Life in Christ

The Word for today is found in Psalm’s 18:16-21

16 He sent from above, He took me;
He drew me out of many waters.
17 He delivered me from my strong enemy,
From those who hated me,
For they were too strong for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
But the LORD was my support.
19 He also brought me out into a broad place;
He delivered me because He delighted in me.
20 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness;
According to the cleanness of my hands
He has recompensed me.
21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD,
And have not wickedly departed from my God.

Everyone at one time or another finds themselves at odds with people. It can be unbelievers or believers that you can be on the wrong side of the fence with.

I was having some difficulty recently and as I went to the Lord in prayer about it, he gave me these verses in Psalms.

So often our first instinct is to confront the person or situation head on in the natural. Wrong , wrong, wrong. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 10:3 “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.”

If you try to take on Satan in the natural he will win every time. God says let me have it and you just walk in the Spirit. God has already defeated Satan so let him deal with him now.

Sometime it is not Satan that is behind what the person is doing but just their flesh. In that case stay in the love walk and God will see you to the other side every time.

Keep your mouth shut, stay in fellowship with God and you will come out on the other side the winner. No one said it would be easy, because putting the flesh under the authority of the Word is not always fun. It is time to grow up and stop trying to do it your way.

Notice that in verse 19 above in Psalms it says “he delivered me because He delighted in me.”

Is God delighted in you?

The Psalmist also goes on to say in verse 20 that “According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me.”

Check out your heart in the matter and make sure there is no sin in you; then you can be sure that God is delighted in you.

Sin in you will stop God from working on your behalf every time.

The Word for today is found in Proverbs 6:16-19

16These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, 19A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. (KJV)

16 There are six things the LORD hates,
seven that are detestable to him:
17 haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,
19 a false witness who pours out lies
and a person who stirs up conflict in the community. (NIV)

So often we believers focus on the minor and ignore the major. What these verses are addressing are major sins of the heart.

I have been in churches where there seems to be no move of the Spirit of God, and when you hang around the members long enough you see why. There is as much back biting, gossip, and strife going on as anywhere you could find in the world.

Yet we question why God is not doing more among the people? We as believers need to do some real soul searching in our own lives first. These are serious sins and some people are hiding them well.

God will judge the hidden sins of the heart; it is not for you or me to judge one another. But, be assured that your sins will find you out, for nothing is hidden from God.

The Word for today is found in Hebrews 12:1-6

1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. 4 You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. 5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons:

“ My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD,
Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
6 For whom the LORD loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives.” (NKJV)

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
God Disciplines His Children
4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” (NIV)

How easy is it for sin to grab hold of you? It is really easy, and particularly if you do not pray and put God’s word first in your life.

Prayer will reveal your shortcomings if you will but open yourself up to the revealing light of the Holy Spirit. God’s word will tell you how to get out of the thing you have become ensnared in.

All of this is dependent on your willingness to allow God to work in your life.

Sin will bring you down and keep you from walking into the best God has for you. Sin can be the big ones that no one can miss, and it can be the little ones that you may not be aware of. That is why you need to allow the Holy Spirit to show you where you are missing it.

God corrects us through his Word, not by putting bad things on us such as sickness. On the other hand, when we are in disobedience to the Word then we put ourselves out there to have Satan take his best shot at us.

You can’t expect God to heal you if you’re not walking in faith, and you can’t walk in faith if there is sin in your life.

Find what it is that is putting a barrier up between you and God. Then deal with it.

The Word for today is found in 1Thessalonians 4:16-17:

16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (KJV)

16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. (NIV)

What in the world is going on in today’s world? As the world seems to be falling apart as I write, I am encouraged because I know that I will soon be with the Lord.

We are living in the final generation before the rapture of the church. I do not believe that the bride of Christ will be left here to face the seven years of the tribulation. We are ambassadors for Christ and the first thing a country does before it declares war on another country is get its ambassadors out.

If you do not know Christ as your personal savior, now is the time.

Just ask him into your heart and confess him with your mouth and you will be saved.

Now is the time to speak to your loved ones and friends, for any minute Christ could come.

The Word for today is found in Romans 8:5-8:

5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
I have heard so many people say that they have prayed and did not get an answer from God. Then they go on to say, “Well it must not be God’s will for me to be healed or delivered from financial situations.”
If God says that healing, prosperity and deliverance is in his Word, then he means for you to obtain it.
The problem is not on God’s end but on yours.
Is their sin in your life that you are just not willing to deal with? Could there be unforgiveness, hurt in your spirit, resentment toward God?
We would like to pray the prayer of faith and think that it will cover all factors, when there could be a barrier in the way.
When you are walking in the way of the world it will shorten your life span on this earth.
It does not mean that you have lost your salvation, but it will take God’s divine protection off of you.
God is love but he has given us conditions that must be met in order for us to obtain his promises.
Sin is sin and as Christians today we must be willing to call it what it is in love.
It may cost you a friendship but not to say something is far worse.
The Bible says we are to restore a brother who is out of fellowship in the spirit of love.
Do what you need to do in a loving spirit; then leave the rest to God, for you cannot make people do right.

The Word for today is found in Colossians 3:1-3:

1If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. (KJV)

1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. (NIV)

Where are your affections? Do you seek things, or the giver of the things?

God is not opposed to you having things on this earth. He just does not want the things to have you.

God is a jealous God he wants to be first in your whole life. He should be the first thing on your mind when your wake up, and the last one on your mind at night. As a matter of fact, he should be on your mind all day long.

I went for a walk with my husband last night as we often do, and as I was walking I started having a wonderful conversation with my heavenly Father. Scripture came poring out of my spirit that I quoted back to him in thankfulness for all he has done for me.

We need to keep a thankful heart always toward our loving Father. It will change your day and your life.

The Word for today is found in James 2:8-9

8If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: 9But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. (KJV)

8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. 9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. (NIV)

If some people are to love me as they love themselves then I would rather not want to be on their love list! You must learn to love yourself first before you can really express love to another. That does not mean the narcissist kind of love.

Some people really do not like themselves very much. But when you become born again the love of God is shed abroad in your heart, which allows you to love others as Christ did.

God wants you to learn how much he loves you and that you are very valuable to him, so much so that he sent his only Son to die for you that you may have eternal life. As you learn more about God, and his wonderful Son Jesus then you will begin to see your own worth differently; not as the world has taught you, but as God sees you. The Word transforms our actions by changing the reality of who we really are.

Insecure people often need to put others down in order to build themselves up. God does just the opposite. He builds you up through the Word and then asks you to humble yourself before others.

If you are a respecter of persons then you feel a need to be around certain people to make yourself look better in your eyes and others.

But God asks us to seek him and he will give you the right attitude towards others. It is not what a person wears or where they live that really counts with God. He looks on the inside and that is where you should be looking too.

The Word for the day is found in 2 Timothy 2:15

15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

I want you to read an explanation of this verse by Jack W. Hayford, pastor of The Church On The Way.

“The Bible—God’s inspired Word—is the only conclusive source of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding concerning ultimate realities. It is a fountainhead of freeing truth (John 8:32) and a gold mine of practical principles (Ps.19:10), waiting to liberate and or enrich the person who will pursue its truth and wealth.

Paul’s instruction to “be diligent….a worker” has been applied by serious Christians through the centuries as a directive to study the Word of God. The only way to healthy, balanced living is through the “rightly dividing” (Greek orthotomounta, literally, “cutting straight”) of God’s Word. Such correct, straight-on application of God’s Word is the result of diligent study.

The text calls us beyond casual approaches to the Scriptures, telling us to refuse to suit the Bible to our own convenience or ideology.

In his earlier Words (1 Tim. 4:13) Paul also told Timothy, “Give attention to reading [God’s Word].” But now he emphasizes studying like a ‘worker’ (from Greek ergon—“toil, effort”).

Ps, 119:11 urges us to memorize the Word of God as a mighty deterrent against sin. Memorizing the Scripture also provides an immediate availability of God’s “Words” as a Word, ready in witnessing and effective in spiritual warfare (Heb. 4:12; Eph. 6:17).

The Word for today is found in Mark 11:25-26

25 “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”(NKJV)

My friend and co-worker in the jail ministry taught on forgiveness in our Monday night class. She did a really fine joy, and reinforced the Word in my life also.

I had just come out of a difficult situation where forgiveness was necessary in my life. It is a hot button issue for most of the inmates as it is for all of us at one time or another.

n the passage above from Mark, Jesus makes it very clear that forgiveness is not an option if we want to have our prayers answered. I really believe that often the reason so many people do not get their prayers answered is because they are in unforgiveness toward someone.

Jesus never said this life of faith was going to be a bed of roses. It takes discipline. You must be obedient and really put your flesh under the Word of God.

We can not allow our feelings to rule us; we need to control our feelings by the renewing of our minds to the Word of God. It is your choice. God will not do it for you, but he has given you all you need to accomplish it.

Start today and make sure you are not in unforgiveness. If you are, then deal with it today and start anew with God. You will begin to see God do some wonderful things in your life that he has wanted to do.

The Word for today is found in Proverbs 5:1-2

1My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding: 2That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge. (KJV)

1 My son, pay attention to my wisdom,
turn your ear to my words of insight,
2 that you may maintain discretion
and your lips may preserve knowledge (NIV)

Attending to something means that you are willing to give it your full attention. You will not allow outside things to take you away from what you are learning.

To bow your ear is not only giving your full attention to the thing that you are learning, but also that you are willing to be taught.

Jesus said in the Beatitudes: “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.”(Matthew 5:5) Meek here in the Greek means to have a teachable attitude. We want to hold on to some beliefs because we are comfortable with them, but you must be willing to change your thoughts so they line up with the Word of God.

It is your choice here as to whether you blurt out something without much thought, or keep your mouth shut from saying things that do not line up with God’s words.

To be discrete is to have good judgment in what you do say. Remember, once it is said you can not take it back.

You need to think before you speak and make sure what you say is said in love.