Glorifying and Enjoying God

Millions of Christians have been lulled into thinking that God’s purpose for us boils down to little more than a fulfilling life on earth, with the added bonus of a heavenly reward later. With this mindset, it’s only natural to focus on what God can do for us here and now. While this belief fits in neatly with our human appetites and ambitions, it merely serves to derail our spiritual growth. This clever deception of the enemy has always been a blight on believers—all the more so in this age of prosperity.
       Life is really all about glorifying and enjoying God. But He also wants to enjoy us. In His infinite wisdom, He’s engineered a program to accomplish both goals. In what way might God enjoy us as fully as we enjoy Him? By making us His very own sons and daughters. God fashioned us the way He has, frailties and all, to accomplish this very purpose.

From Free from the Power of Sin: the Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself

True Reward

Every act of kindness, every encouraging word, every attempt to love, even when you don’t feel like it, you are doing these to Me. Rejoice in Me. Realize that your true reward lies with Me and I will reward you as you make a practice of these things here on earth. Know that as you treat others with My love, My kindness, My words, they will experience Me flowing from you to them. Leave the outcome to Me. Do not look to this world for your reward. Keep your eyes on Me, the Author and Finisher of your faith. 

Be Open

Be open My child to the direction I am taking you. Be willing to obey what I am telling you to do. Don’t be so set on doing things your own way that you lose sight of what I am doing. Open your eyes and ears. See what I am doing. Hear what I am saying. Enter in to the work that I planned for you from the beginning of time. This requires full surrender. This requires willingness. This requires obedience. Oh what joy in entering in to the fullness of the Father’s plan. What peace and satisfaction in doing what you were destined and designed to do.

Move Out

My child, I give you all authority. I give you the keys of the Kingdom. I give you My Son and My Holy Spirit to move in and through you. Walk in the authority I have given you. Do what I have told you to do. Proclaim truth and pray My Word. You carry My authority and operate with My power. What more do you need except faith? So move out in faith. Be who I have called you to be. Do not shrink back, do not back down. Move out. Your destiny awaits. Your Father and Warrior King

The Power of Sin is the Law

The freedom we have in Christ can be a bit confusing. The Bible says, “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.” But don’t you find that a little surprising? We tend to think about freedom from sin only as being liberated from the problem of sinning. So how could being freed from law have anything to do with sin losing its power over us? Well, in fact it has everything to do with it! But if you’re like most Christians, your grasp of this truth is probably a little fuzzy.
       Don’t feel alone; you’re in good company! I’ve often asked believers: “How many of you feel like you are truly free from the power of sin?” I haven’t had anyone jump up yet shouting, “that’s me!” Though we may accept by faith the fact that we are free from sin’s power, we commonly don’t experience it as a reality in our daily lives. That’s just the way it is. No worries; there’s a solution to this bewildering problem.

From Free from the Power of Sin: the Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself

Spring Cleaning

It’s time to do some housecleaning. I’m talking about internal housecleaning. Rid yourself of all the junk you carry around. Get rid of past regrets and failures. Don’t hang onto bitterness or unforgiveness. Place all distractions and discouragements at the foot of My cross. Be done with worldly pleasures. I am calling a pure and spotless bride. I desire all of you. Give Me your whole heart. Don’t hold anything back from Me. Do you not know I hold the world in My hands? Do you not know your future is secure in Me? Then die to every selfish desire. Be done with every vain thing. Rise up and take your place in Me. You are My pure and spotless bride. You are washed clean by the blood of My cross. 

A Shift

My child, I am doing a new thing in you. You will see a shift in the way you operate. I will give you eyes to see and ears to hear. You will glimpse into the super-natural which is really reality. I give you My heart for the hurting. You will observe the need and I will show you how to fill it. Keep your eyes focused on Me. Keep seeking the things above, not the things of this world. Intimacy with Me is more important than anything you can attain here on earth. Share My intimacy with others. It’s the best gift you can give. Love, your Father in heaven, who loves you with ever-lasting love.

Nothing You Can Do

My child, before you were born I loved you. Before you took a breath, I cherished you. There is nothing you can do to increase My love for you. You are My joy and I delight in you.

 

Problems with My Heart

I love Paul’s writings. So practical! So honest! In Romans 7 he exposes what we like to keep as a closely guarded secret. It’s this: “I’m not the model believer I appear to be. There are problems with my heart I don’t even want to admit, or that I blatantly hide in an attempt to appear more righteous than I actually am.” Our inborn pride strongly resists any admission of failure. After all, people might discover what we’re really like!
       Paul knew that if we are ever to successfully walk in God’s purpose we must first come to a sound understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And since the gospel impacts every facet of a person’s life, a good grasp of who we are in Christ requires that we be aware of at least three very important things: First of all, God’s purpose and plan for our life. Secondly, our own nature as human beings. And finally, the implications of being redeemed in Christ, but still impacted by a worldly environment dominated by sin.

From Free from the Power of Sin: the Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself

Problems with My Heart

I love Paul’s writings. So practical! So honest! In Romans 7 he exposes what we like to keep as a closely guarded secret. It’s this: “I’m not the model believer I appear to be. There are problems with my heart I don’t even want to admit, or that I blatantly hide in an attempt to appear more righteous than I actually am.” Our inborn pride strongly resists any admission of failure. After all, people might discover what we’re really like!
       Paul knew that if we are ever to successfully walk in God’s purpose we must first come to a sound understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And since the gospel impacts every facet of a person’s life, a good grasp of who we are in Christ requires that we be aware of at least three very important things: First of all, God’s purpose and plan for our life. Secondly, our own nature as human beings. And finally, the implications of being redeemed in Christ, but still impacted by a worldly environment dominated by sin.

From Free from the Power of Sin: the Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself