Tag Archives: Truth

The Equation: Love+Faith, Moves Mountains

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We are commanded to love. I believe this is true of all faiths. If we fail to love, all else fails. Love is powerful. But, as Christians, we are commanded to love our neighbors, love our enemies, love the sick, the poor, and downtrodden. We are to love others as we love ourselves. We are commanded to love because God first loved us.  All things are possible when we love. We can move mountains through faith if first, we love.

As Christians, our very existence is linked to ‘love’. Romans 12:9-10, NLT reads, Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. 

The Bible is replete with scriptures about God’s love for us and how we are commanded to love others in the same way He loved us first.

Romans 5:8, NIV reads, But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

1 John 5:1-5, NLT reports, Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. 2 We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments. 3 Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. 5 And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

Matthew 5:43-46 NLT, You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ ]and hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. 46 If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that?

Romans 12:9-21, NLT,  goes on to  read,

11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. 12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. 13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! 17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. 

Friends, the maxim is  – love conquers all. Love fires up our faith to move mountains, but as 1 Corinthians 2:13 reads, if we fail to love, moving mountains is nothing, because our  lives are not based on God’s love for us, and moving mountains becomes a phrase and not an action, God gifted to us, His children.

Christopher Robin, Winnie the Pooh and Overcoming our Carnal Nature

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Christopher-Robin-Live-Action-Animation-ComparisonRecently I watched the movie, Christopher Robin set in the mid-1940s. The story is about the adult Christopher Robin suffering through the stresses of war and then as a procurement officer for a suitcase company, a husband, and a father. While his name was Christopher Robin, he was no longer the whimsical child whose friends were wise stuffed animals. As an adult, he lost himself and became overwhelmed by life allowing his carnal (sin) nature to take hold of him.

How many of us become overwhelmed by life? How many of us lost our way when we became adults? How many of us have or had careers, families, and life only to find that we have been misplaced by the facade of what we thought an adult was? In effect, we have allowed our sin nature to become our master. Our sin nature is our carnal self. When we are not alert, the essence of who God created us to be is overtaken by the world. Fortunately, possessing the Holy Spirit alerts us of the takeover and awakens us to live a life like Christ. 2 Kings 2:3 tells us God will remove the master of our carnal being and free us to be who he created us to be.

“Then the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him. “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?” And he said, “Yes, I know; be still.”

As the story proceeds, Pooh looked for Christopher Robin for years because he missed the relationship they had years ago. Do you miss the relationship you had with God when you were a newly saved Christian? One day Pooh decided to venture out and find him. Are you seeking the Lord and your relationship with Him?

Jumping ahead, Pooh found Christopher Robin in London and hoped he would still be his friend and return to the 100-Acre Wood. When he saw a man approaching him in the park, Pooh did not recognize him. His adult (carnal) personality was nothing close to who he was as a youth, his essence was missing, and he was a mere shell of who he was earlier in life.

Pooh then said, it is always a sunny day when Christopher Robin comes to play. Christopher heard Pooh but knew the old Christopher was dormant and lost. He could not find himself and therefore could not play with them. This was his wake-up moment. Up until that moment, he did not realize he was lost. Luke 5:26 says,

“They were all stuck with astonishment and began glorifying God; and they were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen remarkable things today.”

To shift the story a bit, this morning at church Pastor Paul Sheppard (Destiny Christian Fellowship, USA), shared a God showed him a paradigm shift about of what he had been in prayer about for some time. Pastor Paul shared that paradigm shifts change the perspective of how you see something. In essence, what you thought a thing was, was, in fact, something completely different when the shift takes place. I share this because Christopher Robin experienced a paradigm shift when he found his daughter (who went back to the city to give him his papers he left behind) and she gave him one of the pages of his report. The diagram was a pyramid showing percentages of who purchased suitcases, reflecting a loss in sales (that could result in the company closing down). However, when the diagram was inverted, it showed a potential increase in sales if you looked at the economics of what part of the population would purchase suitcases when they received vacation time to travel. Before the paradigm shift, the target market was the rich, the inverted diagram reflected that as the market changed to include the average working man, suitcase sales would increase exponentially.

In the end, everything worked out. Christopher Robin saved the day, the company remained open, he reclaimed his essence, found himself and began to focus on his family. The final minutes of the movie focused on Pooh and Christopher Robin sitting

on a tree trunk. Pooh asked Christopher Robin what day is it? Christopher Robin quickly responded ‘it is today’. Pooh smiled and said, good, it is today, that’s great because when it was yesterday, it was too much of a day for me. This was a key point when Christopher replied, it is today, we are witnessing his turning point, indicating that he found his essence, his carnal self would have given the day and month. Hebrews 3:13 says,

“But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”

Earlier when Pooh said, it always a sunny day when Christopher Robin comes to play is the moment when he established who he was, just as we do when we repent and ask God to be part of our life. Pooh recognized that Christopher Robin was no longer lost. He had found himself, he reclaimed his essence while searching for an answer to his dilemmas and searching for his daughter who was much like him. Sometimes it is to do nothing when we have been tasked with finding the answer.

Doing nothing for Christians is stepping back and going into prayer asking God for direction. We are instructed to be still and wait on the Holy Spirit to direct us, in so doing we step away from our carnal, sinful self and rely on the Lord. Why is forging ahead without Gods direction carnal? Our carnal self is self-serving, conceited, and stubborn, seeking to draw attention to self and not the intended outcome.

Generally, as we search for purpose, we grow as Christians and eventually receive Christ as our Lord and Savior. In so doing, we reclaim our person in Christ and relinquish our carnal self. However, like Christopher Robin, we can slip into the chaos of the world and lose ourselves. As long as we live in this world we will be challenged, sometimes we need to step back, be still, and let God lead us.

Images – Google Images

Scriptures – BibleGateway.com

What Does God Want You To Do?

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God is all truth and truth cannot initiate negative actions. God does not create confusion, chaos, or distraction in our lives. However, he does use them to move us forward seeking our destiny. All challenges and victories are accompanied with lessons. Everything in life is a learning opportunity. Do you believe and surrender all of who you are to God, or are you the architect of your own destiny?

Psalm 16_2A chosen life – lived so differently from the rest of the world-will forever hold the truth that apart from God, we have ‘no good thing’ (Psalm 16:2)

A chosen life is a surrendered life, a life that exalts Jesus Christ and follows Him in obedience.

I’ve heard this message in some form for three days now. Yes, it’s apparently personal, but we can all learn from this message.

My Take Away

The Lord told us we would experience good times and bad. Jesus suffered. Job suffered. David suffered. Countless men and women suffered in the Bible. What makes us any different? In each instance, the sufferer literally and figuratively fell to their knees and first asked God why are you doing this to me, or why are you allowing this to happen to me? We are projecting blame. After wallowing in our discomfort, we should reach the point where we change the conversation and ask God, what do you want me to learn from this? God will answer, but not until we fully surrender to Him and reiterate Jesus statement of God,

“Not my will, but your will be done.”
Mark 14:36; Luke 22:42 NIV

Faith

I read on FaceBook of all places – ‘Walking with God and not seeing where He is taking you is faith. Walking with God and demanding that he tell you where He is taking you is sight.’

“For we walk by faith and not by sight.”
2 Corinthians 5:7 NKJV

We cannot ask, what do you want me to learn if we cannot surrender to God first. If we still blame others, think we are always right,  remain stuck in our own stuff, there is no way we can hear God. There is too much white noise. White noise is noise containing too many frequencies with equal intensities.

The white noise is the selfish, fleshly you, the faithless you. The whiner crying why me! The person with the attitude confronting God. This may be an ‘ah-ha’ moment for some. When we are in this place, our faith is not authentic. It is solid when things are going well, and we are happy with God, but when things go wrong, we tend to blame God, our faith wanes. Our self-righteous selves question the creator of the universe, our God who created us, knew us before we knew ourselves, has a plan for us, loves us, is devoted to us, cares for us, and protects us.

Jesus said to the disciples, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?  Matthew 8:26 KJV

Surrender

Surrendering requires faith. When we surrender, we hand our lives over to God. We say, we will walk with you into the unknown, and will faint not. I read on FaceBook of all places – ‘Walking with God and not seeing where He is taking us is faith. Walking with God and demanding that he tell us where He is taking us is sight.’

Surrendering and living faith-filled life sounds easy, but if your fleshly self is a controller, is always right, strong-willed, and is comfortable mapping paths for themselves and others, it is not easy to hand the steering wheel over to God or anyone else. Surrendering is choosing dependence in, and obedience to, God and God alone. Our flesh fights dependence and obedience. They come in tandem, both are necessary factors required when we fully surrender to God our Father.

Back to the initial question – What is God telling you to do?

*He is telling you/us to surrender to Him, not to ask questions or reinterpret what He said to us – we must surrender all.
*He is telling you/us to follow Him, respond, yes God and Amen.
*He is telling you/us to be dependent and know He is God and created our life plan.
*He is telling you/us to remain obedient, even in the darkest hours. He will never leave us or forsake us.
*He is telling you/us to be quiet, know He is God and listen to His quiet voice directing our paths.
*He is telling you/us to love Him and trust Him with our lives.

When we surrender –
*We will be free,
*We will have real faith,
*We will be delivered, and God will lead us to our salvation.

 

We Owe God

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From Adam Clark, Studylight.com

Image – Roger Cole, Bible.com. YouVersion

God sacrificed His son for us. We owe Him. “As the Christian is thus purchased, ransomed, redeemed, he is bound to devote himself to God only, and to keep his commands, and to flee from a licentious life.”

“That this valuable consideration was the blood of Jesus, as an atoning sacrifice, an offering, a ransom, which “would accomplish the same great ends in maintaining the truth and honor of God, and the majesty of his law, as the eternal condemnation of the sinner would have done;” and which, therefore, may be called, figuratively, the price which was paid. For if the same ends of justice could be accomplished by his atonement which would have been by the death of the sinner himself, then it was consistent for God to pardon him.

Nothing else could or would have done this. There was no price which the sinner could pay, no atonement which he could make; and consequently, if Christ had not died, the sinner would have been the slave of sin, and the servant of the devil forever.

More On Miracles

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Does God ever place an inquiry in your heart, something he wants you to learn more about? He planted my inquiry – miracles, and while researching miracles, this is what I am learning. I am not sharing this information to question anyone’s faith. I am sharing it to add another dimension of our God’s love for us. It is food for thought and something to share with God to gain greater understanding. I am doing the same. The question about whether miracles do exist today is a great conversation starter with the Lord.

Four Primary Types of Miracles
Johnhamelministeries.org

“For I am the Lord, I change not … ” (Malachi 3:6)
“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

We are going to be looking at the four primary types of miracles performed by Jesus during His earth Ministry.  Jesus is the greatest miracle worker of all time.  The Bible says He has not changed.

Keep in mind as we look at these miracles that we cannot possibly look at them all in this lesson.  The Bible says that the number of miracles performed by Jesus would fill the libraries of the world if they were to be recorded.  We will look only at the four primary classifications of miracles.  This will give you an idea of what Jesus is still willing to do today for all who believe.

Noah Webster defines “miracle” as “an event that contradicts known scientific law.”

So a miracle is a supernatural act in the natural realm.  God actually suspends the Laws of Nature and moves supernaturally.

The reasons for God performing miracles are too numerous to list in this brief study.  I will share with you here only two of the most important reasons for Jesus performing miracles.  First, Jesus performs miracles to glorify Himself and His Father.  Second, Jesus is still performing miracles today to demonstrate His compassion for humanity.

Let us get right into the four primary types of miracles.

Miracles Over Nature

A miracle over nature would be a miracle performed over natural things.  Jesus turned water into unfermented wine in John, chapter 2.   That was a miracle over nature because those were natural elements.  All the elements of nature are subject to Jesus because He created them all.  (Colossians 1:16)

“Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth.  But as they sailed, he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake, and they were filled with water and were in jeopardy.  And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then HE AROSE AND REBUKED THE WIND AND THE RAGING OF THE WATER: THEY CEASED, AND THERE WAS A CALM. (Luke 8:22-24 )

This is a wonderful example of Jesus exercising authority over the elements of nature, which were originally created by Him.  The wind and the sea are still subject to His Divine authority.  Somebody said, “Can’t do anything about the weather.”  But that is not what the Bible says.  If you ever find yourself in a natural crisis, on land, at sea or in the air, use your authority in Jesus’ Name.  Command the circumstances to change.  It will work for you.

Probably the most popular miracle of nature in the Ministry of Jesus is when He and Peter both walked on water in Matthew 14:22-33.

Jesus is still performing miracles of nature all over the Earth.  People do not see them when they do not believe in them.  God desires for you to experience miracles over nature.

Miracles of Supply

“And when they came to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?  He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? Of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? Of their own children, or of strangers?  Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.

Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast a hook, and TAKE UP THE FISH THAT FIRST COMETH UP; AND WHEN THOU HAST OPENED HIS MOUTH, THOU SHALT FIND A PIECE OF MONEY: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.” (Matthew 17:24-27)

Of course, I am not telling anyone that when tax time rolls around that it is time to go fishing.  Nor am I saying that God would not tell you to go fishing for a money miracle.  What I am saying is that one type of miracle that Jesus performed was the miracle of supply.  Jesus is still performing miracles of supply today to glorify Himself and His Father, to meet the needs of His family and to cause people to come to Him.

“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” (Luke 6:38 )

If you are faithful to support the work of the ministry with a percentage of the money that God gives you, He will see to it that your cupboards are never bare and your well will never dry up.  Malachi 3:10 reveals that as we open our hand, releasing what we have, God will open the windows of Heaven, releasing what He has.

Miracles of Healing 

“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and HEALING ALL MANNER OF SICKNESS AND ALL MANNER OF DISEASE among the people.” (Matthew 4:23)

Jesus created your body.  He can restore your body when it begins to malfunction.  Some Christians have more faith in automobile manufacturers than they do in Jesus.  They know that when their automobile breaks, the manufacturer can fix it because the manufacturer made it.

If Believers had as much confidence in Jesus as they do in automobile manufacturers, sickness would not be as rampant in the Body of Christ as it is today.

It is always God’s will for people to be healed.  But people do not always get healed because they do not always meet the conditions of faith.  Jesus is limited by what we believe.  (Mark 6:1-6)

Not only does Jesus heal sick bodies, but He has also developed a pretty good reputation for raising dead ones.

“Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.  And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.  And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.  And HE THAT WAS DEAD SAT UP AND BEGAN TO SPEAK. And he delivered him to his mother.  And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.” (Luke 7:12-16 )

I have heard people say when it comes to raising the dead, “Yea, right.  I’ll believe that when I see it.”  I always tell them, “No, Jesus said you’ll see that when you believe it.”  We do not see more of these types of miracles today because we have fallen into tradition, religion, and unbelief concerning them.  The time is upon us now when all of the world will be astounded by all of the types of miracles we are studying today.  I personally have experienced all four types of miracles.

Miracles Over Demon Powers

“And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils.  And all the city was gathered together at the door.  And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and CAST OUT MANY DEVILS; AND SUFFERED NOT THE DEVILS TO SPEAK, because they knew him.” (Mark 1:32-34 )

Somebody once said about the above verse, “Jesus healed many of these people, but He didn’t heal all of them.”  To which I say, “No, He did heal them all.  He healed as many as were sick.  He also cast out as many demons as were present.”

No matter how great the manifestation of demon powers in the Ministry of Jesus, they could never hold their own against Him.  The best they could do was to start talking incessantly to make the people think that their power was the same as Jesus’ power.  This was an attempt to discredit Him and make Him look like He was one of them.

I believe this is why Jesus would not allow demons to speak unless spoken to.  He would just tell them to “shut up and come out,” and that was that.   No matter how great the concentration of evil, the power of Jesus is tremendously greater.

Demon spirits today, as in Bible days, still cause dumbness, deafness, foaming, fits, insanity, teeth gnashing, sickliness, sickness, suicide, screaming, and exhaustion.  Jesus, through Believers, is still exerting power over all physical and spiritual manifestations of Satan and demon spirits.  Jesus is still drawing men and women to Himself through miracles over nature, miracles of supply, miracles of healing and miracles over demon powers.

Tell God that you believe in miracles.  Tell Him that He is welcome to perform miracles on your behalf.  Ask Him to use you to perform miracles on behalf of others.  He will.

Have you made Jesus the Miracle Worker the Lord of your life?  If not, just say, “Jesus, You’re my choice.” (Romans 10:13)  That’ll open the door to a parade of miracles in your life.

Be Blessed … John and Barbara Hamel

THIS IS A GOOD DISCUSSION TOPIC, ANYONE INTERESTED IN SHARING?