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Fight the Good Fight!

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  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day. 2 Timothy 4:7–8 Fight the Good Fight Nobody faced more hardships for sharing his faith than the apostle Paul. Second Corinthians 11 lists some of them: beaten with rods three times, given thirty-nine lashes five times, stoned by an angry mob and left for dead, falsely accused and put in prison several times, shipwrecked, deserted by colleagues when he stood trial. Paul had all these opportunities to be angry and bitter. But near the end of his life, he gives us the secret to living in victory. He said, “I have fought the good fight, finished the course, and kept the faith.” He was saying, “Through all the difficulties, betrayals, and things I didn’t understand, God was in control and leading me to new levels of my destiny.” Maybe today you need to dig down a little deeper. You’re ...
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Open My Eyes

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  Open My Eyes Scripture: Psalm 119:18 “ Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. ” (Psalm 119:18) To understand the Word of God, we need special revelation from God through the Holy Spirit. Revelation and transparency are the hallmarks in any relationship. Jesus promised that both he and the Father would make their home with us and reveal themselves to us if we obeyed their commandments. For this to occur, we need to pray for the Lord to open our eyes and give us understanding. “Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.”  (Luke 24:45, ESV) This is necessary because,  “the natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned”  (1 Corinthians 2:14, ESV). Through the Word, God reveals the secrets of the kingdom to us. We gain understanding of God’s eternal plan and our role in it. The Word holds priority in the life o...
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Ministering Spirits!

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  Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation? Hebrews 1:14 Ministering Spirits We all face times when life is so overwhelming that we feel we’re at the breaking point. We may be dealing with an illness, a relationship that’s falling apart, or a setback to our business. We’ve done the right thing, worked hard, but the situation gets worse, and we don’t think we can take any more. It’s not that we don’t have faith; it’s battle fatigue. God sees what you’re going through, and He knows when it’s too much. The Scripture says, “God is a very present help in times of trouble.” He will send angels to strengthen you, to encourage you, to help lighten that load. They are messengers that God uses to carry out His will, to fight our battles, to push back forces of darkness, and to refresh and reenergize us. Be encouraged that God has already dispatched angels with healing in their wings—with strength, with favor, with fresh vision, with victory. You’r...
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Broken Cisterns!

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  Broken Cisterns Scripture: Jeremiah 2:13, NIV “ My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water. ” (Jeremiah 2:13, NIV) Many people in the secular world look for life in the wrong places. Believers always need to be on their guard to avoid making this same mistake. Notice this verse begins with “My people.” They are accused of making to two big mistakes: forsaking the true source of life and looking to alternate sources for meeting their needs. The people of Jeremiah’s time had forgotten that God is the only true living source of life. Jesus tells us to abide in him so that he can abide in us. By not reading, eating, and living the Word of God, we abandon the source of the living power and nourishment we need to live abundantly in this world. The fallout from abandoning regular reading of the Word is like building broken cisterns that fail to hold water. We run the danger...
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Numbers 14:1-10!

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  Introduction Numbers 14:1–10: The book of Numbers tells the story of the Israelites during the nearly forty years from the time they left Mount Sinai (Exodus 33:1) until they reached the eastern border of Canaan—the land God had promised them. In today’s reading, the Israelites fear God will betray them, leading them into a land of destruction rather than flourishing. Joshua and Caleb, two of the leaders who had been chosen to explore the Promised Land, caution the people not to rebel against the Lord. Today’s Key Verse: Numbers 14:9 GNT [Joshua and Caleb said:] “Do not rebel against the LORD … The LORD is with us … so don’t be afraid.” Read 14  All night long the people cried out in distress.  2  They complained against Moses and Aaron, and said, “It would have been better to die in Egypt or even here in the wilderness!  3  Why is the Lord taking us into that land? We will be killed in battle, and our wives and children will be captured. Wouldn...
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The Power of Deep Convictions!

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  The Power of Deep Convictions Scripture :  1 Thessalonians 1:5 “… Because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. ” (1 Thessalonians 1:5) A major problem in our world is that many people lack deep convictions to govern their attitudes and life actions. In the minds of many there are no absolutes, and it is okay for each person to do as they please. Such an attitude does not sit well with God. As our creator he instructed us how we should conduct ourselves relationally, both with him and others. When these instructions are violated, the ultimate result for the violators – individually or as nations – is to be judged by God. As present day  converterlators   and practitioners of Kingdom of God , we want to be sure to follow the examples of Abraham and Caleb, who had deep convictions about their relationship with God and faith in his capacity to do what h...
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Habakkuk3:1-19!

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  Habakkuk 3:1–19: Habakkuk’s prayer in this concluding chapter begins with a request for the Lord to be merciful to the people of Judah. His prayer then continues with a description of the Almighty’s presence and power in the world. Habakkuk is overwhelmed by God’s awesome power, which fills him with confidence and joy because the Lord is his savior. Today’s Key Verse: Habakkuk 3:18 GNT I will still be joyful and glad, because the LORD God is my savior. Read 3  This is a prayer of the prophet Habakkuk: 2  O Lord, I have heard of what you have done,     and I am filled with awe. Now do again in our times     the great deeds you used to do. Be merciful, even when you are angry. 3  God is coming again from Edom;     the holy God is coming from the hills of Paran. His splendor covers the heavens,     and the earth is full of his praise. 4  He comes with the brightness of lightning;...
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