BLOGABOUTIT.COM August 25, 2011

POWER CORD

NOW TO HIM WHO IS ABLE TO DO EXCEEDINGLY, ABUNDANTLY ABOVE ALL WE MAY ASK OR THINK ACCORDING TO THE POWER THAT WORKS IN US (EPHESIANS 3:20)

GOD HAS NOT GIVEN US A SPIRIT OF FEAR BUT OF POWER, LOVE AND A SOUND MIND (II TIMOTHY 1:7)

Greetings Gang!

Good to be back in the blogosphere!

The Lord God in His infinite wisdom and by a move of His sovereign hand is allowing me to yet again share extremely useful truth with you.  It’s amazing.  I’m learning that when applied correctly, it (His word) really works!  Like using the right power cord. 

Hey you remember His truth from my last blog entitled Fear v. Believing?  Well guess what?  I applied it to my own life and some pretty encouraging things took place as a result.  Some major stuff that was causing me serious mental and physical grief has been uprooted from my life.  Obstacles that I had battled with for anywhere from about a few months to a few years, just gone.  Ain’t it grand?   It will happen for you the same way or better.  Like the scripture referenced above reads:  According to the power that works in us.

How is that possible you ask?  Simple, the power that works in me changed.  I went from praying by faith to praying with faith or power that kept me from being fearful that what I was praying for wouldn’t come to past or that maybe the Lord wouldn’t give it to me in time or maybe He doesn’t want me to have it or ask Him for this type of thing.  It was crazy stuff!  All in my head!

The power that had been working in me was fear.  Well no more.  Once I began to pray without the fear but with the realization that it’s okay to ask Him anything, He loves me no matter what and He hasn’t put any boundaries on what I can believe Him for, I started seeing results.

May I point out that the “anything” referenced encompasses what is according to His will for us (I John 5:14) and this translates into an understanding of His will being of His purpose to bless us through Christ.  Not just willy-nilly to see if He’ll do it.  Ya dig?

I made a conscious decision to “believe only”.   I changed the power cord to my faith from fear to BELIEVE ONLY and wow, have I seen the difference.

These are scary times right now.  I’m not being cliché’ or anything but it's so true.  It’s easy to fall into being afraid.  The media, political leaders, our wallets, bank accounts and investments all invite us to.

But if you can get hold of the truth that the according to the power that works in us is valid and useful as far as your faith walk, you'll see a change in those types of life situations.

I used to think to myself, "What the heck is this power that works in us?"  Why does it have to be something that works in us?  Why can’t He just bless us when we need it?  I mean His word teaches us at Matthew 6:33-34 that He knows we have need of these things.  What I finally realized (and I believe this is coming straight from the Lord) is: 1) We have to have a power working in us before our Lord can intervene; and 2)  It's the Lord who gives it to us (II Timothy 1:7).  So no worries!

In this instance, it is the power of our believing that He will.  We already know the obvious.  That He can.  We just have to believe that He will.  Therein has been our opposition.  It’s from the enemy of course.  He knows the power of our believing God will too.  As I've had the privilege of sharing with you before, an excellent example of the Lord’s willingness is found at Mark 5:36-42 and Luke 8:50-56.

WELL, I HOPE YOU’VE BEEN ENCOURAGED GUYS.

I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU ABOUT WHAT BEAUTIFUL THINGS OUR LORD HAS DONE!

BLOGABOUTIT.COM JULY 21, 2011

FEAR v. BELIEVING

WHAT YOU FEAR WILL COME UPON YOU (JOB 3:25).

In looking at Mark chapter 5 verses 22-42 and Luke chapter 8 verses 41 through 55, we observe Jesus teaching belief over fear and then demonstrating the benefits of it.  Specifically at Mark chapter 5 verse 36 He told a man (who would be considered a church leader by today’s terms) named Jairus to “Be not afraid”.  At Luke chapter 8, verse 50 Jesus’ words are translated as “Fear not” (these are both from the King James Version of the bible).  From both of these scripture sets referenced we acknowledge that apparently, there was some kind of fear that Jesus had perceived was in Jairus.  The way it is presented, it probably would have prevented Jesus from responding to Jairus' request in the affirmative.  Then at again in these same scripture sets we see that He additionally tells him “only believe” and “believe only” respectively.

As Jairus’ fear is dispelled, Jesus goes on to perform the miracle of bringing his dead daughter back to life.

At John chapter 11 starting at about verse 3, Jesus received word that His friend Lazarus was sick.  Jesus at verse 4 and on through to about verse 15 takes time to convey to His disciples that though Lazarus is dead for their belief- sakes, He was glad He wasn’t present there with Lazarus.  Then from within verses 15 through 42, the Master is once again stressing the importance of believing.  Why even at specifically verse 42 He is praying to His God and Father, “And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that You sent me.” (This is the King James Version again).  In laymen’s terms the Master is saying, "Lord, I know you always hear Me  {when I pray} but for the sake of those checking Me out, I’m saying this so they’ll believe it was You Who sent me".

Next at this same Book of John chapter 11 at around verses 47 through 48, the religious leaders at that time, the Pharisees, expressed among themselves their fear of the people believing in Jesus.

Why is it so important for us to “only believe” or “believe only” or for those who oppose Jesus, for us not to believe?  Why is it significant that we just believe and not both believe and fear?  Is it that maybe the combination of both wouldn’t work?  Would it hinder our prayers maybe?   Does our enemy fear our believing because it just might put him to shame and exalt our God’s ability?

Don’t fear.  If you feel it creeping up on you, squash it down.  Let it go.  Pray for it to leave.  And when you pray, pray the scriptures at Mark 5:36 and Luke 8:50 in the Name of Jesus that you will believe only and that fear is uprooted from you, whatever, whoever you fear about.  But believe only, even if you have to tell yourself, I will not fear but I will to believe only.  I CAN’T SAY THIS ENOUGH!  Be the alpha-dog of fearlessness when it comes to believing God.  Allow this to become a lifestyle not an event.  Stay believing only and watch changes begin to take place in life to the good.  DO IT GUYS!  STAY BRAVE in HIS NAME!

BLOGABOUTIT.COM July 16, 2011

Part 4

Welcome!  Good to have you back!

Let’s pick up our story at II Samuel, chapter 11. 

Now we see here that David has problems too.  Don’t get it twisted (as the young folks say).  He was not perfect.  Not by a long shot.  Why he’s committed adultery.  And with a married woman yet!  And even conspired to commit murder, but he was for all intents and purposes, truly a man after God’s own heart.  He was loyal, repentant, sincere and true.  Just what our God is after, family!  Loyalty, repentance, sincerity and true devotion.  King David respected his God’s law and His order.  He worked hard at keeping his word and was worked hard at keeping his integrity (proof of that’s found at II Samuel, chapter 12).

All throughout the book of II Samuel, David is proven to be a good king, a sensitive man and one with a heart that truly cries out for mercy.  He is intimate with God and a fierce defender of His character.  (You’ll notice that I skip a couple of books in between, the 1^st or I and II Kings.  They record the history of the leaders after Kings Saul and David’s times.)

Why even by II Samuel chapter 21 around verses 5 through about the 14^th, he is still honoring King Saul’s legacy.  By the end of King David’s life which is recorded at I Chronicles chapter 29, nary one time did he open his mouth to dishonor the man that in earlier years made his life a living hell.  

Now that takes grace.  The divine ability given to humans by God (smile). 

Well there ya have it, an example of the grace on King David’s life . . . the mad grace on his life.  I’ve been by faith, walking in grace ever since I learned what it was (smile).

It’s been a fun ride gang.  Thanks for stopping by!

For 2 New Testament examples of grace, check out Galatians 1:15-16 and Ephesians 1:7-8.

BLOGABOUTIT.COM July 15, 2011

Part 3

Hi, I’m glad you came back for part 3!

Let’s see now, where were we?  Oh yeah . . .

Well, we are at the end of old King Saul ya’ll.  It’s tragic and sad but it’s true.  At the 31^st chapter and verses 1 through 4 of I Samuel, Saul meets his end by suicide.  Yeah, it’s hard to read.  We’d hoped that somehow, Saul would get the message, repent and let go of causing our King David to live in such abject humiliation.  But nooooo, it’s almost surreal how he kept after him the way he did.  It’s also quit awesome how God continuously showed mercy by giving him several opportunities, to just repent and go home!  I wonder if any of us children of the Lord are in that position right now.  Where we with our knowingly retched, needing to say I’m sorry selves, seem to be getting break after break after break in life but still refuse to repent and change our ways. (I don’t like using the word sorry as it relates to us but I believe it fits to stress the point)

At II Samuel or 2^nd Samuel are chronicles of King David’s exploits as first a leader of Judah and lastly the leader of both Judah and Israel.  (You may notice here, that the order is a bit unique however, this is the Lord’s word and He can put it any in old order He wants.  He created us (Gen. 1:26-28), we did not create Him)

We’re almost at the end . . . log in tomorrow for my last and final blog on this Mad Grace!

BLOGABOUTIT.COM July 13, 2011

Part 2

Hey there!  I’m back with part 2 of Mad Grace!

We move on to chap. 17 of I Samuel, the whole chapter (it’s a fairly long set of passages but it’ll  help you get the picture) wherein we begin to get a sort of bird’s eye view into why grace for King David albeit unwittingly, becomes a weapon of choice.  David has won a major battle, all by his lonesome, for the people of Israel (he was a teenager at the time).  It’s proven to be a stunning victory won purely by faith and a little ingenuity (grace to act on that faith).  Afterwards, he’s anointed king.  By chapter 18, King Saul is a bit perturbed at all the props David’s getting as a result of his building reputation.  We read in my earlier blog that the Lord has expressly anointed David as king, yet and still, Saul, as was his usual manner, is blatantly not abdicating the kingship to him.

I know right?  Weird ain’t it?  I mean just there within the aforementioned set of scripture, we learned that Saul has all but lost the right to lead the nation at the hand of the Almighty God Himself and is still attempting to pull rank.  A-ma-zing!

Anyways moving through the story, David is proving his salt as the rightful leader of Israel, time after time, after time.  Yet over the years, his well-being becomes compromised and ultimately, he is pursued into some hills by whom else but none other than Saul and is forced to live about 3 years of his life as pretty much destitute.  Our boy Saul is definitely on one.

There comes a time when at I Sam. chapter 24, verses 1 through18, David finally has his 1^st chance to take ole King Saul out but doesn’t.  He mentioned his reason for not doing so at verse 10.  At chapter 26 within verses 1 through12 there is yet another example of the grace that is on King David’s life.  Therein is recorded his 2^nd chance to get his adversary but because of his heart being after his God, David tolerates and forgives (there’s that take on grace from my laptop dictionary).

Okay guys, it’s gettin pretty good.  Hope you come back real soon . . . .  Say in another couple a days.

BLOGABOUTIT.COM July 10, 2011


MAD GRACE


Hi, this next blog of mine will be of a story of a small piece of biblical history between 2 kings. I believe I’m being led to share with you, the understanding of the absolute gift, of living your christian life, with an anointing of grace on it. This is a somewhat long lesson but one worth sharing.  It’s gonna be coming to you, in 4 separate parts.


Part 1
Grace by definition according to a man-of-God I deeply admire and respect, is the divine enablement to do, be and have what God has called us to do, be and have.  Websters defines it as unmerited divine assistance given to humans; and the dictionary in my laptop offers the definition as a capacity to tolerate, accommodate, or forgive people, hence, the blog’s title. 

As I said earlier, this is about 2 kings.  King 1 is named Saul.  King 2 is named David.  I have so dubbed them because of their succession to kingship over the nation of Israel.  It appears that King Saul may have ultimately suffered from an overwhelming case of rebellion during his reign.  It’s been from my study of scripture that I learned King David would have to call on some pretty mad grace from God in order to get his job as king done.  The term mad here is a colloquialism from the 90's meaning extreme.

We begin by taking a quick glance into the life of King 1. I or 1^st Samuel chapter 9 through chapter 10, verse 1 illustrate his placement as king over Israel.  

Scriptures that prove the reason for the unstable ways of King Saul are found in 1st Samuel chapter 12, verses 18 through 25 (A dude by the name of Samuel is an Old Testament prophet here and has been given the task of leading the people of Israel as their proverbial man of God).  In this instance, we see him admonishing them.  The passages earlier mentioned contain Samuel’s address at Saul’s coronation.  At 1st Sam. chap. 13, verses 1 through 15, we see not even in position 2 years, Saul is already doing his own thing and has abandoned the Lord’s protocols.  After a series of wanton missteps and mishaps, that clearly establish him as having his heart closed to his God, the Lord takes his kingship away.

Now we fast forward to I Sam. chap. 16 wherein is the precise, explicit direction of God to the man of God, to appoint Israel another king.  King David.  One that according to the Lord at 1st Sam chapter 13, verse 14, is a man after His own heart.

Come back for Part 2 kids.  I’ll be posting it in a few days from now.

blogaboutit.com July 6, 2011


OBEDIENCE

13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him."14 When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, 15 and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called My Son." 16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying: 18 "A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted, Because they are no more." 19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead." 21Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. 23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, "He shall be called a Nazarene." (Matthew 2:13-23)

• We note here at verse 20, the Lord instructed Joseph to take the young Child (Jesus) and His mother to Israel.  Then at verse 22, it is pointed out that Herod’s son had succeeded him to the throne.  
• Why would the Lord instruct a man, to take his family to a place where their son's life would be in danger a 2nd time?  And then instruct by a dream to take Him on to yet another town?  I submit to you that this scripture set is possibly an illustration of the success that follows obedience rather than merely the story of a family meandering through different towns til they landed.  What if Joseph hadn’t taken and obeyed and headed specifically to Israel as he was instructed?  
• Did you notice that it wasn’t until after they arrived at the place the Lord told them to go, were they redirected to the place they were supposed to be?