The Bible contains a number of tough men that we all want to emulate. Moses is one that has demonstrated amazing leadership and boldness confronting the most powerful man on earth at the time – Pharaoh. He also, led millions of God’s people out of Egypt to the promised land. God gave him the tablets of the law that guided Israel for hundreds of years. Yet, with all his toughness, there is a quality Moses had above all other men in which we can learn an important lesson. The Bible says that Moses “was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3).
Our Lord and Savior contained this quality. “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matthew 11:29).
Few really know and appreciate the quality of meekness or humbleness of mind. Most people think these qualities imply weakness, passivity or even cowardliness. The truth is far different.
Meekness is an attitude or quality of heart [See 1 Peter 3:4] where a person willingly accepts and submits to the will and desires of someone else, which for us as Christians, is God Almighty. We gladly lower our self before Him, so He and His power and love can be magnified in my life.
I Peter 3:15: But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear [reverence]:
We place the Lord our God in a special place in our hearts, so we can exercise His qualities of service to others just like Jesus Christ did.
Philippians 2:3-5: Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind [meekness] let each esteem other better than themselves.
Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
This quality of meekness is the sign of a real man of God. All through the Bible we are encouraged to have this mind set. With meekness we can truly walk with our Heavenly Father and experience His love and power manifested in our lives.
James 4:10: Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
Colossians 3:12: Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Agape,
Bob
Once you are infected with certain diseases, like Lyme disease, you are a carrier forever. There is no permanent way you can get it out of your body.
Christians are carriers of something even more permanent. They many times forget. At the new birth, when someone confesses with their mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in their heart God raised Him from the dead (Romans 10:9), they become infected with the gift of holy spirit. This includes everything wrapped up in that spiritual package, including nine manifestations.
A TEMPLE
What really happens when you experience the new birth is you become a temple, the residence of God Almighty. His presences abides in you.
1Cor 3:16: Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Cor 6:19: 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?
2Cor 6:16: …for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
I know we do not think about having God resident within us all the time, but His residence is permanent! He is not going anywhere. We have God in us represented by the gift of holy spirit. That is quite something to carry!
As a carrier, I would encourage you to use the spirit daily. Exercise it, manifest it, believe it, love it, be led by it. How?
Enjoy your spiritual disease by spreading it all over those others without it, and those who have not fully learned God’s Word.
Agape,
Bob
Life is all about the decisions we make.
When I was 20 years old I made a life changing decision to give up a summer job as a lifeguard, and traveled to Ohio against my parent’s wishes to take a Bible class. From that class I learned God’s Word and chose to confess Jesus as Lord and believe God raised Him from the dead.
What made the difference and confirmed my new birth experience was speaking in tongues. This incredible manifestation cemented in my heart that I was a son of God, filled with the gift of holy spirit.
What made the difference for the Apostle Peter from being behind closed doors for fear and denying the Lord Jesus Christ several times during His trials leading up to His crucifixion? Being filled with the gift of holy spirit and speaking in tongues on the Day of Pentecost.
We all have made decisions in our lives that have drastically affected our lives. What makes the difference for us now is the decision to become sons of God with power.
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. II Timothy 1:7.
God encourages us since “we live in the spirit, let us also walk in the spirit” (Galatians 5:25).
Utilizing the spirit of Christ within by speaking in tongues much and using the other manifestations will make a spectacular difference in our lives.
Agape,
Bob
Galatians 6:8:
For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
MAKING A NAME FOR YOURSELF
As I reflect back on my earlier years, I remember the constant encouragement I received to make a name for myself. From friends to coaches and educators, they all desired for me to look within myself and draw out all my talents to be a success. Find your niche in life. Develop your passion for seeing yourself the very best.
I certainly bought in to this as a young person, for I desired to succeed in life. But something happened when I was 20 years old in college. I found the Word of God and the message of deliverance through the person of Jesus Christ.
What Jesus Christ accomplished for mankind is monumental. He alone brought redemption to a lost world. He alone provided a name beyond any other name, and certainly He made a name for himself as well as a name for us who choose to use it.
Philippians 2:9, 10, 11:
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
We chose to use the name above all names in our life. And by choosing Jesus Christ, we are making a name for our self. It is not about me now. It is about Him – the Lord Jesus Christ. We mold our life around Christ. We have His DNA. Now our passion is to hold forth the Lord Jesus Christ and magnify His name
Hebrews 13:20, 21 : Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Agape,
Bob
I believe what I am going to share with you is worth your undivided attention. Please think about it.
An activity that every Christian accepts and adheres to in varying degrees is prayer. This mode of communication is what we do to connect with our Heavenly Father, Who happens to be the Creator of the Universe and you and me.
Prayer is mentioned throughout the Bible many hundreds of times. Every person of note in the Bible embraced prayer passionately. Here are a few:
“Abraham prayed unto God...” Genesis 20:17
“Moses prayed unto the Lord...” Numbers 11:2
David prayed: “...for unto Thee will I pray.” Psalm 5:2
[Jesus] “went out into a mountain to pray and continued all night in prayer to God.” Luke 6:12.
It is quite obvious that a successful Christian walk is impossible without having a vibrant prayer life. As we saw in the above verse, Jesus Himself lead a dynamic prayer life. Great men of God also valued prayer:
“I would rather teach one man to pray than ten men too preach.”
Charles Spurgeon.
“Prayer is not learned in a classroom but in the closet." E. M. Bounds
“To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.” Martin Luther King Jr.
The greatest thing anyone can do for God or man is pray.” S. D. Gordon
We have established the dynamics of prayer—for without it our Christian walk is empty and with it our fellowship with the Father flourishes. Now, I would like for you to think about the two different modes of prayer.
The Bible teaches there are two ways to pray. They are both important, but I trust you will see that one would be more advantageous in connecting to God our Father.
I Corinthians 14:14 & 15a:
For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.
What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also:...
When we pray in the spirit – speaking in tongues, think about who really is that spirit in us. It is the Christ in you. It is the Comforter, as well as the spirit of truth referred to by Jesus in the book of John. When you speak in tongues the perfect spirit from God prays perfectly. God gave us this exhilarating means of magnifying Him (Acts 10:46).
God wants us to pour our hearts out to Him in prayer. Since our Father has provided us a unique and perfect way to talk to Him, why not speak in tongues much.
When you speak in tongues you are not speaking unto men, but unto God (I Corinthians 14:2). How much are we praying in the spirit? Should speaking in tongues be our primary means of prayer? Think about it!
Agape,
Bob
Ephesians 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit [speaking in tongues], and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;