Seated In Heaven

by Pastor C. R. Stam




God sees every believer in Christ as already in heaven. See what the Bible says about this:


“BUT GOD, WHO IS RICH IN MERCY, FOR HIS GREAT LOVE WHEREWITH HE LOVED US,

“EVEN WHEN WE WERE DEAD IN SINS, HATH QUICKENED US TOGETHER WITH CHRIST (BY GRACE YE ARE SAVED),

“AND HATH RAISED US UP TOGETHER AND MADE US SIT TOGETHER IN HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST JESUS:

“THAT IN THE AGES TO COME HE MIGHT SHOW THE EXCEEDING RICHES OF HIS GRACE IN HIS KINDNESS TOWARD US THROUGH CHRIST JESUS” (Eph.2:4-7).

Most sincere believers, poorly taught in the Word, are concerned about getting to heaven, but as far as God is concerned they are already there.They have been “made accepted in the Beloved” (Eph. 1:6). God has given them a position “in Christ.”


We are well aware that most of God’s people know little about this experientially, but God says that as far as He is concerned, they are already in heaven, and this is what matters. As Christ took our place on Calvary’s cross, God now sees us in Christ, at His own right hand,the place of favor and honor. This is why the Apostle Paul says to believers in Christ:

“IF YE THEN BE RISEN WITH CHRIST, SEEK THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE ABOVE, WHERE CHRIST SITTETH ON THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD.

“SET YOUR AFFECTION ON THINGS ABOVE, NOT ON THINGS ON THE EARTH.

“FOR YE ARE DEAD, AND YOUR LIFE IS HID WITH CHRIST IN GOD”(Col. 3:1-3).

And all this by the free grace of God:

“WHO HATH SAVED US, AND CALLED US WITH AN HOLY CALLING, NOT ACCORDING TO OUR WORKS, BUT ACCORDING TO HIS OWN PURPOSE AND GRACE, WHICH WAS GIVEN US IN CHRIST JESUS BEFORE THE WORLD BEGAN” (II Tim. 1:9).

Our hearts go out to those of our readers who have not yet received this“gift of the grace of God.” “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).

WHAT ABOUT ME, AND THE FUTURE?

by C. R. Stam
    
Is it not amazing that men who can produce intricate electronic mechanisms, build giant sky-scrapers, fly men to the moon and back -- is it not amazing that such men often do not even know what will finally become of themselves! And what is more amazing still is that most of them do not even try seriously to find out.

They are intelligent enough to plan carefully for the future where temporal affairs are concerned, but foolish enough to neglect their eternal welfare. They make plans for themselves in case they become ill and need additional funds for surgery, medicine and hospital care. They even make plans for their loved ones in case of death and bereavement, but fail to ask themselves: "What will become of me after death?"

Daily "the wise of this world" witness the truth of Hebrews 9:27, that "it is appointed unto men once to die", and most of them know that the Bible adds: "after this the judgment". They may hope that this is but a false alarm, but they do not know. They can only wonder and worry. Hebrews 2:15 declares that "through fear of death" they are "all their lifetime subject to bondage". Like Adam, they run and hide from God instead of running to Him and asking: "What must I do to be saved?" Too cowardly to face up to their own grave, no hope beyond the tomb -- too afraid, generally, to even discuss death.

The believer in the Word of God is not left thus in the dark. He glories in the truth of the passages from which we have quoted in part above. We quote them now in full:

Hebrews 2:14,15: "Forasmuch then as the children [of Adam] are partakers of flesh and blood, He [Christ] also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

"And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."

Hebrews 9:27,28: "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.

"So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without [lit., "apart from"] sin unto salvation."


 

"Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil - it has no point."

THE MIRACLE OF LOVE

by Robert Hanna

JESUS Christ, who is very God, thus addressed His disciples: "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you, Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:12,13). The magnitude of the love of God is beyond the scope of human comprehension. "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" (John 3:16).

Obviously, the world is anything but lovable! Ergo, the evident meaning is that God showed forth such great love toward the world, that, despite their unregenerate condition, men might, upon believing, obtain eternal life. "For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:7,8). How can we possibly conceive of such love! It would be impossible for us to generate equal love. "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins .... We love Him, because He first loved us" (1 John 4:10,19).

The central figure of the entire Word of God is Jesus Christ. And the total remedy for all of the ills of the world was effected by Him in the offering of Himself at Calvary, to suffer, bleed and die as the spotless lamb of the once-for-all sacrifice required to satisfy the demands of God's standard of justice. All this was accomplished by the exercise of God's love. The supreme teaching of the Scriptures must surely be the doctrine of love.

How appropriately does our Apostle so emphasize: "And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is LOVE" (1Cor. 13:13). Our motivation--our driving force--as saints of God, is His love. "For the love of Christ constraineth us ... " (2 Cor. 5:14). By the power of His love we are assured of ultimate victory. We are destined to suffer for Him in sundry ways, as members of His body ."Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (2 Tim. 3:12). There will be losses and defeats and pain and trials. But "In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us" (Rom. 8:37).

The Apostle's personal testimony should be emulated by every saint of God. He passionately affirms, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith [fulness] of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me" (Gal. 2:20).

Our Apostle clearly defines the spiritual responsibility of the saint of God in testimony and witness. "Now the end of the commandment is love out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned" (1 Tim. 1:5) Having enumerated the proper behavioral characteristics of the faithful believer, Paul sums up with these words: "And above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness" (Col. 3:14).

We must continually reassess our compliance with the stipulations set forth by our Apostle. Are we preoccupied with our intellectual knowledge of Scripture? Do we present ourselves to others as superior and complacent and above reproach? Do we arrogantly contend for our personal opinion and demean those with whom we do not agree? We are admonished to avoid such behavior. "The servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient. .. "(2 Tim.2:24).

The Apostle Paul prays for us as members of the body of Christ, "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God" (Eph. 3:17-19).

How very true it is, that the love of Christ "passeth knowledge!" Our reciprocal love toward Him can never compare with His love to us. That kind of love is far beyond our capacity to understand or express. But we can pour out the love of which we are capable of returning from a heart full of the joy and peace bestowed by God's grace.

Lest we be tempted to be caught up with the illusion of self-worth, may we be ever mindful of these humble words of Paul: "Though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not  love, I am nothing" (1 Cor. 13:2).

"Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and WALK IN LOVE, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us as an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour" (Eph.5:1,2).
 

SPIRITUAL VICTORY

by C. R. Stam
 

        If we go to the Scriptures and claim, by faith, the Spirit's help in overcoming our sins, we enter into the enjoyment of the fullness of spiritual life and blessing. If we fail to do so, we wither and die --- as far as our spiritual experience is concerned. We can never lose our salvation, of course, for "everlasting life" was obtained by faith in Christ, not by walking in the Spirit. This is confirmed by the fact that the same apostle who pleads: "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God," hastens to add: "WHEREBY YE ARE SEALED UNTO THE DAY OF REDEMPTION" (Eph. 4:30).

          But failure to appropriate God's gracious provision for victory over sin does result in death as far as our Christian experience is concerned. This is what the Apostle means, when he says, by the Spirit:

          "FOR TO BE CARNALLY MINDED IS DEATH; BUT TO BE SPIRITUALLY MINDED IS LIFE AND PEACE" (Rom. 8:6).

          "FOR IF YE LIVE AFTER THE FLESH, YE SHALL DIE: BUT IF YE THROUGH THE SPIRIT DO MORTIFY [PUT TO DEATH] THE DEEDS OF THE BODY, YE SHALL LIVE" (Rom. 8:13).

          To the careless Corinthians, the Apostle Paul exclaimed:

          "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

          "For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's" (I Cor. 6:19,20).

NOW NO CONDEMNATION

By M. Stanford


"Ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ, that ye should be married to another, even to Him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God" (Rom. 7:4).

Romans Six reveals our position as having died unto the principle of sin; Romans Seven teaches us our position as having died unto the principle of law. Both must be counted upon if we are to abide in Christ, and walk in the Spirit, as set forth in Romans Eight.

"We have to look at ourselves and see how far we are devotedly following the Lord Jesus, with full purpose of heart - how we can say, 'This one thing I do'; but we must take care at the same time not to get into legal bondage by this standard. If I say, 'Here is a rule of conduct: follow it,' this cannot reach the heart, the affections. The ministration of the letter brings only failure, and condemnation; for it prescribes a rule which man, being a sinner, can never follow. It does not change a man; it proves him 'ungodly and without strength.'

"We may turn even Christ into that letter of condemnation; we may take His life, for instance. and make it our law. Nay, we may turn even the love of Christ into our law; we may say, 'He has loved me, and done all this for me, and I ought to love Him, and do so much for Him, in return for this love,' etc. Thus if we turn His love into a rule of life, it becomes the ministration of condemnation."

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage" (Gal. 5:1).

When It Comes to the Devil… How to Think

from Love Worth Finding and Pastor Adrian Rogers

“Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” - Romans 12:21

There are two mistakes people make about the devil. One, they get into demonology—always studying, wondering, and talking about demons. Their focus rests on Satan rather than on the Lord Jesus. The Bible says we’re to resist the devil; it doesn’t say we’re to chase him.

On the other hand, there are those who are flippant about the devil. They have nicknames for him and think he’s a cartoon or fantasy.

The truth is, we have a powerful adversary, the devil. Peter likens him to a roaring lion! A mature Christian recognizes that he has an enemy. He respects the power of the enemy. Then he clings to the power of the Lord Jesus Christ to overcome this great adversary.

Is the lion prowling around your life? Take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and break free from his jaws of destruction.

Your Words Are Important

MATTHEW 12:36-37 NIV 36 But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."

Few people realize the importance of the words they speak.
There is almost no way to overemphasize the importance of what we say. Yet most people give it almost no thought -- usually speaking without even thinking.

Jesus came from Heaven and revealed to us that words are important. Very important. The Bible has much to say on this subject. We ignore it at our own peril.

You may not be familiar with what the Bible says about the importance of words, but if you knew only the verse above, Matthew 12:36-37, that should be enough to convince you. Your judgment will be determined by the words you have spoken.

Certainly, this is not a negative message. When we understand the importance and power of words, we can use them for good. The Bible says death and life are in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21). Just as fire can cause great destruction, tamed and controlled it can be a great blessing to us. So it is with words. Life is in the power of the tongue. That means life is controlled by words.

I repeat: life is controlled by words. Words release authority. Words determine the course of events. Words matter.
What should you do about this?

First, you need to study what the Bible says about words. Jesus said if you continue in His Word you would know the truth and the truth would make you free (John 8:31-32).

Also, you need to ask the Lord to teach you and help you to speak correctly -- because we must have God's help to tame our tongue.

SAY THIS: Lord, please teach me and help me to speak the right words.

Your Mouth Locates You

LUKE 6:45 WE 45 A good man has stored up good things in his heart, so he says good things. A bad man has stored up wrong things in his heart, so he will say wrong things. The mouth will say what is in the heart.'

What you say locates you.

When you speak freely, you expose (to yourself and others) what you actually believe.

You may have told others -- or even yourself -- that you are walking in faith, but what your mouth says locates you and exposes what is really in your heart.

If you speak words of doubt, you are not strong in faith.
If you speak words of hate and criticism, you are not strong in love.

You cannot see what is in another person's heart. But if you listen to their conversation you will know what is in their heart. Obviously, this only works when they let their guard down and speak freely.

If someone is putting on an act, they could say anything and not really mean it. But in times of pressure and crisis, people usually don't take time to think before speaking, so what they truly believe comes out.

This message is not meant to condemn you but to wake you up to reality. If you are speaking anything contrary to what God says in the Bible, you need to realize you are not in faith in that area. So you should take steps to remedy the situation by feeding on God's Word to build up your faith.

SAY THIS: If I ever speak contrary to God's Word, I know it is time to feed on the Bible and fill my heart with the truth.

Your Marriage Is Your Ministry

EPHESIANS 5:33 ESV 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
God desires to bless your spouse through you!
Jesus has sent us out as members of His spiritual Body, to minister to those around us. We are supposed to allow His love to flow through us.
MATTHEW 25:40 GWN 40 "The king will answer them, 'I can guarantee this truth: Whatever you did for one of my brothers or sisters, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did for me.'
God loves your spouse -- enough to die for them. His desire is to help them and bless them. They are not perfect. They need a lot of help. That is why God sent you, as His representative, to minister to them.
To minister means to serve. God put you where you are to serve -- to be a blessing. It is a mistake to think of "Christian ministry" only as being a pastor or missionary, etc. Any time a Christian is serving (helping) people it is "Christian ministry."
Your ministry is not limited to your spouse, but it certainly includes them.
Whatever other ministry God may entrust to you, if you are married, God has trusted you with the ministry of being a blessing to your spouse.
God has not left you to struggle in this ministry on your own. He is with you, and in you, to work through you. God will help you. But you must allow Him to do so.
Building up and encouraging your spouse will also be doing yourself a favor. They will be more pleasant to live with when they are blessed, loved, and encouraged.
SAY THIS: I accept responsibility to minister to my spouse, to serve them by helping them in any way I can.

Your Faith Will Be Tested

1 PETER 4:12 ESV 12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.
Don't be surprised when your faith is tested! And don't be afraid! Jesus -- who promised to never forsake you -- is still there to help you.
The test of faith is the devil trying to steal your faith. The devil wants you to believe something other than God's Word.
MARK 4:15 ESV 15 And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them.
The devil wants to steal God's Word out of your life, to stop your faith. So you have to hang on to your faith! You have to say "NO!" to the devil!
Our enemy could never steal faith in God's Word away from us unless at some point it seems like God's Word is wrong. Or that God has forgotten us and forsaken us. This will happen to you sometime! When it does, trust God and His faithfulness more than you trust your present circumstances.
HEBREWS 10:23 ESV 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.
HEBREWS 4:14 NLT 14 So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe.
No matter what it seems like -- Jesus is faithful. He cannot lie! Our problem is our limited perspective. We don't know the future, but God does.
1 PETER 1:7 ESV 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith -- more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire -- may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Genuine faith is very precious to the Lord. When you overcome tests you grow spiritually, which causes joy in Heaven, and should encourage you to rejoice, too.
JAMES 1:2-4 ESV 2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
LUKE 22:32 ESV 32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers."
SAY THIS: When my faith is tested, the Lord will help me pass the test.

Your Every Hair Is Numbered

LUKE 12:7 ICB 7 Yes, God even knows how many hairs you have on your head. Don't be afraid. You are worth much more than many sparrows.
Jesus gave us some insight on how much God is interested in us as humans. God provides for sparrows, and you are MUCH more valuable to God than any sparrow. Valuable enough to monitor every detail about you -- even your current hair-count.
However God obtains your current hair-count -- He does know it. "Why would God waste His time with such useless information?" you may wonder. The point, which so many miss, is simply that God is interested in every detail of your life. Everything.
Nothing concerning you is too small to bother God. You are the "apple of His eye" just as any young child is the delight of a good parent.
So don't try to hide from God. Don't shut Him out of your life. Involve Him in every detail of your day. Talk things over with Him. Ask His advice. Tell Him what you think, and ask for His opinion.
And do not fear. The God Who loves you enough to monitor your current hair count will never forsake you or fail you. When you are face-to-face with Him you will see that fully and clearly. So walk in faith today. Trust God. He loves you.
Also, be thankful for whatever hair you do or do not have! God made you unique. If He wanted you different -- He would have made you different!
SAY THIS: Thank You Lord for loving me and being concerned with every detail of my life. Because You love me, I will trust You and look to You for help.

Your Body Is Your House

2 CORINTHIANS 5:1 NKJ 1 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
The "real you" is not your body. Your body is just a house you live in so you can function here on earth.
Just as someone can change houses where they live, you can, and will someday, leave your body and still exist.
We focus too much on our body. The inner part of us is most important. These bodies we live in are not eternal.
It is not wrong to take care of our bodies, any more than it is wrong to take care of the house or apartment where we live. It is a mistake, however, to spend all our time on our body and neglect our spirit and mind.
1 TIMOTHY 4:8 RSV 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
Who a person is on the inside is more important than what their body looks like.
We judge too often on the house (body) that people live in, instead of focusing on the real person living inside that body.
SAY THIS: My body is only a temporary house where I live.

You Must Control The Devil

JAMES 4:7 NKJ 7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Most believers expect God to control the devil, but God gave you that responsibility.
EPHESIANS 4:27 NKJ 27 nor give place to the devil.
Would God tell you not to let the devil have any place, if you had no say about it? If the devil does have a place in your affairs, it's because you allow it.
The devil will take over -- if you let him.
Jesus won the victory. It legally belongs to you. But the devil is a criminal, who doesn't obey the law unless forced to. You must enforce Jesus' victory and Lordship in the situations of life, or the devil will take control by default.
No human being, in themselves, is any match for the devil. So you can't resist him in your own ability or name. You are not more powerful than the devil, but you do have more authority as a believer in Jesus Christ.
Just as a policeman in uniform has the backing of the entire government and all its forces, so believers have the backing of God and all His forces, when we stand against the devil in Jesus' Name.
God gave you authority to resist the devil, and expects you to use it. If you disobey God by not using it, things will not go very well in your life.
Praying to God to stop the devil's operations is no different than my son asking me to take out the trash, after I told him to do it.
God told us to resist the devil and he would flee. We must believe and act on God's Word.
SAY THIS: I will resist the devil and he will flee from me.

You Have Guaranteed Provision

1 TIMOTHY 5:8 NIV 8 Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
Now that you have received Jesus you are a child of God. God will never be worse than an unbeliever -- He will always provide for His own family. That includes you. Stop and think about this fact!
LUKE 12:22,24,27-32 NLT 22 Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, "That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life -- whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. 24 Look at the ravens. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! 27 "Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 28 And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? 29 "And don't be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don't worry about such things. 30 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. 31 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need. 32 "So don't be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.
In God's kingdom there is no lack. A kingdom is a king's dominion, where a king rules. When you allow King Jesus to rule in your life, you are part of His kingdom.
COLOSSIANS 1:13 NLT 13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son,
When you receive Jesus Christ you become a citizen of His kingdom, so He is responsible for your welfare.
MATTHEW 6:31-33 CEB 31 Therefore, don't worry and say, 'What are we going to eat?' or 'What are we going to drink?' or 'What are we going to wear?' 32 Gentiles long for all these things. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 Instead, desire first and foremost God's kingdom and God's righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Instead of worrying about your provision, your focus should be God's will. This passage mentions two things: being in God's kingdom and having righteousness (which means right standing with God).
Everyone who believes on Jesus is now in God's kingdom, and has been given righteousness as a free gift (Romans 3:22, 5:17). So you have God's promise that if you are in His kingdom and in right standing with Him, you need not worry about provision, for God will provide for you.
This promise of God is not based on what you deserve or what you are able to do. If you belong to God, He will provide for you. No matter where you are, or what you are facing, this is God's promise of basic provision for you.
If necessary, God will multiply food or have ravens bring it to you, like He did for Elijah (1 Kings 17:2-6).
But if you refuse to believe God will provide for you, your doubt will open the door for the devil to steal God's provision from you. Then, even though God was faithful to provide for you, you may not receive it.
If there is any lack, it is because the devil has stolen your provision through unbelief. God's will is always for you and your family to have more than enough.
This basic provision is not the maximum blessing you can live in, but even if your faith is weak, this is God's guarantee for you. If you trust God and obey Him, He will provide for you even more abundantly.
SAY THIS: God promised to provide for me!

You Have Authority Over The Devil

LUKE 10:19 NKJ 19 "Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Jesus defeated the devil for you. According to Matthew 28:18, all authority on Earth now belongs to Jesus. As His earthly representatives, Jesus has delegated His authority to us in certain ways.
MARK 16:17 NKJ 17 "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
All believers have authority to use the Name of Jesus Christ. In Jesus' Name, or authority, we can cast out the devil and all his forces.
PHILIPPIANS 2:10 NKJ 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
After Jesus' resurrection, Scripture clearly puts responsibility on the believer to exercise the delegated authority of Jesus to resist the devil, and all his works.
EPHESIANS 4:27 NKJ 27 nor give place to the devil.
JAMES 4:7 NKJ 7 ...submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
1 PETER 5:8-9 NKJ 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith,....
You can resist the devil and not allow him any place in your life, because you have authority over the devil.
SAY THIS: In Christ, I have authority over the devil, all his forces, and all his works.

Do You Love God?

JOHN 21:17a NKJ 17 He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?"
Have you ever asked someone if they loved you? Even if you never asked, no doubt you have wondered.

When most people hear the question, "Do you love God?" they feel guilty, thinking they need to do more for God. But they are getting the cart before the horse.

1 JOHN 4:19 NKJ 19 We love Him because He first loved us.

For us to love someone we must first think they are lovable. This is the main problem: most people do not realize God is truly lovable. They have a distorted picture of God, thinking He is a demanding tyrant who doesn't really care about them.

1 JOHN 4:16 NKJ 16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

When we know and believe the love God has for us, it is natural for us to respond to His love by loving Him back.

When you truly know what God is like, you WILL love Him. Because you love Him and trust Him, you will treasure His words from the Bible and desire to act on His instructions, which were given for your welfare.

JOHN 14:23 NKJ 23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.

Jesus did not say those who love Him will "always perfectly obey My word," but will "keep My word." Those who love the Lord may make mistakes and have failures, but they will not throw away the precious Words of the One they love.

Our obedience to God's word is not the basis for Him loving us or accepting us. But it is the key to us walking in victory and blessing instead of failure.

If you do not love God you have been deceived. You have the wrong picture of God. You have not discovered the real truth about what He is like and what He has done.

(To know what God is like, look at Jesus of Nazareth by reading Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in the New Testament.)

SAY THIS: I love You Father God!

Do You Know God?

JEREMIAH 9:24 ESV 24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD."

There is one problem in the world: people don't know God. Many think they know God, but have been deceived.

This primary problem is the cause of every other problem. All sin is the result of people not knowing God. For if people knew God, they would love Him, respect Him, want to be like Him, and desire to please Him.

1 JOHN 4:8 NLT 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
People who don't know God's character and nature think He is unreasonable or a hard master. The truth is God is the most loving, giving, unselfish being in existence. Everything He does is for our benefit.

EXODUS 34:5-6 NLT 5 Then the LORD came down in a cloud and stood there with him; and he called out his own name, Yahweh. 6 The LORD passed in front of Moses, calling out, "Yahweh! The LORD! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.

The religious leaders of Jesus' day thought they knew God, but when He talked to them they called Him a devil.

JOHN 8:19 NLT 19 "Where is your father?" they asked. Jesus answered, "Since you don't know who I am, you don't know who my Father is. If you knew me, you would also know my Father."

If you want to know what God is truly like, just look at Jesus. Examine the way Jesus acted in the four Gospels and you will understand how God acts.

JOHN 12:45 NLT 45 For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me.

If you think God is different than Jesus of Nazareth, you are deceived. Jesus perfectly revealed the Father God to us. All the revelation we had of God before was incomplete.

JOHN 1:18 NLT 18 No one has ever seen God. But the one and only Son is himself God and is near to the Father's heart. He has revealed God to us.

Through many years I have experienced the wonderful privilege of knowing God. I am here to tell you that God is good! He is faithful! The better you get to know Him the better you will like Him.
PSALM 34:8 NLT 8 Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!

Taste and see for yourself! Walk with God and you will not regret it!

SAY THIS: Lord, I want to know You better!

The Blood Speaks

HEBREWS 12:24 NKJ 24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.

The Blood testifies that Jesus set us free from all the curse and made us able to partake of the inheritance of the saints. The Blood testifies that Jesus bought our redemption and set us free from the devil.

EPHESIANS 1:7 NIV 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace

God worked when the blood of Abel cried unto Him -- how much more mightily He will work when it is the blood of His own Son that cries.

By speaking words of faith, we agree with what the Blood says concerning our total and absolute redemption and freedom from the curse.

ROMANS 5:9 NIV 9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him!

HEBREWS 9:12 KJV 12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

SAY THIS: Jesus' Blood declares that I am free and forgiven.

Help, Mate!

GENESIS 2:18 LB 18 And the Lord God said, "It isn't good for man to be alone; I will make a companion for him, a helper suited to his needs."

An important part of God's purpose for marriage is to have someone to help you in life.
(God did not intend for this to be one-sided. A husband also should help his wife. Otherwise, a husband would not love his wife as Christ loves the church. See Ephesians 5:25.)

We all need help and encouragement. Sadly, for most people, that is often not at all what they receive from their spouse.

Your spouse, whether you know it or not, desperately wants and needs your help, your encouragement, and your support.

Are all spouses perfect and deserving of encouragement and support? None are! No one is perfect. We all make mistakes. But especially in those times, it is important that we have someone to encourage us and help us to believe we can go on and do better. God meant for you to be that someone to help your spouse.

Don't fall into the trap of waiting until your spouse starts being nice to you. God's law works in this area, too: whatever you give, you will receive. So the best way to get your spouse to treat you better is to treat them better.

God does not expect you to love and help your spouse solely with your own love, but to allow God to pour His love through you. God loves your spouse -- enough to die for them -- and desires to express that love through you.

If your spouse would not describe you as their encourager, friend, and a great help to them -- you are missing God's plan. You need to be your mate's biggest booster.

Yes, this can be hard. Yes, you have no doubt suffered because of them. Yes, they have hurt you and you probably don't feel like being a blessing to them after what they have done to you. But none of this changes the Word of God and His plan.

Whenever you find direction in God's Word that seems difficult or impossible, your approach should always be to ask God to help you. "Lord, I see in your Word that you want me to do this, but I need your help. Help me to love them. Cause your love for them to flow through me."

SAY THIS: With God's help, I will encourage and help those around me, especially and always, my spouse.

Harvest Is Coming

GALATIANS 6:9 NLT 9 So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up.

When a farmer has planted seed in the ground, it does not produce a harvest the next day. There is a period of waiting. A time to stand in faith, knowing that the seed will grow and produce as it was created to do.

It takes faith for a farmer to bury expensive seed in the ground. But the farmer knows how God's system works. (Even if the farmer does not believe in God, it is still God's system he is using.) You plant the seed, you wait, and then comes a harvest that multiplies what you planted.

2 CORINTHIANS 9:10-11 NLT 10 For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. 11 Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.

Harvest is coming in your life! All the seeds of love you have sown into the lives of others, and into the Kingdom of God, have been growing and the time for a harvest of blessing is coming.

Harvest is also coming to the Body of Christ on the earth. Multitudes of people will turn to Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. We must be ready to welcome them and have the resources ready to assist them and disciple them.

So believe for a harvest of blessing and prosperity in your life. Then you will be ready to be a blessing to others.
 
SAY THIS: I believe harvest is coming.

A Member Of The Body

1 CORINTHIANS 12:12 NKJ 12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.

Each individual believer IS also part of the Body of Christ, which is composed of all believers.
(This is the work of God. Not something we "join.")

Think how insane it would be for you to allow your hand to attack some other member of your body. It's just as crazy for us, as members of the Body of Christ, to attack other members.

ROMANS 12:4-5 NKJ 4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.

Other members have different callings -- different functions. But your job is not to oppose them -- even though you may not understand them, or why they do what they do. Just leave that to the Head of the Body -- and do what He tells YOU to do.

You are not the Head of the Body of Christ -- Jesus is. He is responsible for, and capable of, coordinating all we do so our actions will accomplish His plan. Members of a body have different functions, but all are necessary for the body to function properly.

When you don't obey Jesus, the Head of the Body, you are a drag on the rest of the members.

Think what a difficult time you would have accomplishing anything if each member of your body did whatever it felt like -- instead of obeying orders from your brain.

SAY THIS: I am a member of the Body of Christ.

You Are Now A Giver

EPHESIANS 5:1 NLT 1 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.

You are now a giver. God your Father is a giver and you should act like your Father.
Giving is an act of love, and an act of faith. As a child of God you are no longer a taker, but a giver, because God's love has been put into your heart (Romans 5:5).
The devil's kingdom is a kingdom of selfishness so it operates by taking. God's kingdom is a kingdom of love so it operates by giving.
Real followers of Jesus are known for their great love (which is expressed by giving) to others (John 13:35).
The Bible not only tells us to give, but also promises us blessing when we do give.
LUKE 6:38 NLT 38 Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full -- pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back."
Money is not the only thing you can give. Mercy, compassion, encouragement -- anything that will bless someone is a valuable gift.
Your best gift is sharing the message of God's love and deliverance with others -- a gift more valuable than money.
2 CORINTHIANS 9:6,8 NLT 6 Remember this -- a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. 8 And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.
The Bible teaches that giving is planting seed, which brings a larger harvest of provision back into your life. As you give, God will see that it is given to you, so you will have "everything you need and plenty left over to share with others."
So whatever needs you have, plant good seeds for your future by giving today!
Rich people can give freely, without worrying how their own needs will be met, because they have abundance. When you realize you are rich in Christ (2 Corinthians 8:9), and Heaven backs you, then you will also be able to enjoy giving freely.
So, with the backing of God's Word, you can use what you have been given to help those around you.
SAY THIS: As a child of God, I have His love in my heart, and that makes me a giver.

Is Money Your God?

Whatever controls you, or determines your decisions, is your god.
What is god in your life? Do you have a price? Can you be bought?
Will enough money get you to do something you know is wrong? Then you are serving money -- you will do what it tells you.
No one can serve two masters, according to Jesus.
MATTHEW 6:24 NKJ 24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
You must choose who your god will be. If you choose Jesus Christ -- you cannot make every decision based on the financial bottom line, and still claim He is your Lord.
If you claim to be a Christian but do not worship God by giving from your income to Him -- it is clear that money is your god.
If you say you do not give to God so that you can feed your children -- maybe your children are your god.
If your reason for not worshiping God with your money is so you can pay your house or car note -- you obviously have put them ahead of God.
Most Christians think it's awful that someone would commit adultery, or fornication, if someone paid them. But, a Christian who moves simply to get a higher-paying job, without regard to God's guidance, is guilty of the same sin: serving money.
Will you only do God's will if it benefits you? Are you like a prostitute -- only willing to perform if you get paid enough?
Are you a hired lover -- or a genuine lover of God? This is a very serious question we all need to consider. The good news is that God still loves us -- no matter how undeserving we are of His love. But understanding God's love should cause us to desire change. God does not deserve to be treated the way most of us have been treating Him.
SAY THIS: I will serve God. I refuse to serve money. Instead, money will serve me.

Trust In God

2 CHRONICLES 16:7-9 NLT 7 At that time Hanani the seer came to King Asa and told him, "Because you have put your trust in the king of Aram instead of in the LORD your God, you missed your chance to destroy the army of the king of Aram. 8 Don't you remember what happened to the Ethiopians and Libyans and their vast army, with all of their chariots and horsemen? At that time you relied on the LORD, and he handed them all over to you. 9 The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. What a fool you have been! From now on, you will be at war."
When you look to other sources for help -- instead of turning to God when you face trouble, it displeases God.
How would you feel if your spouse completely ignored you and went to someone else when they had a problem, instead of turning to you for advice or help?
Looking to others instead of God for help can also open the door for trouble in your life. That is why God wants you to look to Him, instead of other sources, because unlike others, He will never harm you or mislead you.
God is not only able to help you, but He is very willing to help you with everything, for He loves you! Therefore you can trust God to always be willing to help you.
So why would you want to look to an inferior source for help?
Fortunately, God is forgiving, so even if you have looked to others for help instead of God, just turn to God whole- heartedly and He will surely help you.
God can, and often does, provide help, encouragement, and advice through other Christians. But we should never look to them first as our source of help.
Always look to God first and keep your focus on Him.
SAY THIS: I will trust in Almighty God, who loves me, and always look to Him as my source of help.

Don't Judge By Appearance

JOHN 7:24 NKJ 24 "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."

Making a snap judgment based on appearance often works -- but not always. And the exceptions can really cost you.

The world teaches us to judge people by their appearance. But God doesn't judge people by how they look -- and neither should we.

1 SAMUEL 16:7 NLT 7 But the LORD said to Samuel, "Don't judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn't make decisions the way you do! People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at a person's thoughts and intentions."

One main reason we're not qualified to judge others is because we don't know their thoughts and intentions. Only God does.

As they say, "You can't always judge a book by its cover."

LUKE 16:15 CEV 15 But Jesus told them: You are always making yourselves look good, but God sees what is in your heart. The things that most people think are important are worthless as far as God is concerned.

It is important that we treat all people with respect -- since they are created and loved by God -- no matter how they look.

SAY THIS: Lord, help me to not judge people by their appearance.