Jabez’s FAITH-FILLED Prayer

Why are we so amazed at the prayer that Jabez prayed?  Aren’t we really more amazed that God was pleased that Jabez wanted more from HIM and that GOD gave Jabez ALL that he asked?
 

1 Chronicles 4:9-10 (KJV) ⁹And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.

¹⁰And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.

Jabez was more honorable than his brothers because he sought the Lord God Almighty and he depended on God for help.  God always honors and looks favorably on those who seek him!!!

His name means sorrow maker and he was named this by his mother because of the pain she had in childbirth.  Despite being given a horrible name by his mother, Jabez rose above his name and overcame all the odds.  He became a man pleasing in God’s sight, a man more honorable than ALL his brothers. 

1 Chronicles 4: 10 (AMP) Jabez cried to the God of Israel, saying, Oh, that You would bless me and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and You would keep me from evil so it might not hurt me! And God granted his request.

When Jabez prayed and asked God to enlarge his border, he was NOT only asking God to give him more land and territories, but he was also seeking God for more responsibility. 

Luke 12:48 (KJV) says, …For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. 

The CEV says it this way.  … If God has been generous with you, he will expect you to serve him well. But if he has been more than generous, he will expect you to serve him even better. Luke 12:48

Jabez must have taken a lot of time to think over what he was going to pray because his very prayer shows how very wise he was.  He prayed that God’s hand would be with him. 

Evidently, he knew what a lot of people today fail to realize.  When God increases you, a lot of folks become jealous of you.  They despise you and become your enemies. 

Lastly, Jabez wisely prayed that God would protect him from evil so it might not hurt me!  I am sure that when he prayed he included his entire household and ALL the belonged to HIM!!!!

Jabez didn’t have the Bible.  He couldn’t just pick it up and read Psalm 91:9-10 (KJV) ⁹Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; ¹⁰There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

The last line of verse 10 says, And God granted him that which he requested.  Just from reading this line, I know that Jabez was indeed a great man of FAITH.  



Why do I say this? 

Because Mark 11:24 (KJV) says, …What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

A Psalm of David: Thanks for Deliverance

I was quite amazed as I read David’s words to the Lord in this Psalm!  And it is so true today!!! 


Have you ever really read Psalm 34 and just let the words soak in to your soul???  Into the very fiber of your being??? 

 

From the information given about this Psalm, DAVID IS WORSHIPPING AND THANKING THE LORD FOR DELIVERING HIM.     

It’s actually quite awesome to read!!!

A Psalm of David:  Thanks for Deliverance

 

Psalm 34 (KJV)

 ¹ I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall
   continually be in my mouth.

 ² My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall
   hear thereof, and be glad.  

 ³ O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name
   together.

 ⁴ I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me
    from all my fears.

 ⁵ They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces
    were not ashamed.
  
 ⁶ This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved
    him out of all his troubles.
  
 ⁷ The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that 
    fear him, and delivereth them.
      
 ⁸ O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man
    that trusteth in him.
   
 ⁹ O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to
    them that fear him. 

 ¹⁰ The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that
     seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.

 ¹¹ Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the
     fear of the LORD.

 ¹² What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days,
     that he may see good?
   
 ¹³Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.

 ¹⁴ Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

 ¹⁵ The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his
     ears are open unto their cry.

 ¹⁶ The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut
     off the remembrance of them from the earth.
 
 ¹⁷ The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth
     them out of all their troubles.
   
 ¹⁸ The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart;
     and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
       
 ¹⁹ Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD 
     delivereth him out of them all.

  ²⁰ He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.

 ²¹ Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the
     righteous shall be desolate.

 ²² The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none
     of them that trust in him shall be desolate.
    

It's ALL In The Way You LOOK at Things!!!

What does your problem, situation, or circumstance look like to you?

Does it look Ginormous-Gigantically Enormous?  Does it look like something that cannot be easily solved or taken care of? 

Well, things may look JUST HUGE to us at times, but GOD ALWAYS MAKES A WAY-NOT sometimes, NOT usually-HE ALWAYS MAKES A WAY FOR US!!! 

We can have the Peace of God in every situation, and in every circumstance, if we ONLY learn how to look at things!!! 

Phil 4:7 (KJV) ⁷And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Always remember that THE WORD is our guide and instruction book!!!  THE WORD tells us everything we need to know!!!  Here’s what THE WORD says about life’s situations. 

Philippians 4:6-7 (CEV) ⁶Don't worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. ⁷Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.

 

You see, when we take every situation, circumstance or problem to The Lord and we look to HIM for every answer, then we are saying to ourselves and to the things that arise, “LOOK AT MY GOD!!!  MY GOD IS BIGGER THAN YOU!!!  HE IS BIGGER THAN ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, ANY SITUATION, OR ANY PROBLEM IN MY LIFE!!!”

We serve a MIGHTY BIG GOD and nothing is too hard for HIM to handle. Gen. 18:14 

We need to remember to start telling our problems HOW BIG OUR GOD IS!!! 

Instead of looking at our problems and telling God how big they are, say to those problems, I SERVE A MIGHTY BIG GOD AND HE CAN TAKE CARE OF YOU!!!

As we do this, our problems will NOT look nearly as big as they once did!!!  They will NOT seem to be nearly as overwhelming because we are looking to Jesus!!! 

Instead of focusing on our problem, we are focusing on OUR GOD!!! 

Once many years ago, I heard a preacher out of Sulphur Springs say, that most people have “WRONG FOCUS!!!” 

This is the way he explained “WRONG FOCUS!”

When we are focused in on our problems, they seem awfully big, but when we change our focus, and we focus in on Jesus, then Jesus begins to look awfully big and our problems begin to look smaller, and smaller, and smaller!!!!

Do you have WRONG FOCUS???

What Are You Focused On Today?  Are you focused on your problem or are you focused on Jesus???

JESUS IS MY PROBLEM SOLVER!!!  JESUS IS MY WAY MAKER!!!

Look to Jesus for Your Help!!!

What do you do when something Gi-Normous (gigantically enormous) comes your way??? 

Well, the answer may NOT seem simple, but it is.

YOU LOOK TO JESUS!!!  “¹ …let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, ²Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith… Heb. 12:2 (KJV)

I really like the way the CEB words part of this scripture, “¹ …Let’s throw off any extra baggage, get rid of the sin that trips us up!”

The CEV says, “¹ …So we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially the sin that just won't let go. And we must be determined to run the race that is ahead of us.”

 

Now, I must tell you that I am NOT talking about sin, but about ALL the stuff that comes up in our lives when we are trying to do as the scripture says, And run with patience the race that is set before us.

The devil will do ALL he can to detour us and trip us up because he does NOT want to see us finish our race and reach our goals.    

What race?  You might ask. 

I am referring to whatever task the Lord has assigned for you to do.  Whatever HE has put on your heart to do!  That is what you need to do; what you need to complete!!  Your goal should be to be pleasing to God and to finish what He is telling you to do in the way that He is telling you to do it!

 

I realize that our first instinct is to “do it or fix it ourselves!!!” 

When we learn to trust in Jesus, we will finally understand that HE HAS ALL THE ANSWERS!!! Then we will NOT waste all of our time trying to fix our own problems. 

Proverbs 3:5-6 (CEV) ⁵ With all your heart you must trust the LORD and not your own judgment. ⁶ Always let him lead you, and he will clear the road for you to follow.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (CEB) ⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart; don’t rely on your own intelligence. ⁶ Know him in all your paths, and he will keep your ways straight.

When we learn that we can’t rely on ourselves, we will begin to realize that we must look to The Lord God above ALL else. 

Once we learn to put our trust in HIM and rely on HIM, things will be so much easier for us.  And we can expect HIM to help us!!!


JESUS WILL HELP US!!!

 

Psalm 121 (KJV)

¹I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.  

²My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

³He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

⁴Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.

⁶The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

⁷The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.

⁸The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

JESUS IS THE POWER SOURCE!!!

As I reached for the power cord to my laptop, I was reminded of how we must stay plugged in to Jesus-The WORD because without HIM, we become weak.  We have no authority and power without our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

As you know, if my laptop is NOT plugged into the  electrical outlet, then it will not work because it is NOT plugged in to the power source. 

I can hear some of you saying, don’t you have a battery?  

Yes, I have a battery, and if my battery is properly charged, then it will run for a good while, but once I begin using my laptop, my laptop begins to drain the life out of my battery and it eventually has to be recharged.

That is exactly what happens to us.  We spend time with the Lord, and we get in His Word, and we get ALL charged up.  When we go out into the world and we are full of life and energy, but because we have to live and work out in the world, we become drained.  


So, we have to get plugged back into the power source to get recharged! 

We have to spend time with GOD and get into THE WORD, and allow HIM to renew us. 

Romans 12:2 (KJV) ²And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

You know, when I am using my battery, and it begins to lose power, it will warn me!  My laptop actually tells me that I need to plug in the power cord because my battery only has 20% power left.    

Wouldn’t it be nice, if lights began to blink and a little warning came across the screens in our minds to tell us that we were getting weak? 

Actually, something similar does begin to happen, if we do NOT stay renewed in our minds, we begin to forget THE WORD of God.  The devil will begin to attack our minds with worry, fear and doubt.  He will torment us in anyway, he can.      

Any time, the devil sees that you are feeling low or that you are getting weak, he will do everything he can to attack you and defeat you. 

So, we must stay plugged into THE POWER SOURCE, THE WORD of GOD-Jesus!!!

Do you know that I can tell who are spending time with, just by hanging around you and listening to what you say? 

IT’S TRUE, YOU KNOW!!! 

You can deny it, but you are only deceiving yourself.  No matter how your friends act, whether you like it or not, you will pick up some of their ways.  And I don’t mean just bad ways, you may also pick up some good ways or some ways that are neither good nor bad.    

Just hang around someone long enough and you will begin to say the things that they say and do the things that they do.  I have had it happen to me and I am sure that most folks have had it happen to them. 

I have a great friend who I see very little of these days, but when I am around her, she says, “Correct.”  Now, most of the time, if you and I are talking I will say, “Yes.  You are right.”  But when I have been visiting with this friend, I will be talking to someone and I will hear myself say, “Correct,” “That’s correct!” or “You are correct.” 

I have another friend who says, “Bye, bye” when she hangs up the phone.  I have tried and tried not to pick this up from her, but if you spoke to me on the phone this evening, when I hung up you would most likely hear me say, “Bye bye.” 

As much as I love these friends, I would rather hang around JESUS and learn to say the things that HE says.

Now, I realize that the way we talk seems to be such a little thing, but it really isn’t!  The things that we say make such a difference!!!  Our words have such power!!! 

In the Proverbs 18:21 (KJV) it says, Death and life are in the power of the tongue...  Proverbs 18:21 (MSG) Words kill, words give life; they're either poison or fruit—you choose.

Matthew 12:37 (CEV) ³⁷On that day they will be told that they are either innocent or guilty because of the things they have said.

YOU ARE WHAT YOU SAY YOU ARE!!! 

We’ve all heard folks that are negative and never have a good thing to say about themselves and if you watch, you will see that they never go anywhere in their lives. They never get ahead! 

SO, TRY SPEAKING GOOD THINGS OVER YOUR LIFE AND WATCH GOOD THINGS COME TO PASS IN YOUR LIFE!!!

If you don’t believe me, just try adding one good thing to what you say each day and you will see what a difference it makes in your life.  Try this!  Each day say, “God Loves Me!  God Loves Me!  God Loves ME!"  Watch and see if you don’t feel better and walk a little taller!!!   

There are so many things in THE WORD that we can say to change NOT only our thinking, but our lives. 

For instance, when you face situations that seem impossible, say, Nothing is too hard for God!  Gen. 18:14  Then tell yourself, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  Phil. 4:13 (NKJV)

REMEMBER, TO STAY CHARGED UP IN THE WORD!!!!   

Get in THE WORD each day and GET THE WORD IN YOU!!!  Let God charge your battery!  Don’t get caught out in the world with a low or a dead battery. 

Tommy Tenney told of being in a hotel and plugging his phone into his phone charger and going to bed.  The next morning when he woke up and got ready to leave, he found that his phone was dead. 

Because he had been tired, he had forgotten to plug his charger into the outlet on the wall.  So, even though his phone was plugged into his charger, there was no power running through the charger because it wasn’t plugged into the power source! 

REMEMBER TO GET PLUGGED INTO THE POWER SOURCE!!! 

Are you having Ephesians 3:20 days?

I am going to quote Joel Osteen today, and proclaim that I HAVE GOD’S UNPRECEDENTED FAVOR IN MY LIFE!!!

Not only does my God own ALL the cattle on a 1000 hills, but HE owns ALL the land that they are standing on top of and ALL the water that they drink.  He owns the clouds in the sky, as well as the sky, and of course, the sun, the moon, and the stars. 

Look around you.  Everything you see belongs to my God!!!  He shall supply ALL my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus!!! Phil. 4:19

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

 

And I am going to stand in Faith knowing that when I pay my tithes, which is only a tenth of what I make, God is going to open the windows of Heaven and pour out a blessing that I cannot contain!!! 

 

As Pastor Sam Nix says, “It is only one thin dime!!!”  All God wants is one thin dime out of every dollar you make!!! 

Malachi 3:10 (KJV)  ¹⁰Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house,

and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

I have decided that from now on I am going to take Joel Osteen’s advice and I am going to have “Eph 3:20” days, because I serve a GOD that is able to do exceeding, abundantly, above all that we ask or think!!! 

Their clothes didn't wear out...

As I told you, the Lord gave me Nehemiah 9:18-25 to read yesterday morning.  He used these scriptures to encourage me and let me know that HE LOVES ME AND HE FORGIVES ME!!!  

And then today, I received my daily email from Joseph Prince Ministries.  He sends out an email to those who subscribe called Daily Grace Inspirations and they are such a blessing!!! 

Anyway, the one I received today talked about part of what I was telling you yesterday and reminded me of how truly blessed we are to serve the One True Living God.  I think sometimes we get so used to being blessed that we take God’s Blessings for granted!!!

There are a few things that the Lord showed me yesterday that I did NOT tell you about and I felt to share them with you today. 

In Nehemiah 9:19 (NKJV), the Word tells us that NOT only did God lead His children with a pillar of cloud by day “To lead them on the road” and a pillar of fire by night “To show them light,” but He showed them “the way they should go.”

God will show us the way we should go, if we will just ask HIM.  Do you know in verse 20, it says that God gave them His Spirit to instruct (teach) them?  It also tells us that He fed them and made sure they had water to drink.   

I was already in awe after reading how much God continued to love and care for His children, then I read verse 21 (NKJV) Forty years You sustained them in the wilderness; They lacked nothing; Their clothes did not wear out And their feet did not swell.

Here is that same verse in the CEV:  ²¹You took good care of them, and for forty years they never lacked a thing. Their shoes didn't wear out, and their feet were never swollen.

You know, the Lord was really good to them and just saying that, doesn’t really even begin to describe how good He was to them. 

I looked up the part about the clothes and the shoes NOT wearing out and I found this scripture that made me even more impressed with God’s Love for His children!!! 

Deuteronomy 29:5 (NKJV) And I have led you forty years in the wilderness. Your clothes have not worn out on you, and your sandals have not worn out on your feet.

So, wow, wouldn’t that be amazing!!!  Just think, if your clothes and your shoes never wore out.  That means that your favorite shirt or jeans would still look like NEW and they would Not have gotten any smaller nor would they have worn out and you could still wear them today!!

And just think, I would still be wearing my favorite pair of tennis shoes (althletic shoes.)     

And did you see in Neh. 9:21, where it said that their feet did NOT swell!!!  Now, that is awesome!!!    

Just think about it, Their Father GOD was providing everything they needed:  food, water, clothes and shoes!  Wow, what more could a person want?

But God had it all planned out!  He gave them kingdoms and nations.  They took possession of many lands.  You can read about all the lands they conquered in verse 22. 
 

And in verse 23 it says, “You also multiplied their children as the stars of heaven, And brought them into the land Which You had told their fathers To go in and possess.”

In verse 24, it tells us that these same children went in and possessed the Promised Land-all the land that God had promised their fathers.    

Here is Nehemiah 9:25 (KJV)  And they took strong cities, and a fat land, and possessed houses full of all goods, wells digged, vineyards, and oliveyards, and fruit trees in abundance: so they did eat, and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themselves in thy great goodness.

That is like inheriting a huge house and all kinds of land that has been worked and maintained and taken very good care of!!!  They were able to go into the Promised Land and possess it in the Power of HIS MIGHT!!! 

And they were able to obtain ALL THE BLESSINGS that God had wanted to give their fathers 40 years ago, ALL because they knew and followed God!!! 

I want EVERYTHING that GOD has for me!!!  WHAT BLESSINGS ARE JUST WAITING FOR YOU TODAY??? 

The Lord is so good to me!!!

God really is good to me!!!  I hope that everyone I meet and talk to knows that!!!  He is so gracious, kind and loving to me. 

You know, many years ago when someone tried to tell me that they could see God’s calling on my life, more specifically, the call to preach, I thought they were a little bit off base, to say the least. 

But I didn’t dare say anything like that since it was my Pastor’s wife that was telling me this.  She would laugh if she could hear me saying this!    

I had no idea what God had in store for me.  I didn’t know that He was calling me to preach the gospel and I had no idea that I could have an impact on other peoples’ lives.

I had no idea that today, I would be sitting here writing a post for my blog. 

I had no idea that I could be so happy serving the Lord!!!  I had no idea that my Father God could love anyone so much, especially me, considering all that I have done in this old world.

I never knew how content and happy I could be!!!  Just to know God and His Mercy.  To know His Never Ending Love for me!!! 

I wish today, that I could really make every person, alive, understand how much God loves them. 

The truth is that most people, although they don’t say it and would never admit it, TRULY DO NOT FEEL LOVED!!!  

GOD DOES LOVE US, but most people never give God the opportunity to show them and teach them that HE LOVES THEM!!! 

If you truly felt loved, then you would value yourself more and you would take care of yourself.  You would want to know the Lord and you would want to serve Him!!! 

Some folks say, “Well, if God loves me then why have bad things happened to me???”  That’s really quite simple!  You may NOT like this answer, but it is the truth!!!

Bad things happen every day to every one and it is because the devil is in this world.  The devil takes everything that God has for us, ALL the good things that God has planned and he twists them every way he can. 

He would actually have destroyed you, if he could have, and you would be in Hell, because he would have destroyed you before you could find out about God!!! 

But God loves you and me so much that he didn’t allow the devil to kill us before we could come to know HIM!!!    

Do you know how I know that???  I know that because I was born with my umbilical cord wrapped around my neck and unlike so many babies that this happens to; I was NOT born retarded nor have I had any problems because of it. 

So, now that you know how blessed you are, it is time to kick that old devil in the teeth by showing him that YOU are ALL that he feared you to be!!!  You know like “Uncle Sam” says, “BE ALL YOU CAN BE!!!” 

You see, the devil attacks us from the time we are tiny babies and he keeps on trying to destroy us throughout our lives each and every day.  He is constantly telling us lies about ourselves and about God.  He will even lie to us about others to make us paranoid.      

All because he doesn’t want to go to HELL alone!!!  He wants to take us with him!!!  The devil wants everyone to be as miserable as he is!!!   

He wanted to take Jesus’ place in Heaven with the Father and be exalted with God.  So, God had no choice, but to kick him out of Heaven.  The devil had already corrupted a third of the angels, so they had to leave with him. 

There was no place else for the devil to go, so he came to the earth and continued trying to mess up everything God had planned.  He got into that old snake and then he used the snake to mess with Adam and Eve. 

Do you know that the snake has to crawl on its belly and be despised of all men because God cursed him for allowing the devil to use him? 

Adam had authority over the devil, but instead of telling the devil to shut up, and quit talking to his wife, he chose to eat that fruit and he allowed sin to come into the world.  He allowed the devil to steal his authority.  Gen. 3 

When Jesus came and died on the cross for us, he took back the authority that Adam had given up and now we have authority over satan and every living thing through the Name of Jesus. 

And that brings us to today!!!  We can tell the devil to shut up and give him what for (the WORD) or we can keep listening to him.

We have the opportunity today to choose how we are going to live our lives!!!

I am fixing to make some folks mad, but that is just too bad because I am telling the truth!  So, if this makes you mad, you will have to talk to God about it! 

You only have 2 choices about how you are going to live your life.  

You can choose to serve the Lord God Almighty or you can choose to serve the devil.  There are only 2 ways:  God’s way and the devil’s way.  God’s way leads us to Heaven and of course, the devil leads those who follow him to Hell.     

There aren’t 15 choices.  There aren’t even 3.  You either choose God or you choose the devil.  You are either going to Heaven or Hell.  

There is an old lie that has been told for years, even ages.  That lie came from the pits of HELL and that is exactly what it is!!!  It is a lie!!! 

What am I talking about?

I am talking about the lie that you can live your life, your way.

They even wrote a song about it, I Did It My Way.  Both Frank Sinatra and Elvis sang this song.  There is one verse in this song that is truly sad.  “For what is a man, what has he got? If not himself, then he has naught.” 

 

I'd rather “Do It God’s Way” and have Eternal Life.  I would rather be pleasing in God’s Eyes than do things my way and mess my life up!!!

 

Believe me, I have tried it to live it my way!!  It’s really not my way or your way.  It is really the devil’s way!!!  I have messed up my own life over and over.  I wasn’t always a preacher and I enjoyed partying when I was out in the world.  I have made a lot of mistakes in my life. 

But one day, I met Jesus and I made the best decision of my life.  I decided to follow HIM!!! 

You know, I still make mistakes and sometimes I am stubborn and hard headed.  There are times when I know that I have missed God and really blown it. 

As a matter of fact, I was feeling really blue this morning over something I had done, but God encouraged me to shake the blues off and get on with my life. 

I am just going be truthful, if you have repented for what you have done, then there is NO NEED to sit around feeling bad or guilty!!!  Just get on with your life.  Kick the devil in the teeth by allowing God to use you for something good!!! 

Once you repent, God forgets whatever it was you did, and you need to do the same.  You need to forget it and go on.  I am trying to learn to quit sitting around feeling sorry for myself and letting the devil beat me over the head with the things that I do wrong.    

And I will tell you another thing.  Don’t go around telling people all your faults.  It is one thing to share your faults with a good friend, and ask them to pray with you, but most people will only use what you tell them against you. 

I know that the Word says, Confess your faults one to another (James 5:16).  However, God also warns us that He is sending us out as sheep in the midst of wolves and that we are to be as wise as a serpent and as harmless as a dove.  Matt. 10:16  

There are a lot of folks out there who would like to tell you that they are perfect and that they NEVER do anything wrong.  Well, I have only one thing to say to that, “Liar, liar, pants on fire!!  God’s gonna get you for lying!!!”

No one can live life without making mistakes along the way.  God wants us to repent quickly, pick ourselves up and dust ourselves off.  Then we need to walk on.   

And even better yet, if you see your friend falling, run and catch them!!  And if you see that they have fallen, help them up and dust them off.  And walk on with them side-by-side!!!  Don’t step on them!!!   Or ignore them and walk on!!!

God is so gracious to me.  When I woke up this morning, it was really early and so I asked the Lord if He would mind if I slept one more hour.  Evidently, He did not mind because I went right back to sleep and woke up an hour later.  It was still early, but I got up (only with His help.) 

You see, even though I already know all this, I was still feeling a bit down this morning.  So, as I sat down, I asked the Lord what I should read today and when I opened my Bible, it opened to Nehemiah 9.  I began to read and I thought, God you are so amazing!!!  Here is what I read. 

In Nehemiah 9:18-25, I read how even when the children of Israel had made a golden calf and worshipped it as their god, God had forgiven them. 

And I read how God did not leave the children of Israel in the wilderness, but He lead them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. 

And as I continued to read, I realized that God was telling me that just as He had forgiven the children of Israel so many times, He had also forgiven me for making the same mistakes over and over again. 

I realized that He was saying that He loved me and that every time I cry out to Him for mercy and forgiveness, He hears me and He forgives me. 

And every time things got bad and the children of Israel cried out to God, He rescued them!!!  


And I am here today to tell you that GOD will forgive you, too!!! 

AND HE WILL RESCUE YOU WHEN YOU CRY OUT TO HIM!!!    

Psalm 5:11-12

King James Version

 ¹¹But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.

 ¹²For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.

Amplified Bible

¹¹But let all those who take refuge and put their trust in You rejoice; let them ever sing and shout for joy, because You make a covering over them and defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You and be in high spirits.

¹²For You, Lord, will bless the [uncompromisingly] righteous [him who is upright and in right standing with You]; as with a shield You will surround him with goodwill (pleasure and favor).

JESUS IS MY ASSURANCE

Do you have Assurance or Insurance?  Do you have a Health Care Provider (a doctor or a clinic) or is Jesus Your Physician?  Do you walk in Divine Health?

So, what’s the difference in Insurance and Assurance?  Well, first of ALL, with Insurance there is always a premium that is due and it must be paid.  If the premium is Not paid, then your insurance will NOT pay your Health Care Provider (your doctor’s office or hospital) if you have been sick.    

If you have Assurance in Jesus as Your Lord and Savior, then ALL of your premiums have been paid for Eternity!!! 

You will NEVER be billed because Jesus has already paid the price.  You can call upon Dr. Jesus when you are sick.  You can stand on The Word and be healed. 

You can even learn to walk in Divine Health which is a benefit of believing in Jesus Christ and knowing that He died on the cross for us to save us of our sins and to heal us from sickness and disease. 

Isaiah 53:4-6 (AMP) 

⁴Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses, weaknesses, and distresses) and carried our sorrows and pains [of punishment], yet we [ignorantly] considered Him stricken, smitten, and afflicted by God [as if with leprosy].

⁵But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole.

⁶All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has made to light upon Him the guilt and iniquity of us all.

And Jesus isn’t just good for calling upon when you are sick.  He wants us to lean and trust upon HIM for everything!!!  He wants to lead and guide in the way in which we should go. 

Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV) ⁵Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  ⁶In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Jesus is my ASSURANCE.  I choose to follow Jesus!!!  I choose to put my FAITH in HIM!!!  I place my trust and my Faith in Him above all else!!

Hebrews 11:6 (AMP) But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out].

I know without a shadow of a doubt that as long as I trust and believe in God as my provider, He shall supply ALL of my need.  Phil. 4:19 

And because I trust in God and give Him all that tries to worry or trouble me, I can abide in His Rest and in His Peace.

Hebrews 4:1 (TNIV) Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.

Philippians 4:7 (KJV) And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

 

Psalm 121 (KJV)

¹I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

²My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

³He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

⁴Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.

⁶The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

⁷The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.

 
⁸The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

God Never Changes

Tues., Sept. 20, 2011

Hebrews 13:8 (KJV) Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. 

Hebrews 13:8 (CEV)  Jesus Christ never changes! He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Did you know that Jesus was with the Father even before the very beginning of the earth? And that HE never changes?

John 1:1-5 (KJV)  ¹In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  ²The same was in the beginning with God.  ³All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.  ⁴In him was life; and the life was the light of men.  ⁵And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

God sent The Word, His Son to the earth that the world might be saved.  John 3:16 (KJV)  ¹⁶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Jesus taught in the temple, on the hill sides and even in people's homes.  The people followed Him wherever He went and He taught them.   

John 8:12 (KJV) ¹²Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

John 14:6 (KJV)  ⁶Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

John 10:7-9 (AMP)  ⁷So Jesus said again, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that I Myself am the Door for the sheep.

⁸All others who came [as such] before Me are thieves and robbers, but the [true] sheep did not listen to and obey them.

⁹I am the Door; anyone who enters in through Me will be saved (will live). He will come in and he will go out [freely], and will find pasture.

And yet many still did NOT understand.  It took His Death on the Cross, and His Resurrection, for many, even the disciples, to truly understand that He was and is God, the Life, the Light, and the Salvation of the World! 

Luke 24:44-48 (AMP) ⁴⁴Then He said to them, This is what I told you while I was still with you: everything which is written concerning Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.

⁴⁵Then He [thoroughly] opened up their minds to understand the Scriptures,

⁴⁶And said to them, Thus it is written that the Christ (the Messiah) should suffer and on the third day rise from (among) the dead,

⁴⁷And that repentance [with a view to and as the condition of] forgiveness of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

⁴⁸You are witnesses of these things.

Do we really understand who Jesus is?  Do we understand that He died to save us from Eternal Damnation and to give us Eternal Life?  What is it going to take for us to accept that He really is GOD?

Will we accept Jesus as our Savior now, as the Son of the One True and Living God?  Or will we reject HIM as THE WORD of GOD, The Son of the Most High until we see Him in those last days, when it is too late??? 

Revelation 19:11-13, 16 (KJV)  ¹¹And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

¹²His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

¹³And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

¹⁶And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.