Today's Word - October 27, 2009

Do You Trust in Him?

Psalm 37: 5, 39-40

Commit your way to the LORD,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.



But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;
He is their strength in the time of trouble.
And the LORD shall help them and deliver them;
He shall deliver them from the wicked,
And save them,
Because they trust in Him.
AMEN?

Sorry If I have to Repeat Myself...

On Wednesday, July 15, 2009, I posted a BLOG entry about Trusting in The Lord.

Well, something happened in Church this past Sunday that prompted me to share this message with all of you once again.

Did you ever attend a Sunday service where The Holy Spirit just falls on the place and takes over everything? Well-that happened this past Sunday.

Every prayer had a theme. Every testimony had a theme. Every Word from God had a theme. Jesus took me down a path that I could not help but follow while I was up at the altar praying with some brothers. I sense that The Lord was telling us not to fear, and to TRUST IN HIM!!! I shared this with the brothers I was praying with, and they received it as a personal Word from God!

This is why I wanted to share this Word again, for those who may not have had a chance to read it before.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

FROM A PREVIOUS BLOG ENTRY:

Today's Word-July 15, 2009 -Food for Thought...
Something to think about......If you are a born-again believer in Jesus Christ, then you obviously trust that when you close your eyes on this world, you will open them in Heaven. You believe and trust that Jesus will take you to heaven.Here's the important question:If you trust Jesus to get you to Heaven, why won't you trust Him with the cares and concerns of your daily life? Surely the One True God who can get you to Heaven can supply your every need. He can break chains of bondage, he can cure addictions, he can supply a need at the last minute-just when you've given up hope. He can give you peace, He can give you joy, He can fight the battles that you're in-It says so in God's Word!!! He can find you a job, he can heal the sick, and HE CAN RAISE THE DEAD!!!Is anyone else excited about Jesus???!!! I know I am!!!I'm curious to hear back from everyone on what they think about this.

I have just one question- DO YOU TRUST HIM?

But Lord-I need money! DO YOU TRUST HIM?

Lord, I need a job! DO YOU TRUST HIM?

But Lord, I can do this on my own-I don't want to bother you! DO YOU TRUST HIM?

Lord-I need to be delivered from drug addiction! DO YOU TRUST HIM?

Lord, I'm hooked on pornography! DO YOU TRUST HIM?

Lord-I'm coveting worldly things! DO YOU TRUST HIM?

But Lord, I'm confused-Oprah says that there's more than one way to get to heaven! DO YOU TRUST HIM?

Lord-I need to pass this exam! DO YOU TRUST HIM?

Lord-I've been in a trial that seems to have been going on forever! DO YOU TRUST HIM?

Lord-my family is not saved & going to heaven! DO YOU TRUST HIM?

Lord-I'm sick, and I need a healing-can't I just take some pills? DO YOU TRUST HIM?

But Lord-what do I do here? Should I step out in my flesh, or wait for You to guide me down the correct path? DO YOU TRUST HIM?

Can somebody please answer me: WHAT'S IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD?

Let me hear from you.

Ira

Forgiveness?

Matthew 6:14-15
For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

2 Corinthians 2:3-11
And I wrote this very thing to you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have joy, having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all. For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you. But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but all of you to some extent—not to be too severe. This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Ephesians 4:25-32
Therefore, putting away lying, “ Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.


I remember sitting on the couch in my living room about 4 years ago. It was a Sunday night, and I was reading my Bible-in Matthew chapter 6. I read those verses about forgiveness, and The Holy Spirit prompted me to stop and pray. I had some really bad things going on at work, and I had been holding grudges against several of my co-workers for what I thought were premeditated attacks against me. The Lord prompted me to stop, and pray for those people, and to forgive them for their offenses against me. These people weren't born-again, nor did they even realize what they were doing.

One-by-one, I began to pray for each of these individuals. The co-worker who had openly stabbed me in the back, the manager who blamed me for something that I didn't do, the Director who bad-mouthed me becuase I didn't think his idea was a good one-the list went on. Then a funny thing happened. As I neared the end of my "list" of people to forgive, I began to slow down. I planned to stop praying, and that would be the end of it.

Well, let me tell you-God had other plans! God spoke to me directly, and told me to forgive people who had wronged me during my life. I thought, that this would be over very quickly, but The Holy Spirit kept impressing on my heart-"ALL OF THEM-GO ALL THE WAY BACK"! God wanted me to go as far back as I could remember and forgive everyone who had ever done anything bad to me.

Well, this seemed like it was going to be interesting. I prayed for clarity, and to bring these things to rememberance. In a few minutes, I was taking a stroll down memory lane. I prayed for Paul, the neighborhood bully who used to beat me up and who stole my baseball cards, I prayed for some relatives, for my parents and family. I prayed for people in my teenage years who had gossiped about me, and who had made me feel inferior because I didn't like to do the same things that they did. I prayed for some of the bosses I had in various jobs. I prayed for some of the co-workers at these jobs who had committed "questionable" acts, and who had "stabbed me in the back". This kept going on, and on, and on. The next thing I know, I'm finishing my prayers (..."In Jesus' Name), and I looked at the clock. over 3 hours had passed! It seemed like 10 minutes!!! I actually felt lighter, and I felt un-burdened!

I am sure that God had to take me down this path because some of my un-forgiveness was really becoming an issue. I was losing sleep over certain situations, and I was really finding it hard to let certain things go. God took care of that.

Matthew 11:29-30 states that : "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." It states that if you cannot bear your burdens, then Jesus can take those from you!!!

In the beginning of this post, I quoted 3 very important scriptures that have to do with forgiveness. In a nutshell, they state that as Christ forgave you, you need to forgive your enemies. Think about that one-Jesus forgave your sins by offering Himself as a living sacrifice on the cross. If He did that, surely you can forgive someone else who sins against you!!!

It also states that by NOT forgiving a brother or sister who sinned against you, you let Satan gain a foothold in your life. The enemy wants you to be eaten alive by unforgiveness. He wants you to hold grudges against people and to allow strife into your relationships. He wants you to lose sleep, and to continually be bitter. If the enemy wins, then you will be walking in sin!!!

Brothers & Sisters-I know that you may harbor unforgiveness in your lives. Everyone does. I don't know the circumstances, but that is irrelevant at this point. God's Word states that you need to forgive those who sin against you. It doesn't matter what they did. It doesn't matter under what circumstances. It doesn't matter how many times. If God says to do it-we ALL need to do it!!!! Let's not let Satan gain a foothold in our lives! Let's not let the enemy have his way with us!

Here's something I would like to ask you to do. Think of all the people that have ever sinned against you, that have ever done wrong against you or your family. Get into your prayer closet, and ask Jesus for the grace & mercy for you to be able to do this. Think about all these people, and forgive them-one by one. Release them from the bondage of unforgiveness that you held against them. Pray that if you see these individuals again, that you would be granted the grace to forgive them in person. You will find that God may take you down a road that you did not think you were going. You may need to cast all your burdens on the great Burden-Bearer, Jesus!

Your prayer may go something like this: Jesus, I thank You that you are the bearer of my burdens. I thank You that I was forgiven for my sins by Your atoning death on the cross. I am asking for the grace and mercy to forgive people who have wronged me. Lord, I have unforgiveness in my heart against (person's name here). I forgive him/her. I release him/her from their offense against me (or my family), and I give it over to the Lord, Jesus Christ. Lord-please remove the burden of unforgiveness in this situation from me. Forgive me, Lord-In Jesus' Name. Repeat as many times as necessary.

I am sharing this because I feel that somebody out there in the body is suffering from unforgiveness. The Bible is explicit in how we are to behave in this circumstance. Read the 3 scripuurs at the beginning of this blog. Lay down your flesh. Lay down your pride, and lay down your burden. Trust me, it feels awesome!

Can somebody PLEASE shout AMEN???

HAVE THE OLD THINGS PASSED AWAY???

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

I have been thinking for some time about the transformation that happens when The Lord calls somebody into the Kingdom. The Bible clearly states that the old things are supposed to be gone, and we are supposed to be new creations (Paraphrased).

Here's my challenge to you. Have you REALLY let go of the old things? Have the things of this world become strangely dim? Is the world sucking you back into the clutches of sin?

I would be lying if I told you that I didn't find myself singing along with songs on the radio at work, or in someone elses car. I constantly have to check myself to see if my heart is right, and if I am focused on Christ. I'm human, as are all of you, but we need to be different than the people who are in the world. Jesus says that " ..by their fruits, you will know them" (Matthew 7:18-20).

If you need to repent, then now is the time. Just ask Jesus to forgive you for taking your eyes off of him, and for seeking the things of this world.

Here's something that The Lord has been speaking to me about for a few weeks now. I hope this speaks to you. This speaks of my old life, and my new one in Christ.


Before Christ I was looking for my “Stairway to Heaven”
Now, I’m believing for my “Mansion in Heaven” (John 14:2-4)

Before Christ, I was on a “Highway to Hell”
Now, I’m on the “Highway to Holiness” (Isaiah 35:8)

Before Christ, I was looking for a “Revolution”
Now, I’m studying “Revelation”.

Before Christ, I was “Blinded by The light”.
Now, I’m serving “The Light of The World” (John 8:12, John 9:5)

Before Christ, I couldn’t get any “Satisfaction”
Now, The Lord “Satisfies my soul”. (Isaiah 58:11)

Before Christ, I came to a stop at the “Crossroads”.
Now, Jesus guides me down the path He has set before me. (Psalm 23:3, Psalm 44:18, Psalm 119:35)

Before Christ, somebody kept asking me: “Can’t you hear me knocking?”
Now, I know it’s Jesus- who says “Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20)

Before Christ, I kept “Wishing I was HERE”, wherever “HERE” was…
Now, I wish I was somewhere else! (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)

Before Christ, I thought I was a “Free Bird”.
Now, I am “Free in Christ”. (Romans 8:1-8)* (READ THE WHOLE SECTION)*

Before Christ, I was trying to figure out what it would feel like spending “30 Days in a Hole”
Now, I’m grateful that Jesus spent 3 days in a hole (tomb), and rose on the 3rd day!!!! (Matthew 28:1-8)

Before Christ, I used to follow The Grateful Dead.
Now, I follow The Way, The Truth, and The Life (John 14:6) and I’m grateful for the promise of ETERNAL LIFE!!!

I'm speaking to the people who profess to know Jesus Christ: We need to walk in the Light! There is nothing but darkness in the world, and according to God's Word, light CANNOT exist with darkness. 1 John states that Jesus is The Light! Let's let the Light shine through us so the world can see Him! Let go of the things of this world, and seek after Jesus Christ

Can somebody PLEEEEAASSEE shout AMEN?!!!