Casting All Your Cares
Therefore humble yourselves...casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.
—1 Peter 5:6,7 Worry, anxiety, and care have no positive effect on our lives. They do not bring a solution to problems. They do not help us achieve good health, and they prevent our growth in the Word of God.

One of the ways that Satan steals the Word of God from our heart is through cares. The Bible says we are to cast our cares onto God, which is done by prayer. We cannot handle our own problems; we are not built for it. We are created by God to be dependent upon Him, to bring Him our challenges and to allow Him to help us with them.

We must not take the care upon ourselves. Keeping our cares is a manifestation of pride. It shows that we think we can solve our own problems and that we don't need the Lord.

We show our humility by leaning on God. Worry, anxiety, and care are not manifestations of leaning on God, but they clearly state by their mere existence that we are attempting to take care of ourselves.

Pray about everything and worry about nothing. You will enjoy life much more.

Pray This:
"Father, show me each time I take a care instead of casting it. Then I will immediately cast it on You. In Jesus' name, amen."

Deception is a result of
EXALTING YOUR OPINION
above the Word of God.


Then Peter took Him aside to speak to Him privately
and began to reprove and charge Him sharply,
saying, God forbid, Lord! This must never happen to You!
But Jesus turned away from Peter and said to him,
Get behind Me, Satan!
MATTHEW 16:22, 23


UPON HEARING Jesus explain that He must go to Jerusalem to suffer and die and be raised on the third day, Peter immediately rose up to take Jesus aside to demand that these events must not happen. Peter obviously believed he knew better than the Word of God what should happen. In that moment he crossed over into a dangerous deception that Jesus moved quickly to quench.
In a remarkable motion Jesus turned away from Peter and declared that the voice that had just spoken was the voice of Satan. Using almost the same words He used with the devil in the wilderness temptation (Matthew 4:10), Jesus revealed that the temptation to avoid the cross was all too real and that hearing such things from Peter's loving, though misguided lips made it even more difficult. Ignorance of one's own heart is the worst kind of ignorance and easily leads to deception.The only safe place is to believe the Word of God and stand behind its truths.

thank you

thank you

The Mercy of God
Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous--with life-joy and satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy!
—Matthew 5:7

Mercy appears to be somewhat a matter of sowing and reaping, and I am sure we all want to reap mercy. Therefore, we should learn how to sow it toward a plentiful harvest available when we need it.

What is mercy? It is an attribute of God's character that is seen in how He deals with His people. Mercy is good to us when we deserve punishment. Mercy accepts and blesses us when we deserve to be totally rejected. Mercy understands our weaknesses and infirmities and does not judge and criticize us.

I went through a period in my walk with God in which He was trying to teach me the importance of mercy and being merciful. He taught me that I was unable to give mercy to others because I did not know how to receive mercy from Him.

The love of God works the same way. Many are unable to walk in love; one of the reasons is that they have never received the love of God for themselves, so they have none to give away.

Receive God's mercy and love; you cannot give away something you do not have.

Do This:
Begin receiving mercy on a regular basis. As you do, you will find that you have mercy to give to others.

Confrontation is a two-way street;
no one has the RIGHT-OF-WAY
unless they are willing to yield.


Open rebuke is better than love that is hidden.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses
of an enemy are lavish and deceitful.
PROVERBS 27:5, 6


NO ONE WANTS to wound their friend but there comes a time when confronting something in your friend's life or in an associate's life is the only appropriate expression of your love for them. It is for their good that it must be confronted and it is born from a heart that is broken and open to the other person. Such a love refuses all falsehood and deceitful words and actions. The confrontation is spoken with clarity and passion, and the confronter must be willing to be confronted in return.
If you find yourself in this difficult position it is always best to confront in private (Matthew 18:15). But there are times when others are being hurt and an open confrontation may be necessary (Galatians 2:11). The power of your confrontation is the spirit and truth from which you delivered it.

The devil likes
to set you up
TO BE UPSET.


And the servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome
(fighting and contending). Instead, he must be kindly
to everyone and mild-tempered [preserving the bond
of peace]; he must be a skilled and suitable teacher,
patient and forbearing and willing to suffer wrong.
He must correct his opponents with courtesy
and gentleness, in the hope that God may grant that
they will repent and come to know the Truth
[that they will perceive and recognize and become
accurately acquainted with and acknowledge it].
2 TIMOTHY 2:24, 25


YOU MAY FOOL others regarding your weaknesses, but you will not fool the devil. He watches long and hard and knows precisely where the weaknesses are in your armor. Samson may have thought it was a game he was playing with Delilah but it was only a matter of time before his point of vulnerability was exposed.And once exposed Satan will exploit that weakness whenever he needs to.He will continually work to set you up to be upset and lose the effectiveness of your Christian testimony. If he can provoke you to being contentious and angry with others, if he can work it so that you are harsh or impolite, he knows the light of truth will be dimmed so that others will not come to repentance.Do not underestimate your adversary-he knows what he's doing.

Only Imperfection Is Intolerant of Imperfection!
Not that I have now attained [this ideal], or have already been made perfect, but....I press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward.
—Philippians 3:12,14 "If there is one mark of perfection, it is simply that it can tolerate the imperfections of others." This statement was made by François Fénelon in the seventeenth century. When I read that statement in a book recently, it gripped my heart, and I knew it was something I needed to meditate on.

The apostle Paul stated that he pressed on toward the mark of perfection. I believe all those who truly love the Lord are compelled to do that. He is perfect, and our journey into Him compels us to be like Him. We want to do things the right way—the way that would be pleasing to Him.

Perhaps a good measuring stick of our perfection is how patient we are with the imperfections of others. When I am impatient with others because of their imperfections, if I take a moment and consider my own imperfections, I usually get patient again very quickly.

If you have an imperfection, don't be down on yourself. God will help you. If you are impatient with the imperfections of others, remember that only imperfection is intolerant of imperfection.

Say This:
"I determine to be tolerant of the imperfection of others, because I realize that I also have imperfections which God is perfecting in me."

Negative situations are
NOT PERMANENT,
so why should you allow your mind
to be ruled by them?


For I am persuaded beyond doubt (am sure)
that neither death nor life, nor angels
nor principalities, nor things impending and threatening
nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth,
nor anything else in all creation will be able
to separate us from the love of God
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
ROMANS 8:38, 39


AS YOU READ these powerful words from Romans 8 keep in mind they came from the apostle Paul. Consider his life experience as expressed through the Book of Acts, and you realize that this was a man who was tested by adversity and negative situations on a grand scale.He suffered at every level a person can suffer both from those outside the church as well as from some inside the church. Having faced the worst Paul refused to allow these situations to rule his life because he knew that however much they might affect his life they could not separate him from the love of God.
Your overcoming strength in life is that God is for you and that your risen Lord and Savior has opened the door to His love and care that cannot be shut by anyone or anything else.

The Anointing
But it is God Who confirms and makes us steadfast and establishes us [in joint fellowship] with you in Christ, and has consecrated and anointed us [enduing us with the gifts of the Holy Spirit].
—2 Corinthians 1:21 The anointing is one of the most important things in our life and ministry. It causes us to have supernatural ability and strength. The anointing is God's power—His ability resting on us to help us do things with ease that would otherwise be hard.

I believe one of Satan's greatest tricks is that of getting us to run around trying to get something we already have and to be something we already are!

Every one of us has a purpose—a gifting and a calling—and we don't need to be overly concerned about what it is or compare it with anyone else's.

First John 2:20 tells us that we have been anointed—past tense. Once we know we are anointed, we can learn how to release the anointing in us. I believe we experience the anointing as we use our gifts.

God did not share His power with us so we could sit and do nothing with it. We are empowered by the anointing for service. We have a destiny!

You will never be anointed to be anyone else. Be careful of comparison and competition. Just be yourself.

Say This:
"My eyes are on God. I am walking in obedience to Him. Nothing can hold me back. I am anointed for His purpose."

Thanks sister.

I like these! Short and to the point! THank you for sharing.

Growing Up Without Giving Up
Rather, let our lives lovingly express truth [in all things, speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly]. Enfolded in love, let us grow up in every way and in all things into Him Who is the Head, [even] Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).
—Ephesians 4:15 Growing up spiritually is not always easy. It might be said that we believers have to endure many "growing pains." Due to the challenging times, often we are tempted to give up. We all need to realize the progress we have made.

Perhaps you have been struggling with yourself. You know that you need to change. You desire to be like Jesus. And yet you feel that you are making no progress. The first thing you must realize is that you are making progress. Little by little, you are changing.

Take some time and think about where you were when you first accepted Christ into your heart. Listen to the Holy Spirit instead of listening to the devil! The way to listen to the Holy Spirit is by following your heart not your head or your feelings. Learn to live beyond your feelings.

Don't compare yourself with other people. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Be patient with yourself. Keep pressing on and believe that you are changing every day.

Don't give up! You are growing up!

Say This:
"Christ is my life. I grow up into Him Who is the Head. Through Him I have joy unspeakable and full of glory!" (1 Peter 1:8 KJV.)

Spiritual Warfare
For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against... the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere.
—Ephesians 6:12 The attacks of Satan against the Church are of a different nature than those in the past days different in that they are more intense than ever before. The enemy will not continuously use the same tactics over and over, because once his method of attack is discovered, it is no longer effective.

More people than ever are experiencing tremendous attacks against their minds. Many of God's people are being attacked with sickness. Some of them are experiencing great financial trauma. People are enduring great attacks of fear.

How can you fight the devil who is the source of these attacks?

1. Praise is one way. Praise is a garment that will protect you from defeat. Put on the garment of praise.

2. Abiding in Christ and fellowshipping with Him is one of the best ways of engaging in spiritual warfare. Hide yourself in God, and His presence will protect you.

3. The Word of God is a two-edged sword. Your mind is the battlefield. When Satan says something to you, speak the Word back.

4. Walking in love is another form of spiritual warfare. Love gives: it is impossible to defeat Satan while leading a selfish lifestyle.

Use your spiritual weapons!

Do This:
Praise the Lord. Speak the Word of God. Abide in Christ. Walk in love. Use these weapons and begin to fight in a new way.

You Can Be the Victor Instead of the Victim
Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us.
—Romans 8:37 Are you hurting physically, emotionally, or mentally? Did you know that you can increase or decrease the intensity of your pain by the way you handle it?

I know from experience and the Word of God that it is possible to be the victor instead of the victim.

The key thing to see is that the victory is "through Christ." If you and I can learn how to lean on God and receive from Him whatever we need, we truly can do all things through Christ Who strengthens us. (Philippians 4:13.)

God is more than enough for any situation. He has promised to enable us and to be our helper. As we come into close fellowship with Him spending time with Him and talking with Him in a simple, familiar way we begin to draw strength from Him.

The number one thing I learned was that I had to lean on the Lord to strengthen me. The second thing I learned was not to talk about the problem or even to think about it unless absolutely necessary.

Whatever you may be going through right now, keep your eyes and your conversation on the Lord and off your situation.

Remember this too shall pass.

Do This:
Submit yourself to God in all things. Spend quality time with Him. Wait in His presence, and you will find He is more than enough.

In true faith,
the PROOF IS NOT
in the profession
but in the procession.


For in the Gospel a righteousness which God ascribes
is revealed, both springing from faith
and leading to faith [disclosed through the way of faith
that arouses more faith]. As it is written,
The man who through faith is just and upright shall live
and shall live by faith.
(ROMANS 1:17)


UNTIL YOU SEE God face-to-face, you must live by simple faith in Him. Your righteousness both springs from faith and leads to more faith in the ever-living God. Your only source of continued spiritual life is the faith that draws all its sustenance from God. All self-efforts to save yourself and to overcome sin will utterly fail. Only the life and power of the Holy Spirit within you can save you from sin, and faith is the one condition of His working in you

Abraham so believed in God's promise that He offered up Isaac, trusting that God would raise Isaac from the dead. By faith Moses led millions of Jews out of Egypt. By faith Joshua took them into the Promised Land despit fortified cities and giants. By faith the early church stood strong under persecution and could not be stopped. By faith you must move beyond profession into the procession.

Learn to Enforce the Defeat of the Devil
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.... —Hosea 4:6

A growing interest in the supernatural in these last days makes it more important than ever that we become knowledgeable about key truths in order to avoid the pitfalls of deception. Everything that looks good isn't God; everything that is supernatural isn't spiritual.

This is no time for us believers to have our heads stuck in the sand.

First, we must realize that the devil, demons, and evil spirits are real. (1 Peter 5:8.)

Second, we must recognize Satan's tactics and know his vulnerable points as well as he knows ours, so we can counterattack him. (2 Corinthians 2:11.)

Third, we need to have knowledge of and exercise our God-given authority. (Luke 10:19.) We have authority and power to walk all over the devil! Satan has no right to do anything to us unjustly. We can protect ourselves with knowledge of God's Word.

This is a very important day and hour in which we are living. Only when we determine to seek the truth from God's Word, through anointed teachers and preachers, and in our own personal study and prayer time will we know how to successfully overcome the deception of the enemy and help others do the same.

Know your enemy! Enforce his defeat! You can fight the devil and win!

Pray This:
"Father, thank You for giving me authority over all the power that the enemy possesses so that he cannot harm me. In Jesus' name, amen."

True Faith is timeless.
It can only be INTERRUPTED
by two things--doubt
or manifestation.


Jesus said, Take away the stone.
Martha, the sister of the dead man, exclaimed,
But Lord, by this time he [is decaying and] throws off an
offensive odor, for he has been dead four days!
Jesus said to her, Did I not tell you and promise you
that if you would believe and rely on Me,
you would see the glory of God?
(JOHN 11:39,40)

THE STORY OF the raising of Lazarus from the dead is a beauty. Martha truly believed Lazarus would not have died if Jesus had been there sooner. She believed in Jesus as the Christ, her Messiah (John 11:21-27). But Jesus was abouth to take her faith to a new level--a level that defied any hint of natural possibilities. Faith must move beyond the theoretical to where it touches your deepest need at a level that requires the supernatural.

If Jesus could have spared Lazarus before his death, why not believe He would raise him from the dead after four days? Why not move beyond "could" do it to "will" do it? Take His promise and rest in it. You will see the glory of God!

Who Is in Control?
But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]....
—Galatians 5:16

Who is in control of your life? Is it you or is it God?

We are to willingly give the Holy Spirit control of our lives, allowing Him to lead and guide us. Most of us would say this is the desire of our heart, but precious few of us are doing it. What is the problem?

Our flesh tries to control. Galatians says plainly that the flesh is continually opposed to the Spirit. (Galatians 5:17.) What the flesh wants, the Spirit never wants. And what the Spirit desires, the flesh never agrees with.

We must refuse the evil and choose the good. The Holy Spirit's role in our lives includes prompting us to make correct choices, but His role is not and never will be to force us to make them.

God will never hurt us. He wants us to trust His direction enough simply to obey it, even if we don't totally understand it. When we willingly give the Holy Spirit control of our daily lives, He leads us into victory. Give the Holy Spirit control of your life. He will lead you into the perfect will of God for you, which includes exceeding, abundant blessings, peace, and joy.

Do This:
Take inventory of all the things that try to control you and begin resisting everything except the control of the Holy Spirit.

The Bible does not tell you
TO MAKE the Word work.
It tells you to let the Word work.


Moses told the people, Fear not; stand still
(firm, confident, undismayed) and see the salvation
of the Lord which He will work for you today.
For the Egyptians you have seen today
you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you,
and you shall hold your peace and remain at rest.
EXODUS 14:13,14

THANK GOD FOR a leader like Moses. He saw the same impending crisis the people did and faced it with confidence in God's salvation. His courage rested upon his past experience of seeing God's deliverance based upon His word. This was a moment when faith alone would save them--all they had to do was stand still and let God do the fighting.

Perhaps you feel like the Israelites felt--walled in by an overwhelming problem that is absolutely real and threatening to destroy your life. You try to pray but fear grips your heart. You find yourself utterly helpless. It is a dangerous moment when human nature wants to break faith and complain against the Lord and blame someone else for the situation (Exodus 14:11,12). By faith let God step in between you and the problem, and believe He will work it out.

Have You Been in the Wilderness Long Enough?
The Lord our God said to us in Horeb, You have dwelt long enough on this mountain. Turn and take up your journey....
—Deuteronomy 1:6,7 As long as we have wilderness attitudes, we will continue living in the wilderness. Jesus died so we could live in the Promised Land the land of abundance.

It was only an eleven-day journey to the Promised Land, yet the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years murmuring, grumbling, complaining, and blaming Moses and God for their troubles. (Deuteronomy 1:1-7). Their lack of progress was due to their attitude.

Having a good attitude in a trying situation is at least 90 percent of the battle. We can win over anything as long as we have a godly attitude. There will always be trials in life, but as we trust God and continue doing what He shows us to do, we always come out victorious.

Don't be afraid to walk in the light. As God brings your faults into the light to expose and remove them, it may be uncomfortable. This kind of discomfort, however, is temporary.

God loves you very much, and He has an excellent plan for your life. Follow the Holy Spirit, and He will lead you swiftly through the wilderness into the Promised Land.

Take the shortcut through the wilderness don't go the long way around!

Do This:
Ask the Holy Spirit to start convicting you of any wrong attitudes that are not pleasing to God so that with His help you can change them immediately.

Living Beyond the Veil
Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil....
—Hebrews 10:19,20 KJV We can have a close, intimate relationship with God! To enjoy and be assured of God's presence in our lives, we need to spend time with Him daily, fellowshipping and growing closer in our understanding of Him.

We can do things to help us experience His presence or we can do things to hinder that blessing. For example, if we walk in peace and in the love of God—both receiving His love for us and allowing it to flow to others—we experience His presence more.

The Lord will teach anyone who truly desires to know Him how to know Him better. We should find out what draws us closer to God and do those things.

We can veil or block our awareness of God's presence by following our own fleshly desires and plans without consulting Him and by striving to make ourselves acceptable to Him.

Our striving should be in seeking God, seeking to know Him better, to hear His voice more clearly and to walk in obedience to His instructions.

We can experience His presence or the pressures of the world, His presence or desires of the flesh, His presence or religious bondage due to legalism. Life beyond the veil is wonderful...enter in!

Pray This:
"Father, I want Your presence in my life. Teach me specific ways to learn to know You better. In Jesus' name, amen."

God permits in His wisdom
WHAT HE COULD HAVE
altered or prevented in His power.


Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him. (JOB 13:15)


WHO CAN IMAGINE the depths of grief or the suffering of the man whom God called "My servant Job"? His ten children perished. From head to toe his body was covered with boils and blisters. His staggering wealth vanished. His wife's only recorded words were a bitter directive to "renounce God and die!" Even his longtime friends, who should have brought comfort, and who should have known better, instead accused him of being a hypocrite in need of repentance. All because of Satan's hatred for Job, and because God was willing to allow Job's faith to be tested. "And the Lord said to Satan, Behold, he is in you hand; only spare his life"(Job 2:6).

As a believer, you know your faith will be tried, and Job's life demonstrates it can be tested to the extreme. You may taste of life's bitterness--you may taste more than you could have imagined--but hear God's words to your soul:"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose"(Romans 8:28 KJV). Come what may, know that through the Spirit's help God's purpose shall be accomplished. Rest in His unchanging wisdom!

True Faith is timeless.
It can only be INTERRUPTED
by two things--doubt
or manifestation.


Jesus said, Take away the stone.
Martha, the sister of the dead man, exclaimed,
But Lord, by this time he [is decaying and] throws off an
offensive odor, for he has been dead four days!
Jesus said to her, Did I not tell you and promise you
that if you would believe and rely on Me,
you would see the glory of God?
(JOHN 11:39,40)

THE STORY OF the raising of Lazarus from the dead is a beauty. Martha truly believed Lazarus would not have died if Jesus had been there sooner. She believed in Jesus as the Christ, her Messiah (John 11:21-27). But Jesus was about to take her faith to a new level--a level that defied any hint of natural possibilities. Faith must move beyond the theoretical to where it touches your deepest need at a level that requires the supernatural.

If Jesus could have spared Lazarus before his death, why not believe He would raise him from the dead after four days? Why not move beyond "could" do it to "will" do it? Take His promise and rest in it. You will see the glory of God!

Be Healed in Jesus' Name
...in My name....they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will get well.
—Mark 16:17,18 There is abundant power in the name of Jesus, and we have been given the right to use that name.

We should speak the name of Jesus in faith against every kind of sickness, disease, and infirmity that arises. We should remember that the Lord gave it to us so we could walk in victory.

We are to pray in the name of Jesus. Prayer is our request—our petition—and the name of Jesus is what gets God's attention. When we pray in Jesus' name, we are presenting to the Father all that Jesus is and has done.

Sometimes we fall into the trap of just putting up with some physical problem, especially if it has been around a long time. We need to be reminded occasionally that there is healing available for us.

If you are sick, fighting any kind of an illness or disease, I encourage you to exercise your blood-bought right to use the name of Jesus against it. Each time you speak that name in faith, power is released.

Start exercising your right to use the name of Jesus against your problems, and believe they lose a little more of their power against you each time you speak that name.

Pray This:
"Father, I thank You for giving me power for any situation in life through the precious name of Jesus. Amen."

Understanding Your Emotions
Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise [sensible, intelligent people]. —Ephesians 5:15Emotions, feelings, are a part of the soul, given to us by God. A life without feelings would be extremely dry and boring...and yet, if we allow feelings to control us, they can become dangerous and actually make us quite miserable.

Whatever God gives for our enjoyment, Satan will try to use against us. God gave us feelings to be a blessing to others and the Kingdom, but Satan tries to use them to cause us torment. He wants us to make all our decisions based on feelings, to allow our feelings to rule us.

Feelings become dangerous and tormenting when we do not understand that we have a choice of whether to allow them to rule us. How often do we feel that someone has hurt our feelings? We can make the choice whether to be hurt or not. To walk according to our emotions is to do whatever we want now, whatever feels good to us at the moment. Our future is being affected by the choices we make today. Make your emotions serve you don't spend your life serving them. Make a decision today to manage your emotions rather than allowing them to manage you.

Say This:
"I determine to manage my emotions. I will make my emotions serve me. I will not spend my life serving them."

God wants you to know that
if you will do what you can do
HE WILL DO
what you can't do.


The Lord God is my Strength
my personal bravery, and my invincible army;
He makes my feet like hinds' feet
and will make me to walk [not to stand still in terror,
but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress
upon my high places
[of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]!
(HABAKKUK 3:19)


WHEN JESUS TOOK the boy's five barley loaves and two small fish and fed the five thousand (John 6), He demonstrated the transformation He works in your life when you are in touch with Him. Apart from Christ the bread was merely bread, but in His hands bread was linked to the divine. No matter how insignificant or weak or lacking in talent you feel, bring all that you are--body, soul, and spirit--and be joined to Christ. Never focus on your deficiencies. Only make sure you have given yourself fully to Christ. Allow Him to fill your mind with His Word and your heart with the love of Christ. Your abilities, great or small, when joined to Christ by faith, are sufficient for whatever He calls you to do.

thank you so much hotmama77...very inspirational...!!

How Can I Be Holy?
For it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy.
—1 Peter 1:16 Anyone who truly loves God wants to be holy. We desire to be like Him, and He is holy. Holiness signifies separation unto God. A state of holiness results in conduct befitting those so separated.

The Lord instructs us to do certain things, but He also provides us the ability to do what He requires. We struggle and labor when we try to do what He wants in our own strength, instead of calling upon His strength by faith.

The seed of holiness is planted in us at the New Birth. As we work with the Holy Spirit and water that seed with God's Word and our obedience, we begin to see positive changes in our behavior and in all other areas of life.

Many Christians spend most of their lives waiting to see themselves change before they will believe anything positive about themselves. But the good news is that God sees our hearts. We have a desire to do what is right because He has given us a new heart and put His Spirit within us.

When we start believing what the Word says about us more than what we see or do, then our behavior begins to radically and rapidly change.

Believe it: You are holy, because God says so! Pray This:
"Father, thank You for making me holy by Your mercy and grace, and by the sacrifice and bloodshed of Your Son. In Jesus' name, amen."

The limits of gifts are
ESTABLISHED BY GOD.
The limits of giving
are established by man.


Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind
and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or
sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (He
takes pleasure in, prizes above other things,
and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful
(joyous, "prompt to do it") giver [whose
heart is in his giving].
2 CORINTHIANS 9:7


GIVING TO GOD financially begins with the foundational principle that "you were bought with a price [purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own]"-that price being the precious blood of Jesus (1 Corinthians 6:20). All you have and ever will have belongs to Him and you are merely a steward of what He has given you in this life.
Paul has compared your giving to the sowing of seed. Believers should give freely and generously as a farmer who knows that every seed planted will yield a harvest. The amount given should not be from a legalistic spirit but from a heart of joy as children of God, from love and gratitude to Jesus Christ. Giving is meant to be a joyful part of your relationship with the Father in heaven. If your offering doesn't touch you, it won't touch God.

Dying to Live
Then the cares and anxieties of the world and distractions of the age, and the pleasure and delight and false glamour and deceitfulness of riches, and the craving and passionate desire for other things creep in and choke and suffocate the Word, and it becomes fruitless.
—Mark 4:19 In order to live the "higher life," we must be willing to die to the "lower life."

One of the major reasons people are not rooted in God's Word is their strong attachment to the world. They want the higher life, but they are not willing to give up the lower life.

There is a life to be lived that is so superior to anything the world has to offer that no comparison can be made, but we must die to self and all its ways and demands in order to attain it. We must die to our own ways of being and doing - the fleshly ways of handling situations. We must also die to our own thoughts and our own idle, willful, and contrary talk. We must learn to live beyond our feelings.

The "bottom line" is that God relentlessly pursues the flesh and is intent on setting us free from its control. We must die to live, but it is a positive thing.

Dare to die in order to live.

Do This:
Choose to die to self and the things of the flesh so that you may live the higher life that God has prepared for you.

Are you impressed by
your circumstances or by
THE WORD OF GOD?
Whichever you choose determines
whether you walk in faith or fear.


And Mary said to the angel, How can this be,
since I have no [intimacy with any man as a]
husband? Then the angel said to her,
The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will
overshadow you [like a shining cloud];
and so the holy (pure, sinless) Thing (Offspring)
which shall be born of you will be called the Son of God.
LUKE 1:34, 35


FEW PEOPLE IN the history of the world have ever faced more impossible circumstances than Mary, the mother of Jesus. Imagine a lone teenage girl who has just been told she will become pregnant by the Holy Spirit and that her child will be the Son of God. No wonder the angel added,"For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment" (Luke 1:37).Yet Mary responded,"Let it be done to me according to what you have said" (vs. 38). Her response was full of faith that overcame any fear she may have been feeling. Circumstances fade to the background whenever you hold God's Word as supreme.

Be Anxious for Nothing
Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.
—1 Peter 5:7 Have you been worried lately?

Worry torments and is totally useless. In the natural realm there is usually plenty to worry about, but the good news is that we believers do not have to live in the natural realm. We have the privilege of casting all our cares on the Lord.

The word casting refers to throwing or hurling. We can throw or hurl our worries on God because He takes care of us. The seed we sow is our care of ourselves, and the harvest we reap is His care of us.

Our refusal to worry shows that we are trusting God. We may speak words that say we are trusting, but actions do speak louder than words in many instances. Our heavenly Father has promised to take care of us. God is for us, with us, under us, upholding us, around us, and watching over us. In other words, God has us covered! He is our shield and our buckler, our high tower, our fortress and hiding place, our place of refuge, and our sure foundation.

Be anxious for nothing—you are too smart to spend your life worrying! Do This:
Make a decision now to cast all your care on the Lord and begin to watch Him take care of you.

When making a decision,
after checking with your head
LOOK INTO YOUR HEART.
If you see peace, go ahead.


And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from
Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your
hearts [deciding and settling with finality all
questions that arise in your minds, in that
peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ's]
one body you were also called [to live]. And be
thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always].
COLOSSIANS 3:15


IN THE DAYS OF the apostle Paul, the Greek games were ruled by umpires whose word and verdict were final. An umpire's declaration of the breaking of a rule or of the victor ended any debate that might be involved in an event. So too, the peace that comes from your relationship with Jesus Christ is to rule your hearts in all matters. This inner peace is an assured quietness of soul, a calmness of spirit that stands up to the turmoil of life. Whenever you make decisions, if you think it is a good idea to go ahead you also need to let your heart speak. If you do not sense an inner peace from Christ you should not move ahead.Always be at peace with Christ in your heart and you will be able to meet life with joy and a quiet trust that overcomes.

What Does Guilt Accomplish?
Therefore, [there is] now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live [and] walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit.
—Romans 8:1 Guilt and condemnation are major problems for many believers.

It is Satan's greatest delight to make us feel bad about ourselves. He never tells us how far we have come, but rather, he constantly reminds us of how far we still have to go.

When the enemy attacks me, I say, "I'm not where I need to be, but thank God I'm not where I used to be. I'm okay, and I'm on my way."

Like David, we must learn to keep ourselves encouraged in the Lord. (1 Samuel 30:6.) None of us has arrived at the state of perfection. We cannot perfect ourselves: sanctification (holiness) is the job of the Holy Spirit, and it is worked out in our lives as a process.

The Bible teaches that we can have complete forgiveness of our sins (total freedom from condemnation) through the blood of Jesus Christ. We must decide if Jesus did a complete job or if He didn't. We don't need to add our guilt to His sacrifice. He is more than enough.

Let Jesus do His job. He wants to forgive you. All you have to do is receive His forgiveness. Complete forgiveness is completely free! Say This:
"I'm not where I need to be, but thank God I'm not where I used to be. I'm okay, and I'm on my way."

God is more interested in
YOUR STABILITY
than your tranquility.


But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord,
and on His law (the precepts, the instructions,
the teachings of God) he habitually meditates
(ponders and studies) by day and by night.
And he shall be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by
the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit
in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither;
and everything he does shall prosper
[and come to maturity].
PSALM 1:2, 3


A LIFE ROOTED in God and His Word is like a tree rooted in the eternal stream.As long as the river runs and the quality of the water is good the tree will grow slowly and solidly, unlike the flower that shoots up quickly and is ever so fragile. Although the branches of the tree may creak and bend in the storm the roots are held firmly in divine soil.
As regards your life in the Spirit there is never a famine but always an abundance of fruit in season. Because your faith is in Jesus Christ the solid growth of your character is followed by solid actions that lead to prosperity and maturity. It is better to grow solid slowly than fragile quickly.

Managing Your Emotions
Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind)....rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined....
—1 Peter 5:8,9 An emotional person is someone who is easily affected with or stirred by emotions. Their conduct is ruled by emotion rather than reason. A person who lives by emotion lives without principle.

We all have emotions, and they are not going away, but we cannot trust them. We should seek God to learn to manage our emotions and not allow them to manage us.

We are created to operate in the fruit of self-control. Self-control is a freedom—not a bondage. We are free to use wisdom, free to obey God, free to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. We are free not to be pushed around by our feelings. We don't have to do what we feel like doing; we are free to do what we know is wise.

Be honest with yourself in this area. If you believe you are not managing your emotions, begin to pray and seek God about emotional maturity. Remember:

1. He who lives by emotions lives without principle.

2. We all have emotions, but we cannot trust them.

3. We cannot be spiritual (walk in the Spirit) and be led by emotions.

4. Emotions won't go away, but we can learn to manage them.
Make emotional maturity a priority goal in your life.

Say This:
"I am well-balanced, temperate, and sober of mind. I am rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined. I am emotionally mature."

You must learn to
MAINTAIN YOUR JOY
in the midst of the storm,
or the storm will remain.


And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea,
they were terrified and said, It is a ghost!
And they screamed out with fright.
But instantly He spoke to them, saying,
Take courage! I AM! Stop being afraid!
MATTHEW 14:26, 27


THE DISCIPLES STRUGGLED for hours in the dark but could not beat the storm that threatened to take their boat down. How true that is to your own life experience.You struggle so hard with your work and problems that you lose your joy and peace.Yet if you look up through the waves of problems you find Christ walking straight over them to save you.
The storm will pass if you take Him into your boat. Your peace will not give way if it is centered in Him. Indeed peace is not peace unless it remains in the midst of the storm. God promises to "fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith]" (Romans 15:13). The night may be dark and the waves real but Christ is greater than the storm.

How to Hear from God
But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth)....
—John 16:13 Divine guidance is God's will for His children. We must believe that God does desire to speak to us and that we can hear from Him. One of the ministries of the Holy Spirit in our lives is to guide or lead us into God's will for us in each situation.

I don't believe that anyone immediately knows how to be led by the Spirit. We learn in these areas, and it takes teaching, studying, training, exercising, and making a few mistakes.

Making a mistake is not the end of the world; not learning from our mistake is a greater mistake than the original error.

Have a pioneering spirit and be willing to learn. Here are some pointers that will help you:

1. Have regular prayer and fellowship time with God.

2. Be careful what you hear. Create an atmosphere that is conducive to hearing God.

3. Want God's will more than your own.

4. Know that God leads step-by-step. He often does not show you the entire plan at the beginning.

5. Be a thankful person.

6. Be led by peace and wisdom. The Holy Spirit desires to lead you into God's good plan for your life; He will speak to you, and you can hear Him. Do This:
Peace is the umpire that decides what is right and wrong. Don't do anything you don't have peace about. Be led by peace.

God's manifest presence with you
IS A RESULT
of your manifest presence with Him.


If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me]
and My words remain in you and continue to
live in your hearts, ask whatever you will,
and it shall be done for you.
JOHN 15:7


GOD'S MANIFOLD blessings, of which His presence with you is easily the greatest, come to you as you abide in your relationship with Jesus. Indeed Jesus made it clear that apart from Him you can do nothing ( John 15:5).To "live in Me"means to be vitally one with Jesus, to enjoy all that it means to be in Christ. Prayer is a natural expression of a heart that is abiding in Christ-it is on your lips when you awake in the morning and flows naturally from you throughout your day. To live in His presence, to be in communion with Christ, is to know joy unspeakable and full of glory! You' ll never receive any of God's blessings if you don't spend any of your time with God.

Discipline and Self-Control
For we are...recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined...for us...that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].
—Ephesians 2:10 Everyone wants the good life; not everyone wants to live a disciplined and self-controlled lifestyle. Without discipline and self-control, we will never enjoy the good life that God has prepared for us.

To live a disciplined life we cannot do what we feel like doing. Discipline and self-control require denial of the flesh, but they lead to the good life, the kind of life in which we find peace, joy, power, and many other good things.

You and I don't have to live a disciplined life. God will still love us with or without discipline on our part. But if we want to live the good life He desires for us, we must choose discipline and self-control. Neither of these things is easy on the flesh, but the victory we enjoy is worth the suffering we must endure to obtain it.

Discipline is a choice, not a law. It is a tool we believers use to lead ourselves into victory.

I exhort you to be a disciplined person who operates in the fruit of self-control. Do This:
Practice self-control in every area of your life. Discipline the flesh, then enjoy the good life that comes. It's a choice.

God permits in His wisdom
WHAT HE COULD HAVE
altered or prevented in His power.


Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him. (JOB 13:15)


WHO CAN IMAGINE the depths of grief or the suffering of the man whom God called "My servants Job"? His ten children perished. From head to toe his body was covered with boils and blisters. His staggering wealth vanished. His wife's only recorded words were a bitter directive to "renounce God and die!" Even his longtime friends, who should have brought comfort, and who should have known better, instead accused him of being a hypocrite in need of repentance. All because of Satan's hatred for Job, and because God was willing to allow Job's faith to be tested. "And the Lord said to Satan, Behold, he is in you hand; only spare his life"(Job 2:6).

As a believer, you know your faith will be tried, and Job's life demonstrates it can be tested to the extreme. You may taste of life's bitterness--you may taste more than you could have imagined--but hear God's words to your soul:"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose"(Romans 8:28 KJV). Come what may, know that through the Spirit's help God's purpose shall be accomplished. Rest in His unchanging wisdom!

Lazy and Lukewarm
...stir up (rekindle the embers of, fan the flame of, and keep burning) the [gracious] gift of God, [the inner fire] that is in you....
—2 Timothy 1:6 We need to be on our guard against the spirit of passivity. Passivity is one of the greatest tools that Satan uses against God's people. Procrastination and laziness are the cousins of passivity, and they usually all attack in a group. A passive person waits to be moved by an outside force before he will take action. We are to be motivated and led by the Holy Spirit within us, not by outside forces.

In Revelation 3:16 Jesus warns that He will not be satisfied with lukewarmness. We need to be full of the zeal of God.

I don't know about you, but I don't usually wake up in the morning feeling full of zeal. But thank God I have learned how to "stir up the gift within me." I have discovered that the Word of God coming out of my own mouth in prayer, praise, preaching, or confession is the best encouragement I can find. It stirs up the gift within, keeps the fire aflame, and prevents me from becoming lukewarm.

I strongly encourage you to refuse passivity, procrastination, and laziness. Act now with all diligence and zeal according to the Word of God. Stir up the inner flame! Do This:
Refuse to be passive and lazy. Stir up the gift within you by

True Faith is timeless.
It can only be INTERRUPTED
by two things--doubt
or manifestation.


Jesus said, Take away the stone.
Martha, the sister of the dead man, exclaimed,
But Lord, by this time he [is decaying and] throws off an
offensive odor, for he has been dead four days!
Jesus said to her, Did I not tell you and promise you
that if you would believe and rely on Me,
you would see the glory of God?
(JOHN 11:39,40)

THE STORY OF the raising of Lazarus from the dead is a beauty. Martha truly believed Lazarus would not have died if Jesus had been there sooner. She believed in Jesus as the Christ, her Messiah (John 11:21-27). But Jesus was abouth to take her faith to a new level--a level that defied any hint of natural possibilities. Faith must move beyond the theoretical to where it touches your deepest need at a level that requires the supernatural.

If Jesus could have spared Lazarus before his death, why not believe He would raise him from the dead after four days? Why not move beyond "could" do it to "will" do it? Take His promise and rest in it. You will see the glory of God!

July 21, 2005
Casting All Your Cares Therefore humble yourselves...casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.
—1 Peter 5:6,7 Worry, anxiety, and care have no positive effect on our lives. They do not bring a solution to problems. They do not help us achieve good health, and they prevent our growth in the Word of God.

One of the ways that Satan steals the Word of God from our heart is through cares. The Bible says we are to cast our cares onto God, which is done by prayer. We cannot handle our own problems; we are not built for it. We are created by God to be dependent upon Him, to bring Him our challenges and to allow Him to help us with them.

We must not take the care upon ourselves. Keeping our cares is a manifestation of pride. It shows that we think we can solve our own problems and that we don't need the Lord.

We show our humility by leaning on God. Worry, anxiety, and care are not manifestations of leaning on God, but they clearly state by their mere existence that we are attempting to take care of ourselves.

Pray about everything and worry about nothing. You will enjoy life much more.

Pray This:
"Father, show me each time I take a care instead of casting it. Then I will immediately cast it on You. In Jesus' name, amen."

Mercy is your Father rescuing you
out of distressful situations
because of your RELATIONSHIP,
not your record.


Have mercy upon me, O God,
according to Your steadfast love;
according to the multitude of Your tender mercy
and loving-kindness blot out my transgressions.
PSALM 51:1


DAVID HID HIS murderous, adulterous relationship with Bathsheba for twelve long months before being confronted by Nathan's piercing words, "You are the man!" (2 Samuel 12:7). David's cry for mercy in Psalm 51 reflects the cry of one overwhelmed with guilt and the uncleanness of sin. All the remorse and brokenness that had been stored up in his soul broke loose with a cry for God's mercy. He offered no excuses for his sin, but appealed for mercy because there is no other appeal to make. Only the mercy of God could rescue him from the blood-stained iniquity of his soul.
Mercy is God's grace or loving-kindness in action toward man. It is love that is exercised toward the needy, especially toward those who have sinned. By definition mercy is never what you deserve. It is seen repeatedly in God's faithfulness to Israel despite the people's unfaithfulness. In the New Testament mercy is seen in the fulfillment of His promised kindness (Luke 1:54, 72) through the salvation brought to us by Christ (Titus 3:5, 6). Receive His mercy and rejoice in His salvation!

Anointed to Be Quiet He who guards his mouth keeps his life, but he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.
—Proverbs 13:3 Are you anointed to be quiet?

The apostle Paul writes of the dangers of empty, silly, useless talk. (Ephesians 5:4; 1 Timothy 6:20; 2 Timothy 2:16.) The writer of Proverbs warns that a man who rashly speaks out everything that passes through his mind will end up in disaster.

There was a time in my life when I just could not keep quiet. I have always been a talker, and that is not all bad if a person can learn wisdom concerning timing. I have learned how to be quiet to go along with my God-given ability to speak and communicate. Balance is the key to staying out of trouble.

Perhaps you are a talker, and you have not yet allowed God to anoint you to be quiet. Let me remind you that James says no man can tame the tongue. (James 3:8.) You will definitely need God's help. Ask the Lord to quicken you each time you are talking too much or too loudly, or when it is simply not necessary.

Remember to think before you speak. James says to be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger. (James 1:19.)

I ask again, are you anointed to be quiet? If not, ask God to help you.

Pray This:
"Father, quicken me when I am talking too much or too loudly and teach me when to be quiet. In Jesus' name, amen."

Your flesh can't keep you happy,
so stop trying to keep it happy.
OBEY THE SPIRIT,
and the desires of the flesh will die.


And those who belong to Christ Jesus (the Messiah)
have crucified the flesh (the godless human
nature) with its passions and appetites and desires.
If we live by the [Holy] Spirit, let us also walk
by the Spirit. [If by the Holy Spirit we have
our life in God, let us go forward walking in line,
our conduct controlled by the Spirit.]
GALATIANS 5:24, 25


THE APOSTLE PAUL did not minimize the fact that the flesh with its passions and lusts will be a challenge to the believer. But he is adamant that you put to death the deeds of the flesh.To have received Jesus Christ by faith is the first gigantic step you take in doing that.You saw the evil in your own selfishness, and in repentance you moved to kill the flesh. Jesus Christ cannot come into your life as Lord without the crucifixion of sin. The fact that the flesh still troubles you does not change what has been done. The power of this new life is in the indwelling Holy Spirit. Live by His power and keep yourself walking in line with Him, and you will remain free from the self-life of the flesh, and Jesus will be formed in your character.

July 28, 2005
Growing Up Without Giving Up Rather, let our lives lovingly express truth [in all things, speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly]. Enfolded in love, let us grow up in every way and in all things into Him Who is the Head, [even] Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).
—Ephesians 4:15 Growing up spiritually is not always easy. It might be said that we believers have to endure many "growing pains." Due to the challenging times, often we are tempted to give up. We all need to realize the progress we have made.

Perhaps you have been struggling with yourself. You know that you need to change. You desire to be like Jesus. And yet you feel that you are making no progress. The first thing you must realize is that you are making progress. Little by little, you are changing.

Take some time and think about where you were when you first accepted Christ into your heart. Listen to the Holy Spirit instead of listening to the devil! The way to listen to the Holy Spirit is by following your heart not your head or your feelings. Learn to live beyond your feelings.

Don't compare yourself with other people. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Be patient with yourself. Keep pressing on and believe that you are changing every day.

Don't give up! You are growing up!

Say This:
"Christ is my life. I grow up into Him Who is the Head. Through Him I have joy unspeakable and full of glory!" (1 Peter 1:8 KJV.)

Love without TRUTH
is permissiveness.


For sin shall not [any longer] exert dominion over you,
since now you are not under Law [as slaves],
but under grace [as subjects of God's favor and mercy].
What then [are we to conclude]? Shall we sin because
we live not under Law but under God's favor and mercy?
Certainly not!
ROMANS 6:14, 15


IF YOUR FAITH is soft on issues of sin you need to realize that biblical truth has either been removed from it or perverted within it. In the wrong hands any truth can be twisted and perverted. There is no biblical truth, including the grace of God, that opens the door to permissiveness on sin.Grace teaches that God forgives sinners upon the basis of His mercy in the sacrifice of His Son Jesus, and everything in salvation flows from His grace. Intrinsic to salvation is the fact that you are set free from the habit and desire to sin. The blood of Christ cleanses you as well as forgives, and love for Jesus and love for purity is born into your life. Bring a soft heart to God that includes a hatred for sin.

Learn to Enforce the Defeat of the Devil My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.... —Hosea 4:6 A growing interest in the supernatural in these last days makes it more important than ever that we become knowledgeable about key truths in order to avoid the pitfalls of deception. Everything that looks good isn't God; everything that is supernatural isn't spiritual.

This is no time for us believers to have our heads stuck in the sand.

First, we must realize that the devil, demons, and evil spirits are real. (1 Peter 5:8.)

Second, we must recognize Satan's tactics and know his vulnerable points as well as he knows ours, so we can counterattack him. (2 Corinthians 2:11.)

Third, we need to have knowledge of and exercise our God-given authority. (Luke 10:19.) We have authority and power to walk all over the devil! Satan has no right to do anything to us unjustly. We can protect ourselves with knowledge of God's Word.

This is a very important day and hour in which we are living. Only when we determine to seek the truth from God's Word, through anointed teachers and preachers, and in our own personal study and prayer time will we know how to successfully overcome the deception of the enemy and help others do the same.

Know your enemy! Enforce his defeat! You can fight the devil and win!

Pray This:
"Father, thank You for giving me authority over all the power that the enemy possesses so that he cannot harm me. In Jesus' name, amen."

You have no right
to steal God's glory—HIS GLORY
is a result of His grace.


I am the Lord; that is My name!
And My glory I will not give to another,
nor My praise to graven images.
ISAIAH 42:8


AFTER BEHOLDING ONE miracle after another in the deliverance of Israel from Egypt, Moses declared, "Who is like You, O Lord…glorious in holiness, awesome in splendor, doing wonders?" (Exodus 15:11). He is truly the Incomparable One Who not only triumphs over the enemy but Who in Christ Jesus came to dwell among mankind in His glory, "full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth" ( John 1:14), and redeemed sinners by His grace.
You were created to live for the praise and glory of God but how often do you try to steal His glory by claiming your works as your own? How foolish is that? Yet despite your sins God comes to you and humbles you so His name is not tainted. He cannot allow you to take credit for what is His alone. But God gives grace and glory to you freely. You have the glory of being His and serving Him and His glory in your soul. Humble yourself before Him, and may all your works be an expression of His gracious enabling.

Who Is in Control? But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]....
—Galatians 5:16

Who is in control of your life? Is it you or is it God?

We are to willingly give the Holy Spirit control of our lives, allowing Him to lead and guide us. Most of us would say this is the desire of our heart, but precious few of us are doing it. What is the problem?

Our flesh tries to control. Galatians says plainly that the flesh is continually opposed to the Spirit. (Galatians 5:17.) What the flesh wants, the Spirit never wants. And what the Spirit desires, the flesh never agrees with.

We must refuse the evil and choose the good. The Holy Spirit's role in our lives includes prompting us to make correct choices, but His role is not and never will be to force us to make them.

God will never hurt us. He wants us to trust His direction enough simply to obey it, even if we don't totally understand it. When we willingly give the Holy Spirit control of our daily lives, He leads us into victory. Give the Holy Spirit control of your life. He will lead you into the perfect will of God for you, which includes exceeding, abundant blessings, peace, and joy.

Do This:
Take inventory of all the things that try to control you and begin resisting everything except the control of the Holy Spirit.

Have You Been in the Wilderness Long Enough? The Lord our God said to us in Horeb, You have dwelt long enough on this mountain. Turn and take up your journey....
—Deuteronomy 1:6,7 As long as we have wilderness attitudes, we will continue living in the wilderness. Jesus died so we could live in the Promised Land the land of abundance.

It was only an eleven-day journey to the Promised Land, yet the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years murmuring, grumbling, complaining, and blaming Moses and God for their troubles. (Deuteronomy 1:1-7). Their lack of progress was due to their attitude.

Having a good attitude in a trying situation is at least 90 percent of the battle. We can win over anything as long as we have a godly attitude. There will always be trials in life, but as we trust God and continue doing what He shows us to do, we always come out victorious.

Don't be afraid to walk in the light. As God brings your faults into the light to expose and remove them, it may be uncomfortable. This kind of discomfort, however, is temporary.

God loves you very much, and He has an excellent plan for your life. Follow the Holy Spirit, and He will lead you swiftly through the wilderness into the Promised Land.

Take the shortcut through the wilderness don't go the long way around!

Do This:
Ask the Holy Spirit to start convicting you of any wrong attitudes that are not pleasing to God so that with His help you can change them immediately.

If the Word of God has been
HIDDEN IN YOUR HEART,
it will draw on the grace of God
in times of trouble.


My son, attend to my words; consent and submit
to my sayings. Let them not depart from your sight;
keep them in the center of your heart.
For they are life to those who find them,
healing and health to all their flesh.
PROVERBS 4:20-22


GOD'S WORD IS far more than a historic document. It was written by inspiration of the Holy Spirit long ago, but it has lost none of that inspiration for today.The Holy Spirit is in the Word, and the Word is, therefore, living truth. It is meant to be hidden in your heart and pondered in your mind that you might be rooted and grounded in its teaching and saturated in its spirit. It is the Father's book of grace for your soul.
The Pharisees were masters of the details of the Old Testament but they failed to take the words of God into their hearts. There was no link between the written Word and their hearts. It is possible to memorize the whole Bible and yet know nothing about God's revelation. If you want to find God's word in the Bible let it speak to your heart and allow it to become a revelation that is life to your soul.

August 23, 2005
The School of Obedience ...I have set before you life and death, the blessings and the curses; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live.
—Deuteronomy 30:19 God has created us with a free will. That means that we have the awesome responsibility of choosing His way or rejecting it.

God loves us more than we can begin to understand. He wants the best for us, but His Word says that He sets before us a choice. He respects our right to choose and will neither manipulate us nor control us.

The Holy Spirit seeks to work in our lives to lead us down the good path God has planned, but if we are rebellious and disobedient and persist in walking our own way, we will be allowed to do so, even though it grieves the heart and Spirit of God.

There are many believers who have never enjoyed the good life God has prearranged for them simply because they have refused to be obedient to Him. Far too many of God's children are not living the abundant life He wills for them because they choose to walk their own way.

You will be faced with many opportunities to obey or disobey. God has promised that if you choose to walk in His will, you will walk in the good life.

Only you can make your decision. Do This:
Choose to obey God. Choose a lifestyle of obedience, and you will experience the good life that God has planned for you.

If it's really faith,
YOU WILL NOT STRUGGLE;
you will enter God's rest
and let Him deal with the trouble.


For we who have believed (adhered to and trusted in
and relied on God) do enter that rest,
in accordance with His declaration
that those [who did not believe]
should not enter when He said, As I swore in My wrath,
They shall not enter My rest; and this He said although
[His] works had been completed and prepared
[and waiting for all who would believe] from
the foundation of the world.
HEBREWS 4:3

DESPITE THE GOOD news of Canaan's rest before them, the Israelites listened to the reports of giants in the land and saw themselves as grasshoppers. Had they had the faith of Caleb and Joshua they would have seen themselves as giants and the giants as grasshoppers. The good news of rest has come to you in Jesus Christ today--rest from the penalty of sin, rest from cares and anxieties. To rely upon Christ alone is no small matter. It involves your whole heart and soul. Christ is all you need and all you will ever need for your salvation. Beware of mixing any self-merit with your faith. Enter the rest of God and let God do the rest.

Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately,...as wise (sensible, intelligent people), making the very most of the time....
—Ephesians 5:15,16 We are the generation God has set apart to participate in the end-time harvest that is prophesied in His Word. God is searching for people He can trust to be accountable for the anointing, power, and authority that will be evident in these last days.

Learning to walk in obedience where we are prepares us for the next level into which God wants to take us. Obedience prepares us for promotion. We cannot wait until the "glory days" hit and then get prepared. Preparation precedes promotion.

God is speaking to His people today saying, "Get your house in order." What does this mean in a practical way? I believe it means that we are not to live fragmented, useless lives with no purpose and direction. We must be accountable and responsible for the abilities God has given each of us. We must make a firm decision to stop wasting our time, because time is a gift from God.

Time management is vital to preparation and equipping. Funnel your time into your purpose. Don't look at your time as your own, but see it as God's something He has entrusted to you to use wisely. Say This:
"I will no longer procrastinate or be slow of heart to believe. I will move when the Lord says, 'Move!'"

Faith is now,
but the manifestation
IS IN DUE TIME.
So don't become impatient


For you have need of steadfast patience and endurance,
so that you may perform and fully accomplish
the will of God, and thus receive and carry away
[and enjoy to the full] what is promised.
HEBREWS 10:36

THE HEBREW BELIEVERS were suffering deeply for their faith and the writer to the Hebrews was concerned that they not "fling away [their] fearless confidence, for it carries a great and glorious compensation of reward" (Hebrews 10:35). Faith must look beyond the present moment and tomorrow and your lifetime, Faith looks to eternity. You are a Christian for eternity, not for time. Weigh the eternal rewards coming your way against whatever losses you may suffer in this lifetime because of your faith in Christ. There is no comparison.

By His grace continue to patiently believe His Word and hold fast to the truth. The things you have believed, continue to believe. If the storms gather against you and the darkness descends, remember that the morning will dawn. Let your hope hear the distant hallelujahs that proclaim the coming reign of Christ. Rest in the assurance that the kingdom of God will win the day, even if you must step into eternity to enjoy it.

Are You Able to Drink the Cup That Jesus Drank? ...Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink....
—Matthew 20:22 This was Jesus' response to the request of His disciples James and John to sit on His right and left hand.

Many people want God to bless them with a high position, but they are not ready to stop living a self-centered life. God considers selfishness to be a low level of living.

We can choose to spend our lives trying to get what we want when we want it, but it is a lower life. There is a higher life. If we will not give up the lower life, we will never have the higher life. But if we are willing to give up the lower (natural) life, then God will give us the higher (spiritual) life.

Jesus is now seated at the right hand of the Father. He had to lay down the lower life first before He got the higher life.

In order to be promoted as Jesus was, we must crucify the flesh. We must forget about ourselves—stop thinking about ourselves, talking about ourselves, and trying to get our own way. We must first make an investment, then God will give us a mighty return.

If you want the higher life, be willing to drink the cup that Jesus drank—the cup of unselfishness. Pray This:
"Father, in the name of Jesus, I break the bondage of selfishness off my life. Thank You that I am free."

The Bible does not tell you
TO MAKE the Word work.
It tells you to let the Word work.


Moses told the people, Fear not; stand still
(firm, confident, undismayed) and see the salvation
of the Lord which He will work for you today.
For the Egyptians you have seen today
you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you,
and you shall hold your peace and remain at rest.
EXODUS 14:13,14

THANK GOD FOR a leader like Moses. He saw the same impending crisis the people did and faced it with confidence in God's salvation. His courage rested upon his past experience of seeing God's deliverance based upon His word. This was a moment when faith alone would save them--all they had to do was stand still and let God do the fighting.

Perhaps you feel like the Israelites felt--walled in by an overwhelming problem that is absolutely real and threatening to destroy your life. You try to pray but fear grips your heart. You find yourself utterly helpless. It is a dangerous moment when human nature wants to break faith and complain against the Lord and blame someone else for the situation (Exodus 14:11,12). By faith let God step in between you and the problem, and believe He will work it out.

You Can Triumph in the Midst of Your Trials! And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace..., Who has called you to His [own] eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will Himself complete and make you what you ought to be, establish and ground you securely, and strengthen, and settle you.
—1 Peter 5:10 In John 16:33 Jesus tells us that in the world we will have tribulation. Trials and tribulations seem to be a part of life. We should learn how to triumph in the midst of them.

Trials can make us bitter or better. The devil hopes to steal our faith and leave us bitter and angry at God. God intends to strengthen our faith, purify it so it comes forth like gold, develop patience in us, and give us experience that will help others. (1 Peter 1:5-7.)

We are taught to endure patiently. (1 Peter 2:20.) To endure is to outlast the problem. Patience is a fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22.) It is not just waiting, it is how we act while we are waiting.

To triumph in trials we must learn stability remain the same, continue in our commitments, and walk in love. Going through hard times and continuing to be good and kind to others is a sure way to triumph in trials.

If you are in a time of trials, they don't have to defeat you let them make you stronger. Say This:
"I will triumph in the midst of my trials by remaining stable. I will continue to walk in love and the fruit of the Spirit."

True Faith is timeless.
It can only be INTERRUPTED
by two things--doubt
or manifestation.


Jesus said, Take away the stone.
Martha, the sister of the dead man, exclaimed,
But Lord, by this time he [is decaying and] throws off an
offensive odor, for he has been dead four days!
Jesus said to her, Did I not tell you and promise you
that if you would believe and rely on Me,
you would see the glory of God?
(JOHN 11:39,40)

THE STORY OF the raising of Lazarus from the dead is a beauty. Martha truly believed Lazarus would not have died if Jesus had been there sooner. She believed in Jesus as the Christ, her Messiah (John 11:21-27). But Jesus was abouth to take her faith to a new level--a level that defied any hint of natural possibilities. Faith must move beyond the theoretical to where it touches your deepest need at a level that requires the supernatural.

If Jesus could have spared Lazarus before his death, why not believe He would raise him from the dead after four days? Why not move beyond "could" do it to "will" do it? Take His promise and rest in it. You will see the glory of God!

Battlefield of the Mind ...we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).
—2 Corinthians 10:5 According to 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, the mind is the battlefield. We are in a war, but it is a spiritual war that must be fought spiritually with spiritual weapons.

Using our spiritual weapons, we refute the enemy's lies, arguments, theories, reasonings, and every other thing that tries to exalt itself against the truth of God's Word.

We must take our thoughts captive and not indulge in the fleshly luxury of receiving and meditating on every thought that falls into our heads. We must exercise ourselves to "think about what we are thinking about." This takes some discipline and practice.

The primary weapon with which we do battle is the Word of God used in various ways preached, taught, sung, confessed, meditated upon, written, and read. The Word of God has a cleansing effect on our minds and lives any way we use it.

I once had a negative, wandering, wondering mind. Now, after years of applying the Word of God and a lot of help from the Holy Spirit, I can say with confidence, "I have the mind of Christ." (1 Corinthians 2:16.)

You can win the battle in your mind every stronghold can be torn down and every deception uncovered. Don't settle for anything less than complete freedom! Say This:
"Thank You, Lord, for Your Word that renews my mind and sets me free. I have the mind of Christ! In Jesus' name, amen."

God permits in His wisdom
WHAT HE COULD HAVE
altered or prevented in His power.


Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him. (JOB 13:15)


WHO CAN IMAGINE the depths of grief or the suffering of the man whom God called "My servants Job"? His ten children perished. From head to toe his body was covered with boils and blisters. His staggering wealth vanished. His wife's only recorded words were a bitter directive to "renounce God and die!" Even his longtime friends, who should have brought comfort, and who should have known better, instead accused him of being a hypocrite in need of repentance. All because of Satan's hatred for Job, and because God was willing to allow Job's faith to be tested. "And the Lord said to Satan, Behold, he is in you hand; only spare his life"(Job 2:6).

As a believer, you know your faith will be tried, and Job's life demonstrates it can be tested to the extreme. You may taste of life's bitterness--you may taste more than you could have imagined--but hear God's words to your soul:"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose"(Romans 8:28 KJV). Come what may, know that through the Spirit's help God's purpose shall be accomplished. Rest in His unchanging wisdom!

Beware of Self-Exaltation Therefore humble yourselves [demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation] under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you.
—1 Peter 5:6 We are not to promote ourselves. True promotion comes from God. (Psalm 75:6,7)

I can promote myself but from experience I have discovered that if I put myself somewhere, I have to struggle to keep myself there. If I wait for God to put me in a position, He also keeps me.

It takes patience to wait on God's promotion, but waiting on Him honors Him—and the person who honors God will be honored by God. (1 Samuel 2:30.) It is yet to be seen what the Lord can do through a man or woman who will give Him all the glory.

We must learn to allow God to take the lead role in our daily life and future. How much we are depending upon Him is clearly seen by how willing we are to wait on Him for what we want.

Trusting God does not mean that we do nothing. It does, however, mean that we do only what God leads us to do.

God can use only the humble. The degree of humility in which we walk determines how much God is able to use us.

Wait on the Lord! (Psalm 27:14.) His way is better. His timing is perfect. Do This:
Allow God to take the lead role in your life. Wait on Him, and everything will turn out better in the end.

If it's really faith,
YOU WILL NOT STRUGGLE;
you will enter God's rest
and let Him deal with the trouble.


For we who have believed (adhered to and trusted in
and relied on God) do enter that rest,
in accordance with His declaration
that those [who did not believe]
should not enter when He said, As I swore in My wrath,
They shall not enter My rest; and this He said although
[His] works had been completed and prepared
[and waiting for all who would believe] from
the foundation of the world.
HEBREWS 4:3

DESPITE THE GOOD news of Canaan's rest before them, the Israelites listened to the reports of giants in the land and saw themselves as grasshoppers. Had they had the faith of Caleb and Joshua they would have seen themselves as giants and the giants as grasshoppers. The good news of rest has come to you in Jesus Christ today--rest from the penalty of sin, rest from cares and anxieties. To rely upon Christ alone is no small matter. It involves your whole heart and soul. Christ is all you need and all you will ever need for your salvation. Beware of mixing any self-merit with your faith. Enter the rest of God and let God do the rest.

The Search for Peace ...Let him search for peace...and seek it eagerly. [Do not merely desire peaceful relations with God, with your fellowmen, and with yourself, but pursue, go after them!]
—1 Peter 3:11 When Jesus said, Peace I leave with you... (John 14:27), He was talking about a special kind of peace, not a worldly kind of peace. The special peace that Jesus was talking about is the kind of peace that operates all the time in every situation.

The believer who is experiencing God's peace through his relationship with Jesus can have peace even in the midst of the storms of life.

First Peter 3:11 says that we are to search for peace, to pursue it, and to seek it eagerly. The word seek means "...strive after, endeavor...desire." "Inquire." "To require or demand." It means requiring something as a vital necessity, craving, or pursuing something.

This verse mentions three areas in which we are to seek peace: (1) with God, (2) with our fellowmen, and (3) with ourselves.

Learn to love peace and to desire it earnestly. Seek peace, for without it you cannot enjoy life and the blessings of God. The Lord has said that if you seek Him with your whole heart, you will find Him. (Jeremiah 29:13.) I believe if you seek and search for peace with your whole heart, you will find what you are looking for.

Say This:
"I have the peace that passes all understanding. I have the peace that operates in the midst of the storm."

To be able to love people
when they are unlovely,
you must learn to
RECEIVE GOD'S LOVE
when you have acted unlovely.


Above all things have intense and unfailing love
for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins
[forgives and disregards the offenses of others].
1 PETER 4:8


PETER WAS AN apostle who knew well the meaning of the words, "love covers a multitude of sins." Peter received three specific warnings from Jesus Christ and yet he denied his Lord three times. The memory of each painful failure was etched across his heart with untold grief. Surely he was not worthy of the Lord's kingdom. And yet when Christ arose, His love for Peter was unbroken.His love was as strong as it was tender in restoring the fallen apostle.
The capacity to love those who are unlovely begins with the understanding that God loved you when you were as unlovely as you could possibly be. "But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us" (Romans 5:8).With the love of God poured out in your heart (vs. 5) transforming you disregard the offenses of others.

Lord, Teach Me to Pray Then He was praying in a certain place; and when He stopped, one of His disciples said to Him, Lord, teach us to pray....
—Luke 11:1 If we are going to spend time in prayer, we want to be certain that our time is well spent, that our prayers are effective, and that we are praying prayers God can answer. We also want to enjoy our prayer time.

A successful prayer life is not developed overnight nor can it be copied from someone else. God has a personal plan for each of us. We cannot always do what someone else is doing and expect it to work for us. Our prayer life is progressive. It progresses as we progress, so be patient!

Often our prayers are too vague, meaning they are not clearly expressed. When you pray, be clear with the Lord. Pray boldly, expectantly, specifically. Your heavenly Father loves you, so don't be afraid to be bold in prayer. The writer of Hebrews says that we are to come fearlessly, confidently, and boldly to the throne of grace. (Hebrews 4:16.)

If you need help with your prayer life, be honest with God. Tell Him your needs. He will help you if you ask Him to do so. Begin to say, "Lord, teach me to pray."

Do This:
Your prayer life should be enjoyable, powerful, and effective. If it's not, ask the Lord to teach you how to pray.

The devil cannot get a
STRONGHOLD
unless you give him a foothold.


For the weapons of our warfare are not
physical [weapons of flesh and blood],
but they are mighty before God for the overthrow
and destruction of strongholds, [inasmuch as
we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings
and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up
against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead
every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience
of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).
2 CORINTHIANS 10:4, 5


THE CHRISTIAN LIFE is warfare and much of the battle takes place inside your life. If you do not allow the enemy a foothold in your life he cannot establish a stronghold. You have a supernatural arsenal at your disposal that is mighty through God because God is in you. It begins by establishing a genuine prayer life where you commune with your Father in heaven. This is the power engine of the battle. It is strengthened by daily feedings on the Word of God, the sword of the Spirit. Truth and holiness at work in your life overthrow and destroy the enemy's work.
Allow the Gospel to come into your daily life with the power of the Holy Spirit and you will be armed for the fight and victorious in the battle.

Victory Over Addictions The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds' feet and will make me to walk [not to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]!
Habakkuk 3:19To read the entire message, please visit
http://www.joycemeyer.org/cgi-bin/home.plx?page=home&page_ref=Nav&section_id=NA