If we want to walk in relationship with the Father we have to get to know Him.
This happens when you spend time in His Word and in His presence.
There is a difference in knowing someone through relationship and just knowing about someone.
Many people know about God. Many people know about the Word and what it says.
But, when you know Him through relationship it is a whole other level. The Word takes on new meaning because you intimately know the author.
Because you know Him you trust Him. Therefore, if He said it it must be true.
Abraham knew God as his covenant Partner. They had cut blood together.
God considered Abraham His friend.
James 2:23 (New King James Version)23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”[a]And he was called the friend of God.
Abraham trusted Jehovah.
God had told Abraham that through Isaac the Messiah would come and the world would be blessed.
Then God told Abraham to provide Isaac as a sacrifice.
Many folk preach about how sad Abraham must have been but he was obedient anyway.
Hogwash.
Abraham knew that he knew that he knew His God.
He fully expected God’s promise concerning Isaac to come to pass.
The Word proves it.
Abraham got up early with Isaac and two servants and went to the place of sacrifice. Notice what Abraham told the servants.
Genesis 22:5 (New King James Version)5 And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad[a] and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.”
Abraham had no doubt his son would come down off of the mountain with him.
He had no doubt because he had a promise from God. God tested Abraham’s faith in the promise and Abraham passed.
Our faith will be tested to show us where we are at and to help us grow.
The key is to know your Father, trust His Word, and act like it is true.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
Perilous Times, Indeed
The great Apostles inspired by the Holy Spirit called their days the last days. If that was true, and it was, then we are living in the last of the last days.
The Holy Spirit gave the great Apostle Paul tremendous insight into these last days. Please take the time and read the following carefully:
2 Timothy 3:1-4 (Amplified Bible) 1BUT UNDERSTAND this, that in the last days will come (set in) perilous times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bear]. 2For people will be lovers of self and [utterly] self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate [greedy] desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters. They will be abusive (blasphemous, scoffing), disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane. 3[They will be] without natural [human] affection (callous and inhuman), relentless (admitting of no truce or appeasement); [they will be] slanderers (false accusers, troublemakers), intemperate and loose in morals and conduct, uncontrolled and fierce, haters of good. 4[They will be] treacherous [betrayers], rash, [and] inflated with self-conceit. [They will be] lovers of sensual pleasures and vain amusements more than and rather than lovers of God.
Does this not speak of the world we live in now? These are strong words from the Holy Spirit; however, what he says next is a great indictment of the Church today.
2 Timothy 3:5 (New King James Version)5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
Much of the modern Church has become nothing more than a religious shell of the Church of the Book of Acts.
The Holy Spirit is not mentioned, allowed to move, nor given reign. Without the Holy Spirit the Church is powerless.
Without the Holy Spirit we are just a religious social club.
It is the Holy Spirit that baptizes us into the Body of Christ.
It is the Holy Spirit that empowers us to witness for Christ.
It is the Holy Spirit that empowers us with the gifts of the Spirit, fills us, and gives us a prayer language.
Yet, the Holy Spirit has become a second-class citizen in today’s church.
Do you want to know what a church empowered by the Holy Spirit is like? Read the Book of Acts.
Let us pray for revival for the Church. Revival is the only way this nation will be saved!We need a Holy Spirit revival now!
The Holy Spirit gave the great Apostle Paul tremendous insight into these last days. Please take the time and read the following carefully:
2 Timothy 3:1-4 (Amplified Bible) 1BUT UNDERSTAND this, that in the last days will come (set in) perilous times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bear]. 2For people will be lovers of self and [utterly] self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate [greedy] desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters. They will be abusive (blasphemous, scoffing), disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane. 3[They will be] without natural [human] affection (callous and inhuman), relentless (admitting of no truce or appeasement); [they will be] slanderers (false accusers, troublemakers), intemperate and loose in morals and conduct, uncontrolled and fierce, haters of good. 4[They will be] treacherous [betrayers], rash, [and] inflated with self-conceit. [They will be] lovers of sensual pleasures and vain amusements more than and rather than lovers of God.
Does this not speak of the world we live in now? These are strong words from the Holy Spirit; however, what he says next is a great indictment of the Church today.
2 Timothy 3:5 (New King James Version)5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
Much of the modern Church has become nothing more than a religious shell of the Church of the Book of Acts.
The Holy Spirit is not mentioned, allowed to move, nor given reign. Without the Holy Spirit the Church is powerless.
Without the Holy Spirit we are just a religious social club.
It is the Holy Spirit that baptizes us into the Body of Christ.
It is the Holy Spirit that empowers us to witness for Christ.
It is the Holy Spirit that empowers us with the gifts of the Spirit, fills us, and gives us a prayer language.
Yet, the Holy Spirit has become a second-class citizen in today’s church.
Do you want to know what a church empowered by the Holy Spirit is like? Read the Book of Acts.
Let us pray for revival for the Church. Revival is the only way this nation will be saved!We need a Holy Spirit revival now!
Monday, February 9, 2009
Strategies Of The Devil Part 4
Over the last several days we have learned a lot regarding the strategy of the devil.
All of his strategies are attacks upon the Word. How we withstand the attacks depends on the place of the Word in our life.
Jesus told the disciples about the rewards of faith in the Word.
Matthew 13:23 (Amplified Bible)23As for what was sown on good soil, this is he who hears the Word and grasps and comprehends it; he indeed bears fruit and yields in one case a hundred times as much as was sown, in another sixty times as much, and in another thirty.
The Lord Jesus compares the Word to seed.
If a farmer plants a watermelon seed does he expect a harvest of tomatoes?
If a farmer plants apple seed does he expect a crop of potatoes?
Of course, not
.
Friend, if you need a harvest of healing then you need to plant healing seed.
If you want a harvest of prosperity then you need to sow prosperity seed.
If you want a harvest of peace then sow peace seed.
How do you do that? By finding the scriptures in the Word and planting those in your heart.
Those scriptures are your seed.
Your heart (spirit man) is your soil.
You water that seed by faith confession of the Word.
What has Jesus promised from following this process?
He has promised up to a hundred-fold return of good fruit.
No seed = no harvest
Seed + no water (faith confession) = dead harvest
Seed (The Word) + water (faith confession) = good fruit
Mace Wilkerson Ministries1 Corinthians 1:17-18, 23We need your support. Please consider supporting this ministry if you are blessed by these messages. Please click https://www.paypal.com/cgibin/webscr?cmd=_donations&business=macewilkerson%40aol%2ecom&item_name=Seed%20Offering&no_shipping=0&no_note=1&tax=0¤cy_code=USD&lc=US&bn=PP%2dDonationsBF&charset=UTF%2d8 to sow a financial seed or mail offerings to Mace Wilkerson Ministries 20414 Timber Trail Way Cypress, TX 77433. Thank you in advance.
All of his strategies are attacks upon the Word. How we withstand the attacks depends on the place of the Word in our life.
Jesus told the disciples about the rewards of faith in the Word.
Matthew 13:23 (Amplified Bible)23As for what was sown on good soil, this is he who hears the Word and grasps and comprehends it; he indeed bears fruit and yields in one case a hundred times as much as was sown, in another sixty times as much, and in another thirty.
The Lord Jesus compares the Word to seed.
If a farmer plants a watermelon seed does he expect a harvest of tomatoes?
If a farmer plants apple seed does he expect a crop of potatoes?
Of course, not
.
Friend, if you need a harvest of healing then you need to plant healing seed.
If you want a harvest of prosperity then you need to sow prosperity seed.
If you want a harvest of peace then sow peace seed.
How do you do that? By finding the scriptures in the Word and planting those in your heart.
Those scriptures are your seed.
Your heart (spirit man) is your soil.
You water that seed by faith confession of the Word.
What has Jesus promised from following this process?
He has promised up to a hundred-fold return of good fruit.
No seed = no harvest
Seed + no water (faith confession) = dead harvest
Seed (The Word) + water (faith confession) = good fruit
Mace Wilkerson Ministries1 Corinthians 1:17-18, 23We need your support. Please consider supporting this ministry if you are blessed by these messages. Please click https://www.paypal.com/cgibin/webscr?cmd=_donations&business=macewilkerson%40aol%2ecom&item_name=Seed%20Offering&no_shipping=0&no_note=1&tax=0¤cy_code=USD&lc=US&bn=PP%2dDonationsBF&charset=UTF%2d8 to sow a financial seed or mail offerings to Mace Wilkerson Ministries 20414 Timber Trail Way Cypress, TX 77433. Thank you in advance.
Strategies of The Devil Part 3
The third strategy the devil will use to keep the word impotent in our lives is stuff.
By stuff I mean everything we put before God. For some of us it may be TV, golf, music, money, etc.
There is nothing wrong with having things or doing things as long as they are kept in perspective. However, when we elevate these things or activities above our God then we get into trouble.
Some folk won’t go to Church because it interferes with their football schedule.
Others have acquired so much stuff they puff themselves up above God. They become a legend in their own mind.
Anything or anyone that takes the place of God in our lives becomes an idol and friend, God hates idols.
A love for stuff will keep the Word from producing in your life the promises made.
Matthew 13:22 (Amplified Bible)22As for what was sown among thorns, this is he who hears the Word, but the cares of the world and the pleasure and delight and glamour and deceitfulness of riches choke and suffocate the Word, and it yields no fruit.
There is nothing wrong with having things. It is when things have you that there is a problem.
Mace Wilkerson Ministries1 Corinthians 1:17-18, 23We need your support. Please consider supporting this ministry if you are blessed by these messages. Please click https://www.paypal.com/cgibin/webscr?cmd=_donations&business=macewilkerson%40aol%2ecom&item_name=Seed%20Offering&no_shipping=0&no_note=1&tax=0¤cy_code=USD&lc=US&bn=PP%2dDonationsBF&charset=UTF%2d8 to sow a financial seed or mail offerings to Mace Wilkerson Ministries 20414 Timber Trail Way Cypress, TX 77433. Thank you in advance.
By stuff I mean everything we put before God. For some of us it may be TV, golf, music, money, etc.
There is nothing wrong with having things or doing things as long as they are kept in perspective. However, when we elevate these things or activities above our God then we get into trouble.
Some folk won’t go to Church because it interferes with their football schedule.
Others have acquired so much stuff they puff themselves up above God. They become a legend in their own mind.
Anything or anyone that takes the place of God in our lives becomes an idol and friend, God hates idols.
A love for stuff will keep the Word from producing in your life the promises made.
Matthew 13:22 (Amplified Bible)22As for what was sown among thorns, this is he who hears the Word, but the cares of the world and the pleasure and delight and glamour and deceitfulness of riches choke and suffocate the Word, and it yields no fruit.
There is nothing wrong with having things. It is when things have you that there is a problem.
Mace Wilkerson Ministries1 Corinthians 1:17-18, 23We need your support. Please consider supporting this ministry if you are blessed by these messages. Please click https://www.paypal.com/cgibin/webscr?cmd=_donations&business=macewilkerson%40aol%2ecom&item_name=Seed%20Offering&no_shipping=0&no_note=1&tax=0¤cy_code=USD&lc=US&bn=PP%2dDonationsBF&charset=UTF%2d8 to sow a financial seed or mail offerings to Mace Wilkerson Ministries 20414 Timber Trail Way Cypress, TX 77433. Thank you in advance.
Strategies Of The Devil Part 2
If you try and plant a flower that has no root you are going to end up with just a dead flower.
If the Word of God has no root in your life the devil is going to rip that Word from you and leave you nothing but trouble.
There are many many Christians that go to church and say amen to every point made. They will defend the validity of the Bible with every fiber of their being.
Yet, when the devil exerts pressure on their faith they crumble.
The truth is they only had sense knowledge ruled by their five senses.
What also is true is we have all been there before.
Jesus talked about this with his disciples.
Matthew 13:20-21 (Amplified Bible)20As for what was sown on thin (rocky) soil, this is he who hears the Word and at once welcomes and accepts it with joy; 21Yet it has no real root in him, but is temporary (inconstant, [a]lasts but a little while); and when affliction or trouble or persecution comes on account of the Word, at once he is caused to stumble [he is repelled and [b]begins to distrust and desert Him Whom he ought to trust and obey] and he falls away.
Notice, Jesus says the affliction or persecution comes on account of the Word. We often think of this as other people persecuting us for our faith. This can be true but Jesus is also dealing with demonic strategy.
As an example let us look at healing.
It is true that healing is promised in the Bible(1 Peter 2:24, Mark 16:18, Isaiah 53:4-5). However, what do you do if you get a bad report from the doctor?
If the Word has no root you will probably crumble. But if the Word is rooted in your spirit you will not wilt at the circumstance. You will expect God’s Word to do what it says it will do!
But, when it doesn’t happen immediately then you will face persecution on account of the Word.
“You are living in denial.”
“Healing is not for you.”
On and on religious folk will attack the word by denying it, or trying to water it down to fit their unbelief.
Not you!
You are going to be so rooted in the Word from feeding on it and confessing it that you will not be moved by pressure.
You will stand strong in faith and the Word will produce a harvest in your life and accomplish exactly what it says it would do!
If the Word of God has no root in your life the devil is going to rip that Word from you and leave you nothing but trouble.
There are many many Christians that go to church and say amen to every point made. They will defend the validity of the Bible with every fiber of their being.
Yet, when the devil exerts pressure on their faith they crumble.
The truth is they only had sense knowledge ruled by their five senses.
What also is true is we have all been there before.
Jesus talked about this with his disciples.
Matthew 13:20-21 (Amplified Bible)20As for what was sown on thin (rocky) soil, this is he who hears the Word and at once welcomes and accepts it with joy; 21Yet it has no real root in him, but is temporary (inconstant, [a]lasts but a little while); and when affliction or trouble or persecution comes on account of the Word, at once he is caused to stumble [he is repelled and [b]begins to distrust and desert Him Whom he ought to trust and obey] and he falls away.
Notice, Jesus says the affliction or persecution comes on account of the Word. We often think of this as other people persecuting us for our faith. This can be true but Jesus is also dealing with demonic strategy.
As an example let us look at healing.
It is true that healing is promised in the Bible(1 Peter 2:24, Mark 16:18, Isaiah 53:4-5). However, what do you do if you get a bad report from the doctor?
If the Word has no root you will probably crumble. But if the Word is rooted in your spirit you will not wilt at the circumstance. You will expect God’s Word to do what it says it will do!
But, when it doesn’t happen immediately then you will face persecution on account of the Word.
“You are living in denial.”
“Healing is not for you.”
On and on religious folk will attack the word by denying it, or trying to water it down to fit their unbelief.
Not you!
You are going to be so rooted in the Word from feeding on it and confessing it that you will not be moved by pressure.
You will stand strong in faith and the Word will produce a harvest in your life and accomplish exactly what it says it would do!
Strategies Of The Devil Part 1
The Church of Jesus Christ has an enemy and he wants to steal, kill and destroy the Body of Christ.
It is imperative for you and I as believers to know and understand Satan’s strategy in carrying out his goals.
One strategy the devil uses is to simply steal the truth of the Word from you.
Matthew 13:18-19 (Amplified Bible)18Listen then to the [meaning of the] parable of the sower: 19[a]While anyone is hearing the Word of the kingdom and does not grasp and comprehend it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the roadside.
The devil does not want to give the Word a chance to take hold in your heart and grow roots and then produce a harvest. He will do his very best to stop the Word from growing roots in your heart.
“Does this mean if I don’t automatically understand the Word the devil will take it away from me?”
In order for the Word of God to bring revelation to you it must be meditated upon.
Joshua 1:8 (Amplified Bible)8This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good [a]success.
The Hebrew word for meditate means to mutter and/or ponder. In other words, you speak that word to yourself and the Holy Spirit will give you revelation.
The problem lies in that to many of us due to tradition or denominationalism don’t spend time meditating on the Word of God.
This is why the devil has stolen healing, the gifts of the Spirit, the authority of the believer and the message of the Cross from today’s Church.
Don’t let the devil steal the Word from your life.
It is imperative for you and I as believers to know and understand Satan’s strategy in carrying out his goals.
One strategy the devil uses is to simply steal the truth of the Word from you.
Matthew 13:18-19 (Amplified Bible)18Listen then to the [meaning of the] parable of the sower: 19[a]While anyone is hearing the Word of the kingdom and does not grasp and comprehend it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the roadside.
The devil does not want to give the Word a chance to take hold in your heart and grow roots and then produce a harvest. He will do his very best to stop the Word from growing roots in your heart.
“Does this mean if I don’t automatically understand the Word the devil will take it away from me?”
In order for the Word of God to bring revelation to you it must be meditated upon.
Joshua 1:8 (Amplified Bible)8This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good [a]success.
The Hebrew word for meditate means to mutter and/or ponder. In other words, you speak that word to yourself and the Holy Spirit will give you revelation.
The problem lies in that to many of us due to tradition or denominationalism don’t spend time meditating on the Word of God.
This is why the devil has stolen healing, the gifts of the Spirit, the authority of the believer and the message of the Cross from today’s Church.
Don’t let the devil steal the Word from your life.
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