Jesus

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Get back to spiritual basics

This morning I was up at 3am and turned on the TV. Wagon Train was on and I tuned in just in time to hear this old man pray. It was quite a prayer. At the end of it he received an answer to his prayer and shouted, “Hallelujah, Praise the Lord!”

The show was filmed in 1961 and I thought how far we have gone off the straight and narrow path.

That became a subject last Wednesday evening. The American church and American Christian has become too sophisticated and has strayed away from God.

Other nations around the world are responding to the Gospel and seeing the evidence of the miraculous power of God.

I have heard testimonies of healings; even those being raised from the dead. None of these stories originate in the USA.

The word of God tells us why.

Rev 2:4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

The TV show from 1961 praised God in the dialogue. TV today curses Him.
Indeed we have left our first love.

Rev 3:17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’ — and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked —

It is time for the American church to return back to the basics of God. Back to faith. Back to believing. Back to living in the bounds of Christianity!

Abba, in Jesus name I want to live in the Spirit and not in the physical! I want to return to the simplicity of the faith. YES&AMEN

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45-minutes of reasoning!

Isa 1:18 “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

As great as the service with no lights was – the next night was even better.

Pastor Todd expounded and explained the word of God to the simplest degree. The Holy Spirit moved and reasoned with everyone in the worship center. The result was a 45-minute altar call!

I honestly have never seen so many teenage boys and girls crying in my life. They brought their friends to the altar, hugged each other, and prayed.

Todd offered the mic to anyone that had a testimony.

I listened as kids cried and shared their hurts and pains – divorces, the death of a parent, and the concern over a friend.

I learned that God’s grace and power does not run out or run low.
His promise to dismiss sin and replace it with forgiveness and love does not run out.

God’s love and grace did not run out with the end of church camp. Both stand ready today to change your life!

Come reason with God and listen to what He has to say to you. Find the forgiveness you need to make your sinful life as white as snow!

Abba, Your grace and love are addicting. I need it every day! I need the cleansing every day. In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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Mistakes – #2

The problem with mistakes is you do not know the entire consequence of what will happen.

You and I don’t have the Godly foresight to see what the future of a single action can do.

Gen 16:5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “My wrong be upon you! I gave my maid into your embrace; and when she saw that she had conceived, I became despised in her eyes. The Lord judge between you and me.”

Though Sarai’s intention was to give herself a child, the result of her action gave her a wild man, who would be against every man and every man’s hand against him. (Gen 16:12)

You will often lose sight of the future in a moment of sin. Sin is able to camouflage the consequences. Sin will also torment future generations.

In the case of Abram and Sarai, when they had a child of their own (Isaac) the son of Hagar (Ishmael) made fun of him and harassed him.

I believe in generational curses.

The lifestyle you set up and live today will affect your children. From there it will affect your grandchildren; and on and on.

You can turn the tide by proclaiming Jesus as Lord of yourself and your entire household.

Don’t let a single mistake ruin your future. Look to God in Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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God’s Prescribed Sacrifice

“It is only by obedience that we understand the teaching of God.” ~Oswald Chambers

Gen 15:17 And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces.

Abram obeyed God and had taken the five sacrifices and prepared them.

This obedience became a reassuring teaching from God – teaching involving the future of his descendants. (Gen 15:13-16)

Then a firepot and burning torch went between the pieces.

The pieces were the complete blood sacrifices the Law would prescribe. Those sacrifices would be offered by the priests.

In this text, God, Himself, burns the sacrifice…

…which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. Col 2:17

1 John 3:16 He laid down His life for us.
Heb 7:27 He did once for all when He offered up Himself.

For all the sacrifices that mankind can offer, it is the one offered by Christ, the complete Sacrifice, that satisfies the Father.

No matter what trouble may come, the Father will fulfill His promise to deliver His people.

That promise is yours when you accept God’s sacrifice for you – His own Son!

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

YES&AMEN

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The Complete Offering

God’s word is not always easy to understand. For years I avoided the following, never preaching or teaching on it.

But God’s word is meant to be understood. It is given so we can know the fullness of the Father.

Gen 15:9-11 So He said to him, “Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. And when the vultures came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.

The greatest proof of God’s promises is found in the text and those that follow.

Sacrifice is important to God.

According to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. Heb 9:22

The sacrifices of Adam, Noah, Abram, and all before Sinai, were done without the demand of the Law.

In Abram’s case, he brought every blood sacrifice allowed by the future Law. The complete set, as it were.

Jesus is the complete sacrifice. He did what the heifer, goat, ram, turtledove, and pigeon could not do – satisfy God.

Satan wants to take that away, like the vultures. He doesn’t want you to know or depend on the offering of Jesus.
He wants the world to be confused, divided, and confrontational over Jesus.

Break through the confusion and misunderstanding. Read God’s word and let the Holy Spirit reveal the truth, in Jesus name, YES&AMEN!!!

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Big Promise

My promises to others are small. I try not to commit to what I cannot do. And sometimes I forget something, so I try to keep notes in my iPhone.

You don’t want to promise what you cannot deliver to begin with. Time and effort work against promises

I know I have broken promises, both intentionally and unintentionally. And promises have been broken to me.

God is the opposite of you and me.

Gen 15:5 Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”

God’s promises are big. I mean to say your descendants will be as numerous as the stars is a huge commitment. It’s happened! How many descendants of Abraham have there been through the ages – both born naturally and adopted and grafted in!

It’s not the only promise He has made!

Isa 1:18 “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.

Matt 28:20 “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Rom 10:13 “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Heb 13:5 “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Ps 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

1 John 1:7 the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

Acts 1:11 This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.

Rev 22:20 “Surely I am coming quickly.”

Abba, I have yet to see a broken promise from You. I believe them all, in Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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Here is your reward!

You walk into a business and see a notice taped to the window. There’s a picture of the cure little dog and the words “lost” and “reward”.

As you leave the store and drive home you are surprised to see a dog running loose that amazingly favors the one you saw on the window.

You stop and gently speak to the little dog. It wags his tail and slowly comes to you. You pick up the dog and place him in your lap. He licks you and happily settles down while you drive home.

You call the number you saw on the poster in the window. The owner meets you, thanks you over and over and wants to give you $50 for finding the dog.

You hesitate to take it but the owner insists! It is your reward.

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Abram was definitely a man of faith. But even people of faith can have those moments of doubt. God assurance to Abram –

Gen 15:1 “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”

God, Himself, is your reward.

He rewards with forgiveness. Eph 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.

He rewards with salvation. Rom 10:9-1o if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

He rewards with eternal life. 1 John 2:25 And this is the promise that He has promised us — eternal life.

Abba, I found You and I am rewarded. YES&AMEN

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Do not be afraid!

Abram’s concern over 4 different military forces seeking revenge is soothed by God Himself.

Gen 15:1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”

God first told Abram, “Do not be afraid!”

There are several things that can bring on fear.

Sin can bring fear. After sinning in the Garden of Eden Adam hid in the bushes because he was afraid! It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Heb 10:31
Meeting God with sin on your hands is a fearful thing.

The unknown can cause fear. Not knowing what tomorrow holds. Not knowing what is in the closet or not knowing what animal is growling in the dark. David said,

“Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” Psalm 23:4

Though he did not know what was lying ahead or what was unseen in the shadow.

Fear can also be caused by doubt. If a mustard seed of faith can move a mountain then I think a mustard seed of doubt can keep it there.
The night Jesus came walking on the water only one man had the faith to get out of the boat – Peter!

But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink. Matt 14:30

He did the impossible but then doubted and became afraid that he could not do it.

Any fear you have doesn’t come from God.

God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Tim 1:7

Maybe your response is you are afraid of snakes, spiders, or swimming at the beach.
That’s not fear, it’s just common sense. It is best to have respect for those things.

A Christian should never be afraid of spiritual matters.

Abba, with You I have no fear. You give peace. You give life. You give comfort. In Jesus’ name, I receive that! YES&AMEN

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Already Victorious

With only 318 trained servants, Abram had a great victory over four kings. That victory may have been short-lived as the reality of revenge from those kingdoms set in.

How embarrassing to be sent home running by a seemingly inferior force. There was a good chance that the kings or their families would look to return and teach Abram a lesson.

But Abram is a man of faith and God came and reassured him in a great way.

Gen 15:1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”

You, also, have an enemy and your relationship with Jesus has put him on the run. He would like nothing more than to seek revenge on you – to destroy your testimony or worse, make your turn your back on God.

What God said to Abram is the same words He would say to you – do not be afraid. I am your shield and your exceedingly great reward!

Have faith in His assurance that He is already victorious over the adversary. Satan is absolutely powerless against the blood of Jesus.

Abba Father, I do have times I feel victorious. And then the enemy tries to knock my feet out from under me. My deepest desire is to keep my eyes on You and not worry about the enemy. In Jesus’ name, YES&AMEN

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Cheerful Giving & Grateful Getting!

Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.

I was filling the lawn mower with gas the other day. The liquid gurgled right up to the cap. I put the gas can down and went to put the cap back on but my knee bumped the back of the mower and the fuel in the tank burped and the level lowered.

I picked the gas can back up and poured a little more gas while shaking the lawn mower. I got all the trapped air bubbles out that I could to assure a full tank of gas.

Shaking settles things and can allow ingredients and small particles to move closer together allowing for the most volume of the substance. Pressing and packing it down can often achieve the same result.

Jesus says that when you give, you will receive back and it’s been shaken, pressed, and packed down to give you the most!

Jesus wants you to have more than you can handle – not just packed to the top but overflowing!

Cheerful giving leads to grateful getting! And the more you receive – the more you will be able to give.

Abba Father, I believe Your word but sometimes I don’t have faith in it. Increase my faith, in Jesus’ name. YES&AMEN