Monday’s Blog: Sin Series “Envyâ€
This is the seventh message in my series on sin in the church. Last week, I talked about how our spirit is perfectly holy in Christ. When our soul (mind, will, and emotions) and spirit are in agreement, our body (flesh) will follow.
I’ve already talked about bringing our mind into agreement with our spirit. Now we are focusing on our emotions.
James 3:14-16 warns us:
But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom†does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
We may not realize that envy is linked to selfishness. To be envious is to be discontent with who we are and what we have (focusing on ourselves), and to be jealous of and covet what someone else has.
Selfishness always leads to discontentment, which leads to envy. When we focus on ourselves we break our fellowship with the Lord. Jesus fills us with everything we need. When we try to fill ourselves, we will be left in lack. Our lack will then cause us to envy and seek what others have.
In the Old Testament, the Lord’s people were left unfulfilled and in lack as they pursued their own will instead of God’s will. The Lord spoke to them through the prophet Haggai:
Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.â€
This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,†says the Lord. “You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?†declares the Lord Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house. Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the olive oil and everything else the ground produces, on people and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands.
Haggai 1:5-11
The King James and Amplified Versions define envy as “an evil eye†because it is not of God; it is of the devil (see James 3 above). Envy distorts our vision so we can’t see the truth. The devil takes what we can’t have (what is harmful to us) and makes it appealing in order to trap us. He did that in the Garden of Eden with Eve. The serpent (devil) pointed out the only fruit that was forbidden. “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it†(Genesis 3:6).
Proverbs 7:21-23 shows how deceptively appealing adultery is, and the trap it leads us into:
With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk. All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life.
The devil will also tempt us to envy what others have in order to prevent us from living out our calling. When my older brother and I were kids, my parents would hide eggs for us to find on Easter morning. My brother would follow behind me and then complain that I would get all the eggs. Every year, my parents would tell him to stop following me and find his own eggs. He would never listen and I’d always end up with more eggs than him.
I think we do the same thing in life. We see someone living out their calling, so we try to follow what they’re doing instead of seeking our own divine purpose. We are then left in lack while they are fulfilled. We complain at God and wonder why He’s blessing them more than us. But God is like my parents and telling us to stop following others and start following Him.
In my book “The LOVE Walk,†I shared how envy distorted the truth in my life for many years and kept me from my calling. When I started seeking God’s will, I found that most of the things I thought I had to have in the past, and was envious of in others, I didn’t even want. Envy blinds us of our true heart’s desires. It makes us think we need something that we don’t even want. Proverbs 14:30 says, “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.†Envy robs us of our life because it keeps us chasing after something we can never take hold of.
And I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
Ecclesiastes 4:4
I remember the freedom I felt when I finally laid down everything I was chasing after and gave my will over to God’s will. When I stopped wanting what others had, and started seeking His will, I became free to be me. By being content with what God has given me, He has been able to bring out His heart’s desires in me. I couldn’t see those desires when they were buried in a heart filled with selfish ambition and envy.
Let not your heart envy sinners: but BE YOU in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
Proverbs 23:17 (AKJV)
Heavenly Father,
We praise You that You have no favorites. You will never bless anyone more or less than You would bless us. Your promises are the same for all who will receive them. We praise You that You have gifted and called each of us to a divine purpose. Help us to seek Your will so that we can live out the calling You have marked out for us. We praise You that Your gifts and calling are irrevocable (Romans 11:29). We turn from our selfish pursuits and seek Your will and receive our calling.
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!
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*Come back next Monday as the “Sin Series†continues.
*All Bible verses are taken from the NIV, unless otherwise noted.
*If you haven’t received Christ into your heart, click on the “SALVATION†tab at the top of the website.
Posted in Monday's Blogs, Sin Series and tagged discontentment, Envy, fulfilled, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Selfish ambition, selfishness, Sin, sin series, unfulfilled by Amanda Beth with
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Monday’s Blog: Sin Series “Pride”
This is the fourth message in my series on the bondage of sin that is weighing down the body of Christ today. Last week, I talked about tolerating sin by allowing the world to be our teachers instead of Jesus.
James 4:4-10 warns:
You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.â€
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
The world is full of pride. It cannot submit to God’s authority. When we fall into pride we also can’t submit to His authority. The verse above exhorts: “purify your hearts, you double-minded.†To be double-minded means we believe in God but then we doubt His wisdom and authority.
James 1:5-8 explains:
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.Â
The reason we fall into doubt is because we submit too often to our carnal mind. Our carnal mind is defiled with unbelief. When we submit to it, it leads us in opposition to God’s will.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Romans 8:7, KJV
Our Spiritual mind is purified in Christ. When we submit to it, it leads us into God’s will.
For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
1 Corinthians 2:16, KJV
How many times do we seek God for His will on a matter, but then our minds start rolling through our own ideas of how to handle it? If we don’t cast down those carnal thoughts, and submit our minds to trust God’s authority, we will walk in opposition to His will.
I had a situation come up recently. I went to God with the matter, and I felt Him speak to me in my Spirit that I was to leave it in His hands and do nothing. Whenever God tells me to do nothing about something, I know right away it’s going to be a challenge for me. After submitting the situation to God, while waiting on Him to move, my mind continued to think about what I could do to help. Instead of casting down those thoughts, and praising God for coming to my defense and handling it, I submitted to my carnal mind and took the matter into my own hands. By the evening, the situation had spiraled into a huge mess. God humbled me and showed me how much grief could’ve been avoided had I listened to Him in the first place.
To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech. Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have understanding and power.
Proverbs 8:13-14
God has all the understanding and power. We don’t. So why would we not want to seek and accept His wisdom and His authority over our own? When the church operates in its own wisdom, it operates in opposition to God. God opposes the proud. Pride is what led to Satan’s destruction. Satan knows if he can tempt us to submit to our carnal mind, he can lead us to follow him to his destruction. I read a message recently that said “Satan promotes pride; it makes you like him (misery loves company).â€
God gives grace (power, strength and wisdom) to the humble. If we want to see change in the church we must humble ourselves before God. We as a body must be in unity of the spirit by each of us doing our part and operating in the mind of Christ. In everything we should seek and accept God’s wisdom over our own.
Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
Romans 12:16, KJV
May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 15:5-6
I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.
1 Corinthians 1:10
Finally, brothers, good-by. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.
2 Corinthians 13:11
Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
Philippians 1:27, NASB
Fulfill you my joy, that you be like minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
Philippians 2:2, KJV
I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.
Philippians 4:2, KJV
Finally, be all of one mind, having compassion one with another, love as brethren, be tender hearted, be courteous:
1 Peter 3:8, KJV
Heavenly Father,
We praise You for giving us the mind of Christ that we may know You and understanding Your will. As these verses above clearly show us, it is Your will that we operate in the mind of the Spirit. Help us keep our thoughts on You and cast down everything that is in opposition to Your will. We humble ourselves before You, and lay down our wisdom in exchange for Your wisdom, Your power, and Your authority. In Jesus name, we submit to You. Amen!
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*Come back next Monday as the “Sin Series†continues.
*All Bible verses are taken from the NIV, unless otherwise noted.
*If you’ve never accepted Christ as your Savior, please click on the “SALVATION†tab at the top of the website. Don’t wait another day!
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Posted in Monday's Blogs, Sin Series and tagged body of Christ, fear of the Lord, God, Holy Spirit, Humility, Jesus Christ, mind of Christ, one mind, Pride, reverence, Romans 12:16, Sin, the church, unity by Amanda Beth with
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Monday’s Blog: Sin Series “Tolerating Sinâ€
This is the third message in my series on sin in the church. Last week, I talked about not slandering our brothers and sisters who are caught in sin. I believe the reason many Christians are in bondage to sin is because we’ve tolerated sin by allowing the world to influence us.
Jesus said, “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher†(Luke 6:39-40).
We’ve allowed the blind to lead us. We’ve allowed the world to be our teachers. We’ve invited in their morals and viewpoints by listening to their music, and watching their movies, their televisions shows, and their news programs. We’ve invited in their wisdom by learning from their schools, their counselors, and their books. As a result, we’ve carried their viewpoints and morals into our churches, our ministries, our books, our music, and our movies.
“A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.â€
Galatians 5:9
God warned us not to conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2). To renew something, you take out the old and replace it with the new. We want the new but we’ve also been holding onto the old. We want God’s wisdom but still continue to seek the world’s wisdom.
The Bible says, “Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? … For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength (1 Corinthians 1:20,25).
I admit it’s not easy to be in this world and not be a part of it. I am just as guilty of allowing the world to influence me. I remember watching a movie with my husband once. When it was over I thought to myself, “What am I doing! I can’t believe I just sat for two hours and let the devil feed me his trash!â€
This is the devil’s world (Revelation 12:12). But God hasn’t left us here without help. He’s given us a way to escape the corruption of the world and to stop allowing it to influence us:
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
2 Peter 1:3-4
When my husband was a teenager he was invited to a Christian camp one summer. He wasn’t raised in the church so he hadn’t known much about God at the time. God touched his heart that summer at camp and he accepted Christ as his Savior. My husband said when Jesus came into his heart he instantly had an overwhelming desire to turn away from sin and do good. The reason wasn’t because he saw other Christians doing good. In fact, he was disappointed at the behavior of some of the boys at camp who smuggled in alcohol. My husband wanted to turn away from sin and do good because he was filled with Jesus. But after leaving camp, and not continuing to seek God and learn from Jesus (until years later), my husband’s desire to turn away from sin quickly faded.
Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey what I command†(John 14:15). I used to think this meant “If you love me, then you better obey what I command.†But it really means, “If you love me, you will have the desire and ability to obey what I command.â€
When we continue to seek Jesus with all our hearts, He fills us with His love so there’s no room to desire anything other than Him.
Ephesians 3:16-19 explains:
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
When my heart begins to desire the world, that’s my warning sign that I am not seeking God with all my heart. When God has our hearts, our desires will be for Him, and we’ll no longer desire the things of the world.
1 John 2:15 says, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.â€
Heavenly Father,
Jesus prayed: “I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified†(John 17:14-19).
We praise You for sending Jesus to rescue us from the corruption of this world caused by sin. Draw our hearts to You, fill us with Your Holy Spirit and renew our minds with Your Word. We praise You for protecting and sanctifying us through Your Word so that we can be a light to this dark world.
In Jesus we pray, Amen!
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*Come back next Monday as the “Sin Series†continues.
*All Bible verses are taken from the NIV, unless otherwise noted.
*If you’ve never accepted Christ as your Savior, please click on the “SALVATION†tab at the top of the website. Don’t wait another day!
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Posted in Monday's Blogs, Sin Series and tagged 1 John 2:15, bondage of sin, Consecrate, God, Holy Spirit, Renewing Your mind, Sanctify, Sin, Strongholds by Amanda Beth with
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Monday’s Blog: Sin Series “Keeping Our Lamps Full”
I feel led to start a series today on the topic of sin in the church. The bondage of sin that is weighing down the body of Christ today has been weighing heavy on my heart. This series will continue every Monday as the Holy Spirit leads. I hope to cover the most rampant sins in the church by exposing the dangers behind them, as well as the benefits of turning from them.
Before I focus on a specific sin next week, it’s important to understand why, with God’s help, we must actively turn away from sin once we learn the truth and receive Jesus’ atonement for our sins.
Hebrews 10:26-31 warns us:
If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,†and again, “The Lord will judge his people.†It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
We must not take God’s grace for granted and disregard Jesus’ atonement for our sins by continuing to choose darkness over light.
I saw a message someone posted recently that said: “Jesus is coming. Keep your lamps full!â€
It’s easy to get caught up in everyday life that we tend to forget that at any moment, without notice, Jesus will come like a thief in the night. When He comes we must be ready to stand before Him.
Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-3
We don’t want to be like the five foolish virgins Jesus warned us about who weren’t ready when the bridegroom appeared (Matthew 25). Jesus was talking about those who profess Him with their mouths, but not their hearts. We don’t want to hinder His light from coming into our hearts by walking in darkness. Our lamps must be lit and ready for His return.
“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
“At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
“Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’
“‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’
“But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
“Later the others also came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said. ‘Open the door for us!’
“But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
Matthew 25:1-13
Heavenly Father,
Your Word says that You are light. In You there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with You yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as You are in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, Your Son, purifies us from all sin (1John 1:5-7). Draw us near to You, purify our hearts and prepare us for the coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!
Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
Luke 12:35-40
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*If you’ve never accepted Christ as your Savior, please click on the “SALVATION†tab at the top of the website. Don’t wait another day!
*Come back next Monday as the series continues.
*All Bible verses are taken from the NIV, unless otherwise noted.
Posted in Monday's Blogs, Sin Series and tagged Christ's return, Coming of Christ, Holy Spirit, Jesus is Coming, Lamps full, Luke 12:25-40 by Amanda Beth with
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Preparing For Your Calling Series: “Be Faithfulâ€
In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
—2 Timothy 2:20
This is the last message in my series on preparing for your calling. Follow this link to read all the messages in this series. In the first message, I talked about following Jesus as He leads us into our calling. Today we end with following Jesus in our calling.
The third time Jesus appeared to His disciples after he rose from the dead, He commissioned Simon Peter to feed His sheep and told him, “I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.â€
Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!†(John 21:18-19).
Peter turned and saw John following them and asked, “Lord, what about him?â€
Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me†(John 21:21-22).
When God reveals to us our calling, we may not always like where He wants to lead us. We have to be careful that we don’t take our eyes off Jesus and start looking at and coveting someone else’s calling. We are one in Christ, but each of us has a different role. Each role is vital to support the body of Christ as a whole and help it grow.
From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
Ephesians 4:16
When we follow Jesus we have sufficient anointing to do His will. When we try to do what someone else is called to do, we step away from Jesus and His anointing, and do not bear any fruit to contribute to help the body of Christ grow.
I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
John 15:5
When God led me to start writing, I took my eyes off Jesus many times trying to do something I wasn’t called to do. Each time I tried to follow what someone else was doing or what others expected me to do, instead of following Jesus, it was a heavy burden that left me exhausted and produced no fruit.
While publishing my first book, I received many invitations to write, teach and mentor on marriage and parenting. Since my book was written to help marriages and families, it was expected that would be where I was called to minister. But after accepting a few invitations I quickly saw that the same anointing I had while writing the book was not with me in those other things. So I cancelled and turned down all the invitations and sought Jesus where He was leading me and where His anointing was with me.
Jesus said, “Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.â€
John 12:26
I was listening to Christian radio recently and a local vocal artist shared how God called her to the ministry. She encouraged her listeners to seek God for His will, write the vision down and stay the course, following Jesus every step of the way. This past weekend I prayed for God to show me His will where He was leading me next. I remembered the advice from the artist and started writing down anything the Holy Spirit revealed to me.
After I was finished, I was humbled by what God led me to write down. Majority was little things in my relationship with my husband and children, in my finances, and in my relationship with the Lord. At the end were just a few small writing assignments that God was leading me to finish. It was a humbling reminder that we don’t have to do something big to do our part in the body of Christ. We just need to follow Jesus and start where we are at, and not neglect being obedient in the little things.
He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
Luke 16:10, KJV
I want to encourage you to continue following Jesus. Write down the vision He’s given you. Whatever He calls you to do, don’t despise it. Do your best to be faithful where you are right now, and do your part to support the body of Christ and help it grow. As you are faithful with little, you will be faithful with more.
His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
Matthew 25:23
Heavenly Father,
I praise You for ministering to us through this series. Help me to follow Jesus and be obedient to You in my calling. Show me Your vision for me. Help me not to despise these small beginnings. I want to do my part in the body of Christ. I will be faithful and start right where I am at today. I praise You that Your anointing is with me enabling me to do everything You’ve called me to do.
In Jesus’ name, Amen!
Verses To Meditate On:
 Titus 3:14; 1 Timothy 4:12-16; Matthew 25:23
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Preparing For Your Calling Series: “From Defeat To Victoryâ€
In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
—2 Timothy 2:20
This is the ninth message in my series on preparing for your calling. Last week, I talked about God appointing Joseph to lead the Israelites out of the wilderness. After leaving the wilderness, the first place they camped at was Gilgal (Joshua 4:19).
Gilgal has two meanings. It’s Hebrew for “circle†and “wheel.†“Circle†symbolizes that God brought them full-circle. They would no longer have to go around the same mountain over and over again. “Wheel†symbolizes that God rolled away the reproach of Eqypt. They would no longer carry the shame and disgrace of their former captivity.
Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.†So the place has been called Gilgal to this day.
Joshua 5:9
I did a Bible study recently about believing God to bring us to our Gilgals. In the study, God showed me a few of my Gilgals where He brought me full-circle and rolled away my reproach. One Gilgal was in my marriage. My husband and I had marriage problems from the moment we said “I do.†We never wanted anyone to know because we were ashamed, so we kept it hidden for many years. We continued around the same mountain of defeat year after year. We never thought we’d see victory.
God was faithful and He worked through the years to heal our marriage. And in April 2009, He led me to write a book about it. It took me two and a half years to write the book. During those two and a half years, our marriage was tried even greater than in the past. A month before the book’s release our marriage hit a wall. We had to make a choice. Either we bust through it, or turn back in defeat and go back around the same mountain again. Instead of turning back, we pressed through it and God gave us victory!
God brought us full-circle and finally broke the cycle of defeat in our marriage. He not only took away the reproach and brought us victory, but He also produced seeds for us to sow into other marriages. The first six months of the book’s release, God provided for us to give away over 10,000 copies of the book! That’s 10,000 seeds God made possible for us to plant!
The LORD God of your fathers make you a thousand times so many more as ye are, and bless you, as he hath promised you!
Deuteronomy 1:11
We had to experience defeat first in order to experience victory. First Corinthians 15:36 says, “What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.†And Jesus said in John 12:24, “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.â€
What seeds would I have been able to sow had my marriage been alive and perfect all along? Sure it was painful to go through that trial. When something is dying, it hurts. But now that I’ve seen the miracle God’s worked in my marriage, and the seeds it’s producing, I wouldn’t change a thing. I am no longer ashamed to talk about my marriage problems. God has rolled away the reproach.
… The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power;
1 Corinthians 15:42-43
I want to encourage you not to despise the trials you’re going through as God’s leading you into your calling. Let God bring you full-circle to your Gilgals. He will give you victory, roll away the reproach and bring a harvest like nothing you’ve ever seen before. Then the reproach you once despised will be the seed you cherish the most!
Those who cry while they plant will joyfully sing while they harvest.
Psalm 126:5, GW
Heavenly Father,
I praise You for giving us victory in Christ! Bring us to our Gilgals, so we don’t have to go around the same mountain over and over again. Roll away our reproaches and turn them into seeds for us to plant, so You can produce a bountiful harvest in our lives and the lives of others.
In Jesus’ name, we praise You! Amen!
Verses To Meditate On:
1 Peter 4:12-13; James 5:7-11; 1 Peter 5:6-10
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Posted in Monday's Blogs, Preparing For Your Calling Series and tagged 2 Timothy 2:20, Defeat, Discipleship, Gilgal, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Reproach, Victory by Amanda Beth with
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Preparing For Your Calling Series: “Your Appointed Missionâ€
I recently found out those of you who signed up to receive email notifications haven’t been receiving them for several months. I’m so sorry. The problem has been fixed and you should now be receiving them every Monday.
For the last seven weeks I’ve been doing a series on preparing for your calling. If you missed any posts in this series, you can follow these links below:
Week 1: You Have A Calling
Week 2: Loving God More Than The World
Week 3: Emptying And Filling
Week 4: Single Minded
Week 5: God’s Blessings
Week 6: Believing Jesus’ Teachings
Week 7: Be Strong And Courageous
In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
—2 Timothy 2:20
Last week, I talked about being strong and courageous and keeping your confidence as you step into God’s calling. Today we will focus on the mission of our calling.
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.â€
Matthew 9:35-38
No matter what part of the field God sends us to, we are all given the same mission: to love, reach, feed and lead Jesus’ sheep until He returns. As Jesus stated above, I think the workers are few because too many Christians think they have to be a pastor or a preacher to reach and disciple people. God can use us to reach and minister to those in our neighborhoods. He can use us to reach and minister to our families. He can use us to reach and minister to those in our jobs, our communities, and even our churches.
I am a stay at home mom of four children. I didn’t have a platform or church pulpit to minister from when God called me. The first assignment God gave me was to borrow a women’s Bible study from my church and lead the study in my home. I sent invites to all my family and friends, and anyone I knew in my neighborhood and community. That one study grew and many more studies followed. For two and a half years, God used those studies to reach and disciple women of all ages and walks of life. Some didn’t know Christ. Some were just starting their walk with Christ. Others were mature in their walk with Christ. By simply opening my home each week, I was able to love, reach, feed and lead many of Jesus’ sheep.
Before God told Moses that Joshua was chosen to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land, Moses said to the LORD, “May the LORD, the God of the spirits of all mankind, appoint a man over this community to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.â€
Numbers 27:15-17
To prepare you to love, reach, feed and lead those in the community God appoints you, God first has to give you a heart of compassion. You can’t love without having compassion. And you can’t reach and minister to others without love.
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
Jesus has compassion and love for us because the Bible says that He is able to sympathize with our weaknesses. He has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin (Hebrews 4:15). In the same way, God uses our wilderness times to purify our hearts and soften them so that we would have compassion first for ourselves, and then for others.
We have to learn to be compassionate toward ourselves first because if we are hard on ourselves, we will be hard on others. I used to be extremely hard on myself. It affected all my relationships, especially my marriage. God opened my eyes to this when my husband expressed to me once: “I feel like you are always disappointed in me. I feel like I constantly let you down.†I couldn’t sympathize with his weaknesses because I hadn’t received God’s grace for my weaknesses.
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Hebrews 4:16
I want to encourage you today to receive God’s mercy for yourself so you can fulfill your calling to love, reach, feed and lead those in the community God appoints you.
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Timothy 1:12-17
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Prayer For The Week:
Heavenly Father,
We praise You for having mercy on us and forgiving all our sins. Cleanse our hearts and fill it with love and compassion for others. Appoint us to the community You need us most. Help us to love, reach, feed and lead Your sheep to Jesus, our good and faithful Shepherd.Â
In His name we pray, Amen!
Verses To Meditate On:
1 Timothy 1:5 (AMP version); Ephesians 4:1-16
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Posted in Monday's Blogs, Preparing For Your Calling Series and tagged 2 Timothy 2:20, compassion, Disciple, Discipleship, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, lost sheep, love, shepherd, Your Calling by Amanda Beth with
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Preparing For Your Calling Series: “Be Strong and Courageousâ€
In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
—2 Timothy 2:20
This is the seventh message in my series on preparing for your calling. Follow this link to read previous posts in this series. Last week, we saw that Joshua spent time pursuing God on his own, and God chose him to eventually lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. After the death of Moses, as God was preparing Joshua to cross the Jordan, He told Joshua:
“Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.â€
Joshua 1:1-9
God reminds Joshua to be strong and courageous. He then emphasizes to be strong and “very†courageous. Then a third time He “commands†him to be strong and courageous. As if that wasn’t enough, a few verses later the Israelites remind Joshua once again to be strong and courageous.
Then they answered Joshua, “Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be with you as he was with Moses. Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey your words, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous!â€
Joshua 1:16-18
Why all the reminders to be strong and courageous? Joshua had already been told a few chapters earlier. Why was it so important to continue reminding him?
Before Moses died, Moses encouraged the Israelites, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you†(Deuteronomy 31:6).
He then encouraged Joshua, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their forefathers to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged†(Deuteronomy 31:7-8).
Then the Lord commanded Joshua, “Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land I promised them on oath, and I myself will be with you†(Deuteronomy 31:23).
Each time Joshua and the Israelites were told to be strong and courageous, they were also reminded that God would be with them and would never leave them. The purpose of reminding them was to help them gain confidence to fight the battles that were ahead. Without confidence they would be quickly overtaken and wouldn’t accomplish God’s will.
God will often call us to do things that are beyond our own ability. It can be scary to do something that you know you have no power to do on your own. God tells us not to be afraid because He is with us, ready to help us succeed in His plan.
When the Sennacherib threatened Jerusalem, King Hezekiah told the people to: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.†And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.
2 Chronicles 32:6-8
When God called me to start writing, the first verse He told me to hold on to was Hebrews 10:35-36: “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.â€
Once reality kicked in, and I saw that I had no experience in writing, I became scared. As soon as I took my eyes off God and started focusing on my own ability, fear began settling in. For about a month, I couldn’t write anything. Every time I tried to write I was unable. I started questioning if I had made a mistake and God didn’t call me to write. I felt stuck. I didn’t know what to do.
One evening, I was watching a Bible study video. The message was on Hebrews 10:35. The preacher had a trash can next to her as she shared a story about losing her confidence early in ministry. As she tossed a piece of paper (that symbolized her confidence) in the trash, God opened my eyes and showed me that’s what I had done.
Immediately, I got out my laptop and started writing. Full of confidence in the Spirit, the words came pouring out of me like a flood. It was amazing. Once I had my confidence back that God was with me and helping me, His spirit was unhindered and able to work through me.
But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.
2 Chronicles 15:7
I hope this message encourages you to be strong and courageous. Don’t throw away your confidence that God is with you. Don’t focus on your inabilities. Focus on God’s abilities. And watch what His Spirit can do through you!
“But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.â€Â
Jeremiah 17:7-8
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Prayer For The Week:
Heavenly Father,
I praise You for always being with me. I know You will never call me to do anything that You won’t be there to help me accomplish. Thank you for giving me confidence in Your ability. I am not afraid. I know that I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. I am strong and very courageous!
In Jesus’ name, I praise You! Amen!
Verses To Meditate On:
1 Chronicles 22:11-13; 1 Chronicles 28:20; Proverbs 3:25-26
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Posted in Monday's Blogs, Preparing For Your Calling Series and tagged 2 Timothy 2:20, Courage, Courageous, Disciple, Discipleship, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Preparing For Your Calling by Amanda Beth with
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Preparing For Your Calling Series: “Believing Jesus’ Teachingsâ€
In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
—2 Timothy 2:20
This is the sixth message in my series on preparing for your calling. Follow this link to read previous posts in this series. Last week, I talked about receiving God’s blessings. Even though it’s nice to receive blessings from God, we can’t fulfill our calling if that is all we are seeking Him for.
In John 6, after Jesus fed the five thousand and crossed over the lake, the crowds were looking for Him and He answered, “I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.â€
Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?â€
Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.â€
So they asked him, “What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’â€
John 6:26-30
When we are more interested in what God can do for us than what He requires of us, we will not continue following Him and doing His will.
Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.â€
… On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?†Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe.â€
… From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
“You do not want to leave too, do you?†Jesus asked the Twelve.
Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.â€
John 6:35-40, 60-69
God’s will is not burdensome. God wants us to simply believe what He sent Jesus to teach us. I was talking to a woman once about Christianity. She said she felt that people just complicate it. She said we have to look at it as through a child’s eyes and just believe it. If Jesus says it, we need to believe it, no matter what.
Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it†(Mark 10:14).
When you tell a child something, they don’t normally try to reason it out. They simply believe what you say is true. We are to receive Jesus’ teachings the same way, with childlike faith.
Many Christians say they believe the Bible is true and they believe Jesus, but they only rely on what their pastor or minister teaches them. They don’t seek to dig deeper on their own and learn directly from Jesus.
The Israelites relied on Moses to teach them. But Joshua also sought God on his own as Exodus 33:7-11 explains, “Anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke with Moses. Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to his tent. The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.
God has used my pastor and many other people to minister to me through the years. But the greatest teachings and revelations I have received have come directly from Jesus. There is so much more that Jesus taught than what majority of the church is teaching today. If we are not willing to seek Him and fully believe what He taught us, then we will not fully live the calling God has planned for us.
Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.†Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
John 14:8-12
I don’t know too many Christians that are doing what Jesus did, let alone even greater things than He did. When I have seen teachings on some of the things Jesus did like healing, casting out demons, raising people from the dead, it’s often taken to the extreme and for flattery or financial gain. The devil will try to pervert anything that Jesus teaches to prevent us from believing and following it. That’s why we must seek Jesus for ourselves and continue believing what He says over what we see and hear from others.
Then Jesus cried out, “When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. When he looks at me, he sees the one who sent me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.
“As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it. There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day. For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.â€
John 12:44-50
Let us all join together in making a New Year’s resolution to seek Jesus and believe His teachings. I pray that 2013 would be a year of revelation and revival in the body of Christ as we stand together believing the One God sent to teach us His will.
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Prayer For The Week:
Heavenly Father,
I praise You for sending Jesus to teach us Your Word. Help me to study Jesus’ teachings so that I can learn Your will. Give me understanding and revelation of Your Word and help me believe. I pray also for the body of Christ to seek You with all their heart, mind, soul and strength. Bring a spiritual revival to us in 2013. Help us to walk in the footsteps of Jesus doing what He did, and even greater things, through the power of Your Holy Spirit in us.
In Jesus’ name I believe You! Amen!
Verses To Meditate On:
For this week, study Jesus’ teachings in any of the four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John).
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Posted in Monday's Blogs, Preparing For Your Calling Series and tagged Believing God, Discipleship, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Ministry by Amanda Beth with
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Preparing For Your Calling Series: “God’s Blessingsâ€
In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
—2 Timothy 2:20
This is the fifth message in my series on preparing for your calling. Follow this link to read previous posts in this series. Last week, I talked about renewing our minds to the mind of Christ. This week, we will focus our minds on God’s blessings. Thinking God wants us to continually suffer is a wrong mindset that can keep us from following God’s plan for our lives. When we see all the persecution and suffering Jesus and His disciples faced, we can often become fearful from following God’s will.
I read a message recently. A woman was complaining to God about her trials when she heard Him say, “Don’t give the devil glory. Give me the glory.†The devil throws a lot at us, but his attacks are nothing compared to all the glory and blessings God provides for those who follow Him with all their hearts.
I recently wrote a timeline of my life, detailing all the major events that took place from birth until now. As I was writing, I was amazed that God’s blessings were by far greater than the devil’s destructive influence in my life.
May the LORD, the God of your fathers, increase you a thousand times and bless you as he has promised!
Deuteronomy 1:11
The disciples understand that God’s power was so much greater than the devil’s. They were full of joy, despite the suffering they experienced because of the gospel. Paul said their light afflictions were momentary and nothing compared to the everlasting glory they would see (2 Corinthians 4:17).
Paul’s “light†afflictions were:
Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open seas, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.
2 Corinthians 11:24-28
Even though Paul faced hardships, the Lord not only rescued him from ALL of them (2 Timothy 3:11), but He also gave Paul “surpassingly great revelations†(2 Corinthians 12:7).
God’s blessings are greater than our trials. When I am starting to feel down in my spirit I will often ask God to bless me to remind me that He is greater. It helps take my attention away from my problems and keeps me looking expectantly to God. Just last week, I was starting to get down about my finances. My husband’s hours were cut short recently and our bills were higher. I asked God one morning to send us a blessing. Later that day, my husband received a note from his boss informing him that he would be receiving a bonus in his check. Then a couple days later, he was informed that he would also be receiving a pay raise.
If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
Matthew 7:11
In the two years it took me to write my first book I experience many trials and opposition. As it started to weigh down on me, I asked God to send me a special gift to refresh my spirit. Since my birthday was coming up, I asked Him to send me a message on my birthday through someone I didn’t know. I asked Him to answer a specific question and to give me confirmation that I was in His will and going in the right direction.
On my birthday, I was answering emails when I accepted a friend request on a social network from a man I didn’t know. I sent him a general thank you for adding me as a friend. He replied that he didn’t know how he found me, but when he sent me a request he strongly heard a message from the Lord that he was supposed to give to me. At first, I was a little skeptical, but as I read the message I knew right away it was from God. It was exactly what I had asked for. It was so personally directed to me that no one could have known except God.
Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?â€
John 11:40
I can sit here for days sharing all the wonderful blessings God has worked in my life. God is faithful, even when we don’t see it right away. I have prayed for years for God to answer a specific prayer about a person who is very dear to me. Just this past week, I have seen an amazing transformation take place in this loved one. Just when I’m about to lose hope and give up, God shows me how faithful He is. God’s glory is greater than we can ever imagine. No matter what trial you are experiencing today, give God the glory, not the devil. God who is in you is greater than the devil who is in the world (1 John 4:4)!
The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God. Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.â€
Isaiah 35:1-4
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Prayer For The Week:
Heavenly Father,
I praise You for Your faithfulness. You will never leave me or forsake me. Thank you for sending Jesus to redeem me. Pour out Your blessings and display Your glory in me. Keep my mind focused on You and not my trials. I look expectantly to You. I praise You that You will do above and beyond what I can ever imagine according to Your power working in me. I want to give You all the glory, not the devil!
In Jesus’ name I praise You! Amen!
Verses To Meditate On:
2 Corinthians 12:7-10; Romans 8:28-32
Have a blessed Christmas celebrating God’s greatest blessing to us, Jesus!!
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*Come back next Monday as the series continues.
*All Bible verses are taken from the NIV, unless otherwise noted.
Posted in Monday's Blogs, Preparing For Your Calling Series and tagged Blessings, Discipleship, God, God's blessings, Holy Spirit, Jesus by Amanda Beth with
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