Friday, January 19, 2007

God looks at the Inner Man

Good Afternoon:

I just want to take time out this day to thank God for the wonderful gift that my husband and I are about to receive. At my doctor's appt. yesterday, I was notified that we will be inducing to birth our first child, Angelina. I can't tell how happy we both are. Children are a blessing, and she will no doubt be a very wonderful blessing to us.

Well, we are all saved, sanctified and set apart for the glory of God this day. I know that you are continuing in your new found walk and relationship with your Lord, Jesus Christ. Because we have been bought with life so precious, we know that God loves us - He loves us unconditionally. I Samuel 16: 7 that the Lord doesn't make decisions the way the we do. People judge by the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at a person heart - their thoughts and intentions. God knows that when you said the sinner's prayer that you were sincere in your asking Him to be Lord over/in your life. You now belong to Him. God doesn't look at the color of your skin, how tall you are or whether we are fat or skinny. He loves us just the way we are today. You might say 'Hey, I got some things in my life that are not right in my life; surely the Lord couldn't love me'. Oh but He does! He knew when you ask Him to be Lord of life that you had some things going on in your life. He knows that some of these things are not going to go away over or in a week or month. This walk that we walk, our salvation, is a process. We will always have things that we will have to deal with. Once we deal with one area of our life, God will have us deal with another. Though we might never reach perfection here on earth, we must strive to more like Him. Now that you belong to Him, you can ask for forgiveness and it shall be granted unto you. You can boldly enter the throne room and take that "thing" and lay it at the alter. We as His children can roll all of our cares over on Him for He cares for us. God loves each and everyone of us, and He is glad that we have made the choice to make Him Lord!

Did you put your armor on today!

Be Encouraged Today!!!

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Putting on the Armor of the Lord

Good Morning!

The Lord is great and greatly to be praised! Don't forget to praise the Lord today for He alone is worthy of our praise.

I want to talk about putting on the whole armor of the Lord today. I know we've talked about this before, but I want to revisit this. I want to make sure that this is something you're doing everyday. I want this to be like getting up in the morning and brushing your teeth (hopefully this is something you're doing every morning). This should be an everyday thing. We need to be protected from the tricks of the enemy. Especially since we've rededicated ourselves to the Lord, and you've probably shared that with someone else - you have to understand that the devil is not happy about this. The Bible tells us that the devil comes immediately to steal, kill and destroy. He does not want you to have a relationship with the Father. He wants you to continue as you were; he wants you to think that everything is "ok". But we as children of the Most High God will not be ignorant of the enemies devices. I Peter 5:8,9 reads 'Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour. Take a firm stand against him, and be strong in your faith.

Ephesian 6:10-18 is where we find our weapons that the Lord has given us. It reads:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints praying for all the saint.

I've pray this everyday. I don't pray it in the order above, but this is how I pray. The Bible tells us to be specific in those things we pray for.

Father, I thank you for the weapons you've given me to fight against the wilds, the tricks of the enemy this day, today. I thank you and praise you for my helmet of salvation, for I am saved because I confessed with my mouth and believed in my heart that Jesus died for my sins, and was arisen on that third and glorious day. He is now seated at the right hand of the Father ever making intercession for me - thank you Jesus for praying for me. I thank you Father for my breastplate of righteousness for I am the righteousness in God through Christ Jesus. And because I am the righteousness of God through Christ Jesus, I can boldly enter the throne room of God and make my request known. Lord, I thank you and praise you for your Word, for your Word is the only truth that's in my life. And I gird my loins - the loins of my heart, my soul and my spirit about with that truth. I thank you and praise that my feet are shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace - every situation, every circumstance that I'll have to go through this day, today, I'll walk in it in peace; the peace that surpasses all understanding; the peace that only you can give. Lord, I thank you and praise you for my Shield of Faith that quenches every fiery dart of the enemy, and that covers me from the tip of my toes to all the way over my head, and as far wide as I am. I thank you Father that I have big faith; I have strong faith to bring in that which I need for me, my family and for others. I have Noah like faith; I have Abraham like faith; I have Moses like faith. I have faith enough even when the situation seems to be hopeless. Lord, I thank you and I praise you for my Sword of the Spirit which is your Word. Every time the devil tries to raise his head up and say anything contrary of who you Word says that I am, what I can do, and I what I can have; I begin to wield that mighty sword by speaking your Word. And the devil has to stop in his operations and cease in his maneuvers against me in the Name of Jesus I pray, Amen!

We are in a war, and everyday we fight battles! The enemy wishes to destroy you, but we have the protection of the Lord; He has given us weapons to stand against the enemy. Use these weapons; print the prayer out and pray it everyday as you would brush your teeth everyday! We are constantly being attacked and hit my the devil because we do not have our armor. Don't you know that the you have the helmet of salvation to protect you from the negative thoughts that will try to depress you. Put on you your helmet so that you want be hit by this. You helmet and your breastplate should remind you who you are and to whom you belong. But if you don't have these things on to remind you, are bombarded depression, oppression and fear. Once you know whose you are, you can walk in peace because you remembered to shod you feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Don't you see how important this is??? Everyday you must do this, and everyday I will ask have you put this armor on.

Did you put your armor on today????

Be Encouraged Today!!!!

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

The Reason for Salvation

Good Morning:

I am here to tell you this morning that God's Word is true. Things, situations and people will pass away, but God's Word will never pass away. It is the same today as it was yesterday just as He is.

I don't want to get off of salvation just yet. And I know what you must be saying 'I've heard this a thousand times; I've said the sinners prayer; I go to church and I pay my tithe.' These are things that we all should be doing. But I want to show you in the Word of God where it's says that unless you are born again, received Jesus as Lord, that you can never see the Kingdom of God (John 3:3). I also want to give you some scriptures to prepare you for when others would questions your christianity, your salvation. There are maybe friends and relatives that know the "old man" and do not realize that you have been "made new" in Christ Jesus. Not that you should argue with anyone, but we all should know what the Word says concerning our salvation - how else would we be able to show others the way. I think we need to be able to back up what we say by the Word of the Lord. It may be that you have heard these scriptures all your life, but never knew where they were - never taking the time out to search the scriptures. We have got to know the Word of God. I will continue to mention this. We have not because we ask not, and I believe that the reason we don't always ask is because we don't know what lines up with the Word of God - if it is the Will of the Father. By knowing His Word, we can confidently and boldly ask Him anything.

Jesus came to save the world - this is mentioned several times throughout the Bible (John 12:47 & I Timothy 1) Jesus came into the world to save the sinner. This was each of us at one time, but God through His mercy, grace and love gave us that greatest gift of all. I Timothy 2:4-6 reads 'God wants everyone to be saved an understand the truth. For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and people. He is the man Christ Jesus. He gave His life to purchase freedom for everyone. This everyone includes you and me, and our loved ones. I know you took the time to say the sinners prayer, and now there is no doubt concerning your salvation. It is important to know that there is only one way to be born again and that's through Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 2:1-10 reads 'Once you were dead, doomed forever because of your many sins. You use to live just like the rest of the world, full of sin, obeying Satan, the mighty prince of the power of the air. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passions and desires of our evil nature. We were born with an evil nature and we were under God's anger just like everyone. But God, is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so very much, that even while we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's special favor that you have been saved!) For He raised us from the dead along with Christ, and we are seated with Him in the heavenly realms - all because we are one with Christ Jesus. And so God can always point to us as example of the incredible wealth of His favor and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us through Christ Jesus. God saved you by His special favor when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.' So it's not some special deed that you have to do to receive the salvation of Jesus Christ. All you have to do is believe.

Acts 12 talks about the jailer of Paul and Silas. Paul and Silas were praying when a great earthquake came, and all the prisoners' cell doors where opened. The jailer was about to take his life because he thought the prisoner's had exscaped. The jailer asked "How can I be saved?" Paul responded by saying believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. When you said the sinners prayer, I know that you believed with your whole heart that Jesus really did die for your sins, and that He is not still in some tomb, but was raised on that third day and is now seated at the right hand of the Father. It isn't enough to have just said the sinners prayer, but you must also believe these things. The Word says to hold fast to the confession of your faith. You've confessed that Jesus is your Lord - now hold on tight to that confession and don't let the devil or anyone else tell you that you are not saved. You have been redeemed from the curse of the law - you are now the righteousness of God through Christ Jesus. You have been given authority over sickness and dealth (Jesus took the keys when He went to hell). You have authority over the situations in your life - begin to speak the Word of the Most High God over them. You now have right standing with the Father because you now belong to Him. Walk like it, Talk like it & Live like it!

Did you put your armor on today???

Be Encouraged Today!!!

Monday, January 15, 2007

God's Greatest Gift

Good Morning:

God is good and He is good all of the time. He is so good that He has given us the greatest gift of all, His son Jesus. The Word of God tells me in John 3: 16 that God so loved the world that He gave His only son, so that everyone that believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. He wants us to live in eternity with Him, and that we shall do.

This is what is on my heart this day. This is a new day, a new year for new beginnings. And I think that we should start it off right by putting our lives under the Blood of Jesus. I not going take for granted that we are all saved and covered by the Blood of the Lamb. But what I want to do today is for us to say the sinners prayer. This way there are no if's, and's or buts - no doubts - concerning our salvation with our Lord Jesus Christ. I want you to say, speak it loud enough for you to hear it, this prayer of salvation. There maybe some that don't know Jesus as Lord or may have loved ones that don't know Him. Or maybe you know Him, but have gotten out of His Will for your life and need to rededicate your life back unto Him. Jesus loves each and everyone of us today. Let us pray!

Heavenly Father:

I come to you this day acknowledging that I am a sinner, and have sinned against you and you alone. I ask that you forgive me of my sins; those things that are known and unknown; those things that have been done in deed, word or thought. I ask you right now to come into my heart. I confess right now that Jesus is Lord, and die for my sins. I believe that God raised Him from the dead, and He, Jesus, is now sitting at the right hand of the Father ever making intercession for me. I thank you Lord right now for being Lord of my life, and that I now have right standing with you, in Jesus' Name I pray, Amen!

This is not something that I made up or something that I heard someone say that sounded good. But this is what the Word of God says in the Bible. Romans 10:9,10 tells that by confessing with our mouth (speaking it aloud), and believing in our heart that Jesus die for us, and that God raised Him on that third, wonderful and glorious day that we can be saved (paraphrasing). It also Romans 5:6-11 says 'You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! 10For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

This is the very Word of God. Go and seek out this Word for yourself. Mark it in your Bible. Let it be the words that you pray when you're praying for that unsaved husband, wife, child or friend - that they may be reconciled back unto Christ. And if they don't believe you, then here is the very Word of God that says how they can be saved. Remember that when you pray, pray the Word of God. He is faithful that promises, but you have to know what those promises - and to know those promises, we have to know the Word of God.

Did you put your armor on today???? (We will revisit this very soon)

Be Encouraged Today!