HE WAS THE MAKER AND I WAS THE TAKER!

“He made you holy by means of Christ Jesus, just as he did for all people everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.”  1 Corinthians 1:2

  I have been born twice, once by an earthly birth, born into sin and to live within this world.  The second time I was born was upon accepting Jesus as Lord.  I was reborn spiritually and became a different person.  My life changed because my thoughts and my actions suddenly became focused on Jesus and not the world.  God is the maker.  He is the creator.  He has a reason for creating everyone he creates.  There is a purpose and a road map for us all.  Not everyone will follow God’s plan.  Some will stray and go to the left and the right.  Some will never begin going down the path that God prepares because they think the world is too much fun. What we must remember is that God is the maker and we are the taker. He gives and we receive.  If he did not give, we would all be doomed by the sin of this world.  Our God offers us his promises of salvation, healing and forgiveness.  He offers help in times of trouble and a helpful thought when we are in need.  He offers us eternal life with him and a promise of everlasting peace, praise and glory to God.  He is the Maker, and we are the taker.  We must never forget! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

FROM TOUCHING HIS CLOAK TO THE GREATNESS, HE PROVIDES!

“Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, ‘If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.’ Jesus turned and saw her. ‘Take heart, daughter’, he said, ‘your faith has healed you.’ And the woman was healed at that moment.” Matthew 9:20-22

The woman with the bleeding believed, as she reached out to touch his cloak, that she would be healed. She had a measure of faith that allowed her to have the confidence to rush and touch the cloak Jesus was wearing. After the touch, she did not need to confront Jesus or hear his voice, she knew she was healed, and Jesus knew healing power had left him. She was in a desperate situation. She had been bleeding for twelve years and no doctor or anyone else was able to help her to be healed. Sometimes it takes a time of desperation to be able to gain the confidence we need to reach out and touch the cloak of Jesus. The problem the woman had was no different than our problems today. The difference is that we are not desperate enough to think we need the help of the Lord. We often have the idea that we can fix our problems or that others will have the magical answers to make us whole. However, we are led into a false sense of security and that security keeps us away from the truths of Jesus. While he was on this earth, he healed the crippled, the sick, the dying, those with leprosy and those with all kinds of other issues. He told truths and made people whole again. He still does this today. God has never changed! It doesn’t matter how large or how small the problem, our Lord is ready to help. He is waiting for us to touch his cloak and believe without doubt that we are healed. Are you ready? PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

EACH DAY IS A NEW BEGINNING

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

“Because of the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions do not fail. They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23

Our new beginning started when we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Our Lord is all about new beginnings. He has proved it through allowing his own son, Jesus, to enter this world with his final destination to be displayed upon a cross. Because of that sacrifice you and I are able to have a new beginning every day. Each day, as we rise from our sleep, we are starting a new beginning. God is ready and waiting to bless us and be merciful to us as we begin each day. He wants us to look ahead and not back toward our mistakes in life. We are to look to the future and become involved in embracing his ways, his thoughts and his mercy. God has a purpose and a future for each of us. Each day he offers a new hope and new encouragement for our new beginning. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

JESUS, THE JUDGE OF ANGER!

“But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgement.  If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court.  And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.”  Matthew 5:22

Wow, what comments by Jesus.  He dissects anger in such a detailed and strong way. It is easy to become angry, but it is not so easy to hold back our anger.  Anger is not a characteristic that Jesus displays to us.  Instead, he shows passion, love, peace of mind and understanding.  As we try to paint our lives to reflect those same values as our Lord wants us to live, the world offers us many obstacles that stand in our way.  We may have an employee that is obstinate and tests our rage.  We may have a family member that stands for something that we don’t believe in at all.  No matter the circumstances we are to develop patience and show love for our enemies and neighbors.  Yes, that is quite difficult.  What we must remember is that we are human and not perfect.  We will get angry; we will tell someone to go somewhere that we don’t want to go, and we may even get tested to the point that we throw a punch.  What we have to remember is that our Lord is a compassionate and forgiving God.  He knows of our faults, and he is willing and ready to forgive and forget.  It is our attitude that our Lord is looking at.  It is our intent and our repentance that he is looking for.  We must live our lives, but we must live them with the Lord our God in the front of the line directing our thoughts and actions.  If we do this then our anger will subside.  PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

LEARNED BEHAVIOR FROM GOD IN HEAVEN!

“Trust the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your ways.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Learning our behavior from God is a lifelong process of growing in faith, understanding his character, and ultimately striving to reflect His attributes in our own life.  It may sound easy, but if we really want to grow in the Spirit there are commitments we must make in our lives.  We must look at our world in a completely different way than we did before we met Jesus.  After our conversion we must take steps to make ourselves representative of him.  We must read his Word and understand, that as he helps us learn about his character, he goes even farther to show us the life that pleases him.  We learn about love, holiness, justice, mercy, trust, patience, wisdom, peace of mind, and many other things that are a part of Him.  We must learn to communicate with Him through prayer.  It is important that we ask him directly for the things we need to help us be better Christians. We must remember that we always need help.  As we come to know him better, we will begin to communicate with him more often and begin to trust his promises for our lives. Faith and trust in Him are vital to living a faith-based life here on earth.  The more we read, the more we meditate and the more we pray, the more we will build our faith and trust in Him.  In a world that provides confusion and ways of living that are contrary to God’s ways, we need to learn our ways from God in heaven.  Take the time and let him bless you!  PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

IF GOD WERE TO DESCRIBE YOU TO OTHERS, WHAT WOULD HE SAY?

” O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love, for all who ask for aid.”  Psalm 86:5

Just how would God describe you if he were to describe you to others?   As I set and think about that question, I cringe at the thought of all the crazy things I have done in my life.  The little white lies, the big lies, the deception in one form or another, foul language, excessive drinking and many other things.  We all have things in our closets that others know little to nothing about.  However, God knows.  He knows it all and if he didn’t love us so much, he would have a heyday in exposing each and every one of us. He is love.  He forgives and forgets, if we just ask him.  We can be so thankful that our God is a forgiving God.  Because of what he did with the surrender of his son to the world, we can celebrate that our slate becomes wiped clean, and we become completely different people.  So, how would God describe you to others? He would tell others of your love, how you forgive, how you help those in need and would go on and on about how you have been saved and are dedicating your life to spreading his word.   Our God in heaven would have no bad thing to say about you.  Why?  Because when you accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior you become spiritually reborn and began to live your life in completely different ways.  You became not just a creation of God but a child of God!  PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

THE HONORS WE OWE!

“For we don’t live for ourselves or die for ourselves.  If we live, it’s to honor the Lord.   And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord.”  Romans 14:7-8

When we were born, we began our repayment plan to God.  You and I were created to glorify our Lord.  We are to praise him, honor him and glorify him.  He created us to fellowship with and to enjoy.  In the beginning the devil enticed Eve, who in turn enticed Adam to disobey God.  He tricked them to believe that God was trying to deceive them so as to withhold power and wisdom from them.  They thought that the wisdom they would receive from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, would make them equal to God.  What they didn’t realize is that God was trying to protect them and keep them in the arms of love, patience and great hope. They were created to honor and have fellowship with God and not become his adversaries.  With the sacrifice of Jesus, we are able to once again be re-created by being spiritually re-born and begin to glorify God for who he is and what he does for us.  It is our responsibility to glorify and honor our God in heaven!  PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

TRANSFORMING OUR LIVES!

“But let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.  Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”  Romans 12:2

Due to the fact that we are all born into sin, it is necessary for each of us to be transformed in our lives, if we want eternal life with God.  There is no other way.  The Lord has provided us with all the tools necessary to be changed right before the eyes of the world.  He provided a final sacrifice, in the form of Jesus himself, so that as many who believe will be saved.  He has opened a window of opportunity for each of our generations to accept Jesus and live lives of love, patience, and strength.  This window is getting closer and closer to closing.  We must take this opportunity and run with it. It is wise on our part to take this chance and run as fast as we can from the evil that pursues us.  Jesus loves us or he would not have given his life for ours.  He provides this time of transformation so that we can live in eternity with our God in heaven.  Don’t let this opportunity slip by you. Reach out and take hold! Even if time looks like it is standing still, it is not.  The window of time is closing fast.  PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

WE ARE MADE FOR GOD’S GLORY!

” For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory.  All glory to him forever! ” Romans 11:36

Everything that is created comes from God.  All creation is intended for the glory of God.  All creatures, all things and all human beings are created to glorify our God in heaven.  It doesn’t always happen the way God has intended.  There are those who create problems for themselves, and in turn, those same problems create chaos for those around them.  There is the evil of the world that stands in the way of glorifying our God.  The evil in the world is the opposite of where our Lord wants us to be.  The lies, the chaos, the cheating and all other evils stand directly in the way of glorifying God.  It is a direct plan by the devil to desire and to fulfill the opposite of what God’s purpose is.  You and I should take every opportunity to glorify our Lord. He has given us life, love, understanding and wisdom so that we can give him the praise he is due.  Glorify him forever!  PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

USING GOD’S ERASER

“Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that will please the Spirit.”  Romans 8:5

Have you taken time to analyze your thoughts?  Just what is on your mind?  We may claim to be Christians but are we supporting that statement by our thoughts and actions?  Are we saying one thing but doing something completely different?  I believe a lot of us could probably say “yes” to that question.  Many will attend church on Sunday and then never think about God, until they go to church the following week.  When we begin to follow Christ, he begins to seep into our thoughts and actions.  We begin to desire to read his Word, pray as many times as we can find time, and live our lives that show others our beliefs.  Yes, we live in a world that gives us struggles and problems. And yes, we must deal with the obstacles that show up in our way.  However, instead of grumbling about them why not give them to Jesus and let him deal with them?   I have struggled with this for many years, and I continue to fight it.  I can be the first to tell you that this is easier said than done.  However, it becomes easier each time I do it.  If we practice it in our lives, then it becomes a part of us, and we begin to allow our Lord to rule in our lives and not the world around us. Maybe it is time to erase the world’s ways and to begin to live the Lord’s ways.  The Lord’s eraser consists of his Holy Word, Prayer, and Praise.  For as long as we live upon this earth our battles never end.  But we can be successful if we just erase the ways of the world in our minds and live our lives with the Lord in full control. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

TAKE NO EXITS!

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto you own understanding but in all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your paths.” Proverbs 5:5-6

As we continue our journey to heaven there are many exits along the way. It is important that we stay completely focused on Jesus as we take our walk with him. If we make any sharp turns along the way we could find ourselves lost or in some very bad situations. In these last days, the Word of God has been very clear, that even many of the elect will be tricked into following what the world will disguise as good. These ideas and thoughts are slowly introduced into our society, and they slowly become a part of our life. It is imperative that we stay in God’s Word. It is important that we know what God has in store for this world. Our focus must stay on Jesus, and the way we do that is by reading the bible, meditating upon its content, and praying. If we do these things, we will be able to know right from wrong, even if the wrong seems right. We are to trust God. We are to lean on him for our advice and our truths. In everything we do we are to do it with Him in mind. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

MONEY IS MONEY AND PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE—-RICH OR POOR, IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE!

“For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and every kind of evil.” James 3:16

There have been many times that I have wondered just why there are those in the world that have all the money they need to buy whatever they want, and then there are those who have nothing.  They scrape just to find water that is safe to drink and food that is so scare that many of these people are mere skin and bones.  It just doesn’t seem right.  I have asked God on many occasions to show me why things are like this. He reminds me that the devil and his army are trying very hard to kill families and individuals.  He is the one who attempts to break up goodness with sickness and disease.  He is the one who attempts to break up families with divorce and other problems.  He also reminds me that we each have our own cross to bear.  We each have bridges to cross and mountains to climb. He reminds me that he loves both rich and poor, people that are good, and those who hate him.  He gives us all the same opportunities with his message and his promises.  He has given us all the ability to know and love Jesus. It does not matter just how much one has or doesn’t have.  What matters is that each individual born into this world has a mission.  We all have a calling.  Some of us have been called work in the deepest and darkest corners of the world while others have been placed in the middle of the richest.  Some of us have been born into well-adjusted families while others are born into families of drug abuse, alcohol use and many other abuses.  Wherever we are in life we are to live in the situations we find ourselves in. Some will make it, and some will not as we are to depend upon him to get us through the toughest of times.  We must look to him for guidance and self-esteem.  He is our father! He is Savior! He is our guide through life, no matter if we are poor, rich, healthy, with family or without family.  It is He who is our saving grace. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

BAD ATTITUDES LEAD TO BAD DECISIONS

“Then all the people began weeping aloud, and they cried all night.  Their voices rose in a great chorus of complaint against Moses and Aaron. ‘ We wish we had died in Egypt, or even here in the wilderness’, they wailed.  ‘ Why is the Lord taking us to this country only to have us die in battle? Our wives and littles ones will be carried off as slaves! Let’s get out of here and return to Egypt!’ Then they plotted among themselves, ‘ Let’s choose a leader and go back to Egypt.’”  Numbers 14: 1-4

Being short sighted about trouble is a terrible mistake.   Troubles occur for many reasons, but we must remember; “that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.” Romans 8:28.   It is important that we talk to the Lord about our troubles, as he will help us to calmly see the problem with a clearer view.  He will remind us that there is a larger plan in place, and we are seeing only a very small piece of the plan playing out in our lives.  The next time you are involved in an argument, take a step away and pray.  Pray specifically for the problem at hand.  Be honest and let him know exactly how you feel.  It doesn’t matter that he already knows our feelings, he wants to hear it from us!  We should admit our faults and weaknesses and look at the problem through his eyes.  It is time to stop feeling sorry for ourselves and to stop complaining.  Instead stand up and understand that you and I have the ability, through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to do all things.  There is nothing we cannot do.  However, we must include God in our plans so that he can help us and guide us along. We must be patient and wait for his answers.  He will and does answer.  Anger and misguided words do nothing more than build and make the existing problems even larger.  We must remember the words of Isaiah 40:31, “But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.  They will soar high on wings like eagles.  They will run and not grow weary.  They will walk and not faint.”  PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

FROM LIVING THE LAW TO LIVING IN THE SPIRIT

“ Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit.”  Romans 7:6

Living by the law set forth by God turned out to be very hard.  As sinful creatures it is hard to stay perfect according to the letter of His law. There were struggles to uphold it which led to sin and repentance. The law was a covenant between God and the Israel which offered blessings and guidance, while also revealing many limitations of human nature.  The law provided social and moral guidance showing them how to live with each other and how to conduct their society.  However, the Lord gave a new way to become obedient to God, the Holy Spirit.

 Living in the Spirit is an active pursuit of obedience to God with spiritual growth and a rejection of sin.  Living in the Spirit is being led by the Spirit, surrendering to His guidance, and aligning one’s life with his will.  The fruits that we produce are those of love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  In essence, living in the Spirit is about aligning one’s life with God’s will, through the Holy Spirit’s guidance and power, leading to a life of obedience, holiness, and spiritual fruitfulness.  PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

WALKING IN THE LIGHT OF HIS LOVE!

“Let my soul rest again, for the Lord has been good to me.  He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.  And so, I walk in the Lord’s presence as I live on earth.”  Paslm 116: 7-9

We can complicate our lives so easily.  I used to try very hard to live my life through my emotions.  I suddenly found that this was not the most effective way to live.  My emotions took me on a wild ride every day.  I would go from sadness to gladness in a moment’s notice.  I would be happy and then suddenly be angered by things going on around me.  Emotions are affected by the things happening around us and they are easily swayed. If we try to live though them, we will become very unpredictable.  We may show kindness to someone on one day but the next we may show disregard and speak unpleasantries.  Emotions give us a wild ride with all of the ups and downs they provide.  I found that we were not created to live on our feelings because feelings change.  What positive I did find is the Lord Jesus. His ways do not change. I found that with his saving grace he allows me to converse with him through prayer.  He allows me the assurance of eternal life and a seamless transfer from this life to the next.  He keeps me on solid ground when I am lonely, angry, sad, or happy.  His Word gives me the information I need to stay in complete obedience with Him.  It is by his grace that I am able to walk in his light, the light of his love.  It is His light that reflects from us to others and allows us to be able to reach out to them in their time of conflict. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

PLEASE, PARDON ME!

” Though our hearts are filled with sins, you forgive them all.” Psalm 65:3

To be pardoned is to be officially forgiven for a crime or an offense by a governing authority. This forgiveness releases the individual from any remaining punishment and restores them back into good graces. There is no greater authority than the God who created the heavens and the earth. It is sometimes hard to understand just what happened when Jesus was sent to this world to die for our sins. He took upon himself all of the sins that each of us have and he paid the price that was required for a complete and unconditional pardon. We all have the opportunity to have a pardon from our God. However, it does come with a sacrifice from us. We must accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior and believe. The pardon that we receive will immediately release us from any upcoming prison sentence. Instead of being sentenced to hell we are given the opportunity to live eternally with our God in heaven. All of our rights with our Lord are restored and our sins are forgotten, to never be revisited. If you have not been pardoned, then it is time to have a visit with Jesus. Ask him to come into your heart, accept him and believe! Your pardon is waiting on you. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

WORSHIP IN HIS PRESENCE

“You must worship no other gods, for the Lord, whose very name is Jealous, is a God who is jealous about his relationship with you.”  Exodus 34:14

“Honor the Lord, you heavenly beings, honor the Lord with his Glory and strength.”  Psalm 29:1

” Honor the Lord for the glory of his name. Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.” Psalm 29:2

“Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and praise God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe.” Hebrews 12:28

Just what is worship?  What are we supposed to accomplish in worship? Just how do we worship? These are all legitimate questions that should be asked and answered.  Worship is a very personal action.  It is one that God takes seriously and one that we should also take seriously.

God makes it clear that we are to submit to Him and revere Him.  Worship involves acknowledging the majesty and holiness of our Lord, and the actions we take should show our submission.  Our God is a jealous God.  He gives each of us a free will in what we worship, who we worship and how we worship.  If we decide to worship our God, then we can be assured that he will not let us go.  He will be with us and give us the tools we need to survive.  It is important that we take the time to worship him by thanking him for his gifts and promises.  His love for each of us is everlasting.  Our love for Him should also be everlasting.  Our praises and thanks are never enough for what he has done and continues to do for us.  So, before your next prayer, take some time to glorify Him.  Praise his name and honor Him by thanking Him for all he does.  PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

THE GREATEST GIFT WITH NO RETURNS!

“If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.” Luke 11:13

I remember when I was a child I would always ask for something huge when my birthday would roll around. I always had high hopes that I would receive these gifts, but I also knew that money was always a factor, so my high hopes were always brought back to earth. However, my parents always tried hard to get the best gifts they could for all their children. Our God is a loving God, and he tells us in Luke 11:13 that if we ask, we will receive the Holy Spirit. He is willing to give us the greatest gift possible if we just ask. With the Holy Spirit we will have a guide in our life. Our guide will show us the way along the path during our travels. He will help us to better understand the ways of our God. He will provide us with wisdom so that we can conquer and overcome the obstacles in our lives. There are no returns. Our God is not that kind of God. He loves his children and does everything to keep them safe and to keep their lives on this earth successful. I cannot understand why anyone, who has received from the Lord, would ever want to return a gift, especially the gift of the Holy Spirit. He has no restraints in his giving, and we should receive our gifts with praise and thanksgiving. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

OUR SILENT PROTECTOR

“ The Lord says, ‘I will rescue those who love me.  I will protect those who trust in my name,’ “Psalm 91:14

Protection comes in many forms. You and I protect our pets, our homes, our children, our spouses and most everything we own.  God is our silent protector.  He is always by our side when we need him. It is his promise that he will protect those who love him.  He promises he will protect those who trust him.  When I accepted Christ, I soon found that the hardest thing I had to overcome was transitioning from trusting in the world to trusting in my God.  Trusting in the world came easy because that is how we are taught.  We are told that if we physically see something and touch something, then it is trustworthy.  With our God in heaven trust is truly trusting.  We are not able to physically feel, hear, or taste what is promised.  It is by faith that we trust in God.  It is by faith that we trust our God to protect us.  He is not yelling, poking or in any way trying to make us trust in him. He is our silent protector.  He wants us to be dedicated to his ways.  He wants us to trust in him because we know his promises are true and real and not because we are being forced to believe. We must understand that he is faithful and trustworthy.  We must practice our faith to make it strong and real in our lives.  Just as we learned to trust in the world, we must be able to transition to trust in God.  It takes patience, practice and prayer.  It takes giving God the glory he deserves and living our lives in the Spirit and not trying to do our own thing. Our Lord is always by our side.  He lives within us, guides us, strengthens us and promises us his protection.   PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

GIVE YOUR ALL FOR THE GLORY OF GOD!

“So, use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.” Romans 6:13

It is important to glorify our Lord. When worshipping we are to pray, praise, speak his word to others and live a life that represents him. These are all things that should be accomplished when we are giving glory to our God.  When we praise him, we should do so with honor and grace.  He is our Lord and Savior, and he deserves all that we can say and do with love and all the effort and excitement we can muster.  Praise him with words of praise and in song.  It doesn’t matter whether you can carry a tune or not, he wants to hear your voice.  When you pray to him, pray with confidence and with love.  Let him know what you need and leave your request with him.  Trust him for his answers. Never allow doubt to enter into your prayer life as it will destroy all that it comes in contact with.  Make a point to tell others about Jesus.  Do it with love and with a peace in your heart. Never argue your point but present it with support, the truth will always win out. How we live our lives should reflect our belief in our Lord.  It should show others the salvation we have received and the confidence we have in Him.  Our lives may very well be a bible to someone else.  We are to use our whole being in glorifying God.  Our works, our words, our prayers, and our songs, all of which, of who we are and what we are made of.  Jesus is Lord! Let us all glorify Him with every part of our body!  THE LORD PRAISE IN ALL THINGS! 

THE WORKINGS OF THE HOLY SPIRT- 7- HE IS INVOLVED IN SALVATION

“He saved us not because of the good things we did, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins and gave us new life through the Holy Spirit.” Titus 3:5

After we have received the Lord as our Savior, God tells us that he sends the Holy Spirit to live within us. Galatians 4:6 tells us, ” And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying ‘Abba Father!’ ” When the Holy Spirit lives within us He develops a deep and personal indwelling. We begin to reflect his standards in our lives and our actions come from love. We begin to lose fear and develop faith. We are better able to understand the ways of God. We better understand that our purpose is to spread the salvation message. We begin to show within our own lives how we depend upon God to direct us and control our ways. Our focus is on God and our lives in the world become secondary. When God takes up residence in us, we are totally aware of his actions and his abilities, which far exceed anything we could even imagine in the world in which we live. The Holy Spirit continues to remind us of God’s power and strength and just how much he loves us. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

THE WORKINGS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT – 6- HE OPENS OUR SPIRITUAL EYES.

“But we know these things because God has revealed them to us by his Spirit, and his Spirit searches out everything and shows us even God’s deep secrets.”  1 Corinthians 2:10

As we open the Word of God each day there are things within its pages that we may not clearly understand.  Without the Holy Spirit we would never be able to obtain the understanding that he provides us.  It is through the Holy Spirit that God allows his wisdom and thoughts to be better understood.  We must, however, understand that this understanding does not come to us magically.  Our God is not into magic.  He is into truth and the deliverance of his mighty promises for our lives.  He is into compassion, love, salvation, healing and forgiveness.  It is important for us to communicate our thoughts and needs to him through prayer.  If we want to better understand what He is telling us we need to pray those desires.  It is then up to us to carefully listen to the Holy Spirit for the answers he gives.  The Holy Spirit brings a closeness to God that we have never experienced before.  He is able to help us to see God’s ways and to understand his word.  He is able to bring God’s love into our being as he lives in each of us. It is through the precious Holy Spirit that everything is thoroughly searched and shown to us.  It is through the third person of the Holy Spirit that our spiritual eyes are opened, and we are able live our lives hand in hand with our Father in heaven. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

THE WORKINGS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT- 5- HE SANCTIFIES US

“I bring you the Good News and offer you up as a fragrant sacrifice to God so that you might be pure and pleasing to him by the Holy Spirit.”  Romans 15:16

When the Holy Spirit moves in, he begins to help us clean our house.  He helps us to get rid of our bad habits.  He helps us kick out the things that draw us down in life.  He replaces sadness with gladness and fear with faith.  He points us in the correct direction with the final step being to enter the Kingdom. The Holy Spirit prepares us for that important moment when we meet Jesus’ face to face. We must be attentive and listen carefully to his words.  The Holy Spirit is our leader, our protector, our guide and our preparation for eternal life.  PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!  

THE WORKINGS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT-4- HE LIVES WITHIN US

“The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you.” Romans 8:11

Wow!  What a powerful thing, to have the Holy Spirit to live within us.  There was a time in my life when I smoked a lot. Before I quit, I was smoking up to three packages a day.  When I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I began to read the bible consistently and Romans 8: 11 stood out to me.  I fought hard to come up with reasons to continue smoking but the one thing that started me on the path to a non-smoker was this scripture.  If the Holy Spirit was residing within me then I was subject to keep it clean in his presence.  The same principle applies to our language, our eating habits and anything else that deals with our bodies.  The Holy Spirit resides within us to help in our lives and give us the strengths we need in order to overcome our weaknesses.  It is important that we sweep our house clean each day and keep the Holy Spirit’s presence a pleasant one. PRAISE THE LORD I ALL THINGS!

UNDERSTANDING AND RECEIVING THE GRACE OF OUR GOD IN HEAVEN

There should be no doubt that God is gracious.  Throughout the scriptures we are given examples of his wonderful deeds for those who were in great need.  We should  understand that our God is one who loves beyond our understanding.  The grace that he bestowed upon each of us included the sacrifice of his only Son, Jesus Christ.   The grace of God includes his extension of kindness and his assistance to each of us.  His grace is not because we deserve it but because of His and character and free will.  God’s grace is intertwined with salvation. Salvation is offered through the death of Jesus and is an act God’s great character.  He loves us and wants us to be saved, healed, and forgiven. It is up to us to get to know him on a more personal level and begin to trust him for who he is and for all of the love he has for each of us.  The bible tells us that if we pray to him, he will answer.  He is always faithful, and you and I should be always faithful in our relationship with him. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

THE ROLLER COASTER AND JESUS

” Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me.  All day long I put my hope in you.”  Psalm 25:5

Have you ever gone to an amusement park and rode a roller coaster?  If you have, then you know the ups and downs and the twists and turns you will go through.  Life is much like a roller coaster. There will be twists in the road and decisions to be made.  There will be large hills to climb with much effort to be had. It is in those times that we may need help.  Jesus is that help. He is the one who is our safety net.  He will give us the assurance that if we fail, he will be there to catch us.  He will always show us the way.  He will help to straighten out the twists in the path and make the hills a little easier to climb.  We must be able to reach out to Jesus in a moment’s notice.  Jesus is the one who saves us!  There is no other. Life is a roller coaster.  when things go off the rails we need help and that help is Jesus! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

THE WORKING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT-3- HE EMPOWERS US

“But when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will receive power and tell people about me everywhere- in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, and to the ends of the earth.”  Acts 1:8

As the Holy spirit encompasses our lives, He gives us power to work on God’s behalf. When we are empowered by the Holy Spirit, he helps to take away fear, doubt and worry by giving us confidence, strength and wisdom.  He helps us in truth and allows us to discern God’s will and gives us the strength to live in accordance with His principles.  He emboldens us to stand firm in our faith, resist temptations, and to boldly proclaim the bible.  He gives us the confidence, strength and desire to witness on behalf of Jesus, sharing his salvation message.  He cultivates the power of joy, love and peace within us.  In essence, he helps us to grow in maturity in Christ Jesus and his holiness. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

THE WORKINGS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT-2- OUR GUIDE

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth.” John 16:13

The Holy Spirit is the guide that helps us through life.  He is with us in our ups and downs.  As we listen carefully, he will lead us in all of the truths of Jesus.  We will reflect his nature to others.  Our lives will outwardly align with God’s character as we display all of his ways and teachings.  The Holy Spirit helps us to stay focused as he guides us through our struggles and helps us to represent our Lord in our good times as well.  He takes us to places within God’s foundation that we have long forgotten.  If we just listen and be doers of his word, our guide will show us all of the ways of God and keep us on the same page.  PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

THE WORKINGS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT- 1- OUR TEACHER

The next few days we will be reading and learning about the powerful workings of the Holy Spirit. We will take one step at a time, so each day, for the next seven days, will be concentrated on one subject.

The Holy Spirit teaches us. He is a constant reminder of the things taught by Jesus. John 14:26 tells us: “But when the Father sends the Counselor as my representative- and by Counselor, I mean the Holy Spirit- he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I myself have told you.” We are always learning. The Holy Spirit has been sent to remind us through his teaching of the things that Jesus himself has taught us. When we get into trouble he will remind of the actions that Jesus wants us to take. It is wise to listen very carefully as we are constantly reminded of the ways of God. Just as being in a classroom we are to stay focused, listen and be doers. He continually teaches us right from wrong and helps us along the path when our faith falters. His lesson plans will daily show us the way we are to think, talk, act and believe. It is with the strength of the Holy Spirit that you and I become stronger in the Lord. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

THE DECEPTION OF SATAN

“For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.” Matthew 24:24

” But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” 2 Timothy 3:1-5

The devil is considered to be the father of lies. His purpose is to deceive and hurt the people of the world. His tactics include:

  1. Disguising himself as an angel of light. He may appear to be the most loving person in the world but as he seems good, he is hiding his true evil intentions.
  2. He tempts the world with pleasures. He often portrays sin as pleasurable and good while enticing us into sin that can scar forever.
  3. He will minimize the seriousness of sin. He will accuse people of being unworthy of God’s grace.
  4. He will play on the weaknesses of individuals such as vanity, pride or desire for attention.
  5. He will use past mistakes to make us feel guilty and separate us from God.

The devil is real and must be taken seriously. He doesn’t look like the guy that is red, with a long tail, holding a pitchfork. He has integrated into the world in many different capacities. We must be careful and not fall for his many tricks and evil ways. We can see in today’s world that there are those who are lovers of pleasure and worship riches. We are seeing things happen that we cannot explain. We are seeing things happen in these current days that have not happened before. We must be alert, and we must be careful. We must be prepared with the shield of faith, the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness and the gospel of peace. We must keep our bibles beside us and read them often. We must remember that understanding and wisdom begin with knowing our God in heaven. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!