New Christians soon discover from God’s Word that the key to receiving anything from God is believing:
Hebrews 11:6: But without faith it is impossible to please him:..
Mark 9:23: …all things are possible to him that believeth.
I Thessalonians 2:13: …but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
The act of believing connotes trusting, having confidence and being convinced. A natural man’s believing depends solely on what he can see by his five senses. When man becomes born again of God’s spirit, he now has to make the transition from believing worldly sources to believing the invisible God. This can be quite daunting to say the least.
But really, when a person becomes familiar with the ways of the Heavenly Father, believing in the power of God is not all that hard. God has given us a full exposure to His power via the gift of holy spirit. As we operate the nine manifestations of holy spirit, like speaking in tongues, we become more and more familiar with our capabilities. This in turn should give us the confidence to believe in operating more fully the power of God resident in us.
I Corinthians 2:4 and 5:
And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
When the believer operates the power of God with the spirit of God within, he gets familiar with the source. That is why I like speaking in tongues. It is a miracle every time I do it, yet I can do it all the time. This constant use of the spirit allows me to become more and more familiar with operating the power of God. I become more adept in doing the things of God, thereby I can believe.
Let’s realize this truth that we are demonstrating the spirit power by speaking in tongues. This should help give us the confidence and assurance that we can believe anything God says or what we read in God’s Word.
Agape,
Bob
You see it in movies, on TV shows, in plays, and in books the theme “family first.” After all the drama, character building, and story narrative is over, in the end family prevails in one way or another. I get it. Family is the foundation to life period. God created man and woman and them having children. It is all about family. Virtually in every culture, in every nation regardless of religion or government, everyone realizes that family is what makes life worth living. Even in the animal world we see it. Family is the cornerstone of man’s existence and is the answer to man’s problems.
Our country is embroiled in racism right now. What is the solution? Many black Christian ministers are pointing out the absences of family in a majority of black men’s lives. They grow up without fathers. The family unit is what God designed for the greatest benefit for all mankind to grow up in.
E.W. Kenyon shares passionately how important family is to Christians in his book: The Father and His Family.
“The primal dream of the Creator God was a family of sons and daughters, on whose love and response, His spirit, His heart nature could feed.”
“Christianity is not a religion; it is a family, a Father and His children.”
“What is the reason for man? There is only one answer, and it is very simple: the lonely heart of the great Father God.”
“We are God’s Family representatives on the earth. We are not Methodist, Baptist, Episcopalians, or Roman Catholics, but we are God’s sons and daughters, God’s family.
As members of the family, we are to minister to each other and watch over each other in love.”
Ephesians 2:19: Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
What is our response to the Father Who has made us His children for eternity?
Ephesians 3:14-17: For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
What a family we belong to! Having seen God’s heart for you, let us now be our best for our Heavenly Father. Let’s renew our minds and walk with the power of the holy spirit within.
Agape, Bob
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(Please note: This sharing is a “takeoff” of C.S. Lewis’ book titled: The Screwtape Letters and a teaching I did by the above title on October 14th) Recently a very important group of devil spirits met to handle a very delicate situation that called for the utmost of secrecy. Their objective was to identify areas that born again believers have taken advantage of to put down the temptations of devil spirits. This list was to be called The Devil’s Secret List. After careful and lengthy deliberations, they came up with three items that in no uncertain terms did devil spirits want Christian believers manifesting in their lives. 1. “It is written.” No way do we want believers confessing the truths and promises of God’s Word by saying, “It is written.” We remember how effective Jesus Christ was some 2000 years ago when He responded back to our master Satan after His 40 days in the wilderness. We must at all costs get Christians to trust in man’s word and all the influences of the world and not God’s Word. 2. “Using the name of Jesus Christ with authority.” We only want people and especially born again believers to only use the name Jesus Christ when they are cussing. We cannot have them using this name to bring deliverance and healing to others. We must hide this verse from them at all costs: Philippians 2:9 – 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. 3. “Casting all their care upon God.” We cannot have them doing what 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” We spend so much time sowing discontent, fear, worry, jealousy, self-condemnation, and hate that if all they do is give it over to God, they will walk with great freedom of mind. "Yes, fellow devil spirits we need to keep Christian believers embroiled in the affairs of this life. We need to keep them mad at each other, shifting blame and causing discord.” “And we definitely cannot allow this list to get in the wrong hands. How horrible our lives would be if Christian believers knew these truths and confessed: it is written, and use the name of Jesus Christ with authority and throw all the junk we lay on them to their Heavenly Father.” Agape, Bob |
An economical challenge for retired folks in our culture is being on a “fixed income.” But recently Jeanie in a teaching used this term a little differently. She declared she was on a fixed income and was very blessed by it!
Why was she so excited about being on a fixed income? Because in her mind, her sufficiency is not from material resources but spiritual realities. Her needs are met by the promises of God and a loving Heavenly Father that has blessed her.
Philippians 4:19: But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
She is fixed on what God’s Word says, believing the promises of the more abundant life in Christ (John 10:10). Our sufficiency is in what Christ has accomplished for each of us.
2 Corinthians 3:5: Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
She is fixed on what God’s Word says, walking out on the promises of God.
Psalms 57:7: My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.
As believers we renew our mind to what God’s Word says over our material needs. For us, we are fixed on the promises of God.
Agape,
Bob
When I think of the record of Jesus walking on the water (Matthew 14:24-32) and approaching the boat filled with fear laden men, I marvel at the many lessons to be learned.
Here is another lesson I learned (really two): When we are faced with opportunities to believe God for deliverance or for certain results, we wait until the conditions are calm and easy to navigate. By our five senses we try to smooth over the waters before we take on believing God. Jesus did not calm the storm first then walk on the water. Nor did he calm the seas for Peter to step out of the boat so he could have the most favorable conditions.
The point is do not wait for the conditions to get better before going to God. He loves to work in the most stormy and challenging conditions. He did not quench the fire first before Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown in the fiery furnace; Joseph still served years in jail while in Egypt before rising to 2nd in charge in the country.
Peter’s problem was staying on top of the water during the boisterous wind and seas. He was distracted by the storm. He needed to learn to walk during the storm.
I think so many times as we endeavor to believe God, our mind tricks us into thinking He is there to push the button of defeat if we misstep in our believing exercise.
Micah 7:8 (ESV):
Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD will be a light to me.
Our Father is there to help and give us a helping hand, just like Jesus did with Peter when he began to sink. After all Peter did walk on water!
The learning point is that we do not have to calm things down first to believe. Go ahead and walk into the storm, like Jesus did, and know that God’s grace and mercy will be there to help you realize your believing efforts. And point two, if you start to sink, God will be there with a helping hand so you can enjoy the victory.
Agape,
Bob