My Lord and My God!

 

Hi!
My People,

Thank you for being here. Sorry! The posts for the month of September-will be on Sundays. Hope to have you visit. Thank you.

With all my Love,

For Love Prevails!

AnitA.

If you truly love someone, you will find your way to them. No matter how crowded the world may be, love is the lighthouse that leads you home.

Every body wants to be loved. It’s our innermost longing. It’s what the heart desires. It’s what the heart knows and understands.

If ever you feel unloved, because I know there are moments like that, and those moments can feel like a long walk through a tunnel.

You feel that ache in your heart. You feel that emptiness. It never seems to vanish. You pray long. And it seems to have been a very long time, you think.

You watch people you know and care about leave and it hurts.  

You watch people treat each other the way they shouldn’t. But who is to say?

You love someone with all your heart. He or she becomes your whole world. Just imagine for a moment, that they are far away. And you haven’t seen them for quiet some time. At this very moment, what do you feel?

Can I say that you have an intense ache in your heart? You would give anything in the world to hear their voice. That when you feel the breeze move around you, when you hear the raindrops, that everything in nature makes you want them to be near you. What would you give for that moment?

Everything on earth is so splendid when the one you love is with you, isn’t it?

Love is like that-it removes the emptiness-it fills your heart with gladness.

People say-that there are many fish in the sea. I don’t disagree. But aren’t fish for eating? Okay so I can’t tell a joke.

But seriously speaking-I believe-that you love and when you do-it is now and forever. It’s the way it’s meant to be. Faithful to the one you love. I don’t want to know any other way.

That’s the way it is – when we look at the whole picture. When you love someone deeply-you know how it feels? That’s the way God feels about you. He loves you so much. HE waits for you. Will you keep Him waiting?

HE is faithful. True that the Earth (the habitation of 7 billion and counting-people) from space could just-be a dot. But that is another mans point of view. To God Earth will always be Earth-the home of His people. It will never be replaced. To God you my friend are irreplaceable.

Always remember that-there will never be another you. He is the Almighty. Faithful is His name.

Surrender means giving back to Jesus the life He granted you. It’s relinquishing control, rights, all the things you do and say. It’s totally resigning your life over to His hands, to do with as He pleases.

Jesus himself lived a surrendered life: “I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me” John 6:38. Christ never did anything on his own. He made no move and spoke no word without being instructed by the Father. Jesus’ full surrender to the Father is an example of how we all should live. You may say, “Jesus was God in flesh. His life was surrendered before he even came to earth.”

“Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again” John 10:17–18.

Jesus was telling us, The act of self-surrender is totally within my power to do. I’m choosing to lay down my life. Nobody’s taking my life from me. My Father gave me the right and the privilege to lay down my life. He also gave me the choice to pass up this cup and avoid the cross. But I choose to do it, out of love and full surrender to Him.

Our heavenly Father has given all of us this same right-the privilege to choose a surrendered life.

Living victoriously means to surrender ones will in total obedience.

I have been crucified with Christ . . . Galatians 2:20

The first thing we must surrender is all of our deceit. The Spirit of God will show us what we need to surrender next. We will have to give up our claims to our rights to ourselves.

We will suffer a sharp painful disillusionment before we fully surrender. When people really see themselves as the Lord sees them, it is not the terribly offensive sins of the flesh that shock them, but the awful nature of the pride of their own hearts opposing Jesus.

Surrender all that you have and all that you are to Him. And God will then equip you to do all that He requires of you.

When we surrender to Christ, we have victory in this life and the life everlasting.
I. The surrendered life serves without question.
Eg: Noah and the Ark. Genesis 6

II. Submission to Divine Will leads to:

A Relationship with God.

Matthew 12:50-Whosoever shall do the will of my Father, which is in Heaven the same is, my brother, and sister and mother.-We become part of the family of God.

Keeping God’s law in our hearts.  

Psalms 40:8-I delight to do your will, o my God, your law is within my heart.
God will show you His will. When He does it must be kept in your heart.

Every day life experience.
The will of God becomes the factor in how we live. We won’t make plans without Him.

III. Surrendered Life-Life’s experiences.
In the good times-In the bad times. 
1. David’s eg. when his son died. 
2. Job’s statement, “Naked I came into the world and naked shall I return, the Lord gives and takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord.” Job 1:21
3. Jesus-in the Garden of Gethsemane.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

A PERFECT HEART Create in me oh Lord.

Growing closer to Jesus means that we begin to walk with Him so closely that we hear Him warning of the trials ahead.

The trusting heart always says, 'All my steps are ordered by the Lord. He is my loving Father, and He permits my sufferings, temptations and trials—but never more than I can bear, for he always makes a way of escape. He has an eternal plan and purpose for me. He has numbered every hair on my head. He formed me when I was in my mother's womb. He is Lord over every event and situation in my life.'

A perfect heart is also a broken heart!

David said, "The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite [crushed] spirit" Psalm 34:18.

Brokenness means more than sorrow and weeping, more than a crushed spirit, more than humility. When we are truly broken before God, we are given a power that brings a special kind of glory and honor to our Lord.

This is truly a broken heart: one that first sees the church and families in ruin and feels the Lord's anguish. It also looks deep inside and sees, as David did, its own shame and failure. But there is a second important element to this brokenness, and that is hope. The truly broken heart has heard from God: "I will heal, restore and build.

Brokenness also involves giving-up our personal rights and selfish interests to God. In Galatians 2:20, we find: "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Being broken means, we are to DIE TO SELF. To live by faith in Jesus-not to live by sight. Our Self and Chirst like attitude-self explanatory(CHART).

SELF                         CHRIST
Irritable                    Patient
Touchy (Sensitive)           Understanding
Proud                        Humble
Critical                     Forgiving
Jealous                      Happy when others succeed
Prone to anger               Forbearing
Focused on rights            Sacrificial (Yields rights)
Self-seeking                 Servant attitude
Self-centered                GOD-centered

God also uses day-to-day situations to humble us. Once broken, God wants to use us and He cannot do so if we are full of ourselves.

The ONLY MOTIVE that can compel us to die to self is the CROSS OF JESUS CHRIST. In Philippians 2:5-8 Paul states: "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-even death on a cross!"

In the Garden of Gethsemane, we see a crushed and broken Jesus, yet steadfastly obedient to the Father's will. Let us also realize that God, our Father, broke His own heart when He ignored His only Beloved Son's appeal for relief, if possible, from the cup of wrath that He was about to drink. As we meditate on Christ's death and its eternal significance for us; the process of brokenness is hastened.

To die to self is to be prepared to give-up one's life for Christ, to carry one's cross. God allows others to "crucify" us, for behind each rebuke is God trying to humble us. Instead of becoming angry and resentful, our hearts must ask: "What is it in me that you want me to change, God?" Finally the choice is yours.

God cant talk to you…UNLESS!

“These things I command you, that ye love one another”. John 15:17. God will first speak to you about your actions at home with your husband/wife and children—about your quick temper, your grudges, your unforgiving spirit. He’ll point out every hidden, secret thing in your life—God walks with you through every trial and hardship. God wants to shower you with His favour. God wants to bless and keep you by His Spirit. Do not hold back on God! God says: 'We simply can’t walk together unless we agree on these matters of your heart!'

HOPE IN GOD

We have been blessed with both the love and the fear of God. We’re to sing, shout and rejoice—not because judgment has come but in spite of it. So, what is it God wants his people to know in light of this truth? He says it all in one verse, Isaiah 51:11:

“Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion.” 
In other words: I’m going to have a people who return to me with trust, faith and confidence. 

“Everlasting joy shall be upon their head.” 
The joy that God’s people experience will last through the years, through hard times, even to the very end.
 
“They shall obtain gladness and joy.” 
God looked down through the ages and said, I’m going to have a people who will obtain joy and possess it. They’ll lay hold of it, and it will be theirs.
 
“Sorrow and mourning shall flee away.” 
This doesn’t mean all our suffering will end. It means that such things won’t be able to rob us of our joy and gladness in Christ.

GOD Delights in you!

David could say, 'The reason God delivered me from all my enemies—from all my sorrows and the powers of hell—is because I am precious to Him. My God delights in me!' The key to your victory is in this verse.

It is the secret to entering into the rest God has promised you. Until you lay hold of it—until it becomes a foundation of truth in your heart—you won’t be able to withstand the trials of life.

Isaiah had a revelation of God’s great delight in us. He prophesied, “O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee: and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee Isaiah 43:1-2.

Isaiah wasn’t talking about a literal flood or fire. He was talking about what people go through spiritually and mentally. Israel was in captivity at the time; their floods were trials, their fires were temptations, their rivers were testings. These were all Satan’s attempts to destroy and overwhelm God’s people. Isaiah’s words were a message of pure mercy to Israel. But God sent them a brokenhearted prophet who said, “God wants me to tell you that you belong to him.”

CONCLUSION: Right now, you may be in the midst of a trial. You’ve got to understand that the Lord does not always calm the waters. He doesn’t always keep the floods from coming or put out the fires. Yet He does promise this: 'I will walk with you through it all. This trial or circumstance will not destroy you. So, walk on. You’ll come out on the other side with me beside you!'

REMEMBER:

Friend I don't know what you are facing or what lies ahead in your path. But I know that we serve a God who effortlessly created the world in six days.

Commit Matthew 6:25-27 to memory. Replace the worrying thought with the truth of this scripture: Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?  Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

We struggle to surrender control. Therefore God has to use all kinds of ways to encourage and invite us to surrender to Him, and His love. But we must always remember that God doesn’t desire for us to surrender to His power, but to His love and kindness-Romans 2:4.

PRAYER: Abba Father, Your will be done. I am nothing, without You. Keep me always obedient and faithful to You, I pray.

GOD is my STrengTH. . .

I have a dream. And it’s been the one constant in my life. Wishes and aspirations, all of us have them. We wish for different things at different times in our lives. We wish……………

So often, you hear people wish for so many things. Wishing is easy, but we cannot and should not expect life to be made up of wishing.  I once heard a Christian preacher say you don’t need a wishbone, you need a backbone. And quiet honestly, I do agree. So many times, I see people pray for what they require, but when it comes to the required action, they take a back-step.

We have to do the right thing at the right time. God expects that from each of us. Faith requires action. You cannot pray and then take a seat and expect God to do everything. Just take a step and watch God will take ten for you. God’s one step is a leap in time. So, believe in what God expects of you. When God asks you to be still (to wait) you do. But when He asks you to move, you move. Obedience is the key. Excuses want get your prayers answered.

We need to get out of our comfort zones. We need to feel the direction the wind blows in. We need to take a chance. We need to move with a certainty and confidence in God. 

As a kid, when I would find myself a million years away from my dream, this is what I would do, I would sing a song from ABBA - ‘I have a dream’. The first paragraph goes like this:

I have a dream, a song to sing
To help me cope with anything
If you see the wonder (wonder) of a fairy tale
You can take the future even if you fail
I believe in angels
Something good in everything I see
I believe in angels
When I know the time is right for me
I'll cross the stream - I have a dream

I kept pushing myself. This is what I kept saying to myself ‘someday, somehow, somewhere it will all come together. My dream will come true.’ Do you for a minute think that I could survive by myself? Do you think that I could motivate myself?

NO!

Reality is I had to make it through, because God was the wind beneath my wings. I could fly I could soar up in the sky, because He was everything, that I ever needed to have.

God is good all the time
He put a song of praise
in this heart of mine
God is good all the time
through the darkest night
His light will shine
God is good
God is good all the time

God is good! Whenever this hymn is sung in the church I feel we miss out on singing from the depths of our heart. I think somewhere after the 5th line and before the 6th we suddenly recall something good that God has done for us. My point being, to the one who hears, we don’t seem so convinced of Gods goodness.

I believe that conviction comes from deep within.

I believe that truth is essential.

I believe in a promise.

I believe that love is the greatest thing in the world.

I believe in God.

I believe that you are Gods most prized possession, you are His autograph. You are made in His likeness and image. You are the apple of His eyes.

Don’t let anyone talk you out of your dreams. Don’t ever give up on the dream you have and yes love your life. It is Gods gift to you.

When people tell me something is impossible. I tell them point blank “I serve a God of Impossibles.”

I believe. My question is when will you?
 

 

When we speak of God’s power and strength, God’s creative majesty and wonder, we are speaking about God’s Omnipotence ... the ability of God to do that which God wants to do.

Omnipotence-which means ‘all powerful'.

We need to remind ourselves of who we are in God and what we have. God calls us to live in His strength. Some elements of our lives when we live in His strength:

• We work in situations beyond our capabilities.
• We are not limited to what we know; we are limited to what God knows, which has no limit.
• God accomplishes a lot with a little.
• God moves in the hearts and minds of others to accomplish His will in our lives.
• God uses ordinary people to accomplish mighty works.
• We work yet at the same time rest, because it is His power working through us.
• We often work in areas that are specifically our weaknesses so we learn to trust Him.
• We prosper beyond our own capabilities.
• We are asked to do something for which we aren’t prepared.
• We don’t endlessly strive.
• Our efforts don’t equal our returns – they equate to God’s work in us, which is much more.
• There is no race in God’s Kingdom.
• There is balance, rest and satisfaction.  

  

"Friendship with God is reserved for those who reverence Him" Psalm 25:14

God is infinite. God has no limits or boundaries.

God is self-existent. He has no beginning. He is the Creator.

God is eternal. God encompasses all of eternity!

God Is All-Powerful.

"O Sovereign Lord! You have made the heavens and earth by Your great power. Nothing is too hard for You!" Jeremiah 32:17

God has the ability and strength to do whatever He pleases. He never fails. No matter what you might be facing, nothing is too hard for Him. No problem is too complicated for Him to solve. No foe is too strong for Him to conquer.

"By His mighty power at work within us, He is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope" Ephesians 3:20

If and when we truly seek to do God's will, then there is nothing too difficult for us as we depend on His strength.

"I can do everything through Him who gives me strength" Philippians 4:13

God Is Present Everywhere.

"Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast" Psalm 139:7–10

God is always with us. In Acts 17:28 we are told, "In Him we live and move and exist."

No circumstance can ever remove us from the presence of God. He is always with us, hearing our cries for help. He is always protecting us from danger. He is our God.

Jesus said "I am with you always" Matthew 28:20

God Knows Everything.

God is the source of knowledge and wisdom. God knows more about you than you will ever know about yourself.

King David writes, "O Lord, You have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my every thought when far away. You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment You know where I am. You know what I am going to say even before I say it … Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to know" Psalm 139:1-6

When you face challenges or difficulties, you can be encouraged that God understands what you are going through. He knows about your pressures and problems, and He also knows the purpose for your trials. God promises, " ‘I know the plans I have for you … They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope' " Jeremiah 29:11

God Is Sovereign.

God is all-knowing. Nothing occurs without His divine permission. Daniel 2:21 states: "God determines the course of world events; He removes kings and sets others on the throne". Without God's sustaining providence, none of us could live another day.

Be encouraged: God is in control, and He supernaturally directs your life. Proverbs 19:21 states, "You can make many plans, but the Lord's purpose will prevail."

Difficulties and suffering are tools in God's sovereign hands with which He shapes us into the image of Jesus Christ. The Bible promises, "God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them" Romans 8:28

God Is Holy.

As we meditate on God's supreme holiness, we cannot help being overcome with a sense of awe.

Proverbs 9:10 states, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding". To fear God does not mean to be afraid of Him, but to have a reverential respect for His magnificent greatness and unlimited authority. Psalm 2:11 states, "Serve the Lord with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling". We have been set apart by God to be holy. As the holiness of God works into our beings, we will become sensitive to sin and learn to abhor it as God does. God's holiness demands our devotion and our daily decision to surrender to Christ.

"But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God-who chose you to be His children-is holy" 1 Peter 1:15

God Is Truth.

Jesus said-"I came to bring truth to the world. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true" John 18:37

As Moses (Numbers 23:19) was considering God's truthfulness, he said, "God is not a man, that He should lie. He is not a human, that He should change His mind. Has He ever spoken and failed to act? Has He ever promised and not carried it through?" Whatever God promises will always be fulfilled.

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life" John 14:6.

Jesus told His disciples, "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-the Spirit of truth" John 14:16-17.

Jesus promises, "You are truly My disciples if you keep obeying My teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" John 8:31-32. God's truth frees us to live as He intended.

"Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to Your truth" Psalm 86:11.

God Is Righteous.

"The Lord is righteous in all His ways and loving toward all He has made" Psalm 145:17

We live in an age where the distinction between right and wrong is becoming increasingly blurred. That what is morally right varies from person to person and situation to situation. Yet God's standards do not change; they are timeless.

When we place our trust in Jesus, God no longer sees our sinfulness, but only the perfect righteousness of Christ that now clothes us.

We must hold fast to the righteous standards set forth by God. God will hold every person accountable according to His decrees.

God Is Just.

"I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve" Jeremiah 17:10.

God is absolutely just in all His judgments. God cannot be fooled. His decisions are always based on absolute truth. "Everything He does is just and fair. He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright He is!" Deuteronomy 32:4.

Many people mistakenly believe they can manipulate God's system of justice. They think that God is fooled by their excuses.

But because He is a just God, His verdict will always be right. "The Lord is righteous, and He loves justice" Psalm 11:7.

God hates sin. We serve a just God, so what you do in this life will matter for eternity.

God Is Love.

"May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love really is" Ephesians 3:17, 18.

God's love is unconditional. It is not based on how good you are or what you do to please Him. He loves you because He is God and you are His creation. God's love never fails.

John explains, "This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins" 1 John 4:10. Jesus gave His life on the cross. We, in turn, are to love God wholeheartedly. God, has created us to find our greatest joy and fulfillment in loving Him.

"Nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord" Romans 8:39

God Is Merciful.

"The Lord is full of compassion and mercy" James 5:11.

God is mercy. Matthew 5:45 states: "He gives His sunlight to both the evil and the good, and He sends rain on the just and on the unjust".

God shows you mercy because He compassionately cares about you.

"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy" Matthew 5:7. In fact, Jesus said, "But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." Matthew 6:15.

God's mercy flows to those who show mercy to others.

God Is Faithful.

"If we are unfaithful, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself" 2 Timothy 2:13.

Faithfulness is at the heart of all that God is and does. His truthfulness, holiness, love, righteousness, and other attributes ensure His faithfulness.

God is faithful to protect you from the evil one. God is faithful to fulfill His promises. Hebrews 10:23 states, "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful."

God is faithful, He will never fail you! He cannot be otherwise.

"If you are suffering according to God's will, keep on doing what is right, and trust yourself to the God who made you, for He will never fail you" 1 Peter 4:19.

God never changes. His strength will sustain you.

Psalm 33:11 states, "The Lord's plans stand firm forever; His intentions can never be shaken." God's plan is unchangeable. It existed at the beginning of creation and remains the same today. And you are part of His plan! Psalm 18:30 states, "As for God, His way is perfect. All the Lord's promises prove true."

"The grass withers, and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever" Isaiah 40:8. 

David walked on the battlefield. David chose the stone and slung it. David swung and aimed the sling. David wielded the sword. But who killed Goliath?

According to David, God did. 1 Samuel 17:46-47. David refused to rely on his own strength or his own armor. Instead, he relied on God’s strength.

If we want to face the giants in our lives, we have to learn to rely on God’s strength. Notice that for David, relying on God’s strength didn’t look like sitting at the edge of the battlefield just waiting on God to send fire from heaven. It meant that David chose a stone, slung a stone, and struck off a head. To the casual observer it may not have looked like God doing anything.

But David did all these things because he was actually relying on God’s strength.

Some practical ways to rely on God’s strength are:

#1: Surrender

…Surrender to God. In 2 Corinthians 12:10, we are only strong when we are weak. Only when we recognize we can’t win will we truly give ourselves over to God and let Him win the victories through us.

#2: Walk in God’s Presence

1 Thessalonians 5:17 says we should “pray without ceasing.”

Pray because you are convinced God is right there with you listening. Talk with Him while you go through your day. Ask Him to help with the decisions you are about to make.

#3: Give Thanks

1 Thessalonians 5:18 says we should give thanks in every circumstance. Be thankful for… the air you breathe, friends, husband, wife, kids, job, church, etc… This list can go on and on. Give thanks to God always.

#4: Contact God through His Word

Read the Bible. Listen to God’s word for the help it is offering. Find passages that relate to you and return to them again and again as needed. God’s word gives life.

#5: Relying on God

If we keep going to places, hanging out with people, and interacting with the things that have always led us to sin, then we are relying on our own strength. Not so. Relying on God’s strength means cutting off what leads us to sin.

#6: Acts of Service and Love

To rely on God’s strength means following Jesus. Jesus was a servant-Matthew 20:28. If we want to be like Him, we need to work on serving.

#7: Do the Right Thing

Relying on God’s strength means simply doing what He tells us to. Listen to His advice. Seek His way. Do what He says. But by doing these things, you will be stepping onto the battlefield in the name and strength of the Lord. He will win the victories.

REMEMBER:  Just the other day I was watching discovery and I saw a twelve year old. When I first watched I though she should be five, but as the program proceeded I realized that she was having a spinal problem. Due to which she looked like a five year old.

When speaking she expressed how happy she was that her mother did not give her up. If you watched the program you would definitely feel a pain in your heart. Because I did.

‘God makes every one have a challenge’. This is the amazing sentence that came out of a 12 year old girl suffering from a spinal problem. That was the moment I said ‘WOW’. Imagine that out of the mouth of a kid.

CONCLUSION: When we speak of strength, we usually relate it to power. When given a position we want to control everything. Having power means having the ultimate say to what you can do. God forbid a person who won’t get along with the plans. Then the so called power is used to destroy or vanquish your opponent so that one can prove ones power. This is the capacity of a human being to destroy what one is against-the capacity to prove ones strength. There are a few exceptions to the rule.

Not so with God. On a fine day, a friend and I were talking and he named someone in the top hierarchy, whom he knew. And I told him I knew someone above him. He named names. Finally he asked me for the name. I replied ‘GOD’. I could see the expression it was not what he expected.

Little do we realize that God is the most powerful of all.

Could it be that God being God is more tolerant? He is the most compassionate. He is mercy itself. Full of understanding-exceptionally tolerant to everything we do. Could it be that He is Just to all and partial to none. Could it be that His love surpasses all understanding? He is faithful. He is the truth. Holy is His name. Mighty God.. Sovereign ruler and an all forgiving God.

We don’t think of God as powerful because He is good and because of all the attributes that flow from Him. We have associated power with corruption. We think with a human mind and thus we fall short of seeing the wonders that God performs from age to age. Open your heart and you will know of a love that transcends time and space. And you will know of His mighty strength. You will stand in amazement and awe. God is what God does! Time is in God’s hand. He has no need to prove anything.

I challenge you tonight to let God be your strength. Let Him take over the load in your life. Trust Him with your life. Keep up the faith. Rely on God’s strength.

PRAYER:  Abba Father, you are my anchor in life’s ocean!

 You are my shelter from the raging storm.

You are my comfort when troubles come.

And when I was most alone Your love brought me home.

Promise date: 21st August, 2012. (Matt 19:26)
Promise date: 22nd August, 2012. (Luke 01:37)

OBedience.....

I love what Ecclesiastes says in chapter 3:1-To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

Come to think of it. Time never stands still. We all have our highs. Today you could be at the top most rung of the ladder. But things do change eventually. The problem with some of the people is-they think they are invincible. Not true.

They say absolute power corrupts absolutely. I think we all know what that means. We all think we are nice people-because we don’t want to admit to the truth. But the moment we do not consider someone else’s feelings or emotions, we have to admit it is time to look in the mirror and see ourselves to who we have become.

The truth is we cannot disregard another person and be able to hear God’s voice. Because anger is not what God is associated with? We can fool ourselves-but we cannot fool God.

God’s basic commandment in John 13:34 is-A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. Are we even trying? Question, you need to ask yourself.

I love a good conversation. I love debating on a topic, provided it’s a healthy one. 

I believe in the theory fight for what you believe-fight for the truth.

John 8:32 states-“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

John 14:6 states- Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Romans 8:37 states-'We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us'.

To know God’s love for you, to know God is on your side, to know God’s desire to bless and prosper you, to know that He offers the hope of eternal life, to know the freedom of peace in the storm no matter how much or how little you have is what makes life abundant. This is the victory in God that we give Him thanks for all He provides us. It is what changes your spirit in a moment from one of failure to one of success, from one of disappointment to one of rejoicing. It is the quiet assurance, the faith, the confidence that you see in every great man or woman. When we truly know the love of God, we become more than conquerors no matter what difficulty we face.

I’d like for you to dwell on this saying by: Ralph Waldo Emerson - “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising up every time we fall.” 

Today’s world believes in this adage, "The moment you settle for less than what you want is the moment you get more than you bargained for."

This is how it is with disobeying God. Once we settle for not going His way, we get less than we imagined and more than we ever wanted. God’s way is always best.

Desperate longings can tempt us to do disobedient things. Desire not submitted to Christ can make us to lose our sensibility, justify our behaviour, and make excuses. When we give in to temptation, it often means we do not trust Him to provide. As a result, we settle for something less than the best.

Tuning-out God will make us act like we haven't heard Him and pretend that we have obeyed him.

To be obedient is to be submissive and willing (Willing-to obey with joy). To be willing to obey means that you should have already realized what needs to be done and do it without being asked.

Job 5:17 says, blessed is the man whom God corrects.

Proverbs 3:12 says God disciplines those whom He loves.

Obedience to God is simple. DO AS YOU ARE TOLD! It's that simple.

Now your flesh will tell you that it cannot be done. 
Matthew 19:26 states-that with God ALL things are possible. 
Now God cannot lie, so what He does for one He will do for you. So when Jesus tells His disciples that all things are possible through God then He is telling that to you also. The sinful nature of man is such that we hate correction, but 
Proverbs 15:10 states that he who hates correction will die. 
Just keep in mind that God only corrects those that He loves.

God disciplines us for our good that we may share in His holiness. The most important thing you learn from being disciplined is you do not repeat your mistakes. 
Genesis 6:3 says that God will not strive with man forever. Everyone has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God but if you continue to deliberately sin then God will turn away from you and leave you to your sin. If God corrects you it is for a reason. The Lord does nothing without a reason. So, if you are convicted it is because God loves you. 
Hebrews 12:6 states-and you are not yet beyond hope.  
In your obedience you will be blessed, but as with all of God's promises there is a prerequisite. YOU MUST OBEY! It is not as hard as you think.  
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 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 my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30.

If we have sincerely committed our lives to God, then we are going to obey Him; we are going to trust Him and leave all the consequences to Him.

What We Can Expect

Sometimes when we pray, we immediately discern the will of God. Other times, we must wait, trusting Him to show us when and how to move forward. At still other times, He spends a great deal of time preparing us to step forward through an open door. But when the opportunity comes, we hesitate, we worry and doubt. Obey God regardless of the consequences. It is a choice, but one that many of us do not submit to. We often end up looking for advice from people around us and not from GOD who knows everything we need to know. We need to consider only one issue: Is this God’s will for my life?

Yes, it is sinful to disobey God because it hurts the heart of Some-one who has a plan for our lives. It damages our fellowship with Him and leads to feelings of guilt and shame. Our refusal to be open to His plan can bring misery and regret. When all is said and done, only one Person has absolute knowledge, and that is the Lord. And in Proverbs 3:5-8 He has promised to provide the guidance we need:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

And do not lean on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He will make your paths straight.

Do not be wise in your own eyes;

Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.

It will be healing to your body

And refreshment to your bones.    

When we trust God, we will obey Him.

And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.  2 John 1:6

We don't often think of love in terms of obedience and yet obedience was so much a part of the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made on our behalf. It was through obedience to the Father's will that He proved His undying love  both to His Father and for every human being on this earth. By obedience to The Father’s will in our lives, we show Him how much we love Him. Ultimately, love is obedience - It means sacrifice for the good of others it means laying down our lives it means doing whatever is asked of us. Jesus held back nothing to prove His love for us; let us follow in His footsteps and walk in love. We have the opportunity to make an impact for Christ by expressing our love to others through sacrifice. May we never lose that opportunity, but remain obedient to the Father's will.

I will always obey your law, forever and ever. I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts. I will speak of your statutes before kings and will not be put to shame, for I delight in your commandments because I love them. I reach out my hands for your commandments, which I love, and I meditate on your decrees. Psalms. 119:44-48

Living in obedience to the Word of God is a matter of the will, a matter of continual choice. We must take action—we must set our wills to seek Him and obey Him. John tells us that to truly love God is to do His commandments. 
“This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome” 1 John 5:3.

Seeking God’s commandments does not speak of a whatever-will-be-will-be attitude.

We find great pleasure when we know the Lord more intimately through His Word.(The Bible)

Do you know what happens when we love someone? We talk constantly about that person to everyone who is willing to listen. So it is with the Word and mighty deeds of God. We will speak of His statues, i.e., we will witness to His goodness and the miraculous changes He has made in our lives and circumstances. We will share His Word because it is so precious and life-changing, giving hope and eternal life.

The Psalmist said he would speak before kings. We, too, will witness boldly to all with whom we associate with. Jesus preached to multitudes. Paul spoke before kings as well as worshipers of heathen gods.

When the Holy Spirit prompts us to witness by mouth or written matter, let us do it boldly, never being ashamed of the One who redeemed us on The cross. In writing to the believers at Rome Paul said, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile” Romans 1:16

The Psalmist states: I meditate (to think) on your decrees. Joshua, Moses’ successor who led the Israelite into the promised land, was instructed by the Lord Himself to meditate on the commandments of God. The Lord first instructed Joshua to be strong, courageous and obedient. Then He said, 
“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” Joshua. 1:8

When we choose to delight and meditate in the law of God, we get to progressively and more intimately know the Author-GOD. Out of the love He plants in our hearts we delight to do His will.

 

Motives for Obedience to God in the Christian Life

We should obey God because we love Him.

• Jesus said, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments" John 14:15 and, "Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me" John 14:21 If we want to know what it means to love God, John tells us, "This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments."1 John 5:3
• Paul himself said that he served God "with a clear conscience."2 Tim. 1:3. When we pray, a clear conscience gives us confidence before God, because John said, "If our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God, and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him." 1 John 3:21-2
• We should obey God because our hearts delight in the goodness of His commands, and our hearts delight to do what is right. In the Old Testament, David could say, "I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart" Psalms. 40:8

Obedience Is a Choice

Peter was faced with a life-changing decision-Luke 5.Many times, the ways of God include specific steps, let us give it a look.

Step 1: Peter was nearby listening to Jesus. The Lord knew that he was there and that he had an empty boat.

Step 2: Jesus entered Peter’s boat so He would be able to address the crowd better.

Step 3: Peter listened to Jesus’ request. He responded by explaining that he was completely unsuccessful the night before in his attempt to catch fish. Nevertheless, he obeyed the Lord, raised the sails on his ship, and headed out into deep water.

Step 4: Peter received the reward of his obedience.

What would have happened if Peter had said, “No”? Remember he was a seasoned fisherman.

Here is what God did so that we know He meant business and was involved. The night before-Peter caught nothing—no fish. He came in the next morning he had been up all night pulling and dragging nets around a small, uncomfortable boat. All he wanted to do was clean his nets and go home to take a short nap so he would have the energy to get up and go back out that evening. But Jesus showed up with a crowd of people, and the next thing Peter knew, he had said “Yes, to Jesus using his boat. It was not a difficult decision, but he had to agree to it. Step 1 was accomplished.

The next step was more difficult: When Jesus told Peter to head out into deep water where he would catch a large draw of fish. A Rabbi, whom they were sure knew nothing about fishing, was telling Peter—the expert what to do.

Scripture just tells us one thing: he obeyed the Lord and stated, “Master, … I will do as You say and let down the nets.”

Trust God! This kind of faith comes by hearing God’s voice and responding in pure obedience. LISTEN!!!

Obedience to God comes from not believing in our own abilities, but in trusting in God's promise to sustain us through whatever we are about to go through, whether that be facing temptations or dealing with sorrow in our lives, or overcoming our addictions to things of this world. On our own, it might be impossible. But with God's help, all things are possible. God promises to aid us in the things that we have to go through. In Matthew 28:20 God said, "Lo, I am with you always." And in Genesis 28:15 God said, "And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of."

When we obey God, we can trust that He will display His goodness and love to us. Those who are wise will watch for His blessings in all their different forms.

Biblical Examples

• Noah spent years building an ark to God's specifications. Noah’s obedience saved his family from the flood.
• Abraham’s obedience resulted in his becoming the father of a great nation, God’s chosen people, Israel.
• The terrified Israelites reached the Red Sea with Pharaoh and his army in pursuit close behind. Moses, putting his faith, in God, obeyed and the sea opened for them to cross.
  
• Joshua won the battle of Jericho by following God’s supernatural strategy.
• Jesus, having spent three years teaching and performing miracles, was determined to go to Jerusalem even though He knew the Jews, with the help of Roman officials, were going to kill him. His prayer to God shows his complete obedience with death on the cross at hand " ... He went away a second time and prayed, 'My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done'." Matthew 26:42

Like Jesus, our desire must be "thy will be done".

Types of Blessing

God’s gifts aren’t always obvious. But when you obey Him, He will bless you with:

• When we step out in faith and obey God-we will feel peace, joy, and contentment.
• We will have more faith to obey the next time God challenges us to do something.
• When we stand before God on judgment day, we will be rewarded for our obedience (Mark 9:41; Luke 6:21-23).

Suffering Before Blessing

Sometimes, what God requires of us will initially lead to pain and sadness. We shouldn’t assume that difficulty means we’ve made a mistake or that He has abandoned us:

• Moses followed God’s command to lead His people out of Egypt. Not only did he experience difficulty in freeing the Israelites from bondage; the people also complained bitterly about life in the dessert. Despite all challenges, Moses is known as the most important leader in the Old Testament.
• Paul obeyed God by preaching the gospel. As a result, he suffered tremendous persecution, danger, and physical abuse 2 Corinthians11:23-27. Paul, was assigned to write much of the New Testament. As he walked with God, that’s what flowed out… much of it from a prison cell.

God’s Purposes for Our Suffering

• We learn to rely on Him completely.
• Suffering reminds us that all good things are gifts from God.
• To deepen our understanding of His ways.
• In suffering, you and I have the opportunity to become living examples of the goodness of God.

  

Conclusion: If you obey God, God's choice of blessing may be different from yours. Perhaps He will use suffering to draw you closer to Himself. Or He may use it to remove from your life those things that hinder fruitfulness for Him. No matter what, if you walk in His will, He will bless you in surprising ways.

REMEMBER: When we choose to delight and meditate in the law of God, we get to progressively and more intimately know the Author-GOD. Out of the love He plants in our hearts we delight to do His will. Our obedience brings us into His presence, the place of His blessing!

PRAYER: Abba Father, Help us to develop the same intense love that Jesus had, a love that never waivers, that always obeys, that seeks the good of others first. Help me to always be obedient to you. Keep me humble and faithful, I pray. And Father, never let go. Amen.