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Showing posts from July, 2020

Remember What God Has Done!

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“...You may say to yourselves, ‘These nations are stronger than we are. How can we drive them out?’ But do not be afraid of them; remember well what the LORD your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt...” Deuteronomy 7:17–18 Remember What God Has Done The Israelites were headed toward the Promised Land, but they were up against nations with huge armies that were stronger and more skilled in warfare. The Israelites had just come out of slavery and were just trying to survive in the desert. They were very discouraged when Moses spoke these words to them: “Don’t be afraid. Just remember what God did to Pharaoh.” If you’re going to overcome obstacles, if you’re going to reach your highest potential, you have to learn to remember. On a regular basis, we should go back over the major victories in our life. When you face tough times and your dream looks impossible, just remember. Go back and replay your victories. Relive the times God made a way. When you’re constantly thinking about how He’s p

The Fountain of Life!

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The Fountain of Life Memorize and Meditate “ It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. ” (John 6:63) We need Jesus Christ’s Word for life, for they are the way the Spirit of God works inside of us. His Word is living and powerful, and it works inside those who receive it as the Word of God and trust it to work in them. In fact, when it is humbly planted in one’s heart, the Word of God is able to save the soul. Soak your Heart No wonder the Word tells us to desire the “milk” of the Word as newborn babes so we can grow up in our salvation. Without food a baby cannot grow. Without the Word of God we cannot grow in the knowledge and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. As we soak our heart in the Word of God, we grow from the increase that comes from God. Sow to the Spirit Let us acknowledge in our prayers that it is God’s Word that gives power for living the Christian life. Let us acknowledge that our flesh, in itse

You Have a Defender!

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“...He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone. 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...” (1 Peter 2:22–23) You Have a Defender When Jesus was on the earth, He went around doing good, healing the sick, lifting the fallen. He did nothing wrong, but He was misunderstood, criticized, belittled, ridiculed, and falsely accused. How did He respond to protect His reputation? Read today’s Scripture. He didn’t waste His time trying to prove to His critics that He was the Son of God. He just kept being His best, trusting His Father to settle His cases. We all have people who come against us and make negative comments about us. We spend too much time worrying about what they think, trying to defend ourselves and prove to people who we are. Why don’t you put your reputation in God’s hands? He said He will defend you, and He will vindicate you far better than you can vindicate yourself. You don

God’s Favor is Life!

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God’s Favor is Life! Memorize and Meditate “ For whoever finds me finds life, and obtains favor from the Lord. ” (Proverbs 8:35) Wisdom is what you and I want to find. If we find the right kind of wisdom we find life and favor from God. We know the wisdom of the world is foolishness to God. We know the preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. We know the wisdom of this world and the rulers of this world are coming to nothing. So we have a decision to make. Soak your Heart We want to soak our heart in the wisdom of God because it transforms the way we think and our attitude about what is going on in this world. The world seeks all that is in the process of perishing. We seek an imperishable crown. Sow to the Spirit Solomon asked for wisdom. Moses asked God to show him his ways, so he could know him and find grace and favor in God’s sight. This is what differentiates us from the rest of the world: God’s grace and favor. We seek that wisdom from above, because in

The King is Looking for You!

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“...Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table...” (2 Samuel 9:7) The King is Looking for You Mephibosheth was the grandson of King Saul. His father was Jonathan, David’s best friend. But when Saul and Jonathan were killed in battle, and with the enemy coming to wipe out Saul’s family, young Mephibosheth was crippled in an accident. He ended up living in exile for many years in a poor, run-down city named Lo Debar, barely surviving, with no family and no way out. But one day King David remembered his friend Jonathan and discovered that Mephibosheth was alive. He sent soldiers to look for Mephibosheth, then brought him to the palace to live as royalty and restored his family’s land. Perhaps you feel stuck in your own Lo Debar. The good news is, the King is looking for you. He wants to restore all that belongs

The Converterlator Mindset!

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The Converterlator Mindset Memorize and Meditate “ Riches don’t last forever, and the crown might not be passed to the next generation. ” (Proverbs 27:24) “ These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. ” (1 Peter 1:7) Soak your Heart Because we live in a perishing world, we “converterlators” must continually soak our hearts in the fact that earthly goals will pass away, along with riches, titles, positions, inheritances – all material things. Only what God guarantees will last forever. We cannot remind ourselves enough of the instruction the Word of God gives about meditating on his Word: “ Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in i

Use the Power of “But”!

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“...LORD, how they have increased who trouble me!... But You, O LORD, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head...” (Psalm 3:1, 3) Use the Power of “But” In today’s Scripture, David was saying, “God, my enemies are multiplying.” He not only had other armies trying to stop him, but his own son Absalom was trying to take the kingdom from him. David could have thought, I can handle people from the outside trying to take me down, but now it’s my own son. I’m done. This could have been David’s end. But after David stated the hard facts, he took it one step further and said, “But You, O Lord, are my shield.” Notice that David added the “but.” “I’m having a lot of trouble, but the Lord is my shield.” What’s the message? Don’t let the enemy have the last word. Always add the “but.” “The medical report doesn’t look good, but the Lord is my healer. “A coworker did me wrong, but God is fighting my battles.” “I went through a loss, but God has beauty for ashes.” Every time som

The Growth Factor!

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The Growth Factor Memorize and Meditate “ Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment… ” (1 Peter 2:2) “… so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. ” (Colossians 1:10) “ Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ. ” (Ephesians 4:15) Soak your Heart We are like a seed planted in the soil. The seed’s purpose is to grow and multiply into something much greater than itself. It has to die and germinate before it can grow. God’s goal is to grow us into the likeness of Christ. He wants to equip us for helping to build the church—the body of Christ—with the gifts he has given us. This is why he continually reminds us to cry out for the nourishment of his Word. Only his Word, through the work of the Holy Spirit, can make us grow into the

Favor Connections!

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“...But Noah found favor with the LORD...” (Genesis 6:8) Favor Connections When the great flood covered the earth, Noah’s family was the only one that was saved. It was because Noah found favor with the Lord. It doesn’t say Noah’s sons had favor, but because they were connected to Noah, their lives were spared. The principle is, when you are connected with people who are favored, people who are further along, people who are more successful, then that favor will flow down to you. You’ll see increase and blessing because of your association. The question is, are you connected to people who inspire you, challenge you, and make you strive to do better? Or, are you connected to people who are negative, drain your energy, and cause you to compromise? Eventually, you’re going to become like whoever you’re connected to. You need to disconnect from people who are hindering your growth and find some favor connections—people who are going places, who are at another level, who have what you dream

Convictions are Key!

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Convictions are Key “ Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. ” (Romans 4:20-21) Abraham is a prime example of one who was fully persuaded that God would perform what he had promised. That is conviction. Conviction was a controlling factor in Abraham’s life, and he ordered his life accordingly, experiencing the blessing of God. Conviction is a key component of faith. When a person lacks conviction, their faith wavers and the promises of God may not be fulfilled. Scripture tells us, “W hen you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord ” (James 1:6–7). We must have the conviction that the Word of God is living and powerful, and that it works in those who receive and trust in it. The promises of G

PRAY!

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Almighty God, eternal is your reign. Thank you for your steadfast love and faithfulness. Daily will I praise you and glorify your holy name. Amen.

God Does Respond!

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God Does Respond! Memorize and Meditate “ Then he said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer. ’” (Daniel 10:12) Soak your Heart If we would take time to follow the example of Daniel, we would place ourselves in a position where God can and will answer our prayers. This is truly a secret of the kingdom. Daniel was a student; he practiced soaking his heart in the Word of God and he continually sought God’s counsel. Position and wealth did not separate him from his relationship with God. Instead, he humbled himself under the mighty hand of God, believing and knowing God would act in his way and time. God honored that trust and acquainted Daniel with his ways. Sow to the Spirit As I memorize and meditate on this verse, Father, I crave understanding so I can bring my life into conformance with your will. I humble myself before you,

God Delivers the Righteous!

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God Delivers the Righteous Memorize and Meditate “ So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment. ” (2 Peter 2:9) Soak your Heart This interesting passage comes after Peter’s account of how the Lord delivered Noah and Lot from what would appear to be impossible circumstances. Both lived in “evil times,” with their respective peer groups living lives totally inconsistent with the plan of God for mankind. However, God delivered each of them, with their families, in his way and timing. Noah had a close walk with the Lord and he obeyed the Lord’s instructions regarding building the ark. Then, in God’s timing, Noah moved his family and the animals into the ark. God shut the door, releasing the waters from the deep that flooded the earth. Righteous Lot was delivered when God sent angelic messengers to take him and his family out of the city before he sent fire and brimstone from heaven t

PRAY!

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God of grace and mercy, you alone are God and worthy of praise. You are indeed mighty, and I am in awe of your wondrous deeds. Thank you, Lord God, for your saving love. Amen.

Keep Casting Your Net!

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“...He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish...” (John 21:6) Keep Casting Your Net Peter was an experienced fisherman and had been out in the boat all night. He had worked hard, used his best techniques, threw out the nets just where he thought the fish would be, again and again, hour after hour, but nothing. Early the next morning, a man shouted from the beach to throw the net on the right side of the boat. When they did, they caught so many fish they couldn’t haul the net in. Right then, Peter recognized that the man on the beach was Jesus. Like Peter, you may have worked hard toward your dreams, done your best, used your expertise, exhausted yourself, and come up empty. But God knows where your fish are. God is saying, “Throw out your nets one more time.” The struggle, the disappointment, and the lack were only tests. Your fish are still there. If you’ll thro

Focus on Christ, Not on the Problem!

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Focus on Christ, Not on the Problem Memorize and Meditate “ Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light. ” (Micah 7:8) Soak your Heart We must train our minds to focus on the Lord when we are dealing with problems. If we focus on our problems, we will sink in the ocean of trouble, just as Peter did when he took his eyes off the Lord. The Lord wants to purge us of self-trust so we can learn to trust in him. The mountain of self must be moved out of the way. Otherwise, we short-circuit his power from flowing through us. The way out is to  memorize, meditate on , and  practice  what Micah said in this passage of Scripture. This “formula” for deliverance is still valid today! As we focus on the person of Jesus Christ, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, then we will have a shot at deliverance. He is the source of power. He delivers us from our circumstances, subject to his training us and changing

Before You Let Go!

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“...I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw...” (Proverbs 24:32) Before You Let Go When we make poor choices, get into a relationship that we knew would not be good, or get in over our head in our spending, there’s always pain that follows. We talk about how important it is to let go of the past, to let go of the divorce, the failure, the bad break, and that’s true. But before you let go of the negative event, remember the lesson you learned from the experience. You’re doing yourself a disservice if you go through a painful time and don’t come out with what you were supposed to gain. Don’t waste the pain and go through it again. Are you bringing pain on yourself? Are you struggling with relationships that don’t last, perhaps because you keep saying everything you feel like saying? The pain will stop if you learn the lesson and zip it up. Be big enough to say, “Here’s where I missed it, but I’m not going to do it again.” A Prayer for Today "Father

Secular Failure, Spiritual Victory!

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Secular Failure, Spiritual Victory Memorize and Meditate “ What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. ” (Philippians 3:8–9) Soak your Heart We need to soak our hearts in this passage often. It contains some hard lessons, from both a secular and fleshly standpoint. The standards of the world system and the kingdom of God are diametrically opposed. Paul makes it clear that knowing Christ far surpasses any earthly, perishable goal the world has to offer. Paul lost everything to know Christ; he considered anything that would rob him of experiencing Christ as rubbish. He wanted his entire life sourced in Christ and hidden in Christ. He wanted his righteousnes

What God Marvels At!

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“...When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith...” (Matthew 8:10) What God Marvels At When a Roman officer came to Jesus and said, “One of my employees is very sick, but you don’t have to come to my house. Just speak the word, and I know he’ll be healed,” Jesus marveled at his faith. In Mark 6, it says that Jesus also marveled at the unbelief He was met with in His hometown. What’s interesting is that the people who doubted were the religious people. They were in the synagogue every week. The Roman officer wasn’t a religious person. He hadn’t been indoctrinated to think that it couldn’t happen. He simply believed that Jesus was the Son of God. When God looks at you, what does He marvel at? Why don’t you come over into faith? You may think that you’re not religious enough, that God would never help you, but God is not looking for religion. He’s looking for people who simply believe in H

Push the RESET Button on Your Prayer Life!

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Push the RESET Button on Your Prayer Life Memorize and Meditate “ It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. ” (Lamentations 3:26) It is so difficult to follow this seemingly simple instruction, isn’t it? We get caught in circumstances beyond our control and experience pain, frustration, anger, suffering, and mental and emotional strain. These conditions can gain control of us. Soak your Heart Scripture counsels us not to be controlled by these “fleshly” factors: “ Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. ” (Psalm 37:5–8) Waiting for the salvation of the Lord is particularly painful when the impatient side of our sinful nature wants a solution

He’s Not Limited by Seasons!

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“...For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had...” (John 5:4) He’s Not Limited by Seasons There was a crippled man who had been lying by the pool of Bethesda for thirty-eight years. The people knew when it was the season for the angel to come. This man knew that was his window of opportunity to get well. One day Jesus came and said to him, “Do you want to get well?” I can imagine the man was confused. It wasn’t the right season for the angel to come. But Jesus said to the man, “Get up, pick up your bed, and walk.” Instantly the man was healed. Don’t be surprised when God shows up and you aren’t expecting it. God likes to break the rules, so to speak, to do things that we can’t explain. You don’t see any way, the odds are against you. God doesn’t have to wait for the training, for the boss to like you, for the loan to go through, for the eco

The Mountain of Self: Our Persistent Enemy!

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The Mountain of Self: Our Persistent Enemy Memorize and Meditate Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. ’ (Mark 11:22–24) Other than Satan, the  Mountain of Self  is our greatest enemy. Only the Lord can deal effectively with the big “I” that needs to be broken, so Christ can live in and through us. Soak your Heart Only the work of the Spirit through God’s Word will bring the transformation we need. Only the Spirit can cast the  Mountain of Self  into the sea. Sow to the Spirit Pray:  Father, the  Mountain of Self  is too big for me to deal with alone. Only you have the power to conquer it. Only you can empower me to deny myself so you can work out your will in my life. Flow with

Come Alive!

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“...Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: Behold I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live...” (Ezekiel 37:4–5) Come Alive The prophet Ezekiel saw a vision of a valley filled with bones. It was like a huge graveyard of bones from people who had died. Bones represent things in our life that look dead, situations that seem impossible and permanently unchanging. God said, “Prophesy to these dead bones.” Ezekiel started speaking to the bones, telling them to come alive. As he was speaking, the bones started rattling and coming together, morphing back into people. Finally, breath came into those bodies, and they stood up like “a vast army.” You may have things in your life that seem dead—a relationship, a business, your health. All you can see is a valley of dry bones, so to speak. It’s not enough to just pray about it; you need to speak to it. Prophesy to those dead bones. C