Spirit and Life

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. (John 6:63)

It often astounds me how dense I am – how slow I am to recognize the hand of God and to believe what He says. Perhaps, I am not simple enough, and I complicate things more than I should. Sometimes the promises in the Word of God seem too good to be true, especially in the light of my difficult circumstances. Yet the Lord holds me accountable to what He says to me. When He speaks, His words are spirit and life — and like a child learns to heed his parents, I must learn to believe God and expect everything He says to manifest in its time!

 

Thus, the successful Christian life boils down to this one thing. “Do I hear what God is saying, and do I believe what I hear?” The Holy Spirit gives life to those who hear and believe. 

 

"Lord, help me hear, believe, and obey Your every word!"

 

Let's Pray - Dear King, I set my heart to believe everything You say to me. I will follow Your instruction implicitly, and I will walk by faith as the sign that Your Word is everything to me. In Jesus' sweet name. Amen!

Health and Well-being

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed . . ." (Luke 4:18)

 

Our healing is rooted in the Lord’s love, compassion, and deep concern for us. It is His will, His good pleasure, and it is well within His power to heal us from every malady. Jesus delivers health, life, and liberty to all who receive Him, and He alone has the authority to evict the evil spirits and bring comfort to the human soul.

 

Our Lord not only heals, but He sets up a culture of well-being in and around those who will receive His touch. Our obedience and our faith in Him provide a path for health, restoration, and abundance. That is what the Bible teaches.

 

Some ask, "If Jesus still heals people, why don't we see miraculous healing as in Bible days?" Yet, I believe the prayers of the faithful still unlock the doors of heaven and move the hand of God. If we believe, God will move on our behalf, answer our prayers, work wonders, heal the sick, feed the poor, and save the lost, just like He promised.

 

Health and well-being are ours in Christ if we believe and pray. The question is not, “Does God still work miracles and heal?” The question is, “Do you still pray? Do you still believe?”

 

Let's Pray - Dear Father, I want to live a clean and healthy life, and I know that life comes only from You. Lead me in the way of truth, and my testimony of your goodness will be loud and clear. Amen.

No Other Doctrine

As I urged you when I went into Macedonia—remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith. (1 Timothy 1:3-4)

There is no shortage of theories, philosophies, ideas, and alternatives to a simple, living faith in Jesus Christ — and there is no shortage of people who push them. It sad to see so many falling for the tricks of Satan, who would rather have us believe anything but the truth in Christ, and Christ alone. The devil loves to appeal to our intellect, our sense of self-importance, and the desire we all possess to believe what seems right to us, instead of accepting the simple and unadorned truth of the Gospel and Person of Jesus Christ.

 

Be sure to place your all on Jesus. He is the Word of God, and the only thing God is saying to us. He is the only way, the only truth, and the only life. There is no other issue or person that matters to the Father but the Son, and every good thing we could desire is in Christ. Let that be your comfort today.

 

Let's Pray - Father, may I take the more earnest heed to the things You are speaking to me in the Scriptures. May I look for and accept the truth as it is in Christ Jesus, and in Him alone. In His name I pray, Amen. 

Be Found Faithful

Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. (1 Corinthians 4:2)

While the Lord never instructs us to trust in men, He does expect His children to be trustworthy – and He has every right to expect such, because He has given us His Holy Spirit. Are you being trustworthy and faithful in God’s mind? It is a matter of immense importance, so you need to be sure.

 

"Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8)

 

Some think that Jesus is looking for great works, prosperity, successful ministries and ministers, revival, wealthy and victorious saints, and the like. Yet, Jesus is coming back for a church without spot or wrinkle, set apart to Himself, not one entangled in the web of worldly concerns and enterprise.

We are called to be faithful — that is, faithful to Him and Him alone. That is an entirely different message than what is so often preached today.

 

May Jesus find us obedient and faithful to Him when He returns. That alone is what He is looking for.

 

Let's Pray - Father God, thank You for Your Spirit who makes me faithful in all things. I will walk in a way that honors You, and I will give You glory in everything I do. In Jesus name, Amen. 

Pray Without Ceasing

Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart . . . (Luke 18:1)

Pray without ceasing. (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

Prayer is the ultimate expression of faith in a God we cannot see or touch, yet we believe He can see and touch us! Prayer stills our hands and moves the hand of God; it drops us to our knees and lifts the burdens of life. Therefore, let us resolve to pray more fervently as the Day approaches, for God hears and answers prayer.

 

Prayer is the sure sign that we have ceased striving and began trusting. Prayer is the first choice of the mature believer, and it is the “Thank You” uttered even before the answer is received.

 

Prayer is the recognizes that the Spirit is at work, and it is the assurance that He will complete the work. Prayer opens and closes doors. It prevails over calamity and prevents catastrophes. Prayer calms our storms and clears our sky, so the Son of God might shine through and bring light to our dark and difficult world.

 

Therefore, we must never stop praying, because God never stops hearing and answering us when we pray.

 

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, I set myself to pray more and more as the days go by. I believe You will hear me, see me, and free me if I pray. Thank You for inclining Your ear to my mouth! Amen.

According to Custom

Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days. (Daniel 6:10-11)

The children of God are known by their fierce dedication to His house, His Word, and prayer; so, Daniel set his face toward Jerusalem three times a day to worship and pray. It did not matter what was going on around him, because he had made up his mind as a young man that it was more important to be right with God than to be accepted by men.

 

Daniel meant no disrespect toward earthly authority; thus, he served the kings of Babylon and the Medes and Persians honorably for more than 70 years. Yet, Daniel’s custom of seeking the Lord’s face was one that he was not willing to forsake in the moment of testing.

 

He knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days. 

 

What is the evidence that you are fully a fully committed son or daughter of the King? Are you committed to God’s house, His Word, and prayer? What are your customs?

 

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, please help me to walk in the disciplines of faith daily, regardless of circumstance or temptations. Thank You for the consistency and faithfulness that is mine in the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Forgiven People Forgive

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”(Matthew 6:14-15)

Jesus quickly forgave when people offended Him, and He found no need to be right or defend Himself. He reconciled all things good in the light of His Father’s sovereign will. Therefore, He encourages us to do the same – forgive, forget, move forward, and press into the Father’s will.

 

If I do not forgive, I keep those who sinned against me in a prison of my resentment; and someone must guard that prison — me. I will be chained to bitterness and misery unless I do as Jesus commands and forgive.

 

There is no time for fretting over offenses, slights, and hurts from days gone by, when the Lord offers us freedom through forgiveness.

 

We must never forget the price Jesus paid for our forgiveness. Let us be sure to forgive others quickly and completely, just as He does for us.

 

Forgiven people forgive.

 

Let's Pray - Father, may I quickly and completely forgive others their trespasses, just as You have forgiven mine. Amen.