It's a new day - Let us rejoice!

 There is a sense of calmness in our spirit At first, when we hear from God, we may discern conflict and strife in what we are doing with our lives at the time. This may indicate He is correcting us from some destructive behavior of ours. However, this will pass as we listen, His voice then becomes more tranquil and our spirit becomes more at peace. The apostle Paul referred to this peace as “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7). We all want to be free of worry, anxiety and frustration, I know I do, but our lives can become complicated too easy. We tend to try to fix our own problems, deal with our own heartaches and reject help from others. “I’ll just do it myself!” we’ll say. Next thing we know we don’t even consult the One who can help us the most; God! In (Jeremiah 29:11) the Lord states what He is thinking toward us, and what He wants to do for us, “ for I know the thoughts I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not

As powerful today as in Old Testament times Just like in those early days when God was speaking to those whom He inspired to write the Bible, He is still speaking to us. But why would He want to, you might ask? I believe there are three good reasons why. First, He loves us no less than He did Abraham, Daniel, David or any of the other people in the Old or New Testament. I believe He is just as interested in fellowshipping with us today as He was with them then. If we don’t engage Him in conversation and there is no dialogue between us there won’t be much in the way of fellowship will there? We must call upon Him, listening carefully for His method of speaking to us. The second reason I believe God is still speaking to us today is; we need His direction no less than Joshua, Jacob or Noah did. His definitive and intentional direction is what we need to make purposeful, effective decisions in our lives. We can’t do without His will for us no matter how organized or learned we may

Remembering He is our watchful shepherd Do you have those special days or mornings when you get up and for some strange reason you feel exceptionally… great ? It’s kind of like your energy level is higher or something. You have a better than average attitude about your coming day and you feel excited about what it’s going bring. Of course, there are many days when we don’t have this wonderful kind of optimism. In fact, some mornings it’s hard to even get out of bed much less feel like a fully-charged, Eveready battery! How often do you count these days both good and bad as God’s blessings? Truly, I say our days are all His gifts. They are our opportunities to accomplish the plans He has for our future, His plans to prosper us   and not to harm us. Does what I am saying sound familiar? It should for in (Jeremiah 29:11) this is what God tells us. He is always our watchful, responsible shepherd who is looking out for us. Our God wants only the best for us! Each morning God wai

We will experience a sense of perfect joy There will also be perfect peace and fulfillment because of the divine presence of God. Our worship of the Father will be without distraction. Forever and ever we will concentrate our worship only on Him; our loving, caring God who is, and was, and forever will be our Creator and Sustainer. Never will we experience exhaustion as we serve and interact with Him on a very personal level. “And His servants shall serve Him” (Revelation 22:3). In Revelation it is revealed we will govern with Christ and rule over all that is brought under His dominion. “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall rule forever and ever!” (Revelation 11:15). And it is written; “And they [his servants] shall reign forever and ever” (Revelation 22:5). Ours will be a perfect fellowship like that of the Father and the Son. “That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they may also be

To follow Jesus is to deny your “self” Jesus specifically communicated that those who would follow Him would be required to deny self, for it was that part of man that was of the world and not of Him. Paul, the apostle, also spoke specifically clear to the Ephesian Christians that they must deny the “old-self,” which had become corrupted by sin and the ways of the world. He encouraged them to adopt the “new man” which was being developed in them to more like God’s image. “If indeed you have heard Him and been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:21-24). Upon Jesus’ magnificent return, our recognition of Him before men, which begins upon our commitment to Him, will become “a crown of glory that does not fade away” (1 Peter 5:4). Once we ha

We will not always understand His prerogative   In (Isaiah 55:8) God says, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and my ways are not your ways.” Therefore, we can’t always understand why God allows certain things to happen or why He heals some and not others. What we can know is He will use whatever our circumstances are in our lives to good for us (Romans 8:28.) We have heard many times how the apostle Paul suffered an affliction which he prayed fervently for God to heal yet God didn’t remove that affliction. Maybe you have prayed similar prayers for your own healing or healing for someone else and didn’t see favorable results. Admittedly, it is tough to understand why God isn’t allowing our healing to happen after we have fervently prayed and exhibited faith. God is aware of our concerns, this I know and we must trust Him! What God did in Paul’s life was; through His glorious will and ways He brought Paul’s life into focus when Christ revealed to him: “My grace is

“For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah” God sent John the Baptist to pave the way for Christ. John warned the people to “Repent! He is coming!” And, he cried out from the wilderness; “Pave the way for the Lord; make His paths straight.” Christ then came to the people from Galilee walking down into the waters of the Jordan asking John to baptize Him. John tried to prevent it, but Jesus said to John: ” Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15). Jesus understood He was the promised messiah sent to identify with the people whom He had come to deliver. His baptism, as He had asked John to give Him, expressed His wholehearted identity with the people whom He came to save. His baptism was also Jesus’ public expression of His dedication to God’s will and to His ministry which began with this event. Jesus provided us His example even though He was sinless so we could see what our Father’s expectation of us was a

Be ready to speak in season and out of season Who among us is called to preach? Certainly, God specifically calls some to stand at a pulpit exhorting His Word, leading a family of believers, shepherding a people for Christ’s sake. Yet, we are all disciples and evangelists of Jesus Christ, therefore being charged to preach the good news to the world. In (Matthew 28:18) Jesus came to the disciples saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always even to the end of the age.” Amen. Jesus spoke these words, commonly called “The Great Commission,” to those whom He called to follow Him. As He did, He stressed the role of the believer in evangelism, discipleship, teaching, worship, and for missions. In the early church, and now once more becoming

Keep your course, steady as she goes As long as our lives are going along as we plan everything seems rosy, but let something interrupt our joy and we understandably get upset. I remember as a child taking some dominoes and stacking them up high in a little tower; they would be placed one on top of the other ten or twelve high and all perfectly balanced. Since I would have an investment of time and effort in building my little tower sometimes I would want to leave it up for my family and my friends to see. But there was this one kid in the neighborhood that tended to be jealous of anything anyone else had or did and I hated to see him come over. Seeing my tedious work and vulnerable little building project he would just have to shake the table or pull a domino out from the bottom to destroy all my efforts. I entertained the thought many times of feeding him to the monster that I knew lived under my bed! It’s hard sometimes to keep our faith up when someone or something comes alo

Jesus healed many by casting out evil spirits There are many accounts in the Bible of people being inhabited, or possessed by demons. Jesus healed many of them by casting out these evil spirits. John, the New Testament writer gave instructions concerning the deception of evil spirits. In (1 John 4:1-3) he said, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world…and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.”   Yes, Satan and his demons can tempt and attack Christians. However, we have many reasons to believe they cannot be “possessed” by them; We are instructed in (1 Corinthians 6:19, 20) that as believers we belong to God. We have the Holy Spirit living within us. Our bodies are the temples of His Holy Spirit. (1

This morning's post comes from a dream God gave me back in 2007. I record my dreams and visions, especially the ones I believe the LORD gives me. This particular dream illustrates how we need to align our thoughts for healing with those of God. I also believe God is causing this particular dream of mine to be revisited today - now! I hope His message blesses you today! In my dream, God showed me three examples of how we can receive His healing. I think it is more than just coincidence that this dream comes after a very frustrating difficulty I’ve had over the past week trying to repair my tractor. My difficulty had to do with me trying to force an axle shaft back into alignment with some very important rear-wheel gears. As long as I tried to do it alone not asking for help no matter how hard I tried to force the shaft to go in I failed. I had tried for the past 3-4 days to make this repair. Without fixing the problem I wasn’t going anywhere with the tractor. When I finally

Our perfect gift is Jesus Long before I ever had the opportunity to lead someone to Christ I wanted to. I wanted to share my Lord with others by telling them about Him and helping them find their own salvation in Him. However, there was some trepidation on my part because church never gave me any instructions, or told me I was allowed to lead others to Christ even though I knew as a Christian, it is a mandate of Christ that I do. [Matthew 28:18] speaks of this; His directive to all Christians. Jesus says, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. My assumption was; leading others to Christ was the preacher job. I wasn’t train to or suppose to help anyone else find Christ or pray the “prayer

Our lives are to be characterized by patience Few people, including Christians, have the quality of patience. We all pretty much want what we want, and we want it now! We don’t like waiting in lines or getting caught in traffic. Even with mail order shopping we expect our orders to be shipped today and, “oh sure, I’ll pay for overnight shipping for tomorrow’s before ten o’clock delivery.”   Our world today is based on instant gratification, no waiting ! Yet, God wants us to exercise patience; because it helps us to develop the mature, stable character God wants to produce in His people. How do you define patience ? It is the ability to absorb strain and stress without complaining, without wavering in actions or thoughts in spite of obstacles, failures or delays. It is the ability to recognize we can’t control everything in our lives. Patience understands many things are beyond our control. To be patient is accepting this fact without allowing ourselves to become discourage

A ddiction is not just a chemical dependency Having an addiction doesn’t have to be a physiological dependency on chemical substances. Simply defined, an addiction is any habitual occupation or involvement in any behavior or appetite that controls you. A person can become addicted to food, sex, gambling, smoking, work and many other things, and when they do these addictions must be dealt with like any other addictions. So, how can we regain control over our life from some addiction? Our first step is to turn over control of our life to Jesus Christ. Once we do this we have the Holy Spirit living within us giving us strength and victory over our sinful behaviors. We can only have victory over sin through a personal relationship with Jesus. Any addiction that robs a person of self-control is a problem of the whole person – spiritual, emotional, physical and social. Addictions begin by our seeking relief from the pain, pressure, or some void in our daily lives. That hunger for

Admitting the problem and seeking help Abusive behavior is found in all socio-economic levels, in all educational, racial, and age groups. Abusers can be men or women. Abusers are conditioned to vent their anger, which has a low “boiling point,” by abusing someone either physically or verbally. They tend to have a low self-esteem, think of themselves as failures, and don’t relate with other people very well. They want to control others who become their targets of abuse. This desire to control may be the abuser’s belief they are promoting the “good” of the family or the relationship. Abusers will offend others without feeling any guilt and without any remorse, even after they have admitted having the problem. If you are a person who has abused those close to you, you must be willing to face the reality of what you are doing. God values all people – He sent His only Son to die so that you could have a relationship with Him. God desires that you cherish other people, His peopl

What we have to say about our healing can lift us up or bring us down, faith is released by our words – whether it’s faith to be saved, faith to be healed, or faith for any one of God’s provisions. So it’s important that we learn to use words that work for us, not against us. God Word says our words will either make us a victor or keep us captive. Words like these will make you a victor: “I am more than a conqueror through Him that loved me and gave Himself for me” [Romans 8:37]. “If God be for me, who can be against me?” [Romans 8:31]. “My Father is greater than all” [John 10:29]. “The name of Jesus has authority and power in Heaven, on earth, and under the earth – among angels, men, and demons. And that Name belongs to me” [Phillipians 2:9, 10; Matthew 28;18]. Speaking the right words – God’s Word – will set you free and keep you free. But your words can also keep you captive. If you keep talking about how you are defeated, saying “I’ve tried praying, I’m still not healed”

Lack of trust: a major deterrent to healing Trusting God, our heavenly Father, can be difficult if our earthly parents and authority figures have proven untrustworthy to us. All forms of abuse, physical, mental and sexual, result in shame and trust issues. John 15:19 says, “I have chosen you out of the world.” This means God chose us and it is important to live our lives as His chosen people. Jesus bore our sins and rejections on the cross, and we don not have to live with earthly rejections. Forgiveness is the process of freeing yourself from the anger that has been negatively affecting you and your relationships. Forgiveness is essential to freedom and living a spiritual existence. Forgiveness is a choice we make. Control your thoughts. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will. Faith i

Believe in your heart and speak it with your mouth Say this to yourself: “I am a child of God, I can have all things God says I can have, I can do all things God says I can do, and I can be all God says I can be…in Jesus’ Name! We are all vulnerable to the lies and deceitful suggestions of the enemy who wants to keep us down and depressed. But, we have a big God who has a better plan for our lives! He determined long ago that good things are ahead for us, so we must believe that our prosperity and better health are on their way! Can we just sit back and wait for God to bless us? No, of course not! We must do our part and believe in His good works for us. We must continue building our great wall of faith so that nothing can penetrate this fortress we have in Him. How can we do this? Read His Word. May I ask you; what is bothering you the most right now? Be honest with yourself. Is there something you keep worrying about; some concern that just won’t go away?   Our ability

Singing my song of Thanksgiving Everyone, everywhere, I thank God for you! I call you all friends. I am happy to speak of our Lord, and to tell of His everlasting love. Thankfully, joyfully, I realize He has made me who, and what I am. You and I, we belong to Him, we are not alone. Our Father loves us dearly. We are blessed to come before God Almighty, to enter His gates, and to sing songs of praise to Him. We can call Him by Name; Abba Father! He is so good to us. I know He is! I am never alone. He is always with me, loving me, caring for me – His is good to me. He is the same merciful God whom my great-grandfather and his great-grandfather worshipped and depended upon. Our God is so reliable, all the time. I am thankful I know Jesus, that I have a Bible to read, eyes to see with, intelligence to understand with, two hands and fingers with which I can type this message, my good health, my church and all of you; whom I call friends. I am thankful for thi

By hearing and speaking His Word we are healed Several years ago, a woman whom we had been introduced to through a friend asked my wife and me, if we would come to her home and pray for her husband who was dying of pancreatic cancer. We did. I remember it was a very difficult meeting as several of the dying man’s family also met us there. Everyone was understandably grieved and we all cried tears to ourselves. The man was very near death and his appearance showed it as he was very thin, pale and emaciated. He was devastated by his doctors’ diagnosis; they had told him he only had two or three months to live. I remember the man telling me it was all so quick he didn’t feel he had time to accept dying.   We asked if he had accepted Jesus as his Savior and he told us he had years ago. This was important for us to hear and we were glad to know he had. I remember we asked him if he believed God could heal him and he said, “Yes” he did. We asked if he could accept God will and ma

Say My Name and I will set you on high Then the angel said to her “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold you shall conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son and shall call His Name JESUS.”   “Jesus.” When you say My Name, with love and tenderness, the power of evil is driven away. Your shield is lifted high. “Jesus.”   You are the one person of the Holy Trinity. “Jesus.” Your Name is above all others. “Jesus.” You heal the sick, feed the hungry, cast out demons, and raise the dead. “Jesus.” You are the Lamb of God. “Jesus.” I need You. I ask You to come into my life. “Jesus.” Sweetest Name I know.   “In the Name of “Jesus of Nazareth” you are healed.”   Yes! Say My Name – “JESUS.” Because you have known My Name I will set you on high.

  Shifting our focus on to Jesus At one time or another, we all go through periods of loneliness. It’s hard, and it can be depressing I know, I’ve been there, and as special holidays come around it’s twice as hard. In the past, I’ve had my times of spending some holidays alone, so, I understand. I know it won’t be easy, but you’ll make it; I did! Here is the best kind of help anyone can offer you. I hope you will benefit from it. Keep your focus on Jesus ! As long as you keep Him at the center of your life you won’t have time to become preoccupied with yourself. This is the truth; no matter how lonely you may feel you are never really “alone,” because your very best friend and companion, Jesus , is right there with you all the day and night. Think about it, instead of allowing these holidays to waste away by feeling sad or depressed, use this time to study your Bible and listen for God’s instruction. I believe He is setting this time aside for you and Him to get closer. Th

  He made us – He is our healer When we meet His conditions and obey His instructions, he keeps us healthy. We can see how this was demonstrated by God when He told Moses to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt, and out of their cruel bondage. For a while, (three days) the Israelites rejoiced, and celebrated their new freedom. Moses’ own sister, Miriam, the prophetess, led the festivities (Exodus 15:20, 21). But then, when fresh drinking water began to be scarce and there was rationing, everyone started to grumble and complain (v.22-24). Well, now wasn’t that a crying shame! How soon they forgot God’s mercy! Here He had saved them from countless years of slavery and abuse, they were now free… but, there’s no good-tasting water for them to drink. Excuse me! Moses cried out to God for the people, and God showed Moses a tree, and Moses threw the tree into the bitter waters of Marah, and the water was made sweet to drink. During this difficult time, God spoke to His

Chases all evil aside Say the name; “Jesus,” and all spirits of evil quickly flee, and His sweet name summons all good. Never was there any other name like Jesus , nor will there ever be again. God, Himself gave Jesus His name, as He intended to give Him up to be; Savior of the world . In (Isaiah 9:6) this prophet foretold of the coming Savior saying; “For unto us a child is born, / Unto us a Son is given; / And the government will be upon His shoulder. / And His name will be called / Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Mary and Joseph, parents to Jesus would call Him Emmanuel, meaning, “God with us.” Truly, when we say His name, Jesus , we feel the presence of God, the Father. Say the name “Jesus” and you immediately call down heaven with legions of His mighty angels to your aid. He wants us to use His name often. Like saying, “Mother,” as children,  we called upon her for help, for comfort, for love. Jesus wants us to use His

  God will restore His people In the Bible, an oracle was a divine pronouncement through a prophet that directed human action for the present or for the future. The prophet, Habakkuk received an oracle after he had complained to the Lord saying; “How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen?” The Lord answered him; “Look at the nations and watch – and be utterly amazed. For I will work a work in your days which you would not believe, though it was told to you” (Habakkuk 1:2 & 5). If you are like me, a little bad news goes a long way. It doesn’t take much to overwhelm me. I read in the news about how some local person is arrested for stealing large amounts of copper wire, a young person commits some act of violence in his school, a woman aborts her baby in a bus station, a people in Asia revolts against their government, a radical nation builds a nuclear bomb – it can all be so depressing! And then, we have our own personal problems in our own liv