It's Time To Grow Up 2

You grow up and get perfected so you can do the work of the ministry. When you do something for God He requires that you do it perfectly in a sense of following a thing through to its completion. You see it through to its end. You work on it, you continue on it until you have the satisfaction on the inside of you that the task is completed.

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Shortly before his death Paul told Timothy, "But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry" (2 Timothy 4:5). He then said in vs. 7, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."

Every believer has a job to do and the more complete and mature you are, the better you'll be able to fulfill your ministry. You need to grow in faith and walk as Jesus walked and say what Jesus said and do the things Jesus did. Even Jesus said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father" (John 14:12).

When you begin something, see it through to the end. Jesus said, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62). Be led by the Spirit and follow what's in your heart until you get a release in your spirit to stop and move on to something else. The Bible calls this "perfection." When Jesus said "be ye perfect" He was telling you to be complete just as your Father in heaven is complete.

God created man in His own image (Genesis 1:27). He patterned you after His own self and He is perfection. Ephesians 5:1 (AMP) says, "Therefore, be imitators of God, copy Him and follow His example as well beloved children imitate their fathers."

The Message Bible says, "Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents." Paul did this and wrote in 1 Corinthians 11:1 (AMP), "Pattern yourself after me, follow my example as I imitate and follow Christ." People will imitate who and what they respect and imitation is the way God gives you to develop your spirit and your involvement in the things of God.

2 Thessalonians 3:11 says, "For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you." 3 John 11 states, "Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God." Hebrews 13:7 says, "Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith." You must position yourself to be in the presence of strong, well developed believers who can show you how to grow up and be more mature and complete. We learn by observation. We imitate what we see people do, not what we hear them say.

In today's world there is too much "do as I say, not as I do." Paul addressed this when he wrote in Philippians 4:9, "The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you." The Amplified Bible says, "Practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me and model your way of living on it and the God of peace will be with you." Jesus, of course, is the ultimate example of whom we are to follow. Press everyday towards the mark of being like Jesus.

Luke 2:40 says, "And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him." Vs. 52 says, "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man." Jesus grew up! He is your example and you are to pattern your life after His. At age twelve Jesus was in the temple "sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers" (Luke 2:46, 47).

Every year, His parents went to Jerusalem at the Feast of the Passover. The previous year and the years before that Jesus went home with the rest of His earthly family. But this year, at age twelve, He stayed behind and went to the temple. A change had taken place. Jesus began to grow up at age twelve. His focus began to change. His interests and priorities were different than they were the year before. Instead of playing with the other children He chose to go sit in the temple to learn spiritual truths. He's asking questions about the Word and sharing what He knows.

As your example Jesus is showing you that children at age twelve should be hungry for and pursuing the things of God. They should want to learn more about Jesus than they want to go outside and play. It is not acceptable for a teenager to sit on the couch and play video games all day long. In times past, sixteen year old boys were putting on armor and going into battle and fourteen year old girls were getting married.

This generation is expecting far too little from their children. They let them act like children all through their teenage years and when they turn eighteen they're not developed as an adult and can't handle the pressures of an adult world. How do you know if you're grown up? You know when it's time to play and when it's not time to play.

God believes in vacations but not every week. Hebrews 11:24, 25 says, "By faith Moses, when he became of age" - when he grew up - "refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin." The prodigal son was an impatient young man who wanted his inheritance and he wanted it now! His father gave it to him "and not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living" (Luke 15:13).

A characteristic of youth is waste and when his money was gone the prodigal son had no friends. Many people are users who will hang around you if you're popular and have money but scatter when the going gets rough.

Young people are easily influenced. They want to be like their peers and don't discern if they are doing good or not all for the sake of being accepted. It's popular today to get tattoos all over your body and body piercings and to dress in a certain way. They smoke and take drugs and have sex. Youth are impatient and wild and act insane and insecure. They have wrong priorities.

Jesus wanted the rich young ruler to sell everything he had and come follow Him. "But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions" (Matthew 19:22). Jesus wanted him to grow up and mature and He was showing him how. Jesus wanted him to put God first and offered him a place with Him in the ministry right then and there. The young man thought his money and earthly pleasures were more important so he turned and walked away.

It is time for the body of Christ to wake up and grow up! You have to change the way you think, talk, and act. You have to put away childish habits and behaviors. Paul said, "When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me" (1 Corinthians 13:11 NIV).

You are not supposed to go through a second childhood. The outward man is perishing but the inner man is being renewed day by day and growing stronger and stronger (2 Corinthians 4:16). A characteristic of one who is grown up is to be self-disciplined and self-motivated. You've got to make yourself turn off the television and read your Bible. Force yourself to pray and visit the elderly and help the widow.

Babies always express what they feel but a mature person learns the value of words and only speaks when necessary. He doesn't spew out of his mouth every lame thought or feeling that comes to his brain. Good listeners are not as common as they should be. Even a fool is considered wise if he keeps his mouth shut. Believers who are grown up don't use words to vent their feelings. They don't chat and say things that have no substance but instead use words as tools to build up and edify. What comes out of your mouth reveals the level of your maturity and development.

Children and those who are grown up speak differently. Adults don't talk about their problems nor do they gossip about other people and judge them. They talk about love and important things that have to do with the kingdom of God. Babies are carnal and ruled by their feelings but there will come a time when you feel one way but act another. You'll want to tell somebody off but you'll love them anyway. You'll endure hardness like a good soldier as you act in faith and talk in faith. You'll stir yourself up in the spirit as you press on and take that hill.

Jesus is the standard by which all spiritual growth should be measured. He is the perfect example of the perfect spiritual man. He is the complete one, the fully developed one. When you grow up you are to be just like Him. You can operate like Jesus. You can think like Him, talk like Him, act like Him, pray like Him, love like Him, be led like Him, live like Him. Most of the churches don't believe this. For them it is a reality not to be grasped but Jesus said in Luke 6:40, "A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher."

The Amplified Bible says, "A student who is completely trained will be just like his teacher." You can be just like Jesus. In fact, you're commanded to. You can grow up and be just as honest and faithful and genuine as Jesus. You're bridging the gap as the days go by. You'll never surpass Him but when you're grown up and fully developed you'll be just like Jesus. He was the brightness of the Father's glory (Hebrews 1:3) and the image of His person.

When you've seen Jesus, you've seen the Father. His plan for you is that when people see you, they've seen Jesus. And when they see Jesus, they've seen the Father. After the ascension the people said about the disciples, "They've been with Jesus." They trained under Him and they acted like Him and sounded like Him.

We are living in the last days and there is work to be done and little time to do it. He needs all of us to grow up and stop acting like babies. You need to put away childish things and operate in your full potential and do the job, and let the Lord come back. Babies don't get to rule and reign but only those who are perfect, complete, and whole. It is imperative that you grow up and become just like Jesus.

*** Written by Randall J. Brewer ***

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How To Overcome Perfectionism

Text: Philippians 4:8

Be honest, have you ever met a perfectionist who was truly happy? I bet you’ll say no, because when things must always ‘be in a certain way’, life becomes miserable, and this is because life itself is constantly changing.

As they say, ‘the most constant thing in life is change’ and as a result, you shouldn’t expect something to always be or be done in a particular way at all times. For example, as soon as you solve one problem, another comes along. Instead on dwelling on their blessings and being grateful for what has been achieved, perfectionists focus on what’s wrong and why they need to fix it.

It may be a job they did that was less than perfect, a few pounds they need to lose, or even a disorganized wardrobe. Or it could be someone else’s imperfections: the way they live their life, how they behave, the way they look, or how they talk and walk, and so on. Perfectionists are never satisfied.

The truth is, constantly dwelling on flaws – your own or someone else’s – makes it impossible to be grateful. And gratitude is at the core of happiness. For clarity’s sake, we are not talking about striving to be better. Not being complacent, wanting to see how things can change from bad to good and to see how things can be done better is a good thing. But we are talking about obsessing over what’s wrong.

There’ll always be a better way to do something, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy life the way it is right now. So what’s the cure for perfectionism? It starts with the realization that nothing is ever perfect. And though we may strive for things to be done appropriately, we mustn’t ignore the fact that even the best of us makes mistakes.

As such, you must catch yourself before you fall into the trap of insisting that things must always be done differently (perfectly) from how they are. Stop and remind yourself that, in the absence of your judgment, everything will work out just fine.

Apostle Paul says, ‘…in all things God works for the good of those who love him…’ (Romans 8:28). Did you get the message? Apostle Paul was simply saying God is in control; and it is okay for you to let go.

Instead of focusing on the negative, ‘think about the things that are good and worthy of praise’. For every feat achieved in whatever you do, be grateful. Though it may not be the best you had expected, things can only get better with a heart open to change, to learn and open to seeing the brighter side of things.

Choose to only see the positives in everything around you, and when you do, you will begin to discover how wonderful life is.

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Believing Is Seeing!

Text: Matthew 21:21-22; James 1:6

“If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you” (Matthew 17:20). Jesus was telling us that before we can see the supernatural happen we must first believe in the possibility of it.

When the Holy Spirit came with power upon the first generation of Christians, it was, at least in part, because they expected to see God’s power revealed. They had seen it before, and they would settle for nothing less. A mudpack in a blind man’s eyes is not supposed to return his sight, but it did! Five loaves and two small fishes are not enough to feed five thousand hungry people, but they were! Dead people do not come alive again, but they did!

All these things and more they had seen at the hands of the One who told them, “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do” (John 14:12). They expected Christ to keep His word and He did.

Do we really believe this today? Do you believe it? Have your expectations of Jesus and His power been dimmed somehow? Have you filed them away in the dark, dusty corner of what used to be? Will you be satisfied with less than those who passed the message of Christ along to you?

What do you believe about God’s ability to transform lives today? These are questions each of us must answer. For I tell you that we experience no greater manifestation of His power than we are willing to believe, nay, expect. Whether we think Christ can and will, or cannot and will not, we will always be right. “…be it unto you according to your faith and believe.”

Our expectations become self-fulfilling prophecies. From the world’s perspective ‘seeing is believing’, but as Christians, you first have to ‘believe it to see it’ or rather, you can and will only see God’s power transforming your circumstances when you eventually bring yourself to believe in Him and His word.

Finally brethren, our expectations largely determine our future experience. However, “…it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy” (Romans 9:15-16).

*** By Robert Leslie Holmes | The Breath of Abundant Life ***

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Love Works When Nothing Else Will

Key Verse: “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” Ephesians 2:25

After many years of marriage, Sam decided to divorce his wife. The reasons he gave his counselor were: ‘She’s not attractive, she’s not interesting, she’s overweight, and she’s a poor housekeeper.’

So the counselor gave him this suggestion: ‘Starting today, I want you to go home and treat your wife like a goddess. Start doing everything in your power to please her. Listen intently when she talks about her problems. Help around the house and take her out to dinner at the weekend. I want you to literally pretend that she is a goddess. Then after two months of this wonderful new behavior, pack your bags and leave. That should get her attention!

Sam agreed it was a great idea and decided to implement it. He took his wife away on romantic weekends and read poetry to her every night. After two months the counselor called and asked, ‘Sam, did you file for divorce? Are you looking forward to being a bachelor again?’

Sam replied, ‘Are you kidding? I am married to a goddess. I have never been happier in my life. I’d never leave my wife in a million years. In fact, I’m discovering new, wonderful things about her every single day. Divorce? Not an option!’

The Bible says, ‘…A man reaps what he sows (Galatians 6:7). And when Sam changed his strategy and started sowing seeds of love, he reaped a marriage he never dreamed possible. This isn’t peculiar to only men and husbands. Wives too should embrace a loving strategy to win their husbands' hearts and save their marriages.

Nothing truly is beyond the power of love. Love conquers all and when nothing else works, love will. Do you think this same strategy Sam employed in his home could possibly work for you? Why not give it a try and see what happens? Besides, you have got nothing to lose and chances are you and your spouse will love the results.

Let love reign in your heart and home. Show it daily in deeds and truth, and not just in words (1 John 3:18). Couples must learn to forgive and understand each other. And when God remains at the center of the home, no arrow of divorce from the Devil can prevail.

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Praise: Therein Lies Your Victory

Text: Psalm 50:14-15, 23; 2 Chronicles 20:21-22

It is natural to praise God when something good happens or when everything is rosy, but it takes real sacrifice to offer praise when you have a tough problem. Then, you don’t feel like it because you are weary or you feel like God let you down. You think He is distant from you, or does not really care about what is troubling you when life has just dealt you some painful blows.

Well, here is what makes a big difference! Praising God in the time of adversity, though not a natural response, is a sure path to victory. I encourage you to praise God always, whatever your situation, because there is power in praise; therein lies your victory.

Praise invites God’s presence and paves the way for His power to be displayed in your life. King Jehoshaphat understood this quite well, and deployed the weapon of praise in the war between Judah and the combined forces of the Ammonites, Moabites and Mount Seir.

As Judah raised her voice in praise, “The Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, everyone helped to destroy another” (2 Chronicles 20:22-23).When you’re confronted with situations beyond your power and ability, sing praises to God, and He will pull you through.

The apostle Paul also experienced the power of praise in his life and ministry. When he was locked up in a Philippians jail with his companion, Silas, and throbbing with pain from the severe beating they had received from the jailors, he looked away from his predicament and praised God earnestly. God miraculously released him and Silas by opening all the prison doors through earthquake that shook the foundations of the prison (Acts 16:23-26). Miracle happens when you praise God.

Praise passed your battle over to God. It helps you place your trust in God and look away from your problem. It also makes you remember God’s great acts of the past in your life and leaves no room for you to complain and be negative. Praise lifts your faith. You cannot sincerely praise God and remain despondent and doubtful of His ability to pull you through your circumstance. As you praise God, your spirit is lifted, your anxiety dissipated, and your nerves calmed.

However, you cannot truly praise God or experience the wonders of praise except you accept Jesus as your Saviour and Lord. That means, you must confess your sins to God, ask Him to forgive you, repent of those sins, believe in Jesus, and live by the Word of God.

Praise is a potent weapon in the hand of a Christian and the pathway to victory. So, when next you are confronted with a situation that is beyond you, praise God just as Jehoshaphat, the people of Judah, Paul and Silas did when they had a tough problem. He will give you the victory you deserve.

*** Written by Pastor W.F. Kumuyi | DCLM Women Mirror ***

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The Cause Of Worry And Anxiety

Text: Mark 4:40; Matthew 8:26-27

Each time our Lord Jesus rebuked His disciples for lack of faith or for little faith, it was because they refused to consider and think logically (Matthew 8:23-26; Mark 4:35-40; Matthew 14:28-31; 16:6-11). The very cause of worry and anxiety is littleness of faith or the lack of it, and the reason for the littleness or lack of faith is the absence of proper consideration or logical thinking.

"Consider the lilies ... O ye of little faith." Our failure to consider the acts of God - His care for creatures of time, things that exist today, and are forgotten tomorrow - is the major cause of our worry and anxiety. We have both earthly dignity and eternal destiny; we have an existence beyond this life which the lilies of the field do not have. And "... if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? "

If God has done the seemingly insignificant thing, will He not do the supremely important thing? If God cares for creatures of no value, will He not care for new creatures of eternal value? If God protects and provides for unclean creatures (Matthew 6:26; 10:29-31; Job 38:41; Deuteronomy 14:12,14,19), will He not protect and provide for new clean creatures who are cleansed by the blood of His only begotten Son? Consider the acts of God and think logically on the actions and kindness of God; then, you will have faith in God. Faith will banish fear, worry and anxiety.

1.            UNNECESSARY ANXIETY OF SONS WITH LITTLE FAITH

Matthew 6:28,30; Luke 12:28; Deuteronomy 8:3,4; Nehemiah 9:21; Luke 22:35; Matthew 16:7-11; Luke 8:25; 1 Timothy 6:6-8; Luke 24:17,25; John 3:12.

"And why take ye thought for raiment? " Our Lord asks, why are you worried and anxious for clothing? Is not the body more than raiment? If God has given us our body and is feeding the body, keeping it in good health, will He not also clothe the body? If He has appointed our diet and responsibility which can only be done in a body that is appropriately clothed or dressed, will He not provide adequate and appropriate clothes for us?

Dressing is not an end by itself; it is to clothe us so we can fulfill the purpose of living. God has ordained that purpose of living. The purpose for each life on earth is important to God. That purpose must be our central concern. Dressing is not our only or main purpose of living. We are not living for the purpose of dressing; we are dressing to fulfill the purpose of living. And He who has ordained the purpose of living will supply all that is needed to fulfill the purpose.

Only unbelief or little faith can doubt that but "Consider." When we consider what God considers, little faith will give way to lively faith in our hearts and we will know and believe that He will supply all our needs to fulfill the divinely appointed purpose.

2.            UNNOTICED APPAREL OF SOLOMON AND LILIES' FRAILTY

Matthew 6:28-30; 1 Kings 4:29-31,34; 10:4-9; 2 Chronicles 9:22-24; James 1:10,11: Luke 12:27,28; Acts 12:20-23; Proverbs 4:5-9; Deuteronomy 22:5; Zephaniah 1:8; 1 Timothy 2:9; 1 Peter 3:3,4.

In the Scriptural account and record concerning Solomon, his apparel or clothing was not noticed as much as his wisdom and riches (Matthew 12:42; Luke 11:31). Physical appearance and adornment were not his consuming passion. He did not have inordinate desire or carnal concern for clothing. Adequate and proper clothing is necessary but clothing without wisdom would not have helped to fulfill his calling as a king.

Solomon's mind was not set on fashion or dressing. His great request was for wisdom. "Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great " (2 Chronicles 1:10). Physical beauty is but skin-deep and the most adorned body soon loses its appeal in a few short years. The fulfilment of life's great purpose should be our highest desire.

We are also to "consider the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven." When we behold the beauty of lilies, flowers and the grass, we often forget that their loveliness quickly vanishes. Consider the frailty of the grass and remember that its destiny is the oven. Instead of being so worried and anxious about transient beauty and loveliness that soon vanish away and are forgotten, let's follow and desire "the beauty of holiness", the beauty that fadeth not away (1 Peter 1:24; 1 Chronicles 16:29).

3.            UNFAILING ASSURANCE OF SAINTS WITH LIVELY FAITH

Matthew 6:30; Luke 12:28,29; Isaiah 44:21; 49:15,16; Luke 12:6,7; Psalms 37:3-11,16-19,25-31; 84:11,12; Philippians 4:6,19; Matthew 6:8,32,33; Romans 8:32.

"O ye of little faith." Little faith creates anxiety, lively faith conquers anxiety. Little faith breeds worry, lively faith banishes worry. Little faith produces fear, lively faith prevents fear. Little faith makes us panic, lively faith makes us peaceful. Little faith fills us with cares; lively faith fills us with calm. With little faith comes anxiety and vexation of spirit, with lively faith comes assurance and victory in our soul.

"Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? " He will clothe us. He will not clothe us with strange apparel or forbidden dresses, He will clothe us appropriately. Will He not feed us? He will feed us. He will not feed us with "unclean" meat or "meats offered to idols" (Acts 15:29), but He will feed us with proper and appropriate food. Will He not heal our body and make us strong? He will heal us. He will not heal us with traditional and satanic powers of darkness. He will heal us in His own appointed way.

Lively faith does not doubt God. We always draw near unto God "with a true heart in full assurance of faith", knowing that "He is faithful that promised" (Hebrews 10:22,23).

*** Culled from Pastor W.F. Kumuyi Bible Study | Deeper Christian Life Ministry ***

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Characteristics Of True Christians Being Selfless And Hospitable

Key Verse: “Contributing to the needs of God’s people, pursuing [the practice of] hospitality” Romans 12:13  (AMP)

The Bible tells us to contribute to the needs of God’s people. This is very important in the Body of Christ. Galatians 6:10 “So then, while we [as individual believers] have the opportunity, let us do good to all people [not only being helpful, but also doing that which promotes their spiritual well-being], and especially [be a blessing] to those of the household of faith (born-again believers).” (AMP).

There are so many people in the church who are hurting and in need and we have to reach out to them and help whenever we can. There are some in the Body of Christ who have the gift of giving as we see in Romans 12:8 which says in part, “If we can give, we should be generous.” (Contemporary English Version).

When we provide for the needs of others, we should do so with generosity and with a cheerful heart as the Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 9:7 “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” When God has placed in your heart to give to someone, then I encourage you to do so. If we have the means to help them, then we should do so even if you have to sacrifice something to do it.

Let me give you an example. When we were living in Washington in the States, the Lord laid it on my heart to give to a woman in our church. I spoke to my wife about it and initially she agreed, but then she thought about it and didn’t want to give up her money later. One morning, she went to a women’s meeting at the church and in her way home she stopped at a grocery store. As she was getting ready to check out, an announcement was made that the next person to come to the register with purple nail polish would get some free groceries. Guess who had on purple nail polish?

When she went to the register to show them her nails, the groceries contained everything she went to shop for and had had cat food (we had a cat at the time). When my wife came home and told me what happened, I just laughed a little and the next day I had my wife give the money to the woman. They hugged and wept. It was beautiful.

My point is when God tells you to give to someone, do so; not so you will get something in return because that is not why we should do it, we should do so to show the love of God. Then we are told to be hospitable or to entertain others. The Bible specifically talks about Bishops, Elders and widows being hospitable (1 Timothy 3:2, 5:10, Titus 1:8).

Then we are told to be hospitable and the Bible gives a reason as we see in Hebrews 13:2 “Do not neglect to extend hospitality to strangers [especially among the family of believers—being friendly, cordial, and gracious, sharing the comforts of your home and doing your part generously], for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.” (AMP).

This is something that is important as we are showing the love of God when we do so. Growing up, my mother would take people into our home when they didn’t have anywhere else to go. This came from the love of God in her heart. When we are hospitable we should do so from the heart and not out of compulsion as the Bible tells us in 1 Peter 4:9 “Use hospitality one to another without grudging.” Another version of the Bible tells us this “Keep open house for all with a glad heart.” (1 Peter 4:9 Bible in Basic English).

As Christians, we should always show forth the love of God and we do so when we provide for the needs of and show hospitality to others.

*** Written by Edwin D. Kerns | Gospelfeet Ministries ***

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A New Master

Text: Romans 6:8-14

Key Verse: “For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.” Romans 6:14

Why does Paul bring in the Law? He brings in the Law because he is dealing with one of the most basic problems of the Christian struggle, the thing that often depresses and discourages us more than anything else — the sense of condemnation we feel when we sin. The Law produces condemnation. The Law says that unless you live up to this standard, God will not have anything to do with you. We have been so engrained with this that when we sin, even as believers, we think God is angry and upset with us and he doesn't care about us. We think that way about ourselves, and we become discouraged and defeated and depressed. We want to give up.

But Paul says that is not true. Believers are not under Law, and God does not respond that way toward us. We are under grace. God understands our struggle. He is not upset by it; he is not angry with us. He understands our failure. He knows that there will be a struggle and there will be failures. He also knows that he has made full provision in Christ for us to recover immediately, to pick ourselves up, and go right on climbing up the mountain. Therefore, as his beloved child, you and I don't need to be discouraged, and we won't be.

Sin will not be your master because you are not under law and condemnation, but under grace. And even though you struggle, if, every time you fail, you come back to God and ask his forgiveness, and accept it from him, and remember how he loves you, and that he is not angry or upset with you, and go on from there, you will win.

I will never forget how, as a young man in the service during World War II, I was on a watch one night, reading the book of Romans. This verse leaped out of the pages at me. I remember how the Spirit made it come alive, and I saw the great promise that all the things I was struggling with as a young man would ultimately be mastered — not because I was so smart, but because God was teaching me and leading me into victory. I remember walking the floor, my heart just boiling over with praise and thanksgiving to God. I walked in a cloud of glory, rejoicing in this great promise: Sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

Looking back across the years since that night, I can see that God has broken the grip of the things that mastered me then. Other problems have come in, with which I still struggle. But the promise remains: Sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

*** Written by Ray Stedman Ministries | www.raystedman.org ***

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Give It Your All

“…I will go … and if I perish, I perish” – Esther 4:16 NIV

Esther, a Jewish girl married to a pagan king, broke with long-standing tradition, marched into her husband’s throne room, spoke her mind, and rescued her people from annihilation. One girl saved a nation because she was willing to put everything on the line.

Are you feeling inadequate today? Are you thinking, ‘someone else should be doing this job instead of me?’ Then read these words written by clergy Edward Everett Hale: ‘I am only one; but still I am one. I can’t do everything; but still I can do something: and because I can’t do everything, I will not refuse to do the something I can do.’

How many people did it take to rescue the dying man on the Jericho Road? (Luke 10:25-37) One Good Samaritan. How many people did it take to confront Pharaoh and lead the exodus out of Egypt? One man, Moses. A respected leadership expert writes: ‘God has put a dream inside you. It’s yours and no one else’s. It declares your uniqueness. It holds your potential. Only you can give birth to it. Only you can live it. Not to discover it, take responsibility for it and act upon it is to negatively affect yourself as well as those who would benefit from your dreams.’

Poet John Greenleaf Whitter wrote, ‘For all sad words of tongue and pen; the saddest are these, “it might have been.”’ In your twilight years, will you look back and feel like you have spent your life struggling to fulfill other people’s expectations? Or know that you lived it to the fullest by striving to fulfill your God-given dream?

Think about it now, while there’s still time to change direction.

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Enough Is Enough

Jesus prayed to the Heavenly Father in John 17:4 what should be the heart cry of every born-again believer, “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.” This should be our utmost desire as well and the key to our success is commitment. Like Jesus, there is a price we’ll have to pay to fulfill the call of God on our lives and the down payment is commitment. Psalm 37:5 says, “Commit your way to the Lord. Trust also in Him and He shall bring it to pass.” Likewise, we are told in Proverbs 16:3, “Commit your works to the Lord and your thoughts will be established.”

Commitment starts out as an act of our will. It is an act of giving and it means to give priority to that which you are committed to. Commitment demands that you apply yourself by giving the very best you have. We must diligently apply ourselves to the dream God gives us and be willing to exert ourselves beyond the norm. Commitment will turn you into the kind of person who goes the extra mile, one who believes that whatever you set out to do will succeed and prosper.

It is your level of commitment that will be the deciding factor as to whether or not you hear Jesus say when you stand before Him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord” (Matthew 25:21).

Romans 12:1 says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” The Amplified Bible calls the act of doing this “spiritual worship.” To be a living sacrifice one must submit their will to God and become a yielded instrument for His service. One’s whole being - spirit, soul, body - must be presented by a decisive act of the will to God to be used by Him. Yielding must not be thought of simply as a willingness to do some specific task. Rather, it consists of commitment and dedication by a person to love God and do whatever He commands.

When you are committed to something or someone there is always a transfer of authority. It is an act of putting in charge or trust, an inward decision based on loyalty and dedication. It is the state of being obligated and it means “to surrender” or “to yield.” When a person enters their work place they automatically surrender their will to that of the authority of the supervisor. More so should we be committed to God and the call He placed on our life. And if we get committed and stay committed, if we don’t shrink back and pull away on the evil day of adversity, then we’ll have the determination and power to rise up and keep going forward when the storms of life blow our way.

Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Each of us has been created to perform “good works” and God has anointed us to do so. Samson, for example, did what was considered impossible because he was anointed to do so. Contrary to popular belief, Samson did not have bulging muscles like Hercules. No, he was strong because of the anointing and not physical muscles. When he responded to the ability God put inside him he became strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

The Message Bible says in Philippians 4:13, “Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One Who makes me who I am.” The enemy will launch an assault against everything God is doing and this is why we can’t be passive where the devil is concerned. We are a mighty generation chosen by God and we must never run from the enemy. Instead, we must rise up and prepare for war.

Much is at stake here. We are the answer to the troubles of our society and generation and God is waiting for us to step forward and do that which we’ve been anointed to do. We are not here to survive the assaults of the enemy; we are here to start them. God is with us and He will not leave us or forsake us. The anointing is a force that cannot be overcome by the enemy. It can only be responded to. The first step in having breakthrough and defeating the enemy is to once and for all get fed up with his efforts to bring you down.

In Genesis 27, Esau found out that his brother Jacob had deceived his father into giving him the blessing of the firstborn. Esau lifted up his voice and wept when he found out the blessing could not be reversed so he pleaded with his father to give him a blessing as well. Here is what Isaac told him, “Behold, your dwelling shall be of the fatness of the earth, and the dew of heaven from above. By your sword you shall live, and you shall serve your brother; And it shall come to pass, when you become restless, that you shall break his yoke from your neck” (Genesis 27:39,40).

To be restless means to be fed up! You don’t get anywhere and you don’t accomplish anything until you get fed up with your present condition. You can wish, hope, and cry all day long but nothing will happen until you get fed up. Things happen when a holy fervor rises up on the inside of you. Your countenance will change, you’ll speak with authority and you’ll walk in dominion. Jesus said in Matthew 11:12b, “…the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.” Get fed up! Get violent! Draw a line in the sand and tell the enemy, “Enough is enough!” Get aggressive and stirred up once again for what rightfully belongs to you. Get fed up for going without and then rise up and exercise your God-given authority over the devil. Live by the sword and never back off. The victory is yours if you get fed up and never give up!

After the exodus out of Egypt, God led the children of Israel the long way through the wilderness because the people weren’t ready for war. If they were willing to fight the enemy in order to possess what the Lord had given them then God would have led them by the short route. War has been declared and to possess your mountain you can’t have a lukewarm attitude when it comes to fighting the enemy.

Don’t be a weak kneed nobody but rise up and go to war for the glory of God. If you ignore the devil he will destroy you. Don’t be afraid of the enemy. He’s a defeated foe. Instead, make the devil be afraid of you. You are a warrior in the army of God by choice and by command. Your armor is not polished and nice but is tattered and worn. You don’t go over the mountain the enemy placed in your path, you go “through” it. This is why your victory is called a “breakthrough.” You don’t go around, under, or over your trial. You break “through” that obstacle and take back what the enemy has stolen.

Don’t let the devil steal your focus and your purpose. He really doesn’t want to kill you. He wants to control you and if he can’t do that then he’ll try to kill you. But those who know their purpose never give up. Instead, they get fed up and fight! Your purpose stays with you when you give your full undivided attention to it. There is no vacation in the kingdom of God and you can’t be a mediocre weekend warrior. Purpose takes you out of the arena of the soul and puts you in the arena of faith where you rise up and take the kingdom by storm.

God is proclaiming a special message to the body of Christ here in the last days. Christians today are not living up to the potential that their faith would allow and God is saying simply, “Use your faith!” Clearly, it is His desire for all believers to be “perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:4b). Therefore, if the truth be told, sickness should have no part in the life of a child of God because Jesus made provision for it when He bore our sins on the tree and “by Whose stripes you were healed” (1 Peter 2:24). Poverty and lack should not be mentioned in the same breath as a Christian because as Paul says in Philippians 4:19, “And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

Christians everywhere should rejoice because depression and bondage of every kind has been done away with by the life and death of Jesus. The Word instructs us to “stand fast, therefore, in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage” (Galatians 5:1). Jesus Himself said in John 8:36, “Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” It is time for believers to get so fed up with the devil that they rise up and walk in the freedom that has been provided for them. For sure, it was bought with a great price.

Christians everywhere should be living on the high clouds of victory, success, and spiritual fulfillment. All this has been made available to the body of believers and 2 Peter 1:2-4 boldly proclaims, “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him Who called us to glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

Although God in His abundant mercy has given us all things to enjoy there is still a demonic enemy in the world “seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). In order to live in the manifestation of Christ’s victory at the cross and the provision thereof it has become the responsibility of all believers “to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). This is why Paul tells us to stand up and “fight the good fight of faith” (1 Timothy 6:12).

A “good fight” is a fight you win! 1 Corinthians 15:57 says, “But thanks be to God Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” There is no failure or defeat in the good fight of faith. Those who suffer defeat at the hands of the enemy have not had a faith failure but, more times than not, have simply given up the effort necessary for the manifested victory to be obtained. They lay back and expect God to do all the fighting for them. Too often people are waiting for God to do something while at the same time He is waiting for them to do something.

People need to understand that they have as much to do with the answer to their prayers as they expect God to be. There is a sign on the Colorado River which instructs white water rafters: “If you fall overboard you must be an active participant in your own rescue!” For those who have the misfortune of falling into the swirling waters of the raging Colorado River, they must take charge of the situation even though thousands of gallons of water are flooding over them. They must actively participate in their own rescue and cannot lay back and let the rescuers do all the work. There is a part they have to play and the same is true in the good fight of faith.

Before entering the Promised Land God told Joshua, “Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon, I have given you as I said to Moses” (Joshua 1:3). God gave the people of Israel the land of Canaan but wars would have to be fought before they could possess it. Likewise, God gives us blessings to enjoy but we still have to go get them. To fight the good fight of faith we must press in to the things of God with persistence and determination that will not rest satisfied until it receives what is promised.

Hebrews 10:35,36 (AMP) says, “Do not, therefore, fling away your fearless confidence for it carries a great and glorious compensation of reward. For you have need of steadfast patience and endurance so that you may perform and fully accomplish the will of God and thus receive and carry away (and enjoy to the full) what is promised.” Genesis 32:24-30 tells the story of when Jacob wrestled with God all night until the breaking of day. Verse 26 records the tenacity of Jacob, “And He said, ‘Let Me go, for the day breaks.’ But he said, ‘I will not let You go until You bless me!’” When Jacob grabbed onto God, he got grabbed by God and received his blessing.

Perhaps the most fundamental verses describing faith is found in Matthew 11:22-24 which speaks about talking to mountains and telling them to be cast into the sea. Verse 24 says, “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them and you will have them.” The word “receive” in this verse means to ‘take by force.’ In Ephesians 6:10, we are instructed to be “strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.” The word “strong” means ‘to seize upon, to not let go.’ This is precisely what Jacob did. He grabbed onto God and wouldn’t let go. He wanted a blessing and he took it by force.

Isaiah 53 foretells the redemptive work of Christ on the cross and the things He suffered on our behalf. Afterward, when the work on Calvary was completed, verse 12 tells us, “Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong…” The Amplified Bible says that “He shall divide the spoil with the mighty…” This verse makes it abundantly clear that we must become strong and mighty in order to partake of the vast riches of the spoil that is available to those who believe.

There is strength to be had in being a Christian and it is faith and our faith in God that makes us strong. Matthew 11:12 (AMP) says, “And from the days of John the Baptist until the present time the kingdom of heaven had endured violent assault, and violent men seize it by force (as a precious prize) - a share in the heavenly kingdom is sought for with most ardent zeal and intense exertion.” Another translation puts it this way, “The kingdom of heaven is being taken by storm and the strong and forceful ones claim it for themselves eagerly.”

It is the responsibility of every Christian who seeks to live a victorious life to storm into the kingdom and take it by force. Know with certainty that there is no place on the victory platform for laid-back, easy-going Christians. The only place where “success” comes before “work” is in the dictionary. Philippians 2:12b tells believers to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” In order to live up to the potential that our faith would allow, we must get fed up, pick up our sword and fight “the good fight of faith.” There is no other way.

** Written by Randall Brewer **

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