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GROWING IN GRACE PART II
One of my favorite passages of scripture is located in Ephesians the 3rd chapter beginning in the 14th verse through the end of the chapter. Brother Kenneth Hagin Sr made the statement that he made this prayer a regiment of daily study and confession and stated that after 6 months of doing this he had more revelation of God's word during this time than in the previous 13 years of ministry.Ephesians 3: 14-21
14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
Proverbs 20:5
5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.
Pray, fellowship with the Father and meditate in His word. Draw it out. God said His word is a more sure word of prophecy and that He magnified His word above His name.
IN CLOSING
1 Corinthians 1:9
9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
2 Corinthians 13:14
14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.
God has a blueprint for your life and ministry. He is not withholding it from you. He wants you to succeed. God is a God of order, you have to embrace the season of life and ministry you are in in order to get what God intends for you to do in each particular season you are in at the time. Do not ever let opinions and doctrines of men and cunning craftiness and doctrines of devils get you off your mark.
Genesis 8:22
22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.
Embrace the season you are in!
Stay with what God has instructed you to do. Don't make a change until the Holy Ghost gives you new instruction. We are responsible and accountable to God for what we do or not do with our heavenly calling, and with every calling there is a "grace" to see it through. Faithfulness and Obedience are the keys to success.
Paul wanted us to know God is faithful, and that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost was with us.
We have to always be aware of the anointing that is on our life. The anointing is "God on flesh doing those things that flesh cannot do." This is God's grace in action extended toward us proving to us the ability to do that which we could not do on our own. Where would we be with out God's grace extended to us. Be faithful to fellowship with our Lord Jesus Christ. Commune with Him and "GROW IN GRACE."
Until next time, KEEP THE FAITH !!!!!!!
GROWING IN GRACE PART I
We will open in the second book of Peter.2 Peter 1:1-8
1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 3:18
18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
GROW - enlarge, to cause to grow, augment, to increase, become greater
Peter said grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord and to "grow in grace."
GRACE - the extended good will, loving-kindness, favour of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in faith, knowledge, affection, especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the lifestyle of the individual and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues
Grace is evident in the spiritual condition of the one governed by the power of God's divine grace. There is "divine assistance" and power given to man in the spiritual rebirth and sanctification which allows him to walk in the favour of God.
PEACE - security, safety, prosperity, a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content
KNOWLEDGE - knowledge signifies in general intelligence and understanding, the general knowledge of the Christian walk; moral wisdom, such as is seen in right living
I would take a portion of the definitions above and make this statement:
"To enlarge and increase in the extended good will and loving-kindness of God. Understanding and knowing there is security, safety and prosperity in the salvation purchased through Jesus Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content." This is what it means to walk in the grace of God.
WALKING IN TRUTH
3 John 1:2-4
2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul
prospereth.
3 For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.
4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
WALK - to walk, to make one’s way, progress; to make due use of opportunities, to live, to regulate one’s life, to conduct one’s self, to pass one’s life
John said I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. If we are going to walk in the truth of God's word we have to study and meditate in His word thereby gaining an understanding of the christian walk. We have to place ourself in a place for our soul to prosper. This can only be done one way. It will take self effort on our part.
2 Timothy 2-15
15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
TO BE CONTINUED.
Until next time, KEEP THE FAITH !!!!!!!
WE ARE THE TEMPLE OF GOD PART II
Part of our responsibility after we are born again is to learn to be led by the Spirit of God in our life and to learn and know He has anointed us to fulfill our call.Rom 8:14
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
We are also to be aware of the anointing that is on our life. It should be very sobering to know that we are responsible to fulfill our call on this earth.
Anointing, as described in the Bible, can be defined as "God on flesh doing those things that flesh cannot do." It is God doing those things only He can do, and doing them through a flesh-and-blood, earthly vessel.
2 Corinthians 4:7
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
The basic meaning of the Bible word "anoint" is "to pour on, smear all over or rub into." In the Old Testament, someone who was anointed by God for special service to God had oil poured or smeared on him. For instance, Saul, and later David, was anointed with oil by the prophet Samuel when God revealed He had chosen him to be king of Israel.
The anointing is God's presence by the Holy Spirit. The anointing is God's Spirit and power for service in this earth. Jesus has provided the same presence of the Holy Spirit for us in our earthly ministries that He had in His earthly ministry.
1 John 2:27
27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
If you're "in Christ," there's an anointing for everything you're called to do, no matter how small or how great the task. As I stated above, God has placed a call on each individual for a specific purpose here on the earth.
If we "trust on", "delight in" and "commit" our ways unto God, He will see to it that we have everything we need to complete the task that was set before us. It is up to us to accept the calling and fulfill what we are called to do. We will not come short in any good thing when we trust on, delight in and commit our lives unto Him.
Until next time, KEEP THE FAITH !!!!!!!
WE ARE THE TEMPLE OF GOD PART I
Let us open with a scripture from the gospel of John the 14th chapter.John 14:
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Jesus made the supreme sacrifice. He told His disciples that He needed to go away so He could send the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Truth back to us. We need to give Him thanks for what He did for us.
We should live our lives in total surrender to God and always remember that He has our best interest in mind. We were purchased at great price. God has placed a call on each individual for a specific purpose here on the earth. If we trust on, delight in and commit our ways unto God, He will see to it that we have everything we need to complete the task that was set before us. It is up to us to accept the calling and fulfill what we are called to do. We will not come short in any good thing when we trust on, delight in and commit our lives unto Him. God chose to dwell in a vessel not made with hands.
Listed below are a few scriptures that confirm the Spirit of God dwells within us.
Romans 8:
11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
1 Corinthians 3:
16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
Galatians 4:.
6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
In the passage below Jesus is talking with Nicodemus about the new birth. Jesus was explaining to him the path to eternal life. First you have to be born of a woman. This is the gateway into the earth. Secondly you have to be born of the Spirit of God which is the new birth when you accept Jesus as your personal saviour and make Him the Lord of your life.
John 3: 1-8
1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the
second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
TO BE CONTINUED.
Until next time, KEEP THE FAITH !!!!!!!
OUR LIFE AND LIFESTYLE, LIVING HOLY BEFORE GOD PART II
OUR LIFE AND LIFESTYLE, LIVING HOLY BEFORE GOD PART IIJesus taught on the prodigal son in Luke 15. He described the love of the Father if one had strayed in one's "lifestyle" and came back to his Father.
Luke 15:18-24
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
This shows the love of the Father. We should always do our best to walk in unbroken fellowship with God.
I heard a minister say one time that if you sin you should run to Jesus not wallow in your mistakes. John stated in 1st John 2 that we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. Go to Him and confess your sin and be cleansed of all unrighteousness. Come back into fellowship with your Father.
1 John 1:9
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 2:1-2
1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
We should walk upright before God and maintain fellowship with Him. We depend on the leadership of the Holy Ghost to walk on the right path in our call. By maintaining this fellowship with Him we will always be sensitive to His leadership. By staying in the center of His will we can walk in unbroken fellowship with our Father God and live holy before our God.
Until next time, KEEP THE FAITH !!!!!!!
OUR LIFE AND LIFESTYLE, LIVING HOLY BEFORE GOD PART I
We should live our lives and walk in such a way as not to offend the Holy Ghost. He is our helper and the One that leads us and guides us into all truth. He is our high tower, the One that sees afar off. Our fellowship with Him is very valuable in the christian walk.On October 1st, 1978 I made Jesus the Lord of my life and accepted the sacrifice He made for me on Calvary. Salvation is the free gift from God that was brought to us by the great price Jesus paid on the cross. In one sense it was free (for us) but very costly for God. He gave His only son as a sacrifice for all mankind.
GOD GAVE FIRST ! ! !
John 3:16-17
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
THEN WE ACCEPTED WHAT HE HAD DONE FOR US THROUGH JESUS.
Romans 10:9-10
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Without the love of God in operation we would all have been condemned to hell! Adam had given up his authority and when that happened he died spiritually. But because God the Father prepared the way for Jesus to come into the world we were then made able through Him (Jesus) to be brought back into right standing with God. We were born again of incorruptible seed. The word of God. We are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus. Brought back into right standing with God. We are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.
It is a decision that brings you into the kingdom of God and it is a decision that would put you into a place of not being reconciled unto God anymore. A place of no repentance. But for a person to be in a position to commit this sin would have to be like one listed in Hebrews 6, "once enlightened", "have tasted of the heavenly gift", "made partakers of the Holy Ghost", "have tasted the good word of God", and the "powers of the world to come."
Hebrews 6:4
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
This is a person that after he was once enlightened by the word of God and came into the kingdom and walked upright before God and then turned and walked away from God and made the decision that he did not want to serve Him any longer and rejected the sacrifice Jesus made, this person would be in a place where repentance would no longer be available to him.
When you accept Jesus as your personal saviour you then come into a relationship with the triune God. Father, Son and Holy Ghost. This brings you into a place where you can fellowship with Him. The vail of the temple was rent and God said He would no longer dwell in a place made with hands. Through the sacrifice of Jesus He could now dwell on the inside of us. We can now come boldly to the throne of God. Just because you have broken fellowship with God through an act of not walking in love or not walking in obedience in a certain area does not mean you have broken your relationship with Him. You are still His son.
TO BE CONTINUED.
Until next time, KEEP THE FAITH !!!!!!!
THE COMFORTER
THE COMFORTERJohn 14:
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Jesus made the supreme sacrifice. He told His disciples that He needed to go
away so He could send the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Truth back to us. We need to give Him thanks for what He did for us.
We should live our lives in total surrender to God and always remember that He has our best interest in mind. We were purchased at great price. God has placed a call on each individual for a specific purpose here on the earth. If we trust on, delight in and commit our ways unto God, He will see to it that we have everything we need to complete the task that was set before us. It is up to us to accept the calling and fulfill what we are called to do. We will not come short in any good thing when we trust on, delight in and commit our lives unto Him. God chose to dwell in a vessel not made with hands.
We can always lean and rely in the Holy Ghost to lead and direct our lives. He will always guide us into truth. He is our high tower.
Until next time, KEEP THE FAITH
MY HEART IS FIXED
MY HEART IS FIXEDfixed - A verb meaning to set up, to make firm, to establish, to prepare. The primary action of this verb is to cause to stand in an upright position, and thus the word also means fixed or steadfast. It signifies the action of setting in place or erecting an object to be firmly established.
Psalms 57:
7 My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.
Psalms 112: 1, 7
1 Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.
7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.
Our trust must always be in the Lord. We cannot lean to our own understanding. Our Father God will always see to it that we are victorious in every situation we might encounter. We cannot fail in any endeavor we choose to pursue because we have the very spirit that raised Christ Jesus from the dead right within our spirit. We have the very life of God within us. Second Corinthians says that we have this treasure in earthen vessels.
2 Corinthians 4:
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
If God be for us who could be against us. We are a majority because God is on our side. We have no need to fear any confusing or discouraging people, spirit or circumstances that might present themselves. Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.
Until next time, KEEP THE FAITH!!!!!!!
Trust, Delight and Commit Your Ways
Trust, Delight and Commit Your WaysPsalms 37:
3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
We should live our lives in total surrender to God and always remember that He has the best interest in our lives. We were purchased at great price. God has placed a call on each individual for a specific purpose here on the earth. If we trust on, delight in and commit our ways unto God, He will see to it that we have everything we need to complete the task that was set before us. It is up to us to accept the calling and fulfill what we are called to do. We will not come short in any good thing when we trust on, delight in and commit our lives unto Him.
Listed below are word definitions to give further understanding and also the Amplified version of the same scriptures.
trust - assured reliance on the character, integrity, strength, truth, ability, surety, of a person or thing; confident expectation ; hope.
delight - a high degree of gratification : joy; also : extreme satisfaction
commit - to put into charge or trust
Psalm 37 (Amplified Bible)
3 Trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) in the Lord and do good; so shall you dwell in the land and feed surely on His faithfulness, and truly you shall be fed.
4 Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord [roll and repose each care of your load on Him]; trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass.
It is an honor for us to serve our Lord. Jesus sent the Holy Ghost to lead us and to guide us into all truth. Fulfilling the call of God on our lives is the most important thing in our life. We will never fail when we trust on, delight in and commit our way unto the Lord.
Until next time, KEEP THE FAITH !!!!!!!
The Kingdom of God is Within You
The Kingdom of God is Within YouJohn 3: 3-6
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the
second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
In this passage Jesus is talking with Nicodemus about the new birth. Jesus was explaining to him the process. First you have to be born of a woman. This is the gateway into the earth. Secondly you have to be born of the Spirit of God which is the new birth when you accept Jesus as your personal saviour and make Him the Lord of your life.
Paul brings to light in 1 Corinthians that we are the dwelling place of the Holy Ghost after we make Jesus the lord of our life.
1 Corinthians 3:16
16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
On October 1st 1978 at 1 AM I made Jesus the Lord of my life. I would not trade any amount of money or fame for the life I have had since I met Jesus. He is the best thing that ever happened to me.
Jesus made the supreme sacrifice. He told His disciples that He needed to go away so He could send the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Truth back to us. We need to give Him thanks for what He did for us. Below are a few scripture references that bear this out.
John 14: 16-17
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may
abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not,
neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
John 15: 26
26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even
the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
John 16: 7, 13
7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for
he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will
shew you things to come.
Glory to God! Give praise unto Jesus, He is worthy of all our praise.
UNTIL NEXT TIME, KEEP THE FAITH !!!!!!!!!!!!
WHAT IT MEANS TO BE SAVED
Salvation is the free gift from God that was brought to us by the great price Jesus paid on the cross.In one sense it was free (for us) but very costly for God Who had to give His only son as a sacrifice for all mankind.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Without the love of God in operation we would all have been condemned to hell. Adam had given up his authority and when that happened he died spiritually. But because God the Father prepared the way for
Jesus to come into the world we were then made able through Him (Jesus) to be brought back into right standing with God.
1Corinthians 6: 19-20
19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
We were born again of incorruptible seed. The word of God.
1Peter 1:23
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
Faith and grace came into operation together to cause salvation to become a reality in our lives. We are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus. Brought back into right standing with God. We are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 2: 8-9
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which
God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
I remember being raised in church. I was a member of the Methodist Church. I lived what I thought was a good life and I knew I would go to heaven when I died. I was caught up in religion and did not know it.
Later on in life I became hungry for more of God. I was introduced to living by faith and being filled with the Spirit. I read material that taught me how to be filled with the Spirit and was hungry for this new experience in my life. I became frustrated when I could not be filled with the Spirit and did not know why.
My younger brother had already had this experience become a reality in his life and I wanted the same in mine.
Kenneth Copeland came to Birmingham, Alabama in late September of 1978. I setup my work schedule so I would be able to attend all of the meetings. On the last night of the believers meeting brother Copeland was preaching and read 2 Corinthians 5:17. Little did I realize that at that point in my life the Holy Ghost was going to minister to my heart and show me what was wrong in my life. My life would be changed forever.
2Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
The Holy Ghost knows what to say to a person to show them where they are and help them to locate what is wrong with their life. He told me that I was a dead man. That one statement changed my life forever. I could see why I had not been able to be filled with the Spirit. I was not yet born again and you cannot put new wine into old wine skins.
Matthew 9:17
Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.
When the Holy Ghost told me I was a dead man that brought such freedom to me because I knew at that point I needed a saviour in my life Jesus Christ. I needed to be born again and make Jesus the Lord of my life. I went through the door of the sheep. I am now a new creature, created in Christ Jesus. Glory to God!
John 10: 7-11
7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
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.
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
Praise the Lord I accepted the sacrifice that Jesus made for me and made Him the lord of my life. I would also like to thank my brother Keith for being sensitive to the leadership of the Holy Ghost and leading me in the prayer of salvation and the infilling of the Holy Spirit. What a journey this life has been and will continue to be with my Lord Jesus at the helm of my life.
Until next time, KEEP THE FAITH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FAITH AND GRACE
Grace is God's ability working in us to help us do what we cannot do on our own.IT CANNOT BE EARNED
Grace - Kindness; Favor
There is also a positional grace we walk in because of what God has called us to do and our place in the body of Christ.
WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST
Faith is the belief in God's word to bring the unseen realm into the seen realm where we are.
FAITH IS KNOWING THAT GOD WILL BE FAITHFUL TO PERFORM HIS WORD.
The simplest definition of FAITH is just believing God's word
GRACE AND FAITH WORK TOGETHER TO BRING SALVATION
John 3
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Ephesians 2
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by GRACE ye are saved;)
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his GRACE in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
8 For by GRACE are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
John 6:
47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
Faith cometh. Faith is now. If it is not now it is not faith.
Hebrews 11
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Romans:
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
GOD'S FAITHFULNESS IS WHAT WE COUNT ON WHEN WE ARE STANDING ON HIS WORD.
Jairus had to believe what Jesus said and count on His faithfulness.
Psalm 119:
90 Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.
Isaiah 55:
11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Jeremiah 1:
12 Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it.
Mark 5:
22 And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,
23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.
24 And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.
25 And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,
26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,
27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.
28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.
29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.
30 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?
31 And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
32 And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.
33 But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.
34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
35 While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?
36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue,
Be not afraid, only believe.
Jesus knew He had to keep Jairus in faith and not in fear. Because Jairus did what Jesus said to do his daughter was raised from the dead.
Be not afraid, only believe what Jesus said in His word and you will stay in faith and not in fear and you will see His word come to pass in your life.
Until next time, KEEP THE FAITH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THE WALK OF FAITH
The faith that we have to be born again is from God. A free gift so that no man could boast through works.Ephesians 2:
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
This whole christian walk is a walk of FAITH. Without faith it is impossible to please God.
2Corinthians 5:7
7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
Hebrews 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
This passage goes on further to tell about others that walked by faith going back to verse one.
Hebrews 11:1-13
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.
3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
God expects us to walk by faith just like the patriarchs of old. And I perceive that
we have an advantage in that we are spiritually alive to God through the new
birth and they were not. How much more also because we have the spirit within
and they only had the spirit upon.
We also have the great commission from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Matthew 28:18-20 NKJ
18 Then Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been
given to Me in heaven and on earth.
19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and
lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
In the Great Commission, Jesus calls every Christian to step out in faith and spread the Good News. This is faith in action! People who obey this command change their spiritual lives forever!
It could be spreading the Good News to a neighbor or moving to another country to reach the people there. It could be sharing with less fortunate kids down the street or spreading the Word in a town two hours away.
Wherever we go, every faithful Christian is compelled through obedience to share the Gospel. If you're a believer in Jesus Christ, where has He called you to go? Who has God put on your heart to share the gift of salvation? What small or large steps can you take, with the knowledge that Christ will be by your side, "to make disciples of all the nations"?
Go make disciples, in every people group, (who have all the Godhead backing them), to do what Jesus commanded His first disciples to do.
Many Christians have a wrong understanding of what the Great Commission of Jesus Christ is. They think if we can just proclaim the Gospel to everyone, using tools like radio, television, and publications, that we will have obeyed it.
The Great Commission of Jesus is not just to preach the Gospel to everyone, but to make disciples so the Gospel can be effectively preached to everyone.
The Great Commission includes teaching disciples to do all the things Jesus taught His original disciples to do. That includes healing the sick and raising the dead!
A commission is (1) an authorization to perform certain duties or tasks, or to take on certain powers, (2) authority to act in behalf of another, (3) an entrusting, as of power, authority, etc., to a person or body.
Who Is It Given To?
The Great Commission is given to all disciples of Jesus Christ. It was originally given to Jesus' first disciples. But, because it tells them to make disciples and to obey everything they were taught by Jesus, it is perpetual.
EVERYTHING we do is a walk of faith and nowhere in the christian walk is it anything other than a WALK OF FAITH.
Mark 16:
19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
Malachi 3
6 For I am the LORD, I change not;
Hebrews 13
8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
If you merge the scripture in Hebrews with the scripture in Malichi it would read like this,
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever, for I am the LORD, I change not.
We can always count on Jesus to work with us in ministry as we walk out our walk of faith in this life. Praise the Lord.
Until next time, KEEP THE FAITH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THE MINISTRY OF LAYING ON OF HANDS, Part V
IN CLOSINGHebrews 6:
1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
The laying on of hands is a fundamental doctrine of our Christian faith. Without a good understanding of it, we cannot go on to perfection. God has established the laying on of hands as a means of transferring His anointing, His healing and His blessings. The laying of hands was practiced by Jesus and His Apostles and this practice has not been done away with and it is meant to be practiced until the end of times.
I myself have received spiritual impartation by the laying on of hands first as a licensed minister and then again when I was ordained into the ministry. I know deposits were made and received because I have seen myself do the things the same way my spiritual mentors did. Jesus knew that we needed this doctrine in the church in order that we might receive from the men of God who had gone before us in order to do what He has called us to do. Gifts and tools for ministry are deposited during these times of ministry by the elders of the church.
1Timothy 4:
14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
Always remember that Jesus has made deposits into your life and ministry by the laying on of hands and you can draw on them as you minister in Jesus Name.
Until next time, KEEP THE FAITH!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THE MINISTRY OF LAYING ON OF HANDS, Part IV
SPIRITUAL IMPARTATION & SEPARATION FOR MINISTRYThere is a definite impartation to be received through the laying on of hands. Impartation of spiritual authority for leadership. Impartation of spiritual blessing. Public revelation was a confirmation of the call they had already received. The church leaders took time to fast and pray before imparting on them the commission by the laying of hands and then sent them on their way.
The method of appointing the first deacons was accompanied by the laying on of hands. The selected men were brought before the apostles who laid hands on them and prayed. By this act the apostles showed they accepted these men as qualified to hold this office. They committed them to God for the task for which they were chosen and transmitted to them a measure of their own spiritual wisdom necessary for the task. Below are a few scriptural examples of this doctrine of the church.
Acts 6:
5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on
them.
7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem
greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.
Acts 13:
1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and
Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
Paul himself laid hands on Timothy to commission his ministry. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. The ministry by the laying of hands was a normal procedure through which an impartation of spiritual power was deposited into the life and ministry of the one commissioned.
1Timothy 4:
14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
2Timothy 1:
5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.
6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by
the putting on of my hands.
As Paul stated to Timothy, neglect not the gift that is in thee. Always continue to stir up the
gift of God that is in thee.
Until next time, KEEP THE FAITH !!!!!!!!!!
THE MINISTRY OF LAYING ON OF HANDS, Part III
PRAYING FOR THE SICKThe book of Acts records many examples of how God used the laying on of hands by believers to perform miraculous healings and other supernatural signs confirming His Word. Below are a few scriptures on praying for the sick.
Act 5:
12 And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch.
13 And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them.
14 And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)
15 Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and
couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.
16 There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick
folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.
Acts 14:
3 Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands.
Acts 28:
8 And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him.
James 5:
14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have
committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
We always have to remember that it is the Lord Jesus Who is our healer. He will always confirm His word with signs following. We just have to believe that He will always watch over His word to perform it. The word of God says in Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
Mark 16:
19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on
the right hand of God.
20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and
confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
Always trust in Jesus, He will NEVER fail you.
Until next time, KEEP THE FAITH !!!!!!!!!!
THE MINISTRY OF LAYING ON OF HANDS, Part II
COMMISSION OF JESUS TO THE CHURCHBefore leaving this earth Jesus instructed His disciples on the signs that would follow the preaching of the Gospel. There are several accounts of the commission Jesus gave to the church. Jesus speaks of the future after His departure, clearly stating that this practice was to continue until His return. The laying on of hands is an act of faith and obedience to what Jesus instructed us to do in God's Word.
Commission - means to authorize, to delegate, or to send on a mission.
Mark 16:
14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they
shall speak with new tongues;
18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they
shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on
the right hand of God.
20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and
confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
Jesus said He would work with the disciples confirming the word with signs following. We can depend on and know that Jesus will be there to confirm the word when we minister to different individuals.
Until next time, KEEEP THE FAITH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THE MINISTRY OF LAYING ON OF HANDS
The laying on of hands is one of the doctrines of Christ. If we would see Bible results, we must follow Bible principles and doctrine. It is a holy thing that we do when we lay hands on people and should not to be taken lightly. It is not just doing what Jesus did there is an actual transfer of the anointing of the Holy Spirit when we follow His example.Hebrews 6:
1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and
of eternal judgment.
THE EARTHLY MINISTRY OF JESUS
Jesus ministered by the laying on of hands. It is one of the principles of the doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus more that anyone else practiced the laying on of hands in His ministry, especially in healing the sick. Below are several scriptures about His earthly ministry.
Mark 5:
22 And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,
23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray
thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.
Mark 8:
22 And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him.
23 And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and
when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he
saw ought.
24 And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.
25 After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was
restored, and saw every man clearly.
Luke 8:
43 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,
44 Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of
blood stanched.
45 And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him
said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
46 And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.
47 And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down
before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him,
and how she was healed immediately.
48 And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in
peace.
1John 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might DESTROY the works of the devil.
As the word of God says, Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. Healing is available to anyone who believes. Trust God and believe His word and receive what you need today.
Until next time, KEEP THE FAITH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BEWARE OF THE CUNNING CRAFTINESS OF MEN
Here are a few scriptures and definitions that will help with this deception that the enemy uses to get the body of Christ off track.2Timothy 3:
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good
works.
Ephesians 4:
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying
of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of
God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about
with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and CUNNUNG CRAFTINESS,
whereby they LIE IN WAIT to DECEIVE;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is
the head, even Christ:
16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that
which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of
every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
cunning - dexterous or crafty in the use of special resources (as skill or knowledge), characterized by wiliness and trickery or schemes
craftiness – deceitfulness, skilled in or marked by underhandedness, deviousness, or deception
lie in wait - to stay hidden, ready to attack
deceive - implies imposing a false idea or belief that causes ignorance, bewilderment, or helplessness, to mislead by a false appearance or statement, to falsely persuade others
If you take all the definitions and put them together it could read something like this:
A person that is dexterous or crafty in the use of special resources and skilled in trickery or schemes staying hidden ready to attack at the right moment to impose a false idea or belief and mislead by false appearance or statement.
The word goes further into warnings about false doctrine in Paul's letter to the Galatians.
Galatians 1:
6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
Staying sensitive to the spirit of God is the only way to protect yourself from the error found in the doctrines of men. You can accomplish this through continued study of the God's word and your personal prayer life.
Until next time, KEEP THE FAITH !!!!!!!
BE RENEWED IN THE SPIRIT OF YOUR MIND
It is very important to renew your mind to the word of God. This will do away with your old way of thinking and cause your mind to line up with the will of God in your life. Below is a passage of scripture where Paul is admonishing the body of Christ to provoke them to make changes to their lives.Ephesians 4:
20 But ye have not so learned Christ;
21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be RENEWED in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27 Neither give place to the devil.
28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
RENEWED - to make like new : restore to freshness, vigor, or perfection, to make new spiritually : regenerate
REGENERATE - formed or created again, spiritually reborn or converted, restored to a better, higher, or more worthy state
God's word will change your life if you will just follow and apply the scripture that you are studying in your personal daily devotion time.
Until next time, KEEP THE FAITH
BE ROOTED AND ABOUNDING
It is important to be rooted and grounded in God's word. Your walk of faith depends upon this and the scripture states we walk by faith and not by sight.Colossians, Chapter 2
1 For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;
2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
4 And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.
5 For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.
6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
7 ROOTED and built up in him, and STABLISHED in the faith, as ye have been taught, ABOUNDING therein with thanksgiving.
Rooted ---- to root (figuratively become stable): - root.
abounding ---- to superabound (in quantity or quality), be in excess, be superfluous; also (transitively) to cause to superabound or excel: - (make, more) abound, (have, have more) abundance, (be more) abundant, be the better, enough and to spare, exceed, excel, increase, be left, redound, remain (over and above).
Continue in the study of God's word and watch transformations take place in your life.
Until next time, Keep the Faith
JESUS IS ALWAYS THE SAME
The word of God will confirm itself when studying out a subject. Jesus ws always the same. He taught sound doctrine and He always went by what was written. When tempted in the wilderness Jesus told the devil it is written.Hebrews 13:8-9
8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines.
Always confirm through the word of God what man is teaching and you will not be led astray.
Until next time, KEEP THE FAITH
PERSONAL PRAYER AND EDIFICATION
Below is a prayer out of Ephesians that has been very helpful in my life as well as many others. Brother Kenneth Hagin once stated that his personal insight into the word of God highly increased after he started quoting this prayer over himself and his family. He also said all of his family came to know Jesus as their personal saviour as a result of being faithful to pray this over his family.Ephesians
Chapter 3
14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
One of the most important things you can do as a believer is to maintain close personal fellowship with your Father God.
Till next time, Jesus is Lord
STAY BALANCED IN YOUR FAITH
STAY BALANCED IN YOUR FAITH / MAKE YOURSELF AVAILABLE TO THE TEACHINGS FROM VARIOUS MINISTRY OFFICESEphesians
Chapter 4
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
By making yourself available to various offices in the body of Christ you will stay balance in your faith walk.
INWARD WITNESS
Spend time in God's word and prayer. Listen to the inward witness.First John 2:
18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
Your personal time in prayer will allow you to be more sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit.
He will always direct your path. Depend on His direction because that is what He desires to do for you.
Until next time, KEEP THE FAITH!
STAYING FREE FROM FALSE DOCTRINE
BE ESTABLISHED IN THE TRUTHLet the word of God be it's own commentary. Prove out the word of God with the word of God. Let the Word be it's own witness of what is or is not truth or bad doctrine.
Second Peter
Chapter 1
1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
More to come, stay tuned ..................