There is a verse in the Bible that conflicts with my natural mind thinking. It is James 1:2. It says, “…count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.” For me I could do without the hassle of being tempted, interrupting a peaceful lifestyle.
Looking closer at this verse we discover the Greek word representing “temptations” means, “putting to the test; proving, or a trial to prove something.”
In thinking about this a little further, I reflected on my days playing and coaching organized basketball. Whenever we would play a difficult team we would get more out of it than beating an easy team. Perhaps my best college game experience was playing against a far superior team. Even though we lost, I performed at my highest level. When we take on challenging situations we grow much more than doing the easy things.
Later in Chapter one of James it expands on the subject of temptation:
James 1:12-14:
Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Realize when those trials come your way, they are not from our Heavenly Father. The devil attacks our weakness on those things we are challenged in. As we experience trusting in our Father and believing His Word, we will build experiences of overcoming temptations that will make us better in the future for the work of the ministry.
What did Jesus Christ do when He was tempted? And He was tempted way beyond what we would experience. As recorded in the Gospels, He would challenge every temptation with, “It is written.” God’s Word was the key and answer to successfully overcome any and all temptations of the devil. Build the knowledge of God’s Word in your heart so that you can defeat the adversary.
I Corinthians 15:57:
But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Rejoice my fellow brothers and sisters when you are tested or challenged with life’s situations. Take on that temptation with the confidence you have in Christ. It will make you a better and far sharper person, making you a more effective steward for Him.
Agape,
Bob
What is the goal of the ministry?
Recently, I was asked this question and as I reflected on it one thing popped into my head.
Now it goes without saying of course that our goals are the Heavenly Father’s goals, which are “Who will have all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth” (I Timothy 2:4). He has “no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth” (III John 4). God’s desire is also that we love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:30).
These are aspirations we should have as a believer and as a ministry. But, what popped into my heart when the question was posed for the goal of the ministry? To help people have an intimate relationship with the Heavenly Father.
Our ministry has been afforded by God’s grace and mercy an in-depth understanding of His Word and how to practically apply it in a person’s life. From Genesis to Revelation we see God developing a relationship with man. He wants a very personal connection with us. After the original plan fell apart with Adam and Eve, He had to wait for thousands of years for the right time when He could redeem man with His son Jesus Christ. He bought a relationship for us through His son.
1Corinthians 6:19 & 20:
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?
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
Now God wants to fellowship with His purchased possession, you and me in which He has placed His spirit.
My passion and the passion of our ministry is to help people see how to have a sweet and personal relationship with God as His dear child.
Helping people realize the spirit they have in them is very precious. To walk in the spirit is to have fellowship with Him. That is why speaking in tongues is such a valuable resource in fellowshipping with our Heavenly Father. Very few ministries see this truth and far more do not teach it. When you speak in tongues, you are talking to God using His language; you are thanking Him; you are worshipping Him; you are engaging with the Creator of the Heavens and Earth. The other eight manifestations also deeply involves us in fellowship with Him.
My exhortation to you reading this is to recognize the importance of your fellowship with the Father. Fellowship is the secret to a fulfilling lifestyle. Make it a priority in your life to hang out with your Heavenly Father. It is the loving thing to do.
Agape, Bob
God’s heart passion from the beginning of time is YOU.
Everything God has purposed through the creation is for YOU.
The making of the Universe with its stars and planet earth is for YOU.
The giving of His son Jesus Christ to redeem man and provide a new birth reality is with YOU in mind.
The bottom line is God wanted children for eternity and YOU are one of His kids.
He really needs YOU!
Eph 2:10 (ISV) For we are God's masterpiece, created in the Messiah Jesus to perform good actions that God prepared long ago to be our way of life.
God choose YOU to be the object of His love and affection
We get so wrapped up in our selfish life, we forget about how God feels about us. When we realize how much we mean to God, then we can appreciate the Great Commandment of “Loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.”
Eph 1:12: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
8 SCRIPTURES FOR YOU TO START A FRESH
Letting Go of the Past and Moving on With Your New Life
Have an exciting 2018 recognizing how special you are to the Heavenly Father and respond by loving Him with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.
Agape,
What do you want for Christmas? Many of us would be choosing the newest computer gadget or phone or even new clothes. Surprising as it may seem, there are others who would be extremely blessed to receive Bibles, goats, chickens and water purifying equipment.
Many third world countries are struggling for just the basics of life. This year Acts Now Fellowship made it available for the believers to buy these resources for those in need via Food for the Hungry. We had many participate and some used this opportunity to honor a love one by giving in their name.
Since many of the saints that attend Acts Now Fellowship participated in this giving project, I wanted to share the results:
A total of about $1,300 was lovingly shared. Here is the breakdown:
10 Bibles; 9 goats ($56 each); 30 chickens ($6.50 each); 5 water filters ($68 each); 3 food baskets ($25 each); and $85 for the ultimate impact fund (Items for hard to reach areas that are in dire need).
Many thanks to those who gave. This is the season to be giving. It was exciting to see the saints giving extra and beyond to bless people trapped in poverty and recovering from famines.
Proverbs 28:27 He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack…
II Corinthians 9:7b: Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
Have a Happy Holiday season praising our Father and His Son Jesus Christ. Keep on giving and getting blessed.
Agape,
Bob
A treasured Christmas gift when I was a child was a HO Gauge train set. What is a HO gauge train set? If you are familiar with model railroad trains you would recognize it as the most popular gauge for model trains, which makes it fit exactly on the tracks.
In other words the tracks that trains run on have to be to the same scale as the wheels on the railroad cars.
The reader is probably asking, “Why is this important for me spiritually?”
It is a good way to remember the most important points in fellowshipping with the Heavenly Father. HO will help you stay on track with God and see His power work in your life. Here is what to remember: H = Humility and O = Obedience.
A recent teaching by Vikki revealed these two principles in manifesting the power of God in our lives. Once I saw the HO, I thought of this cute memory peg in helping me remember what it takes to manifest power in my life.
Humility is the beginning of everything important with God:
Proverbs 29:23: A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.
James 4:10: Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
1Peter 5:6: Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
We humbly receive God’s Word and the next step is obey it. We believe it, by taking action on it:
Jeremiah 42:6: …we will obey the voice of the LORD our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the LORD our God.
Jesus Christ was the ultimate man doing it perfectly. We follow His steps.
Philippians 2:8: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
We stay on track with God the Father by remembering to be humble to receive from Him and obedient to do the Word of Truth so we may always please Him.
Agape,
Bob