The Holy Spirit dropped this phrase down in my spirit several weeks back. I, like most every Christian, want to be effective in life, ministry, family, etc. I also understand that in order for me to be effective I must live my life in line with God's word. After all, it is his will, not mine, that I am to be found accomplishing.
What is the heart of the church? What should be the heart of every Christian? I know there are many more answers to this question than you will get here, but I will only share what God has emphasized to me. I also believe as we get back to doing life and church God's way we will be amazed at the results we get.
The Holy Spirit said to me, "Ministry is loving God and helping people." This would completely cover the New Testament commandment of love. Why did Jesus come? Jesus came to seek and save those that were lost (Luke 19:10). Jesus came to fulfill God's will here on the earth. Jesus was moved with compassion for those who were bound by the devil. Do we want to be like Jesus? Does it matter to us that there are people in our circles of influence who are lost, broken, and/or held captive by the enemy?
We are instructed in the Word to follow the example of Jesus. Honestly, at this time it is the Body of Christ that is to carry out God's will here on the earth. It is you and I that should be carrying this gospel to the lost and dying of this world. We are anointed of the Holy Spirit for this purpose.
I know very often we teach and preach about our rights, authority, and privileges in Christ Jesus. This is not wrong and I will continue to do this. But I also know that every single Christian has a ministry! The ministry we have been called to is called the ministry of reconciliation. What does that even mean? It means that now that you are saved you have a responsibility to allow God to use you to bring others into the body as well.
We as a church must get back to loving God and helping people. When was the last time that your prayer included a request of God to put someone in your path to witness to? When was the last time that you looked for someone to encourage? When was the last time that instead of talking about how messed up someone was you invited them to come to church with you so they could get straightened out?
I am not saying that the church as a whole is not growing, but I do believe that we could gain much more ground if reaching the lost and dying of this world was a top priority. No matter where you are in your life today if you will allow him to God will use you to help others. Always remember that the greatest ammunition that you have is to tell others what God has done for you!
Monday, October 28, 2013
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Forgiven
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9 NKJV
Do you believe that the Word of God is true? Do you believe that God says what he means and means what he says? I pray that you answer yes to both of these questions! I do not believe that any of us will every fully comprehend God's love for us on this side of heaven. 1 John 4:8 says, "He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love." God does not just have love, but God is love. Romans 8:31 says, "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" It is a scriptural fact that no matter where you are in your life today God is for you and he is on your side! Romans 8:39 says, "Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Absolutely nothing can separate you from God's love!
So, what is it in your life today that has caused God to be upset with you and not love you anymore? Why is it that you think you are not good enough to accomplish anything for God? Why is it that you look at other people and always feel like you are less than them? Why is it that you think you are a failure? I know this may not apply to everyone reading this, but there are many that deal with these exact issues. I know this because I have dealt with them myself. Very often the reason people buy these lies from Satan is because he has continually attacked them with their past. One tool that Satan uses to defeat the Christian is to get them to disqualify themselves from being used by God because of how they have missed it before in their lives.
Most of us know that the blood of Jesus can cleanse and make brand new the most rank sinner there has ever been. We know that the blood of Jesus can make a man that has been a murderer a brand new man with the nature of God. We might can't wrap our minds around it, but we know it's true! The reason we know it's true is because the Word of God says so!
Then why can't we believe that when we confess our sins that God does just as he has promised and forgives, forgets, and makes us brand new again like we'd never sinned? Hebrews 8:12 says, "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." Again, did God mean what he said in his word? Micah 7:19 says, "He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea."
This is a far cry from God holding your past and past sins against you. Many today need to realize that God does just as he says. Renew your mind with God's word and no longer let who you used to be determine who you are today! If you have confessed that you have sinned God has forgiven you and cast those sins out into the depths of the sea. You need to remind the enemy of this every single time he brings up just how bad you've missed it! It is time that each of us move forward and accomplish God's will for our lives!
I think if God forgives us, we must forgive ourselves. C.S. Lewis
1 John 1:9 NKJV
Do you believe that the Word of God is true? Do you believe that God says what he means and means what he says? I pray that you answer yes to both of these questions! I do not believe that any of us will every fully comprehend God's love for us on this side of heaven. 1 John 4:8 says, "He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love." God does not just have love, but God is love. Romans 8:31 says, "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" It is a scriptural fact that no matter where you are in your life today God is for you and he is on your side! Romans 8:39 says, "Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Absolutely nothing can separate you from God's love!
So, what is it in your life today that has caused God to be upset with you and not love you anymore? Why is it that you think you are not good enough to accomplish anything for God? Why is it that you look at other people and always feel like you are less than them? Why is it that you think you are a failure? I know this may not apply to everyone reading this, but there are many that deal with these exact issues. I know this because I have dealt with them myself. Very often the reason people buy these lies from Satan is because he has continually attacked them with their past. One tool that Satan uses to defeat the Christian is to get them to disqualify themselves from being used by God because of how they have missed it before in their lives.
Most of us know that the blood of Jesus can cleanse and make brand new the most rank sinner there has ever been. We know that the blood of Jesus can make a man that has been a murderer a brand new man with the nature of God. We might can't wrap our minds around it, but we know it's true! The reason we know it's true is because the Word of God says so!
Then why can't we believe that when we confess our sins that God does just as he has promised and forgives, forgets, and makes us brand new again like we'd never sinned? Hebrews 8:12 says, "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." Again, did God mean what he said in his word? Micah 7:19 says, "He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea."
This is a far cry from God holding your past and past sins against you. Many today need to realize that God does just as he says. Renew your mind with God's word and no longer let who you used to be determine who you are today! If you have confessed that you have sinned God has forgiven you and cast those sins out into the depths of the sea. You need to remind the enemy of this every single time he brings up just how bad you've missed it! It is time that each of us move forward and accomplish God's will for our lives!
I think if God forgives us, we must forgive ourselves. C.S. Lewis
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