Monday October 18, 2010
Do You Still Retain Integrity?
Read Job 2:9;
“Do you still retain your integrity?” This is what Job’s wife said to him. In this process it is very important to note what she was saying to her husband. The term used by her was “tummah.” It comes from the word tom, meaning completion or perfection. She was saying that his completion was God and his faith was in God. She was challenging him to curse or forsake his faith in God and therefore die. He even in the hard places retained his identity with his Heavenly Father.
A statement that I give to people is: “If you lose integrity to your process you will destroy value to your product!” Only God can lead you through this process. This path is called the “Way of Peace.” However you must understand that God has gifts within the Body of Christ and that many times especially in the places where we are so messed up emotionally we need to hear from and through other people.
If we understood that God desires so much to lead us to the path that is the right way for us. Too many of us are in the spot where we are thinking that He doesn’t desire to help us in any way. However we must realize that He has an unending passion to be in our lives and this is proven by the death on the cross by His son Jesus.
Tuesday October 19, 2010
Remain In The Spirit Of Faith
Read 1 Corinthians 12:25
There are two relevant truths to this statement. Number 1 is that it is impossible to get up from your circumstances in life without God. The number two aspect is that it is impossible to please God without Faith. The evidence of faith occurs in two ways. First is what we are doing and second in what we are saying. James says show me your faith without your works.
You have to grow this faith you do this by “Hearing the Word of the Lord.” Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” He was quoting scripture when he said this, Deuteronomy 6:4. This was the time of His testing in the wilderness. Jesus was ministered to and cared for by the Angels at his testing and trying. We are members of the Body of Christ and by God’s design should be cared for by others within the Body.
Wednesday October 20, 2010
God’s Sovereignty
Read Psalms 48:1; 95:3,6;
The sovereignty of God may be defined as the exercise of His supremacy, His infinite rule, His authority and power. Being infinitely elevated above the highest creature in authority, nature, and being, He is the Most High Lord of heaven and earth and all creation whether angels or the heavenly hosts.
Basically, God’s sovereignty means that He is the Supreme Ruler who immanently and personally rules over all the affairs of the universe—and this includes our personal lives both as individuals and as a local body of believers. God’s sovereignty is a place of rest for the child of God, as well as a cause of worship
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One particular place of rest and application in relation to God’s sovereignty and rule is His guidance and work to accomplish His purposes for our lives individually and corporately. Paul has this in mind, at least in part, in Philippians 1:6 when he says: “I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Realizing and acknowledging God is sovereign keeps on the path to peace.
Thursday October 21, 2010
Forgiveness…..Is A Choice!
Read Colossians 3:13
It is not uncommon for Christians to have questions about forgiveness. Forgiveness does not come easy for most of us. Our natural instinct is to recoil in self-protection when we've been injured. We don't naturally overflow with mercy, grace and forgiveness when we've been wronged. Is forgiveness a conscious choice, a physical act involving the will, or is it a feeling, an emotional state of being?
I believe forgiveness is a choice we make through a decision of our will, motivated by obedience to God and his command to forgive. The Bible instructs us to forgive as the Lord forgave us.
How do we forgive when we don't feel like it? How do we translate the decision to forgive into a change of heart? We forgive by faith, out of obedience. Since forgiveness goes against our nature, we must forgive by faith, whether we feel like it or not. We must trust God to do the work in us that needs to be done so that the forgiveness will be complete. I believe God honors our commitment to obey Him and our desire to please him when we choose to forgive. He completes the work in his time. As we walk in obedience to God, we walk on the pathway to peace.
Friday October 22, 2010
Walking In The Atmosphere God Is Releasing
Read James 4:8; 2 Chronicles 15:2; Genesis 32:24,25; Psalm 51:17
We are in a season when God is releasing more and more revelation, and He is opening up the heavens over us. We are discovering that nothing is impossible with God! He is releasing great favor and great blessing on us as we learn to live out of a place of rest. It’s easier for Holy Spirit to come when we are resting and at peace. His goodness and glory will come and our hearts of thanksgiving will change spiritual atmospheres. Do you change atmospheres? The presence of God extinguishes the darkness, if we carry Him into the situations we go into. Praise Him in all circumstances and God will bring breakthrough and blessing!
SPEAKING LIFE! “Eat from the tree of life and speak positively! Show mercy, show love, show kindness. Make sure the words you speak have life in them!” Sue prayed for several people to be healed at the end of the session and Rob came up to give testimony that instead of talking about having high blood pressure God had told him to talk about having blood peace – speaking life starts with the word we speak over ourselves!
The Weekender October 23, 2010
What Path Are You On?
Read 1 Kings 8:56
"Blessed be God, who has given peace to his people Israel just as he said he'd do. Not one of all those good and wonderful words that he spoke through Moses has misfired. May God, our very own God, continue to be with us just as he was with our ancestors—may he never give up and walk out on us. May he keep us centered and devoted to him, following the life path he has cleared, watching the signposts, walking at the pace and rhythms he laid down for our ancestors. 1 Kings 8:56.
Take today and reflect on the path you are on and then asked God to speak to you and show you if you are on the right path. Journal in the space below.
God alone initiates salvation. He always turns toward man first and seeks him, as when God walked in the Garden (Genesis 3:8). Man does not seek God or turn to him without God first calling man to Himself (John. 6:37, 44; 1 John. 4:10,19).
ReplyDeleteSecond, God’s initiative does not exclude man’s free response, but demands it (Catechism of the Catholic Church [Catechism], nos. 154, 155, 2002; Philippians 2:12, 13). In other words, God wills that man be free to choose His grace or reject it.
Third, salvation is extended to each and every human person, not limited to just some, and one can fall away from grace (Hebrews 2:1-4; 6:4; 2 Peter 1:10; 3:9; 1 John 5:16, 17).
Furthermore, it is imperative that once one is touched by grace, he perseveres in charity lest he forfeit the free gift of salvation (Lumen Gentium [LG], no. 14). Within the confines of these principles, Catholics have sought to understand the mystery of predestination.
Though opinions and formulations have varied among Catholic theologians, with these principles left intact, there is room for legitimate speculation.
The only proper framework to understand predestination must be rooted in the notion of a communion of persons in love. Why? The nature of God as Trinity is this very kind of communion and God created man to share in that “blessed life” (cf. Catechism, no. 1).