Peace in Troubled Times

In troubled times we long for peace. But external peace in a fallen world is difficult to find. We can not depend on our government to provide peace. We certainly can’t trust large media to give us peace,

But we as Christians are to have peace,,,a peace that passes understanding, We were given God’s peace as part of our new nature. We were given the comforter, the Holy Spirit. We have access to fellowship with the Prince of Peace.

The Word of God will give us peace in our emotions if we would just believe it. Fear is the opposite of faith in God. WORRY IS FEAR MEDITATED. We have the tools and the relationships to have peace in troubled times. We must choose to take advantage of what we have or we will be just like the world…letting outer circumstances dictate our inner peace or lack of it.

The Lord Loves Liberty.

Many people believe the big lie that God is against personal freedom and the devil is for your freedom. Many young people are convinced that to be free they must leave the Lord’s ways.

Freedom and liberty are NOT terms that mean anything specific without a context. That is why some people promote some freedoms and some promote others. We usually use them to mean one of two dynamics. We use freedom as freedom TO DO something or freedom FROM something.

,God knows that the troubled state of our world is due to the misuse of our freedoms due to mankind’s fallen nature. But He does not take the freedoms away. As Christians He gives us a new nature, the Word, the workings of the Holy Spirit and the Ministry gifts to help us use our freedoms correctly. His work in the world is largely connected to the decisions and actions of His people. Use your liberty wisely.

If you believe your freedom rests with following the devil’s path, that use of freedom ends in bondage and death. BUT GOD wants you to be free to chose life, peace, joy, continued freedom. He wants you to be free from fear, addiction sickness, and more. He never puts a restriction before you except that it will protect you from sickness, poverty, bondage and other works of the devil…in other words keep you free.

THE LORD IS THE CHAMPION OF LIBERTY.

You Are Blessed.

As Christians we are blessed with spiritual freedom and new life. With that new life comes God’s nature and God’s covenant. We need to remind ourselves how blessed we are. This is nothing you don’t already know. It is just a quick reminder. Use it today. As a Christian…

I am blessed.

I am blessed.

I Am blessed.

I am blessed.

Ready for a Revival?

Millions of prayers have been prayed for the healing of our land, for a move of God, or for a revival. God hears our prayers and He is moving and will move to answer. However revivals or great spiritual awakenings require the cooperation of God’s people. He always works through His people.

You might think that any Christian would cooperate with a move of God’s Spirit. Sadly this not always so. Here are some of the challenges during a time of revival.

Revivals can be messy. Lives are radically changed and this can cause upset in homes, in marriages. Confronting evil spirits and the works of the devil meet with resistance. Things are not always peaceful.

Revivals can be inconvenient. The services don’t always end on schedule. Sometimes that neighbor you have been praying for will get the urge to repent at two in the morning.

Revivals change things. We all know how resistant we are to change. I have heard Christians, in the middle of a move of God say “I wish things would go back to the way things were.” Asked about it they would affirm the wonderful things that were happening, BUT DID EVERYTHING HAVE TO CHANGE SO MUCH?

There is a lot of supernatural activity during revival…both good and bad. One must be aware of that and know the difference. Healing and deliverance will be in evidence. Great joy and excitement will be there. Sometimes it is hard for people to keep their feet on the ground. To do it we must STAY BIBLICAL.

The Spirit is Holy and a move of God will call for repentance and holiness. Our flesh is not going to like that.

Because the expressed power of God has such a great effect on us spirit soul and body we must use Godly wisdom when our emotions and our bodies react to God’s power. It is easy to forget scripture and go off on a tangent because emotional and physical feelings are so powerful.

In revival there is resistance. Some from non religious people…some from religious people. Don’t be shocked if you lay hands on the sick and they are healed then you are arrested for practicing medicine without a licence. The devil will stir up resistance. As long as we follow God’s lead God’s work will be done.

My purpose is not to discourage you about moves of God’s Spirit. They are wonderful. They change lives, families, communities, states and nations for the better: exchanging brokenness for wholeness, sickness for health, madness for sound thinking…and so much more.

We should prepare our minds as well as our hearts for God’s outpouring. We must determine that no matter how messy, inconvenient, or uncomfortable it might be it will be more than worth it.

Pray for a move of God’s Spirit. Prepare your hearts and minds. Be part of the GREAT THINGS TO COME.

God’s Word…

As Christians we are to take the Word of God seriously. How do we really treat His Word? If scripture says something do we explain it away? Are we too sophisticated to accept it as truth?

If we believe scripture is God’s Word and is there for the improvement of our lives, we are ahead of many others. But to get maximum benefit from God there must be more. We must know His Word and know it is for us. Then we must be doers of the Word. It is not enough to know the words of God. We must incorporate the truth of those words into the way we live our lives.

It does us little good if we know of God’s love but do not walk in it. It does us little good to know of God’s covenants and their provisions if we’ve only heard but have not made those things part of our lives, our daily expectations.

Did not God let us know that the doer of the Word would eat the fat of the land? If we are to believe, act on, and live God’s Word; that is a pretty key piece of information.

So what will we do as the Spirit opens our eyes to God’s Word? Deny it? Set it on a theological shelf? Embrace it and act upon it? How we respond to God’s Word will determine our quality of life as Christians.

Why Jesus Came…And why He didn’t.

,If you spend much time with people who are not Christians you will start noticing the lies they believe regarding the things of God. Today reread John 3:16-17. John 3:16 tells why Jesus came into this world, to SAVE, rescue people from judgement.

So many believe that Jesus is about judging them…condemning them. It is just another lie. John 3:17 clearly says He came NOT to condemn. Sinners are already condemned and subject to judgment.

When we hear people calling evil good and calling good evil we again see Satan’s influence. Believing lies destroys relationships, communities, nations and the people themselves. The lies started in the garden. But the TRUTH was there before ever was a lie.

Do not be surprised if sinners believe lies. Speak truth. A great place to start is in John 3:16-17. Challenge the lies. Teach the truth. Be like Jesus.

New Life

What do you have to offer your unsaved friends and loved ones in times of trouble? When fear and hatred spread their influences wide, what can you offer to help?

You say “Jesus”. and you would be right. But people need more than a promise of salvation in the future, if that is all you offer. As wonderful as that is, there is more to salvation. Newness Of Life is given at salvation. And the character of that newness of life is described as the fruit of the spirit.

Now we don’t have to walk in the new ways. We can choose to live in the old ways. Scripture tells us not to do that and “put on” the new man (the new nature). We have it. We should live accordingly. Who, in their right mind would not want to live in love, joy, peace, patience, faithfulness, goodness, self control, etc.?

Our society and many of our lives are full of the practices and results of living the old ways. The lives are of indecency, envying, strife, anger, hatred, selfishness, and divisions. The state of our society today is due to following evil and rejecting God, His ways and character.

When you see your unsaved friends in fear, anger, or consumed by envy or hatred, you have much to offer. JESUS is not just the fire insurance man, but the bringer of New Life.

It is all about RELATIONSHIP.

Because we live in a time following the Age of Reason we think in categories, limited logic and reasoning. Reason is not bad. Logic is not bad but to try to understand scripture, let alone God through human mental constructs is a losing proposition.

First, we can only know about God in part and that only because He has chosen to reveal Himself to us through scripture and Spirit. He has give us much information through His Biblical names, Especially in John and Isaiah God has gien insights into Himself and His character. Though our minds will never totally comprehend all there is to Him while we are on this earth He tells us who and what He is. He wants us to have relationship with Him.

From the beginning the desire was relationship, fellowship. He used covenants to make sure His people understood the seriousness of relationship. Every one of the ten commandments were about relationships.

Jesus’ ministry focused on mercy and the grace relationship God had for humankind. Jesus’ theology described relationships good and bad, His emphasis was not about rules but about relationship for He knew God’s rules were about relationship not dead legalisms. He knew God’s rules help in our relationships with God, others, and ourselves.

Our new nature in Christ (the fruit of the Spirit Galations 5) transforms our relationships from those driven by the works of the flesh. God is NOT about theology or rules as much as He is about relationship.

FOR GOD SO LOVED,,,(John 3:16)

Knowing God’s Love

It is vitally important to know God’s love. How can you know? You can see it in scriptures. Time after time God demonstrates His love for His people. Ultimately in John 3:16-17 we see that His love was for the whole world. He gave Jesus to save and not condemn, which would have been within His rights.

Knowing about God’s love is important but there is more. As you prayerfully study the Word God will give you revelation of His love. And beyond that, as you walk in fellowship with Him you will experience His love. It is wonderful, and vital to our walk with God.

If we know God’s love is active and faithful and directed to us we have less trouble believing His promises. If we know His Word is written to us in love we have less trouble being obedient.

Knowing God’s love is key to a successful Christian life.