HAVE YOU LOST YOUR FIRST LOVE?

EVIDENCE YOU HAVE LEFT MY “FIRST LOVE” OF THE LORD

1) When you are unable to forgive another for offending you… 1 John 4:20 “If a man says, I love God and hates his brother, he is a liar…”

2) When you become complacent to sinful conditions around you… Matthew 24:12 “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many will wax cold.”

3) When you delight in someone or something else more than the Lord Mark 12:30 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart…”

4) When your soul does not long for rich fellowship in God’s Word and in conversation with Him. Mark 12:30 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your…soul…”

5) When your thoughts are not centered upon the Lord. Mark 12:30 “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your…mind…” Psalm 10:4 “The wicked…God is in none of his thoughts.”

6) When your life purpose or focus is no longer centered on His plans, purposes and pursuits…Mark 12:30 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your…strength.”

7) When you give in easily to those things which you know displease the Lord. John 14:15 “If you love Me, keep my commandments.” (Both written & spoken)

8) When you do not willingly give to God’s work or invest in the needs of others. 1 John 3:17 “ Whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother have need, and shuts up his bowels of compassion for him, how can the love of God dwell in him?”

9) When you do not view the commands of Christ as expressions of His love, instead as oppressive and restricting. John 14:21 “ He who has my commands and keeps them, it is he that loves me…”

10) When you strive for the recognition of the world rather than the approval of the Lord. 1 John 2:15 “Do not love the world, nor the things that are in the world. If any man loves the things of the world, the love of the Father is not in Him.”

IN LOVE WITH GOD!

Matthew 22: 37-38 "Jesus said to him, you shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment."

The Bible plainly tells us that loving God is the greatest principle contained within it's pages. Loving God is the reason you were created. To live within a love relationship with Him is the highest of all life purpose and without this intimacy we will live a life that remains frustrated, meaningless, stagnant, empty and without purpose!

So many people do not know the very basics of Loving God. Let's keep in mind we are commanded (it's not optional) to love Him with "all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our mind." We are so often concerned that if we love God in this manner that we won't have any time or affections left for others in our lives. The opposite is true. We are told in Matthew 6:33 that if we put God "first" and the affairs of His "Kingdom" and "righteousness" then all the "things" of life are taken care of!

Let's think for a moment about some of the principles we employ when we set our affections on others close to us. If we apply these same tactics to our relationship with God, we will be off to a good start in loving Him, as well.

1) Set aside time to spend with Him. I remember when I first met my wife, Debbie, I believe that I invested enough in fuel taxes to repave all of Richie highway as I traveled back and forth between Pasadena & Annapolis. She became a priority on my daily schedule. it was amazing how much time I had for her when I re-prioritized my life and other interests. You cannot build a relationship by remaining separated or without spending good quality time together.
Time chatting while eating or riding down the road is good, but true intimacy only develops when our sole focus of the moment is on the one we love. Set two or three times a week, initially and have a date with God. Do not cancel, it may harm your relationship!

2) Good love relationships are not easy to develop. They take a lot of effort and good old fashioned work. "...Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him." Hebrews 11:6 Another translation says He rewards those who "diligently seek Him." Sincerely seeking and diligently seeking, both speak of working to build relationship with God. After all the years of relationship with the world, it takes a concentrated effort to focus on God.

3) Communication is essential! Most of us have no problems bombarding God with our problems and needs, but when it comes to listening to his heart, we need to employ the skills the prophet Samuel learned. "...Then God came and stood before him exactly as before, calling out, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel answered, “Speak. I’m your servant, ready to listen.” 1 Samuel 3:10

We need to learn to be open and honest with God (He knows all of our thoughts anyway), and we need to allow God to be open and honest with us! This is one of the biggest obstacles to developing intimacy with Him. We don't want to hear what He has to say and oftentimes when He does begin to speak into our hearts correction or conviction, we begin to shout Him down with our religious banter! Sometimes heart exchanges with our loved ones can be painful! However, if we wish the relationship to deepen these exchanges of truth need to be allowed in our time together.

4) We willingly and affectionately lay down our own self centered desires to reap a harvest of love from our loved one. "Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God..." Ephesians 5:21 We become givers as a result of our new natures. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ..." 2 Cor 5:17-18 We remain givers by the continual oversight and review of our will.We, as a result of our continued, deepening relationship with God, commence to take on the character and nature of God, Himself. " For God so loved the world, that he gave...: John 3:16

We too become givers as we spend time with Him.

5) We discover and share each others giftings and talents. The more time we spend in reading His Word and in discovery of His character and nature, the more we fall in love with Him. The more time we spend basking in His presence the more He begins to reveal Himself to us. (In our own relationships, we DO NOT reveal our innermost thoughts, impressions, motivations and desires to those who are mere acquaintances.)

When we first encounter a loved one , we simply "love" them based on first impressions and external observations. The more time we spend together, the more we are able to observe the intangibles which form the very foundation for any long lasting, intimate relationship. (loyalty, faithfulness, trustworthiness, etc...)The more you know Him, the more your heart goes out to Him and the deeper relationship you develop. "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord..." 2 Peter 1:2

Here's the way it develops...
The More you know Him, the More you love Him!
The More you love Him, the more you trust Him!
The more you trust Him, the more you obey Him!

6) Finally as your intimacy progresses, you couple together to produce offspring.When you spend time with Him, you discover that His heart goes out for other hearts who desire to be with Him. 2Chronicles 16:9 "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect (loyal) toward him."

His desire is that you remain so intimate and connected to Him (Two operating as one) that your life is filled with much fruit. John 15:5 in The Message says it this way. "I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. "

Then out of our Love relationship, and having laid down our own interests and desires, we begin to pursue the desires of His heart. We allow His Holy Spirit to influence others through our lives and the anointing which flows out of us. Out of His love for us and our love for Him, we obey Him and He manifests Himself to us and others.

"He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” John 14:21

Do we really love God with all all your heart, soul, strength and your mind, as He desires and commands?
I Think Not!

Let's begin or intensify (Whichever place you're at) the journey into the heart of God.
Begin Today.

IT AIN'T OVER UNTIL IT'S OVER!

Exodus 14:9-10 “But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon. And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid:”

So oftentimes, we put limits on the abilities and desires of our God. We liken His character and His attributes to those of mere mortals and as a result we fall short of seeing His Glory on display. Israel was about to be miraculously delivered from 400 years of bondage and slavery at the hands of the wicked Pharoahs. Israel had obeyed the Word of the Lord and they were marching exactly as He had directed them, until they encountered their first obstacle. They had come upon the waters of the Red Sea. Mountains to the right and mountains to the left; the sea lay straight ahead and behind them were Pharoah and his army bent upon their total annihilation! And because they could see no way out, they “were sore afraid.” They were terrified and lost their faith. They reduced God down to their own capabilities. Somehow He had lost His capability for the miraculous in their minds eye.

So often in life we behave much in the same manner. We are total giants of faith until we run into our first major obstacle. God is in control and we believe in His Immensity as long as we remain somewhat in control. However, when we reach the place where we are no longer able to make a move (just in case God doesn’t) then we begin to lose confidence in His Word and His Abilities. WE forget those things that He has done in the past. Remember when David faced his giant, he began to rehearse those things which the Lord had previously done in his life. 1 Samuel 17: 36 “Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.”

Even though there appeared to be no way out for those Israelites, the Lord Who is our “WAY WHERE THERE IS NO WAY” made a way and miraculously opened a path into the sea. I would also remind you here that this same sea that was opened as a path of deliverance for the people of God, became the method of destruction for the enemies of those same people. Not one enemy remained! Exodus 14:28 “And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.”

Maybe you are currently facing an impossible situation; a situation of life and death; or something you’ve never encountered before. God wants you to know today that He is our POSSIBILITY! He becomes your possibility only in the midst of impossibility. The tougher the possibility, the greater He will shine on behalf of His people and the greater His Glory. Don’t give up on the brink of a miracle. Don’t ever quit! Refuse to agree with the world and those who are wavering in doubt and defeat.

I stated above that “It ain’t over until it’s over!” Now here’s the real awesome revelation about God’s Kingdom. Even when it appears to be over, it is only just beginning. Jesus’ friend Lazarus had died and been entombed for four days. John 11:14 “Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.” All hope was lost. Everyone had lost hope in the face of the impossible. But God said “This ain’t over!” Jesus “…cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.” John 11:43 The God of Possibility stepped in when all hope was gone. The people had given up and had committed him to the grave. They stopped believing and chided Jesus for delaying his arrival.

Whatever way God had chosen to respond to their heart cries, He would have displayed His glory. With God’s divine direction and orchestration, there would be no wrong choice. Either way God had chosen would have been just the beginning! Risen from the dead, Lazarus was given a new lease on life and an opportunity to give Him glory in the earth. If God had chosen to leave his body in the grave, it still would have been the most incredible day of his life. I’m not so sure that Lazarus had not struggled somewhat having to return to his old life, knowing what lie ahead just a few short days later bursting forth in Resurrection Power! Face to Face with God the Father or back to the dirt bowl we call life.

Let me ask you one last question. “If you were Lazarus, and God had given you the decision, what choice would you have made?” The Glory of God OR back here? I don’t think that would be too hard to decide!

If today you are staring impossibility right in the face, then be encouraged because your POSSIBILITY is in control! EVEN IF IT IS OVER, IT IS ONLY JUST BEGINNING! We are Kingdom people and we live by different rules!
Daniel in the Lion’s Den
Joseph from the pit to the Palace.
Moses from a decree of death to leading Israel out of Bondage.
The widow of Nain receiving her only son raised to life.
Elijah and the prophets of Baal.
Joshua and the Walls of Jericho.
Gideon and his three hundred men.
Noah saving his entire household.
Abraham becoming a Father of many Nations.

Now what about you? What will be your testimony to His Glory?

Your Biggest Mistake!

Matthew 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

The Ken Bombard translation simply says this: “If you put God FIRST in all things, He will take care of the rest!” Our priorities are out of whack! We have it all backwards. We put every thing and everyone else first, and give Him our leftovers. Our days begin by being instantly thrust into the affairs of the world, without refueling or refreshing in the Presence of God. (Acts 3:19) We struggle in everything we do throughout the day and we wind up at the end of the day thoroughly exhausted and give Him a simple “Goodnight Lord.”

“BUT…” we say. “I have to take care of my family and that takes time!” Let me share a Kingdom secret with you right now! WHATEVER YOU MANUFACTURE, YOU MUST MAINTAIN! That includes the care, provision, protection, nurture and growth of your family. God desires to provide for your every need. Philippians 4:19 “…my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” If we will let Him, that will even include our families. Remember this…WHATEVER GOD MANUFACTURES, HE WILL MAINTAIN! According to Matthew 6:33 quoted above….IF I put Him and His Kingdom work first in my life….HE will take care of my family!

May I add, that He is capable of doing a better job than us! If you rearrange your priorities, and place God where He belongs in your life, then all the time you spend at the Doctor’s office, the Principle’s office, the Counselor’s office, etc., will be eliminated or greatly reduced. It’s hard to row a boat upstream without an oar. Life flows upstream and God is not just our oar, He is our engine and He wants to be our helmsman, as well! Do you also know that it doesn’t hurt your children, to bring them along when you are ministering to others. It gives them a chance to see the Love and the Spirit of God in action!

Last weekend, a group of men helped out a family that needed some special assistance around the yard and their house. One of the men brought his young daughter along and SHE helped the family clean inside along with the only other lady who showed up. Oh My…were they blessed! They were blessed; the young lady learned that blessing others is a greater blessing to ourselves, AND she will be blessed by God for blessing them! What a great deal!

In the same manner please don’t go to work or out into the world without first being with God. If you’re a night person, then spend time with Him in His Word and in conversation (two way prayer) at night, when you are strongest. If you’re a morning person then get up earlier and spend a few precious moments with the One Who loves you, and desires to empower you and give you Godly wisdom for whatever will come your way in the day ahead!

Maybe it’s time to re-evaluate our life priorities. Would you stop for a moment right now and ask Him, “Lord, what are the areas of my life that are out of whack? What do I need to evaluate? What do you wish to change in my life?” If you will consider this challenge, bring a pen and paper when you do ask. As you hear and obey your life will be influenced by Godly Wisdom and empowered by Divine ability! Doesn’t THAT sound refreshing?

If you won’t take the time, what is it that you’re afraid of? The Truth!

DOING WHAT IS RIGHT!

JOHN 3:13-15 “Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. But John didn’t want to baptize him. “I am the one who needs to be baptized by you,” he said, “so why are you coming to me?” But Jesus said, “It must be done, because we must do everything that is right.” So then John baptized him.”

Many people believe that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is all about avoiding the pitfalls of going to hell. As we mature in Christ that focus eventually begins to turn towards an eye on heaven. In the Scripture above, Jesus is talking about the real reason for our existence on this earth…WALKING HOLY…Doing that which pleases our Father in heaven, because then He can direct and orchestrate a lifestyle that will demonstrate what He can accomplish with a man or woman who becomes totally committed to His way of living.

Jesus was to be baptized in order to fully commit his entire life; spirit, soul and body, to the Will of God forever! He was making a bold proclamation for all to hear. He had purposed in His heart to manifest the Righteousness of God in His life. In other words, he was going to manifest, or model, in this world the very Character and Nature of His Father.

Listen carefully…this is also your purpose as a Born Again Christian…to live a Holy life and model the Character of God to a hopeless, lost and dying world. Heaven and all the rewards are simply a natural outgrowth of this loving and obedient relationship in which we walk with Him.
Ephesians 4: 13-14 “until we come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ. Then we will no longer be like children…”

The Words that Jesus spoke had a way about them that uncovered the soul of men. It didn’t matter whether He was speaking to the hardest of sinners or those who already followed Him, His Words stirred the hearts of men!
Matthew 22:33 “You serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?”
John 15:13 “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

These Words spoken as a result of the Father’s command uncovered the Character and nature of Almighty God so that man could love Him. The more you know God the more you are able to love Him! His grace and peace are multiplied many times over as we grow in the knowledge of Him. 2 Peter 1:2 “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord…”

His message was not simply a list of commands which demanded negative obedience or else. His Words were constructive and filled with positive righteousness. John 10:10 “I have come that you might have life, and have it more abundantly..”

He came to reveal a new Name for God. In the Old Testament the various Prophets called Him Jehovah, Yahweh, Warrior, healer, Righteousness, and Ruler of the Universe, but Jesus introduced Him as our FATHER! MATTHEW 6:32 “…for your heavenly Father knows that you need of all these things.”

Our goal in life is to be “mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ.” Let His Words stir your heart today. Life was never meant to be boring or mundane. Every day is to be an adventure. Every moment is to bring a Divine Opportunity. Every encounter is to have Eternal significance. What a life He has given us!

In today’s text Jesus issues us a resounding challenge “…we must do everything that is right.” When you accept His grace to walk righteous and do that which is right (holy), He will grab hold of your heart and your life and you will be a tool in the Master’s hand!

Purpose in your heart and life right now to do “everything that is right!”

SHAKEN IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD!

Isaiah 19: 1 “…Behold, the Lord rides on a swift cloud, And will come into Egypt; The idols of Egypt will totter at His presence, And the heart of Egypt will melt in its midst.”

In Old Testament symbolism, Egypt refers to those people of the world, who do not belong to the Kingdom of God and are lost without Him. This Scripture tells us that the Presence of God is the chief factor necessary to shake those things in the lives of unbelievers (believers too) that prevent them from entering into the Family of God. When the Lord begins to shake the worldly foundations around someone; their lives begin to teeter and the temporary things of this world commence to fail them. The Presence of the Lord will melt their hearts!

The Word declares that their hearts will “melt in its midst” referring to the presence of God. Now let’s get real for a moment. Where is the Presence God today? The Bible declares in Acts 2:17 that “…it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh…” Read it again! “..I will pour out of My Spirit…” Where is His Spirit? He lives within each Born Again Believer. 1Corinthians 3:16 “…you are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in you…”

In the Bible we can clearly see the lives of men and women reflecting the Presence of God in their day to day decisions and lives.
Joseph ran from Potiphar’s wife.
Moses abandoned the House of pharaoh to identify with the afflicted people of God.
Elijah boldly challenged the prophets of baal.
Paul and Silas sang praises in the dark dungeon and shook its foundations.

Each of these expressions of the Presence of the Lord came as a direct result of relationship with Him. Their claim to know Jesus made a difference in their lives. They knew Him because they spent time with Him. Does the claim to know Jesus make a difference in your every day living? Your time…your money…your energy…your values…in what happens Monday through Saturday?

Does the faith you proclaim make a difference with members of the opposite sex? What do they see when we experience pain or disappointment? When the chips are down, does the unbeliever see an attitude in our lives that he would like to possess? Does he want what you have?

What about your relationship with God? Do you respect Him and treat Him as a living vital person in your everyday living? Do you have that heart hunger and thirst that compels you into the presence of God everyday in order to get away with him and talk to Him? Does your heart yearn to feast on His Word? Forgive me if I’m stepping on your toes, but don’t you want to really experience the Presence of God and stop pretending? No one really enjoys faking it!

Many of us talk about the sweetness and power of the Presence of God, but we avoid it like the plague! Be honest…was it today…or yesterday…perhaps a week ago…or a month…a year?

If you want to walk in power and authority…to have your prayers answered from heaven..then those things which prevent the flow must be shaken and there is only one way… “…Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel, So that…all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.” Ezekiel 38:19-20

In His Presence, those things which hinder the release of the Presence of God into others lives will be shaken and “shall fall!”

YOU MAY DIE UNSAVED…
BUT YOU WILL NEVER DIE UNLOVED!

Redeemed From the Curse!

Ga 3:13 "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree:"

As a result of mankind's initial fall to sin we have been subjected to the curse of sin (Or the Curse of the Law) and it's effects. When mankind was walking in fellowship with God and obedience to His Word and His Principles, we were under the influence of the blessings of the Law.Both the blessings and curses can be found in Deuteronomy 28.

Let's begin with the Blessings and make ourselves happy:Dt 28:1 "And it shall come to pass, if you will hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments...that the LORD your God will set you on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings will come on you, and overtake you...Blessed will you be in the city, and blessed will you be in the field. Blessed will be the fruit of your body, and the fruit of your ground...Blessed will be your basket and your store. Blessed will you be when you come in, and blessed will you be when thou go out. The LORD shall cause your enemies that rise up against you to be smitten before your face...The LORD shall command the blessing upon you in your storehouses, and in all that you set your hand to; and he will bless you in the land...And all people of the earth will see that you are called by the name of the LORD...And the LORD will make you plenteous in goods...The LORD will open unto you his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of your hand: and thou will lend...and ...not borrow. And the LORD shall make you the head, and not the tail; and you will be above only, and ...not be beneath..."

In today's Scriptural nugget we are told that Jesus "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law." Redeemed is defined as "being set free, rescued or ransomed." Today's passage tells us that we have been set free from whatever the curse of the law is; so let's take a look in Deuteronomy and see what we've been set free from, especially in regards to healing!

Deuteronomy 28:18 "Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body..."vs 21... "the pestilence..."vs 22... "consumption(tuberculosis), and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning..."vs 27... "the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods(hemorrhoids) and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed."vs 28... "madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart..."vs 35... " in the knees, and in the legs, with a sore botch that cannot be healed, from the sole of thy foot unto the top of thy head."vs 45... " all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed..."vs 60&61... " all the diseases of Egypt, which thou wast afraid of; and they shall cleave unto thee. Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law..."vs 66... "And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life..."

You have just read a complete list to include "every sickness & every plague...". This is what Jesus Christ has redeemed you from. Jesus went to the Cross in spirit, soul and body; therefore He has redeemed us, spirit, soul and body! The Cross is the Center of Salvation for your spirit, soul and body! 1 Corinthians 6:20 "For you were bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your spirit and your body because they both belong to God."

If He had not redeemed them, they wouldn't belong to Him.Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law! Sickness of every kind was included in the curse of the Law. Therefore Christ has redeemed us from Sickness and Disease! Don't you let ignorance keep you from getting what rightfully and legally belongs to you! Read God's Word.

Study the Character and Nature of God as revealed in His Word and in the Life of Jesus. ANYONE who came believing received!Mt 21:22 "nd all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.Matthew 7: 7 Ask, and it shall be given you...For every one that asks receives...If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" Now you know better...go ahead and ask Him to heal you right now in the Name of Jesus!

I'd like to pray with you in agreement! Mt 18:19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

WILL GOD HEAL ME?

MARK 1:40 "Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”

Cancer...its everywhere...front page news today is "tanning beds cause serious cancer." Over the last week or so, I have heard people tell me that well over twenty five people have been stricken with cancer. The State we live in (Maryland) has one of the highest rates of cancer in the entire United States and a great percentage of the population is being struck down.

Arteriosclerosis (Hardening of the arteries) is running rampant and taking the lives of additional thousands, not to mention diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, liver disease etc.. Even though science now dramatically points to the consumption of fat in the diet when combined with large doses of carbohydrates as one of the major culprits, to those who already have the damage done, it is stealing, killing and destroying the lives of thousands of additional.

Jesus said "The thief's purpose it to steal, kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness" John 10:10 What is one to do in the midst of these trying times? Is sickness and disease just an acceptable part of life, or is there something that can be done to defend ourselves against these attacks when they come? Is it too late if we're already facing the inevitable? My standard response is to discover and apply whatever the Manufacturer's Handbook has to say concerning this matter.

The leper in the introductory Scripture listed above asked the question that most people, including Christians still do. "I know you can; BUT are You willing to heal me?" No one doubts that God can heal. No one questions His ability to make one whole. We all believe in miracles; just not for ourselves. I believe that the greatest obstacle to those who are seeking healing or desire to walk in divine heath, is the uncertainty in their minds as to the Will of God in the matter.

Exodus 23:25And ye shall serve the LORD your God...and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee...the number of thy days I will fulfil."Exodus 15:26 " ...I am the LORD that healeth thee." Translated in plain old English it goes this way. "I am the Lord Who is healing you now!" (Present tense ad-infinitum)Until you believe that God wants you, His child, to be healed, there will always be doubt in your mind as to whether or not you will be healed according to His Will. Hebrews 11:6 " But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him."

This Scripture says that God rewards (In this case heals) those who believe that He is The Healer and He can heal us. Now here's the key to this verse. We don't pursue healing; we pursue the Healer! When you get to the best physician, the odds of being healed increase. He is the great Physician!When we go to God and ask our petitions of Him, we need to go in a certain attitude of faith (Simple childlike faith...God said it; that settles it!) James 1:6-8 "But when you ask Him, be sure you really expect Him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a waveof the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. People like that should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. They can't make up their minds. They waiver back and forth in everything they do."

What this Scripture states is pretty straightforward. Anyone who prays the faith destroying prayer "Lord if it be thy will, please heal me." can not ask him like you "really expect him to answer..." And they usually don't expect to receive anything (healing) from the Lord; resulting in exactly what they believed!We begin with the simple basic Bible truths. If you can't seem to believe that you will be chosen to be one of the fortunate ones to be healed, I ask you this question. Do you believe that God will keep His promise to you? If you do...That is simple belief...spelled F-A-I-T-H!

Numbers 23:19 "God is not a man, that he should lie...has He spoken, and will he not do it? or has he spoken, and will he not make it good?"1 Kings 8:56 "...there has not failed one word of all his good promise..."Psalm 119:89 "For ever, O LORD, your word is settled in heaven." When God makes a promise...he keeps it. He's not like people who continue to modify our promises and declarations. When He speaks a Spiritual Law into existence, there is enough power behind that Word to enforce it throughout eternity. Let me give you an illustration. In Genesis 1:3 "God said, Let there be light: and there was light." When God spoke that Word, He infused that Word with enough power to sustain it throughout all eternity, unless He says "Light Cease!" The universe is still expanding from that Command at the rate of 186,000 miles per second!

When God spoke the Word in Exodus 15:23 "I am the Lord that healeth thee.", He empowered that Word to endure and empower throughout all eternity, as well.God's Word is law! A law is something that always works. It may be a fact that you are sick right now, but there is a law that over-rides that fact. Romans 8:2 "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death."Obviously you've heard and understand the "Law of Gravity." The Law of Gravity simply states that whatever is dropped within the earth's atmosphere begin to fall. Take an airplane, for example. If the engines quit in midflight, what happens? It falls to the ground. That is Fact! However there is a Truth that over-rides the law of Gravity; its called the Law of Lift. When an airplanes engines accelerate and with certain aerodynamic principles in effect, the Law of Lift supercedes the law of Gravity and they plane doesn't fall, it rises!

The fact may be that you have cancer, or are facing precancerous conditions, or your family has a history of cancer. The fact may be that right now you're in the fight of your life, BUT the Truth of God's Word, His law, supercedes that fact!

Where do I begin?

1) Get into the Word of God and begin to discover what it has to say about healing.

2) Look at the life of Jesus as recorded in the Gospels. He said "if you've seen me, you've seen the Father." If you look at His life and Ministry, God's desires become much clearer!

3) Pray that the Holy Spirit would reveal to you the Truth about God's Will concerning your healing.

4) Get yourself some good books on healing ...T.L. Osborn's "Healing the Sick" or F.F Bosworth's "Christ the Healer" read them and back up what they claim with the Scriptures.

5) Memorize Healing Scriptures that you discover.

6) Find others who want to discover the Truth, who will make the journey with you!

7) Get in a Church that believes that Divine Healing is for you!

PLEASE LET OTHERS KNOW ABOUT THIS WEBSITE. KNOWING THE TRUTH WILL SET ANYBODY FREE. DON'T KEEP IT FOR YOURSELF IF IT BLESSES YOU. WE ARE UNDER A PHYSICAL ATTACK ON THIS EARTH LIKE NEVER BEFORE. YOU HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING YET. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING, AND WE NEED TO KNOW GOD'S WORD ON THIS TRUTH!PASS IT ON...

http://heart2heartblog.blogspot.com/

There is Healing in Him!

GOD IS IN COVENANT WITH ME!

Luke 22:20 “…This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is shed for you.”

You are in Covenant with God! Better yet, God is in Covenant with you! When you are in a personal relationship with Almighty God through faith in Jesus’ sacrifice on Calvary’s Cross and His subsequent Resurrection, you have been entered into a legal binding agreement with Him.

A covenant is defined as a binding agreement or contract in writing under seal, for the performance of a specified action. The Covenant which God Himself has entered into with you, has been signed, sealed and ratified by the precious Blood of Jesus. There can be no more powerful seal than the Blood of Jesus! We are told in Leviticus 17:14 “…the life of all flesh is in the blood…” When you break it down, this simply means that the Covenant which God has contracted with you is backed up with the very LIFE OF GOD which is in the Blood of Jesus!

The good news today is that God is in Covenant with you! He is in a legally binding Contract, ordered by the Supreme Court of the Universe (Himself), because the Blood of Jesus has been shed for “YOU!”

OK… God has entered into an agreement with me, but what exactly does that mean for me? There are some very unique characteristics that are involved in Biblical Covenants. The one I want you to see today is what I call the “Joint Heir” stipulation. Romans 8:16-17 “The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ…”

In Biblical times when two families or tribes entered into a covenant, they each brought unique giftings and talents into the relationship. For example the Jones family had wealth, wisdom, creative imagination, and a talent for conducting wise business practices. The Smith family was know for their brute strength, and had a reputation as fierce warriors. They were men and women who could work the land and produce the most abundant harvest on the smallest piece of land.

When they entered into Covenant, they each pledged to one another everything they had and all the talents each had to offer. Now as the Smith-Jones tribe, it appeared that they were lacking no good thing. The wealth of the Jones family now flowed into the Smith family and when anyone would arise against the Jones family, the warriors from the Smith clan would rise up to defend the Joneses! They became joint-heirs, meaning that they both owned/shared everything both families possessed one hundred percent. There was no holding back on anything they had!

NOW PAY VERY CLOSE ATTENTION: Since God initiated a Covenant agreement with you; HE HOLDS BACK NOTHING! Now read these Covenant Words written to you! Romans 8:31-32 “What can we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since God did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t God, who gave us Christ, also give us everything else?

God has given you everything…His Name..His Son…His Blood…His Angels…His Promises… His Ability…His Power…His Authority..His Spirit within us…His Righteousness…His Healing...His Provision…His Protection…His Wisdom…His Direction…His Deliverance… His Rest…His Care…His Security…His Reward…His Refreshment…His Presence…His Restoration… and the List goes on endlessly! Can you even name one thing that God has withheld from you? Of course you can't!

God did not spare His most prized possession…His Son. He gave us Jesus so that He could enter Himself into a legally binding Eternal Covenant with us, thereby offering US everything He is and everything He has! Jesus “…has been given a ministry that is far superior to the ministry of those who serve under the old laws, for he is the one who guarantees for us a better covenant with God, based on better promises.” Hebrews 8:6

You would do well to daily rehearse the terms of your Covenant with God. David did! (Psalm 103 ) The whole deal is not about what you can bring to the table of Covenant, ITS ABOUT WHAT GOD HAS BROUGHT INTO THE COVENANT RELATIONSHIP!

NOW ACCEPT THE TERMS AND LIVE THE LIFE HE EXPECTS! (John 10:10)

NUMBER ONE PRINCIPLE OF GOD!

Matthew 22: 37-38 "Jesus said to him, you shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.

The Bible plainly tells us that loving God is the greatest principle contained within it's pages. Loving God is the reason you were created. To live within a love relationship with Him is the highest of all life purpose and without this intimacy we will live a life that remains frustrated, meaningless, stagnant, empty and without purpose!

So many people do not know the very basics of Loving God. Let's keep in mind we are commanded (it's not optional) to love Him with "all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our mind."

We are so often concerned that if we love God in this manner that we won't have any time or affections left for others in our lives. The opposite is true. We are told in Matthew 6:33 that if we put God "first" and the affairs of His "Kingdom" and "righteousness" then all the "things" of life are taken care of!

Let's think for a moment about some of the principles we employ when we set our affections on others close to us. If we apply these same tactics to our relationship with God, we will be off to a good start in loving Him, as well.

1) Set aside time to spend with Him. I remember when I first met my wife, Debbie, I believe that I invested enough in fuel taxes to repave all of Richie highway as I traveled back and forth between Pasadena & Annapolis. She became a priority on my daily schedule. it was amazing how much time I had for her when I re-prioritized my life and other interests. You cannot build a relationship by remaining separated or without spending good quality time together.

Time chatting while eating or riding down the road is good, but true intimacy only develops when our sole focus of the moment is on the one we love. Set two or three times a week, initially and have a date with God. Do not cancel, it may harm your relationship!

2) Good love relationships are not easy to develop. They take a lot of effort and good old fashioned work. "...Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him." Hebrews 11:6 Another translation says He rewards those who "diligently seek Him." Sincerely seeking and diligently seeking, both speak of working to build relationship with God. After all the years of relationship with the world, it takes a concentrated effort to focus on God.

3) Communication is essential! Most of us have no problems bombarding God with our problems and needs, but when it comes to listening to his heart, we need to employ the skills the prophet Samuel learned. "...Then God came and stood before him exactly as before, calling out, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel answered, “Speak. I’m your servant, ready to listen.” 1 Samuel 3:10

We need to learn to be open and honest with God (He knows all of our thoughts anyway), and we need to allow God to be open and honest with us! This is one of the biggest obstacles to developing intimacy with Him. We don't want to hear what He has to say and oftentimes when He does begin to speak into our hearts correction or conviction, we begin to shout Him down with our religious banter! Sometimes heart exchanges with our loved ones can be painful! However, if we wish the relationship to deepen these exchanges of truth need to be allowed in our time together.

4) We willingly and affectionately lay down our own self centered desires to reap a harvest of love from our loved one. "Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God..." Ephesians 5:21 We become givers as a result of our new natures. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ..." 2 Cor 5:17-18 We remain givers by the continual oversight and review of our will.

We, as a result of our continued, deepening relationship with God, commence to take on the character and nature of God, Himself. " For God so loved the world, that he gave...: John 3:16 We too become givers as we spend time with Him.

5) We discover and share each others giftings and talents. The more time we spend in reading His Word and in discovery of His character and nature, the more we fall in love with Him. The more time we spend basking in His presence the more He begins to reveal Himself to us. (In our own relationships, we DO NOT reveal our innermost thoughts, impressions, motivations and desires to those who are mere acquaintances.) When we first encounter a loved one , we simply "love" them based on first impressions and external observations. The more time we spend together, the more we are able to observe the intangibles which form the very foundation for any long lasting, intimate relationship. (loyalty, faithfulness, trustworthiness, etc...)

The more you know Him, the more your heart goes out to Him and the deeper relationship you develop. "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord..." 2 Peter 1:2 Here's the way it develops...The More you know Him, the More you love Him!The More you love Him, the more you trust Him!The more you trust Him, the more you obey Him!

6) Finally as your intimacy progresses, you couple together to produce offspring.When you spend time with Him, you discover that His heart goes out for other hearts who desire to be with Him. 2Chronicles 16:9 "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect (loyal) toward him." His desire is that you remain so intimate and connected to Him (Two operating as one) that your life is filled with much fruit. John 15:5 in The Message says it this way. "I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. "

Then out of our Love relationship, and having laid down our own interests and desires, we begin to pursue the desires of His heart. We allow His Holy Spirit to influence others through our lives and the anointing which flows out of us. Out of His love for us and our love for Him, we obey Him and He manifests Himself to us and others.

"He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” John 14:21

Do we really love God with all all your heart, soul, strength and your mind, as He desires and commands?

I Think Not!

Let's begin or intensify (Whichever place you're at) the journey into the heart of God.
Begin Today.

FORGET IT?

James 1:23-24 “For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.”

Many Christians fall under this same category that James describes. We love to dive into the depths and mysteries that we find in the Word of God, however, when it comes to applying those same truths in our own lives, we often become very resistant. I believe that we have the answer to this problem found in the Scripture stated above.

The mirror, spoken of, represents the Word of God in this passage. This passage simply declares to us as Christians, that we are to journey into the Word of God, with hearts and minds that are ready and willing to apply (obey) any principle that we encounter.

The passage further states that if we do not apply the principles, we discover that we will soon forget the liberating truths we have uncovered, especially when we face opposition. There is something about applying (obeying) the principles in the Word of God that causes these discoveries to stick with our spirit man. If we practice discovery and application of the principles contained in God’s Word, there are two things that occur as a result. This is a Spiritual Law!
1) We will not forget who God has made us to be!
2) We will not forget with what ability we have been enabled!

We find this exact principle summarized in Deuteronomy 28: 1-2 “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey (apply His Principles) the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments…, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey (apply His directives) the voice of the Lord your God.”

The other truth that James states is that when we do NOT apply the principles (commandments) of God and we face an attack, we forget “what kind of man” we are. The spiritual glue, or power of the Holy Spirit, is activated in our lives when we obey. If we refuse to obey, the Holy Spirit can not activate the Reality of the Truths contained in His Word in our lives and we enter into the struggles of life, powerless, and uncertain of the great things God has done for us!

1Corinthians 2:9 “…it is written, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him.”

If you are walking in unforgiveness or bitterness, it is not worth the price you pay. God’s Principles declare the necessity to forgive. If you don’t forgive, then you will never reach the level where you realize Who You are in Christ and you will continue to walk in defeat!

John 1:12 “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God…”

If you discover and obey God's Principles, you too will, like the kitten pictured above, will turn into a lion. When you encounter obstacles in your life, they will be transformed into stepping stones!

Does God Will to Heal Me?

MARK 1:40 "Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”

Cancer...its everywhere...front page news today is "tanning beds cause serious cancer." Over the last week or so, I have heard people tell me that well over twenty five people have been stricken with cancer. The State we live in (Maryland) has one of the highest rates of cancer in the entire United States and a great percentage of the population is being struck down.

Arteriosclerosis (Hardening of the arteries) is running rampant and taking the lives of additional thousands, not to mention diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, liver disease etc.. Even though science now dramatically points to the consumption of fat and/or bad carbohydrates in the diet as one of the major culprits, to those who already have the damage done, it is stealing, killing and destroying the lives of thousands of additional.

Jesus said "The thief's purpose it to steal, kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness" John 10:10 What is one to do in the midst of these trying times? Is sickness and disease just an acceptable part of life, or is there something that can be done to defend ourselves against these attacks when they come? Is it too late if we're already facing the inevitable? My standard response is to discover and apply whatever the Manufacturer's Handbook has to say concerning this matter.

The leper in the introductory Scripture listed above asked the question that most people, including Christians still do. "I know you can; BUT are You willing to heal me?" No one doubts that God can heal anyone. No one questions His ability to make one whole. We all believe in miracles; just not for ourselves. I believe that the greatest obstacle to those who are seeking healing or desire to walk in divine heath, is the uncertainty in their minds as to the Will of God in the matter.

Exodus 23:25And ye shall serve the LORD your God...and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee...the number of thy days I will fulfil."Exodus 15:26 " ...I am the LORD that healeth thee." Translated in plain old English it goes this way. "I am the Lord Who is healing you now!" (Present tense ad-infinitum)Until you believe that God wants you, His child, to be healed, there will always be doubt in your mind as to whether or not you will be healed according to His Will.

Hebrews 11:6 " But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him." This Scripture says that God rewards (In this case heals) those who believe that He is The Healer and He can heal us. Now here's the key to this verse. We don't pursue healing; we pursue the Healer! When you get to the best physician, the odds of being healed increase. He is the great Physician!When we go to God and ask our petitions of Him, we need to go in a certain attitude of faith (Simple childlike faith...God said it; that settles it!) James 1:6-8 "But when you ask Him, be sure you really expect Him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a waveof the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. People like that should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. They can't make up their minds. They waiver back and forth in everything they do."

What this Scripture states is pretty straightforward. Anyone who prays the faith destroying prayer "Lord if it be thy will, please heal me." can not ask him like you "really expect him to answer..." And they usually don't expect to receive anything (healing) from the Lord; resulting in exactly what they believed!We begin with the simple basic Bible truths. If you can't seem to believe that you will be chosen to be one of the fortunate ones to be healed, I ask you this question. Do you believe that God will keep His promise to you? If you do...That is simple belief...spelled F-A-I-T-H!

Numbers 23:19 "God is not a man, that he should lie...has He spoken, and will he not do it? or has he spoken, and will he not make it good?"1 Kings 8:56 "...there has not failed one word of all his good promise..."Psalm 119:89 "For ever, O LORD, your word is settled in heaven." When God makes a promise...he keeps it. He's not like people who continue to modify our promises and declarations. When He speaks a Spiritual Law into existence, there is enough power behind that Word to enforce it throughout eternity.

Let me give you an illustration. In Genesis 1:3 "God said, Let there be light: and there was light." When God spoke that Word, He infused that Word with enough power to sustain it throughout all eternity, unless He says "Light Cease!" The universe is still expanding from that Command at the rate of 186,000 miles per second! When God spoke the Word in Exodus 15:23 "I am the Lord that healeth thee.", He empowered that Word to endure and empower throughout all eternity, as well.God's Word is law! A law is something that always works. It may be a fact that you are sick right now, but there is TRUTH that over-rides that fact.

Romans 8:2 "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." Obviously you've heard and understand the "Law of Gravity." The Law of Gravity simply states that whatever is dropped within the earth's atmosphere begin to fall. Take an airplane, for example. If the engines quit in midflight, what happens? It falls to the ground. That is Fact! However there is a Truth that over-rides the law of Gravity; its called the Law of Lift. When an airplanes engines accelerate and with certain aerodynamic principles in effect, the Law of Lift supercedes the law of Gravity and they plane doesn't fall, it rises!

The fact may be that you have cancer, or are facing precancerous conditions, or your family has a history of cancer. The fact may be that right now you're in the fight of your life, BUT the Truth of God's Word, His law, supercedes that fact!

Where do I begin?

1) Get into the Word of God and begin to discover what it has to say about healing.

2) Look at the life of Jesus as recorded in the Gospels. He said "if you've seen me, you've seen the Father." If you look at His life and Ministry, God's desires become much clearer!

3) Pray that the Holy Spirit would reveal to you the Truth about God's Will concerning your healing.

4) Get yourself some good books on healing ...T.L. Osborn's "Healing the Sick" or F.F Bosworth's "Christ the Healer" read them and back up what they claim with the Scriptures.

5) Memorize Healing Scriptures that you discover.

6) Find others who want to discover the Truth, who will make the journey with you!

7) Get in a Church that believes that Divine Healing is for you!

PLEASE LET OTHERS KNOW ABOUT THIS WEBSITE. KNOWING THE TRUTH WILL SET ANYBODY FREE. DON'T KEEP IT FOR YOURSELF IF IT BLESSES YOU. WE ARE UNDER A PHYSICAL ATTACK ON THIS EARTH LIKE NEVER BEFORE. YOU HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING YET. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING, AND WE NEED TO KNOW GOD'S WORD ON THIS TRUTH!PASS IT ON... http://heart2heartblog.blogspot.com/

A WORK IN PROGRESS!

Phillipians 1:6 “And I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again.”

When I first came to know the Lord personally, someone came to me and told me that THEY hadn’t sinned since they had gotten saved several years ago. That statement floored me, because I was still struggling in certain areas of my life. Thank God I found the Scripture above. Exactly what it states is this. “Until the day I pass on, or Jesus returns, I am a work in progress and that there are no perfect people in this earth."

Even Paul struggled with his post conversion life. Romans 7: 14-24 “…I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do…. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice…I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.”

Paul needed to know, even as we do, that in fact, we are not perfect when we are saved, except within our spirit. Remember you are a spirit. We have a soul (mind, emotions, intellect, willpower, imaginations, etc.,) and we live in a house called a body. During your life time you will be on a continuous journey to working toward perfection in Christ. I’m sorry to say, but even people who are of the family of God, still do sin.

Thank God that He does not demand that I change immediately and completely. My little mind would explode in the face of the impossibility! Paul felt the same way. Romans 7:24 “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” The Word for you today is to be patient!

Get into the presence of God today and ask Him what He wishes to work on, at this time in your life. Then respond in loving obedience. His wish list and priority list may be quite different than yours. When He “began the good work within…” me, He chose areas of my life that were different than I would have chosen! He wanted to work on my “love” life instead of the drugs and alcohol, first! Know this, that what He commands you to do, He will also empower you to finish! Phillipians 2:13 “For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him.”

When you first come to a saving knowledge and personal relationship with Jesus, all of your sins are forgiven. As long as you continue in developing your relationship with God and believing in His free gift of eternal life, when you do stumble and sin, what is effected is your fellowship with Him, not your eternal destiny! Sin effects your intimacy level with God, your ability to hear, receive, and walk in his promises and His divine ability

When we do fall in sin, His method of restoration to fellowship is to confess our failure as sin. 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The area that really effects our fellowship with Him is the habitual, repetitive sins. 1 John 1:6 “So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness.” This Scripture carries the idea that habitual sin destroys our intimate fellowship with God.

So the order of the day is to…
1) Find out what God is interested in developing in our lives day by day.
2) Receive His willpower and His ability.
3) Confess our sin instantly upon conviction of the Holy Spirit.
4) Repent. Stop the specific sin!

OR WE RUN THE RISK OF LOSING THE CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN THE VINE AND THE BRANCHES JESUS SPEAKS OF IN JOHN 15, RESULTING IN FAILURE!

John 15:5 “…apart from Me, you can do nothing!”

You are a work in progress. Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus…” While the work is heading toward completion, stay connected with God and receive everything He has to offer through your loving obedience. Deuteronomy 7:9 “Know therefore that the LORD your God, he is God, the faithful God, Who keeps covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments…”

WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT?

Phil 3:8-9 “…all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant. I’ve dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by him…”

There was a time in my life that, by the standards of the world, I pretty much had all that this world could offer. I had a house on the river, boats, toys, cars, women, money, party goods, parties, athletic abilities, awards, scholastic achievements and much more. I was not a happy person!

I began a personal journey to discover real happiness and satisfaction. I searched for it in every venue that this world has to offer without any success. You name it, I tried it! Each of those experiences simply left me empty and without meaning, purpose or personal fulfillment. Believe me when I say “I tried it all!”

As I observed others, to order to assist me in the discovery of what real life should be all about, I noticed a special group of people, who even though they weren’t exempt from the trials of life, lived life in a very vibrant sort of fashion. These people had a zest for life and compassion seemed to be the order of the day. They didn’t have to medicate to rest at night or to awake and face each new day. They always had a smile on their face, and it wasn’t the numb, contrived look that worldly people paint on each new morning.

As I began to dig around in their lives, I discovered that it wasn’t what they had accumulated in the way of material possessions, (Some had them, others didn’t) finances, conquests, business accolades or awards. They all had one thing in common…they had entered into a relationship with this one they called Jesus. One of these “weird” people introduced me to Him and that was all it took. John 10:10 “I came that you might have life (The God kind of Life) and live it more abundantly!”

Paul continues on in the next verse…Phillipians 3:9ff “ I didn’t want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ—God’s righteousness. I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, and experience his resurrection power…”

This describes my life perfectly…I literally gave up on all that “inferior stuff” so that I could allow “His resurrection power…” to come into my life and bring me into the place where He could lead me into a life that brought me to the fulfillment of my dreams.

One by one, He began to transform the individual areas of my life that had suffered from a lack of life through His Resurrection Power! I challenge you today to allow Him to breathe fresh life back into the areas of your life that have fizzled & died...Relationship with God, Hopes, dreams, futures, finances, physical & emotional health, relationships, faith, ability to love others and yourself, purpose, sanity, marriage, feelings, temperance, and victory.

He is looking for relationship with you-not religion. Invite Him into the areas of your life today that are lifeless. Take a moment with the Holy Spirit and allow Him to be honest with you. Ask Him to show you the areas that need a dose of resurrection Power. When He reveals them to you…be honest with him and tell Him you need His Power to bring new life into that area!

Mark 11:24 “Therefore I say to you, Whatever things you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them.” If you really desire from the depths of your heart, a fresh breath of Resurrection Power, He will give it to you!

“I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, and experience his resurrection power…” Phillipians 3:10

STUFF IS JUST STUFF NO MATTER HOW YOU DRESS IT!

LET FREEDOM RING!

"If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." John 8:36

As we prepare to celebrate the 234th anniversary of our nation's independence, we reflect on "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" - those attributes of freedom stated in the U.S. Declaration of Independence. Freedom of religion, of speech, the press, of assembly, of petition ... all guaranteed by the first of ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution (known as the U.S. Bill of Rights) proposed by our nation's founders in 1789.

In this great Nation even though our Declaration of Independence states that we are free to pursue Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness, most Americans are still headed in the wrong direction and are becoming more and more frustrated with the pursuit. We're free to pursue it; but we still can't grasp life, liberty or happiness. As a result of the frustration, we have become a society that medicates in some form or fashion to get to sleep at night, to awake in the morning and to make it through the day! One would believe since we are free to pursue, that we ought to have found life, liberty and happiness in the last 233 years. It simply seems we are drifting further from the goal with each passing year.

My first thirty years were spent in pursuing the American dream, and by worldly standards I had achieved the dream. I was a VIP at my High School and played big time College Athletics on a Scholarship. I had money, women, house on the river, parties, "friends", opportunity, cars, boats, party goods and everything this world calls good.

On the inside I was empty and dead. I had no meaning. Something inside of me was crying out..."There must be more to life than this!" Over my years I had observed others; most were in the same situation that I was in...Nothingness. There were the few however, that had something that was different...they had a peace that made no sense to me. There was a sense of joy in their lives, no matter what their circumstances. Their relationships had depth and meaning and I noticed that they had grasped a hold of what I was searching for. They almost seemed to good to be true!

Every one of these people had a personal relationship with this "Jesus!" I had heard about Him, but I'd never met Him personally! He was the common denominator to securing that which I was seeking...peace, meaning, purpose, ability....LIFE, LIBERTY AND HAPPINESS!

Soooooooooooo...I began to read His Declaration of Independence...the Bible. One of the first Scriptures that impacted me was John 8: 31 "If you continue in my word, then you are my disciples indeed; And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.."

I dug into the declaration and I, in fact, discovered the way to securing true Life, Liberty and Happiness.

1) Life...Jesus said in John 10:10 that He came that we might have Life(Zoe: The God Kind of Life), and have it more abundantly. John 1:4 states that "In him was life; and the life was the light of men."

This Life is what separates Jesus from all the other "philosophers" They came to bring light or illuminate the minds of men, but Jesus came to impart the very Life of God into His precious creation! Here's the way it works out... " But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." John 1:12 It is only the Life of God that is able to illuminate the minds of men! I have learned as I discover the Principles of God and apply them in my life, I am able to live life the way it was designed...The John 10:10 or "God Kind" of life!

2) Liberty... The more I uncovered the truths contained in His declaration, the more liberty I received. Jesus said that Knowing the Truth would make me free. John 8:32 I am free from the effects of sin...I no longer fear death or feel the guilt and shame when I do sin. Romans 6:18 states that "having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness."

When my Dad passed on into the Presence of the Lord a couple years ago, the Lord spoke this word to me concerning his passing. "No man can stare death in the eye unafraid, whose destiny is not certain!" People often ask me concerning some of the ministry trips I take..."Aren't you afraid, with all that's going on in the world?" My response is simply..."What's the worse case scenario? I die...BUT THEN I live." No one can kill me OR you! We are going to exist forever. Where you spend eternity depends on what choices you make before you exit your earth suit. (Body) Romans 8:2 "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.."

I am free from self doubt and inadequacy because He is my ability! I am free from fear because He is my Peace! I am free from judgment because He is my Righteousness! I am free from what others think of me, because He is on my side! I am free from failure because He is my Victory! I am never alone because He is with me always! I am never empty because He fills my life with meaning and purpose! I am free from weakness because He is my Strength! I am free to live life the way I was designed, because He is my Life. I am never lost because He is my Way! I am never deceived because He is my Truth! I never lose because He is my Way where there is no way! Get the Picture?

3) Happiness... "Happy indeed are those whose God is the LORD." Psalm 144:15 What more can I say? I have the Spirit and the Life of Almighty God coursing through my veins and I'm free! I respect people but I don't fear any man!

So if you continue to search for Life, Freedom and happiness, your search can end today! Forgive me, but I'm not talking about those who simply talk about Jesus; go to church once in a blue moon, yet do absolutely nothing to advance His Kingdom! I am talking about those Believers who have become disciples and are functioning in the Body of Christ, digging into His Word, applying His Principles, telling others of His Love and allowing His Spirit to flow through their lives!

America had it right in the beginning...we were One nation Under God...a Nation founded on Biblical Principles but somehow the world and its concerns have caused us to lose our way! We are the light of the world...we are Ambassadors of Jesus Christ...we have been commissioned to lead this great Nation back to the glory days of old! Let's wrap it up this way... 2 Chronicles 7:14 proclaims "Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land."

It's not America's fault that we have fallen into depravity. The Church needs to arise and show the way, lead the way into the pursuit of Life, Liberty and Happiness! What will you do today?

So I encourage you to "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." Galatians 5:1
As the song goes...."I am free to run. I am free to dance. I am free to live for you. I am free. I am free..."

THE SONFLOWER!

Sunflowers are amazing flowers. Have you ever considered that they grow larger and higher than all the other flowers in the garden?

Then they begin to unfold glorious yellow petals with a wealth of tightly packed seeds in their center...these seeds one day will feed birds, animals and people. They will also produce hundreds more sunflower plants.

Did you know that it is called the sunflower becuse of it's great love for the sun? After it grows tall enough to be free of the threat of any shade...it's face follows the course of the sun throughout the entire day...leaning and turning as it follows the course of the sun's circuit.
THE SUNFLOWER SEEKS TO BE AT ALL TIMES FULLY BATHED IN SUNLIGHT!

We need to follow the Lord(THE SON) the way the sunflower follows the sunshine. Seek Him First every morning and the last at night. Practice focusing on Him throughout the day!

THE SONFLOWER SEEKS TO BE AT ALL TIMES FULLY BATHED IN SONLIGHT!
Joh 8:12 ¶ Then Jesus said to them, "I am the light of the world: he that follows me will not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

His Promise here is this....That if we follow Him...hear His Word and do His Will...darkness will not overcome us...but our lives will be flooded with His Life...His truth...His directives...THE SON SHINING IN AND THOUGH OUR LIVES!

In order to grow above and beyond all of the other flowers(especially the weeds in life) we need to keep focused on the SONSHINE!

When we stay focused on the Son, then others can feed off of the fruit in our lives just like birds and animals feed off the Sunflower. We also produce other offspring for God as we plant our seeds into other peoples lives!

Follow the SON all day today!

MANUFACTURER'S HANDBOOK

GOD’S WORD…THE BIBLE OR THE MANUFACTURER'S HANDBOOK!

1) LIFE…REAL LIVING COMES FROM THE WORD OF GOD…
Mt 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man Does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

2) YOU DISCOVER …
A) THE TRUTH ABOUT GOD…HIS CHARACTER, HIS GREATNESS, HIS LOVE, HIS MOTIVATIONS.
B) THE TRUTH ABOUT LIFE..WHAT’S GOD..WHAT’S NOT!
John 8: 31 ¶ Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed on him, If you continue in my word, then you are my disciples indeed; 32 And ye will know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

3) THE FAITH AND POWER TO ENJOY LIFE COMES FROM HIS WORD…Romans 10:17 17 Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

4) THE WORD GIVES US ANSWERS TO LIFE’S QUESTIONS & SOLUTIONS TO LIFE’S PROBLEMS… Ps 119:105 Your word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

5) TEMPTATIONS ARE DEFEATED BY THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT(Eph 6:17)…
Ps 119:11 I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

6) HEALING COMES FROM THE DISCOVERY & APPLICATION OF GOD’S WORD…

A) HEALING FOR DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIORS…Ps 107:20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

B) HEALING FOR THE DISAPOINTMENTS AND DEFEATS IN LIFE…Matthew 7: 24 Anyone who listens to my teaching and obeys me is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. 25Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse, because it is built on rock

C) HEALING FOR PHYSICAL DISEASES…
Prov 4: 20 Pay attention, my child, to what I say. Listen carefully. 21Don’t lose sight of my words. Let them penetrate deep within your heart, 22for they bring life and radiant health to anyone who discovers their meaning. NLT

D) HEALING FOR EMOTIONS OR DEPRESSION…Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Mark 4:1-25 The measure you measure the Word of God is the measure you receive in return! It's time to get serious about the Manufacturer's Handbook read and apply it it today. Everytime you read the Bible look to discover the Character and Nature of God and search for His prinicples to a cussessful way of living! Joshua 1: 8 "Meditate in this book day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein. You will make your way prosperous and you will have good success!"