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In my case, even though I love the whole Gospel, a passage that left me particularly impressed is this: Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is not from here." What about you? Do you have memory of a passage who left a particularly strong impression on you? -
Matthew 5:3 - "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for their's is the kingdom of heaven." We empty oursouls, and seek to be filled with the attitude of Christ, which is a sure wellspring -- unending, and brimming with life eternal. We count all that the proud flesh desires as worth less than nothing. There is a present urgency and need to present ourselves as being available to become a "place of habitation" for the presence and glory of the Lord, beyond anything that has previously been experienced or seen. According to Paul, God bestows to us strength and power according to the riches of His glory. His glory is abundant, it's bountiful and it's endless. We cannot walk in the fullness of our destiny or calling until we KNOW the strength of God and live daily by the strength of who He is in our inner man (Ephesians 3:16). Philippians 3:8,9 - "I reckon everything as complete loss for the sake of what is so much more valuable, the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have thrown everything away; I consider it all as mere rubbish, so that I might gain Christ and be completely united with Him." Genesis 15:5,6 - "And God brought Abram forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and He said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the Lord; and He counted it to him for righteousness." Observation: I think about and reflect on the word of God -- pondering a particular scripture and mentally applying it to my own circumstances again and again until that scripture permanently marks my consciousness. As God putvision in Abram through His word, He will also bring up into my consciousness His vision for me. AFFIRMATIONS: I see God in a new way as HE comes to lead me forward -- I feel a stirring in my emotions -- God is knocking on my door -- God is calling me to a new place. The Spirit of God is creating a desire for the NEW - I thank the Holy Spirit for helping me to press through into this new place. My provision is waiting at the next level. I refuse to sit any longer in a low place. Mark 16:15 - And He said unto them, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." OBSERVATION: Jesus expects me to invade every sphere where I have influence and to use that influence to share the gospel with the people who live, work and function in those places. I choose this day to invest my time and energy into fulfilling that divine assignment. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRYhttp://afministry.ning.com
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Numbers 13:27,28,33 - "We came unto the land where thou sent us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. Nevertheless, the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great. And there we saw the giants." There is a wonderful grace offered for us to advance in the times of adversity! The invitation is extended to all saints; however, by a lack of commitment, many will disqualify themselves. This is a time to be desperate for the revealed glory of God. One of the marks of these overcomers will be hunger and complete dissatisfaction with business as usual. This holy hunger will drive us to seek the Lord on a much more increased level. Jesus states“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, uprightness, and right standing with God, shall be completely satisfied!" - Matthew 5:6 AMP It’s time to remove all lids of limitations off -- believe God for big things (see Ephesians 3:20-21). The promise is that the whole earth shall be filled with the knowledge of God’s glory (see Numbers 14:21 and Hab. 2:14). The Spirit of God is stirring our soul and awaking our heart to seek deeper depths and higher heights. This is the time for us to go all out for Christ and the Kingdom of God. We don't hold back -- we surrender ourselves completely to the control and guidance of the Holy Spirit. The statement is so true -- deep is calling to deep (see Psalms 42:7). Observation: THE EXODUS FROM THE MIND TO THE HEART DEMANDS THAT WE MUST FACE AND CONQUER THE GIANTS OF SIN, CONDEMNATION, AND IGNORANCE. AS WITH ANY JOURNEY TO A DISTANT LAND, THE PRICE TO ACTUALLY TRAVEL TO THAT COUNTRY, TO TASTE ITS WATER AND BREATHE ITS AIR, FAR EXCEEDS THE PRICE OF MERELY READING OF ITS BEAUTY IN A BOOK. 2 Corinthians 12:12 - "Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds." Affirmations: I CONFESS THAT GOD IS FILLING ME WITH SUPERNATURAL ENDURANCE TO STAY PUT UNTIL I HAVE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE ASSIGNMENT HE ASKED ME TO DO. I DECLARE THAT I AM STRONG; I AM FILLED WITH FORTITUDE; AND I WILL DO PRECISELY WHAT GOD HAS ASKED ME TO DO! Song of Solomon 1:2 - "Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth: for thy love is better than wine." The "kiss" is the union of God's Spirit to our spirit. When a person is first converted, he is united to God but he has not yet come to experience Him deeply. There is a deep and abiding union with Christ that we can come to know. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRYhttp://afministry.ning.com
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Daily Reading 26 If you prefer, you can look up the following verses in your own Bible, of by whatever means and in whatever version you choose. Luke 19:28-48 Genesis 34 Psalm 26 Audio 5:28 Audio 4:18 Audio 1:11 The above addresses are linked to Bible Gateway. That is an easy way to read (or listen to) the Bible verses, and choose your version. Personally, I prefer written, that way I can go at my own pace, on think about it, before moving on. Nothing wrong with doing either or both. The Bible says faith comes by hearing. See the picture below to get an idea of what to expect if you follow the above links. Note: The audio will not play the exact verses, it will play the whole chapters, in which the verses exist. Thank you Lord for making the your word so accessible for us in these times. Amen
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Exodus 3:8 - "And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. " THE JEWS WERE CALLED, NOT JUST TO KNOW ABOUT THE PROMISED LAND BUT TO "DWELL" IN IT AND MAKE IT THEIR HOME. SO ALSO I AM CALLED TO DWELL IN CHRIST, WHERE GOD IN HIS KINGDOM BECOMES MY ABIDING PLACE. 2 Timothy 4:2 - "Preach the Word urgently at all times, whenever you get the chance, in season and out, when it is convenient and when it is not. Correct and rebuke your people when they need it, encourage them to do right, and all the time be feeding them patiently with God's Word." Observation: I CONFESS THAT I AM NOT MOVING FROM THE CALLING FOR WHICH I WAS PREDESTINED. THE DEVIL AND VARIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE TRIED HARD TO MOVE ME, BUT I HAVE MADE UP MY MIND THAT I AM NOT MOVING FROM THE PLACE WHERE JESUS CALLED ME TO GIVE MY HEART! Numbers 23:19 - "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?" 2 Corinthians 10:4 - "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds." The word "stronghold" is a Greek word "ochuroma", which means a "fortress, a castle, or a citadel." Developing a Kingdom mentality requires a paradigm shift in our thinking. As we embrace the Kingdom message, many of us are challenged with RELIGIOUS MINDSETS, OLD BELIEF SYSTEMS, and OLD PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR. Paul addressed these strongholds and also stated that they were to be pulled down. To truly embrace the new will require that we let go of the old. The only way for us to do this is to trust the Lord and attach ourselves securely to Christ's finished work as we continue to touch Him. Affirmations:I NO LONGER RELY ON MY OWN POWER, BECAUSE I AM A NEW CREATURE IN CHRIST AND HIS POWER RESIDES WITHIN ME. AS I APPLY THE BLOOD OF JESUS TO A STRONGHOLD, I AM USING THE WEAPON GOD HAS GIVEN ME TO DESTROY THE POWER OF THE ENEMY. GOD'S ANOINTING ON MY LIFE BREAKS THE YOKE OF WHAT IS HOLDING ME BACK FROM ENTERING INTO ALL THAT HE HAS FOR ME. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRYhttp://afministry.ning.com
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2 Timothy 1:9, "God...who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began." The term "holy calling" could also be interpreted "sacred DESTINY." The Lord considers it a sacred thing for us to enter into the divinely ordained function that He has destined for us. The prophet David once said, "Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me when as yet there was not one of them." The same blood that purchased our salvation also secured a DESTINY for us as individuals. GRACE FOR OUR DESTINY The Bible also emphasizes that grace was set apart for us to accomplish our DESTINY. That grace was designated to us before time began. What an incredible mystery in God! Before the earth was ever fashioned, the Lord saw us as INDIVIDUALS and allotted a portion of His grace for EACH OF US to accomplish our sacred and holy DESTINY. The blood of Jesus not only purchased our souls but also our destiny and holy calling in Him. We have a responsibility and duty to be the agency by which the Lord carries out His blueprint on the earth through the empowering of His Spirit. THE WORD OF GOD BECOMING FLESH AGAIN The end-time generation has an even greater mandate placed upon it. The Bible points out that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses involving those who have gone before us and saw the prophetic destiny of this generation but were unable to live in it (Hebrews 11). It is a great honor that has been placed upon those living today, to be the generation that sees the consummation of God's Heavenly plans. Matthew 13 declares that those living at the end of the age will be the harvest generation and will work cohesively with Heaven's host. The Lord has planted wheat into the field of this world, and He is looking to harvest "sons of the Kingdom." Jesus Himself said: "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the Kingdom....the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels" - Matthew 13:37-39. The "sons of the Kingdom" are merely the word of God becoming flesh once again. John 1 declares that in the beginning was the Word, and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. That same paradigm will be pertinent for the "sons of the Kingdom" present on the earth during the end-of-days confrontation. God's word will be manifested in a body of people who do the works of the Kingdom like He did (John14:12). ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com
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Psalm 139:23,24 - "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way." Observation: THE ENEMIES WHICH DEFEAT ME ARE HIDDEN AND LATENT WITHIN ME. THE HOLY SPIRIT MUST EXPOSE MY FOES BEFORE I CAN CONQUER THEM! AM I TOO PROUD OR TOO INSECURE TO ADMIT I NEED HELP? John 10:10 - "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." The Holy Spirit, the Helper, is ready to give out gifts and is giving out gifts to those who are ASKING, KNOCKING, and SEEKING and BELIEVING that God will do what He says He will do. Divine increase abounds right and left. Curses will be broken and blessings of God will be released. AFFIRMATIONS: I CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST HAS COME THAT I MIGHT HAVE, KEEP, AND CONSTANTLY RETAIN A VITALITY, GUSTO, VIGOR, AND ZEST FOR LIVING THAT SPRINGS UP FROM DEEP DOWN INSIDE ME. IM TAKING MY EYES OFF THE LOW ROAD, AND I'M HEADED FOR THE HIGH ROAD OF BLESSING GOD HAS PLANNED FOR ME! "But You are holy, O You Who dwell in [the holy place where] the praises of Israel [are offered]." - Psalm 22:3 AMP God wants you tuned-in to His frequency, as you allow His bright glory cloud of light to envelop your life. Ask yourself these questions: What is the consistency of your praise to God? How easy is it for you to praise God? Where is your level of praise? Do you have a hard time voicing praise to God? Are you subdued under heaviness? God "inhabits" the praises of His people. If you are not praising and giving thanks to God, then there is no praise to be inhabited. God's presence is true substance and life. Give God some praise to inhabit! Create a steady diet of praise in your life. Our voice, like a sword, is to decree and manifest His Kingdom and will in the earth. Because of this, there is always an attack on your ability to praise, prophesy and release God's presence through your voice. God is wanting to invade theearth through your voice! ALBERT FINCH MINISTRYhttp://afministry.ning.com
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1 Corinthians 2:16 - "For who has known or understood the mind (the counsels and purposes) of the Lord so as to guide and instruct Him and give Him knowledge? But we have the mind of Christ, the Messiah, and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His heart. " If you feel weary and discouraged, in need of wisdom and direction, simply ask for God's grace and guidance. As we seek His PURPOSE FOR OUR LIFE and not just the benefits of "His hand," we will find that the more we know Abba Father, the more His love and compassion will emanate through us. The light and wisdom we seek from above are not to be found in human programs of education and psychology, or even in our common sense and good intentions, but only, exclusively, in the Person of Christ Jesus. "He has been made unto us wisdom." - 1 Corinthians 1:30. Affirmations: GOD WANTS ME TO BE SO IN TUNE WITH HIS SPIRIT THAT I AM ABLE TO FEEL HIS HEART OF COMPASSION TOWARD THOSE AROUND ME WHO ARE HURTING OR AFFLICTED WITH SICKNESS AND PAIN. SINCE HE IS ONE WITH ME, HE CAN REACH OUT THROUGH MY HANDS AND FULFILL HIS PURPOSES IN THE EARTH. 1 Corinthians 3:3 - "You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?" GOD HAS MORE FOR US THAT MERELY BECOMING BETTER PEOPLE; HE WANTS TO FLOOD OUR LIVES WITH THE SAME POWER THAT RAISED CHRIST FROM THE DEAD! GOD DOES NOT MERELY WANT US "NORMAL," HE WANTS US CHRISTLIKE! Romans 5:20 - "But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." Observation:GOD USES DARK MOMENTS AS OPPORTUNITIES TO POUR OUT HIS GRACE AND TO SHOW OTHERS WHO HE IS! I CHOOSE TO PUSH AWAY ALL MY FEARS AND TO BELIEVE THAT GOD IS GOING TO DO SOMETHING MIRACULOUS TO SAVE THE DAY! ALBERT FINCH MINISTRYhttp://afministry.ning.com
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Psalm 104: 1,4,30 - "Bless the Lord, O my soul, O Lord my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honor and majesty. Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire. Thou sendest forth thy Spirit." Prayer: LORD JESUS, YOU ARE THE ONE WHO WALKS SILENTLY IN THE INNERMOST SANCTUARY OF MY SOUL. SO CAREFULLY YOU WEAVE YOURSELF INTO THE FIBERS OF MY BEING. TOUCH ME WITH YOUR CLEANSING, RENEWING FIRE. AFFIRMATIONS: I set myself on God’s altar today to allow myself to be consumed by His fire of purging and His fire of love. I refuse to allow the move of God in me to be miscarried. "You yourselves write a decree concerning the Jews, as you please, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's signet ring; for whatever is written in the king's name and sealed with the king's signet ring no one can revoke." - Esther 8:8 Jesus became a curse for us, so we don't have to live under a curse. He was the master of divine reversal. All He did demonstrated God's power to turn death to life, sickness to health, lackto blessing, etc. We have been given the power to act as intercessors -- those called to get in the way of the enemy's plan. We need to decree our freedom and our blessing and extend that freedom to others by reversing the curses of darkness. We need to write a new decree! The enemy has declared things over our personal lives, over the Church today and over our nations. He is filling the airwaves in the spirit realm and in the natural realm with decrees of fear, death, defeat, destruction, and intimidation. This is an Esther moment! We must make a decree in prayer. Write it down. Let it be your confession. We must decree God's Word in truth knowing the penetrating power of truth can make others free. We must change our language to speak what God is declaring. We must allow our prophetic words to be in our mouths as decrees. Say what God says! Job 22:28 says, "You shall decree a thing and it shall be established for you, so light will shine upon your way."In this time of great darkness in the earth, the people of God need to flood the atmosphere with decrees that bring life and light which will drive out death and darkness. Galatians 5:22,23 - "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." Peace is Spirit power. Your peace, your immovable stand upon the Word of God is a sign that you are positioned correctly in perfect submission to the will of God. The very fact that you are not frightened by your adversary is a sign that you have authority over him. Prayer: LORD, THANK YOU FOR SOWING YOUR SPIRIT AND WORD INTO MY LIFE. THANK YOU FOR THE LIFE OF GOD THAT IS FLOWING UP FROM MY SPIRIT RIGHT NOW, PRODUCING THE LIFE AND THE NATURE OF JESUS CHRIST IN ME! ALBERT FINCH MINISTRYhttp://afministry.ning.com
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Daily Reading 24 If you prefer, you can look up the following verses in your own Bible, of by whatever means and in whatever version you choose. Luke 18:18-43 Genesis 31 Psalm 24 Audio 5:27 Audio 7:47 Audio 1:13 The above addresses are linked to Bible Gateway. That is an easy way to read (or listen to) the Bible verses, and choose your version. Personally, I prefer written, that way I can go at my own pace, on think about it, before moving on. Nothing wrong with doing either or both. The Bible says faith comes by hearing. See the picture below to get an idea of what to expect if you follow the above links. Note: The audio will not play the exact verses, it will play the whole chapters, in which the verses exist. Thank you Lord for making the your word so accessible for us in these times. Amen
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Matthew 3:11 - "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and with fire." OH, HOLY SPIRIT....OH, FIRE! THAT SO INTIMATELY AND TENDERLY PENETRATES THE FIBRE AND CORE OF MY SOUL.....CLEANSE ME, BURN IN ME, WITH YOUR PASSION FOR CHRIST! John 5:44 - "How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another, and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?" We need to decide if we are going to let all of the previous wounds and disappointments determine who we are, or if we are going to be like Christ, using the Cross to determine who we are, seizing the occasion to die to ourselves and rise above this world and live in resurrection power. We cannot be resurrected unless we have first died. Observation: I KNOW I AM RELATING CORRECTLY TO GOD WHEN MY HUNGER FOR HIS GLORY CAUSES ME TO FORSAKE THE PRAISE OF MEN. "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place." - 2 Corinthians 2:14 God lives among the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3). As we praise God we sense His presence and in His presence there is fullness of joy. Praise is a powerful spiritual weapon as it changes the atmosphere around us. In the Scriptures we read how the walls of Jericho came crashing down, giving victory to God's people due to the Israelites releasing shouts of praise(Joshua 6:20). In Acts 16:25-26, we read that the prison doors shook open when Paul and Silas prayed and praised God. Praise lifts our eyes from the battle to the victory, for Christ has already won the victory. We are more thanconquerors in Christ Jesus. It is the will of God for us to rejoice in Him no matter what comes. As we rejoice in God, we release joy to others. Rest in Him and praise Him in the storm. He is the God of the impossible and He is working all things for your good. Join your heart toHis and allow His love to give you strength. "You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever." - Psalm 16:11 "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." - John 16:33 ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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How do you bring God into the little moments of your day? -
Ephesians 3:20 - "To Him who is able to do so much more than we can ever ask for, or even think, by means of the power working in us." Often, when our plans for a promise (given to us in scripture) don't come to pass, we think the promise has failed, too. Not so! We are merely being set up by God to see Him in even greater measure. God tells us to expect Him to move in big ways, but He also reminds us not to expect "how" it will look. We often feel we know how God should do something, or when He should do it. BREAKING OUT OF THE BOX OF OLD THINKING He wants to break us out of the boxes of what we think we know about Him and remind us that He is an awesome and infinitely faceted God. Because deep down, He knows the true cry of our heart is not simply for His promises to come forth, but that we might KNOW Him in an even greater way as promises come forth! He loves to surprise us! He loves to reveal His promises in ways that reveal a greater measure of who He is to us. if we stay in faith, continue in prayer, and praise and honor God, knowing that "His ways are higher than our ways," our DREAMS and DESTINIES will come forth! And they will come forth in ways that will show us new aspects of our incredible God that will have us praising Him and loving Him as never before! OUR TIMING OR GOD'S TIMING In John 11, we hear the story of Lazarus and his resurrection. Lazarus and his sisters Martha and Mary are dear friends of Jesus. God wants us to expect Him to move. He rewards that faith. But often His ways or His timing, at first, don't make sense to our way of thinking! Jesus loved Martha and Mary so much, that He did not respond to their prayer the way they thought He would, nor at the time which made sense to them. Jesus' intention was to bring them into a greater revelation of how and who He was. Martha and Mary knew Jesus was the answer to their problem. They knew He could help. They knew He was the promise. But because He didn't move in the way "they thought" He should and when He should, they were confused and they were hurt. Jesus stands before the tomb, the place of death, knowing that the only thing that has truly passed away is how Martha and Mary used to see Him. The promise wasn't dead. He was excited because He knew that Martha and Mary were about to find out that He was an even bigger, better, and more faithful God than they had ever imagined! Jesus turns to Mary and says, "Did I not say that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?" (John 11:40). Jesus then declares that He knows God always hears our prayers (John 11:41), and then being confident in this, He cries out, "Lazarus, come forth!" (John 11:43). And Lazarus came forth, revealing a greater measure of who Jesus was, and a fuller realization of all things being possible. LOOKING PAST WHAT DIDN'T HAPPEN Don't look back on what DIDN'T happen the way you thought it would. Look toward Jesus and praise Him that His ways are higher than our ways. Pour your heart out to Him. BELIEVE AND HAVE FAITH IN HIS WORD -- that He hears every one of our prayers, and that if we simply stand in that belief, we will see the glory of God. And that just like Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, we will not only see the promise come forth, we will see a greater revelation of Jesus! So we stand in faith, refusing any discouragement. We believe God to show up in surprising ways that reveal more of who He is to us than we have ever known before. We are excited that God is doing it "His perfect way," and that He is doing exceedingly and abundantly beyond all that you could ever ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). May those things that you felt died be resurrected in even bigger and better ways to the glory of God. MAY YOU DECLARE: "Dreams and Destiny come forth!" ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com
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Matthew 7:5 - "You hypocrite! First take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." Observation: Jesus condemned sin. And we condemn sin also, but the sin we must condemn first is the sin of judging others, for it obscures our vision from discerning sin in ourselves. I will never become holy by criticizing others; nor am I brought nearer to God through finding fault. Galatians 5:18-21 - "But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest......which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." Affirmation: I CONFESS THAT IT IS NO LONGER I WHO LIVE, BUT JESUS CHRIST LIVES IN ME! I HAVE WALKED IN THE FLESH LONG ENOUGH; NOW I WALK IN THE SPIRIT. I LET THE HOLY SPIRIT PRODUCE THE LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST IN ME. "Let us, therefore, come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." - Hebrews 4:16 There is a difference between HAVING favor and SPENDING favor. You can have money and not spend it. You can also have favor and not spend it, or not spend it wisely. It is time for the people of God to recognize that we have been given amazing favor through our relationship with Christ. In the New Testament, the word grace and favor come from the same Greek word, "charis". So when Hebrews 4 says to boldly come before God's throne of grace, it is for far more than just forgiveness of our sins: It is a THRONE OF FAVOR ("charis"—grace, graciousness, joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, goodwill, benefit, loving kindness, gifts, rewards, strength, and increase) which we can COME BEFORE BOLDLY ("parrhesia"—with free and fearless confidence, cheerful courage, boldness, and assurance) to LAY HOLD OF MERCY ("eleos"—kindness or good will towards the miserable and the afflicted, joined with a desire to help them) and to help in a time of need. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Hebrews 11:1 - "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen." That word "evidence" means an outward sign or indication. Faith is something that furnishes proof. Faith is no longer going to be an obscure or intangible concept that a Believer's hope will bring change. Rather, it is a reality or a sign of what the Believer knows is there, even if "sight" of the full physical manifestation of it IS NOT present. It is an unmovable force that will stop Hell's agenda and release the agenda of Heaven in the earth realm. It operates by love. It will thrust the global Church into a new era of demonstration of SIGNS AND WONDERS, as well as vision released by God. Healing and the power of God are what will persuade unbelievers that God is real and the testimony of His Son, Jesus, is true today. It will and must invade the Muslim world, the Hindu world and the Buddhist world with God's power, turning the masses to salvation in Jesus. It will invade the culture of the world with the culture of the Kingdom of Heaven. It will release angelic activity and increased revelation. THE FAITH OF GOD This kind of faith is about to possess the faithful ones and even the last hour laborers that are coming in now. It is no longer faith in God, but it will be a full release of the faith OF GOD. The faith OF GOD is where God's faith possess your nature and you can start creating with Him. Hebrews 11 says that by faith the worlds were framed. People of faith in this hour will have God's faith in them that will frame nations. They will have radical anointing for harvest in multidimensional levels and spheres of influence. Galatians 2"20 - "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith OF THE SON OF GOD, who loved me and gave himself for me." KJV ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Galatians 5:16 - "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh." He has put an unlimited potential within us by His Spirit. Don't think about what you can't do. Think about what you can do through Christ. Exercising faith to fulfill your call will always result in permanent spiritual results - "fruit which remains" measured by the lives you have dramatically changed. Affirmations: I AM DEVELOPING MY OWN HUMAN SPIRIT, AND I AM BECOMING MORE SENSITIVE TO THE SPIRIT OF GOD. I HAVE ACCEPTED THE CALL OF GOD TO LEAVE THE LOW LIFE BEHIND, AND I AM FOLLOWING THE SPIRIT OF GOD TO A HIGHER REALM, WHERE I WILL LIVE IN CONTINUAL PEACE, JOY, AND VICTORY. "And God said, 'Let there be light'; and there was light." - Genesis 1:3 Our voice, anointed and inspired by the Holy Spirit, is one, if not the greatest, weapon God has given us to shift atmospheres. We've been created with a voice. In the beginning, God said, "Let there be light" (Genesis 1:3)! The first thing God did was speak with His voice. This is a clue for us to see just how powerful the voice is – how powerful OUR voice is. We are created in the image and likeness of God. When we speak through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, there is power to shift atmospheres from darkness to light. Our voice, like a sword, is to decree and manifest His Kingdom and will in the earth. Because of this, there is always an attack on your ability to praise, prophesy and release God's presence through your voice. God is wanting to invade the earth through your voice! Romans 6:18 - "Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness." Affirmations: SINCE I HAVE GIVEN MY LIFE TO JESUS, THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD HAS BEEN IMPARTED TO ME. BECAUSE, THROUGH JESUS, I RECEIVED GOD'S NATURE. SIN AND THE DOMINION OF SATAN CANNOT HAVE AUTHORITY OVER ME BECAUSE JESUS IS MY LORD. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRYhttp://afministry.ning.com
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The early Church did something that few do today or even know about—they ministered to the Lord. Salvation is more than a legal exchange affecting our position before God. Salvation also includes the exchange of deep loving affections and adoration. God first communicates His enjoyment, longing, and affections for us and, in turn, we respond in a similar way. If you want to hear from God you must sit at His feet. To effectively minister to others you must first minister to the Lord. When you minister to Him He will speak to you: "As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, 'Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them'" (Acts 13:2). KNOWING GOD'S CALLING ON YOUR LIFE 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. Unless you first minister to God, much of what you do will be polluted with flesh and not with His anointing. You must learn to minister to Him before you minister to anyone else. That is where you will hear His voice. A priest's first responsibility is to minister to the Lord, and then second, to minister to God's people. God's desire is that we, as a generation of priests, would come to His Mountain to speak directly with Him and hear His voice. "To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood and made us a kingdom of PRIESTS to serve His God and Father..." - Revelation 1:5,6 The Holy Spirit does not draw us so we can hang up a "Do Not Disturb" sign and sit in our little comfort zone singing love songs to Jesus the rest of our lives. As fellow heirs with Christ, we are drawn into intimacy, then empowered in ministry to bring others into their DESTINY in Christ Jesus. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com
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Luke 18:1 - "Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up." Since He has given humanity authority over the earth, He requires the permission or authorization of mankind in order to act on the earth. This is why, when we stop praying, we allow God's purposes for the world to be hindered. Matthew 16:19 - "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven ; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." AFFIRMATIONS: I bind and cast out those things that are unfruitful and I loose the blessings of God in my life through the confession of His word. (Matthew 16:19) Since I live vitally united to Jesus and his words continue to live in my heart, I ask whatever I will, and it shall be done for me. (John 15:7) I continually ask, seek, and knock concerning the things God has prepared for me because Jesus says I will receive, find, and it will be opened for me. (Matthew 7:7,8) "Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 3:13-14 The breath of God, in its infinite capacity, is breathing and moving through every grave that holds dead dreams; through the graves of hope deferred; through everything that has tangled your faith and paralyzed your movement. He who was and is, and is to come is speaking life into the make-up of who you are, confounding the frequency of the sound of every voice that speaks against your destiny and calling in Christ. God will heal your vision in the midst of the impossibility that He turns intopossibility. The loss and wilderness you have walked through these past years will turn into a gateway of hope. He will make your vision whole in His love, and your heart will overflow with life and with a testimony that will resound all around you. Your Redeemer lives! 2 Peter 3:14 - "With this to look forward to, do your utmost to be found at peace with Him, unblemished and above reproach in his sight." Observation: WE WANT A PEACE THAT TEMPORARILY COMFORTS AND CODDLES BECAUSE WE DO NOT LIKE TO BE CHALLENGED OR CHANGED. THE PEACE THAT FLOWS INTO US FROM THE LORD SATISFIES THE SOUL WITH FULL ASSURANCE THAT HE IS STILL FOR US, EVEN AS WE ARE BEING TAKEN THROUGH FIRE - IN WHICH WE CAN BE CHANGED INTO HIS LIKENESS. 2 Corinthians 3:18 - "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord." ALBERT FINCH MINISTRYhttp://afministry.ning.com
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Joshua 1:6 - "Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them." True soldiers of Christ resolve to die every day to this world so that they live for the sake of the Gospel. It is time for courage to enable us to lift a sword that never leaves our hands again -- it never gets put on the mantle. Every day is a day of conquest -- every day is a day for King Jesus to be glorified -- it is called courage.Affirmation: COURAGE MAKES ME DO EXTRAORDINARY THINGS FOR GOD EVEN IN THE MIDDLE OF IMPOSSIBLE CIRCUMSTANCES. Proverbs 28:1 - "The wicked flee when no man pursues them, but the righteous are bold as a lion." Genesis 1:3 - "And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light." The first thing God did was speak with His voice. This is a clue for us to see just how powerful the voice is – how powerful OUR voice is. We are created in the image and likeness of God. When we speak through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, there is power to shift atmospheres from darkness to light. Connect with God in the cloud of His glory. Be inspired by His Spirit. Stir the river of His Spirit inside of you and welcome the cloud of His glory upon you. Then speak and shift atmospheres, even your own situations, by proclaiming His divine utterances under the unction and anointing of His Spirit. Don't seek as much to be relevant to men, but rather seek to be relevant to God, pleasing Him. Speak as one sent by Him to shift things on earth so they come under the transforming influence of Heaven. Matthew 17:5 - "While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!'" 1 Corinthians 2:11 - "As for a man, it is his own spirit within him that knows all about him; in the same way only God's Spirit knows all about God." Observation: GOD COMMUNICATES WITH ME THROUGH MY SPIRIT. IT IS GOD'S SPIRIT THAT BEARS WITNESS WITH MY SPIRIT THAT I AM A SON OF GOD. Romans 8:14 - "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Jeremiah 33:3 - "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable thing you do not know." PRAYER IS MEANT TO BE ANSWERED - OR GOD WOULD NOT ASK US TO PRAY. JESUS DIDN'T PRAY WITHOUT EXPECTING TO BE HEARD. Hebrews 3:13 - "But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." Develop a "discipleship consciousness" and a "love-consciousness" for the lost as well as for the brethren. We do this through love bydiscipling new believers into a consciousness of their inheritance in Christ (Galatians 5:6 - "For in Jesus Christ .... faith which worketh by love." Affirmations: I STIR UP MY FAITH AND EXPERIENCE MORE DEEPLY THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD IN MY LIFE THROUGH THE EXHORTATION AND ENCOURAGEMENT OF OTHER BELIEVERS. I INTEND TO FIND A WAY TO ENCOURAGE SOMEONE WHO NEEDS STRENGTH AND UNDERSTANDING TODAY! Psalm 141:3 - "Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips." Observation: THE WORLD IS LIKE A RUSHING RIVER, PULLING AT ME, TRYING TO GET ME TO FLOW WITH IT. Affirmation: I MAKE THE DECISION TODAY TO PADDLE UPSTREAM AGAINST THE CURRENT BY SPEAKING GOD'S WORD INTO MY LIFE. Proverbs 4:20 - "My son, attend to my words; consent and submit to my sayings." ALBERT FINCH MINISTRYhttp://afministry.ning.com
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I have been struggling with this for quite a number of months, actually about two years. I was really happy to meet someone who I have been with for the past 15 years, who loves going to church and discussing the Bible. However, about 2 years ago someone new popped up at our church, and since then I have observed unsettling behavior from her, and from my boyfriend. I often catch then glancing at each other. And I know, what exactly does that mean? right? I kept trying to tell myself it's just me, I'm making it into more than what it is.. but.. it's a constant thing.. and I've also observed her purposefully trying to gain his attention... It's been unsettling because it's been going on for a while now, she knows that my boyfriend and I have been together(still are together), my boyfriend keeps talking about our future together but doesn't stop the behavior, and I feel like I've done all I can to search and question myself going so far as seeking counseling, thinking it's me.. I've even gone so far as to outright ask my beau if there is something going on (and as any man would do I suspect, he said no) but I'm feeling like is it going to take me confronting her?? This is Church!!! not a school yard or a club... CHURCH.. I really wish someone else would say to me or slip me a note at least, that they see it too.. but the older women love her because she drives them to church, the other congregants love her cause she cooks for the church.. I feel like I am bested at all sides and am really hurt by this. I am feeling like I am slipping down a rabbit hole that honestly I don't want to go down.. I just want Jesus, I just want to be in a relationship with Jesus as the core and honesty at the helm. I have thought of approaching our pastor friend, but he's friends with her too and like usual, I don't want to come off looking like a paranoid, jealous obsessed person, I just want truth and closure to this.. what do I do??
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2 Timothy 2:22 - "Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart." IT IS BETTER TO DEVELOP GODLY VIRTUES THAN TO SPEND MY DAY PRAYING AGAINST THE DEVIL. VICTORY BEGINS WITH THE NAME OF JESUS ON MY LIPS. IT IS CONSUMMATED BY THE NATURE OF JESUS IN MY HEART. Matthew 6:9-11 - "This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed by Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Observation: HEAVEN NEEDS ME TO GIVE IT LICENSE TO IMPACT EARTH. I CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND CHANGE THE COURSE OF HISTORY IF I WILL JUST UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE AND POWER OF PRAYER. Romans 8:14 - "As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." God's Higher Ground is where you stop arguing with yourself and others, cease struggling with your flesh and move into His perfect will for you. It's the place where you have made the decision to live a holy life in a temporal unholy world, and although you are quite aware that you will never (in this life) avoid occasional stumbling, you must get up and go to HIGHER GROUND. Higher Ground is the only place where 'Super-grow' soil exists for your spirit to grow (Mark 4: 20). It is the place where you are determined to fulfill the PURPOSE God placed you here for. Blessings abound in that place......are you willing to go to Higher Ground? Affirmations: I CONFESS THAT I AM LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD! THE HOLY SPIRIT TUGS AND PULLS ON MY HEART, AND I COOPERATE BY FOLLOWING HIM AS HE GENTLY LEADS ME WHERE HE WANTS ME TO GO. HE SEES AND KNOWS WHAT I CANNOT SEE. HE IS LEADING ME EXACTLY WHERE I NEED TO BE IN ORDER TO REACH GOD'S PURPOSE FOR MY LIFE. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more the me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds His life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." - Matthew 10:37-39 Many believe for Jesus' salvation, but never walk in the total freedom of the cross. In the New Testament, "kairos" means ' the appointed time in the purpose of God", the time when God acts; for example in Mark 1:15: "And saying, "The time (kairos) is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the gospel.'" DIVINE IMPARTATION FOR STRENGTH In Luke 22:43 after Jesus had resolved within His own heart for the Father's will to be done in His life, we see that "An angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him." It is possible for us to be granted a divine impartation of strength to embrace the cross today. If we are to achieve anything in our lives that bears eternal fruit, we must first deny ourselves and embrace the cross (God's PURPOSE for our lives) just as Christ Jesus modeled for us. The anointing to embrace the cross (God's CALLING on our life) involves prayer, sanctification, and intimacy with God. There is no alternative way to embrace the cross. In Matthew 27:32 Simon the Cyrenian was "compelled to bear His cross." Is Jesus calling us to do the same today? COMPELLED TO BEAR OUR CROSS Matthew 27:32 - "Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: Him they compelled to bear His cross." "Compelled (Greek: Aggareuo, Strongs 29) literally translated -- to be pressed into public service or compelled to "go". The word for "bear" (Greek; Airo, Strong's 142), literal translation -- to take up or to take away. The call is still true for us today just as it was for Simon the Cyrenian. To "take up our cross" we must come to the place of death. We must die to ourselves and to our worldly dreams and fully embrace the plans and blueprints that God has written for us in heaven. When Simon and Jesus took the cross to Calvary, "they were come (together) unto a place called Golgotha" (Matthew 27:33). Prophetically, Simon the Cyrenian represents each of us: We must all come to the place of the cross and die to our agendas and carnal thoughts for our lives and ministries. We must allow the Father's will to be done in our lives. We must all come to our own personal Golgothas. Just as Jesus was with the Cyrenian, He will be with each of us at the time and place of our personal death to self. "Jesus then said to his disciples, 'If anyone wishes to be a follower of mine, he must leave self behind; he must take up his cross and come with me. Whoever cares for his own safety is lost; but if a man will let himself be lost for my sake, he will find his true self.'" - Mattthew 16:24-25 NEB COMING UNDER ATTACK The enemy of our soul does not want us to embrace the Cross of Christ. The warfare can be tremendous for us as we embrace the cross (death to self). When we approach the place of surrender and death to self we will also come under attack from the evil one. Fortunately, Jesus has already fought this battle for each of us. The enemy will bellow and scream at us every time we fall short. When we fail to fully embrace the cross, he will illuminate our shortcomings. Picking up our cross is a process. If we fall down -- get up just as Jesus did. Emulate Christ -- dying to yourself and worldly dreams is a process. Even the Son of God walked through this process. It takes time and intimacy with the Lord -- laying down our life is a process. "Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple." - Luke 14:27 Taking up your cross is not a popular message. When Jesus shared this message, many left Him, and later reviled and cursed Him. The message of the cross was one reason why Jesus was beaten, afflicted, smote, reviled spit on, crucified, and killed. When we die to manmade methods, ideas, and formulas, and begin to truly minister in the pattern of heaven, only then can God truly begin to release the Kingdom into our life. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Psalm 59:9 - "O my Strength, I will watch and give heed to You and sing praises; for God is my Defense." The soul that is not recollected in one appetite alone (the desire for God) loses heat and strength in the practice of virtue. Affirmation: I WILL CONCENTRATE THE STRENGTH OF MY APPETITES ON GOD ALONE. "I will go before you and make the rough places smooth; I will shatter the doors of bronze and cut through their iron bars." - Isaiah 45:2 As we are yielded to the Lord, He makes the path straight before us. Once we understandour CALLING in Christ He equips us for the journey. At times we have limited vision of the path ahead and what we are going through, but the Lord has the big picture and He calls us to trust in Him. He takes even our failures and disappointments and reconfigures them to work together for good. God invites us to hold onto the promises He has given us in scripture of our inheritance in Christ, our right standing with God, and to believe He is able to do the impossible for us.Hold onto faith as small as a mustard seed, because that alone is enough faith to see mountains move and giants fall. We need to deal with any area of unbelief in our lives. Faith and unbelief both come by what we are hearing or giving attention to. We choose to have faith come into our heart by "hearing and hearing" the Word of God. The power of God is unleashed in the lives of those with true faith. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6 "Truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move and nothing will be impossible to you." - Matthew 17:20 NASB James 3:8 - "But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison." Affirmations: I BOLDLY DECLARE THAT MY TONGUE IS UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. MY WORDS ARE SEASONED WITH GRACE, AND MY LIPS ARE CONSTANTLY GIVING THANKS TO GOD! THIS IS WHAT MY TONGUE SPEAKS BECAUSE IT IS SUBMITTED TO THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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The Value and Importance of Jesus Christ Bible Reading: Luke 1:26-25. Introduction: Many people do not understand or appreciate the value of Jesus Christ to individuals and to the world. Many just enjoy the benefits of Jesus Christ without recognizing that He introduced them. Question: What valuable things must we thank Jesus Christ for? 1. He created the universe, humans, earth and a life sustaining environment on earth. “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” John 1:3. 2. He holds the universe together. “He is before all things, and by him all things consist.” Colossians 1:17 3. He is ‘God manifest in the flesh’ (I Tim 3:16). ‘The word became flesh and dwelt among us’ John 1:18 4. He visited, comforted and protected Old Testament believers as God the Son. Daniel 3:25; Exodus 3:1-16 5. He saved Israel from Egypt’s & Assyria’s armies (Isaiah 36-38). He saves us from trouble if we ask him. 6. He died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins and rose again to give us eternal life. 7. He gives us an example of a perfect, holy life to live by. 8. He satisfies the law, justice and love of God by dying for our sins and paying our sin debt to save us from hell. “Who delivered us from so great a death.” (2 Corinthians 1:10). 9. He gives us a loving, peaceful relationship with God. Rev.3:20, Ephesians 1:6. 10. He conquered death by rising from the dead. He will raise us from the dead. 11. He sets an example of humility, love and service for us to treat others. 12. He teaches us truth, wisdom and how to live peacefully on earth. “love your enemies”. Matthew 5:44 13. He teaches us how to love one another. “A new commandment I give unto you..” John 13:34,35. 14. He comforts us in trouble and provides a way of escape from our problems. I Corinthians 10:13. 15. He gives us local churches to help each other. “I will build my church.” Matthew 16:18. 17. He answers our prayers. “Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.” John 16:24. 18. He promises to return to earth to remove evil and rule righteously. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14:3 19. He sets us an example of being a soul winner, a worker for God and using our time wisely. John 3,4. 20. He spread the Old Testament law and prophets to the world by fulfilling many OT prophecies. 21. He gives us a peaceful society that practices love for enemies, love for each other, personal freedoms and the dignity of human life. 22. He gives equality of men and women. ‘why trouble ye her?’ Matthew 26:10; Mark 14:6. 23. He endorses monogamy. Matthew 5:32. 24. He gives the world a time line dating system to date the events of history into BC and AD years. 25. He inspired the New Testament. 26. He teaches us not to take personal revenge, but to show forgiveness. ‘right cheek..’ Matthew 5:39. 27. He instituted baptism and the Lord’s Supper. ‘this do in remembrance of me.’ Luke 22:19; M28:19 28. He shows the answer to every problem in life. 29. He taught us the Lord’s Prayer and many great parables like the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son. 30. He inspired the writing of many Christian books on many subjects. 31. He taught and clarified the Trinity of God. (Matthew 28:19). 32. He taught the reality of the spiritual war. ‘now shall the prince of this world be cast out.’ John 12:31 33. He taught rewards in heaven for Christian service. ‘great is your reward in heaven’ Matthew 5:12. 34. He inspired much great Christian music, compared to no music in Islam. ‘sung an hymn’ Matt. 26:30 35. He sent the Holy Spirit to indwell believers. ‘the Comforter .. I will send him unto you.’ John 16:7. 36. He removes the wall between Jews and Gentiles. ‘broken down the middle wall…’ Ephesians 2:14. 37. He gives us assurance of heaven. ‘I go to prepare a place for you.’ John 14:2. 38. We owe holidays of Sunday, Christmas and Easter to Jesus. 39. He approves free enterprise and rejects Communism. ‘thy pound hath gained ten pounds.’ Luke 9:16. 40. He teaches us to resolve conflicts peacefully by talking to the other person privately. Matthew 18:15. Conclusion: Let us love, serve, understand and teach Jesus Christ and His ways.
