Guard
your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.
Stay free of bitterness, unforgiveness, gossip, malice, jealousy, and
immorality. Recognize and acknowledge these things are not of God,
command them to leave in the name of Jesus, then (verbally) invite God's
love, joy, peace, and self-discipline into your heart...in the name of
Jesus. The Christian life is impossible by your own power, you need the
Holy Spirit. Ask Jesus to fill you today. He is faithful. You will not
arrive in a day, it is a journey, but He will free you of the bondage to
sin, so you have the ability to live the abundant life of an overcomer
He died to provide you with.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Friday, June 15, 2012
Penny For Your Thoughts
If your thoughts were posted on a TV screen on your forehead you
wouldn't have any problem controlling them. What are you choosing to
magnify today? Does it glorify God or the devil? The choice is yours.
Bitterness, anger, and selfish desires glorify and empower the enemy of
your soul. When you meditate on negative things you are submitting to
the evil one who is whispering in your ear. If someone offered you a "penny for your thoughts", would they be short-changed? Choose to meditate on positive possibilities, beautiful dreams, and goals that honor God. Fix your mind on Jesus.
"Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies." ~ Phil. 4:8,9 MSG
"Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies." ~ Phil. 4:8,9 MSG
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
From Death Unto Life
If you insist on having things your way in this brief life, then don't be surprised at what you get in the eternal one to come. But God's will is that you will accept Him and His Son Jesus Christ, and that you would have eternal life with them. Jesus is the answer.
"Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life."~Galatians 6:8
Then he (Jesus) called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it." ~ Mark 8:34-35 NIV
You may say:
"Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?" ~ Romans 7:21-24
Jesus is the answer:
"Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!..." ~ Romans 7:25
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," ~ Romans 3:23
"... the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." ~ Romans 6:23
"... God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." ~ Romans 5:8
" If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,you will be saved." ~ Romans 10:9
...for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” ~ Romans 10:13
You may say, 'great, now what?'
"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," ~ Romans 5:1
"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs —heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." ~
Romans 8:1-18
"...now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life."~Romans 6:22
"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." ~ Romans 8:38-39
"keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life."~ Jude 21
Thanks & Be Blessed,
Will Grace & Truth Ministries
http://www.facebook.com/GraceTruthMinistries
If you insist on having things your way in this brief life, then don't be surprised at what you get in the eternal one to come. But God's will is that you will accept Him and His Son Jesus Christ, and that you would have eternal life with them. Jesus is the answer.
"Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life."~Galatians 6:8
Then he (Jesus) called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it." ~ Mark 8:34-35 NIV
You may say:
"Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?" ~ Romans 7:21-24
Jesus is the answer:
"Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!..." ~ Romans 7:25
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," ~ Romans 3:23
"... the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." ~ Romans 6:23
"... God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." ~ Romans 5:8
" If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,you will be saved." ~ Romans 10:9
...for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” ~ Romans 10:13
You may say, 'great, now what?'
"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," ~ Romans 5:1
"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs —heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." ~
Romans 8:1-18
"...now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life."~Romans 6:22
"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." ~ Romans 8:38-39
"keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life."~ Jude 21
If you insist on having things your way in this brief life, then don't be surprised at what you get in the eternal one to come. But God's will is that you will accept Him and His Son Jesus Christ, and that you would have eternal life with them. Jesus is the answer.
"Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life."~Galatians 6:8
Then he (Jesus) called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it." ~ Mark 8:34-35 NIV
You may say:
"Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?" ~ Romans 7:21-24
Jesus is the answer:
"Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!..." ~ Romans 7:25
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," ~ Romans 3:23
"... the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." ~ Romans 6:23
"... God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." ~ Romans 5:8
" If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,you will be saved." ~ Romans 10:9
...for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” ~ Romans 10:13
You may say, 'great, now what?'
"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," ~ Romans 5:1
"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs —heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." ~
Romans 8:1-18
"...now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life."~Romans 6:22
"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." ~ Romans 8:38-39
"keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life."~ Jude 21
Sunday, May 27, 2012
God Wants You To Know Him
The Kingdom of God is not a secret society. God's secret was Jesus, who has now been revealed for everyone. Knowing God in a personal and intimate way is not only attainable, it is the reason for your existence. The way to know the Father is through His son Jesus Christ. He is very much alive and willing. Indeed He is longing to be your closest friend, no matter who you are or what you have done. He is no respecter of persons, and this is offensive to religious minded, self-righteous people who like to believe that their good deeds and clean living have earned them something with God. Wrong. Jesus has earned all things pertaining to life and godliness for us all, as a free gift. The grace of God has appeared to all men, but we must learn how to appropriate it by coming into relationship with Jesus, and beginning to live a life of love and faith. All of us who have a hope and a future with God, can accredit it to what Jesus has done on our behalf. Don't limit God's influence in your life by thinking He doesn't want you, or that you have to jump through religious hoops and be approved by men in order to be accepted by your Father in Heaven. There are plenty of good reasons to live a holy life, but don't fall into the trap of believing it is a prerequisite to relationship with God. Just turn to Jesus; as He begins to earn your trust, you will begin to change effortlessly as His Word takes root in your heart and begins to bear fruit in your life. Oh how I long for everyone to really know Him. He is beautiful...
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
True Wisdom Comes from God
"If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.
Father help us to apply these truths in our lives.
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness."~ James 3:13-18 NLT
Father help us to apply these truths in our lives.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
The Abundant Life of An Over-Comer
It is wonderful to come to Jesus and allow Him to free us from all the ungodly things in our lives. But we must not neglect to be filled with the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. A life which has been freed from sin but not filled with the love of God and the power of His Holy Spirit is an easy target for Satan. We must study (and be studied by) the Word, and be led by the Holy Spirit, in order to live the abundant life of an over-comer Jesus has provided for us through the cross. This is not to be done in a burdensome, legalistic manner. We only need to tell God this is what we want, and then wait and listen for His promptings in our hearts. He will also send people into our lives to provide us with the teachings we need, the answers to our questions, and to help us stay accountable. We should take advantage of these things.
(Jesus said,) “When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none. Then it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and in order. Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before. That will be the experience of this evil generation.” ~ Matthew 12:43-45 NLT
"And when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they are worse off than before." ~ 2 Peter 2:20 NLT
(Jesus said,) “When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none. Then it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and in order. Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before. That will be the experience of this evil generation.” ~ Matthew 12:43-45 NLT
"And when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they are worse off than before." ~ 2 Peter 2:20 NLT
Monday, April 23, 2012
As I look back on the life I lived before I was born again, I sometimes shutter at the things the Lord brought me through, and delivered me from. Even then His mercy and grace were extended to me. Now that I know the Lord, I can look back and see the track record of His faithfulness in my life; the times when He was mindful and protective of me even when I was serving His enemy...and it makes me love Him all the more.
"He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."~ Matthew 5:45
"... I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”~Luke 7:47
"...do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?"~ Romans 2:4
"He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."~ Matthew 5:45
"... I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”~Luke 7:47
"...do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?"~ Romans 2:4
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