Fearlessness In Enemy Territory

 Psalm 27:1

Of David. The LORD is My Light and My Salvation—whom shall I fear? 

The LORD is The Stronghold of my life—whom shall I dread?

    When The Holy Spirit takes up residence in the believer, our whereabouts are revealed to us. We have been living in enemy territory for so long that we have become accustomed to this way of life and do not know any other way. 

    But God will not have His people living in darkness now that The Light of His Love and Salvation have taken up residence within them. God's Word reveals who our enemies are and where we have been living. It shows us The Way out is forward not backward. 

    Move forward we must, if we want to obtain the promises of God for ourselves. We are no longer a people lost in the darkness of our sins: we are a people seeking the kingdom of God, that we might receive the provision of God. We read our Bible with the intention of gaining divine wisdom that God's Holy Spirit can impart such wisdom into our hearts, where He has written The Word of God when we believed on The Name Above All Names--Jesus Christ--for our salvation. 

    We have a strong desire now to share this Good News with everyone we know, but fear raises its ugly head and threatens to bring us down if we continue to speak The Name of Jesus. Fear must flee. And it must take its companions with it: Dread and Doubt. Our hearts are filled with God's Son and God's Spirit now: there is absolutely no room left for fear. We are fearless.

FEARLESS 

When entering enemy territory:

Deuteronomy 31:6

Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for The LORD your God, He it is that does go with you; He will not fail you, nor forsake you. 

FEARLESS

Faith-based divine deliverance from the enemy:

1 Samuel 17:37

David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and The LORD be with you.

FEARLESS

Fear God and all other fears fall away:

Matthew 10:28

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

FEARLESS

When The Holy Spirit is at work in the believer, fear leaves; Love and a Sound Mind, the mind of Christ, empowers us to do that which God has called us to do. 

2 Timothy 1:7

For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

FEARLESS

We speak The Truth with boldness: we are ready to give an account of why we believe what we believe, in the face of opposition.

Acts 4:29

Now, Lord, behold (look on and act against) their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word. 
FEARLESS

False witnesses will rise up against us and testify that we have slandered The Lord God. People will be paid or coerced to condemn our work for The Lord. However, we will continue to proclaim the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ with our dying breath.

Read Acts 6:8-15 through Acts 7

Acts 6:13

They also set up false witnesses who said, “This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law."

FEARLESS

Through faith we accomplish God's purpose for our lives. Fear would keep us down and back, but fearlessness keeps us moving forward that we may grasp hold of the promises of God.

Hebrews 11:33, 34 (AMP Bible)

Who by faith [that is, with an enduring trust in God and His promises] subdued kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promised blessings, closed the mouths of lions, extinguished the power of [raging] fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became mighty and unbeatable in battle, putting enemy forces to flight.

Deuteronomy 28:7

The LORD will cause the enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you. They will march out against you in one direction but flee from you in seven.

Joshua 23:10

One man of you shall chase a thousand: for The LORD your God,He it is that fights for you, as He has promised you.

FEAR &  DREAD UPON OUR ENEMIES

Exodus 15:16

Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of  Your arm they shall be as still as a stone; till Your people pass over, O LORD, till the people pass over, whom You have purchased.

WE ARE THE LORD'S PURCHASE & WE ARE FEARLESS

1 Corinthians 6:20

For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

1 Corinthians 7:23

You were bought with a price [a precious price paid by Christ]; do not become slaves to men [but to Christ].

FEARLESS - Jasmine Murray

Walking Before God

 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am The Almighty God; walk before Me, and be perfect. 

    To walk before God is to be sincere with Him. To live a life of integrity and honor. Not lying to ourselves, nor anyone else, especially God. For God knows our hearts before we do. He can see what we're thinking, so He knows what motivates us to be who we are. 

    This life we live is ours to live, yes. But when Christ lives in our hearts, then this life we live is no longer ours to live however we want to live; this is a surrendered life. We give our hearts to Christ when we believe that He is, indeed, The Messiah, The Holy Only Begotten Son of God, Who died on the cross as punishment for our sins, our transgressions, our iniquities and walked out of the grave to give us new life in Him. The least we can do in this new life is surrender what we want in life for what God wants in our life. 

    Many rush into a saving faith but are unwilling to give anything more than lip service, for they choose to live in their comfortable sin, instead of living for Jesus the way God desires us to. Let us not be lip-syncers, just moving our lips, but not our hearts. Let us put God first in every day that He allows us to live. Wake up thankful. 

    When God makes His presence known to each one of us, He declares (introduces) Himself to us, regardless of our age and circumstances. Here in this verse we read that Abram was 99 years old; thirteen years after he had Ishmael -- the son given but not promised -- but just in time to have Isaac, the son of promise. 

    Sometimes when we receive a promise from God we become impatient when the promise doesn't arrive or appear when we think it should. We go about our lives, at times making unwise decisions that are in direct violation of God's Word and Promise. Until God comes to us, heart to heart, face to face, voice to ear. 

    I have been in the depths of despair in my life. There was a point when I was so sad and discouraged by the life I was trapped in that I had lost all hope for a better one. And Jesus made Himself known. In my kitchen in my home a little over 30 years ago. I was not alone. Jesus made Himself known and called me to Himself and I ran into His arms by faith. And I never left. 

    My faith in Christ Jesus is certainly stronger and more voiceful now than it was in the beginning of my faith, my walk before God. My physical voice may be dimming but my spiritual voice is calling out to all of you, "Come. Come to Jesus Christ and be saved by God's grace, healed by God's mercy, filled with God's Holy Spirit and walk with us." 

    Now is the time to turn your back on sin and make the decision to live a holy and uncorrupted lifestyle, seeking to please God and not ourselves. Let us put God first in our thoughts, our days, our lives: speaking His Word aloud in our hearing, hearing His Word from a Holy Spirit-filled man or woman who also lives their faith out loud. Let us turn to God and seek His face, His kingdom, His glory as never before. Let us walk together in our most holy faith and stand strong in these last days before His return to bring His bride, His church home. 

LIVE OUT LOUD - Steven Curtis Chapman 

Statements of Faith - The Seed of Abraham

 

ROMANS 9:6-8 

It is not as though God’s word has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Nor because they are Abraham’s descendants are they all his children. On the contrary, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.” (Genesis 21:12). 

So it is not the children of the flesh who are God’s children, 

but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as offspring. 

    Like Abraham, I have not seen Jesus, The Promise, face to face. But also like Abraham, I believe God and that God's Word is Faithful and True. (Revelation 21:5).

 I believe that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, that He is God's only begotten Son (John 3:16) Who died on the cross for me and rose from the dead ahead of me. (1 Corinthians 15:20). I have called upon The Name of The LORD for my salvation. I acknowledged my sins and my iniquities and my transgressions to God and God forgives me and calls me His own. (Romans 10:9-13; John 1:12). 

    By grace am I saved through faith in The Name of The LORD. (Ephesians 2:4-10). 

Acts 15:11

 "On the contrary, we believe it is through the grace of The LORD Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."

1 Peter 1:3-5

Blessed be The God and Father of our LORD Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power for the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 

    There is no better time than now to give your heart and surrender your life to God through Christ Jesus than now, today. So, we say, Come. Come to the altar upon which the sacrifice of God was laid and see Jesus on the cross dying for you and I. Come to the garden and see the empty tomb where He had lain, for He is not there: He is Risen!

    Come and be baptized into His Name and be filled with His Holy Spirit that you, too, may walk in the strength of The LORD forever. Come, let us go and see Jesus. 

I FEEL JESUS - Carman

COVERED - Planetshakers

BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD  

Statements of Faith - Absolute Surrender

 

GALATiANS 2:20

I have been crucified with CHRIST; it is no longer I who live but CHRIST lives in me; and the life which I now live I live faith in THE SON OF GOD who loved me and gave Himself for me. 

Romans 3:22
And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction. 

Romans 6:6

We know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.

Song of Solomon 6:3

I am my Beloved’s, And my Beloved is mine. He feeds his flock among the lilies. 

Psalm 100:3

Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. 

MATTHEW 6:10

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Matthew 4:17

From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."

Matthew 7:21

Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

Matthew 6:33

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you. 

Matthew 4:19

Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 

    To be absolutely surrendered to God is to choose to obey His Word and walk in His Way of Holiness. It is to choose to be molded into the person He desires us to be. We surrender our will for His willingly and with great expectation to see what God will do and is doing in us. 

    To be absolutely surrendered to God is to be content in all things, as Paul wrote to the church in Philippi, "Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to live humbly, and I know how to abound. I am accustomed to any and every situation—to being filled and being hungry, to having plenty and having need." (Philippians 4:11, 12). 

    To be absolutely surrendered to God is to give Him my life, my time, my finances: all of which He has given me. For I did not create myself nor did I save myself. God is the God of all my days. He blesses His people when they choose to be obedient to His Word. I want the blessings of God that I might bless Him and bless others with the blessings He gives me. 

    To be absolutely surrendered to God is to know "joy unspeakable" and have "the peace that passes understanding" even in hard times, sorrowful times,  wearying times. (1 Peter 1:8; Philippians 4:7). It is to have absolute faith in the knowledge that God is in control and knows what He is doing; to trust God at all times. 

    To be absolutely surrendered to God is to listen for His voice and Hear Him speak when I search out His presence to spend time with Him in prayer. Prayer is how the surrendered heart communicates with its God. 

    Today is the day to be absolutely surrendered to God. While there is still time. 

WITHHOLDING NOTHING Medley - William McDowell

A Crucified Life - - Makes Known The Word of God

 

    Romans 10:17

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by The Word of God.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 4102

Faith: belief, trust, confidence; fidelity, faithfulness

From the Greek word 'pistis' (pronounced pis'-tis): divine persuasion, meaning a person can only get faith from God and not from anything we can do. 

    Faith is not the same as confidence. I am confident about very little in life. But I have faith that in every situation of my life, God is with me, for He has promised to never leave nor forsake His people, the people who love Him, of which I am one. 

    This measure of faith which God gives us He gives to us when we hear and believe The Word being spoken to us. It is not enough to hear, we must hear AND believe. 

    Many hear The Word but turn away because they are unable to believe such Good News. In their unbelief they turn to other gods and follow their imaginations instead. But imagination cannot save the soul for it has no such power to do so.

    Hear The Word of The Lord. Our hearts must be receptive to The Word of God, for it is the Seed of Salvation that grows within us. The ear of the hearing heart hears the word of the speaking heart and makes a decision either to embrace or deny the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ. 

    Faith in God can only be found in a relationship with Jesus Christ. Faith is God revealing Himself on an individual basis. Denomination is not faith. Romans 3:22; 4:16 "the promise of righteousness comes by faith".

    Faith is the power of God opening up the written and heard Word of God that the heart of the hearer would open the door of their heart and receive Christ into it, for He is the Living Word of God Who longs to be with us and to bring us home to His Father's house. Revelation 3:20; John 14:1-3. 

    We tend to think it takes great faith to believe all of The Word but Jesus says to us that it takes only a little bit of faith to accomplish what God needs to do in us. 

Luke 17:6 "mustard seed faith"

Matthew 8:10 "faith that requires only the Word spoken by Jesus"

    Again, the question must be asked and answered by each person who hears The Word of God: "Do you believe?" Are you willing to accept the faith which God wants to birth into you that you might become His child?

Faith Comes By Hearing

Song of Ezekiel - Paul Wilbur

Days of Elijah - Robin Mark

Break Every Chain - Jesus Culture

Word of God Speak - Mercy Me

Creed - Rich Mullins

I Believe In A Hill Called Mt. Calvary - Gaither Vocal Band

The Old Rugged Cross Made The Difference - Imus Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

In Christ Alone - CityAlight with Keith & Kristyn Getty, Alison Krauss

A Crucified Life - - Walks By Faith

 

2 Corinthians 5:7

For we walk by faith, not by sight.

#Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 4102

Faith: belief, trust, confidence; fidelity, faithfulness

From the Greek word 'pistis' (pronounced pis'-tis): God's divine persuasion

    FAITH IS A GIFT

        Romans 12:3

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given you.

    FAITH BELIEVES WHAT IT CANNOT SEE

        Romans 8:24

For in this hope we were saved; but hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he can already see?

        Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see.

    FAITH COMES BY HEARING THE WORD

        Romans 10:17

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.

        Galatians 3:2

I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?

    FAITH SAVES US

        Ephesians 2:8

For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God.

    FAITH SHIELDS US

        1 Peter 1:3-5

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power for the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

        Ephesians 6:16

Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

    FAITH INCREASES

        2 Thessalonians 1:3

We are obligated to thank God for you all the time, brothers, as is fitting, because your faith is growing more and more, and your love for one another is increasing.

     Faith is more than a denominational description; it is a precious gift from God to those who are ready to receive it and willing to accept it. God gives each one who is ready and willing a 'measure of faith' in the beginning of our journey of learning to lean on Him. It is up to us to exercise our faith that it may grow, that we may grow and reach new levels of grace as we walk in the Word, in the Way of Holiness.

    In order for our faith to increase we must exercise it -- put it to use, act on it. What is God calling you to do that you are hesitant to do? Maybe it's that first step towards the salvation God is proffering you. The Spirit is calling you, tugging at your heart. Hear the Word of the Lord. Kneel where you are, confess your sins before God and receive that measure of Faith which God has in store for you. 

    Take that next step and be water baptized. This is when you make your salvation public - in the presence of people who know who you are and what kind of person you are - publicly proclaiming that Now you Belong to Christ and Christ belongs to you. 

    TESTED FAITH DEVELOPS PERSEVERANCE

        James 1:2-3

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

    Keep walking. Take that third step and receive the baptism of God's Holy Spirit who will empower you to walk in and by Faith until you reach the perfection which God has ordained for you.

    If you have already taken these three primary steps, you are halfway home. You see the Light from afar which the Father has left on for us, to guide us home. You have chosen the old, narrow path which meanders over hills, through valleys, near streams and cuts through fields. 

    Hear the Word of the Lord. Continue to let Faith be the measure by which you live your life in Christ. Let us allow the Holy Spirit to reveal God's Word to us as we read it daily. As the Israelites received the mana from heaven on a daily basis, so, too, do we receive heavenly mana from heaven when we read and study out what God is saying to us in His Word. 

    Do we eat a lifetime of meals in one sitting? Not hardly. Neither can we understand what God is doing in us, for us and through us all in one study or reading. This is allowing Faith to grow in us, whether we are new believers in Christ or steadfast believers in Christ. 

    LITTLE FAITH GETS THINGS DONE

        Matthew 17:20

"Because you have so little faith," He answered. "For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

        Matthew 21:21

And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen.

    So, let's take out that small measure of Faith which God has given to each believer and put it into action. He has called each of us to share the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ and that is just what I do every day. I share it with you here. I share it when I encourage my brothers and sisters in Christ. 

    I am able to share the gospel because I study His Word every day that my well would be full of the Living Water. How can I share the Living Water with you, unless I first have It in me? We can't draw water from an empty, dry well. I have put my faith in action. The Spirit and the bride say, "Come". So, I'm calling you to come to the well and drink deeply. 

FAITHWALKER

Spirit of God - Canyon Hills Worship

Abide In Me - Andrew Marcus

Belong To You - Here Be Lions

Your Word - Awakening Music

Surrounded - UPPERROOM

Speak To The Mountains - Chris McClarney

Give Me Faith - Elevation Worship

Spirit Move - Bethel Music

WaveWalker - Citizen Way

    

A Crucified Life - - We Speak Jesus

 

2 Corinthians 4:13-14

And in keeping with what is written: " “I believed, therefore I have spoken,” we who have the same spirit of faith also believe and therefore speak, knowing that the One who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in His presence.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 2980

Speak: talk, talkative

From the Greek word 'laleó' (pronounced (lal-eh'-o): I make myself heard.

THE SAME FAITH

    Paul was quoting David who wrote in Psalm 116:10 "I believed, therefore I said, "I am greatly afflicted." Thereby acknowledging that the faith of they who believed without having seen God's Christ is the same faith we now hold within us. 

    Hebrews 11 is the chapter commonly referred to as The Hall of Faith, wherein is detailed to some extent who believed and that it was 'counted unto them for righteousness'. It begins with the definition of faith: "Now faith is the substance (assurance) of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders (the ancients) obtained a good report."

    Our first example in this chapter is Abel. Hebrews 11:4 "By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous when God gave approval to his gifts. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead."

LEAD BY EXAMPLE

    As we have been given, and still continue to give each other, the Word of encouragement, we also should lead by example and encourage one another even now with our faith in God. 

    Hebrews 11:6 tells us faith in God is necessary. "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him."

    Faith in God produces action; we believe Him, therefore we obey Him. We believe His Words are Faithful and True, therefore we give voice to what and Whom we believe. And we cannot stop ourselves from proclaiming the nature of God and the Love of God in Christ. We want you to have this same faith, too.  

    Faith is knowing. See 2 Corinthians 4:14 "knowing that the One who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in His presence." We have this Hope of Resurrection.

     Christ IN us cleanses us from all unrighteousness. Christ ON us is our righteousness. Christ on the cross FORGIVES and SAVES us. Christ resurrected from the grave CHANGES us. Though we have not yet obtained the glorious bodies we will be given, we determine to live as though we have. 

     We live by faith: Galatians 2:20. We walk by faith: 2 Corinthians 5:7. We overcome the world with faith: 1 John 5:4. The word of faith is what we proclaim/declare, make known to all will hear us speak: Romans 10:8. 

    We speak Christ and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 1:18-25). 

SPEAKING JESUS

I Speak Jesus

Same God

I Know Whom I Have Believed

King of Glory

Guard Your Heart - - Build Your Faith

 

Jude 1:20, 21

20. But you, beloved, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 

21. keep yourselves in the love of God as you await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you eternal life.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 2026

Building: to build upon

From the Greek word 'epoikodomeó' (pronounced ep-oy-kod-om-eh'-o): to build up, to edify; to follow a plan with pre-designed specifications; to make progress in building up (from one level to another).

UNWAVERING FAITH

~PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT~

Hebrews 10:23

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised;)

James 1:6

But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

    If we have our doubts when we pray, then we are praying in doubt, not in faith; our prayers will neither be received nor heard. We must pray expecting to receive, with confidence and absolute trust in God's perfect will. But only if we pray according to His will. 

    Praying in The Holy Spirit, The Holy Ghost, is praying according to God's Word: the Word we are being led to and through when we listen to The Spirit of God. If we pray our desires, then it is doubtful we will receive the answer we want. But when we pray God's Word over every situation, then God's Will will prevail. 

    Praying in The Spirit does not mean we have to pray in tongues (although that will happen sometimes with the person who is filled with The Holy Spirit), but that we need to be working with The Spirit of God throughout our daily lives: fervently (urgently), consistently (constantly) and in faith (believing that it will be so). James 5:16; Ephesians 6:18; James 1:6; 1 Timothy 2:1.

    Unwavering faith sees its sins forgiven, its bodies healed, its minds delivered, prisoners freed. Not just then, but even today. Unwavering faith desires to please God: doing what makes God happy. 

BUILDING ON THE FOUNDATION

~HONOR~

    Knowing that our Foundation is Jesus Christ, we need to be careful how we are building on that Foundation. For God built His Foundation with Justice and Righteousness (Isaiah 28:16, 17). 

    Reading 1 Corinthians 3:10 "We must be careful how we build on that Foundation". Throughout this past year we have been learning what it means to be born again. We are still learning. Each monthly series this year I have still listed under the main heading of Being Born Again. (if you don't see some of it on this site, check Facebook).

    1 Peter 2:1 tells us to "Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander." These items do not make good building blocks. Malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander fall under the commandments of what not to do, how not to behave with one another: Thou shall not bear false witness (malice, deceit, hypocrisy, slander). Thou shall not covet (envy).   They are hindrances to the building. Our natural desires war against our spiritual desires (1 Peter 2:11) but conducting ourselves with honor is a desirable building block of faith (1 Peter 2:12).

~MERCY~

    In Matthew 25:35-40 Jesus is speaking on the faithful servant, the one who will enter into the joy of the Lord. "For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in, I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you visited Me.’

    Not everyone is called to be a missionary, but we are all called to pray for one another. In prayer I pray that needs are met. That the hungry are fed, the thirsty receive clean water, the sick are ministered to: their wounds bound, their diseases healed, their dead raised to life. 

I pray for the captives, in prison and out of prison, to be delivered and set free. I pray that their needs also are met. When I pray for those who serve on the front lines of ministry, I pray for each of these things on them as well. This is mercy.

~GRACE~FORGIVENESS~

    Saving grace is what God extended through Jesus Christ to us. (Acts 15:11). It is only by grace we are saved at all (Ephesians 2:5, 8). Grace is an extension of God's love. It is having and showing compassion; it is forgiveness multiplied beyond number (Matthew 18:21,22). Because if we are counting how many times you have "forgiven" a person or persons, then we are not really forgiving them at all: we're tallying up offenses and holding grudges. Not ideal building blocks at all to lay on the Foundation of our faith.

    The grace, the forgiveness, we offer to each other must be sincere and offered in love, the true love of God which lives in the born again believer. If we keep coming back to the original offense we received from the one we think we forgave, then we never offered them love and grace in the first place. Our hearts need to be right with God, aligned in His Justice and Righteousness, that we may freely give grace to one another.

KEEP IN THE LOVE OF GOD & HIS MERCY

 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11

9. For God has not appointed us to suffer wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

10. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him.

11. Therefore encourage and build one another up, just as you are already doing.

Romans 14:8

If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

2 Timothy 2:11

This is a trustworthy saying: If we died with Him, we will also live with Him.

    The only way to Keep in the Love of God and His Mercy is to remain in God's love, in God's testimony, in God's Son Jesus Christ. To remain in God's love is to live (dwell, take up residence) in God's love. 

    How do we conduct ourselves in our everyday living when we interact with family, when we are working with colleagues, when we sit in waiting rooms? Are we living in the love of God when we get angry, frustrated, upset? Are we living to the Lord by our actions and our words? These are questions only we can ask ourselves and only we can answer. If our answers are not in keeping with God's definition of Christian conduct, then we need to take the matter before Him in prayer and ask that He keep changing us, molding us into the people He wants us to be. 

    Have you ever thought about how the clay might feel on the potter's wheel? Being poked here, prodded there; smoothed away in some areas, broken off in others. Yet there the lump of clay sat, waiting for the potter to create in them what the potter had in mind to create. 

    We are lumps of clay being perfected on the Potter's wheel. Perhaps we, too, should wait without argument while our Potter finishes working on us; while He builds us into Himself. 

    We know we are saved. We both know and hope for our resurrection into eternal life. For it is in Christ that we have the Resurrection and the Life. Let us therefore live in God as He lives in us: with grace, with integrity, with mercy. 

2 Peter 3:13, 14

13. But in keeping with God’s promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

14. Therefore, beloved, as you anticipate these things, make every effort to be found at peace—spotless and blameless in His sight.

I BUILT MY HOUSE ON A STONE by Jason Upton

HOUSE OF PRAYER by Eddie James, Jayna Cullens

POUR ME OUT by Brandon Lake

FILL MY WAY by Iris DeMent

TREMBLE by I AM THEY

I WON'T LEAVE YOU HERE by Southern Raised Bluegrass

    

    

    

    

    

God's Will Is To Give Him Thanks

 

1 Thessalonians 5:18

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

The born again believer does not thank the universe (the stars, the sun, the moon, the planets, etc) for the good things (blessings) that happen to them. We thank God for His many blessings on us.

The born again believer does not thank nature for its sacrifice when we hunt and fish. We thank God for His provision for us.

The born again believer does not thank idols and imitation gods. We thank the Living God Who created us and has called us out of the darkness of this world into His marvelous Light. 

The born again believer is born again by the mercies and lovingkindness of God through His only begotten Son Jesus Christ. We are the born again because we believe that Jesus Christ Is Lord, that He became sin and died on the cross in our place; that He fought hell and death, overcoming both and walked out of the grave in newness of life. 

Therefore, we give God thanks for His unmerited favor upon us. This favor can be yours, too, when you believe that Jesus Christ Is Lord. 

GIVE THANKS

In Everything

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

In Every Season of Life

 

Psalm 136

Because His Mercy Endures For Ever

All The Time

Psalm 34:1

I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise will always be on my lips.

Ephesians 5:20

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

GOD'S WILL IN CHRIST JESUS 

Salvation

John 3:16-18

 (16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 

(17) For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

I am asked often, What is God's will for my life? God's will cannot be identified singularly: it is a blueprint and a blueprint has several aspects to it. Giving God thanks is just one aspect. And even then thanks must be given through Jesus Christ, for there is no other way to reach God. 

To Have Faith

To reach God through Jesus Christ, we must first BE in Jesus Christ and He must be IN us. By faith. No matter how often we teach and preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified, if a person chooses not to believe in God or Jesus Christ, no words will sway him or her to faith. For "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1). 

The faith we have in God comes from God when we believe in His only begotten Son for our salvation. We receive a measure of faith from Him when we first believe, but it is up to us to exercise said faith that it might grow up in Christ. 

Romans 12:3

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given you. 

Let us give thanks to God in everything and for everything. Let us bless God when He blesses us by giving Him all the glory, all the praise. 

Thankful Heart

Arming The Spiritual Warrior -- Sobriety, Faith, Love, Hope

 

1 Thessalonians 5:8

But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

Believers Belong To The Day

1 Thessalonians 5:5

Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

The Day of The LORD

Prophetic Verses 

Zechariah 1:7-18

Malachi 4:1-6 (refers to both Christ's first coming and His second)

2 Peter 3:8-13

Be Sober

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 3525

free from illusion, i.e. from the intoxicating influences of sin (like the impact of selfish passion, greed, etc.)

refers to having presence of mind (clear judgment), enabling someone to be temperate (self-controlled); means to have "one's wits (faculties) about them," which is the opposite of being irrational.

To watch, To be alert, To be vigilant in all things and at all times.

2 Timothy 4:5

1 Peter 1:13

1 Peter 4:7

1 Peter 5:8

The Breastplate of Faith & Love

Being a spiritual covering, we learn that it covers our spiritual heart, protecting us from the temptations of the enemy of our souls. 

This Breastplate consists of Living by Faith, Walking by Faith; Having the Love of God in us through Christ, Speaking words of Love with Love. 

FAITH

Hebrews 11:1  

Now faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see.

The Just Live By Faith

Romans 1:17

For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Galatians 3:11

But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

Habakkuk 2:4

Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

The Just Walk By Faith

2 Corinthians 5:7, 8

(For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

LOVE

1 John 4:7-10

Living In Love

1 John 4:11-21

John 13:34

1 Peter 1:22

Romans 12:10

SALVATION

Our helmet, which is fixed securely to our spiritual heads, gives us defence against the tactics of our the enemy of our souls. Having the Word of God firmly planted in our thoughts prevents the wiliness of the his strategies from reaching us. When we know the Word of God, we also know and become aware of how the devil works against us. Knowing our enemy from this advantage point helps us in our times of temptations and troubles to turn to God and His Word to keep us from being prey, but instead makes us the victor in every encounter. And there are many encounters throughout our lives; day in and day out.

HOPE of SALVATION

Romans 8:19, 24

 For the earnest expectation of the creation awaits the revelation of the sons of God. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

1 Peter 1:3-5

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power for the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

Ephesians 2:8-10

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life. 

2 Timothy 1:9

He has saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began.

Titus 3:5-7

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 

John 3:16, 17

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.