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Monthly Archives: August 2011

Do You Feel It?

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THE WORD

Isaiah 40:31 – But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Feelings come in many different forms. For example, if you: have been burned by something hot, have been stung or bit by an insect, or have held on to a piece of ice or swam in cold water, etc. It is easy to interpret feelings on a physical level, for they are sensations that we can feel with our body’s senses. There are also things that we can relate to on an emotional level. For example: if someone insults you, if you lose someone that is close to you, or when you are in confusion or conflict over the unknown. These sorts of emotions can be recognized by many because it is something we encounter not only within our senses but through our feelings.

What I want to you to think about today are your daily experiences with the spirit of God. As we start having great times with God we begin to use experiences that God has let us walk through to have a more intimate relationship with Him. As a few examples: faith and testimony praise, worship during altar service, prayer and meditation, reading and studying the bible, the list goes on and on. There are many avenues that God has provided for us so that we can not only believe that He is with us but to know it in our hearts. The spirit of God works through the love in our hearts to help usher those around us that do not know Christ to salvation. When we know God and establish a secure relationship we then see life in a new pair of eyes and see that there is so much more out there to live and enjoy! There is a closeness that God wants us all to have that will keep us through each and every problem we face! Do you feel it today? If you need the comfort of the spirit, seek for it, for it is there to help you today!

PUT INTO PRACTICE

My most urgent prayer for you is that you begin to seek God for a stronger anointing in your life. Surrender your heart and yield to the presence of the Holy Ghost. And as you do, listen to how God will teach you to become a more loving person and an ambassador for the message of Jesus Christ! Live through your problems and let love change your life!

Evaluating Our Hindrances

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Exodus 14:8-9

[8] And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand.
[9] 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 Pi-hahiroth, before Baal-zephon.

Pharaoh’s pursuit of Israel is a very good representation of how evil forces in our lives pursue us today.

Luke 22:31

[31] And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

Jesus even was saying to Peter during His life on earth that Satan desired to have them. The word “have” is a very strong word when it comes to the ownership of your life or soul.

Exodus 14:21-22

[21] And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
[22] And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

The opening of the Red Sea when compared to today is a good comparison to the hindrances in our life being removed.

Luke 23:34

[34] And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.

The way was completely made when Jesus made the sacrifice for us; it was made for our deliverance. How powerful were the words “Father, forgive them”? It immediately remitted our sins and provided the way we know today!

Exodus 14:19-20

[19] And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:
[20] And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.

Reading about the pillar of cloud and fire reminds me of the divine presence of God that is with us now!

Acts 2:17-21

[17] And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God,I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
[18] And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
[19] And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
[20] The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
[21] And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

His presence is still with us! So what do we begin to do about our hindrances? How different are we than these we read of here?

Exodus 12:38

[38] And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle.

The mixed multitudes demonstrated then what we would know as the worldly element that is present in a church without the leadership of God in it.

Exodus 16:3

[3] And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

The flesh pots get right down to where we are with our sensual pleasures of life. Dependency on sin can be a direct hindrance, whether we choose to acknowledge that or not. So what do we have to overcome our hindrances?

Exodus 16:4

[4] Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.

The manna here for them is our representation of Jesus Christ to us today; for He is the bread of life to us as He is in us each and every day.

Exodus 17:6

[6] Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.

The water from the rock was refreshing then, but how much more is the refreshment of knowing that we still have access to the living water through Christ!

1 Corinthians 10:4

[4] And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

When reading that they drank of the Rock, the Rock here to me is what we base our faith and beliefs upon; that Jesus came and died so that we could have life and it more abundantly!

Learning To Beat The Scoffers

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Luke 16:19-31

[19] There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
[20] And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
[21] And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
[22] And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
[23] And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
[24] And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
[25] But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
[26] And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
[27] Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:
[28] For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
[29] Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
[30] And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
[31] And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

The Pharisees did not believe in grace. They were upset that Jesus received sinners and ate with them. They could agree with Jesus on rejoicing for finding something that was lost, like the sheep or coin, but not to a sinner coming to repentance. In part of the response to the mocking and scoffing towards him, Jesus addressed the one thing that mattered most to them at that time: their wealth and outward riches.

What part of this is of worth to us today? Let’s read on.

Matthew 8:11-13

[11] And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.
[12] But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
[13] And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

When we read up above about how that Lazarus was in Abraham’s bosom, it speaks to me about how there was a separation when it came to where the riches of the heart were. When a person has their riches in this earth and not in God, there is only but one destination in the end. It is inevitable, and cannot be changed but only through salvation by Jesus Christ. Lazarus didn’t have riches and was a beggar in this illustration, and as you read it begins to show that when we come to God we cannot bring all of the riches and things of worth (sin) in our hearts. Those things must be confessed and forgiven as we start a new life as a forgiven individual, saved by the blood of Jesus!

I remember how I came with so many problems in my life, and to the view of many there was no hope for me. I probably would have been looked on with all of the things that I had done and never had any hope. However, when I came to God seeking for forgiveness for the things in my life, all things were my new by the forgiveness of my sins. I am not as what I was before, and I too will be in Heaven! As I live today, I have to remind myself that I cannot change what is behind me, but I am forgiven for it. I have to demonstrate by what God has done through the way I live for Him (as He helps us) that we are new creatures! And trust me, when you truly surrender all of the things that hold you captive, you won’t feel the bondage anymore!

I went down a beggar, but I came up forgiven and free! You don’t have to prove anything to anyone anymore; simply live your life for God and let Him fight the battles that you cannot control!

Singing And Speaking At Ivydell Church Of God

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It was a pleasure getting to go to Ivydell. I loved getting to hear my family as well as some of my church family too! I really did enjoy the experience greatly. I know you must be thinking “you say that every time” but let me explain why.

As the service began, everyone began to pray and praise the Lord together right from the start. From that point on, everything that anyone did in obedience to God was so easy and so wonderful simply because everyone came together. You see, there are so many times when we miss that moment when we assemble together at church. People sometimes come just because they feel like they have to, or even for a social gathering of some magnitude. However, I know that when people are truly in need that being social is not going to help or save anyone. It’s that part of us that has Jesus Christ in our lives that when we allow it to shine can truly bring people together and draw others to Him!

I was very excited about the message that we were able to bring. We were not able to capture the audio, but I will make sure and post the scriptures as a small thought of some sort so you can enjoy what God had encouraged me and helped me in my own life with. My only regret is that having to preach means that I do not get to hear Ray Woods! If you have not heard him, you need to. He preaches with a great love, and that sets a great example for all ministers today.

Remember that no matter where you are or where that you go that as long as we learn to come together for Jesus Christ, people can be changed!