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What leading Greek scholars say about the NWT: Dr. Bruce M. Metzger, professor of New Testament at Princeton University, calls the NWT "a frightful mistranslation," "Erroneous" and "pernicious" "reprehensible" "If the Jehovah's Witnesses take this translation seriously, they are polytheists." (Professor of New Testament Language and Literature) Dr. William Barclay, a leading Greek scholar, said "it is abundantly clear that a sect which can translate the New Testament like that is intellectually dishonest." British scholar H.H. Rowley stated, "From beginning to end this volume is a shining example of how the Bible should not be translated." "Well, as a backdrop, I was disturbed because they (Watchtower) had misquoted me in support of their translation." (These words were excerpted from the tape, "Martin and Julius Mantey on The New World Translation", Mantey is quoted on pages 1158-1159 of the Kingdom interlinear Translation) Dr. Julius Mantey , author of A Manual Grammar of the Greek New Testament, calls the NWT "a shocking mistranslation." "Obsolete and incorrect." "It is neither scholarly nor reasonable to translate John 1:1 'The Word was a god.'" "I have never read any New Testament so badly translated as The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of The Greek Scriptures.... it is a distortion of the New Testament. The translators used what J.B. Rotherham had translated in 1893, in modern speech, and changed the readings in scores of passages to state what Jehovah's Witnesses believe and teach. That is a distortion not a translation." (Julius Mantey , Depth Exploration in The New Testament (N.Y.: Vantage Pres, 1980), pp.136-137) the translators of the NWT are "diabolical deceivers." (Julius Mantey in discussion with Walter Martin) Dr. William Barclay, a leading Greek scholar, said "it is abundantly clear that a sect which can translate the New Testament like that is intellectually dishonest." Google Bruce Metzer, Marcus Borg, N.T. Wright, Elaine Pagels, Dominic Crossan-they all believe the NWT is a travesty. It is very bad. These people studied Koine Greek and the social/political world for decades.
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Romans 10:9,10 - "Because if you shall confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and shall believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved." When we confess His Lordship, it not only His dominion over us, but "lord" means Leader, "the bread-provider," the caretaker, the protector from all our enemies. You actually become a partaker of the Divine Nature. (2 Peter 1:4). As you become a partaker of His Nature, you become a partaker of His ability: 1. God's ability becomes your ability 2. God's strength becomes your strength 3. Jesus' ministry becomes your ministry. When we acknowledge Him as our Lord, then God becomes automatically our very Father. All the resources of Heaven are at our disposal (Ephesians 1:3) to: 1. Minister others into Christ. 2. Disciple them 3. Equip them to disciple others Affirmations: I HAVE POWER TO LABOR FOR THE SPIRITUAL LIVES OF OTHERS. I MINISTER OTHERS INTO CHRIST, DISCIPLE THEM, AND EQUIP THEM TO DISCIPLE OTHERS. SINCE I AM GOD "INSIDE MINDED" I CONFESS -- GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN ME THAN HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD. Genesis 37:31-32 - "So they took Joseph's tunic, and slaughtered a male goat and dipped the tunic in the blood; and they sent the varicolored tunic and brought it to their father and said, "We found this; please examine it to see whether it is your son's tunic or not." The blood on Joseph's tunic spoke volumes. It was a type and shadow of the Blood of Jesus. Here is a garment that represented Joseph's favor with God and it now had been covered in blood (the blood of a goat which could have been used to symbolize an old testament sacrifice to the Lord). A sacrifice that later is replaced with Jesus who is the last sacrifice. Yet long before then, Joseph's favor was covered in the Blood and by his enemies. Romans 8:28 - "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." How many times do we try to reach through to Him – we pray, we fast, we read His Word, we worship? The enemy tries to block you, but how easy it is to come into His presence when you declare He is Lord; because he must bow down. "For greater is He that is within you, than he that is in the world." Allow Him to come in and take down any wall, any kind of hindrance, whether it be a large wall that you've been hitting your head against for years, or whether it be a teeny, tiny, picket fence – anything that would block His presence, from just devouring you, to where you could be swallowed up in the goodness of God. To where fear could not find a landing place, but faith would be the landing place. Understand, the King of the universe came to serve, to set free, to save and to heal, and to bring the good news that the Kingdom of God is not only around you, but is within you. Let His Kingdom come forth. Let His Spirit lift you up, from glory to glory – then you can look down and come to understand who you were called to be. For He is looking for a hungry people, a trustworthy people, overseers in His Kingdom, overseers in His vineyard – whether they have pain or whether they have strength; whether they have fame, or whether they be hidden; it makes no difference. He looks at the hearts of His own. "That He would grant you grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man....that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God." - Ephesians 3:16,19 ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com
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2 Peter 1:1,3,4,8 - "To them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ: According as His divine power he has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that has called us to glory and virtue: whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. The more you go on in this way, the more you will grow strong spiritually, and become fruitful and useful to our Lord Jesus Christ." This "Like Precious Faith" is the gift that God is willing to impart to all of us. He wants us to have this faith in order that we may: 1. Subdue kingdoms 2. Receive His promises 3. Work Righteousness (Hebrews 11:33) We are to be able in all circumstances to triumph. If our help is only in God then we are always strong and never weak. Those who are full of faith: 1. Have a "good report". 2. Never murmur, 3. Are in the place of victory. 4. Not in the place of human order. 5. But in the place of divine order. "He that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God overcomes the world!" - (1 John 5:5) But how does he overcome the world? 1. If you believe in Him you are purified as He is pure. 2. You are strengthened because He is strong. 3. You are made whole because He is whole. 4. His fullness will come into you because of the revelation of Himself. 5. His mind will be made clear to you through yielding yourself to be led by the Holy Spirit -- being divinely led into the deep things of God, and the truths and revelations and all His mind. QUESTIONS TO ASK MYSELF: 1. Does my faith make me dare to do anything with and for God? 2. Am I willing to daily invite God in to dwell in Him, walk with Him, talk with Him, and sup with Him? 3. How badly do I want to transform my mind? His supply is a flow that not only never Jesus said: "If anyone thirst let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.' But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified"(John 7:37-39).ceases, but perpetually increases in our lives. That is why He said that out us will flow rivers of living water (John 7:38). Those rivers are a constant and ever-increasing flow of the precious Holy Spirit. The sevenfold flow of the Holy Spirit is found in Isaiah 11:2 and in many other places in the scriptures. The sevenfold expression of the Holy Spirit reveals the deep and mysterious secrets of the kingdom and empowers you to do the extraordinary so that Jesus will receive glory and honor by His great power working in and through you. If the Holy Spirit is the Fullness of God, and God is eternal and ceaseless - then all of the attributes of His Spirit are, too. The Lord wants to release in and through your life these ceaseless rivers of living water so that your life can demonstrate daily the mighty and powerful flow of the Holy Spirit. As you sit quietly in His Presence, let Him fill your heart and mind with thankfulness. This is the most direct way to achieve a thankful stance. If your mind needs a focal point, gaze at His Love poured out for you on the cross. Remember that nothing in heaven or on earth can separate you from that Love. This remembrance builds a foundation of gratitude in you, a foundation that circumstances cannot shake. As you go through this day, look for tiny treasures strategically placed along the way. He lovingly goes before you and plants little pleasures to brighten your day. Look carefully for them, and pluck them one by one. When you reach the end of the day, you will have gathered a lovely bouquet. Offer it up to Him with a grateful heart. Receive His Peace as you lie down to sleep, with thankful thoughts playing a song of worship in your mind. "You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." - Psalm 4:7–8 ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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2 Kings 2:8,9,13,14 - Now Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water; and it was divided this way and that, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground. And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?" Elisha said, "Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me."........He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan. Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, "Where is the Lord God of Elijah?" And when he also had struck the water, it was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over. The word "mantle" means, "That which is thrown on or around--a physical covering." An actual mantle, cloak or robe, is an article of clothing. It is typically large and loose-fitting. This long outer garment was in all probability the mantle worn by Elijah and then Elisha. Today, God wants to "throw" on us, and "throw" around us, a new, more complete spiritual mantle! It is time that we do what Elisha did. It's time to ask and receive our new mantle. Our new mantle is all-inclusive -- it contains everything we need to walk in the full power, gifting and authority of God for our life. Our mantle represents our spiritual DNA -- who we really are and who we are to become. It contains all the spiritual resources necessary for us to walk out the will of God. Our new mantle must be activated -- Elisha immediately used his new mantle to "smote (strike) the waters." QUESTIONS TO ASK MYSELF: 1. Am I ready to step out into a new and more powerful anointing from God than what I am experiencing today? 2. Do I have the courage to ask God for a new mantle (anointing) -- believing that I have received it and am ready to act on it immediately? PRAYER: Thank you God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for giving me a new spiritual mantle (anointing) complete with all the power, gifting, and authority available to me to advance your kingdom. In Jesus name, Amen Affirmations: I RECEIVE MY NEW SPIRITUAL MANTLE THROUGH FAITH THAT GOD HAS GIVEN IT TO ME. I LOOK FOR NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO USE THE POWER OF GOD IN MY LIFE. "Lift up your heads, O gates, And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in! Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle." - (Psalms 24:9-10) There is an anointing, a victory, a strength, and a might that has been prophetically orchestrated for you. Your "point of access" is your faith that "lifts up the gate".heavenly The Hebrew word for "lift up" is "nasa"! Lifting up your gates to access the glory and the anointing pertains to releasing those things that hinder and bind you to the limitations of your natural world. Let go of the habits, the hindrances and the hurts that are paralyzing you and keeping you bound to a life of the ordinary. Let go of your natural abilities and discover the glory, the strength of the Lord, and the might of the Lord! ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Luke 10:38-42 - "As Jesus and his disciples went on their way, he came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed Him in her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat down at the feet of the Lord and listened to His teaching. Martha was upset over all the work she had to do; so she came and said, 'Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to come and help me!' The Lord answered her, 'Martha, Martha! You are worried and troubled over so many things, but just one is needed, Mary has chosen the better part, and it will not be taken away from her." Mary chose to sit at Jesus's feet while Martha chose to work in the kitchen. Mary sought to please Him by being with Him while Martha tried to please Him through service. When Martha became jealous, she asked Jesus to tell Mary to Help her in the kitchen. Most servants want to degrade the role of the "friend" to feel justified in their works-oriented approach to God. Jesus's response is important to remember: "Mary has chosen the better part." Martha was making a meal that Jesus never ordered. Doing more for God is the method servants use to get God's attention that they might increase in favor. A friend has a different focus entirely: they enjoy the favor they have and use it to spend time with their master. To say we need both Marys and Marthas is to miss the point entirely. And it simply isn't true. It has been said that nothing would ever get done if we didn't have any Marthas. That too is a lie. That teaching comes mostly from Marthas who are intimidated by the lifestyle of Marys. Mary wasn't a nonworker. Rather she was beginning to be like her Master, who only did what He saw the Father do (John 5:19). Jesus was talking, so Mary set aside other distractions and sat down to listen. She didn't get caught up in making the food that Jesus didn't order. She was learning that working FROM His presence is much more effective than working FOR His presence. AFFIRMATIONS: AS I SIT AT THE FEET OF JESUS I LABOR FOR THE MEAT THAT HE GIVES ME WHICH ENDURES UNTO EVERLASTING LIFE. I AM BECOMING A PASSENGER IN THE VEHICLE OF HIS WILL, A VEHICLE IN WHICH HE HIMSELF IS BOTH CAPTAIN AND NAVIGATOR. "They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land. - Jeremiah 17:6 No one wants to make another trip through the wilderness. This is not a time to walk in circles. We are to walk with a true goal, aim, and purpose, making the most of each occasion, because we know the time is short (see Ephesians 5:14-17). Paul, the apostle, instructs us to walk purposefully toward one true goal -- God's PURPOSE for our life (see Philippians 3:12-16). There is a rest of faith -- there is a faith that rests in confidence on God. God's promises never fail -- "Faith cometh by hearing and hearing, by the word of God." (Romans 10:17).The Word of God can create a resistless faith (through continually speaking it and meditation) -- a faith that is never daunted, a faith that never gives up, and never fails. May God help us today to get our eyes God has a plan of healing -- it is on the line of perfect confidence in Him. You can never pray "the prayer of faith" if you look at the person who is needing it; there is only one place to look and that is to Jesus.off the conditions and symptoms, no matter how bad they may be, and get them fastened upon Him, and then we shall be able to pray the prayer of faith. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Maybe you feel like your dreams have died, your hopes have died, and your prospects have died. We live in a dramatic world where you may face great hindrances with excessive drama -- God has drama for you -- divine drama. God has a perfect track record, and His resume for doing special things during dark seasons is flawless. God created us to move through spiritual seasons. And some of those seasons are spent in a wilderness. THE CALL OF GOD "O my God, I cry in the daytime, but you answer not; and by night I am not silent or find no rest." - Psalm 22:2 Listening to God must become a habit. We must learn to be less analytical and live with more attentiveness to the Holy Spirit. Our minds are so busy racing, analyzing, worrying, doubting, and spinning, that we don't hear when He knocks? The Father is calling to the fallen. Come out of your comfort zone! Come and release what God intended for you from the foundation of the earth! If restoration is truly from God, then the failures of the past are swept beneath the Blood of Jesus too, and if we are walking beneath that Blood, we too, must function as Our Father--and forgive and move on. Restoration only occurs when we forgive and move on. In the land of NEW BEGINNINGS, we remove the masks and veils that have formed in the past season so we can now form our “true” identity for the future. There is a new identity and authority for us in the invisible world. This will allow us to display the wisdom of God to the powers and principalities that have blocked us in past seasons. TURN HIS PROMISES INTO ACTION Paul, the apostle, instructed us to walk purposefully toward one true goal (theDESTINY He has put in our spirit) (Philippians 3:12-16). This is not a time to wander around the mountain of defeat and unbelief; we are to lay hold of the promises of God, take Him at His word, and stand firm in faith. Rather than just being content to sit and hear, we become activators of the Word. God has destined us to walk in victory, not defeat. We are victors, not victims. We never forget that God has promised that no weapon formed against us can prosper(Isaiah 54:17). No matter how confused and confounded we have been in the past, this is the day we can find the exit sign and end the wilderness wanderings. We begin to walk in our PURPOSE -- seeking first the Kingdom of God. We make it our aim to please Him (2 Corinthians 5:9). ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Hebrews 11:1 - "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." It is a mistake to think that only certain people with unique gifts can hear and see God. If I think that it's only for others, then I will disqualify myself because I know I'm nothing special. In doing so I remove myself from ACTIVE FAITH. John 10:27 - "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." One of the essential gestures of faith is to live with the expectation that the God who said that His sheep hear His voice and who gave His life to relationship with each of us would like to communicate with us. This FAITH leads us to lean into His voice -- to learn as the prophet Samuel did:restore 1 Samuel 3:9 - "Speak Lord; for your servant is listening." Significantly, is was as soon as he learned to take this posture that he gained access to the greater revelation that God had been inviting him into. AFFIRMATIONS: The Word says I can hear God's Voice and I believe it I do hear the voice of God! "'Rise, take up your bed and walk.' And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked..." (John 5:8-9). Are you feeling paralyzed by life today, or perhaps blind or lame – physically, mentally, emotionally, or even spiritually? Do you feel like you've been lying by the pool for years, waiting for help, waiting for an angel of God to stir up miraculous healing powers? Well, isn't it fascinating that after waiting for 38 years the man who was healed never did get in the pool? Jesus just showed up on the scene, singled him out, and made him whole. "And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, he heareth us: and if we know that he hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him." -- 1 John 5:14,15 You cannot ask with confidence until there is a perfect union between you and God, as there was always perfect union between God and Jesus. The moment you pray you find that the heavens are opened -- having a fidelity and confidence to believe that He will not fail, and cannot fail. We shall never get anywhere if we depend upon our feelings. There is something a thousand beter than feelings, and it is the naked Word of God. You must beyeilded to the Word of God. The Word will work out love in our hearts, and when practical love is in our hearts there is no room to vaunt ourselves. We see ourselves as nothing when we get lost in this divine love.times The confidence comes from our fellowship with Him. There is a wonderful fellowship with Jesus. The chief thing is to be sure that we take time for communion with Him. There is a communion with Jesus that is life and that is better than preaching. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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God has a life for you that has been birthed right out of the atmosphere of Heaven. It holds your identity and PURPOSE and is the key to walking in the same measure that Jesus walked in. It's not about being special or called out more than anyone else. It's a matter of how you utilize your identity and the power of the Gospel. Do we know who we are? Proverbs says, "As a man thinks, so he is." WHO DO YOU SAY THAT YOU ARE? The truth is that our perspective either limits or magnifies potential, expectation, and confidence. There is no opting out...we live out of the revelation of our identity. It is vital that as a child of God we understand exactly what Jesus did for us. He did more Do we see ourselves from a limited, worldly perspective or are we firmly rooted in the awareness of what Heaven says about us? give us a ticket for the glory train to eternity. He birthed something so magnificent that it is His solution to carrying out the expansion of His Kingdom in the earth.than CREATED IN AND FOR GLORY We have been created to carry the glory of God. Hebrews 2 says that through Christ's suffering He brought many sons to glory. We are the house of God, and He wants to dwell in His house. It was always God's intention to dwell with mankind. "Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!" - Corinthians 5:17 The person we were before receiving Christ has been taken away and put to death on His Cross. We have received a brand new life, identity, and PURPOSE. "It is written, the first man Adam became a living being (an individual personality); the last Adam (Christ) became a life-giving Spirit (restoring the dead to life)" - 1Corinthians 15:45. "Just as we have been borne the image (of the man) of dust, so shall we and so let us also bear the image (of the Man) of Heaven" - 1Corinthians 15:49. HUNGER IS THE ANSWER It's time we get hungry for a revelation of His glory in our lives. For too long we have disqualified the legitimacy of SEEKING the experiential with God for fear of being flaky. We are created in and for the realm of Shekinah glory. When we enter into this posture through Christ..."...the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:16-18). The same mission to carry out the will of the Father was handed to the disciples. As we walk out from the throne room of God, the place of intimacy and glory, we carry resurrection power, giving life to all that we touch, and we carry the judgments of God to tear down the strongholds John 20:21 - "Then Jesus said to them again, 'Peace to you! [Just] as the Father has sent Me forth, so I am sending you.'" 1 John 3:8b - "The reason the Son of God was made manifest (visible) was to undo (destroy, loosen, and dissolve) the works the devil [has done]." We are a new creation, birthed out of the Blood Covenant of Christ. Not only have we been given access to God Almighty, but we have been called to continue the advancement of Christ's victory in the world. If we want to live in the experiential knowledge of the power of God, we have to posture ourselves in intimacy. There is no shortcut. Christ is the source. Just as in Genesis, where the mist watered the whole earth, so too He desires to continually water our life in His glory, nourishing our entire being, so that when we step into the world, they see His fiery glory on us. ). The more we dwell in His glory, the greater the revelation of His nature in our lives. It's through restored intimacy that we discover our truest nature in Him.Colossians 1:15We are postured to behold the glory of God, the image of the invisible God (see satan in the earth. This is more than metaphorical speak. There is real fruit to be had. Just as Jesus demonstrated and promised, you will see all His works and greater (see John 14:12).of CARRIERS OF GLORY INHERIT THE LAND FOR CHRIST This is who we were created to be. The Shekinah glory that we have access to through the Blood Covenant of Jesus empowers us to live the life of an overcomer, walking in the abiding presence of Holy Spirit with the endorsement of Heaven following, to establish the rule and reign of Christ in the earth. When we dwell in His glory, He begins to dwell in us. Zechariah 2:5 "For I," says the Lord, "will be to her a wall of fire round about, and I will be the glory in the midst of her." The intimacy of the glory cloud appears as fire to those around! We have been in an extensive time of preparation. There has been a generation that swallowed the death pill of religion -- form without power. Consumed by the cares of the world and hindered through lack of knowledge of what is available, they are unaware that they were created for the regular, experiential encounter of the glory of God. God has been calling forth the dry bones (Ezekiel 37:9-14) to reform. He has been realigning hearts, hopes and hunger, getting them ready for an encounter with Him that will catapult them into the experience of their new creation in identity and power. There is a call from the deep of God in this hour to step into the secret place, and it is there that we will receive the fresh breath of God. It starts with the secret place encounter with the Shekinah glory cloud of God. Here we receive the breath of God and walk out in all-consuming, resurrection power. We can do it because He has said we can! Habakkuk 2:14 - "But [the time is coming when] the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea." ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Mark 14:3,4 - "Jesus was in the house of Simon the leper, in Bethany; while He was eating, a woman came in with an alabaster jar full of a very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on Jesus' head. Some of the people there became angry, and said to each other, 'What was the use of wasting the perfume? It could have been sold for more than three hundred dollars, and the money given to the poor!' And they criticized her harshly. But Jesus said, "Leave her alone!" Everyone but Jesus thought it to be excessive and extreme. The only true worship is extreme worship, and only extreme worship brings extreme results -- TRANSFORMATION. Exodus 8:25 - "Go sacrifice to your God in the land." The devil doesn't mind our worshiping God if it doesn't require change. Pharaoh responded to Moses' request to let the Israelites go worship by giving him permission but only if they stayed and worshiped in Egypt. True worship, and the freedom it brings, requires the dedication of our entire lives to God. An offer that tries to convince us otherwise is a false one. If we try to keep worship "in the land" (in other words with requirements and stipulations) of the devil's domain, we give him legal access to influence and spoil our efforts. Affirmations: I REALIZE THAT BROKENESS HELPS ME DIE TO MYSELF AND MY INHIBITIONS. I ALLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT TO BREAK MY HEART, HIS WAY, SO I CAN RELEASE TRUE FRAGRANT WORSHIP TO GOD. EXTRAVAGANT WORSHIP IS MY LIFESTYLE. "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse." (Romans 12:14) Learn the art of blessing, for in blessing a thing or a person, that thing or person must bless you. When you bless, blessings will be drawn to you, or as Deuteronomy 28:2 says, "blessings shall come upon you and overtake you. " Conversely, in cursing a thing or a person, you draw curses upon yourself. "The Spirt of the Lord is upon me, because He hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised." - Luke 4:18 God is bringing us to a place where we know the Spirit of the Lord is upon us. If we have not got to that place, God wants to bring us to the fact of what Jesus said "...I will John 14, pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever." Because the Spirit of the Lord came upon Him who is our head, we must see to it that we receive the sameanointing, and that the same Spirit is upon us.in There is no limit as to what we may become if we dwell and live in the Spirit. In the Spirit prayer we are taken from earth right away into heaven.of There is a place where the Holy Ghost can put us where we cannot be anywhere else but in the Spirit. But if we breathe His thoughts into our thoughts, and live in the unction of the Holy Spirit as He lived, then there will evidences that we are in Him; and His works we will do.be "To know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God." -- Ephesians 3:19 ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." - Ephesians 2:10 We were created to serve God. We were placed on this planet for a special assignment. The enemy's strategy tempts us to wear our own identities in a lesser role than what God desires for us (our DESTINY). God has put something inside of us and He wants it to flow out. The more it flows out, the more life it's going to bring. If there's only a trickle at first, He wants it to become a mighty river. It affects lives. Our best days are yet to come! God sent us to do a job and we're going to reap because He is the one who sent us to do it! When we launch out at His Word, we're going to catch what we need to catch, even in some instances where we've not labored. (John 4:38) "As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." - John 20:21 ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Joshua 1:8 - "This 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." One of the definitions of the Hebrew word "meditate" is "to mutter." Meditating involves repeating the words God has said out loud. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees in Mark 7:13, for "making the Word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down...." In other words, the Pharisees insisted on defining themselves and their world according to human interpretation and practice rather than the Word of God. The words "of no effect" mean to render powerless, giving the picture of pulling the plug on the most powerful thing in the universe--the Word of God. We can shut off our access to that power by choosing to define our lives outside of what God has said. Affirmations: I DEFINE MYSELF BY THE WORD OF GOD. I CONSTANTLY TRAIN MY MIND TO THINK IN AGREEMENT WITH GOD'S WORD. I TREASURE THE PROMISES UP IN MY HEART AND PONDER THEM. AS I SPEAK THE WORD OVER MY OWN LIFE AND PROPHESY MY OWN DESTINY IN AGREEMENT WITH HIM, I RELEASE THE HOLY SPIRIT IN GREATER MEASURE TO BRING THE WORD TO PASS. 2 Corinthians 5:7, "For we walk by faith, not by sight." Hebrews 11:1 gives the definition of faith, "Now faith brings our hopes into reality and becomes the foundation needed to acquire the things we long for. It is all the evidence required to prove what is still unseen" (The Passion Translation). If we look at Abraham as an example, walking by faith requires you to go to a place you do not know, one that God will reveal as you walk in obedience (Genesis 12:1). On the leading of the Holy Spirit, we are to step out in obedience and use the keys and pieces we have been given, knowing that others will arrive at the time we need them. "Lift up your heads, O gates, And be lifted up, O everlasting doors that the King of Glory may come in! who is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, The Lord mighty in battle." - Psalm 24:7,8 If you are willing He takes you to a place to reposition you – to open your mind and open your eyes and open your ears and open your understanding; to take you out of the land of snares, and traps. He fills the graves of broken dreams, broken promises, broken relationships -- those who have been violated in their mind, their bodies and their spirit; to where they have felt shame, humiliation; to where they have had the pain of others for their grave clothes. He does not want His own wrapped in death. For He wants His own to become a people fully alive and equipped. For He wants His people to be strong in body, mind, will and determination. But first, you must turn around and turn back with choices. You must turn around with your eyes and say, 'I cannot look there.' You must turn around and plug your ears and say, 'I will not be a part of that, for it will grieve the Spirit of God in me. But declare -- "I will become a planting of life with the very mouth that I will use to worship." He wants to lie upon you His robes of righteousness -- His vision for your life, His relationship. He is pulling you out of places that would cause death. And He is pulling you inside of Himself where you will live and move and have your being. As you learn this, you will come to know you are His beloved – created and dwelling in the hand of a mighty God. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Colossians 3:3 - "For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." When Christ died, we died. When Christ rose, we rose with Him. Christ is now seated at the right hand of God and us with Him in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6). All the work is finished. When we hideaway with God we become absorbed into His very life. With our hearts yielded to the Holy Spirit, we become conduits of His presence into the earth. God will use us in power because we are simply vessels. It is Christ in us, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). Just as Paul said in Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me," his life was absorbed into Christ. We move from the position of visibility into a position of being hidden with Christ in God. TRUE FAITH WILL NOT BE DISCOURAGED Have you been impoverishing the ministry of Jesus so that He cannot do anything? "How can you give me "living water?" - John 4:11 True faith walks and believes in what Jesus has already accomplished and will not be discouraged by the appearances of the temporary realm. It is very possible that your first message from Jesus will not be words but an urgency you feel. You are starting to care about something beyond your own life. You are being influenced by the yearnings of God. He is depositing in you His grief and His love so you can respond to a specific need. PRAYER: Flow out of me, Oh, well, with living water from the river of God. AMEN ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for Matthew 13:44 - over joyit he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field." The bottom line is that we give all of ourselves to obtain all of Him. When we go through with the exchange, we find that what used to matter doesn't anymore. Not only does everything in our lives that It is not possible to encounter One so overwhelming and maintain the status quo.is inconsistent with the kingdom of Godstart to die the moment we encounter Him, but the superior, supernatural reality of His kingdom starts to come alive in us. Affirmations: I WILL NOT BE SATISFIED WITH ONLY A PARTIAL TRANSFORMATION. I ALLOW HIM TO KILL EVERYTHING IN ME THAT WOULD INHIBIT ME FROM BECOMING A MATURE MANIFESTATION OF CHRIST. THE QUEST FOR HIS FACE IS MY ULTIMATE QUEST. Prayer: GOD, I WANT MORE OF YOU AT ANY COST! I WILL PAY ANY PRICE! "...I live by the FAITH OF the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me." (Galatians 2:20) KJV By Hisfaith we fully experience oneness with Jesus and the explosive power of his resurrection working in us. We will be one with Him in His sufferings and we will be one with Him in His death (our death to self). Only then will we be able to experience complete oneness with Him in His resurrection so that we may reach the DESTINY which Jesus has called us to fulfill! (seePhilippians 3:10-12) "I am sure that God who began the good work within you will keep right on helping you grow in His grace until His task within you is finally finished on that day when Jesus Christ returns." -- Philippians 1:6 Living Bible He is asking you to lay down all of the hindrances – all that you have been holding on to, and all that man would try to wrap you in; for He is a collector of grave clothes. They are leftovers and He wants to take them off of you. He will take off all reproach, so that you will only experience approaching His Throne of Grace, in full assurance. He has not come to condemn, but He has come with a drawing heart – a heart to draw you deeper, and deeper and deeper into the things of His Spirit. For as Jonah was swallowed up in the big fish, for disobedience, so He desires to swallow you up in pure obedience; and to hide you inside Himself for protection; to have you hidden from the storm. So you will ride through the storm -- for know that He is the God of provision. He is near you. If only you could see in the spirit, you would never, ever, have fear – fear of man or fear of any circumstance. For you would understand, there is nothing to fear. And as you grow in your own understanding, the knowledge of the goodness of God toward you and for you, you will learn to recognize what is of Him, of His Spirit, and what the demonic would send against you. He is bringing all that you are, into the fullness of what you were CALLED TO BE, for He is the God of completion. Has He not said, 'I am the beginning and the end'? He presents to you; gifts of Himself, gifts of His Spirit, gifts from His Word, gifts of answered prayers, gifts of His anointing to break off yokes, and to draw you closer into His anointing. For truly you have been labeled, and marked; marked by His love, marked by His compassion, set aside, consecrated, made holy as Sons and Daughters of the Most High God. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Isaiah 60:1,2 - "Arise, shine; for your light has come, And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness will cover the earth And deep darkness the peoples; But the Lord will rise upon you And His glory will appear upon you.....Then you will see and be radiant, And your heart will thrill and rejoice." Our shining attracts His glory! And it's His glory released in and through us that brings about the greatest transformation in the lives we touch. The breakthrough provided in these promises are connected to one thing -- the manifest presence of God upon us. It's the manifestation of His glory. The command to arise and shine is the process through which we are able to step into the reality of who God says we already are (our inheritance in Christ). The wonderful part of shining for God is that He backs it up. He literally shines through us when our glory is used for His. Affirmations: THE GLORY OF THE LORD HAS RISEN UPON ME. I EXPRESS RADIANCE AS MY HEART THRILLS AND REJOICES. PEOPLE ARE ATTRACTED TO MY LIGHT. "Let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." - James 1:6-8 Boldness is a missing ingredient in many lives. Many believers struggle with such unworthiness and low self-worth that they cannot imagine God saying anything to them. But the good news of the Gospel is that as believers, we are worthy and righteous -- we just did not have anything to do with it! If we do not understand that we are coming to Him based on His righteousness, we will pray unconvinced, as DOUBLE-MINDED people. Religious teaching combined with the devils strategy, has convinced may Christians that they are unworthy and undeserving, so God would never speak to them. Yet we are worthy for one reason -- that He has forgiven our sins and called us into relationship with Him. "For the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, 'Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.'" - Ephesians 5:14 Awake and arise, for you have slumbered long enough on the bed of disappointment, rejection, pain, and abandonment. He will cause you to want to live, to declare the glory of the Lord your God in the land of this living. Cast aside everything that holds you back, whether it is a broken dream, a broken vision, a broken promise. He has seen the tears, the pain, and the confusion, but He promises you in His Word that He makes a way where there seems to be no way. Watch Him part the sea in front of you. Be alert to see Him when He comes and parts the sea, for He has a particular place for you to cross over. It will be a place of safety, a place of position, a place of authority. It will be known as 'A Blessed Path of the Highway of Holiness.' Come out of the world. Come in to His Spirit. He longs to talk to you, Spirit to spirit, heart to heart, so you will learn to rise up to high mountains, to the new vision, to the new pathway, to the new purposes, blessings, and provisions. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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No one wants to make another trip through the wilderness. This is not a time to walk in circles. We are to walk with a true goal, aim, and purpose, making the most of each occasion, because we know the time is short (see Ephesians 5:14-17). Paul, the apostle, instructs us to walk purposefully toward one true goal -- God's PURPOSE for our life (see Philippians 3:12-16). Unless we enter into our eternal identities (our DESTINY), we will not become instruments for noble purposes. We will not be useful to God. "We are workers together with God." - 2 Corinthians 6:1 THE VOICE OF GOD The Holy Spirit is opening the ears of believers to hear more clearly the Voice of God. All who are seeking to hear will hear the Lord's voice clearly. "Be still and know that He is God" (see Psalm 46:10-11). Behold the Heavens--they will clearly speak the Lord's message. The release of revelation will increase, therefore, we ask for our spiritual ears and eyes to be opened (see Ephesians 1:17-18). WE ARE IN CHRIST God does not see us in ourselves - He sees us in Christ. He does not see us, He sees Christ in us. If we really believed that, we would be delivered from ourselves and would indeed be triumphant Christians. All life is growth. This is especially true of the spiritual life. It continually grows. To stand still, to look back is death. Can you feel the depth of God’s heart calling to you in this season? Can you feel the depth of your spirit desiring Him more than your next breath? Launch out, and launch into Him. It is in this place that your wilderness becomes a fruitful field. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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1 Corinthians 2:10 - "Yet to us God has unveiled and revealed them by and through His Spirit, for the Holy Spirit searches diligently, exploring and examining everything, even sounding the profound and bottomless things of God." In Him our eyes can think - they see with discernment and understanding. The mind of Christ fuses with our vision, revealing what was impossible to be seen by the narrowness of our perception; we see "In front and behind." Our vision also comes from "The center of the Throne". Not only do we see distant spiritual realities but we are close enough to penetrate and search the depths of God himself. Ephesians 2:6 - "And He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together in the heavenly sphere in Christ Jesus". Yet, at the same time being near to God also gives us "eyes within" - eyes which monitor the motives that guide self; inner eyes which stand guard against sin. The more our vision opens up, the greater we see God and His Holiness. The slightest sin in our lives becomes significant; we are compelled to live pure before Him. Affirmations: I AM LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT AS OPPOSED TO MY INTELLECT TO BRING FORTH THE PROMISE OF GOD WITHIN ME (MY DESTINY). I AM IN LABOR, INCREASING IN WISDOM, AS JESUS WAS IN HIS TIME OF PREPARATION. Luke 2:52 - "And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and years, and in favor with God and man." Romans 14:17 - "For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit." The Kingdom is contained by the presence of the Spirit of God. Releasing the treasure that you carry is the big challenge for the Christian life. We have been called from eternity towards time. What faith means is that we live FROM HEAVEN TOWARDS EARTH. Christianity in its present state is that we live from earth towards heaven. Our focus is to call out to God to fix a problem. Yet He has equipped and assigned us to function in His authority to deal with the problem. Learn to linger with Him. Let Him embrace your tears. Let Him embrace your temple. Let Him become known to you as the 'Embraceable Savior.' He is going to brace you, and brace you, and brace you up. And He is going to erase the fingerprints of man. For man has been sent in for destruction, after destruction. It has not been His hand of destruction. Let Him captivate your mind, your heart, your body, and your soul, until you are so devoured in the knowledge of the goodness and the love of God. He would baptize you today, fresh, and strong, in the fire of the warmth of His love. He would take hearts that have grown cold from pain and rejection, and say, 'Beat again unto life.' Pick up the rhythm of His Spirit. Cast down death, and pain, and begin to jump. Begin to clap. Begin to set your spirit free, to press through, so He can press out of you, and bring forth the report of the Lord. Know that many things will be changed, for He is FOR you, not against you. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls, For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." - Matthew 11:28-30 ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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It is love that causes us to rise up from spiritual sleep and open ourselves to God. Love is the call, and love is the transforming power. Oh! That we would see Jesus at work in and through us in the days to come. The power of love made manifest in the healing of hearts and diseases. The resonance of love in and through us that results in demons recognizing the authority of the sound of love in our voice, causing them to flee. Could it be that they will know we are Christians by our love? OUR FOOD IS TO DO HIS WILL FOR OUR LIFE The heart of abiding faith "leans into God," anticipating His voice, looking for His next move. Like Jesus, we are to be able to say, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent me." (John 4:34) If we are to experience God's presence, we must engage in more definite and persevering prayer. Silence those negative voices. Forget the cutting remarks of relatives. Dismiss the crippling theories of misguided counselors. Rebuke your self-doubt and turn off the broken record of your past failures. Let God redefine you. He alone decides your true potential. Therefore if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. - 2 Corinthians 5:17 ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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John 6:5,7,8,9 - Jesus looked up then, and seeing that a vast multitude was coming toward Him, He said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread, so that all these people may eat?"Philip, answered Him, Two hundred pennies worth of bread is not enough that everyone may receive even a little. Another of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him, "There is a little boy here, who has with him five barley loaves, and two small fish; but what are they among so many people?" Andrew like Philip got caught up in thinking about the problem instead of keeping his attention focused on Jesus. Jesus didn't even reply to Philip and Andrew. They hadn't really listened to His question or grasped what He had been saying. So He didn't have anything to say to them. OBSERVATION: The next time God doesn't seem to be answering my questions or addressing my concerns, maybe it's because I haven't been paying attention to His Word. Maybe it's because I have been so busy thinking about and reacting to my problems that I've failed to listen to and act on what He has already said to me. If that is the case, He doesn't have any grounds on which to communicate with me. Affirmations: LIKE PHILIP I HAVE TO STOP SITTING AROUND THINKING ABOUT MY OWN PUNY ABILITY AND WHAT I CAN OR CANNOT DO. I OPEN MY MOUTH AND CONFIRM THE PROMISE OF MY INHERITANCE IN CHRIST. I LOOK TO THE UNLIMITED RESOURCES OF HEAVEN. I THINK OUTSIDE MYSELF AND INSIDE THE WORD -- AND LET JESUS BLESS THE WORLD THROUGH ME. "Jesus said to Nathanael, 'You will see greater things than these...I say to you, you will see the heavens opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.'"- John 1: 50,51. Most Christians see the heavens closed. Few see with open vision either into the heavenly realms or into their own hearts. The Kingdom is invisible and we have to learn to see differently. That's why Paul said, "What you see is temporal, what you cannot see is eternal." The Lord is trying to engage us -- He is trying to get us to reach into the invisible. "Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature." --Romans 13:14 When You said, “Seek My face,” My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.” -- Psalm 27:8 Seek His Face at the beginning of your day. This practice enables you to “put Him on” and “wear Him” throughout the day. Most people put on clothes soon after arising from bed. Similarly, the sooner you “put Him on” by communing with Him, the better prepared you are for whatever comes your way. To “wear Him” is essentially to have His mind: to think His thoughts. Ask the Holy Spirit to control your thinking; be transformed by this renewal within you. Thus you are well equipped to face whatever people and situations He brings your way. Clothing your mind in Him is your best preparation for each day. This discipline brings Joy and Peace to you and those around you. "Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience." - Colossians 3:12 ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Revelation 4:6 - "And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal." The source of God's Peace is God Himself. The glass sea is a symbol: there are no ripples, no waves, no anxieties troubling God. The Lord is never worried never in a hurry nor without an answer. The sea around Him is perfectly still and totally calm. All our victories flow out from being seated here with Him. John 3:3 - Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth: no one can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born again." We must know by revelation that we are not struggling to get up into heaven; rather that we were born there in spiritual rebirth. Psalm 110:1,2 - The Lord (God) says to my Lord (the Messiah), "Sit at My right hand, until I make Your adversaries Your footstool. The Lord will send forth from Zion the scepter of Your strength; rule, then, in the midst of Your foes." Ephesians 2:6 - "and raised us up with Him, and made us sit with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus" We have been raised up and seated with Christ in heavenly places. This is why the Holy Spirit continues to speak to us that the worship of God is our first response in battle. Affirmations: I POSITION MYSELF IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD AND SIT AT REST IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT CHRIST HAS ALREADY MADE MY ENEMIES THE FOOTSTOOL FOR MY FEET. AS I REST IN HIS VICTORY I RULE IN THE MIDST OF MY ENEMIES. Focus, (Romans 10:17 - "Faith comes from hearing and hearing, by the word of Christ."), and intensity are steps we take to move truth from our heads to our hearts. The command to look intently (see James 1:25) and to meditate continuously (see Philippians 4:8) would be examples of using focus and repetition. Repeating healing prayers pours divine light continually into our beings, until we are entirely sanctified -- spirit, soul, and body (see 1 Thessalonians 5:23). We become the radiance of His glory because we have bathed ourselves in His glory continuously. Darkness, sickness, and demons have now fled because of the light of His glory. "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him: they eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His CALLING........" - Ephesians 1:17,18 Today is the day that he pours fresh oil into your understanding. He does not want you left to your own understanding. He wants His understanding to bring you under Him, to stand up in Him. So that no matter what happens – on your left, on your right, below or above – you are standing under Him. He devours all that devour you, and He comes against all that comes against you. For He has not left you to stand alone. Detach from your understanding. Learn to soar high in His understanding. Let His understanding bring you into a higher way of thinking, into a higher way of living, on the highway of holiness, for He causes you to walk in peace, and in power, and in a sound mind. Lift your hands, even though they may be weary, lift them. Let His Spirit come, and let Him lift your hands high into Spirit, so that He can cause you to soar above circumstances, through the midst of circumstances – untouched by fire, but coming forth in a sound mind.the ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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We must be a burning and shining people who know where we are headed, fixing our eyes on our destiny, if we are going to awaken broken and disillusioned hearts! Jesus is not looking at our intentions, wishes, or knowledge of what is right. He is looking at our works! Are we allowing the grace of God to produce holy living and ministering to others in our lives, or have we received the grace of God in vain? "I know your works......" - Revelation 3:15 CONTROLLING OUR PASSION AND INTENSITY Philippians 3:14 - "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." It is high time to humble ourselves and press into God. Today is indeed the moment, hour, and day of Salvation! Christ in us is indeed the hope of God's glory. Now is our transformation time to transition into God's plan (our DESTINY) for Kingdom multiplication on earth. We can control the PASSION and INTENSITY with which we live our lives. To get the fruitful life that God has purposed for us, we must go out on a limb away from the ordinary and complacent. NOT SETTLING FOR LESS Behold, it's time to stop hiding behind walls of fear (What if such and such happens?); it's time to stop hiding behind walls of doubt (It'll never happen); it's time to stop hiding behind walls of disappointment (It didn't happen). Winter has passed. Rise up and come away! "For behold, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone. The flowers have already appeared in the land...." - Song of Solomon 2:11,12 ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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"It is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." Philippians 2:13 God does not see us in ourselves - He sees us in Christ. He does not see us, He sees Christ in us. If we really believed that, we would be delivered from ourselves and would indeed be triumphant Christians. WE ARE NOT DEFINED BY OUR PAST We must develop the mind-set that -- we are not defined by our past, what people think of us, or our circumstances - but only by who we are in Christ. We step into our future (God's CALLING on our lives) with great boldness and confidence knowing certain that Christ has paid the price for complete freedom. "To whom God would make known what is the riches of glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." - Colossians 1:27 UNDERSTANDING OUR INHERITANCE IN CHRIST IS VITAL We know who we are in Christ without doubt or fear. We are sons and daughters of God by His marvelous grace. We have the Blood of Jesus flowing through us. By His blood we overcome the darkness of this world. We are all anointed for the DISCIPLESHIP of new believers as we follow the Spirit's leading. Too many in the Church have limited themselves and limited God by not understanding their inheritance in Christ and their right standing with God. By praying the scriptures in the epistles of Paul that pertain to our inheritance in Christ we come to know who we are in Christ; the power that is flowing through us and our authority over sickness, distractions, or other issues of life. Our body is the temple of God and we have the right to take authority over every area of it – spirit, soul, and body. HIS POWER IS PERFECTED IN WEAKNESS Christ in us is our hope of glory. When we are weak, He is strong. As 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 says: "And He has said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.' Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong." ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Worship is the spiritual equivalent of the power of magnification. When you begin to worship, you ascend to join the Object of your adoration. If you are soaking in His presence, then you are looking down on your problems. "Oh, magnify the Lord with me." - Psalm 34:3 Times of difficulty give us an opportunity we don't have otherwise, and that is the opportunity to demonstrate sacrificial love to Him by ministering to him instead of attending to our pressing needs. This is what makes strengthening ourselves in the Lord completely opposed to self-sufficiency. "Strengthen me according to thy word...I have chosen the way of faithfulness." - Psalm 119:28,30 When you minister to the Lord He will give you such peace and contentment that you will not wonder or guess—you will know what to do and see God's PURPOSEfor your life. (John 8:29). When God reveals your CALLING to you, He also supplies you with grace and a sense of personal conviction that is needed to carry it (our cross). The yoke is easy, joyful and light when He puts it on us. CREATED IN AND FOR GLORY WE have been created to carry the glory of God. Hebrews 2 says that through Christ's suffering He brought many sons to glory. We are the house of God, and He wants to dwell in His house. It was always God's intention to dwell with mankind. "Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!" - Corinthians 5:17 ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Hi, everyone and Happy Friday! ? I am looking for some good YouTube videos of sermons by preachers who don't yell. I already know about Joel Osteen, Joseph Prince and Joyce Meyer...and now I'm looking for more. Any suggestions on soothing, calming preachers who simply preach with passion and God's grace without feeling like they must yell in order to be heard would be greatly appreciated. Thank you and I wish you all a blessed day/night?
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What? Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God, and that you are not your own? You were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which "are God's." - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ENTERING HIS PRESENCE THROUGH HONORING OUR BODIES The physical body can be a make or break when it comes to our tuning with the Lord. If there is sickness, physical difficulty or bodily weakness, it makes it that much more difficult to experience the reality of God's presence. God's plan for us is to be filled with His light and that His fire would burn in our hearts continually. GET YOUR SPIRITUAL ENGINE RUNNING God wants us ignited with the fire of prayer where it is burning day and night, night and day. A non-stop bonfire of glory and "A fire shall be kept burning upon the altar continually; it shall not go out." - Leviticus 6:13 being released through His people to impact all that surrounds us. The picture is bright burning lamps that are ignited throughout all the earth pushing backdarkness. That is the crux of prayer and its purpose. When the light shines, the darkness cannot stay.power IN YOUR MINDS EYE: See the earth from God's view. See the globe covered in darkness, then see the multiplied individual lights of His people spread throughout the earth, repelling the darkness as the world is then filled with the light of Jesus. Let that fire burn, let the Holy Spirit in and be that light of God in the earth shining with the glory of His Presence. Mark 11:22,23 - "And Jesus answering saith unto them, 'Have faith in God. For verily I SAY unto you, That whosoever shall SAY unto this mountain, be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall BELIEVE that those things which he SAITH shall come to pass: he shall have whatsoever he SAITH.'" Faith operates by believing and saying...and saying.....and saying. Affirmation: IT IS MY CONFESSION, OR WORDS OF FAITH, THAT BRINGS POSSESSION. Matthew 13;37 - "For by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." Isaiah 6:3 - "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory." Get ready to see more miraculous things and to receive assignments that will bring you face to face with people who will go on to influence many for God's Kingdom because of their encounter with you! Have you ever had a prayer burden for a specific person that you may not know personally? Agree with Heaven's assignment for their life. Remember Isaiah 46:10 - "Declaring the end from the beginning ...My purpose will be established." Don't be afraid to believe God to influence circumstances in your life. All things are possible! His glory fills the earth, but when you agree with Heaven, the knowledge of His glory begins to manifest in lives that you did not even know you could touch. Today is the Day of Salvation! All Things are Possible! ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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The 7 books support Roman Catholicism. The remaining 66 contradict Roman Catholicism. They are not, and have never been, in the Jewish canon. Josephus explicitly excluded them from his list. Philo (20 B.C.-50 A.D.) neither mentions or quotes them. Jewish scholars meeting at the Council of Jabneh did not recognize them. Most Church Fathers in fact rejected them. The sermons in the Book of Acts, which outline Jewish history, do not included apocryphal events. None of the Apocrypha claim inspiration or divine authority. Many of the Apocryphal books contain historical, geographical, and chronological errors. Many of the Apocryphal books teach heresy, contrary to the Word of God. Their literary style is legendary and fantasy. Some stories are grotesque and demonic. They lack the power and distinctive elements of the Word of God.ons in the Book of Acts, which outline Jewish history, do not included - Judith falsely states that Nebuchadnezzar reigns over the Assyrians,whereas he ruled Babylon instead.Torbit could not have witnessed the division of Israel into the northern and southern kingdoms in 931BC(Tor1:4),and have been deported 200 years later in 734BC(Tor1:10).Tobit 4:11 and Tobit 12:9 state that giving money forgives sins. This contradicts Christs' work on the cross. Jesus and the apostles quote 260 times from the 35 out of 39 OT books, yet they NEVER quoted the apocrypha. - Wisdom 8:19,20 is another contradiction between the apocrypha and Scripture. “For I was a witty child, and had a good spirit. Yea rather, being good, I came into a body undefiled.” However, the Bible teaches that all are born with original sin. "Through one man’s offense judgment came to all men... by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners" (Romans 5:18, 19). “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10). The author of Wisdom believes he was an exception. Neither their authors nor the circumstances of their writings are known.The Jews nor the early Christians accepted them as inspired scripture.The books themselves dont claim inspiration.There's no"Thus saith the Lord"'s .Although the N.T has 263 direct quotes from and 370 allusions to the O.T,there's not a single reference to the books of the apocrypha.It was at Trent,Ap.8th1546,that the pope declared tradition+the apocrypha to be canonical and authoritative. God did not give councils the authority to select His sacred books, nor does He expect men to receive His sacred books only because of councils or on the basis of councils. It takes no vote or sanction of a council to make the books of the Bible authoritative. Men were able to rightly discern which books were inspired before the existence of ecclesiastical councils and men can do so today. A council of men in 390 with no divine authority whatever, supposedly took upon itself the right to state which books were inspired, and Catholics argue, "We can accept the Bible only on the authority of the Catholic Church." Can we follow such reasoning? It cannot be proven that the Catholic Church is solely responsible for the gathering and selection of the New Testament books. In fact, it can be shown that the New Testament books were gathered into one volume and were in circulation long before the Catholic Church claims to have taken its action in 390 at the council of Hippo. Catholics mearly defined what THEY would use as Scripture, NOT what Scripture WAS.
