53:020419

The Sin of Being a Discourager

Numbers 32:9  “..For when they went up to the Valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, so that they did not go into the land which the Lord had given them..”

   No one truly loves a party poo-per, these you will find them sat by them selves. May be I can try and shine some light on this subject, you see these types of people look upon the ‘dark-side-of-life’. (It may to no fault oif their own). Sadly they do find all the shadows in life, and persist walking in them. They can bring the brightest happiest of days, down to gloomy, and spread their own ‘discouragement’, like confetti at a wedding, thus making all life harder for those they can influence. One thing that we need to careful of is that they don;t steel away Gods light from your life. Thie would the greatest of sin’s surely? Don’t be like thoes children of Isreal did, all because of thoes discouraging gloom artists.

Numbers 32:7  “..Now why will you discourage the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the Lord has given them..”

   God tells us it’s a sin to discourage others. From your first of days till your last days at school. Some will go through a torturous time, with constant bullying; being told you’re usless; you’ll not amount to much; that they become so with drawn after 10 years or more of being put down & discouraged, their lives are now but a shadow of what they should have been.
   We all need to be strengthened and inspired for all of life’s experiences, never weakened and disheartened. If we meet others down cast and discouraged, it is our duty, as humans and friends, not to make their cares and trials seem as large as they can, but rather point out to them the bright light in their clouds, and put new hope & courage in their hearts.

So many people would say ‘I am your friend’, but never really understand what they are saying….

Friend… A person known well to others and regarded with liking (or highly

thought of) affection, staunchly loyal.They will tell you the truth, 

good or bad, an ally in a fight. Are you a friend to someone?

   It costs us nothing, that when we find others in sorrow, the worst thing to do is to tell them more sorrow. Instead we need to come along side them with love & encouragement.
1 Thessalonians 5:11  “..Therefore comfort each other and edify one another..”
Acts 11:23 “..When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord..”
Romans 1:12  “..I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me..”

   Next time we find others in the midst of difficulties and struggling ready to faint under it all, surly if we continue bemoan the severity and hardness of their battles, and then we leave them, as my wife has said on many occasions, it’s even worse than we found them, they will be even more crushed than if we had walked pass them. What we do need to do is to stimulate & encourage & inspire them to be brave and victorious in all they do.
   It is of vital importance that we learn this if you want to be helpers of others in their lives. Another foot note is that we just point out someone’s short comings and walk away. If this is you just stay at home, lock the door and throw away the key, because your worst to them than NO help at all. Again if all we have to offer is sadness to give out, we have no right to go among them. This is the truth, and some times the truth hurts.
   It is only when we have something that will bless them and lift their hearts and give them glimpses of bright and beautiful things to live for, that we are truly commanded to go forth with them.

“ A singer sang a song of tears, and the great World heard and

wept,for he sang the sorrows of floating years, and the 

hopes which the dead past kept, and souls in anguish their 

burdens bore, and the World was sadder than ever before.

A singer sang a song of cheer, and the great World heard 

and smiled, for he sang of love of a father dear, and souls

 that had forgotten to pray, looked up and went singing

 along their way.”

Let me ask this question … ‘Is it better that we should not sing of sadness if our song ends there’?

   Unfortunately there are so many sad notes swirling around in the Worlds air, making sad sad notes in our ears, continually. To be able to sing and hear only songs of hope ~ joy and good cheer. Jesus Christ had every right to sit on the Mount of Olives, because He could not get people to open their eyes to see of the impending doom coming over His people, whom He loved dearly. Jesus tried to avert this doom, because all the sin and disbelief was dragging them down. It is our mission, just as Jesus did to become preachers of hope. So our mission should we choose, must be to carry to everyone, to bring ‘good tidings’ and none of ill, but only joy.

# Give us your joys, your hope, your sunshine,

your life, your up lifting truths. We have too many

sorrows-tears-clouds, ill chains, and enough

doubts of our own. #

   This is our mission of Christianity in the World, it’s to help our fellow man to be victorious, to whisper hope where ever there is discouragement. It goes forth to break the yoke of bondage, and to captives to freedom.
1 John 4:4  “..You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world..”
   This is why it is so wonderful to have Jesus in our lives, spreading the news, the Good news. It follows that there can never be a loss in a Christians life, out of which a gain may NOT become a platform for a buried seed. There can never be a sorrow, out of which a blessing may not be born. There can never be discouragement which may NOT be made to yield some fruit of strength.

   Finally … if there for, we are true and loyal messengers of Christ, we can never be profits of gloom, discouragement and despair. We must be forever be heralds of hope. We must always be the bearer of good news. In Christ our Lord, there is always hope, with victory, a power to transmit loss into gain, and to breath life into death. We are living worthily, only when we are living victoriously with Christ within ourselves at every point, we are to be inspiring and helping others to live victoriously, and when our life is a song of hope and gladness, even though we sing out through tears & pain.

53:250119

The Man of Sorrows

Isaiah 53 3/6
3 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

   The World in ‘every-age’ has had many a sorrow man, but there has only been one ‘Man of Sorrows’. The sorrows of the son of man were entirely unique and have been unparalleled.

His was a sorrow of a unique…
1: Humiliation
   It is something you do to another who has wronged you in some way, and made you look so Humiliated in front of those who thought goo d of you. Before you seek retribution, remember the saying “two wrongs don’t make a right”. This is something I had great difficulty grappling with when I was first saved. All that God is, poured Himself into Jesus Christ, instead all we do rebuke Him, humiliated Him, and beat him.

   Remember, ‘by the grace of God there goes us’. So due to social reteric, they put on us pressure to have the latest thing. You are humiliated if don’t have these. So much so that by accident or failure, then due over stretching financially, we are now reduced to poverty and shame. No one ever had as much to give up as Christ Jesus, when He emptied Himself, and took upon Himself the form of a servant, becoming obedient unto death.

His was a sorrow of a unique…
2: Opposition
   We will ‘ALL’ have face in our life time opposition. Who we deal with it defines who we are. For Jesus’ the contradiction that He suffered at the hand of sinner against Himself was so unique. He was despised and rejected by men. Here is a man, whom scripture had foretold. What did they expect? God to appear in the sky above, and tell them on what exact date His son was coming, where & how? Oh hang on God did do this, in His scriptures. So why is it we still today NOT believe the scriptures? They were more just stories from hundreds of years ago, but are our road map for our lives now and life.
Ezekiel 39:8 “..Surely it is coming, and it shall be done,” says the Lord God. “This is the day of which I have spoken..”

# The temptation in the Wilderness #

   The rebuking of the wind; the same word used when dealing with ‘unclean souls’. The rebuking of Peter, and the ‘get thee behind me Satan’. He also went on to say ‘far be it from the Lord’ (referring to our Lords suffering death). Even when He (Jesus) was on the cross, they cried out and taunted him saying ‘come down, and we will believe thee’, I feel even if He had they would have just called it witchcraft, or magic.

His was a sorrow of a unique…
3 Anticipation
   It’s all enough to raise your blood pressure through the roof. How many times have we strained to say “It’s good for us that don’t know what is going to happen the next day ~ week ~ month or even year”. Or as to when this event is going to happen, because, if said to you next week on your way to work you will be die in a bad car crash, you would not leave your bed let alone thr house.

   Your nerves will become more and more jangled, the closer that date and time draws closer. You’ll think I’ll leave earlier, even go a different route to work, but your fate is sealed. But, these things are mercifully hidden, or else we would go mad with ‘anticipation’. But only Christ has fully seen what was ~ is ~ too happen. From a very young age, He came to minister to us, but not become just a seat warmer..

John 12:32/3 “..if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself. This He said, signifying by what death He would die..”

His was a sorrow of a unique…
4 Separation
   His very nature, as Holiness and Divinity had made Him separate from sinners, this was even though he was made in the likeness of sinful flesh. No one could feel this more intensely as ‘The Son of Man’ who was also ‘The Son of God’.

1 Peter 4 1/5 “..Christ suffered for us in the flesh … should live the rest of his time in the flesh … enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles … they think it strange that you do not run with them..”

   As Christ suffered in the flesh, we are called by Christ to be separate from sinners. Being a Christian will cause you to stand alone at times in you community. Some of you will no doubt think impossible that Christians are still treated in this same deplorable way, yet they still are. I once heard the story of a group of Christians buried up to their heads and were told to denounce their beliefs and God, if not each would be beaten in front of the others, yet still NO-One turned and so were left there to dye.

His was a sorrow of a unique…
5 Relationship
V4 “.. Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows..”
   Now only He could do this as a fond Mother, whom is very devoted, and carries the griefs and sorrows of her beloved suffering Children. The bond of a Mother and children is a special one, one when nurtured, builds a ‘relationship’ that can last a life time.

   Jesus Christ has the same devoted love and ‘relationship’ with us. Such love and devotion, even conquering death for us. Honestly, ‘who do you know would do this for you’? Let alone a total stranger. So intense was His love and sympathy for us as sinful man, that He could not refrain from bearing our griefs & sorrows. It was in this wholly devoted one act that Jehovah was pleased to lay .. (V6) “..the iniquity of us all..”. It was for us the He poured out His Holy, sorrowful, soul into death.

Lamentations 1:12 “..“Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Behold and see If there is any sorrow like my sorrow, Which has been brought on me, Which the Lord has inflicted In the day of His fierce anger..”

Our Divine Possessions

 

Our Divine Possessions

V1 Forgiveness V5 Assurance V7 Protection V7 Deliverance

V8 Guidance V9 Warning V11 Joy

V1 : Forgiveness
   When we fest up to God that you.ve messed up, no matter how bad God will forgive you, just don’t lie! When I was a kid there were times when I sought my earthly father’s forgiveness, these would have been better if I had not lied. The thing is when you lie, there will come a time when you are found out. So as to divert the wrath you need to tell another lie to cover up the original lie.

   Now because I answer to my Heavenly Father, so when I ask for forgiveness of my lie/sin He forgives...

Mathew 9:2 “. .Son be of good cheer, your sins are forgiven. .”
Luke 7:45/9 “. . You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little. ”Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?. . “

   The one thing that can forgive all our sins is God’s love. He’ll forgive us because God’s love is how He truly forgives us . .with love. If you’re wondering about sin’s that were committed ‘before’ became a Christian, well they were forgiven and taken away. God dealt with them when you gave your heart to the Lord. That is also what you were baptised in the water. This signifies being washed clean, cleansed, made a new. When you have been out in the garden, you wash – why? Because you were sweaty and covered in mud. You would not sit down and have lunch covered in mud and smelling bad. You would have a shower and make yourself clean, then out on clean fresh clothes. This is what it means to be born again, cleansed of all sin!

   When we have that shower, we are in the belief that it will make us clean, spotless. This is faith, why because it makes us clean. We use soap with a fragrance, to show others, we come into contact with, we are clean without having to tell people that we have washed today. Just like having a shower we should outwardly show others that ‘ALL’ our sins have been forgiven for all eternity. Too many Christians have given their lives to Christ, become washed clean, then go back to their old lives and ways.

V5 : Assurance
   If Your working on a large and awkward job, we like to have that what we are doing is correct. Assurance could be from that the boat we are crossing on will NOT sink. This means we don’t have any fear in using it The same way that faith needs to be shown.

Colossians 2:2   “..that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and[a] of Christ..”

   Our Lord is telling us that, don’t be discouraged. That we are be ‘knit-together ‘, so we can have all the riches of full, not part or a little bit, but full assurance of understanding from God. Life could not possibly get any better than this.

Hebrews 10:22 “..let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water..“

   The Lord has given us faith, that we can have no fears, as we have a living God. Because of this we can stand assured in faith that it is not for yesterday, but in full knowledge that our faith is for Eternity. With our Lords forgiveness and blessed Assurance we stand tall knowing that we are under His protection. Being under our Lords protection we have assurance that

   With our Lords forgiveness and blessed assurance we can stand tall in the knowledge we are under His ‘Protection’. Being under our Lords protection, we have assurance that. .

Psalm 23:4   “..Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me..”

   Having this ‘protection’ we all should have more confidence in our daily lives. The best way we can have ‘full protection’ for God is to put on the full amour . .

Ephesians 6:13/18   “..Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil..”
Verse -14   "..having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness..”
Verse -15 “..shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace..”
Verse – 16  “..above all, taking the shield of faith..”
Verse – 17   “..take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God..”
Verse – 18   “..praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance..”

   We should always remember that that if we discard just ‘one’ of these items, it render the rest ‘Void’. You would not go to war without your body armour, or, helmet, this would be just madness. You might as well paint a massive ‘bulls-eye’ on yourself.

   Have you had to ever make a snap judgement about a situation? Many would call this a ‘gut reaction/feeling that you should not go to a place, or, have a feeling about someone. At this moment we ask to be ‘Delivered’ from . .

V7 Deliverance
What does it mean to have Deliverance? Well, the best way is to let Daniel describe just what it means . .

• For your people and for your holy city,
• To finish the transgression,
• To make an end of sins,
• To make reconciliation for iniquity,
• To bring in everlasting righteousness,
• To seal up vision and prophecy,
• And to anoint the Most Holy.   

... I feel it could not be more clearly pointed out what it truly means to be Delivered Before we go much further I want to ask – ‘What you thought it might be like?’ Let me take you back to the time I gave my heart to Jesus. It was a Sunday evening, as I walked into the Church it felt like a heaviness had been lifted from me. Have you ever seen a shire at work with all those bridals, harnesses as well as the weight of whatever it had been pulling the day? Then to have all this taken off at the end of the day, you’ll see the shire horse buck – jump & and run around now it is free. Well that is how my spirit felt that Sunday evening back in 1998, just by walking into my Church.

   To have ‘Deliverance’ also means to be freed from your old sinful life. We have the most precious gift of all, we wont to tarnish it all? John tells it on a little more serious note, in a warning to the unbeliever of the consequence of NOT taking His deliverance . .
John 3:18   “..he who believes in Him is not condemned but he who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God..“

   Deliverance is truly the greatest gift of all, we have been pulled out of darkness into a light that is pure and has no shadows. Mathew here really spells out the dangers of IT NO receiving ‘deliverance’, and yet tells of the Security/Safety we have, how wondrous. Whilst we are being Delivered we God’s compos to safely guide us through life.

V8 Guidance
“..I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go, I will guide you with My eye..“

   Once saved by God’s mercy and now Delivered, we need to be shown how to believe, and what is expected of us. God dose this through His Love & Mercy. . .
Psalms 48:14  “..for this God is our god forever and ever ,He will be our guide even to the end..“
. . God will be with us till the end being a guide unto our feet. When being guided by someone else we will be quite, otherwise we will miss important information. So, when asking God for direction we need to be still and quite. If not our walk with God will come of the rails.

   From time to time there will one’s who feel they are the one to guide/lead. Some of these will be carful and a ‘hot-line’ to God. Hence these will guide us directly because they are being led by God. What we must be weary of is one’s who want to pretend to guide you only for personal gratification and NOT the Lords. These need to shown up before they do much harm.

   The only way to know we are being led by Jesus, is to pray and ask for guidance, for Him to shine a lamp unto your feet. This will come from knowing Jesus in a personal level and thus know when He is leading. This will by many hours of prayer and building up an connection . .
Isaiah 29:29  “..who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance..“
. . .we may well find the going tough at times as well as challenging. Always remember while these trials will test your faith, God only let the times come because He knew you could with stand these trials. Keep these words steadfast in your heart. . .

V8   “..I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. I will guild you with my eye..”

God’s light is pure and darkness can’t with stand it. .
Luke 1 v79 “ . .to give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. .”

Come Come Come into the light let the Lord God be the lamp unto your feet. Once we are being guided by God, Having a close relationship we will know/hear God’s Warning.

V9 Warning
   Warnings come in many guises. Whilst growing up we are told by our earthly parents not to this or that because we get hurt. Whilst grieving there are traffic lights which stop us with a red light, everyone who was taught to drive knows to stop a red light. Or, become badly hurt or even dead. The same applies to walking on the pavement, that when we need to cross the road we need to wait for the green man to be lit, then we know it is safe to cross the road.

   All around us there are many ‘Warnings’ to many to list in their forms, examples like . .

• Road signs
• The markings on the road,
• the warning the comes on the PC to tell us when we are being attacked by a virus

. . these were but a few of them. A small observation, over the next 24hrs try and see how ‘various forms’ of Warnings you can find or come across in your normal day.

Ezekiel 33 v5  “..he heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning, his blood shall be upon himself. But who takes warning save his life..“

The Message bible spells it so clear anyone can understands. .
Ezekiel 33 v1-6  “..God’s Message came to me: “Son of man, speak to your people. Tell them, ‘If I bring war on this land and the people take one of their citizens and make him their watchman, and if the watchman sees war coming and blows the trumpet, warning the people, then if anyone hears the sound of the trumpet and ignores it and war he ignored it—it’s his own fault. If he had listened, he would have saved his life. ‘But if the watchman sees war coming and doesn’t blow the trumpet, warning the people, and war comes and takes anyone off, I’ll hold the watchman responsible for the bloodshed of any unwarned sinner..“

   God tells us clearly we need to be walking with Him. If we do this then we will not only hear/see God’s Warnings for our lives we will be able to correct the waywardness.

V11 Joy
   With the way the world is hit hard by Counties going through times. The average Joe Bloggs is struggling with the price of everything, causing them to struggle. So where are they to find joy? When being able to do all the things in their spare time they used to once be able to do!

   You may not have the disposable income you had. May you will stand outside the supermarket as I did and wonder ‘how am I going to afford to eat this month’? I hear you saying this is all we and good, waffling dose not feed my family for the following month let alone pay bills and put fuel in the car to get to work.

   I hear you, it was the month of my Baptism, I had to drive my parents in a round trip of 500 miles, and feed them. That month I sat in the congregation down to my last pound. I prayed to God I will give Him my last pound and prayed for His provision. Well, God is good, I had fuel and food to bring my parents to my baptism as well as for work for next 3 months. I saw my bank manager, he cleared the 185.00 I owed the bank, and he also gave me a clean slate as well. This gave me time to sort out my finances. Who says God does not bring them JOY

Pslam 132:15/16
(The Message) “ . . I’ll shower blessings on the pilgrims who come here, and give supper to those who arrive hungry; I’ll dress my priests in salvation clothes; the holy people will sing their hearts out. . “
(The King James)” . .I will abundantly bless her provision; I will satisfy her poor with bread. I will also clothe her priests with salvation, And her saints shall shout aloud for joy. . “

   It dose not matter how it is said the with faith that god will meet our need’s. This small 5 letter word, will bring JOY beyond measure . .

Gen 22:14  “ . .Abraham named that place God-Yireh (God-Sees-to-It). That’s where we get the saying, “On the mountain of God, he sees to it.”
. . so do we believe in the flesh or the spirit that will bring JOY beyond measure?

Pslam 16:11 “ . . in your _ulfil_e there is fullness of JOY . .”
Isaiah 12:3   “ . . Therefore with joy you will draw water From the wells of salvation. .”

   I we just are willing to step out in faith our needs will be met with His fullness and JOY. I know it may be the hardest thing is believing that once again JOY will return.

Summary

   Today All these gifts from God, we call this ‘hind site’, can it be? Or, should we call this God’s multifaceted ‘Grace’. Yet we still underestimate the influence it can have, if, we just open up.

   Instead saying ‘woe-is-me’, say ‘how rich am I’. Yes we all go through times when we really can’t see all that we have because the devil the devil is stood right in front of our faces. It’s time not just to ‘claim’ our Divine Possessions, but to own them. The moments we open up our hearts and invite Jesus we have had all of those possessions. Some have not realised it and some have forgot. Not sure what is worse to forget or not to know? At least if you never realised you had had these wonderful gifts you might be forgiven. To have this wealth, and still decide to struggle, then that is just plain sad.

   Daniel lays out so clearly our deliverance so why hesitate? In our bank you may only have a few pounds left, but, in our heavenly bank account it will always have a wealth beyond measure, it will never be ‘over-drawn’. Infact the more we tap into it the wealthier we become. These possessions are just sitting there waiting for us to tap into.

   I’m almost unable to imagine what my life was like before I asked God into my life. So ask the mirror next time you see your reflection . . .
Can I live without God’s - Forgiveness
Can I live without God’s - Assurance

Can I live without God’s - Protection
Can I live without God’s - Deliverance
Can I live without God’s - Guidance
Can I live without God’s - Warning
Can I live without God’s - Joy
. . . We can have all these things, as they are God’s blessings. I leave you with this last Question ; “Which Bank account would you like to have”?

     We thank the Lord our God for His living word, that guids us, for His Forgiveness, for His Assurance, for His  Protection, for His Deliverance, Warning in times of trouble, and the Joy He brings to us with His graces.  Amen

With Standing Mental Attacks 52:161217

52:161217

With Standing Mental Attacks

(Training your mind to receive the finished works of grace)

To Train :- To bring under control something

that’s out of control and wild.

   Why as Christians is it important to have control over our mind, this is our gateway to all that Jesus has and is going to give you. We must guard our mind as this is our arena of faith.

Stop the press – hold the phones

# Important fact revealed #

   At some point in our growth as a Christian, ‘the penny will drop’ and you’ll figure our .. the only .. weapon the devil has is .. suggestion .. and nothing else, because Jesus stripped him of everything else. He has no weapons of mass destruction.

   He will sow tiny seeds of .. suggestion .. and then sit back and laugh as we self destruct. Then what do we do is give him (the devil) the glory, for doing NOTHING. Next time you go into a tail spin, just imagine him sat in the corner laughing at you loudly, don’t let him see you cry, NO. Instead, smile and praise Jesus Christ. Just like a bully, when he can see he can’t get to you he (the devil) will on.

# Be strong Jesus Christ is with us #

   To win this battle we need to give it a lot attention .. Psalms 5:1 “..Give ear to my words, O Lord, Consider my meditation..” .. What are we giving our attention to? .. Why are we led away so easily? Here below are some tips I hope are of use for you ..

• Become constantly aware of what you are thinking,
• Constantly check out what you are thinking,
• Always beware of of what’s going through your mind

   Our minds are a fertile ground that is always receptive of suggestions from the devil. The devil never pinned Adam & Eve down or had them beaten into submission.

NO

   The devil was, and still is, sneaky; under handed and very crafty. He got them thinking and obsessing about the wrong things, until he had them thinking only of this one tree in the garden...

# You cannot be tempted with everything you don’t think about #

...If the devil is going to tempt you, he is going to have you thinking about it.

The Testament
Will have you thinking on the following things that are good ..

• Think on the things that are lovely
• Think on things that are of good reported

… Think only of the things of good report and virtue and those things Jesus Has promised. If your wondering look at...
Psalm 103:2/4 

“..Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies..”
… because of the volatile society we live in, it says ‘it’s OK to let your mind wonder’

# Exercise #
   Try this ...Turn off your TV (television) Radio – Stereo - I Pod/Mobile phone. Now come to state of prayer then see how long it takes before some thought other than what your praying on pops up??

   Who can truly say. ‘what is it the devil knows about the power he truly has? When in fact he has none. The devil would have all us believers to think that we have all non believers think that the Bible really says, ‘God only helps those who help themselves’. Really. WRONG It was former USA Benjamin Franklin that once said: “You should always be aware of who is leading you, and who is not”. The only way is to be in your Bible, so you know when exactly when the leader is about to send them out to do something and NOT God.

   We need to know the goodness & graces of god are blocked, and why this has happened? Well it is because we don’t have held aloft our shield of Faith. I hear you ask ‘why do we need these’? These are used to stop the fiery-dart... Ephesians 6:16 “..above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one..” … How can we recognise these attacks? They come in forms and guises - suggestions and come from places you’ll never had thought possible…
Philippians 4:13 "..I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.."
...every time the devil whispers in your ear .. ‘your good’ or ‘you can’t do that idiot’. You hold aloft your shield and say back to him, “..taking the "shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one..”

   It’s sad to say too many of us, instead of holding aloft our “shield of faith”, we have it ‘metaphorically’ we have it leaning against our leg, or worst of all have it leaning against the wall in the corner. Now the shield is wondering you know how to use it at all. This is why we get covered in “the fiery darts of the wicked one”. It’s time to start to learn how to use it effectively/properly/fully in our lives.

Fear ~ Is just an accusation, told to us from an early age, which would have us believing may be a false hood.
Fear-not
Deuteronomy 3:22 “..I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me..”
2 Kings 17:35 “..I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me..”
Number 21:34 “Do not fear him, for I have delivered him into your hand..”
Hebrews 13:6 “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

   God has been stood here for a long time, just waiting for us waiting for us throw the accuser out of the way so His glory can come into our lives and shine. We ‘ALL’ need to ready to respond to the devil, like this …
Example . . .
When he says your to weak, you say..
1 Corinthians 12:10 “..Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong..”

When he says your defeated, you say..
1 Corinthians 12:1054/55 “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?”

   You really can’t let what the devil says, or does, you have to send a flood in to flush out his bad & rotten seeds. Other wise they spread out and infect everything. Remember these thing I have told you … and you can start to batting all the rotten seeds out of the park. All you need to do these things, is in you hand called the Bible, it has all you need.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, the God of Abraham ~ Isaac & Jacob, thank you for showing us how powerful your word is to defeat the devil, whilst making us stronger to win. Thankyou for your teaching, as we know your word does not return void. Let your blessings flow through your word to all who read this message.  Amen

Free will Part 3 of 3

Free will 

Part 3 of 3

   OK, I need you to stop, and think for a while, how come someone was willing to go through all the pain He did. Then be nailed to a tree? Because in equal measure He loved us that much. Do you know anyone whom your willingly – unconditionally – ready to sacrifice yourself for? That is how great Gods love is for all of us. W.O.W Once you can finally get your head around that, and grasp how great a gift this is, how much better you will fully feel about yourself. You will not want to even dip your big toe into your old ways.

# OK, now that part is sinking in,

now try the following out for size. #

   Over 2000 years ago, Christ Jesus & our father God knew you, way before your parents new about conceiving you. This is true supernatural stuff. Let this resonate with you for a minute. So then after accepting Him into your life because you knew you had to change you ‘life style choices’, to go back to your old ways, that would be plain stupid.

   You don’t go and pay good hard earned money on a brand new computer, only to get it home, then go on line to your old virus filled web sites, or do you?

OK, Sixty million Dollar Question: …

Why if God so loved his Son, why send Him and allow

Him to be treated worse than a common criminal.

Then allow Him to be wiped till there was barely any

skin left on His back, if that was not enough then

they put a thorny crown upon Jesus’ head.

Then made to carry on Jesus back , through the

streets for all to see, all the waywardness streets

to the Mount of olives. Then with these great

long nails, they drove them through Jesus’ hands and

feet, right through to the other side of the cross …

Why oh Why?

… All this to beat death, and ascend to Heaven. But wait this is just scandalous, I don’t know of anyone today that would love us so much they would freely sacrifice their only son, so we would have life more abundantly, do you? That is why we sing songs of worship, and give prayers of gratitude today. Now, when we die and go up to Heaven, as death has no hold over us any more, to be with Christ Jesus in Heavenly realms.

   Within our relationship, and it’s so good, surly you would not take advantage of this beautiful thing. But yet, Christ wants to be closer with you, helping you. Surly you know the sky is the limit in what you can have. Here’s a point to ponder … ‘The more I want Him, the more I behold Him, (if you will), there is a change in me, a supernatural change that leaves me more & more & more, felling Wonderful .. Happiest .. Contentment ..Whole’. Finally liberated from all that had bound me from before for so long. Instead of wanting the urges to go after my old fleshy ways, now I yearn for the good graces, from our living God above. I’m now wanting a personal relationship, so that when I get to Heaven I will already know Him. It’ll be like meeting up with a long lost friend, who would not want that?

   The old 1,000 hoops we had jump through, are now gone. We are not coming to Church for a performance, nothing of the sort. Praise Be. Now, what should move you spiritually, is, Christ Jesus our Lord & Saviour. While we are looking upon Him, looking into His Glorious face, and trying to more like Him, there is something stirring within me that is beyond measure and wealth, I feel so liberated. I no longer want to give my time or thoughts to my old fleshy ways, not for a second. Now I only seek a relationship with Him, for ALL else is folly! Again the only thing that should move you is that relationship with Him.

"While we try and to be like Him the Holy Spirit is

working in me something wonderful is which changing 

me for the better”

   Because now I’m taking pleasure in Him, and all my desires are totally changing. Now there is this wondrous opportunity to tell so many people about this as possible, till it sinks in. This has changed me so much so, I thought I was happy, but now I know true happiness. I recognise Gods graces now upon my life I refuse to let anyone one still this true happiness and Gods good graces in my life. I will share these for eternity, and back, never letting them be taken, that would be this Worlds greatest travesty. I want all of us to know Him better, closer.

Q: Are you ready to know Jesus on a

more personal level?

    

   There is something wrong with a person who says “I feel less condemned, but I still want my old ways”. So then why did you choose to be saved? Then still expect all of Gods graces. Let me put it this way – ‘Why would you want to get your dream job, yet you don’t turn up for work, and still expect to get paid, really who does that?

Psalm 150                                            Praise the Lord!

1. Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty firmament!

2. Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!

3. Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; Praise Him with the lute and harp!

4. Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!

5. Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with clashing cymbals!

6. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!

   Everyday, with no let up, you are going to be in conflict with yourself, your old fleshy ways, and Jesus ways? I know as soon as I open my eyes, it’s always Jesus ways, no hesitation, no question. Some of you may still be in conflict, so let me help you with this suggestion of a poem, try and remember it or write it down and keep it in your wallet…

“ Jesus I know I have to choose myself

I’m angry and frustrated with myself,

so help me God, so that I know to choose

you every time”

...may god be with now and forever, to help you through life’s trials and tribulations. Every morning before you get out of bed say aloud if you can..

I Choose Jesus every time

[May Gods word be a blessing to all may it shine a light unto your feet].

Free will part 2 of 3

Free will

Part 2 03

   To have a fully functioning Computer, and have it running effectively, you must constantly run a ‘disc-clean or a ‘Defrag’. So to receive Gods graces, you need to cleanse yourself of this Worlds ways, this comes when you renew your mind. This can happen by reading Gods word; surround yourself with fellow believer; attending home groups; going to your Church each Sunday to Worship and be under his word by the Pastor/Vicker.
Romans 12:2 “..And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind..”

   I need you to repeat these words, first thing in the Morning (before you turn the TV/Radio on). Then the last thing you see read as you close your eyes to go to sleep...

#I’m going to take to time to invest in … the renewing 

of my mind#

#Always remember it’s time to defrag as well as

disc clean up#

...this does not mean you have to spend an hour every night reading chapter after chapter, there is nothing stopping you. Hold your Bible closed in your hands and ask God what He needs to speak to you about, then let God take you to His word for you. Then ask for God to enlighten you upon the verse, renewing your mind at the same time. This step will take you and your partner some time, to master. Listen to a recoding of a sermon, or a subject like prayer. As it has been proven that just because your asleep you still are able to absorb/hearing just as much as when you are awake, may be more as you have no distractions. After returning home after Sunday service can recall what the sermon was about? The more we switch on when at the following the more you can renew your mind….
…} Seminar or }Sunday morn/even services.

   There are those people who are ignorant, and who haven’t renewed their minds, but have instead have renewed their minds with religion. Saddest part of this is when they come to Christians who have renewed their minds, they only embarrass themselves, due to the fact they don’t even know about what they say they believe. Even sadder still is, those in the World are more correct, than those ‘said’ believers. When is Jesus.. or ..when is grace going to renew my mind?

   Every couple of years you renew your PC/Laptop etc. Why? So that you can use the latest Software/Games, and so on. So it just the same with your minds, we need to keep renewing our minds ready to receive all the new ‘Graces’ from God that is always waiting for you daily.
#Example  Is 40:31 “..But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength;..”

   Always be looking to renew your mind so that you can receive ‘ALL’ God has in store for you. You can never have a constant graces, unless you renew … renew … renew. Tell me can you remember your first computer/Play station/X Box? Do you think of the games ~ software etc that could be handled on them? No of cause because they constantly needed renewed. That’s why we are looking to ‘renew’ your broadband, to the latest speed.

Q: Why do you renew your phone?

A: To receive all the good things you can now have

   Why up date renew all the things you have? Yes, boasting has it’s roll to play, but it will always keeps coming back to this why do we need to keep renewing your mind, answer: So we can receive God’s graces who wants to keep blessing you.
(Ampc) V3:  “..For by the grace (unmerited favour of God) given to me I warn everyone among you not to estimate and think of himself more highly than he ought [not to have an exaggerated opinion of his own importance], but to rate his ability with sober judgment, each according to the degree of faith apportioned by God to him..”

   This is why ‘boastfulness’ is not a quality God likes. Because, in the renewing of you mind these qualities will become exaggerated and also made to know you, and God will show you through His good graces you are what you are.
Hebrews 10 : 10/11 “..By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins..”

   Once it was told that ‘Blood-sacrifices’ can NEVER EVER take away sins… Q: What can take away sin? … only the blood of Christ Jesus. The blood of the animal only ‘covered’ sin, but ‘only’ the blood of Jesus Christ can take away sin, amen. From this point in history EVERYTHING changed. This is so important I need this to sink in, and for you to fully understand, as the blood of Christ Jesus does not ‘cover’ sin it washes you clean from all past sinning.

#Gods graces don’t cover sin, they

help you to change#

(KJ) Galatians 5:13 “..For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another..”
(NLT) Galatians 5:13 “..For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love..”

   This is so clear a child of 5 could understand it… You truly have to let this sink in, may be even read & reread it, such is the importance.. Once saved now it means you turn away from your old ‘Worldly ways’. Because now you need to change your ways and not hide away, time to proclaim you have changed. Now rejoice those chains of bondage have been broken that once held you down, you are now NO-LONGER under the yoke that bound you. You’re now free from your addiction. Example smoking (cig’s cigars joints vaping cocaine crack etc), even (gambling porn fornication), as well as such ailments as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Jesus Christ heals all and everything that burdens or ails you.

Let all the Earth rejoice His name Christ Jesus

How great is our God

   I hear those that know me, cry out, why after 20 years plus of a broken spine has god healed? I simply reply because it will be in His time not mine or theirs.

# This is not a guiltless nature of

how I used to believe #

   Just because we now sit under gods grace, it does not mean if you go out and get drunk that is Jesus’ fault. Are you going to go round and get drunk and say ‘Jesus let me get drunk’? Remember, Gods grace does not cover your basic stupidity. Listen, you need to hunger after gods graces, and not throw them back in His face. God always keeps an account of your every thought before and after you were saved, that includes ‘ALL’ our actions! Be set free, and use His grace to help you stay away from this thinking as well as temptations. Think of Gods graces like your favourite treat, now you’ve had them you’ll want nothing else. Now you will see how your relationship with God is simply the best thing. All the time while your changing, you will fill so invigorated and wonder why you did not do this years ago.
(NKJ) Philippians 2: 13  “..for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure..”

# I choose Jesus Christ , every time, above all else #

   Every day, every minute, you are going to have to make choices. Some are going to make your life easier, some will turn your World upside down & inside out. The biggest choice will be do I choose all the good graces God has for me, OR, do I forsake them, discarding them like a used tissue, and carry on in my old ways?

Free Will pt 1 of 3

55: 210620 

Free Will 

Romans 12:1 “..I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service..”

Question: 

“Is it OK to go back to living your old Worldly life, once your saved”? 

“If so, why did you get saved”? 

You have to watch out, as it can be easy when your struggling to slip back into your old Worldly ways. Because you now have been liberated from the yokes that have had you bound for so long.
12:2 “..And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect..”

    Something I need you to grasp is, that your chains of bondage, have not just been broken to pieces, but been smelted down. Now put on your new amour (Eph’s 6:14). Now being saved, and going to a Church, you need to under the 5 fold ministry.. which is . . .

  1:Apostille 2:Preacher 3:Profit 4:Evangelist 

5:Teacher 

...for the perfecting of the saints. 

   Sadly today we discarded these ministries, because it is felt that they just get in our way, in what ‘WE’ want the Church to be. So under grace we feel that it is no longer important to go to Church anymore. In so many Churches, they are no longer a place where we truly learn, only a ‘doctrine’. Instead what we learn is that Doris’ cat died during the week, or, who Mavis is dating now. The Preacher; Minster; Pastor; Leader, may feel that they feeding the congregation, the only feeding they thinking what’s for Sunday lunch, because they have guests coming, or watching the time till they leave.

• Firstly … It is very important you need to find a place that is going to feed you, so pray over the situation, and ask for Gods guidance.
• Secondly … Somewhere you'll be ready to receive gods word, and be fed to help you through the week and beyond. 

   Every visit should be a renewing of our mind, we need this because our minds are under constant attack, so it is so desperately needed. Only you can decide to be constantly because of all the ‘junk’ we are bombarded with 24/7. Being saved/Christian is a life time of struggle and endeavour. You must renew your mind daily with prayer to Jesus Christ and reading your Bible, at home. You must also be under a Pastor/Priest who helps to renew your mind weekly. It’s a shame, that in the World Church’s have become so watered down, that they have all but no purpose in their community, with all kinds of unspiritual things going on. Instead what should be happening is no longer taking place ….’I’m not here to entertain you, but instead ..Renew your Mind …. to challenge your way of thinking, until it begins to line up with God.

   What all this leads us to do is, contradict the ways of how your used thinking & behaving…

Proverbs 23 : 7 

“..For as he thinks in his heart, so is he ..” 

...free choice means we have the ability to ‘Choose’ where we worship, try and find one that is going to challenge you during the following weeks and beyond, but also feeds your soul. Because a large chunk of our lives has been in the world, at times we behave this way without thinking.

   Today, it is all but expected that you should have a ‘computer’, of sorts, like a notebook: laptop: iPad: workstation etc. Such is the advancement of technology you have to try and buy the latest one. Even though your old machine worked well enough, but due to the software is constantly updated you need newer hard ware.

   So, our minds need to be ‘renewed’, WHY? I can praise the Lord just as well at home! True, but like a computer we need to have a ‘Disk-clean’, weekly. Due to all the negativity we have faced during the week, and if by ourselves for a long time, we are going to slip very quickly & easily back into our ‘old Worldly ways’, hence why we are going to, just like our computers, a ‘deep-defrag’, as so many ‘data-files’ would have become corrupted. After getting saved, and working in a place where staff are not, it is going to be so easy to slip back to thinking your old ways.

#So be mindful of your mind# 

(Parts 2 & 3 to follow shortly.

I pray Gods word will bless you, and touch you

in new ways Christ Jesus name)