only speaks absolute truth.

Many people only think of acting on God's Word from their
perspective, without considering God's feelings. Their
motivation is completely self-centered, thinking only of what
it will profit them.

Let's decide not to act this way!

Do you desire to please God? If you don't desire to please God,
you don't know Him. God is so wonderful, so great, and so good,
that if you really know Him you cannot help but desire to
please Him.

But how can a human please God? How can we, in any way, operate
on God's level and impress Him? The Bible reveals that God is
pleased with our faith.

JOHN 6:28-29 NKJ
28 Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work
the works of God?"
29 Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God,
that you believe in Him whom He sent."

Of course you cannot separate what you believe from your
actions, because you always act on what you really believe. To
illustrate, if someone told you the building you were in was on
fire, if you believe them you will act by leaving. If you do
not try to leave the building, then you do not really believe
what they said.

HEBREWS 10:38 NKJ
38 Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back,
My soul has no pleasure in him."

Even if our walking by faith in God has not yet seemingly
produced many results -- is it not worthwhile to continue
simply in order to bring pleasure to God?

What higher accomplishment could a human have than to please
God?

SAY THIS: I will walk by faith in God's Word -- because that
pleases God.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Life Lessons

Our life on earth is a learning process. We are in "school"
whether we realize it or not.

What are the main lessons we are supposed to learn in life?

* God is trustworthy.

PSALM 118:8 NKJ
8 It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in
man.

TITUS 1:2 NKJ
2 in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised
before time began,

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

* Be loving.

GALATIANS 5:14 NLT
14 For the whole law can be summed up in this one command:
"Love your neighbor as yourself."

1 JOHN 4:21 NKJ
21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God
must love his brother also.

1 JOHN 3:23 NKJ
23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the
name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave
us commandment.

* Be thankful.

1 THESSALONIANS 5:18 NKJ
18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in
Christ Jesus for you.

COLOSSIANS 3:15 NKJ
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also
you were called in one body; and be thankful.

* Respect authority.

EPHESIANS 6:2 NLT
2 "Honor your father and mother." This is the first commandment
with a promise:

1 PETER 2:17 NLT
17 Respect everyone, and love your Christian brothers and
sisters. Fear God, and respect the king.

ROMANS 13:7 NLT
7 Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and
government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and
honor to those who are in authority.

SAY THIS: Help me Lord to learn my lessons.

Monday, November 28, 2011

Forgive!

MARK 11:25-26 NKJ
25 "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything
against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may
also forgive you your trespasses.
26 "But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in
heaven forgive your trespasses."

You must forgive others. No matter what they have done. It is
the command of God. But it was given for our benefit.

To not forgive hurts you. Refusing to forgive is like
swallowing poison daily. It will destroy you.

Jesus said we should forgive when we stand praying. So we don't
have to wait until people apologize. Nor does forgiveness
require a long time.

Forgiveness is not a feeling. It is a decision to quit holding
something against someone. When we forgive people we must
release them and forget it.

You may think it is impossible to forgive someone who has
deeply wronged you. With God it is possible. He never asks us
to do something we cannot do.

LUKE 6:35-38 NKJ
35 "But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for
nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will
be sons of the Highest. For He is kind to the unthankful and
evil.
36 "Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is
merciful.
37 "Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and
you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
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."

Whatever we measure out is what will be measured back to us. If
we want others -- including God -- to show mercy to us and
forgive us -- we must forgive and be merciful to others.

It is not enough to forgive only those people who have wronged
us a little. We must forgive everyone!

MATTHEW 18:21-22 NKJ
21 Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my
brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?"
22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times,
but up to seventy times seven.

Surely Jesus was not setting a maximum limit on the number of
times we should forgive. He gave an absurdly high number so we
would realize He meant for us to forgive without limit -- just
as He forgives us.

LUKE 23:33-34 NKJ
33 And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there
they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand
and the other on the left.
34 Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know
what they do." And they divided His garments and cast lots.

Jesus set a perfect example of forgiveness for us when He
forgave those who mocked Him and crucified Him. But this kind
of forgiveness is certainly beyond normal human ability or
experience. It takes the power of God to do it. When we are
born again we have access to that power through the love of God
inside us.

EPHESIANS 4:32 NKJ
32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one
another, just as God in Christ also forgave you.

We are commanded to forgive others in the same way God has
forgiven us! Having God's help is necessary to do that.

COLOSSIANS 3:13 NKJ
13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if
anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave
you, so you also must do.

It is not optional. If we desire God's blessing and fellowship
-- we must forgive others as He forgave us.

SAY THIS: With God's help, I will forgive.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Let Jesus Be Boss

ACTS 2:36 NIV
36 "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made
this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."

"Boss" is a modern meaning of the word "Lord."

Somebody has to be the boss. Somebody has to make the final
decisions.

It's not a hard thing to let Jesus be your boss -- it's a
wonderful privilege.

Jesus knows more than you do. And Jesus loves you more than you
love yourself. So He desires the very best for you and knows
how to make it happen. Therefore letting Jesus call the shots
in your life is the smartest thing you could do.

Of course, if you choose, you can go your own way and do your
own thing. You can try to do the best you can on your own --
and see how it works out.

If you owned a large important company, who would you rather
run the company for you, a brilliant executive with a perfect
track record of running many other companies successfully, or
someone who has never run a company before?

You have control over something much more important than a
company -- your life. Who do you want to run it for you? Jesus,
with a perfect track record. Jesus, who knows more about the
future than you know about the past. Or, yourself?

Without the wise, loving, experienced, guidance of Jesus, you
will almost certainly crash in life.

Sure, you may get along fine for awhile. But, eventually, it
will all crash around you. Trust in yourself, and you will be
disappointed. Trust in God and obey Him, and you will not
regret it.

SAY THIS: Jesus, I choose You to be my boss.

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Esteem Others Better

PHILIPPIANS 2:3 NKJ
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but
in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than
himself.

When you start thinking you are better than other people, you
are on dangerous ground. It leads to actions opposite to divine
love.

Be on guard! The Bible warns us, and we should take heed.

Of course it's not just what we think of others that's
important, but how we treat others. However, thoughts always
precede and determine actions. So, we must guard our thoughts.

PHILIPPIANS 2:3 NET
3 . . . treat one another as more important than yourself.

Yes, every one of us is better in some way(s) than some other
person or persons. But not one of us is superior in every way
to everyone else.

Of even more importance is that we should not value a human
being by their looks, abilities or accomplishments, but by
their value to God. God is the true judge of human worth and He
thinks that person you are tempted to look down upon is
valuable enough to die for.

When you judge someone as not valuable, or judge yourself as
more valuable than they are, you are setting yourself up as a
judge with higher authority than God.

JAMES 4:6 NLT
6 But he gives us even more grace to stand against such evil
desires. As the Scriptures say, "God opposes the proud but
favors the humble."

God resists the proud!

Only a fool would want God to oppose them or resist them.
Therefore, only a fool, or an ignorant person, would want to be
proud -- which is thinking you are better than others.

1 PETER 5:5 NKJ
5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your
elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be
clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives
grace to the humble."

What do you have that was not given to you? Did you create
yourself? So, what do you really have to boast about?

1 CORINTHIANS 4:7 NKJ
7 For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have
that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why
do you boast as if you had not received it?

Instead of being proud, be grateful for all God has blessed you
with. And realize God has blessed you so you can also be a
blessing to others -- for they are important to God, too.

1 PETER 2:17 NLT
17 Respect everyone, and love your Christian brothers and
sisters.

SAY THIS: I will not fall into the trap of thinking I am better
than others.

Friday, November 25, 2011

God Has Already Given

Most people are asking God to give them things that God says
already belong to them.

Many are still hoping God will forgive them. But Scripture
tells us God has already forgiven us, and He is no longer
holding our sins against us.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:19 NLT
19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no
longer counting people's sins against them. And he gave us this
wonderful message of reconciliation.

Instead of begging God to forgive us, we should be thanking Him
for already forgiving us! And we should tell others they are
also forgiven!

Just as God has already forgiven us, He has also already
blessed us. He has given us every blessing.

EPHESIANS 1:3 GWN
3 Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Through
Christ, God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing that
heaven has to offer.

God HAS blessed us with everything Heaven has to offer.
Spiritual blessings are the reality behind all physical
blessings. They are what cause the physical manifestations.

God has already given. Now we need to learn how to receive His
blessings, and to keep the devil from stealing them from us and
our families.

Once we truly realize God has already given to us, we will rise
up and stop the enemy stealing from us.

Scripture says God already gave us all things when He gave us
Christ Jesus.

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?

WITH Jesus He freely gave us ALL things!

Can you imagine God saying, "I will give you my Son, but you
can't have ________." Ridiculous! With Jesus we were given
EVERYTHING God has. Every blessing.

God has not held back on us.

2 PETER 1:3 NKJ
3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain
to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called
us by glory and virtue,

All things that pertain to life and godliness are ours through
the knowledge of Christ. Whatever pertains to you having a
full, satisfying, joy-filled life -- God has already given you.

Jesus is the heir of all things, and we are joint-heirs with
Him (Hebrews 1:2, Galatians 4:7, Romans 8:17).

God has given healing. God has given prosperity. God has given
peace. God has given joy. God has given us all the blessings
Heaven has.

We don't need to convince God to help us. We only need to learn
how to receive what God has already given to us.

SAY THIS: I should receive what God already paid for and
provided for me.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Always Be Thankful

1 THESSALONIANS 5:18 NLT
18 No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is
God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

Bad things happen in life sometimes. There are times we don't
understand what is happening or why. But we can always be
thankful for many things:

God loves us.

Jesus died for us.

Our sins our forgiven.

Jesus has promised to never leave us.

God is our Father and He is faithful.

We have an eternal home in Heaven.

What we choose to focus on determines our attitude. While we
may face problems, we don't have to let those problems become
our focus. We can choose to give thanks and praise God for His
goodness and faithfulness.

Imagine how discouraged that will make the devil feel!

Also, think of the pleasure it must bring our Father God when
we stay in faith and focus on Him, instead of being distracted
by the stuff the devil does trying to steal our faith.

If you are always thankful, the bad things that do happen to
you will lose their ability to really harm you. For God will
work in your life.

SAY THIS: I choose to always be thankful to God, no matter what
happens.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Weep With Those Who Weep

ROMANS 12:15 KJV
15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that
weep.

There are times when we should share the grief of others,
understand what they are feeling, and support them in their
sorrow.

JOHN 11:35 KJV
35 Jesus wept.

Jesus lived a perfect life. He is our model as well as our Lord
and Savior. If Jesus found it appropriate to weep at times,
then it is appropriate for us, also.

In general we should encourage people. We should try to get
them to see the positive side of things and to trust in the
Lord, and even to rejoice in Him. The Bible tells us to rejoice
in the Lord always. But people are not perfect in acting in
faith, and we can't force them to do something.

So sometimes it is not appropriate to try to "cheer up
someone." The Bible says there is a time to weep.

ECCLESIASTES 3:4 KJV
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a
time to dance;

Sometimes what is needed is not trying to change a person, but
just letting them know you care about them. By your presence
and your actions you are saying, "You matter to me. When you
feel bad, it affects me, because I care about you. You are
important to me, and when you hurt, I hurt because you are
hurting."

PROVERBS 25:20 NLT
20 Singing cheerful songs to a person with a heavy heart is
like taking someone's coat in cold weather or pouring vinegar
in a wound.

GENESIS 23:2 KJV
2 And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land
of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for
her.

When our loved ones depart for Heaven, we should rejoice for
them. But it is natural for us to weep because of our loss. We
should not sorrow as the world does. We have a hope they do not
have. But it is not wrong to display emotion. God made us
emotional beings. Emotion is not wrong unless we let it control
us and lead us away from doing God's will.

SAY THIS: Help me Lord to rejoice and to weep at the right
times.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Jesus Will Not Forsake You

DEUTERONOMY 31:8 NASB
8 "And the LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be
with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear, or
be dismayed."

Here is my favorite translation of Hebrews 13:5, done by a
professor of Greek, who indicated that to understand what the
verse says in the Greek, it would have to be translated like
this:

HEBREWS 13:5 WUEST
5 Let your manner of life be without love of money, being
satisfied with your present circumstances. For He himself has
said, and the statement is on record, I will not, I will not
cease to sustain and uphold you. I will not, I will not, I will
not let you down.

God's promise is He will never leave us or forsake us. Yet we
may sometimes feel hopeless and helpless -- like we are facing
life all alone. What is the truth?

Regardless of the circumstances, or how you feel, remember that
God cannot lie. He is there to help you -- and He always will
be.

Feelings are fickle. Just because you feel a certain way does
not make it the truth. Yet we are all tempted at times to put
our feelings above what God has said.

Of course the devil will tell you that God has forgotten you,
or that you have committed the unpardonable sin, or anything to
get you to doubt the Word of God, and give up on your faith.
The devil is a liar and deceiver, but God is true to His Word
and will never fail you.

You just need to cooperate with God so He can help you and
bless you as fully as He desires. The key to this is learning
the Word of God, so you will know how to cooperate and receive
from God.

God's track record is perfect. He has never failed anyone. And
He will never fail you.

SAY THIS: Jesus will never, never, never forsake me.

Monday, November 21, 2011

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.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

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.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Laugh!

PSALM 2:4 KJV
4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall
have them in derision.

PSALM 37:13 KJV
13 The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is
coming.

PSALM 59:8 KJV
8 But thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all
the heathen in derision.

ECCLESIASTES 3:4 KJV
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a
time to dance;

LUKE 6:21 KJV
21 Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled.
Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.

PROVERBS 17:22 KJV
22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken
spirit drieth the bones.

God laughs. So should you!

SAY THIS: I will laugh with God today.

Friday, November 18, 2011

The Gospel

ROMANS 5:18 NLT
18 Yes, Adam's one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but
Christ's one act of righteousness brings a right relationship
with God and new life for everyone.

Gospel means good news. It was not originally a religious word,
but meant good news which makes people happy and excited.

If what you have heard about Jesus Christ does not make you
happy and excited, then you have not yet truly heard and
understood the Gospel as it is meant to be understood.

The basic outline is that Jesus of Nazareth, who was God in a
human body, took your place in judgment, paying the penalty
for all your sins, and gave you the blessing He deserved
because of His perfect sinless life.

God, the Creator, and Sustainer of the universe, loves you
enough to die for you. That's good news!

Jesus took what you deserved, and gave you what He deserved!
That's good news!

And this is not limited to just you. Jesus died for all
mankind. Deliverance from sin, its effects and penalty is
available to anyone and everyone who will believe and receive
Jesus Christ as Lord.

ROMANS 1:16 NLT
16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is
the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes -- the
Jew first and also the Gentile.

God is on your side -- not against you. That's good news!

If you do not get so excited you can hardly contain your
excitement, you have not fully understood the Gospel.

2 CORINTHIANS 4:4 NLT
4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of
those who don't believe. They are unable to see the glorious
light of the Good News. They don't understand this message
about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

If you can keep yourself from telling others about Jesus, you
have not yet understood the Gospel.

SAY THIS: The Gospel of Jesus Christ is GREAT news!

Thursday, November 17, 2011

The Witness Of The Spirit

ROMANS 8:16 NKJ
16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are
children of God,

God has a plan for guiding His children in all the questions of
life.

God's primary method of leading us in matters the Bible does
not specifically address, (such as which job to take or which
person to marry), is the inner witness, which is a knowing
communicated by the Holy Spirit to our spirit. It is not a
voice, but an inner knowing.

ROMANS 2:15 NKJ
15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their
conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their
thoughts accusing or else excusing them)

Another term for the witness of the spirit is "peace."

COLOSSIANS 3:15 AMPLIFIED
15 And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ
rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and
settling with finality all questions that arise ....

An umpire is responsible for making decisions. Our "umpire" is
the inner peace, or witness in our spirit.

1 JOHN 5:10 NKJ
10 He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in
himself....

One way Scripture describes the "inner witness" is "it seemed
good."

This was the Scripture phrase God showed me as I sought Him
concerning how to be led by the Spirit. I realized that had
been the way I had determined which message God would have me
preach. I would pray and seek God until, on the inside of me,
it just seemed good to preach a particular message. I couldn't
really explain it, but I knew it was how God was leading me in
what subjects to preach.

I saw in Scripture this was also the same "leading" Luke had to
write down the Gospel of Luke. And also how some important
decisions were made in the early days of the Church. They
described it as "it seemed good."

LUKE 1:3 NKJ
3 it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding
of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly
account, most excellent Theophilus,

ACTS 15:25,28 NKJ
25 it seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to
send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay
upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:

Obviously, an immature believer could easily use this as an
excuse for their behavior, saying it just "seemed good to
them." But we are not talking about something seeming good to
your flesh or your mind, but to your innermost being, your
spirit where God dwells (if you are a believer in Jesus
Christ.)

And we must always remember that the Holy Spirit will never
lead us to do anything that is not in line with God's written
Word, the Bible. So, being familiar with God's Word is vital.

SAY THIS: God is helping me understand being guided by the
inner witness.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Get Answers To Prayer

MARK 11:24 NKJ
24 "Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you
pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

Jesus says we must believe we receive our answer WHEN we pray,
not wait until we see it.

But no one can believe they receive without evidence. God's
written Word is our evidence.

MARK 11:24 AMPLIFIED
24 For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in
prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to
you, and you will [get it].

Whenever we ask the Father for anything we really desire, we
must believe that we receive our request granted to us when we
pray. Then we act like we already have it, and the thing we
prayed for will eventually show up.

But we must pray in line with God's Word. We cannot just
"believe" anything out of thin air -- if it does not agree with
God's Word -- and expect to receive it.

1 JOHN 5:14-15 NKJ
14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we
ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know
that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

Bible-based prayer that works is not getting God to do
something, but receiving by faith from God based on what He has
already said and done.

In other words, we do not need to change God's mind or get Him
to do something. We just need to enter in by faith to receive
what God has already decided and provided.

So, find Scripture that promises what you need or want, then
take that to God in prayer and believe you receive it when you
pray.

SAY THIS: I will base my prayers on God's promises, and believe
I receive my answer when I pray.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

What Is Your Name?

GENESIS 32:27-28 NKJ
27 So He said to him, "What is your name?" He said, "Jacob."
28 And He said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but
Israel...."

God asked Jacob to focus on who he was, on how he saw himself.
Then God told him that was going to change.

What is your identity?

How do you identify yourself?

Who do you consider yourself to be?

Do you identify yourself by your past experiences, or do you
identify yourself by what God -- your Creator -- says about
you?

God created you. He knows what you can do. He knows what you
can be. He has a great plan for you, starting now, but
extending through all eternity.

God wants you to begin seeing yourself according to His plan
for you, in accordance with what He made you -- regardless of
how bad your past may have been.

If you are in the Jones family, you see yourself as a Jones. If
someone asks who you are, you will tell them your name which
includes Jones. You need to begin to see yourself now as a
person in the family of God. You will never be the supreme
ruler of the Universe, but you are in His family.

1 JOHN 3:2 NKJ
2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been
revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is
revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

What does it mean to be children of God? Should it not cause us
to identify with Him? Should we not begin to see ourselves as
part of the winning team instead of thinking of ourselves as a
loser?

We ARE God's children! That is your new identity. Quit seeing
yourself as you used to be. Quit judging yourself by your past
shortcomings and failures. (I don't deny that we have all
failed -- but that is not God's plan for our future!)

REVELATION 2:17 NKJ
17 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the
churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden
manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the
stone a new name written which no one knows except him who
receives it."'

God has given you a new name -- a new identity! Believe it!

SAY THIS: My identity is with my new family, the family of God.
That makes me a winner, not a loser!

Monday, November 14, 2011

Be An Encourager

1 THESSALONIANS 5:11,14 ESV
11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up,
just as you are doing.
14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the
fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.

People accomplish more if someone believes in them and
encourages them.

All of us can grow fainthearted without encouragement.

HEBREWS 3:13 NIV
13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called
Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's
deceitfulness.

HEBREWS 10:24-25 NLT
24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love
and good works.
25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people
do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of
his return is drawing near.

PROVERBS 12:25 NLT
25 Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a
person up.

Just one encouraging word can make a big difference in
someone's life.

So encourage someone today!

PROVERBS 21:19 NLT
19 It is better to live alone in the desert than with a crabby,
complaining wife.

Whether you are a husband, a wife, or a child, no one enjoys
being with a crabby, complaining person. But everyone loves to
be around someone who encourages them.

SAY THIS: I will aim to encourage others.

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Jesus Understands

HEBREWS 4:15 NKJ
15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with
our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet
without sin.

Whatever you face, Jesus Christ has already faced it.

Jesus knows what it is like:

to be hungry
to be tired
to be lonely
to be hurt
to be hated
to be beaten
to be persecuted
to be misunderstood
to be mistreated
to be mocked and laughed at
to be betrayed by a friend
to be tempted to sin
to be responsible for employees
to feel forsaken
to feel hopeless
to have no spouse
to have no earthly father there to help
to have lost a loved one
to have to pay taxes
to have money stolen from you
to have the responsibility to provide for a family
to live under an oppressive government
to experience extreme pain

HEBREWS 4:16 NKJ
16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we
may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Don't be afraid to talk to Jesus about anything. Not only does
He understand, but He knows how to help you so you can overcome
and have victory.

Remember, Jesus loves you -- enough to die for you. And He also
ever lives to intercede for you.

So Jesus not only understands what you face, but He is able and
willing to help you.

SAY THIS: Jesus understands what I am going through and is
leading me to victory.

Saturday, November 12, 2011

If You Have A Need, Plant A Seed

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 natural response to having a need is to focus on getting
instead of giving. And to hang on tightly to what we have.

But God does not bless selfishness. He is a giver, and desires
for us to become like Him. So, God's Word tells us to give.

(Some preachers may have tried to exploit these truths to
enrich themselves, but that does not nullify God's promises.)

God is trying to raise us to a higher level of thinking, where
we trust in His faithful provision, and express our faith by
blessing others.

PROVERBS 11:24 NET
24 One person is generous and yet grows more wealthy, but
another withholds more than he should and comes to poverty.

It requires faith to give when you don't have enough to meet
your own needs. But remember that faith pleases God, and
nothing is too hard for God.

Faith acts on God's Word. Fear hesitates.

To help us understand how giving can enrich us, instead of
impoverishing us, Scripture pictures a farmer planting seed for
a harvest.

2 CORINTHIANS 9:6,10 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.
10 For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then
bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase
your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity
in you.

Plant whatever seed God has given you, and God will give the
increase through a harvest of blessing, and your needs will be
met.

GALATIANS 6:7 CEV
7 You cannot fool God, so don't make a fool of yourself! You
will harvest what you plant.

You are never without seed. Anything of value can be a seed.
Your time is valuable, so if nothing else, you can give time to
pray for others as a seed.

SAY THIS: Whenever I have a need, I will plant a seed.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Worship God With Your Money

PHILIPPIANS 4:18 NLT
18 At the moment I have all I need -- more than I need! I am
generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with
Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is
acceptable to God and pleases him.

Our money represents time -- a portion of our lives. We trade
our time for money. To truly worship God requires our money --
our treasure -- not just our voices.

The word "worship" is a contraction of "worth-ship" --
something we do that demonstrates how valuable we think
something is.

We show how valuable we think God is by what we give to Him.
True worship offers our whole being to God, all we are and all
we have. Money is a tangible expression of the devotion in our
hearts.

Worship is an act of reverence. In the Bible it usually means
bowing down. (One Greek word in the New Testament translated
worship means to adore or reverence.)

But true worship always costs something. In true worship you
always give up something: sacrifices in the Old Testament,
sovereignty in bowing down, dignity, reputation, time, etc.

"Is it worth it?" is a worship question. "Is God worth it?" is
a worship question.

How much is God worth to you?

When you are a young person interested in dating someone, do
you begrudge the time, effort, and money you spend on them? Why
do you do it? Because you think knowing them, and being with
them, is worth it. That shows worth-ship, or worship.

God is a Person. He is great beyond description in every way.
What is it worth to you to know God, and be with Him?

It is not enough to say you love God more than anything. To
please God you also need to demonstrate your love.

SAY THIS: I will worship God with all I have, including my
money.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Do Not Worry

PHILIPPIANS 4:6 NLT
6 Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.
Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

Worrying can't accomplish anything. So why do it?

MATTHEW 6:25-34 NKJ
25 "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life,
what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your
body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and
the body more than clothing?
26 "Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor
reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds
them. Are you not of more value than they?
27 "Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his
stature?
28 "So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies
of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;
29 "and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory
was not arrayed like one of these.
30 "Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which
today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not
much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31 "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or
'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'
32 "For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your
heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,
and all these things shall be added to you.
34 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will
worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own
trouble.

LUKE 10:41-42 NKJ
41 And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you
are worried and troubled about many things.
42 "But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good
part, which will not be taken away from her."

What did Mary choose that was better than worrying? Spending
time with Jesus hearing His Word. You would do well to follow
her example.

SAY THIS: I will trust in God and not worry.

Wednesday, November 09, 2011

Expect Favor

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

If Jesus is your Lord, then He is also your righteousness (1
Corinthians 1:30, Romans 5:17). So, you are righteous in Christ
and qualify for this blessing.

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

Why expect favor?

Because God is your Father. He loves you. And He responds to
faith. When you walk in faith you expect blessings.

PROVERBS 16:7 NIV
7 When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD, he makes even his
enemies live at peace with him.

Some people always talk of how badly they are treated and how
things always go wrong for them. Should we be surprised? After
all, Jesus told us in Mark 11:23 that we would have what we
say.

Why not begin to say that God surrounds your life with favor?

SAY THIS: I expect God's favor in my life.

Tuesday, November 08, 2011

None Of These Things Move Me

ACTS 20:24 NKJ
24 "But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life
dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the
ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to
the gospel of the grace of God.

Some believers are tempted to give up on their faith in God
whenever the least thing seems to go wrong in their lives.

The apostle Paul suffered many things: beatings, stoning, and
shipwreck -- yet he called them "light afflictions."

2 CORINTHIANS 4:17 NKJ
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is
working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of
glory,

2 CORINTHIANS 4:8-9 NKJ
8 We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are
perplexed, but not in despair;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed --

We are in a battle for the hearts and souls of men. The devil
is against us. While we know our victory is sure, we should not
expect to never face obstacles or difficulties.

2 TIMOTHY 2:3 NKJ
3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus
Christ.

If this life was all there was, this would not be a wise way to
live. But there is a life in heaven and a future world. We
would be foolish to live as if this life is all there is.

So we should not forget eternity and focus only on the present.

We must hold on to our faith in God, no matter how things seem
to be going at the present. Because of our limited
understanding, our ability to evaluate things accurately is
limited. Our wonderful Lord Jesus can be trusted. He loved us
enough to die in our stead, so we could go free. Why would He
lie to us?

We must be determined not to be moved by things our enemy does
to get us off our faith in God's Word.

SAY THIS: I'm not moved by what I see. I'm not moved by what I
feel. I'm moved only by what I believe, and I believe the Word
of God.

Monday, November 07, 2011

Does Jesus Care?

MARK 4:37-40 NKJ
37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the
boat, so that it was already filling.
38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke
Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are
perishing?"
39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea,
"Peace, be still!" And the wind ceased and there was a great
calm.
40 But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that
you have no faith?"

All of us have questioned whether God cares for us when we have
faced difficulties. It is easy to wonder why things are so
tough, if God truly loves us, as the Bible says.

What is the answer? Why don't things go better for us,
especially when we are trusting in God?

Mark 4 gives us a glimpse into how God looks at this.

When the disciples thought they were going to sink in the storm
-- even though Jesus was on their boat -- they cried out to
Him. And Jesus did deliver them from danger.

But then, Jesus rebuked His disciples because they were fearful,
and didn't handle the situation themselves.

Why didn't the Lord take care of the dire situation sooner? Why
did Jesus let them nearly sink before He intervened? The answer
is simple. Jesus was expecting His disciples to exercise
authority over the storm.

God has confidence in His children. He desires for us to grow
up, to learn to take responsibility, and to exercise the
authority He has given us.

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.

God told us to resist the devil, and all his works -- which is
everything that would steal, kill, or destroy. Why should God
interrupt and do things for us that He has already told us to
do, using His authority?

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

Yes, Jesus cares for you -- enough to die for you! Don't judge
His love by your circumstances.

If it seems Jesus is not stilling the storms in your life, He
has not abandoned you. He is just expecting you to overcome, by
using your faith and the authority He has given you.

SAY THIS: Jesus cares for me, and I will be delivered out of
all the storms of life!

Sunday, November 06, 2011

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 make 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.

Saturday, November 05, 2011

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.

Friday, November 04, 2011

When You Sin

1 JOHN 1:9 NKJ
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us
our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Many people let sin separate them from God. But the devil is
the one who tells us God does not love us when we sin.

Jesus paid a great price so you can be forgiven and freed from
sin and its penalty.

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

God is against sin because it harms people, but God loves
sinners!

When we sin, it does not make God hate us. We should not run
away from God, but run to Him for help and cleansing, so that
our fellowship with Him will not be hindered in any way.

We confess our sins to shut the door on the devil so he has no
place in our affairs. We don't confess our sins to convince God
to forgive us. God has already forgiven! We confess our sins to
get rid of them, and keep the devil out.

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

God loves people, including you. His ultimate plan is to have a
family of people who do not sin, but voluntarily choose the way
of love, which is God's perfect way.

But just as a good parent does not throw their baby into the
street because they are not perfect yet, but still mess their
pants, so God does not discard His children when they sin.

God loves you more than any good parent ever loved their child.
So look to Him for help in overcoming sin, instead of expecting
condemnation from Him.

When you sin, confess it to get rid of its influence in your
life and to keep the devil from having any place. I don't mean
begging God to forgive you and promising to never do it again.
Instead say, "That is wrong. I should not have done that. Lord,
I need your help to overcome it. Please continue working your
will in me."

Sin has already been paid for with the precious blood of Jesus.
God has already decreed that sin is forgiven, so that it should
not keep people from fellowship with Him.

SAY THIS: I will not let sin separate me from God.

Thursday, November 03, 2011

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.

Wednesday, November 02, 2011

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.

Tuesday, November 01, 2011

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.