Mark 5:25-34 And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in [her] body that she was healed of that plague. And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
Mark 6:56 And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole.
A minister at my church preached this message and it really touched my heart as I hope it will touch yours.
We make a difference, God said let there be light and there was light, He said He dwells in us and we were made in His image, the bible also says to speak things that are not as though they were. When God said let there be light, the light did not come until after God spoke. The woman with the issue of blood went and sought after man to heal her, when none of that worked she went to Jesus. She broke all the rules to get there, and she took control of her situation. She didn't need to talk to Jesus or to shake His hand by his very garment she knew she would be healed. Now after that incident as we see, down the line people began to follow suit, lining the streets just to touch the hem of Jesus garment.
The things we go through in life and overcome are not just for us, they pave the way for others who did not know that possibility. In Mark 5:34 the word says Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague period. She went through and was healed period. Think about the periods in your life and speak life into their transformation. If you got pregnant as a teen or know people who have speak over your children. My children will not be teen parents period. My children will not be victims of abuse period. I will wise period. I am successful period. Make a list and proclaim these things over your life. Think about the things you say, even playfully and began to speak life into yourself and others. Have a wonderful week. Be blessed.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Forbidden by the Holy Spirit
Acts 16:6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,
When I read this last night it really stuck out to me, the fact that they (Paul and his men) were forbidden to do that which seemed right. They were forbidden by the Holy Spirit. We can look at two things here. 1. What are things are areas in your life where God has forbade you from working? 2. How does the Holy Spirit communicate with you so you will know wither it is Gods will that you are in one place or another. This hit home for me personally. I am the type of person who wants to save the world. I work for a ministry, I am in grad school, I am a part of real estate investing groups, a youth leader at my church and a part of the Big Brother Big Sister program. I am lucky if I get 8 hours of sleep a night and even though all this is fine and good, God has really been convicting me for doing to much. I find it is easy for me to hear the Holy Spirit when I surround myself with certain things. For me it is music, I love music it speaks to me, so when I am listening to my praise and worship music it is easier to hear what I am supposed to be doing and where I am supposed to be going.
Acts 16:7 After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.
I know everyone has felt this way, you get somewhere in life, or an actual place and your like, yes this is perfect let me do this or that and the Spirit says no. This happens in many ways as well you might go out to your car, try to start it up and your battery is dead, you may get frustrated but God may have just used that dead battery to save you from the accident that would have been on the freeway.
I encourage you today and this week to listen for the direction of the Holy Spirit and heed to it. Be blessed.
When I read this last night it really stuck out to me, the fact that they (Paul and his men) were forbidden to do that which seemed right. They were forbidden by the Holy Spirit. We can look at two things here. 1. What are things are areas in your life where God has forbade you from working? 2. How does the Holy Spirit communicate with you so you will know wither it is Gods will that you are in one place or another. This hit home for me personally. I am the type of person who wants to save the world. I work for a ministry, I am in grad school, I am a part of real estate investing groups, a youth leader at my church and a part of the Big Brother Big Sister program. I am lucky if I get 8 hours of sleep a night and even though all this is fine and good, God has really been convicting me for doing to much. I find it is easy for me to hear the Holy Spirit when I surround myself with certain things. For me it is music, I love music it speaks to me, so when I am listening to my praise and worship music it is easier to hear what I am supposed to be doing and where I am supposed to be going.
Acts 16:7 After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.
I know everyone has felt this way, you get somewhere in life, or an actual place and your like, yes this is perfect let me do this or that and the Spirit says no. This happens in many ways as well you might go out to your car, try to start it up and your battery is dead, you may get frustrated but God may have just used that dead battery to save you from the accident that would have been on the freeway.
I encourage you today and this week to listen for the direction of the Holy Spirit and heed to it. Be blessed.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
God is Married to the Backslider
Growing up I always heard that God is married to the backslider what does that mean?
Jer 3:1 They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the LORD.
Under the law if you divorced and the wife married another man, you as the first husband could not marry her again. God said I will take you back despite what you have done.
Jer 3:2 Lift up thine eyes unto the high places, and see where thou hast not been lien with. In the ways hast thou sat for them, as the Arabian in the wilderness; and thou hast polluted the land with thy whoredoms and with thy wickedness.
Jer 3:3 Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; and thou hadst a whore's forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed.
You were marked and refused to be ashamed.
Jer 3:4 Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, thou [art] the guide of my youth?
Jer 3:5 Will he reserve [his anger] for ever? will he keep [it] to the end? Behold, thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldest.
God wont keep His anger at bay forever.
Jer 3:6 The LORD said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen [that] which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot.
The places of worship were established on the high places and in the groves. She went to the places that was supposed to be set aside for praise of God and did horrible acts there.
Jer 3:7 And I said after she had done all these [things], Turn thou unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw [it].
God still called her back to Him.
Jer 3:8 And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.
Judah didn’t learn from Israel’s actions.
Jer 3:9 And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks.
Stones and stocks = idols
Jer 3:10 And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD.
Judah didn’t change with her whole heart but just with the service, the deep heart needs to be committed. Have a really made a true commitment to God or do I just love Him on the surface? God wants a full commitment of ourselves to Him. God turn my heart to you alone.
Jer 3:11 And the LORD said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.
Israel justified her actions, don’t just go through the motions turn with your whole heart. Judah saw the example if Israel and did not turn.
Jer 3:12 Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; [and] I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I [am] merciful, saith the LORD, [and] I will not keep [anger] for ever.
God is a forgiving and merciful God.
Jer 3:13 Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.
Just confess your sins, confess and acknowledge that you are wrong.
Jer 3:14 Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:
God is married to the back slider.
Jer 3:15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
God gives us pastors who will feed us with knowledge and understanding of God. God just wants us to come back to Him so He can delight in us.
Jer 3:16 And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit [it]; neither shall [that] be done any more.
We wont talk about the ark (we don’t talk about the ark) because we have the new covenant, Jesus blood covenant.
Jer 3:17 At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.
We call Jerusalem the holy land and this is the most protected land among the nations.
Jer 3:18 In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers.
Jer 3:19 But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me.
Jer 3:20 Surely [as] a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the LORD.
Jer 3:21 A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping [and] supplications of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, [and] they have forgotten the LORD their God.
Jer 3:22 Return, ye backsliding children, [and] I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou [art] the LORD our God.
God will HEAL our backsliding.
Jer 3:23 Truly in vain [is salvation hoped for] from the hills, [and from] the multitude of mountains: truly in the LORD our God [is] the salvation of Israel.
Jer 3:24 For shame hath devoured the labour of our fathers from our youth; their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters.
Jer 3:25 We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God.
Jer 3:1 They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the LORD.
Under the law if you divorced and the wife married another man, you as the first husband could not marry her again. God said I will take you back despite what you have done.
Jer 3:2 Lift up thine eyes unto the high places, and see where thou hast not been lien with. In the ways hast thou sat for them, as the Arabian in the wilderness; and thou hast polluted the land with thy whoredoms and with thy wickedness.
Jer 3:3 Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; and thou hadst a whore's forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed.
You were marked and refused to be ashamed.
Jer 3:4 Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, thou [art] the guide of my youth?
Jer 3:5 Will he reserve [his anger] for ever? will he keep [it] to the end? Behold, thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldest.
God wont keep His anger at bay forever.
Jer 3:6 The LORD said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen [that] which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot.
The places of worship were established on the high places and in the groves. She went to the places that was supposed to be set aside for praise of God and did horrible acts there.
Jer 3:7 And I said after she had done all these [things], Turn thou unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw [it].
God still called her back to Him.
Jer 3:8 And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.
Judah didn’t learn from Israel’s actions.
Jer 3:9 And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks.
Stones and stocks = idols
Jer 3:10 And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD.
Judah didn’t change with her whole heart but just with the service, the deep heart needs to be committed. Have a really made a true commitment to God or do I just love Him on the surface? God wants a full commitment of ourselves to Him. God turn my heart to you alone.
Jer 3:11 And the LORD said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.
Israel justified her actions, don’t just go through the motions turn with your whole heart. Judah saw the example if Israel and did not turn.
Jer 3:12 Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; [and] I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I [am] merciful, saith the LORD, [and] I will not keep [anger] for ever.
God is a forgiving and merciful God.
Jer 3:13 Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.
Just confess your sins, confess and acknowledge that you are wrong.
Jer 3:14 Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:
God is married to the back slider.
Jer 3:15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
God gives us pastors who will feed us with knowledge and understanding of God. God just wants us to come back to Him so He can delight in us.
Jer 3:16 And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit [it]; neither shall [that] be done any more.
We wont talk about the ark (we don’t talk about the ark) because we have the new covenant, Jesus blood covenant.
Jer 3:17 At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.
We call Jerusalem the holy land and this is the most protected land among the nations.
Jer 3:18 In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers.
Jer 3:19 But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me.
Jer 3:20 Surely [as] a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the LORD.
Jer 3:21 A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping [and] supplications of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, [and] they have forgotten the LORD their God.
Jer 3:22 Return, ye backsliding children, [and] I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou [art] the LORD our God.
God will HEAL our backsliding.
Jer 3:23 Truly in vain [is salvation hoped for] from the hills, [and from] the multitude of mountains: truly in the LORD our God [is] the salvation of Israel.
Jer 3:24 For shame hath devoured the labour of our fathers from our youth; their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters.
Jer 3:25 We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Endow Me
I believe I have the gift of spiritual wisdom. Do you believe in spiritual gifts? Do we all posses them? What are yours?
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Skydiving
This past weekend I went sky diving. It was amazing I was strapped to a professional and we just dipped out of a plane at 15,000 feet. Now only the first 30 to 60 seconds were scary but once that parachute opened it was amazing to see the amazing works of God. The mountains and lakes, the terrain.
Well this is also how it is when you start truly walking in the things of God. At first its scary are people going to understand? Will your friends look at you differently? Once you get in the grove of it though you are truly able to see the beauty God has created.
A friend and I were talking the other day about how powerless we Christians have become. We conform in every aspect of our lives. We have been desensitized when it comes to sex, our idea toward drugs is that's you not me. Homosexuality is normal and everything is everyone else's fault.
You used to be able to tell the Christians by their works. John 14:12 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father." I have yet to see Christians in the streets performing miracles and leading people to salvation. Where more than capable I guess the question is do we really want to.
You are supposed to be able to tell Christians by their works even now. I challenge you this week to look, really look at your self and say how can people tell I am a Christian, how can they tell that I am different. We are supposed to lead others to salvation but if you look like them how will they know you know the way?
Well this is also how it is when you start truly walking in the things of God. At first its scary are people going to understand? Will your friends look at you differently? Once you get in the grove of it though you are truly able to see the beauty God has created.
A friend and I were talking the other day about how powerless we Christians have become. We conform in every aspect of our lives. We have been desensitized when it comes to sex, our idea toward drugs is that's you not me. Homosexuality is normal and everything is everyone else's fault.
You used to be able to tell the Christians by their works. John 14:12 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father." I have yet to see Christians in the streets performing miracles and leading people to salvation. Where more than capable I guess the question is do we really want to.
You are supposed to be able to tell Christians by their works even now. I challenge you this week to look, really look at your self and say how can people tell I am a Christian, how can they tell that I am different. We are supposed to lead others to salvation but if you look like them how will they know you know the way?
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
"Christians"
Webster Dictionary Describes the word Christian as follows.
1Chris·tian Listen to the pronunciation of 1Christian
Pronunciation:
\ˈkris-chən, ˈkrish-\
Function:
noun
Etymology:
Latin christianus, adjective & noun, from Greek christianos, from Christos
Date:
1526
1 a: one who professes belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ b
So I was thinking.......what makes a Christian a Christian? In the 60's even the 70's Christians were a people that were set apart, who choose to follow the teachings of God and abide by them. What is a Christian now? Someone who believes God? Someone who is baptized? Someone who goes to church? How can you tell if someone is a Christian? By the way they carry themselves? By where they go? By what they talk about? By who they surround themselves with?
Please don't think I'm getting on my soap box I'm talking to me too. I am a "Christian." I put it in parenthesis because to me that represents me being saved but living a life God convicted me of. I would listen to everything but Godly music all day, I would curse, I would be fast all things that I know God convicted me of but that I didn't want to give up. I think everyone has there own journey for some they may be so "Christian" that they gossip, or are judgmental, some are disobedient even in the little things God tells them to do. So lets look back up at the definition. A Christian is one who professes belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ. What does it mean to profess. To profess means to declare in words or appearances only. We do a whole lot of professing not so much appearing.
Whats the difference between a "Christian" and a really nice atheist. Honestly nothing until they tell you. What should be the difference? Power. We are in a spiritual war. I find the closer I get to God and the more He elevates me, the more the enemy attacks, but Christians have power through the blood of Jesus Christ and the wisdom of His word. We don't want to be so lax that when we realize that we are in the heat of the battle not only do we have to find our weapon but when we do we don't know how to use it.
John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have [it] more abundantly.
Rev 3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
Rev 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
That's a dangerous place to be with the theif who's purpose you know because our works are luke warm. I want to be piping hot!
For those looking for a fresh anointing read Acts it will get you pumped.
If you seek the voice of God read Joshua.
If you feel you have turned away from God and want to be hot again read Luke 15.
I hope I gave you something to think about. God Bless.
1Chris·tian Listen to the pronunciation of 1Christian
Pronunciation:
\ˈkris-chən, ˈkrish-\
Function:
noun
Etymology:
Latin christianus, adjective & noun, from Greek christianos, from Christos
Date:
1526
1 a: one who professes belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ b
So I was thinking.......what makes a Christian a Christian? In the 60's even the 70's Christians were a people that were set apart, who choose to follow the teachings of God and abide by them. What is a Christian now? Someone who believes God? Someone who is baptized? Someone who goes to church? How can you tell if someone is a Christian? By the way they carry themselves? By where they go? By what they talk about? By who they surround themselves with?
Please don't think I'm getting on my soap box I'm talking to me too. I am a "Christian." I put it in parenthesis because to me that represents me being saved but living a life God convicted me of. I would listen to everything but Godly music all day, I would curse, I would be fast all things that I know God convicted me of but that I didn't want to give up. I think everyone has there own journey for some they may be so "Christian" that they gossip, or are judgmental, some are disobedient even in the little things God tells them to do. So lets look back up at the definition. A Christian is one who professes belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ. What does it mean to profess. To profess means to declare in words or appearances only. We do a whole lot of professing not so much appearing.
Whats the difference between a "Christian" and a really nice atheist. Honestly nothing until they tell you. What should be the difference? Power. We are in a spiritual war. I find the closer I get to God and the more He elevates me, the more the enemy attacks, but Christians have power through the blood of Jesus Christ and the wisdom of His word. We don't want to be so lax that when we realize that we are in the heat of the battle not only do we have to find our weapon but when we do we don't know how to use it.
John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have [it] more abundantly.
Rev 3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
Rev 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
That's a dangerous place to be with the theif who's purpose you know because our works are luke warm. I want to be piping hot!
For those looking for a fresh anointing read Acts it will get you pumped.
If you seek the voice of God read Joshua.
If you feel you have turned away from God and want to be hot again read Luke 15.
I hope I gave you something to think about. God Bless.
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