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Coming Out of the Valleys

Posted on Feb 19, 2016 in Blog |

Ezekiel 37:1-14

The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. ²Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. ³And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

So I answered, “O Lord God, You know.”

⁴Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! ⁵Thus says the Lord God to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. ⁶I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.”’”

⁷So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. ⁸Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.

⁹Also He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.”’” ¹⁰So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.

¹¹Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!’¹²Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. ¹³Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. ¹⁴I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it,” says the Lord.’”

Are you experiencing hopelessness and helplessness in your life? God wants to provide a way out of your valley of dry bones. We must be willing to listen to the Word of God when we are in a dry place. When there is no apparent answer to life’s problems or dilemmas, we need to turn to God’s Word which has the supernatural power, ability, might, and authority to bring our lives back from disorder and confusion, to power, wholeness, and vision. We must be willing to respond to God’s Word with faith and obedience, to deliver us from our dry places, desert places, hopeless places. We must be sensitive to the Spirit of God as He speaks life to you, as He gives you power and fruition.

Are you in a valley today? Remember a valley is simply an inverted mountain waiting for God to bring light into the darkness in your life. Look to Jesus and focus on His Word.

LET US PRAISE GOD CONTINUALLY

Posted on Feb 11, 2016 in Blog |

Hebrews 13:15 NIV

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that openly profess His name.

We should know why we are offering praises to God. Here are some of the Scriptural reasons why we should do so.

1. We praise God because of who He is.

Praise the Lord! (Psalm 149:1)

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised. (Psalm 48:1)

For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised. (Psalm 96:4)

In other words, we praise Him because He is the Lord. He is the ultimate authority, the highest power, the King of all kings, and the Lord above all lords. He was before all things and is the maker of all things. Therefore, He is greater than all things.

2. We praise God because it glorifies Him.

“Whoever offers praise glories Me.” (Psalm 50:23)

Surely this should be the great desire of all God’s people, to glorify Him.

3. We praise God because He commands us to.

“Praise the Lord” is not a suggestion or a request. It’s a commandment.

4. We praise God for all His benefits (Psalm 103:1-3).

5. We praise God for His goodness (Psalm 107:21).

6. We praise God for His mighty acts (Psalm 150:2).

7. We praise God because it is a good thing to give thanks (Psalm 92:1-2; Psalm 147:1).

8. We praise God because He is worthy of our praise (2 Samuel 22:4; Psalm 18:3).

9. We praise God because it magnifies Him (Psalm 69:30).

10. We praise God because praise is “beautiful” from the upright (Psalm 33:1).

The old English word comely in Psalm 33:1 (KJV) means “proper, right, fitting, appropriate, becoming, and suitable.” Unfortunately, some Christians seem to feel that praising God is unseemly and improper. They are so concerned that they should appear to be undignified. For some reason, they feel that this so-called dignity is the proper attitude for Christians. However, the Bible projects the opposite view. God says the garment of praise is most becoming upon them.

11. We praise God because He dwells in the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3).

The Holy One of Israel inhabits our praises! If our heart and mouth are filled with praise, they are also filled with God, for He inhabits our praise. This is also true of our home or church. Fill them with God’s praises, and they are filled with God’s presence.

We can surround ourselves with God’s presence by cultivating the attitude of praise. We will then be more conscious of His presence than we are of our problems, difficulties, and adverse circumstances. There are many blessings to be experienced as a result of praising God. By praising God continuously, we keep ourselves “plugged into” Him and in an atmosphere of the anointing.

12. We praise God because praise generates spiritual power.

Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; they will still be praising You. Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage…they go from strength to strength.

The man who praises God has the Lord for his strength. He also knows the joy of the Lord through praise, and the joy of the Lord is his strength (Nehemiah 8:10).

13. We praise God because the praising Christian delights himself in the Lord, and God gives him the desires of his heart (Psalm 37:4).

Many people say, “If only God would grant me the desires of my heart, how I would praise Him for it!” The divine order is the reverse that. We praise Him, and delight in Him and then He gives us the desires of our heart.

14. We praise God because praise precedes victory.

In 2 Chronicles 20, King Jehoshaphat led God’s people into battle against their enemies. God instructed him to appoint singers unto the Lord. They went before the army praising God and saying,

Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever. Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated. (2 Chronicles 20:21-22)

Imagine an army being led by a choir! How strange it must have been to the natural mind to go into battle like this But the weapons of our warfare are not carnal. They are strong and mighty to the pulling down of strongholds. As we face our enemy in these days, we need to realize afresh the power of praise and go into battle with the high praises of God in our mouths. We can then expect to see the salvation of God. The people who truly learn to praise the Lord are the people who will show forth His presence and power.

Praise unlocks heaven’s portals;

Praise causes doubts to cease;

Praise brings precious blessings;

Praise leaves the sweetest peace;

Praise breaks all bands asunder;

Praise set the captives free;

Praise lightens every burden;

Praise is the master key;

Praise changes circumstances;

Praise establishes the heart;

When praise becomes perpetual,

Praise is a holy art

-Frances Metcalfe

The Power of Prevailing Prayer Part 2

Posted on Jan 29, 2016 in Blog |

Isaiah 43:26

Put me in remembrance; let us plead together: set thou forth thy cause, that thou mayest be justified.

We are to come before God and recount His promises to us and state them back to God. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.

Joshua 1:1-9

After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying: ²“Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel. ³Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. ⁴From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory. ⁵No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. ⁶Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. ⁷Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. ⁸This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. ⁹Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Four Keys to Effective Prayer

Prosperity (v.3)
Victory in Battle (v. 5)
Good Success (v. 8)
Reward for being Obedient (v. 5)

What hinders our prayer?

PRAYING WITH WRONG MOTIVES
- James 4: 3 – You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
IF SIN IS REGARDED PRAYER CAN’T PREVAIL
- Psalm 66:18 – If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear.
AN UNFORGIVING ATTITUDE WILL HINDER PRAYER
- Mark 11:25 – “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.”
UNWILLINGNESS TO RECONCILE WITH OTHERS
- Matthew 5:23-24 – Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, ²⁴leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
A WRONG HUMAN RELATIONSHIP HINDERS PRAYER
- If there is resentment or unforgiveness in relationships that will effect your prayer.
- 1 Peter 3:7 – Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.

What makes prayer effective?

THROUGH PRAYER GOD’S PEOPLE ARE EMPOWERED BY HIS SUPERNATURAL GRACE
- Acts 4:29, 31-32 – ²⁹Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word… ³¹And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
THROUGH PRAYER GOD’S PEOPLE GAIN PROVISION FOR THEIR NEEDS
- When the brook dried up God provided Elijah with a widow to feed and care for him.
- 1 Kings 17:2-6, 8:16 – ²Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, ³“Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. ⁴And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.” ⁵So he went and did according to the word of the Lord, for he went and stayed by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. ⁶The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook…⁸Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, ⁹“Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” ¹⁰So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink.” ¹¹And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” ¹²So she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.” ¹³And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. ¹⁴For thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.’” ¹⁵So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. ¹⁶The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke by Elijah.
THROUGH PRAYER THE DEAD CAN BE RAISED, THE SICK CAN BE HEALED, AND THE LOST CAN BE SAVED.
- 1 Kings 17:17-24 – ¹⁷Now it happened after these things that the son of the woman who owned the house became sick. And his sickness was so serious that there was no breath left in him. ¹⁸So she said to Elijah, “What have I to do with you, O man of God? Have you come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to kill my son?” ¹⁹And he said to her, “Give me your son.” So he took him out of her arms and carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his own bed.²⁰Then he cried out to the Lord and said, “O Lord my God, have You also brought tragedy on the widow with whom I lodge, by killing her son?” ²¹And he stretched himself out on the child three times, and cried out to the Lord and said, “O Lord my God, I pray, let this child’s soul come back to him.” ²²Then the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came back to him, and he revived. ²³And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper room into the house, and gave him to his mother. And Elijah said, “See, your son lives!” ²⁴Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now by this I know that you are a man of God,and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is the truth.”
THROUGH PRAYER GOD’S PEOPLE ARE VICTORIOUS OVER THE ENEMY
- 1 Kings 18:37 – “Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.”

Prevailing Prayer Part 1

Posted on Jan 20, 2016 in Blog |

1 Samuel 1:10-18

¹⁰In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. ¹¹And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.” ¹²As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. ¹³Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk ¹⁴and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.” ¹⁵“Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. ¹⁶Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.” ¹⁷Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.” ¹⁸She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.

Hannah travailed until she prevailed. She asked; she received; and she gave Samuel back to God. Hannah’s prayer not only shaped a nation but her prayers changed a nation. She was birthing a prophetic movement that would anoint kings and shape Israel and the world. The birth of a miracle requires a deep prayer and complete surrender to God.

Luke 11:5-13

⁵Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; ⁶a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ ⁷And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ ⁸I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need. ⁹“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ¹⁰For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. ¹¹“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will

give him a snake instead?¹²Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? ¹³If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

KEEP ASKING, KEEP SEEKING, AND KEEP KNOCKING.

Persistent asking is the will of God for financial, spiritual, and physical supernatural breakthrough. God often waits for a persistent, passionate prayer. It’s not that He is reluctant or needs convincing, but it changes us to have a passion for what God wants.

PRAY in child like faith believing that your heavenly Father will give you what you ask.

PRAY expecting God to answer.

PRAY believing all things are possible.

PRAY with the attitude of receiving with thankfulness and gratitude.

Epistle of Joy

Posted on Jan 15, 2016 in Blog |

We live in a sad world that is lost and away from God despair depression, disappointment, dissatisfaction, pain and sorrow runs through the lives of many today. People have little hope that their lives will ever change. Hopelessness tends to increase with age; years of unfulfillment, loss of loved ones and friends, physical limitation, and pain decrease the times of happiness in people lives.

Most people define happiness as an attitude of satisfaction or delight base on circumstances beyond their control. Happiness cannot be planned or programmed or guaranteed it is experienced only if and when circumstances are favorable it is elusive and uncertain.

Spiritual joy on the other hand is not an attitude dependent on chance or circumstances it is the deep abiding confidence that regardless of one’s circumstance in life all is well between the believer and the Lord. No matter what difficulty, pain, disappointment, failure, rejection, or other things, nothing can separate us from the love of God!

What robs believers of biblical joy?

1. False salvation. Matthew 13:24-43
They do not have the spirit dwelling in them. (Galatians 5:22) They come to church, fellowship, and hear the word, but they do not know the Lord. (2 Corinthians 13:5)
2. Satan and his demons can’t take your salvation, but will try to steal your joy with guilt and fear. 1 Peter 5:8; Psalm 51.12
3. The lack of understanding the word of God, fretting, unbelief, worry. Not abiding in Him. John 15:7

4. Believers fail to pray, they lose sight of God. James 5:14-16; Philippians 4:6
5. Emotional low after a spiritual high. 1 Kings 18:38-40
6. Believers focusing on there circumstances, dissatisfaction, job, finances, appearance. Philippians 4:11
7. Ingratitude. 1 Thessalonians 5:18; Romans 1:18-20
8. Forgetting the Lord. Psalm 103:2
9. Joy is lost because the flesh talks to your underlining emotions, temper, anger, envy, lust, or living by the flesh. Galatians 5:15-21
10. Unwilling to accept forgiveness or to forgive others; having a grudge. Matthew 6:14-15

1. Joy is found in a relationship with God. Psalm 4:7-8
2. Joy is a gift from God. Psalm 16:11
3. Joy is given by God through proclaiming the gospel. Luke 2:10-11; John 15:11
4. Joy is produced by the Holy Spirit. Romans 14:17; Galatians 5:22-23
5. Joy is experienced when believers receive and obey the word of God. Jeremiah 15:16; 1 John 1:4
6. Joy is experienced as God brings you out of trials. 1 Thessalonians 1:6; James 1:2; 1 Peter 1:3-6
7. Joy is made complete when your hope is revealed in the glory of Jesus. 1 Peter 1:8; 1 Peter 4:13; Jude 24-25

The Reasons for joy:

1. True joy is being filled with the spirit. Romans 14:17
2. True joy comes when you lead lives worthy of the gospel. Philippians 1:27
3. True joy is when you are one with God and have love, unity, one purpose, and humility. Considering others better than yourself and looking after each other. Philippians 2:2-4
4. True joy is when you stop grumbling and disputing. Philippians 2:14-15
5. True joy is when you give thanks for your brothers and sisters. Philippians 1:3-5

The Power of the Cross

Posted on Jan 8, 2016 in Blog |

There are two crosses in the believers life.

1. Jesus paid the price for your sin to give you a personal relationship with God, and He gives you the freedom to have His life and victory.

2. You are to crucify yourself. You are to pick up your cross and follow Jesus.

Jesus came not from this world but from heaven with power, authority, and dominion. Any one that has power in Him can do supernatural wonders. They can overcome the enemy. They can overcome every bondage and addiction in their life by the Blood of the Lamb.

We as believers have to tap in to the cross. When you tap in you plug yourself into His power. Think of being like an appliance. Every appliance has to have a source of power. You have to be plugged into the cross; you have to take your faith and the fact that the cross paid the price, redeemed you from the curse, and gave you power over the devil. Only at the cross is God’s supernatural power revealed. That same power is now released in the life of the believer.

The cross is so important in your life because it tells the devil you are dead to his way of living, you are dead to his dominion, his authority, and his power. You are no longer going to be manipulated and controlled by him. The cross has the power to sever that tie.

The secret to conquering sin is not you trying to help yourself or changing your mind set. The only way to conquer sin, habits, and addiction is through the resurrection power of Jesus Christ. Satan can not make you commit sin when Jesus is ruling your life. Why? Because Jesus broke sins dominion and power when He rose from the grave.

When you tap in to the cross, the devil taps out.

How do you tap in? You tap in by identifying what Christ did for you at the cross.

By faith in Jesus Christ I am an overcomer.

By faith in Jesus Christ, He conquered death, hell, and the grave.

By faith in Jesus Christ I have the same victory as Jesus.

As a believer I can acquire His strength, His power, and His supernatural abilities. I can acquire everything I need all I have to do is tap in to the cross.

Make Jesus the boss and give the devil a toss!

The life of Jesus conquers everything that we could not. That’s what gives you a new nature, that’s what transforms your heart. Satan can not lord over you when the cross is actively working in your life.

Drawing Close to God

Posted on Dec 31, 2015 in Blog |

Every one of us can be as close to God as we want to be. God wants to have an intimate relationship with you.

Exodus 19:1-13

On the first day of the third month after the Israelites left Egypt—on that very day—they came to the Desert of Sinai. ²After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain. ³Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: ⁴‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. ⁵Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, ⁶you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.” ⁷So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak. ⁸The people all responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord. ⁹The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you.” Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said. ¹⁰And the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes ¹¹and be ready by the third day, because on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.¹²Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not approach the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain is to be put to death. ¹³They are to be stoned or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on them. No person or animal shall be permitted to live.’ Only when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.”

Moses had an intimate relationship with God. He was totally dependent on God to lead him and guide him. You’ve got to be totally dependent on God’s sufficiency and His ability to do what He wants to do in your life. We can not depend on our own strength, our own resources, or our own wisdom. We have to depend on God because we can’t manage ourselves. We are unmanageable without the presence of God managing us.

Becoming broken is the beginning of great things in your life, when you humble yourself from pride, rebellion, anger, temper tantrums, and you allow God to take charge. You’ve got to get to the place with God where you realize you can’t make it without Him.

INTIMACY IS AN ACT OF HUMILITY. Moses didn’t lead the people out by himself, he did it with God’s help. Moses was on the mountain for forty days and heard nothing from God. But he waited. On the fortieth day God spoke. We have to persevere, we have to pray, and we have to seek God. Intimacy is not easy. Our spiritual success depends on time with God.

Exodus 32:30-34

³⁰The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin. But now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” ³¹So Moses went back to the Lord and said, “Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. ³²But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.” ³³The Lord replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. ³⁴Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin.”

We’ve allowed fear, intimidation, discouragement, adversity, poverty, family difficulties, and financial difficulties to control us. God wants you to know there is more to life then your problems. God is the problem solver and can make a way where there seems to be no way.

God pours out His blessings on those who are grateful, thankful, those who pray for people when they fail you. God is going to bless the person who is blessing Him. God’s going to bless the person who is praising Him. If you come before God’s presence and you can’t think of one single thing He has done for you, then you need a change of heart.

You can’t keep your blessing without God! God wants to impart to you the supernatural strength you need; the strength of peace, joy, power, and victory.

Intimacy is where we have God’s presence in our lives. Jesus didn’t die to give us religion; He died to give us a relationship. Without God you can do nothing, but with God all things are possible. When you experience God, He will begin to work through your life. All you need is Jesus. When you have Jesus your life will surely be changed.

INTIMACY WITH GOD IS THE BEGINNING OF TRANSFORMATION!

The Spirit Comes To Our Aid

Posted on Dec 18, 2015 in Blog |

Romans 8:26-27

26 So too the Holy Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance. 27 And He Who searches the hearts of men knows what is in the mind of the Holy Spirit (what His intent is), because the Spirit intercedes and pleads before God in behalf of the saints according to and in harmony with God’s will.

As I read this I rejoice, because God knows what your going through, and His will is to help you in strengthening your walk with God.

1. The Holy Spirit is the Power of God

2. The Holy Spirit is the Ability of God

3. The Holy Spirit is the Wisdom of God

4. The Holy Spirit is the Authority of God

The Spirit came upon Jesus to touch and change the lives of His people to heal, deliver, and to save all that came to Him. We also have this incredible gift of God’s Spirit to pray for us and help us in our infirmities or weaknesses. There may be times that we need more faith, to stand on God’s Word or help to pray. You may not know how to pray in certain situations, so the Holy Spirit helps us pray in the will of God.

Read what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2:-16

And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. ²For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. ³I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. ⁴My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, ⁵so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. ⁶We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. ⁷No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. ⁸None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. ⁹However, as it is written:

“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”—
the things God has prepared for those who love him—

¹⁰these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. ¹¹For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. ¹²What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. ¹³This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. ¹⁴The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. ¹⁵The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, ¹⁶for,

“Who has known the mind of the Lord
so as to instruct him?”

But we have the mind of Christ.

Paul was praying for the Holy Spirit to empower our lives so that we could be a bold witness for Jesus Christ.

1. The Holy Spirit wants to give us WISDOM in presenting the gospel in the world we live in.

2. The Holy Spirit wants to demonstrate His supernatural power by changing lives and transforming people through the truth of God’s Word.

Hiding Among The Baggage

Posted on Dec 11, 2015 in Blog |

1 Samuel 10:1-11 (NIV)

Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it on Saul’s head and kissed him, saying, “Has not the Lord anointed you ruler over his inheritance? ²When you leave me today, you will meet two men near Rachel’s tomb, at Zelzah on the border of Benjamin. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys you set out to look for have been found. And now your father has stopped thinking about them and is worried about you. He is asking, “What shall I do about my son?”’ ³“Then you will go on from there until you reach the great tree of Tabor. Three men going up to worship God at Bethel will meet you there. One will be carrying three young goats, another three loaves of bread, and another a skin of wine. ⁴They will greet you and offer you two loaves of bread, which you will accept from them. ⁵“After that you will go to Gibeah of God, where there is a Philistine outpost. As you approach the town, you will meet a procession of prophets coming down from the high place with lyres, timbrels, pipes and harps being played before them, and they will be prophesying. ⁶The Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person. ⁷Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you. ⁸“Go down ahead of me to Gilgal. I will surely come down to you to sacrifice burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, but you must wait seven days until I come to you and tell you what you are to do.” ⁹As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul’s heart, and all these signs were fulfilled that day. ¹⁰When he and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a procession of prophets met him; the Spirit of God came powerfully upon him, and he joined in their prophesying. ¹¹When all those who had formerly known him saw him prophesying with the prophets, they asked each other, “What is this that has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?”

Saul was anointed with oil to serve God and God’s inheritance, and to lead a nation in obedience to God’s law and commandments. From that moment on, as he followed God, his heart was changed.

Do you want a permanent change of heart or just an experience with God? The children of Israel had many experiences with God, but only true intimacy leads to purity of heart.

People may believe in God but not truly experience intimacy with Him. As you have encountered God what changes has that brought in your life? Has it given you a deeper faith, a deeper joy? Are you filled with the Holy Spirit with evidence of speaking in tongues.

The people began to question him and his prophesying, and Saul began to fear the people. He cared more about what the people thought and said, rather than what God thought of him.

1 Samuel 10: 21-23 (MSG)

^20-21After Samuel got all the tribes of Israel lined up, the Benjamin tribe was picked. Then he lined up the Benjamin tribe in family groups, and the family of Matri was picked. The family of Matri took its place in the lineup, and the name Saul, son of Kish, was picked. But when they went looking for him, he was nowhere to be found.

²²Samuel went back to God: “Is he anywhere around?”

God said, “Yes, he’s right over there—hidden in that pile of baggage.”

²³They ran and got him. He took his place before everyone, standing tall—head and shoulders above them.

What are you hiding in?

Addiction

Lust

Pornography

Past mistakes

Fear

Insecurities

Broken relationships

Confusion

Religion

Come out of your baggage and into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, who has a purpose, a plan, and a destiny for your life! God wants to use your gifts and your talents for His glory, regardless of what others think about you.

Here are six things God requires of you:

1. COME OUT OF YOUR BAGGAGE:

Personal excuses, divided loyalties, fear of man, fear of failure.

2. YOU MUST KEEP YOUR LIFE CLEAN:

The first step of being used by God is to have a clean heart. It’s not about your gift or your talent. God uses small vessels, plain vessels, but He will not use a dirty vessel.

2 Timothy 2:21 (NLT)

If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.

3. YOU HAVE TO KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN:

You have to keep your vision on God. You have to see God at work in your present situation and work with Him.

Psalm 105:4 (MSG)

Keep your eyes open for God, watch for his works; be alert for signs of his presence.

4. KEEP YOUR HEART GRATEFUL:

Gratefulness is one of the keys to a healthy Christian life.

Deuteronomy 28:47-48 (NIV)

⁴⁷Because you did not serve the Lord your God joyfully and gladly in the time of prosperity, ⁴⁸therefore in hunger and thirst, in nakedness and dire poverty, you will serve the enemies the Lord sends against you. He will put an iron yoke on your neck until he has destroyed you.

5. KEEP GOD’S PURPOSE FULL ON YOUR HORIZON.

Acts 13:36

Now when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his ancestors and his body decayed.

6. KEEP YOUR MIND ON JESUS.

Hebrews 12:2-3 (MSG)

Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That

will shoot adrenaline into your souls!

God’s purpose is far greater than your problems!

Overcoming A Second Class Attitude

Posted on Dec 4, 2015 in Blog |

Daniel in the Lions’ Den

Daniel 6

1 Darius reorganized his kingdom. He appointed one hundred twenty governors to

administer all the parts of his realm. 2 Over them were three vice-regents, one of whom was

Daniel. The governors reported to the vice-regents, who made sure that everything was in

order for the king. 3 But Daniel, brimming with spirit and intelligence, so completely

outclassed the other vice-regents and governors that the king decided to put him in charge of

the whole kingdom.

4 The vice-regents and governors got together to ﬁnd some old scandal or skeleton in

Daniel’s life that they could use against him, but they couldn’t dig up anything. He was totally

exemplary and trustworthy. They could ﬁnd no evidence of negligence or misconduct. 5 So

they ﬁnally gave up and said, “We’re never going to ﬁnd anything against this Daniel unless we

can cook up something religious.”

6 The vice-regents and governors conspired together and then went to the king and said,

“King Darius, live forever! 7 We’ve convened your vice-regents, governors, and all your leading

ofﬁcials, and have agreed that the king should issue the following decree: For the next thirty

days no one is to pray to any god or mortal except you, O king. Anyone who disobeys will be

thrown into the lions’ den.

8 “Issue this decree, O king, and make it unconditional, as if written in stone like all the laws

of the Medes and the Persians.”

9 King Darius signed the decree.

10 When Daniel learned that the decree had been signed and posted, he continued to pray

just as he had always done. His house had windows in the upstairs that opened toward

Jerusalem.Three times a day he knelt there in prayer, thanking and praising his God.

11 The conspirators came and found him praying, asking God for help. 12 They went

straight to the king and reminded him of the royal decree that he had signed. “Did you not,”

they said, “sign a decree forbidding anyone to pray to any god or man except you for the next

thirty days? And anyone caught doing it would be thrown into the lions’ den?” “Absolutely,” said

the king. “Written in stone, like all the laws of the Medes and Persians.”

13 Then they said, “Daniel, one of the Jewish exiles, ignores you, O king, and deﬁes your

decree. Three times a day he prays.”

14 At this, the king was very upset and tried his best to get Daniel out of the ﬁx he’d put

him in. He worked at it the whole day long.

15 But then the conspirators were back: “Remember, O king, it’s the law of the Medes and

Persians that the king’s decree can never be changed.”

16 The king caved in and ordered Daniel brought and thrown into the lions’ den. But he said

to Daniel, “Your God, to whom you are so loyal, is going to get you out of this.”

17 A stone slab was placed over the opening of the den. The king sealed the cover with his

signet ring and the signet rings of all his nobles, ﬁxing Daniel’s fate.

18 The king then went back to his palace. He refused supper. He couldn’t sleep. He spent the

night fasting.

19 At daybreak the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. 20 As he approached the den,

he called out anxiously, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve so

loyally, saved you from the lions?”

21 “O king, live forever!” said Daniel. 22 “My God sent his angel, who closed the mouths of

the lions so that they would not hurt me. I’ve been found innocent before God and also before

you, O king. I’ve done nothing to harm you.”

23 When the king heard these words, he was happy. He ordered Daniel taken up out of the

den.When he was hauled up, there wasn’t a scratch on him. He had trusted his God.

24 Then the king commanded that the conspirators who had informed on Daniel be thrown

into the lions’ den, along with their wives and children. Before they hit the ﬂoor, the lions had

them in their jaws, tearing them to pieces.

25 King Darius published this proclamation to every race, color, and creed on earth: Peace

to you! Abundant peace! 26 I decree that Daniel’s God shall be worshiped and feared in all

parts of my kingdom. He is the living God, world without end. His kingdom never falls. His rule

continues eternally. 27 He is a savior and rescuer. He performs astonishing miracles in heaven

and on earth. He saved Daniel from the power of the lions.

28 From then on, Daniel was treated well during the reign of Darius, and also in the

following reign of Cyrus the Persian.

I love this story, about Daniel in the Lions Den.

There was conﬂict and jealousy and envy because of verse 3, “But Daniel, brimming with spirit

and intelligence, so completely outclassed the other vice-regents and governors that the king

decided to put him in charge of the whole kingdom.”

Did you read that, but Daniel brimming with the spirit and intelligence so completely outclassed

the others!

God wants to anoint you and have you outclass everyone else. The problem is we want to be average and God wants us to be excellent.

1. Personal relationship with Jesus Christ will cause you to succeed where others fail.

2. To maintain success you must be a person of faith.

3. To have the God kind of success you must be a person a prayer.

4. You must trust God, in those hard places where it seems impossible, there is where God

does his best work

5. So don’t be afraid through open the windows of possibilities Trust God, go to him, seek

Him

And watch God do his best work through prayer and praise. Finally believe God to do more than you have ever believed before and I promise you will never be disappointed.

God bless you!