Believe & Thank God For The Answer Before You Get It!

Thanking God is very important. Thanking Him when we ask for something in prayer is also very important. Many times we think that we should give thanks after we receive the answer to our petition. However, God says we should thank Him for the answer before we get it. Why is this important? Because it has to do with faith.

Philippians 4: 6-7 says: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." These verses illustrate that we are to ask in faith, not fear, and thank God for the answer of the prayer, as if we have already received our answer, at the time we present the prayer and petition before Him.

We are to walk in faith and confidence that God will answer our prayers. 1 John 5:14-15 says: "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us. And if we know that He hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him." According to  verse 15, we have the answer to our prayers when we ask, not after we ask. The answer to our prayers may be made manifest immediately or in due season; however, the prayer made in faith is answered. Our role is to continue to exercise our faith and not grow weary waiting for the answer to be manifested - "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9).

While James 1:5 concerns asking God for wisdom, yet the same principle of faith applies when petitioning God with our prayers in verses 6-7: "But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind, that man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does." Here again, we are to believe first, ask and then we receive the answer. At all times we are to remain in faith.

Finally, Mark 11:24 says: "Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." Notice that the emphasis in this verse is that you believe that you have already received whatever you ask for in prayer before you actually get it.

As we have seen from the scriptures above, we are to both thank (Philippians 4:6) and believe (Mark 11:24) God for the results/answers to our prayers when we ask, not when we receive what we asked for. As believers we are called to stand in faith knowing that God will answer our prayers and move on our behalf when we ask Him to do so. This confidence is ours when we stand on the Word of God, proclaim it, and pray it for our lives and the lives of others.

Thanking and believing God for the answers to our prayers before we receive those answers is a powerful thing to do. Our faith literally calls to God, recalls His promises, and unleashes the God of heaven to transform our lives here on earth. As we know, God created the world by His Word in Genesis chapter 1. When God created the world, He spoke His Word to create each new day. In Gen 1:3 - "And God said, 'Let there be light..." Gen 1:6 - "And God said, 'Let there be an expanse between the waters". Gen 1:9 - "And God said, 'Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place". This continues in Gen 1:11, 14, 20, 24, 26. God's pattern of creation, back at the beginning of the world, as well as for today, is that He first speaks His Word and then the fulfillment of that Word follow.

As we believe God's Word, proclaim it in our lives, thanking Him that His Word will come to pass, we will see the same creative abilites that God used in Genesis chapter one take place in our lives and situations. Jesus said: "If you remain (abide) in me and my words remain (abide) in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given you" (John 15:7). Jesus who in the beginning was intimately involved in the work of creating the world is still involved in creating in our lives, His church and the world today.

We can participate in God's divine nature (2 Peter 1:3) by believing God and thanking Him for answered prayer when we pray. This is an exercise of our faith that gives Him glory and allows Him to move in our lives to accomplish His purposes, expand His kingdom and bless us - His children. God designed it so that faith and giving thanks ushers in answered prayer and blessings from His throne.

Overcoming the Spirit of Defeat and Living With The Spirit of Victory

We all remember The Roadrunner. Who hasn't seen it. Every Saturday morning I would be glued to the TV and watch the usual line-up of cartoons and this was one of my very favorites. I don't know how many episodes were ever produced (probably hundreds) but, while the story was always the same, it was also always entertaining: Wiley Coyote relentlessly in pursuit of the ever-elusive Roadrunner. We were always intrigued with Wiley's newest methods and plans to capture Roadrunner. However, no matter how hard he tried, he would go down in the flames of defeat ...only to try again. "A" for effort, "F" for results! Poor Coyote. How he made us sigh and, mostly, smile and laugh.

The Roadrunner makes a great metaphor to speak about some deeper things on a spiritual level. Don't we all know of some people, even Christians who are like Wiley Coyote? Always trying to reach some goal with lots of effort but, in some way and on some level always being defeated. They seem very determined but also bound to fail.

Don't we also know other people who are like the Roadrunner? They go through life and no matter what they face, succeed nevertheless. They have victory. Despite opposition and circumstances, they just seem to triumph and overcoming the obstacles. Sorry to get so serious about something so enjoyable like The Roadrunner; however, it is an interesting study in victory vs. defeat.

Tragically, there are many Christians who, though knowing Christ, seem to live their day-by-day lives in defeat. They are like Wiley Coyote. Always trying, yet never really succeeding. For whatever reason, things just don't seem to work out. As a matter of fact, life itself just doesn't seem to work out. Though knowing Jesus as Lord and Savior, for some reason, there seems to be a disconnect between faith and real life experience. How can this be?

Perhaps you know of someone like this. I know I was like this. Even though a born-again believing Christian, for about the first 25 years of my walk in Christ, I lived with a spirit of defeat - not victory. I knew Jesus as my savior and lord, but honestly, I didn't know His sustaining and empowering victory in my life. I was so use to defeat that I didn't even know I was walking in it, because it was my normal. Like Wiley Coyote, lots of effort, but few victorious results. Life under the dark cloud, living with a spirit of defeat.

However, the good news is that we don't have to be like Wiley Coyote. We can live life like the Roadrunner. We can know victory and overcome defeat. Truly there is a spirit of defeat. It is manifested by a pattern of  continual failure, fear, oppression and it can even "smell" or "feel" like death.

Question: where does it come from? Answer: the enemy...the devil.

Question: How did we get it? Answer: By allowing it to happen, by giving the devil a foothold (Ephesians 4:27), allowing satan and his lies to speak to us and dictate to our lives instead of standing on God's Word.

Question: What do we do about it, how do we overcome it? Answer: First - repent of any sins and unbelief. Next, be renewed in your mind and spirit by God's Word (Romans 12:2)- standing on His promises and, in God's strength, walking in victory (Hebrews 10:36). Second - rebuke the devil (James 4:7). Tear down every thought/imagination/stronghold that does not agree with and conform to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5-6) and is contrary to the promises of God. Break any bondages the enemy may have on your life by claiming/accepting/calling forth the blood of Jesus upon your life (Romans 5:9-11). Third, understand that there is a warfare going on and your life is the battleground (2 Corinthians 10:2-4). Wage this warfare by developing a habit of continual prayer, as well as by standing, confessing, proclaiming God's Word over your life and situations. Put on the armor of God to be strong in the power of His might against the enemy (Ephesians 6:10-18).  Fourth - be accountable to and seek the help of your spiritual oversight. Let your pastor minister to you and pray for you. Be rightly related to your leadership because your pastor is your shepherd and cares for you (Hebrews 13:7, 17; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13).

This is how you get the victory! It is God's will for your life and your right, as a child of God, to have it and walk in it. Because of Jesus, we are more than conquerors in Him (Romans 8:37). We have all the victory in Christ, He is our victory (2 Corinthians 2:14). He has set us free from sin and death (John 8:36, Romans 6:22, 8:2) to love, obey, serve and walk victorious in Him.

As you do these things and persist until you gain the victory, you will overcome the spirit of defeat. This is how to say goodbye to being like Wiley Coyote and become an overcomer like the Roadrunner.

Beep..beep!

Quotes by Smith Wigglesworth About the Word of God and Faith

“I can’t understand God by feelings. I can’t understand the Lord Jesus Christ by feelings. I can only understand God the Father and Jesus Christ by what the Word says about them. God is everything the Word says He is. We need to get acquainted with Him through the Word.”

“It is a blessed thing to learn that God’s word can never fail. Never harken to human plans. God can work mightily when you persist in believing Him in spite of discouragements from the human standpoint…I am not moved by what I see. I am moved only by what I believe. No man considers how he feels if he believes. The man who believes God has it."

Faith in Action is Faith That Overcomes!

"When you praise God is the midst of adverse circumstances – that is faith in action."

Hebrews 11:1 - Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Psalm 33:1 - Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him.

Psalm 9:1 - I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders.

Psalm 34:1 - I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Geri McGhee

Abiding Life Ministries

Lindale, TX

www.abidinglifeministries.org

God is Faithful to Perform His Word

God is faithful. You can count on Him. Just as He sends the rain and it blesses the vegetation of the earth, so He sends forth His Word to water our lives to bless us and give increase for His glory. His Word is true. He never fails...and He will never fail you.

^{Isaiah 55:10-11}

¹⁰ As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,

¹¹ so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Jeremiah 1:12

The LORD said to me, "You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled."

The Lord Sends Forth a Torrent of Blessings From His Throne Like Niagara Falls!

Yesterday I posted an article titled "How Faithful Is God?" in which I stated that God is opening up the gates to revive and renew, to transform the dryness of our lives, etc. Later in the morning I went to church and God gave me a vision along with a word. The vision was of Niagara Falls and the accompanying word was that His blessings, love, grace and mercies flow from His throne as a mighty torrent like Niagara Falls.

Psalm 42:7 says it best:
Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.

The Lord calls to us from His throne. The depths of His heart reaches out to the depths of our hearts. His presence and blessings roar like a mighty waterfall, even bigger than Niagara Falls, to overtake our lives. All the waves of His grace and love are like mighty torrents/waves and breakers intended to sweep over us.

His waterfalls are unstoppable, unimaginable in force and fury, great and awesomely powerful. They come forth from His throne.Wave after wave of His grace, mercy, love, provision, healing, and every blessing to absolutely soak our lives to the core.

How do we experience God's waves and breakers? By standing in the path of the waterfall that comes forth from God's throne and by posturing ourselves in His presence with humble hearts and simply receiving from Him. (Below is a video of Niagara Falls. Watch it while you meditate upon Psalm 42:7) Enter into His presence with thanksgiving and praise so we see Him open He gates and let the torrents flow. As we meditate upon the truth of Psalm 42:7, we will realize the very depths of the God's heart beckoning to the depths of our hearts, calling us into the path of His waves and breakers. God's grace is there for us to be completely soaked by the His Spirit, washing and renewing, strengthening, imparting grace and everything we need - giving strength and life.

As this happens please share your testimony with me. I want to know how God's waves and breakers are transforming you. Isn't God wonderful and beyond compare?

How Faithful Is God?

Sometimes, in our heart of hearts we question if God is really faithful. We might even think that He is faithful to others but we aren't sure if He is faithful toward us. Sometimes, we question if He really really cares. But, this is what His Word says in Daniel 9:3-4:

"And I (Daniel) set my face to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting and sackcloth and ashes; And I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, Who keeps covenant, mercy, and loving-kindness with those who love Him and keep His commandments."

Yes! He is ALWAYS faithful! He is your covenant keeping God! He is the one true God whose mercy and loving-kindness has sustained you and will continue to strengthen you in the days, months and years ahead. Reach out to Him and let the Holy Spirit wash you with His pure and refreshing Word. The Lord will renew you, He will strengthen you and bless you. Come boldly into His presence praising His Holy name. As you do, He will open the gates and transform the dryness of your life into a well-watered and fertile plain. He will revive, strengthen you. Your life will be like a meadow after a fresh soaking Summer rain.

Isaiah 58:11 says:

"The LORD will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail."

Rejoice and be glad!

The Lord Watches Over Us

God is faithful to watch over us. He is faithful to perform His Word in our lives. When we need help, He is always there because He loves and cares for us. We can have peace and rest knowing that He is always faithful...

Psalm 121

¹ I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?
² My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
³ He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
⁴ indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
⁵ The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
⁶ the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
⁷ The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
⁸ the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

Don't Give In To Fear!

"Fear is the dark room where negatives are made."

Ken Kemble
Abiding Life Ministries
Lindale, TX

2Timothy 1:7 "For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

Deuteronomy 3:22 "Do not be afraid of them; the Lord your God Himself will fight for you."

Psalms 56:3,4 "When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal men do to me?"

The Testimony of Our Lives -We Need to Always Glorify God

Disabilities don't limit our ability to glorify God for the wonderful gift of life He has given us.

God Will Be With You Always!

This song talks about pain which is universal, as well as personal. However, through the pain there is a God who can be found. He is always there and always cares.

God Is Here

Be encouraged and enter into worship - God is here!

Thanks to Woody & Mae for sharing this. :)

Mature Faith

"Faith as a grain of mustard seed. . ." Matthew 17:20

We have the idea that God rewards us for our faith, it may be so in the initial stages; but we do not earn anything by faith, faith brings us into right relationship with God and gives God His opportunity.

God has frequently to knock the bottom board out of your experience if you are a saint in order to get you into contact with Himself. God wants you to understand that it is a life of faith, not a life of sentimental enjoyment of His blessings. Your earlier life of faith was narrow and intense, settled around a little sun-spot of experience that had as much of sense as of faith in it, full of light and sweetness; then God withdrew His conscious blessings in order to teach you to walk by faith. You are worth far more to Him now than you were in your days of conscious delight and thrilling testimony.

Faith by its very nature must be tried, and the real trial of faith is not that we find it difficult to trust God, but that God's character has to be cleared in our own minds. Faith in its actual working out has to go through spells of unsyllabled isolation. Never confound the trial of faith with the ordinary discipline of life, much that we call the trial of faith is the inevitable result of being alive. Faith in the Bible is faith in God against everything that contradicts Him - I will remain true to God's character whatever He may do. "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him" - this is the most sublime utterance of faith in the whole of the Bible.

-Oswald Chambers

My Utmost for His Highest - October 31st

The Power of The Resurrection

Jesus is resurrection life. In the story of Lazarus, the point to Mary and Martha was not merely to bring them to an understanding of Jesus as savior and Lord. That they had already confessed. But that their experience could believe Him to be the savior for that day, that hour, that moment in order to resurrect their Lazarus. You see they loved their brother Lazarus, but Jesus loved him too.

It is important that although Jesus knew what he had come to do and that the outcome would be to raise the dead, still He wept. Why? The word gives clear indication Jesus understood how it would all turn out. He wept over the condition of men’s souls and their faithlessness; He wept over their hardness to heart to believe; He wept over their grief and sorrow. I believe He wept in response over what the enemy meant for evil. All because Jesus is moved with compassion to care not just for Martha and Mary, but He cares for you.

This familiar story makes a greater point of relevance to your life, that today, Jesus seeks to resurrect your Lazarus, but with power. Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead to bear much fruit as the word says, ‘bringing many souls to Jesus.’ Many more can be brought to the Savior by the power of His resurrection in what you thought was dead, or of what you had stop believing Him to do, touch or redeem.

Do you realize Jesus has wept over your condition? He weeps for what the enemy has done and wants to redeem your dead condition to raise up a powerfully able witness to deliver men from their state of denial and unbelief. He waits for you to believe Him for today, saying to you like Martha, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Do you believe this? I am the power to raise you where I live and move to do the unbelievable’. Jesus commands new life to your current state of condition saying, ‘come forth as my living testimony, I will raise you up to bring many others to Me’. Read John 12:9-11 and see many were brought to Jesus all because He cares to resurrect those He’s wept for. He cares for you and says, ‘Just believe.’

Pastor Kyle Nees
Abiding Life Ministries
Lindale, TX
Pastor Nees' Blog: http://kyleneesgracelife.wordpress.com

Greatness and God in Perspective

"God is not wanting great men, but He is wanting men who will dare to prove the greatness of their God."
-A.B. Simpson

This is my all-time favorite quote!

The Man In The Hole

What Distinguishes Christianity from all other religions is the compassion of God - He came to rescue us because we can't rescue ourselves. Ephesians 2:8 - "For it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God."

Do Your Ears Hear?

"...but sometimes good men fall asleep, and are inattentive to divine things; and this is one way God takes to awaken them, to arouse their attention; he speaks to them out of a whirlwind...which fetches them out of their slumber, and so their ears are opened to hear what He says in it..." - John Gill's Exposition Of The Entire Bible

The Bible speaks much about having an "opened" ear. In spite of the fact that Jesus Himself declared in Matthew 13:16 - "But blessed are your...ears, for they hear" - there are conditions that we face as children of God when our ears can become closed to what He is saying. Is this a time for you, O Saint of God, when you know that God is trying to get your attention, but you simply cannot hear what He is saying? He may have spoken to you a thousand times - as far as what to do or where to go - yet you are not hearing it.

You are crying out to Him for answers. And, unless you are entertaining some form of sin in your life at this time, His ear is "not heavy, that it cannot hear" (Isaiah 59:1). He definitely hears the cries of the righteous, and you happen to be one of them.

So, the problem is not on God's part. It isn't that He cannot or will not hear you. The problem no doubt is with your "ears." Something has come along to close them or to impair your spiritual hearing. In Psalm 40:6, David prophetically spoke of the coming Messiah - Jesus - in saying "...mine ears hast Thou opened..." However, these were not words pertaining to the Messiah alone, but words for David and for every child of God as well.

"...mine ears hast Thou opened..." What exactly does this mean? Why did David say that God "opened" his ears? And, after doing so, what was the result? In this verse, the meaning is that God hollowed out...digged...bored... excavated...and made a passage through his ears - making it possible for David to hear what He was saying. The Lord caused him to hear truth...made him more attentive to receive the truth...opened his ears in order to make him "swift to hear" (James 1:19)...communicated the specific truth to him that He prefers obedience to sacrifice...and provoked an instant obedience in his heart along with a complete and full surrender of his soul to Him.

From this verse, we gather that there are those who have "opened" ears and those who have "closed" ears.Isaiah 48:8 describes a people who were perverse, hardened, and insensible - "Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened..." Notice how the prophet drew this conclusion by referring to the state of their "ears" - their hearing - or should we say the lack of it. These people didn't attend to the predictions, warnings, or promises of God when uttered. They were prone to disregard Him. They didn't listen to anything He had to say. Their "ear was not opened" to it.

So, from this discussion - based on the Word of God - we conclude that having an "opened ear" denotes a prompt and easy attention to what God is saying; while a "closed ear" denotes an unwillingness to listen to what is spoken by Him. But, you may be saying to yourself -"I do have a heart to obey God. I just don't know what it is that I am supposed to do in order to obey."

There is a picture drawn in the Scriptures of Isaac's wells being closed up by the Philistines. Genesis 26:18 explains - "And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them."
Somehow - perhaps while Isaac was preoccupied with mourning over his father's death - the Philistines stopped up all the wells of water which his father Abraham "had digged" and passed on to him. They definitely belonged to Isaac, but the "enemy" by some means got through to them and stopped them up.

Remember - the idea behind "opening mine ears" is the idea of excavating, digging, or hollowing out. In the Scriptures, the "Philistines" have always been a type of the "flesh." We are talking about the "flesh" as in opposition to the ways of the Spirit of God.

Could it be that - just like Isaac - through some type of circumstance (death of a loved one, setback, tragedy, sickness, disappointment, loss, misfortune, etc.), your enemy came along - taking full advantage of you while you were "weak" - and stopped up your "ears" using your "flesh" - thoughts, attitudes, impressions, or dispositions of fear, doubt, unbelief, and confusion? Now you find that you cannot hear what God is saying to you. You have no clue! When you turn to the right or to the left, all you encounter are impossibilities and silence from Heaven.

Is God speaking to you? As long as you are one of His righteous ones, yes, He is! Are you hearing what He is saying at this time? Hardly! Nonetheless, the Scriptures do tell us that the Lord is the One Who "opens the ears" to "hear."

Isaiah 50:4-5 says - "The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: He wakeneth morning by morning, He wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious..." The Lord GOD is well able to make you obediently attentive to His voice...cause you to hear most freely and receive most fully... and know what is being said and comply with it.

Job 33:14-16 says - "For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; Then He openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction." Here we see that God makes use of various ways to make known His mind and will to mankind - through dreams, visions, providence, the conscience, or even chastisements. When one way is without effect, He uses another. However, even after many attempts, the individual may still not perceive or regard it. He may still not discern it as the "voice" of God - being "deaf" to all instruction - not understanding His mind and meaning.

The Good News is that - even after many attempts - God is well able to "open the ears of men, and seal their instruction." He is well able to open the heart which - in turn - opens the ears. He removes that which stops the ears from hearing. He makes the soul to receive a deep and lasting impression of the truth - as wax upon a seal.

Yes, it is God Who "openeth the ears of men" - Who is able to remove any hindrances that the "flesh" may have caused. David said - "...mine ears hast Thou opened..." God - like Isaac - is able to "dig again" - the "wells of hearing" - making a clear passage down into the fountain of your soul.
Job 36:10 says - "He openeth also their ear to discipline..."
Job 36:15 says - "...and openeth their ears in oppression."

God is able to "awaken your ear to hear as the learned" - to prepare you to receive His divine instruction - to "hear" it attentively - to understand and remember it. He is able to "open your ears" to understand the reasons behind your circumstances or to learn the lessons intended. He is also able to cause you to understand His government - the reasons why He is visiting you in this manner or permitting things to come into your life at this time.

If you are not careful, some circumstances can cause you to become drowsy and sleepy - spiritually speaking - causing you to hear by halves or not at all. It is imperative that God allows times of "discipline" or "oppression" to wake you up out of your slumber and cause you to "hear" once again.

Are you at a place in your life where you are having difficulty "hearing" the voice of the Lord, or at least understanding His mind and will on a matter?

Is it possible that - at a time when you were very vulnerable - a "Philistine" - possibly your own "flesh" - stopped up your ears - causing you to now have problems "hearing"? You lack understanding and discernment concerning the will of God for your life. You feel the "discipline" and the "oppression," but cannot discern the lesson or purpose behind it.
David said - "...mine ears hast Thou opened."

The Prophet Isaiah said - "The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious..."
God is able to unstop your "ears." He is able to - "awaken your ears to hear as the learned."
In your moment of desperation, cry out to Him to do this! If you will, we guarantee that you will be able to boldly confess - "...mine ears hast Thou opened..." and "The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious..."Once again, "light" will flood into your soul - driving out all darkness - bringing understanding and discernment - and causing you to "hear" what God is saying to you at this hour.

May God Bless His Word,

Connie Giordano
Abiding Life Ministries
Lindale, TX
www.abidinglifeministries.org

The original title to this article was "Ears That Cannot Hear"

One True God

Just soak in God and give back to Him praise and glory....

Our Best Days Are Ahead of Us!

Just to let you know, I'm on the threshold of turning 50 years old. So, late last week, I got a good laugh when I opened the mail and found an AARP card with my name on it. What's this all about ?? I mean, my birthday hasn't even happened yet - it's 3 months from now. I know what's going to happen from here on out; my mailbox will be filled up, on a weekly basis, with junk mail concerning retirement homes, discounts on denture cream, hearing aid devices, and a real deal on a grave site. Oh my! LOL!!!

Yet, despite all my protesting, I'm actually excited about turning 50. I don't really care (as you can tell) and God has made it known to me that I would have an effective life and ministry the older I get. I can't wait! The same can be true for all of us if we will believe it.

No matter what our ages, God has given us (you and me) this appointed time in history to make a difference for Him, to stand for Him and advance His kingdom. I look forward to heaven, but there's just too much work to be done right here and now. I guess I'm a gray panther for God. I don't care! But, I do care about pleasing and serving my God, through every year and age.

Let's stand together in our lives, families, neighborhoods, jobs, and churches and let the King of Kings reign in our hearts and move in our midst. I so desparately want to see God move and be glorified on this earth and in every tribe and nation. To see the blind (physically and spiritually) receive their sight and the captives to be set free. I'm sure you feel that same way.

Though life is marred by sin and so full of pain, it is so wonderful that Jesus wipes away every tear and makes ALL things new. He's the best, He's God and such a Great King!!!

God is glorified as we serve Him wholeheartedly all of our years, no matter what our ages. So, let's allow God to move in and through us for His glory. That's the meaning of our lives.

Enjoy the video!

Ross

God's Love Leave No Room For Fear

"Taking every care to the Lord and letting it go, is the perfect love that casts out fear. By doing this, you are saying, 'God, I trust you so much with my life that you know who I need, what I need, when I need it, and if I need it, when to give it.'"

1Jn 4:18 "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear has torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love."

Geri McGhee

Abiding Life Ministries

www.abidinglifeministries.org

Irvine, TX

God Is Our Yasha!

The word, Yasha, is a Hebrew verb which, in English, means "to deliver" and "to rescue". It is also the Hebrew word for Savior. Yasha means that God is, by His nature, a rescuer and deliverer. There can be people who rescue and deliver others, but it is not their fundamental nature to do so. However, concerning God, it is definitely His nature. He is also the source of all deliverance and rescue.

In Luke 4:18-19, Jesus says: "...The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." The freedom God provides, as illustrated in this verse, is to those held captive to sin, all mankind, and to release (rescue/deliver) them from the stronghold of the enemy, who is satan. Jesus accomplished this when he died on the cross and was resurrected from the dead. Also, Colossians 1:13-14 says: "For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins".

Once saved, while we are free from the captivity of the enemy, there are times when the devil oppresses us and tries to lead us back into captivity. He comes as a thief and tries steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10a). His goal is to rob us of our faith, kill our joy and to destroy our testimony and relationship with God. But the Bible makes it very clear that greater is he (Jesus) who is in us than He (satan) who is in the world (1John 4:4).

There are also people and situations that oppress us and threaten, at times, to undo us. There are examples of many righteous people in scripture who cried out to God to rescue and deliver them from their enemies. King David was an example of a man who, when in trouble, turned to God and poured out His heart, and cried for help.

Psalm 18 is a wonderful portion of scripture we can hold onto when we are awaiting rescue from God. Read this psalm, meditate on it, and pray it. Watch God, who is Yasha (Savior), yasha (save, deliver, rescue) you. Can you be sure that He will rescue and deliver you? Yes, because it is both His nature and desire to do so! As you are waiting for your deliverance, thank and praise him because help is on the way. Thanksgiving and praise is a powerful and effective tool to usher in God during a dark hour.

Psalm 18 (NIV)
1 I love you, O LORD, my strength.

2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.
He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

3 I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
and I am saved from my enemies.

4 The cords of death entangled me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
5 The cords of the grave coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.

6 In my distress I called to the LORD;
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came before him, into his ears.

7 The earth trembled and quaked,
and the foundations of the mountains shook;
they trembled because he was angry.

8 Smoke rose from his nostrils;
consuming fire came from his mouth,
burning coals blazed out of it.

9 He parted the heavens and came down;
dark clouds were under his feet.

10 He mounted the cherubim and flew;
he soared on the wings of the wind.

11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him—
the dark rain clouds of the sky.

12 Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced,
with hailstones and bolts of lightning.

13 The LORD thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.

14 He shot his arrows and scattered the enemies ,
great bolts of lightning and routed them.

15 The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke, O LORD,
at the blast of breath from your nostrils.

16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.

17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.

18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the LORD was my support.

19 He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.

20 The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.

21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD;
I have not done evil by turning from my God.

22 All his laws are before me;
I have not turned away from his decrees.

23 I have been blameless before him
and have kept myself from sin.

24 The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

25 To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
to the blameless you show yourself blameless,

26 to the pure you show yourself pure,
but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.

27 You save the humble
but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.

28 You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning;
my God turns my darkness into light.

29 With your help I can advance against a troop ;
with my God I can scale a wall.

30 As for God, his way is perfect;
the word of the LORD is flawless.
He is a shield
for all who take refuge in him.

31 For who is God besides the LORD ?
And who is the Rock except our God?

32 It is God who arms me with strength
and makes my way perfect.

33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he enables me to stand on the heights.

34 He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

35 You give me your shield of victory,
and your right hand sustains me;
you stoop down to make me great.

36 You broaden the path beneath me,
so that my ankles do not turn.

37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them;
I did not turn back till they were destroyed.

38 I crushed them so that they could not rise;
they fell beneath my feet.

39 You armed me with strength for battle;
you made my adversaries bow at my feet.

40 You made my enemies turn their backs in flight,
and I destroyed my foes.

41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them—
to the LORD, but he did not answer.

42 I beat them as fine as dust borne on the wind;
I poured them out like mud in the streets.

43 You have delivered me from the attacks of the people;
you have made me the head of nations;
people I did not know are subject to me.

44 As soon as they hear me, they obey me;
foreigners cringe before me.

45 They all lose heart;
they come trembling from their strongholds.

46 The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock!
Exalted be God my Savior!

47 He is the God who avenges me,
who subdues nations under me,

48 who saves me from my enemies.
You exalted me above my foes;
from violent men you rescued me.

49 Therefore I will praise you among the nations, O LORD;
I will sing praises to your name.

50 He gives his king great victories;
he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed,
to David and his descendants forever.

Stepping Out in Faith - Crossing The Big Divides In Life

Taking steps of faith are not comfortable to us because, in our sinful nature, we don't live by faith. Yet, to please God we are required to walk in faith- biblical faith, not human faith. Biblical faith and human faith may sound like they are the same thing, or at least very similar, however, they are not. Human faith is believing with our physical senses, which is very limited in ability. Biblical faith is believing God, based on His Word, with our hearts which empowers us to believe things that are beyond the ability of our sense - even to believing things that, to us, are impossible.

The reason for biblical faith is that it allows us to enter into the spiritual realm and access God. When we repent of our sins and turn to Christ, as both our Lord and Savior, He gives each of us a measure of faith (Romans 12:3).We are called to walk in that faith. Without it we cannot please Him (Hebrews 11:6) and cannot even comprehend His promises or receive His blessings.

Hebrews 11:1 in The Amplified Bible says "that faith is the assurance of things (the confirmation, the title deed) [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]".

So, we can have an assurance, which is a guarantee, of the things that we hope for (based upon the Word of God). Faith is the "proof" of things we don't or can't see (things beyond the ability of our senses) and the conviction or certainty of the fact that this things really exist.

Faith takes hold of the hopes that are in God's reality and brings them into our reality and lives. How do we get this faith? By hearing God's Word (Romans 10:17). When we have faith based on the bible we are to believe before we receive. We can do this because God's Word is totally true and can be totally relied upon - after all, it is God's Word. Therefore, because God says it, we are to believe it - even before we see His promises come to pass in our lives.

It is essential that we live with this type of faith. As a matter of fact, we are to know God's Word and claim His promises until they come to pass in our lives, giving Him thanks and praise in anticipation of the promises being fulfilled. This is true concerning any of our needs - healing (physical, emotional, or spiritual), finances, conquering sinful habits, etc.

Remember Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade? The short video clip below shows a part of that movie where he is attempting to cross a deep chasm to obtain the holy grail and use it to save his father's life. It serves as an interesting illustration about the necessity of exercising faith. Indiana had to believe something was real and that it existed, even though he could not see it. He would never have been able to reach his objective (getting to the other side of the chasm) without first believing in the reality of what was unseen - the bridge. His "faith" was proof that the bridge existed, despite all his senses telling him that it didn't exist. This clip illustrates the nature of faith and, if you will, can even speak to us on a higher level and provide great insight about biblical faith in action.

Bible faith is victorious faith and overcomes all things in Christ. We are victorious and are overcomers when we live and exercise our faith. We also please God and experience His abundant blessings when we do so.

Uh Oh! Be Careful Not To Judge!

"It is a sobering thought to think that you will become like who you judge -- God help us!"

Rom 2:1 "Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things."

Matthew 7:1-2 "Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.


"When we criticize and judge another person, we are not only full of pride, but we are exalting our self over God; who has given us, by His grace, everything good we have and are."

Romans 15:1 "We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves."

1Peter 4:10 "As each of you has received a gift (a particular spiritual talent, a gracious divine endowment), employ it for one another as [befits] good trustees of God's many-sided grace [faithful stewards of the extremely diverse powers and gifts granted to Christians by unmerited favor]."

James 1:5 "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness (aptness to alter), neither shadow of turning."


Geri McGhee
Abiding Life Ministries
http://www.abidinglifeministries.org/
Irvine, TX

Sowing and Reaping - The Plan for Growth and Success!

A few days ago I wrote a short article titled "Biblical Faith and It's Results" on this blog. In that article I discussed and defined biblical faith as both believing and acting on the Word of God. I also discussed the importance of confession, speaking in line with God's Word, and standing on His Word until His promise is fulfilled in our lives. This involves the principle of sowing and reaping.

I wrote and posted an article recently on one of my other blogs (www.christosourhealer.blogspot.com) titled "The Word is the Necessary Seed for Harvest". My purpose here is not to repeat what was written in that article (please read that article to understand more fully the principle of the "seed"), but simply to highlight that God's Word is seed (Luke 8:11). As seed, it contains the "genetic code" for our success concerning both eternal life and living life here on earth more abundantly by being connected with the author and overcomer - God Himself. However, without planting the seed, we will never see a harvest. So, planting it is necessary for it to grow and bear abundant fruit. When we plant the Word of God firmly in our hearts, it must be with full of faith and obedience. In doing so, we will see God grow our faith and bring forth abundant fruit, as well as answered prayer.

We have all seen God answer prayer instantaneously and we have also seen Him answer prayer only after a season - sometimes short and sometimes long. When He answers prayer instantaneously, that can be in the realm of being called a miracle. When an answer is instantaneous, we rejoice and are astounded by God's goodness and faithfulness. Yet, when a prayer isn't answered immediately, we can faint, become weary and even lose our hope, thinking that God has not either heard or answered us. However, this is far from being true!

It is important to point out that there are some prerequisites for answered prayer that I discussed in my other article. These include: walking in obedience to God (John 14:21), praying according to the will of God [the promises in His Word] (Proverbs 4:20-22, 1 John 5:14-15), and cultivating faith in our lives by continually hearing and reading the Word (Romans 10:17).

If we are in the situation where God is not answering our prayers immediately, do not despair - God is at work! A farmer understands that when he plants seed that he must place it in nutrient-rich soil, water it, exposure it to the sun and then wait with patience. The farmer has confidence that the seed is not dormant and is, in fact, busy growing; though he may not see any evidence of growth for a time. It is exactly the same with regard to receiving answers to our prayers. Not every prayer has a manifested answer immediately when we pray. This is also true concerning healing - not every healing is manifested immediately when we pray. But, we can still stand confident that God has answered our prayer, even when we do not see the evidence of it - yet!

God is a God of His Word. He will never go against His Word. He is faithful (1 Corinthians 1:9). Hebrews 11:1 says: "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see". We need to make sure that we stand in faith and being certain, based upon the Word, that God has granted our request. Like the farmer who planted the seed in fertile soil, we too must wait for it to germinate and then after come to a full harvest, all in due season. During this time, like the farmer we must cultivate it. How do we do this? As I mentioned before, we cultivate our faith by trusting God, walking obediently, and building our faith by continually being in His Word.

There is another component to seeing God's promises coming to pass in our lives. It involves thanksgiving, praise and worship. It may seem very counter-intuitive, but we are to thank Him for the answer to our prayers before they are manifested/revealed. You see, by faith we know we have our request even prior to actually receiving it. When we thank, praise and worship we take an active step into the faith realm and create two things. The first thing we create is a heart full of faith and expectation, one that is eager to receive - this is keeping the soil of our hearts cultivated. The second thing we create is opportunity and initiative to enter into God's dimension with humility and gratitude. In doing so, He loves to grant the requests of His children who call upon His name.

During these seasons when we wait for God to answer our prayers, no matter how short or long they are, we are growing abundantly in our faith. While receiving the answer to our specific prayer is important, it is infinitely more important that we are creating a heart and life inclining itself toward God, hungry for and full of love for Him. Such a life is therefore ready to receive every great blessing from Him. This is the fruit of the abundant harvest of our lives.

Be confident and full of faith! Whatever we sow, we shall reap (Galatians 6:7-8). When we sow God's Word into our hearts, as we stand in His Word by faith, we will see His promises fulfilled and our prayers answered!

In the name of Jehovah Jireh (God our Provider),

Ross

New Blogs

I have recently created two new blogs that are designed to help bless you and bring you deeper into your relationship with God and into His Word.

The Victorious Overcomer (http://thevictoriousovercomer.blogspot.com) - A blog devoted to discussing how we serve a Victorious God who causes us to Overcome and live in Victory in Him. Despite our circumstances we can have a wonderful life as we obey and love God. It will also discuss intercessory prayer and spiritual warfare.

Christos Our Healer (http://christosourhealer.blogspot.com) - A blog about the promise of healing we have in Christ (In the Greek it is Christos, meaning Christ-The Anointed). This blog is intended to draw readers to God through His Word and to cultivate faith to be healed by His power and in His name.

The website addresses are given above but each site can also be accessed by link located on the tab to the right under "My Blog List".

Enjoy and Be Blessed!

Ross