Monday, February 22, 2010
The living testimony of Faith
As we walk out our days we are a living testimony & witness to the Lord Jesus Christ, the power of the Holy Spirit, and the love of the Father...or...we are a living testimony to the opposite... or we exhibit a weak & powerless faith that few could believe in. I don't know about you but I want to be a fiery, compassionate, and everlasting living, breathing, walking testimony to our all powerful & ever present GOD! I have come to understand, in a deeper way, the importance of God working not only in us but through us. We may have some understanding of preaching, teaching, giving, serving, etc. in general terms, but do we have an understanding of living in such a way...so close to the heart of God, that we can't wait to let him use us, and we do see the miraculous happen because we allowed God to speak to us, change us, move us in the direction he desires? This requires real deep & abiding FAITH and it comes only by deliberately connecting with God is such an open way that we give him our permission to do as he will, no matter how silly or strange or foreign it may seem to us. The Lord has been doing a great work of patience in me, and it is transpiring into a work of Faith. At some point most of us require a true breakthrough in Faith-not just a hohum whatever happens I will accept as God's will for my life, but rather a profound unwavering belief that God has done a work in me that has literally changed me, my life, and the circumstances around me. Step out, step out, step out! The time has come to STEP OUT & serve God by allowing him to work through you, not just to "do works" for him. What does the Bible say about that? Faith without works is dead, BUT it is Faith we are saved by, not our works. Ask GOD what he wants you to do-allow him to take you out of your comfort zone-if satan tells you not to...remember, that is a LIE.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
GOD outside the box.
It is said that we often put God in a box, and I believe we do. Has God ever moved on your heart in such a way as to make you feel so in AWE of his wonder & greatness that you could hardly contain yourself? Is this the "norm" or is this the "exception"? What was it for the apostles? What was it in the Old Testament? Is God the same, yesterday, today, & tomorrow? Does he keep his promises? Do you really believe every jot & tittle in that Bible you read? Do we, in today's world reserve such allowances of AWE for moments of salvation or trips to the Grand Canyon? Do we LIVE in AWE of a mighty, mighty God that affords us miraculous dreams, visions, and gifts so far beyond what our brains want to believe we truly have? We should...every single day! He said so!
Do we truly use the power that Christ gave that HE said would cause us to do greater things than he? IS the Holy Spirit of Pentecost that he sent to us alive & well today? The Bible says he is, and I believe my Bible. Did Jesus mean what he said about what we could do? Indeed he meant it! Satan puts a lot of "ideas" in our heads about how things are that directly refute the Word of God, and by golly, it has become more & more clear to me that we actually believe those lies above the word of God if we are honest with ourselves! Imagine that, the father of lies has duped us. Jesus Christ sent us a power to use after he left! Are we using it to it's fullest, or are we saving it for emergencies? Doesn't the Father care about even the sparrow? Did Jesus say the HS was for just a few days? Did he say it was for just a few things? NO! When something is given to you, until you use it, it is of no use to you. God cared enough about you & me every day of our lives to give us the comforter, the counselor, the power to do GREATER things!
I challenge you to look at 3 people...the Father, the Son, and the person of the Holy Spirit. Look at the Old Testament, the New Testament, and TODAY. Now, do you think the HS is for today? I believe that the completion of the Bible is the VERY reason the HS is for us today-it IS what empowers God's Word to us to live victorious lives in the here & now! Don't be short-changed by fear, man or the enemy. Take God at his word and live like the believer he said we could because your life will never be the same again. Take God at his word...his entire word, & be blessed!
Do we truly use the power that Christ gave that HE said would cause us to do greater things than he? IS the Holy Spirit of Pentecost that he sent to us alive & well today? The Bible says he is, and I believe my Bible. Did Jesus mean what he said about what we could do? Indeed he meant it! Satan puts a lot of "ideas" in our heads about how things are that directly refute the Word of God, and by golly, it has become more & more clear to me that we actually believe those lies above the word of God if we are honest with ourselves! Imagine that, the father of lies has duped us. Jesus Christ sent us a power to use after he left! Are we using it to it's fullest, or are we saving it for emergencies? Doesn't the Father care about even the sparrow? Did Jesus say the HS was for just a few days? Did he say it was for just a few things? NO! When something is given to you, until you use it, it is of no use to you. God cared enough about you & me every day of our lives to give us the comforter, the counselor, the power to do GREATER things!
I challenge you to look at 3 people...the Father, the Son, and the person of the Holy Spirit. Look at the Old Testament, the New Testament, and TODAY. Now, do you think the HS is for today? I believe that the completion of the Bible is the VERY reason the HS is for us today-it IS what empowers God's Word to us to live victorious lives in the here & now! Don't be short-changed by fear, man or the enemy. Take God at his word and live like the believer he said we could because your life will never be the same again. Take God at his word...his entire word, & be blessed!
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