While it is true that every human being is born into sin because of Adam's treason in the Garden of Eden, once a person becomes born again, sin doesn't have to rule his or her life. Christians have a choice to either obey the Word of God or yield to the temptations of the enemy. By accepting Jesus as Lord and personal Savior, we are translated out of the kingdom of darkness and into God's kingdom. To remain in bondage to sin would be like sitting in a jail cell with an opened door. When we realize that sin is a choice and use the Word as a weapon against the enemy, we can break the sin cycle forever.
There will be many temptations in life. You may feel vulnerable at times, but one of the greatest benefits of salvation is the fact that through Christ, you are saved from sin and its eternal effects. Sin is a curse, a hindrance to God's blessings and the very obstacle that adds to and often causes the difficulties of life. Rather than subscribing to the belief that you "just can't help it," accept that you can! Whether or not you sin is based on the daily, conscious decisions that you make to obey or disobey God and His Word.
While it is possible to live a virtually sin-free life by focusing on the Word and practicing the presence of God, there will be times when you miss the mark. The temptation to sin does not magically disappear when you accept Jesus. Believers of all spiritual levels still have to deal with the temptations and suggestions of the devil and make a choice. You have authority over Satan, and when you are born again, you have a responsibility to uphold the Word of God. In doing so, you prove the Word and the promises of God to be true and you can defeat the enemy when he comes to tempt you.
Strive at all times to live in a way that is pleasing to God. He holds you accountable for your actions. Jesus said, "If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin [would be blameless]; but now they have no excuse for their sin" (John 15:22, The Amplified Bible). Once you know the truth, sin becomes a matter of personal choice. You demonstrate your faith and respect for God by exercising your willingness to choose His way of doing things over your own.
God is a loving Father and He has made provision to forgive you of every sin or mistake. First John 1:9 says that if you confess your sin, He is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse you of all unrighteousness. If you are born again, you can be forgiven as often as you ask. Yes, at times you will make decisions that fall short of the standards God has set in His Word but don't beat yourself up about it. Instead, exercise your right to be free from sin through repentance and forgiveness, and immediately begin renewing your mind so that you can make the right choices. Remember, no one just "falls" into sin without first thinking about it.
Being honest and admitting your shortcomings are the first steps on the road to freedom from the sin that binds you. God can't do anything for you if you are in denial about behavior that opposes His Word. If you gossip, lie or are involved in other forms of sin, admit that you have a problem and ask God to help you. Get in the Word of God and renew your mind in the area in which you have challenges. Confess your sin and move on. "For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved" (Romans 10:10, The New International Version).
The Word is your divine resource to combat sin. It is the source of answers to all of life's problems; there is nothing that you face that the Word does not cover. Life is a test. The enemy will use sin to try and distract you from God's plan, but you can break the sin cycle today. When you know who you are in Christ Jesus, and use the Word as your weapon against him, you will be spiritually prepared for any attack.
Source : Dr. Creflo A. Dollar is the senior pastor of World Changers Church International, 25,000 member church in College Park, Georgia. He is committed to changing the world one person at a time, and his award-winning "Changing Your World" television broadcast reaches nearly one billion homes worldwide.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Friday, October 26, 2007
Practising the Presence of GOD
Hi Brothers & Sisters,
This is an interesting book revealing you on how to practice the presence of GOD
Click on the link below:
http://www.practicegodspresence.com/brotherlawrence/index.html
Enjoy GOD's presence...
This is an interesting book revealing you on how to practice the presence of GOD
Click on the link below:
http://www.practicegodspresence.com/brotherlawrence/index.html
Enjoy GOD's presence...
Look Out for One Another
An unusual event occurred at the Special Olympics in Seattle. Nine mentally and physically handicapped runners took their places at the starting line of the 400-meter race. The race began and they ran as hard and fast as they could. About half way through the race one boy fell. He got up and started to run again. Then he fell again.
This time he lay there and started to cry. The other runners heard him and one by one they stopped running and went back to help him. They picked him up and all of them had to give him a reassuring hug. Then they joined hands and finished the race together.
The crowd and the judges were puzzled. Who won the race? After deliberation, the judges decided to award all nine runners the gold medal.
The world's system says, "Look out for number one." Christ says, "Look out for each other."
Carry each other's burdens and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Gal 6:2).
As you go throughout your activities of the day, be on the lookout for someone to pick up who has fallen down in the race of life.
Source: Dr. David C. Cooper serves as Senior Pastor of Mount Paran Church of God in Atlanta, GA.
This time he lay there and started to cry. The other runners heard him and one by one they stopped running and went back to help him. They picked him up and all of them had to give him a reassuring hug. Then they joined hands and finished the race together.
The crowd and the judges were puzzled. Who won the race? After deliberation, the judges decided to award all nine runners the gold medal.
The world's system says, "Look out for number one." Christ says, "Look out for each other."
Carry each other's burdens and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Gal 6:2).
As you go throughout your activities of the day, be on the lookout for someone to pick up who has fallen down in the race of life.
Source: Dr. David C. Cooper serves as Senior Pastor of Mount Paran Church of God in Atlanta, GA.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Namaan Story - The Healing Power of GOD
Hi Brothers & Sisters,
Find below a teaching done by Rev Carol M. Simpson, Associate Pastor ( The Healing Power of GOD )
TEXTS: 2 Kings 5:1-14; Mark 1:40-45
Our two scripture lessons for today both deal with the healing of lepers. They both demonstrate in dramatic fashion the awesome healing power of God! Leprosy was, and in some parts of the world still is, a disfiguring disease which made one a social outcast. It usually robbed people not only of physical health and mobility, but also of dignity. Those who were afflicted were frequently sent to live by themselves in fellowship only with other lepers.
But wait, you might say, in our Old Testament story, Naaman is a commander of the king's army, and so he is. The form of leprosy from which he suffers is evidently one of the more minor skin diseases of his day, one which does not cause fear of contagion, so he was not ostracized and was able to hold a responsible position in the king's army. Nevertheless, this story holds much information for us about the way God works in human lives.
One of the most significant bits of information comes early in the story when we learn that Namaan has recently brought victory to the King of Aram. This was not just some local skirmish, but a major victory resulting in the taking of land and prisoners. We learn that the maid, or servant girl, in this story was taken captive from the land of Israel. Think for a moment about the implications of that fact. This is a story about God healing a man who was directly responsible for the defeat of the Israelites! Here is proof that God cares about all people, evidence that God reaches out to all who suffer.
Namaan evidently suffered from a fairly mild form of leprosy, but he also suffered from a highly inflated ego. He was delighted when this Israelite servant girl suggested to him that healing of his affliction might be possible if he would but travel to see a prophet of whom she spoke. That didn't seem too difficult, so he requested permission from the king to take a leave of absence and travel to Samaria. The king, thrilled that his highly esteemed commander could perhaps be healed, agreed to send him to Samaria and even wrote glowing letters of introduction beseeching the king of Israel to heal his servant, Namaan.
The king of Israel, who had recently suffered defeat at the hands of the king of Aram, defeat brought about by the successful leadership of Namaan himself..., the poor king of Israel is beside himself. He fears that this is some kind of trap, that the king of Aram is seeking to provoke yet another battle and gain yet another victory at his expense. He knows that he himself is not even remotely capable of curing a man of leprosy, and he is very distraught when he reads the letter asking that he heal Namaan. But lucky for him, the prophet Elisha hears of his predicament and suggests that Naaman be sent to him. Elisha, was in fact, the prophet of whom the Israelite servant girl had spoken in the first place.
Namaan, with his horses and chariots loaded down with expensive gifts, goes to Elisha's house, fully expecting this miracle worker to come out, greet him, perhaps acknowledge his military prowess, and then with some magic power cure him of his leprosy. But it doesn't work that way. Elisha merely sends a messenger who instructs Namaan to go and wash in the Jordan river seven times in order to be healed.
This is where Namaan's ego gets in the way. He is incensed that Elisha doesn't come personally to see to his healing. He is, after all, a renowned military leader, and due some respect. On top of that, he is unwilling to believe that these foreign waters of the Jordan could have any kind of cleansing power that the waters of his own country couldn't have. He is furious and remarks to his servants, "I thought that for me he would surely come out, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and would wave his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy." Did you hear that? "I thought that for me, he would surely come out..." Naaman wants nothing to do with a healer who shows him no respect, and he figures that if washing in the Jordan seven times can cure him, he might as well go home and wash seven times in his own rivers. Phooey on these Israelites and their magic powers!
But a wise servant interrupts Naaman's ranting and raving, and says to him: "If the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it?" He recognizes that Naaman's ego would prompt him to attempt any difficult task in order to demonstrate his prowess. Then the servant goes on to suggest that if Naaman is prepared to do something difficult, he is being downright foolish not to do something as simple as washing in the river if it holds the promise of healing.
So Naaman reluctantly goes to the Jordan and does as Elisha instructed, and after washing seven times, his skin is indeed restored and becomes like the smooth clean skin of a young boy. The victory here clearly belongs to God and to his prophet, Elisha. Naaman did nothing which he can claim contributed to the healing. It was only in his ultimate humble obedience and submission that healing occurred.
Contrast this story about Naaman with the story which we read from the gospel of Mark. The main character is once again a leper, but this time the leper is not a famous commander, not someone with an enormous ego. This leper comes alone to Jesus, not accompanied by a retinue of servants, not bearing expensive gifts. He comes, and kneeling before Jesus, he simply and sincerely says: "If you choose, you can make me clean." That is faith in its simplest and purest form. The leper kneels before Jesus in a act of respect and submission. He does not come demanding to be made clean, but instead humbly and sincerely asks Jesus to have the will to heal him. He already knows, he believes, that Jesus has the power to heal, so he asks Jesus to make a conscious decision to use His healing powers on his behalf, not because he is anyone special, not because he comes with letters of recommendation from government officials, just because he is afflicted and desires to be made whole. And Jesus, with the compassion which is so characteristic of Him, is moved to pity, and He stretches out His hand and says to the leper: "I do choose. Be made clean!" We are told that immediately the man was healed of his leprosy. Jesus then asks him to tell no one and to simply go and show himself to the priest as testimony. But the healed leper, after fulfilling his religious duty, could not contain his joy, and he told everyone he encountered about the miraculous healing power of Jesus. Just imagine his delight at being able to go where he had not previously been allowed to go, to talk to those who would have shunned him only hours earlier. Not only was his health restored, his life in community was restored as well.
These two stories share a common theme, but the plots are very different. The lessons to be learned are timeless and eternal. First and foremost, God is good. God desires to heal those who suffer from both minor and major ailments. It is not God's will for us to endure pain, although often God uses our pain to teach us, to toughen us, and to strengthen us.
Secondly, God cares about both body and soul. God healed more than just Namaan's skin. He deflated Namaan's ego and taught him a lesson about faith at the same time. If we continue reading in 2 Kings, we discover that after bathing in the Jordan and finding his flesh restored, Namaan returned to Elisha, a greatly humbled man, desiring to make offerings, and promising to henceforth worship only the God of Israel.
Surely the story in Mark's gospel is also one about holistic medicine. Jesus understands that the leper suffers from much more than just a skin disease. He is an outcast, unable to find respect or even fellowship except among other lepers. Jesus desires to restore this man not just to health, but to wholeness.
The healing power of God is what we call upon when we pray to God on behalf of a friend or loved one who is ill. The healing power of God is the power which slowly binds our broken hearts when a loved one dies. The healing power of God is visible as world leaders come to the table together to negotiate peace. The healing power of God is everywhere if we but stop to look for it!
Even more awesome than the presence of that healing power is the challenge presented to us to claim that healing power for ourselves and to use it for good. It is not to be claimed as part of an ego trip ("See, look what I can do!") but is instead to be claimed so that we can become servants and ministers to those in need. Jesus sent out His twelve disciples telling them to "Proclaim the good news. To cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons." Later, He sent out the seventy with much the same mandate, directing them also to "cure the sick."
Now none of us would be so bold as to attempt to wave our hand over someone's afflicted body and pronounce them whole and expect healing to occur instantaneously. But each of us is capable of calling God's healing power into any given situation through faith and prayer. In fact, I would be so bold as to suggest that we have a responsibility to do so. We know that God can heal. We know that God hears prayer. We know that there is a growing body of scientific evidence which suggests that prayer makes a real difference in the healing and recovery of those who are ill. If we know of this power and we believe in God's ability to heal, then we have a Christian obligation to pray for those in need. Did Jesus not say "In as much as you did it not to the least of these, you did it not to me?"
I believe wholeheartedly in the power of prayer. Countless times I have seen and felt that power at work. We have good friends with a daughter who was critically injured in an automobile accident back in October of 1996. Many of her vertebrae were crushed and surgery later fused most of them. Lorraine was classified as a quadriplegic incomplete, meaning that she had some paralysis in all four limbs. Yet today she is walking, and aside from some weakness in her arms and shoulders, she functions quite normally. She returned to Syracuse University the following Fall and graduated with her class. Today she is enrolled in graduate studies in rehabilitation therapy. I believe, her family believes, and she believes that prayer and the healing power of God played a major role in her recovery. It is not ours to understand God's healing power or to guess why some are completely healed and others are not. It is not for us to know God's ways, but it is for us to believe in God's healing power and to use prayer to invoke that power whenever we see someone in need of God's healing touch. We ought not limit the scope of God's healing to physical problems either. God can also heal the hurt of broken relationships. God can heal the hurt of broken dreams. God can heal the deep wounds which we inflict upon one another with hurtful words or deeds.
Through the gift of His Son, God sought to heal not only individuals, but the whole world. God sent Jesus to proclaim liberty to the oppressed and release to the captives, to bind up the wounds of the brokenhearted. God sent Jesus to teach the world to love, to heal the wounds caused by oppressive social systems. Christianity has the power to change the world because it can call upon, and bring into practice, the healing power of God. We, as Christians, can be part of that healing process by allowing God to work through us, by becoming channels of God's love, by becoming God's agents of change and of healing in a hurting world.
The healing power of God is ever-present. It exists all around us and seeks conduits through which it can touch and heal. We can guide, direct and channel that healing power through prayer, by inviting God into the everyday circumstances of our lives, and into the lives of our family and friends.
The healing power of God is for you and for me. It is ours individually and collectively. It is ours to claim and to share. Let us give thanks and praise to the Lord our God whose healing touch can make us whole. Amen.
Find below a teaching done by Rev Carol M. Simpson, Associate Pastor ( The Healing Power of GOD )
TEXTS: 2 Kings 5:1-14; Mark 1:40-45
Our two scripture lessons for today both deal with the healing of lepers. They both demonstrate in dramatic fashion the awesome healing power of God! Leprosy was, and in some parts of the world still is, a disfiguring disease which made one a social outcast. It usually robbed people not only of physical health and mobility, but also of dignity. Those who were afflicted were frequently sent to live by themselves in fellowship only with other lepers.
But wait, you might say, in our Old Testament story, Naaman is a commander of the king's army, and so he is. The form of leprosy from which he suffers is evidently one of the more minor skin diseases of his day, one which does not cause fear of contagion, so he was not ostracized and was able to hold a responsible position in the king's army. Nevertheless, this story holds much information for us about the way God works in human lives.
One of the most significant bits of information comes early in the story when we learn that Namaan has recently brought victory to the King of Aram. This was not just some local skirmish, but a major victory resulting in the taking of land and prisoners. We learn that the maid, or servant girl, in this story was taken captive from the land of Israel. Think for a moment about the implications of that fact. This is a story about God healing a man who was directly responsible for the defeat of the Israelites! Here is proof that God cares about all people, evidence that God reaches out to all who suffer.
Namaan evidently suffered from a fairly mild form of leprosy, but he also suffered from a highly inflated ego. He was delighted when this Israelite servant girl suggested to him that healing of his affliction might be possible if he would but travel to see a prophet of whom she spoke. That didn't seem too difficult, so he requested permission from the king to take a leave of absence and travel to Samaria. The king, thrilled that his highly esteemed commander could perhaps be healed, agreed to send him to Samaria and even wrote glowing letters of introduction beseeching the king of Israel to heal his servant, Namaan.
The king of Israel, who had recently suffered defeat at the hands of the king of Aram, defeat brought about by the successful leadership of Namaan himself..., the poor king of Israel is beside himself. He fears that this is some kind of trap, that the king of Aram is seeking to provoke yet another battle and gain yet another victory at his expense. He knows that he himself is not even remotely capable of curing a man of leprosy, and he is very distraught when he reads the letter asking that he heal Namaan. But lucky for him, the prophet Elisha hears of his predicament and suggests that Naaman be sent to him. Elisha, was in fact, the prophet of whom the Israelite servant girl had spoken in the first place.
Namaan, with his horses and chariots loaded down with expensive gifts, goes to Elisha's house, fully expecting this miracle worker to come out, greet him, perhaps acknowledge his military prowess, and then with some magic power cure him of his leprosy. But it doesn't work that way. Elisha merely sends a messenger who instructs Namaan to go and wash in the Jordan river seven times in order to be healed.
This is where Namaan's ego gets in the way. He is incensed that Elisha doesn't come personally to see to his healing. He is, after all, a renowned military leader, and due some respect. On top of that, he is unwilling to believe that these foreign waters of the Jordan could have any kind of cleansing power that the waters of his own country couldn't have. He is furious and remarks to his servants, "I thought that for me he would surely come out, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and would wave his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy." Did you hear that? "I thought that for me, he would surely come out..." Naaman wants nothing to do with a healer who shows him no respect, and he figures that if washing in the Jordan seven times can cure him, he might as well go home and wash seven times in his own rivers. Phooey on these Israelites and their magic powers!
But a wise servant interrupts Naaman's ranting and raving, and says to him: "If the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it?" He recognizes that Naaman's ego would prompt him to attempt any difficult task in order to demonstrate his prowess. Then the servant goes on to suggest that if Naaman is prepared to do something difficult, he is being downright foolish not to do something as simple as washing in the river if it holds the promise of healing.
So Naaman reluctantly goes to the Jordan and does as Elisha instructed, and after washing seven times, his skin is indeed restored and becomes like the smooth clean skin of a young boy. The victory here clearly belongs to God and to his prophet, Elisha. Naaman did nothing which he can claim contributed to the healing. It was only in his ultimate humble obedience and submission that healing occurred.
Contrast this story about Naaman with the story which we read from the gospel of Mark. The main character is once again a leper, but this time the leper is not a famous commander, not someone with an enormous ego. This leper comes alone to Jesus, not accompanied by a retinue of servants, not bearing expensive gifts. He comes, and kneeling before Jesus, he simply and sincerely says: "If you choose, you can make me clean." That is faith in its simplest and purest form. The leper kneels before Jesus in a act of respect and submission. He does not come demanding to be made clean, but instead humbly and sincerely asks Jesus to have the will to heal him. He already knows, he believes, that Jesus has the power to heal, so he asks Jesus to make a conscious decision to use His healing powers on his behalf, not because he is anyone special, not because he comes with letters of recommendation from government officials, just because he is afflicted and desires to be made whole. And Jesus, with the compassion which is so characteristic of Him, is moved to pity, and He stretches out His hand and says to the leper: "I do choose. Be made clean!" We are told that immediately the man was healed of his leprosy. Jesus then asks him to tell no one and to simply go and show himself to the priest as testimony. But the healed leper, after fulfilling his religious duty, could not contain his joy, and he told everyone he encountered about the miraculous healing power of Jesus. Just imagine his delight at being able to go where he had not previously been allowed to go, to talk to those who would have shunned him only hours earlier. Not only was his health restored, his life in community was restored as well.
These two stories share a common theme, but the plots are very different. The lessons to be learned are timeless and eternal. First and foremost, God is good. God desires to heal those who suffer from both minor and major ailments. It is not God's will for us to endure pain, although often God uses our pain to teach us, to toughen us, and to strengthen us.
Secondly, God cares about both body and soul. God healed more than just Namaan's skin. He deflated Namaan's ego and taught him a lesson about faith at the same time. If we continue reading in 2 Kings, we discover that after bathing in the Jordan and finding his flesh restored, Namaan returned to Elisha, a greatly humbled man, desiring to make offerings, and promising to henceforth worship only the God of Israel.
Surely the story in Mark's gospel is also one about holistic medicine. Jesus understands that the leper suffers from much more than just a skin disease. He is an outcast, unable to find respect or even fellowship except among other lepers. Jesus desires to restore this man not just to health, but to wholeness.
The healing power of God is what we call upon when we pray to God on behalf of a friend or loved one who is ill. The healing power of God is the power which slowly binds our broken hearts when a loved one dies. The healing power of God is visible as world leaders come to the table together to negotiate peace. The healing power of God is everywhere if we but stop to look for it!
Even more awesome than the presence of that healing power is the challenge presented to us to claim that healing power for ourselves and to use it for good. It is not to be claimed as part of an ego trip ("See, look what I can do!") but is instead to be claimed so that we can become servants and ministers to those in need. Jesus sent out His twelve disciples telling them to "Proclaim the good news. To cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons." Later, He sent out the seventy with much the same mandate, directing them also to "cure the sick."
Now none of us would be so bold as to attempt to wave our hand over someone's afflicted body and pronounce them whole and expect healing to occur instantaneously. But each of us is capable of calling God's healing power into any given situation through faith and prayer. In fact, I would be so bold as to suggest that we have a responsibility to do so. We know that God can heal. We know that God hears prayer. We know that there is a growing body of scientific evidence which suggests that prayer makes a real difference in the healing and recovery of those who are ill. If we know of this power and we believe in God's ability to heal, then we have a Christian obligation to pray for those in need. Did Jesus not say "In as much as you did it not to the least of these, you did it not to me?"
I believe wholeheartedly in the power of prayer. Countless times I have seen and felt that power at work. We have good friends with a daughter who was critically injured in an automobile accident back in October of 1996. Many of her vertebrae were crushed and surgery later fused most of them. Lorraine was classified as a quadriplegic incomplete, meaning that she had some paralysis in all four limbs. Yet today she is walking, and aside from some weakness in her arms and shoulders, she functions quite normally. She returned to Syracuse University the following Fall and graduated with her class. Today she is enrolled in graduate studies in rehabilitation therapy. I believe, her family believes, and she believes that prayer and the healing power of God played a major role in her recovery. It is not ours to understand God's healing power or to guess why some are completely healed and others are not. It is not for us to know God's ways, but it is for us to believe in God's healing power and to use prayer to invoke that power whenever we see someone in need of God's healing touch. We ought not limit the scope of God's healing to physical problems either. God can also heal the hurt of broken relationships. God can heal the hurt of broken dreams. God can heal the deep wounds which we inflict upon one another with hurtful words or deeds.
Through the gift of His Son, God sought to heal not only individuals, but the whole world. God sent Jesus to proclaim liberty to the oppressed and release to the captives, to bind up the wounds of the brokenhearted. God sent Jesus to teach the world to love, to heal the wounds caused by oppressive social systems. Christianity has the power to change the world because it can call upon, and bring into practice, the healing power of God. We, as Christians, can be part of that healing process by allowing God to work through us, by becoming channels of God's love, by becoming God's agents of change and of healing in a hurting world.
The healing power of God is ever-present. It exists all around us and seeks conduits through which it can touch and heal. We can guide, direct and channel that healing power through prayer, by inviting God into the everyday circumstances of our lives, and into the lives of our family and friends.
The healing power of God is for you and for me. It is ours individually and collectively. It is ours to claim and to share. Let us give thanks and praise to the Lord our God whose healing touch can make us whole. Amen.
Overcoming Pride
Namaan Story
2nd Kings 5:1-5, 9-15a (5:1-27)
VI Namaan is a common name in Syria and means gracious. And Namaan is an
example of God's Grace even to unbelievers, Matt.5:44-45. For Christ is the
Savoir of all men-especially to those that believe. Namaan was a great man,
for he was the supreme commander of the Syrian army, he was a man of high
social standing and prominence, he was honorable in the eyes of his master,
because of the military victories that he won, which the Lord gave him, and
he was a man of valor and that is one of great wealth and a courageous
warrior. But in the midst of all his honors, Namaan was under great
affliction, for he was a leper and this loath some disease made him a burden
to himself. Note: No man's greatness can set him out of the reach of the
greatest calamities of human life, 1st Peter 1:24-25. Note: All human kind
have some blemish that diminishes him, dampens his joy, that they are not as
happy as they would or could be. As great as Namaan was the lowest slave in
Syria would not change skins w/him.
V2-3 Naman led the Syrian army across Israel's borders, and on one of his
raids, he captured a young Israelite girl, used as his servant to his wife,
this young girl ultimately told him about Elisha a prophet in Samaria. By
God's providence and divine intervention into Namaan's life, this young girl
was placed in Syria by God for a special purpose, and she was faithful. And
although she was a servant she was concerned about the good of her master.
V4, It is possible Namaan may have thought, to be healed of leprosy was not
possible, for there was no cure. Nevertheless he told the King of Syria what
the Israelite girl said to him. And v5 Namaan makes preparation to go to the
King of Israel, w/the help of a letter and financial support from the King
of Syria. Note:, those who have wealth and want health show which is the
most valuable blessing, and what they will give for ease and strength and
soundness of body. Consider Matt. 16:25-26. Read v6-8 and notice Namaan an
unbeliever was seeking the God of Israel, which the king of Israel would not
even do himself. V7 King Jehoram of Israel thought that w/ King Ben-Hadad
expected him to cure Namaan's leprosy which he knew was impossible, and this
grieved him because he thought he was doomed to have a major battle w/King
Beb-Hadad of Syria, however v8.
V9-10, Namaan a great hero was use to getting respect and was outraged v11,
when Elisha treated him like an ordinary person. In God's wisdom, God would
have Elisha to send a messenger, because Namaan who was a proud man needed
to learn and understand that all men stand at the same level before The
Great God of this universe. Consider James 4:6 - 1st Peter 5:6 - Proverb
16:18-19. To wash in the river was one thing, but the Jordan river was dirty
and cold, which Namaan thought was beneath a man of his position, and the
cold water would have been hurtful for someone w/leprosy. But the Jordan
River was a sign of the cure, and a trial of his obedience, which is
absolutely necessary for those who will be helped by God. Note: Obedience
unto God is an expression of one's humility, which is absolutely necessary
in receiving God's Grace. V11-12 Because of his personal greatness Namaan
expected personal attention for his needs, and a cleansing ceremony from the
prophet himself. Namaan became very angry because he didn't receive the
attention he thought he deserved. He was filled w/pride thinking he was more
than what he was. He did not recognize that all he has and all he is, is
because of God's Grace in his life, James 1:17. Namaan also became angry
when he was told to wash in the Jordan River, Namaan thought the rivers in
his own country v12, were much better than all the waters of Israel, but God
called the land of Israel, the glory of all lands and particularly for its
brooks of water, Deu.8:7. He could wash in the waters of his country and be
cleaned from dirt, but not from leprosy. He did not consider that the Jordan
River belonged to Israel's God, from whom Namaan was to expect the cure, and
not from the gods of Damascus. The Jordan River, as dirty as it was, watered
the Lord's land, His Holy Land. Jordan was the river appointed for Namaan's
healing and if Namaan would be cured by the Divine Power of God he would
have to submit to the Divine will of God, w/o asking any questions. Like it
is for us today as simple as it is, we must by faith accept God's plan of
Salvation by believing in the Blood-Death-Burial-Resurrection of Christ to
be saved, and rather than look for other ways to be saved, we should thank
God that He provided at least one way John 14:6, because He didn't have to
do that. Like for many people today God's method of curing Namaan from this
fatal disease was to simple. Namaan in his own wisdom like many today look
down on the wisdom of God, they don't understand that God's ways are not our
ways and are much better than ours. Consider Isa.55:8-9 - 1st Cor.1:18-25.
V13-14 T hey call him father, something not commonly used by servants to
refer to their masters. But father is used here to express the warmness the
servants felt toward their master Namaan. Namaan was like many people today
who are willing to do anything no matter how hard, to attain the goals they
desire, but when it came to a simple act of obedience to be cured, Namaan
like many today was unwilling. However his servants were able to convince
him to give it a try, and Namaan was healed. Note: When diseased sinners
come to that point that they are willing to take Christ on His own terms,
and have Christ on any terms then and only then will there be hope of
healing. Namaan was blessed that God surrounded him w/those who would be
honest w/him and tell him of his faults. It was also God's Grace and Mercy
upon Namaan, that Namaan was willing to listen and especially to those who
were inferior to him. V15 After being healed Namaan returns to Elisha's
house in Samaria, convinced and confessing the power of the God of Israel.
And not only that He is God, but He is The One and Only True God of all the
earth and all the universe.
In Jesus Name Amen
2nd Kings 5:1-5, 9-15a (5:1-27)
VI Namaan is a common name in Syria and means gracious. And Namaan is an
example of God's Grace even to unbelievers, Matt.5:44-45. For Christ is the
Savoir of all men-especially to those that believe. Namaan was a great man,
for he was the supreme commander of the Syrian army, he was a man of high
social standing and prominence, he was honorable in the eyes of his master,
because of the military victories that he won, which the Lord gave him, and
he was a man of valor and that is one of great wealth and a courageous
warrior. But in the midst of all his honors, Namaan was under great
affliction, for he was a leper and this loath some disease made him a burden
to himself. Note: No man's greatness can set him out of the reach of the
greatest calamities of human life, 1st Peter 1:24-25. Note: All human kind
have some blemish that diminishes him, dampens his joy, that they are not as
happy as they would or could be. As great as Namaan was the lowest slave in
Syria would not change skins w/him.
V2-3 Naman led the Syrian army across Israel's borders, and on one of his
raids, he captured a young Israelite girl, used as his servant to his wife,
this young girl ultimately told him about Elisha a prophet in Samaria. By
God's providence and divine intervention into Namaan's life, this young girl
was placed in Syria by God for a special purpose, and she was faithful. And
although she was a servant she was concerned about the good of her master.
V4, It is possible Namaan may have thought, to be healed of leprosy was not
possible, for there was no cure. Nevertheless he told the King of Syria what
the Israelite girl said to him. And v5 Namaan makes preparation to go to the
King of Israel, w/the help of a letter and financial support from the King
of Syria. Note:, those who have wealth and want health show which is the
most valuable blessing, and what they will give for ease and strength and
soundness of body. Consider Matt. 16:25-26. Read v6-8 and notice Namaan an
unbeliever was seeking the God of Israel, which the king of Israel would not
even do himself. V7 King Jehoram of Israel thought that w/ King Ben-Hadad
expected him to cure Namaan's leprosy which he knew was impossible, and this
grieved him because he thought he was doomed to have a major battle w/King
Beb-Hadad of Syria, however v8.
V9-10, Namaan a great hero was use to getting respect and was outraged v11,
when Elisha treated him like an ordinary person. In God's wisdom, God would
have Elisha to send a messenger, because Namaan who was a proud man needed
to learn and understand that all men stand at the same level before The
Great God of this universe. Consider James 4:6 - 1st Peter 5:6 - Proverb
16:18-19. To wash in the river was one thing, but the Jordan river was dirty
and cold, which Namaan thought was beneath a man of his position, and the
cold water would have been hurtful for someone w/leprosy. But the Jordan
River was a sign of the cure, and a trial of his obedience, which is
absolutely necessary for those who will be helped by God. Note: Obedience
unto God is an expression of one's humility, which is absolutely necessary
in receiving God's Grace. V11-12 Because of his personal greatness Namaan
expected personal attention for his needs, and a cleansing ceremony from the
prophet himself. Namaan became very angry because he didn't receive the
attention he thought he deserved. He was filled w/pride thinking he was more
than what he was. He did not recognize that all he has and all he is, is
because of God's Grace in his life, James 1:17. Namaan also became angry
when he was told to wash in the Jordan River, Namaan thought the rivers in
his own country v12, were much better than all the waters of Israel, but God
called the land of Israel, the glory of all lands and particularly for its
brooks of water, Deu.8:7. He could wash in the waters of his country and be
cleaned from dirt, but not from leprosy. He did not consider that the Jordan
River belonged to Israel's God, from whom Namaan was to expect the cure, and
not from the gods of Damascus. The Jordan River, as dirty as it was, watered
the Lord's land, His Holy Land. Jordan was the river appointed for Namaan's
healing and if Namaan would be cured by the Divine Power of God he would
have to submit to the Divine will of God, w/o asking any questions. Like it
is for us today as simple as it is, we must by faith accept God's plan of
Salvation by believing in the Blood-Death-Burial-Resurrection of Christ to
be saved, and rather than look for other ways to be saved, we should thank
God that He provided at least one way John 14:6, because He didn't have to
do that. Like for many people today God's method of curing Namaan from this
fatal disease was to simple. Namaan in his own wisdom like many today look
down on the wisdom of God, they don't understand that God's ways are not our
ways and are much better than ours. Consider Isa.55:8-9 - 1st Cor.1:18-25.
V13-14 T hey call him father, something not commonly used by servants to
refer to their masters. But father is used here to express the warmness the
servants felt toward their master Namaan. Namaan was like many people today
who are willing to do anything no matter how hard, to attain the goals they
desire, but when it came to a simple act of obedience to be cured, Namaan
like many today was unwilling. However his servants were able to convince
him to give it a try, and Namaan was healed. Note: When diseased sinners
come to that point that they are willing to take Christ on His own terms,
and have Christ on any terms then and only then will there be hope of
healing. Namaan was blessed that God surrounded him w/those who would be
honest w/him and tell him of his faults. It was also God's Grace and Mercy
upon Namaan, that Namaan was willing to listen and especially to those who
were inferior to him. V15 After being healed Namaan returns to Elisha's
house in Samaria, convinced and confessing the power of the God of Israel.
And not only that He is God, but He is The One and Only True God of all the
earth and all the universe.
In Jesus Name Amen
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Communicating Your Faith
"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." Mark 16:15, 16
This passage of scripture is commonly known as "The Great Commission." Within this passage we see Jesus instructing His disciples to take the gospel message to the world. In doing so they were communicating their faith (what they believed) to unbelievers in an attempt to persuade lost men to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. This charge wasn't for the disciples only, but for every born again believer in Christ.
The scriptures often speak to us concerning soul winning. I'm going to share two of those passages with you. The first is Proverbs 11:30 "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise." The second, James 5:20 "Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his ways shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." Jesus while on earth was the master soul winner, consequently, being His disciples we should be soul winners too. We should be willing to convey our faith to others. To become a soul winner I feel there are three essential character traits which must be evident in the life of the believer to effectively communicate his or her faith. Let's examine these three attributes.
1) You must have had a true born again experience:
"For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received." 1 Corinthians 15:3
Paul a true champion of the faith said, I first had to experience salvation to successfully communicate the salvation message to others. While journeying to Damascus Paul had a spiritual encounter with God which changed his life forever. Having been quicken by the Holy Spirit, Paul went from persecuting the church to winning many souls to Christ. Often when sharing his faith he began with his conversion experience (testimony). (See Acts 26:13-19) This type of conviction does not come about by joining a church or being a church member. However, a person who has truly been born again will be eager to share his or her experience with someone else. Your testimony (how you came to know Jesus) has power. King Agrippa was almost converted to Christ after listening to Paul testify about how he met Jesus on a road to Damascus. Your conversion experience is an excellent way to share your faith.
2) You must be carful of the image you portray:
"Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God;" 2 Corinthians 3:2, 3
As the old cliché goes, it's not always what you say, but it's what you do. The life you live before people can cause your witness to be ineffective. The Bible consists of sixty six books. The believer in Christ is the sixty seventh book. Paul said we are a living epistle read by all men.
As people read your life story (the way you live daily before them) you are communicating your faith. As believers we are to be Christ-like. Simply, as we submit to the Holy Spirit who is now the motivating influence of our life, we begin to develop a Christ-likeness. Christians should not conduct themselves in a worldly (carnal) manner. We can't use profanity, smoke, and drink, hit all the hot clubs, and live ungodly before people, and the next day invite them to church. It just doesn't work. When your life story is being read what do people see?
3) You must have a knowledge of the scriptures:
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God." 2 Timothy 2:15
For one to effectively communicate his or her faith they must have knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. Personally, I feel lack of knowledge is an area of concern within the body of Christ. We can't communicate our faith if we don't know or understand what we believe. People in other religions despite their doctrine being false are well grounded in what they believe. They will stand firmly and defend their faith. They are effective because they know what they believe in. The Christian faith has a risen, living Savior name Jesus, and He is true and most believers have difficulty communicating the faith. Some can't even tell you how and when they were saved. Paul encouraged Timothy to study the scriptures. As Timothy grew in knowledge, he became a strong witness of Christ as he communicated his faith to others. However, the average believer doesn't study, so consequently, they are not an effective communicator of the faith. Remember knowledge is power. Knowledge of the scriptures will only enhance your spiritual experience in Christ.
As you go through the week take a self examination and see how you fit within these three character traits. Allow the Holy Spirit to mold your spiritual life into what it should be. We communicate our faith not only by what we say, but also by what we do. Are you a good testimony of Christ?
By Pastor Kenneth Polk is the Pastor of Followers of Christ Christian Center and author of the book, Living The Spirit Empowered Life.
This passage of scripture is commonly known as "The Great Commission." Within this passage we see Jesus instructing His disciples to take the gospel message to the world. In doing so they were communicating their faith (what they believed) to unbelievers in an attempt to persuade lost men to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. This charge wasn't for the disciples only, but for every born again believer in Christ.
The scriptures often speak to us concerning soul winning. I'm going to share two of those passages with you. The first is Proverbs 11:30 "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise." The second, James 5:20 "Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his ways shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." Jesus while on earth was the master soul winner, consequently, being His disciples we should be soul winners too. We should be willing to convey our faith to others. To become a soul winner I feel there are three essential character traits which must be evident in the life of the believer to effectively communicate his or her faith. Let's examine these three attributes.
1) You must have had a true born again experience:
"For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received." 1 Corinthians 15:3
Paul a true champion of the faith said, I first had to experience salvation to successfully communicate the salvation message to others. While journeying to Damascus Paul had a spiritual encounter with God which changed his life forever. Having been quicken by the Holy Spirit, Paul went from persecuting the church to winning many souls to Christ. Often when sharing his faith he began with his conversion experience (testimony). (See Acts 26:13-19) This type of conviction does not come about by joining a church or being a church member. However, a person who has truly been born again will be eager to share his or her experience with someone else. Your testimony (how you came to know Jesus) has power. King Agrippa was almost converted to Christ after listening to Paul testify about how he met Jesus on a road to Damascus. Your conversion experience is an excellent way to share your faith.
2) You must be carful of the image you portray:
"Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God;" 2 Corinthians 3:2, 3
As the old cliché goes, it's not always what you say, but it's what you do. The life you live before people can cause your witness to be ineffective. The Bible consists of sixty six books. The believer in Christ is the sixty seventh book. Paul said we are a living epistle read by all men.
As people read your life story (the way you live daily before them) you are communicating your faith. As believers we are to be Christ-like. Simply, as we submit to the Holy Spirit who is now the motivating influence of our life, we begin to develop a Christ-likeness. Christians should not conduct themselves in a worldly (carnal) manner. We can't use profanity, smoke, and drink, hit all the hot clubs, and live ungodly before people, and the next day invite them to church. It just doesn't work. When your life story is being read what do people see?
3) You must have a knowledge of the scriptures:
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God." 2 Timothy 2:15
For one to effectively communicate his or her faith they must have knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. Personally, I feel lack of knowledge is an area of concern within the body of Christ. We can't communicate our faith if we don't know or understand what we believe. People in other religions despite their doctrine being false are well grounded in what they believe. They will stand firmly and defend their faith. They are effective because they know what they believe in. The Christian faith has a risen, living Savior name Jesus, and He is true and most believers have difficulty communicating the faith. Some can't even tell you how and when they were saved. Paul encouraged Timothy to study the scriptures. As Timothy grew in knowledge, he became a strong witness of Christ as he communicated his faith to others. However, the average believer doesn't study, so consequently, they are not an effective communicator of the faith. Remember knowledge is power. Knowledge of the scriptures will only enhance your spiritual experience in Christ.
As you go through the week take a self examination and see how you fit within these three character traits. Allow the Holy Spirit to mold your spiritual life into what it should be. We communicate our faith not only by what we say, but also by what we do. Are you a good testimony of Christ?
By Pastor Kenneth Polk is the Pastor of Followers of Christ Christian Center and author of the book, Living The Spirit Empowered Life.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
No Word, No Faith
And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. John 5:38(KJV)
Jesus can see straight through to a man's heart. John chapter 5 is an account of Jesus talking to the Pharisees about having the word of God abide in their heart. He plainly told them that they did not have God's word in them, because they didn't believe that Jesus was sent from God. Had God's word been abiding in their heart, it would have been clear to them who Jesus was. Does His word abide in your heart?
If the word of God abides in your heart you would believe, because when you hear God's word, faith is produced. What does that mean? No Word, no faith. You have the word, you have the power right in your hand, but do you have it in your heart? Sometimes we don't realize it, but we can have the Word in our hand, it can tell us about victory over our circumstances, healing for our body, and increase in our finances. But we must have that Word in our heart so that we can realize that kind of prosperity in our life.
Do you have the Word abiding in your heart so that you can believe God and receive victory, healing, and financial increase? You can receive all you desire when you are filled with the scriptures, because when there is lots of Word in you, then you have lots of faith. But if you don't have any Word in your heart you are not going to have any faith in your heart. No Word, no faith.
The Word tells us in I John 5:14 that this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will it will come to pass. We will have what we prayed for. So we know that if we come to God we must ask according to His will. We must be in line with God's word. Of course we can't ask God for another man's wife, car, or possessions. That is not according to the word of God. The word of God is the will of God. Additionally, we don?t go to God saying, "Lord if it be Thy will," when we've already seen His will in His word. He gave us a big Book to clarify to us His wonderful will and purpose for every detail of our life.
You may ask the question, ow is it that you are suppose to ask according to His will? After all, John 15:7 says, "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." It didn't say anything about His will. Notice that it does not say, abide in me, my words abide in you, you shall ask what He wills and it shall be done. It says that you ask what you will. When His word abides in you, that is His will. The Word is working on your spirit to be conformed to His will. And when the word of God is in your heart, working on your spirit, then you are in a position whereby the word is abiding in you. And in that condition you wouldn't ask for anything that is not according to His will.
Scripture References: Luke 6:45; Hebrews 4:12; Hebrews 11:6
Bishop Keith A. Butler is the founder and pastor of Word of Faith International Christian Center in Southfield, MI, and Word of Faith Christian Center in San Antonio, TX. Bishop Butler ministers extensively in churches, conferences, and seminars throughout the U.S. and abroad with an emphasis on instruction and no-nonsense, practical application of God's Word.
Jesus can see straight through to a man's heart. John chapter 5 is an account of Jesus talking to the Pharisees about having the word of God abide in their heart. He plainly told them that they did not have God's word in them, because they didn't believe that Jesus was sent from God. Had God's word been abiding in their heart, it would have been clear to them who Jesus was. Does His word abide in your heart?
If the word of God abides in your heart you would believe, because when you hear God's word, faith is produced. What does that mean? No Word, no faith. You have the word, you have the power right in your hand, but do you have it in your heart? Sometimes we don't realize it, but we can have the Word in our hand, it can tell us about victory over our circumstances, healing for our body, and increase in our finances. But we must have that Word in our heart so that we can realize that kind of prosperity in our life.
Do you have the Word abiding in your heart so that you can believe God and receive victory, healing, and financial increase? You can receive all you desire when you are filled with the scriptures, because when there is lots of Word in you, then you have lots of faith. But if you don't have any Word in your heart you are not going to have any faith in your heart. No Word, no faith.
The Word tells us in I John 5:14 that this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will it will come to pass. We will have what we prayed for. So we know that if we come to God we must ask according to His will. We must be in line with God's word. Of course we can't ask God for another man's wife, car, or possessions. That is not according to the word of God. The word of God is the will of God. Additionally, we don?t go to God saying, "Lord if it be Thy will," when we've already seen His will in His word. He gave us a big Book to clarify to us His wonderful will and purpose for every detail of our life.
You may ask the question, ow is it that you are suppose to ask according to His will? After all, John 15:7 says, "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." It didn't say anything about His will. Notice that it does not say, abide in me, my words abide in you, you shall ask what He wills and it shall be done. It says that you ask what you will. When His word abides in you, that is His will. The Word is working on your spirit to be conformed to His will. And when the word of God is in your heart, working on your spirit, then you are in a position whereby the word is abiding in you. And in that condition you wouldn't ask for anything that is not according to His will.
Scripture References: Luke 6:45; Hebrews 4:12; Hebrews 11:6
Bishop Keith A. Butler is the founder and pastor of Word of Faith International Christian Center in Southfield, MI, and Word of Faith Christian Center in San Antonio, TX. Bishop Butler ministers extensively in churches, conferences, and seminars throughout the U.S. and abroad with an emphasis on instruction and no-nonsense, practical application of God's Word.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Praise Your Way to a Breakthrough!
Do you need God to make a way out of no way? The swiftness and surety of your deliverance starts with how you respond to hard times and difficult situations. Hear me when I say that it is not just enough to thank God and honor Him only when you've received a blessing. God wants you to show the extent of your faithfulness and trust in Him even in the midst of going through a challenge. The power of your praise will determine the magnitude of your breakthrough.
Praise is not just clapping your hands or applauding God. It is showing respect, honor, and gratefulness using your whole heart, mind, spirit and body despite your circumstances. Paul and Silas didn't wait until they experienced a breakthrough to praise and thank God. In the midst of difficult circumstances, they praised God and received the breakthrough they desired.
Acts 16:25, 26 (New Living Translation) reveals, "Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off!"
Paul and Silas praised God even when their backs were bleeding and their feet and hands were in chains. Despite the pain and suffering they were going through, they praised God anyway; and as a result, God shook the very foundations of the prison, setting them free. God will shake the foundation of your prison; your bondage, your problem...if you make a decision to praise and give Him thanks, no matter what.
Praising God should become second-nature for all Believers. "This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord" (Psalm 102:18). We were created to praise God, and it becomes a natural expression of your love for the Father when you spend time in the Word and meditate on His goodness.
When you have a heart for God and you know He loves you, your confidence in His ability to deliver you soars. You know help is on the way and you eagerly anticipate it. First Thessalonians 5:16-18 encourages, "Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus" (NLT). God doesn't tell you to thank Him for negative circumstances; He says to thank Him while you're in the midst of them. Doing this shows that you trust Him to bring you out.
The storms of life are going to come; but don't let them disturb your peace and affect your thoughts and emotions. This will only move you into self-pity and frustration. Instead, maintain an attitude of praise.
Your first line of defense is the Word of God. Meditate on it and give it life by speaking it over your circumstances. If you need healing meditate on scriptures that reveal God's ability to heal. Receive that Word in your spirit and begin praising God for your healing.
The Word of God declares, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:4-7, NIV).
When you are in a situation and there seems to be no way out, open your mouth and praise the Lord-and don't stop. Instead of crying and complaining, give God praise because you know He has a plan for you that includes deliverance, restoration and peace. Thank Him for His goodness because your praise will stop the enemy and move the hand of God
When your deliverance comes, continue to praise Him because He has more in store for you. Thank Him for breakthrough in your home, on your job and with your children. Through your authority in Jesus, place a demand on your breakthrough and watch God show up in your life in ways you would have never imagined.
Dr. Creflo A. Dollar is the senior pastor of World Changers Church International, 25,000 member church in College Park, Georgia. He is committed to changing the world one person at a time, and his award-winning "Changing Your World" television broadcast reaches nearly one billion homes worldwide. Visit www.CrefloDollarMinistries.org to learn more.
Praise is not just clapping your hands or applauding God. It is showing respect, honor, and gratefulness using your whole heart, mind, spirit and body despite your circumstances. Paul and Silas didn't wait until they experienced a breakthrough to praise and thank God. In the midst of difficult circumstances, they praised God and received the breakthrough they desired.
Acts 16:25, 26 (New Living Translation) reveals, "Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off!"
Paul and Silas praised God even when their backs were bleeding and their feet and hands were in chains. Despite the pain and suffering they were going through, they praised God anyway; and as a result, God shook the very foundations of the prison, setting them free. God will shake the foundation of your prison; your bondage, your problem...if you make a decision to praise and give Him thanks, no matter what.
Praising God should become second-nature for all Believers. "This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord" (Psalm 102:18). We were created to praise God, and it becomes a natural expression of your love for the Father when you spend time in the Word and meditate on His goodness.
When you have a heart for God and you know He loves you, your confidence in His ability to deliver you soars. You know help is on the way and you eagerly anticipate it. First Thessalonians 5:16-18 encourages, "Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus" (NLT). God doesn't tell you to thank Him for negative circumstances; He says to thank Him while you're in the midst of them. Doing this shows that you trust Him to bring you out.
The storms of life are going to come; but don't let them disturb your peace and affect your thoughts and emotions. This will only move you into self-pity and frustration. Instead, maintain an attitude of praise.
Your first line of defense is the Word of God. Meditate on it and give it life by speaking it over your circumstances. If you need healing meditate on scriptures that reveal God's ability to heal. Receive that Word in your spirit and begin praising God for your healing.
The Word of God declares, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:4-7, NIV).
When you are in a situation and there seems to be no way out, open your mouth and praise the Lord-and don't stop. Instead of crying and complaining, give God praise because you know He has a plan for you that includes deliverance, restoration and peace. Thank Him for His goodness because your praise will stop the enemy and move the hand of God
When your deliverance comes, continue to praise Him because He has more in store for you. Thank Him for breakthrough in your home, on your job and with your children. Through your authority in Jesus, place a demand on your breakthrough and watch God show up in your life in ways you would have never imagined.
Dr. Creflo A. Dollar is the senior pastor of World Changers Church International, 25,000 member church in College Park, Georgia. He is committed to changing the world one person at a time, and his award-winning "Changing Your World" television broadcast reaches nearly one billion homes worldwide. Visit www.CrefloDollarMinistries.org to learn more.
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