Love is something that the world has taken and twisted into something that is complete opposite of what God created love to mean. The world has turned love into something that is material and conditional. The world basically says that love is based on how someone else makes you feel or what they can do for you. They have placed a value on people that they claim to love. They have turned love into lust, attraction, and materialism, etc.
Love is something that is supposed to be unconditional and has nothing to do with lust and attraction. The principle of unconditional love is the most precious of all of the 7 spiritual principles taught in the Bible. Without unconditional love, none of the other 6 will prosper in your life, because it takes love to live by the other principles. In the Bible, love is Agape love. This is the love that God has for us. We are to love each other based on how much God loved us. In John 3:16 it teaches that God loved us so much that he gave us His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ and that we are to love others the way that He loved the church.
God knows how much we love Him by how much we love others. The question that you have to ask yourself is how can you love God who you can't see and not love your brothers and sisters that you see every day. This does not mean that you have to go to the ends of the earth for everyone that you come into contact with. It does mean that you should always want the best for others and respect them. This does not mean that you have to be a fool and be taken advantage of by people. However, it does mean that you don't wish evil on others. The Bible teaches that we are to pray for those that despitefully use us. Put it in God's hands.
When you have agape love in your life, your life will become full of love. You have to learn how to give love, before you can get love. If you love others then others will love you. Grow in love and as you grow in love you will grow in your relationship with God. Once this happens you will develop more and more in becoming one with Jesus Christ. As you do this you will begin to gain favor with God and open the door for Him to shower you with blessing after blessing. At times, you will be uncomfortable. God is not concerned with our uncomfortability. He has no respect to person. We must put our flesh under subjection and be obedient to Him at all times. Obedience is not a option. Jesus is the Truth, the Way, and the Light. God knows that your uncomfortability is only temporary and when it is time the Holy Spirit will move inside of you to direct and guide your path. Once you are steadfast, unshakeable, and unmoveable in your obedience to God, then he can fulfil the desires of your heart.
If you have been burned by love then that does not mean that you are not to love others. Love is not based on situations. It comes from spirit within you. If you have been hurt, then rest in knowing that the Holy Spirit will rest inside of you. The Holy Spirit will reveal, remove and then restore you. This means that as the Holy Spirit is revealing your hurt you will go through a period of pain, suffering, and confusion. As he removes, you will no longer have that pain, suffering, and confusion. Then He will restore and you will have peace, joy, happiness and know that only God can do it.
So in conclusion, put your trust in God and know that Jesus loved you so much that he died for your sins and that you have been forgiven.
God is love and love is God.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Seek God First
I can not begin to stress the importance of seeking a relationship with God first and foremost in everything that you do, say, think, feel, desire, or need. The Bible teachs that once we are obedient to Him and stay under His authority then He will fulfil all of the desires of our heart.
When we put anything or anyone above God, then it shows that we are not being obedient to His word. We can not serve two masters, it either has to be God or is it money, shopping, our spouse, children etc. It is critical that we do not place these above God.
God has no respect to person, therefore His word does not change. The gospel is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. It does not change based on the circumstances of the situation. What God told the disciples, and others in the Bible is the same as what He is telling you right now today. It is up to you to apply what He said to your situation and/or circumstance.
There is nothing that you can do that has not already been done. What you have done has already been done by someone else. When Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden, sin entered into man and woman. Therefore, it is important to know that we are genetically coded to have sin in us. The difference is whether or not we give into the flesh and commit the sin or if we punish it with the word of God and repent.
Develop a relationship with God and live everyday of your life to be the new creature in life that He created you to be. Understand that God can not err and therefore, He did not error when he created you. Put God first and stay under His authority at all times whether good or bad and He will fulfil all of your needs. Just remember to always keep your heart, mind, and spirit in line with the word of God.
When we put anything or anyone above God, then it shows that we are not being obedient to His word. We can not serve two masters, it either has to be God or is it money, shopping, our spouse, children etc. It is critical that we do not place these above God.
God has no respect to person, therefore His word does not change. The gospel is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. It does not change based on the circumstances of the situation. What God told the disciples, and others in the Bible is the same as what He is telling you right now today. It is up to you to apply what He said to your situation and/or circumstance.
There is nothing that you can do that has not already been done. What you have done has already been done by someone else. When Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden, sin entered into man and woman. Therefore, it is important to know that we are genetically coded to have sin in us. The difference is whether or not we give into the flesh and commit the sin or if we punish it with the word of God and repent.
Develop a relationship with God and live everyday of your life to be the new creature in life that He created you to be. Understand that God can not err and therefore, He did not error when he created you. Put God first and stay under His authority at all times whether good or bad and He will fulfil all of your needs. Just remember to always keep your heart, mind, and spirit in line with the word of God.
Uplift With Prayer
It is so unbelievably important that you pray at all times. Many people make the mistake of praying only when circumstances are in their favor. It is more important to pray at all times. It is easy to give all glory, honor, and praise when we are on the mountain top, but can we do it when we are in the valley.
The Bible teaches in Mark 11:22-24 says And Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God. Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain,Be taken up and thrown into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." This is so powerful, it is telling you that if you seek God and tell him your prayers and believe it in your heart then you will receive what ever it is that you are praying for.
So you may come back and say, "If God is all knowing and he is the one that created me then I should not have to say anything, he should already know." This is true and God is all knowing and yes, He did create you in the image of Jesus Christ. However it is also important for us to make our requests known. When you pray it makes it so that you can give a voice to it and not something abstract.
Habakkuk 2:2-3ays "Write the vision: make it plain on tablets so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time it hastens to the end-It will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.
Always give God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit all of the praise, honor and glory first and foremost. Always know that God wants the absolute best for us while we are in the natural. That is why in John 3:16 He gave us his only begotten son Jesus Christ who sits on the right hand of the Father God. Let the Holy Spirit guide and direct your path.
Once you begin to pray keep a written record of your prayers. It is a wonderful way to go back and see how God has answered you. It shows you the almighty power of God. As we just learned in Mark 11, if we believe it without doubt it will come to pass. It may take a while, but God's word does not come back void and God does not lie.
We are to have all trust in God and Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We are to trust without proof and without understanding. We are to seek God at all times.
Let the power of prayer move you closer to God.
The Bible teaches in Mark 11:22-24 says And Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God. Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain,Be taken up and thrown into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." This is so powerful, it is telling you that if you seek God and tell him your prayers and believe it in your heart then you will receive what ever it is that you are praying for.
So you may come back and say, "If God is all knowing and he is the one that created me then I should not have to say anything, he should already know." This is true and God is all knowing and yes, He did create you in the image of Jesus Christ. However it is also important for us to make our requests known. When you pray it makes it so that you can give a voice to it and not something abstract.
Habakkuk 2:2-3ays "Write the vision: make it plain on tablets so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time it hastens to the end-It will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.
Always give God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit all of the praise, honor and glory first and foremost. Always know that God wants the absolute best for us while we are in the natural. That is why in John 3:16 He gave us his only begotten son Jesus Christ who sits on the right hand of the Father God. Let the Holy Spirit guide and direct your path.
Once you begin to pray keep a written record of your prayers. It is a wonderful way to go back and see how God has answered you. It shows you the almighty power of God. As we just learned in Mark 11, if we believe it without doubt it will come to pass. It may take a while, but God's word does not come back void and God does not lie.
We are to have all trust in God and Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We are to trust without proof and without understanding. We are to seek God at all times.
Let the power of prayer move you closer to God.
Allow the Holy Spirit to Operate In Your Life
I can not begin to tell you how important it is that you allow the Holy Spirit into your life. Once you stand up at the alter and give your salvation,it is just the begining. In Isaiah 43:18, the Bible teaches that you must allow the Holy Spirit to come in. You have to be willing to allow the Holy Spirit to speak to your spirit. Let go of your past as you become a new creature in Christ as you renew your mind. As the scripture states, God will make rivers in the desert and ways in the wilderness and even the wild beasts will honor him. God has the answer to every problem, situation, circumstance, trial and tribulation that you can imagine in your wildest dreams. As long as you continue to live according to God, He will show you out of the wilderness.
When we allow our lives to be controlled by our emotions we are headed for disaster. Our emotions are a rollcoaster ride of ups and downs. God is not concerned with our emotions. God's word is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. It is unchanging. It is what it is and does not change. The word of the world has many gray areas and changes depending on the situation. There is no grey area when it comes to the word of God. The word is such that there is no question.
If you allow your emotions and intellect to control your mind then you will not be able to rightly divide what is true and what is false. You become subject to falsities, beguiling thoughts, false prophets, and give the devil a footing in your life. You must ask that the Holy Spirit to take over and speak to your spirit.
Once you do this,then the Holy Spirit will guide, direct, and teach you according to the word of God. Trust in God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. In Isaiah 55:8-9, the Bible teaches that God's thoughts are not our thoughts and God's ways are not our ways. Therefore, we are to keep God's thoughts and ways and not our own. We can only do this if we allow the Holy Spirit in to our lives. Isaiah 55:11 KJV So shall my word goeth forth out of my mouth; it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Trust in His word and remain steadfast in seeking a relationship with Jesus. Allow the Holy Spirit in your life.
When we allow our lives to be controlled by our emotions we are headed for disaster. Our emotions are a rollcoaster ride of ups and downs. God is not concerned with our emotions. God's word is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. It is unchanging. It is what it is and does not change. The word of the world has many gray areas and changes depending on the situation. There is no grey area when it comes to the word of God. The word is such that there is no question.
If you allow your emotions and intellect to control your mind then you will not be able to rightly divide what is true and what is false. You become subject to falsities, beguiling thoughts, false prophets, and give the devil a footing in your life. You must ask that the Holy Spirit to take over and speak to your spirit.
Once you do this,then the Holy Spirit will guide, direct, and teach you according to the word of God. Trust in God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. In Isaiah 55:8-9, the Bible teaches that God's thoughts are not our thoughts and God's ways are not our ways. Therefore, we are to keep God's thoughts and ways and not our own. We can only do this if we allow the Holy Spirit in to our lives. Isaiah 55:11 KJV So shall my word goeth forth out of my mouth; it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Trust in His word and remain steadfast in seeking a relationship with Jesus. Allow the Holy Spirit in your life.
Get a Relationship with Jesus
I can not begin to tell you how important it is that you allow the Holy Spirit into your life. Once you stand up at the alter and give your salvation,it is just the begining. In Isaiah 43:18, the Bible teaches that you must allow the Holy Spirit to come in. You have to be willing to allow the Holy Spirit to speak to your spirit. Let go of your past as you become a new creature in Christ as you renew your mind. As the scripture states, God will make rivers in the desert and ways in the wilderness and even the wild beasts will honor him. God has the answer to every problem, situation, circumstance, trial and tribulation that you can imagine in your wildest dreams. As long as you continue to live according to God, He will show you out of the wilderness.
When we allow our lives to be controlled by our emotions we are headed for disaster. Our emotions are a rollcoaster ride of ups and downs. God is not concerned with our emotions. God's word is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. It is unchanging. It is what it is and does not change. The word of the world has many gray areas and changes depending on the situation. There is no grey area when it comes to the word of God. The word is such that there is no question.
If you allow your emotions and intellect to control your mind then you will not be able to rightly divide what is true and what is false. You become subject to falsities, beguiling thoughts, false prophets, and give the devil a footing in your life. You must ask that the Holy Spirit to take over and speak to your spirit.
Once you do this,then the Holy Spirit will guide, direct, and teach you according to the word of God. Trust in God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. In Isaiah 55:8-9, the Bible teaches that God's thoughts are not our thoughts and God's ways are not our ways. Therefore, we are to keep God's thoughts and ways and not our own. We can only do this if we allow the Holy Spirit in to our lives. Isaiah 55:11 KJV So shall my word goeth forth out of my mouth; it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Trust in His word and remain steadfast in seeking a relationship with Jesus. Allow the Holy Spirit in your life.
When we allow our lives to be controlled by our emotions we are headed for disaster. Our emotions are a rollcoaster ride of ups and downs. God is not concerned with our emotions. God's word is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. It is unchanging. It is what it is and does not change. The word of the world has many gray areas and changes depending on the situation. There is no grey area when it comes to the word of God. The word is such that there is no question.
If you allow your emotions and intellect to control your mind then you will not be able to rightly divide what is true and what is false. You become subject to falsities, beguiling thoughts, false prophets, and give the devil a footing in your life. You must ask that the Holy Spirit to take over and speak to your spirit.
Once you do this,then the Holy Spirit will guide, direct, and teach you according to the word of God. Trust in God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. In Isaiah 55:8-9, the Bible teaches that God's thoughts are not our thoughts and God's ways are not our ways. Therefore, we are to keep God's thoughts and ways and not our own. We can only do this if we allow the Holy Spirit in to our lives. Isaiah 55:11 KJV So shall my word goeth forth out of my mouth; it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Trust in His word and remain steadfast in seeking a relationship with Jesus. Allow the Holy Spirit in your life.
Find Joy in the Hard Times
I know that times are extremely tight in the current economical state that America is facing today. It seems that more and more we are having to make choices between necessities. The question of do we get groceries or pay the power bill or gas bill. Do we pay for college or the mortgage? Do we have to down size and decrease our standard of living? What about whether or not we are going to have employment or a retirement? These are all questions that are at the forefront of our daily lives.
In Matthew 6:24-34, the Bible plainly states that God will take care of our daily necessities. Specifically in verse 30, God says, " Wherefore, is God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast in the oven, shall he not much more clothe you. O ye of little faith." Then it goes on to say in verse 33, God says, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you."
God knows are needs better than what we know our needs. He knew us before the foundation of the earth. He finished the earth with perfection so that we could have all of our needs met. Keep God first and foremost, seek his righteousness, keep His commandments, statutes, and judgements. Trust in Him and know that God is your source. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and Light. God will find a way to supply your needs.
God wants the absolute best for us. He is soverign and does not have to explain himself, for He has no respect to person. He puts us through the tough assignments so that we can continue to give Him the glory. Even though times are hard, we must continue to seek a relationship with our Lord and Savoir, Jesus Christ.
We must go through the difficulty of the valley to know the joy of the mountaintop. We are taught through the Bible that there will be trials and tribulations along with the joy and happiness. Rejoice and be glad in it.
In Matthew 6:24-34, the Bible plainly states that God will take care of our daily necessities. Specifically in verse 30, God says, " Wherefore, is God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast in the oven, shall he not much more clothe you. O ye of little faith." Then it goes on to say in verse 33, God says, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you."
God knows are needs better than what we know our needs. He knew us before the foundation of the earth. He finished the earth with perfection so that we could have all of our needs met. Keep God first and foremost, seek his righteousness, keep His commandments, statutes, and judgements. Trust in Him and know that God is your source. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and Light. God will find a way to supply your needs.
God wants the absolute best for us. He is soverign and does not have to explain himself, for He has no respect to person. He puts us through the tough assignments so that we can continue to give Him the glory. Even though times are hard, we must continue to seek a relationship with our Lord and Savoir, Jesus Christ.
We must go through the difficulty of the valley to know the joy of the mountaintop. We are taught through the Bible that there will be trials and tribulations along with the joy and happiness. Rejoice and be glad in it.
BE the Fruit of The Spirit
What I am about to talk about is so critically important that I don't know where to begin. In Galatians 5:16, the Bible teaches the Fruit of the Spirit. They are the character, conduct, and commitment of God that we are to have in us. They are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,faithfulness, , gentleness and self control.
My Pastor put it so eloquently when he said that you must BE these things. Saints it is not acceptable just to have these in your life. You must BE these things every moment of each and every day. You must be these things when times are hard, when others forsake, hurt, disappoint you. If something or someone gets on your last nerve, then you need to get new nerves. If someone gets you all rouled up and pushes your button, then you need to get a new button.
We need to stop having these characteristics only when it is easy or convenient. We DO NOT serve a easy or convenient GOD! He wants us to be at our absolute BEST. So BE these things at ALL times. You bring others to God when they can see who you are through to your core. What comes out of your mouth is secondary.
If you love God and seek God at ALL times then this becomes your nature. Live your best life. Let the Fruit of the Spirit not just live inside of you, but be so bright that even the Devil gets blinded and tumbles down.
My Pastor put it so eloquently when he said that you must BE these things. Saints it is not acceptable just to have these in your life. You must BE these things every moment of each and every day. You must be these things when times are hard, when others forsake, hurt, disappoint you. If something or someone gets on your last nerve, then you need to get new nerves. If someone gets you all rouled up and pushes your button, then you need to get a new button.
We need to stop having these characteristics only when it is easy or convenient. We DO NOT serve a easy or convenient GOD! He wants us to be at our absolute BEST. So BE these things at ALL times. You bring others to God when they can see who you are through to your core. What comes out of your mouth is secondary.
If you love God and seek God at ALL times then this becomes your nature. Live your best life. Let the Fruit of the Spirit not just live inside of you, but be so bright that even the Devil gets blinded and tumbles down.
The Power of Togetherness
This is one of the most fundamental truths of the word of God. In Matthew 18:18, it states that what is bound in earth is bound in Heaven and what is bound in Heaven is bound in earth. When you are bound together in God, then you are will have fulfilment. There are some basic requirements that must happen when we come together. We must realize that we are the flock and must lay aside anything that is contrary to the word of God. We must come in faith humility, and forgiveness. Trust in God, leadership and each other. When we do this then we will receive favor and goodness automatically from God. Once this happens then God can empower, protect, and puts us in position to receive kingdom benefits.
We must know that God is the Source, Jesus is the Head and we are the Body. We must come to God through Jesus. God created us to be together. Just as God created the trinity of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, we are to be one within the trinity of mind, body, and spirit. God desires us to come together as one. We are the center of God's will. Once we do this then God can continue to bless us.
In Romans 5:1, we are the righteousness of God and we are to be with God for eternity. To be righteous means that we are to do what is right, be in rightstanding with God, and that the rights of God are available to us. We have to get in line with what God can do. As God's children, we need to stop walking around giving ourselves pity parties and carrying around old baggage. You can't work on yourself, only the trinity can change you.
In order to maximize togetherness, Revelations 1:2-3 we are taught that God wants us to come to church with believers of like precious faith. It is our responsibility to bring the church to the highest level of spiritual, financial, and administrative excellence.
When you come together, you have the peace of God and freedom from stress and the pressures of the world. We are confident and justified in the testimony of God. We can come to God boldly and have access to God at all times. When God created us, He created all of us with a purpose. God wanted all of us here.
We must know that God is the Source, Jesus is the Head and we are the Body. We must come to God through Jesus. God created us to be together. Just as God created the trinity of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, we are to be one within the trinity of mind, body, and spirit. God desires us to come together as one. We are the center of God's will. Once we do this then God can continue to bless us.
In Romans 5:1, we are the righteousness of God and we are to be with God for eternity. To be righteous means that we are to do what is right, be in rightstanding with God, and that the rights of God are available to us. We have to get in line with what God can do. As God's children, we need to stop walking around giving ourselves pity parties and carrying around old baggage. You can't work on yourself, only the trinity can change you.
In order to maximize togetherness, Revelations 1:2-3 we are taught that God wants us to come to church with believers of like precious faith. It is our responsibility to bring the church to the highest level of spiritual, financial, and administrative excellence.
When you come together, you have the peace of God and freedom from stress and the pressures of the world. We are confident and justified in the testimony of God. We can come to God boldly and have access to God at all times. When God created us, He created all of us with a purpose. God wanted all of us here.
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