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  1. My friends, I need your help. I'll do my best not to make this too long, although it is a bit of a story. Back in October, I saw a need in my church choir and reached out to a guy that was relatively new and was essentially getting shunned by most of the other men because he has tattoos and his ears are pierced. I actually feel really bad because I waited for a few months after I felt the initial tug and I wonder if I would be struggling so much if I hadn't. Anyway...we clicked almost immediately and soon we were talking practically every day. We are very similar and deal with a lot of the same struggles, such as depression. We've opened up to one another on a level that I've only ever replicated with my two best friends of 13+ years and we can talk for hours without it feeling like any time has passed. He has quickly become a close friend, one that I greatly cherish. My issue is this: I have developed romantic feelings for him, feelings that I'm pretty sure he doesn't return. He is in a relationship at this point and it's a relationship he said he has prayed for, despite that this girl has caused him a lot of heartache. It's hard for me to watch since I don't feel she is good for him and obviously I feel that I am. It's also hard because he is one that will ghost out on the people around him when he gets wrapped up in his own affairs. He doesn't mean to, he just has had really bad examples of friendship and I'm the first one that actually fights to keep him grounded. So how do I maintain this friendship in a Godly way without letting my own bias get in the way and how do I move on from my feelings? If you need me to answer any further questions that might help give better advice, please feel free to ask. I have probably forgotten something in my attempt to keep this short.
  2. With what sort of love? Omegaman 3.0 6/5/2019 I recently posted in a thread at Worthy Christian Forums, where there seemed to be some disagreement about the nature of the kind of love that Christians are supposed to have. There also seemed to be some disagreement and even questions about whether or not some to the Bible’s statements contradict each other on this topic. I felt compelled to chime in. Not to toot my own horn, but as I developed my reply, I thought some of my comments were worth making a note of here, since they represent my thoughts (which is what a blog is, after all) and some of them arose out of my analysis of what people were disputing, so here it goes: I do not have two cents, but I have a nickel: I certainly see no contradiction between what Jesus said, and what John said, but I will offer my thoughts or opinions, as a sort of unsolicited, under-qualified commentary: First observation: 34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” My comment on that passage is that Jesus said that loving others is a commandment, and He is referring to the Law, so THAT is not new! What was the standard? Love others as you love yourself. Second observation: 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13 My comment on this one is that Jesus said it is new. If He said it is new, then it IS new. What is new about it? Jesus upped the standard. The standard here is not love each other as you love yourself, but love each other has Jesus Himself loved them. How was that? Self-sacrificially, Jesus DIED for them, that is real love. John tells us that when he reports that Jesus also said: Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13 So, the NEW commandment you will note, is not to the general public, it was to His disciples. John also noted that Jesus gave his disciples a purpose, the positive side effect: "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:25 So, the new command so far is that disciples are to love other disciples, with the same sort of love, the greatest love, self-sacrificial love, as Jesus demonstrated on the cross, not that we must die, but that is the supreme example of that kind of love. Tradition has it, that all the apostles except Judas and John, died as martyrs, and John was willing. They tried to boil him in oil, it just did not work, so he was banished to Patmos, where he penned the book of Revelation. As a side note, when Peter was told he was to be crucified, Peter asked Jesus about John - well, what about him (John)? Jesus basic answer was, that is none of your business Peter! From what we think we know, John died of "natural" causes, in his old age. So, for the most part, the disciples lived out their mission the obey the commandment, the loved us, all disciples enough to die in their efforts to see that we got Jesus message. At this juncture, I would like to point out something else, from Matthew 28: 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. So, Jesus disciples were told to make other disciples. If you are a believer, you are one of the disciples of disciples of disciples, etc. The disciples were to teach others to obey Jesus. If you are a TRUE disciple, you will seek to, want to, obey Jesus. After all, that is what a disciple is, one who follows their teacher. Our ultimate Teacher then, is Jesus. What is it then, that we are taught to obey then? Among other things: Make more disciples and teach them to obey Jesus, and that includes loving other believers with the unique love that Jesus lavished upon them. So, for the most part, the disciples lived out their mission they obeyed the commandment, the loved us, all disciples enough to die in their efforts to see that we got Jesus message. They practices what they preached, and the preached what Jesus told them to. So many of the quotes I supplied ARE from John, how then is that a contradiction? John knew that there was an Old Testament command, to love others as ourselves. He also was quick to point out that those in the Jesus' church, were to go beyond that sort of love, the easy love that even pagans so. Toward each other, they were to with a supernatural love that is not given to everyone, but believers are given that ability, and are told to exercise it. Love is an aspect of the fruit of the Spirit, the Paul describes in Gal 5:22 and Eph 5:19. (Those are links, by the way) Paul also describes love in 1 Cor 13: 4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never ends. With all of this great information in the Bible (not in my post), the real question is: HOW WELL DO WE ALL MEASURE UP? I also ask, that you consider praying about this in your own lives, that you pray for others also, and not the least, for me also, as we all need it at times. Go forth and love, to the Glory of God!
  3. I was saved in 1979 and soon after, I was attending an adult Sunday School class at Melodyland in Anaheim, CA, taught by Walter Martin. I had been doing some Bible study on my own on the topic of being filled with the Spirit. In that, I had noticed that the idea of "boldness" was very frequently associated with Spirit filling. I was very privileged to hear Dr. Martin speak to how boldness can be used in our lives as Christian. I really miss this man, but really was blessed to watch him speak passionately again in this video, about things the should matter to Christians who love the people for whom Christ died! This is Part 1, Part 2 will follow in a separate post in this thread.
  4. Good morning loves! I just wanted to encourage you today. I know you may be tired, but the Word says to never get tired of doing the right thing. Just know that there is a promise on the other end, God is with us! He loved us, we have life because God laid done his life, and picked it right back up. If you are not, get saved today, join the family. This is my prayer. Dear Yeshua, thank you so much for this opportunity to minister to your people. Father I pray that they find peace with you, in all things. Thank you Lord. Please let my words and works encourage someone today. Lord I declare and decree that today will be a great day. Because As I said in my song, “The strength of the waves can’t bring you down! The heat of the flames can’t burn you now! Even death itself can’t touch you. You reign! You remain!” Praise you Abba, In Jesus name amen!
  5. Hi there! I am going to start off by giving a bit of a backstory, and please hear me out by reading all of this because I am in dire need right now. I grew up in a lovely home with Baptist parents who attended church every Sunday. However, I hit very traumatic times at about 7 years old, and now I am 16, going on 17, and my life is healing from the trauma of divorced parents, dealing with calling defax on my own mother for emotional, verbal, and sometimes physical abuse, hating my father for years due to my mother calling him unworthy every chance she got- only to find that my father did everything he could to make me realize he meant no harm, and all the mental issues which came with these life experiences. Shortly after turning 12, four years into my nearly 10-year real-life conflict, I found myself falling far from God. Although I had become fully saved according to the Baptist faith and believed with all my heart that God was my savior and my all at age 10, I fell far from Him only two years later. Two years later, at 12, and hardly 12 at that, I text my friend late one summer night. "I don't know that I believe in God anymore," I sent her, crying my eyes out because all I needed right then was someone to pull me back to God and say that I needed to hold on. I desperately needed someone to grab my ears and pull me up saying, "Hello!! Jesus is alive! He is alive! And He loves you more than you'll ever comprehend!" But, the reality was far from this. My friend responds less than a minute later. "I am an Atheist." My heart dropped at the message. But... strangely enough, it later was found with relief. I felt ACCEPTANCE for falling from Him! It sounds crazy because it is. I researched for a long time, mainly in the wrong places, and I found myself to identify as an Atheist. This lasted for years, all the way until a month or so ago to be frank. I am going to be 17 in July and going into the 12th grade next year, and I believe this all happened in the summer of going into 6th or 7th grade, which would have put me at 11 or 12. So for 5, possibly 6, years I have been very lost and falling blind of God. I fell into believing I was transgender, from female to male, to believing I was gay and dating a girl almost a full year. Many, many tragic things followed this initial start of trauma when my parents got a divorce at 7 years old. Now, having all that said... I still feel a strong incomplete pit in my life, this being my relationship with God. I still question my sexuality today. I believe that being abused for all those years led me to believe I was homosexual because beforehand, I never EVER questioned my sexuality. I was your typical "boy-crazy" little girl who would go to their mom after school and say, "Guess what mommy! [Enter name here] talked to me today! I was so nervous!" I can tell you confidently now that I know I am a beautiful, straight female who deserves just as much as everyone else. In my heart, I feel that. However, I hesitate to answer so confidently in person because it takes denying my past conflictions to find my true self deep within me that, yes, I am that person. For a long time I denied this person that I was because of the many times my mother would tell me that I wasn't her daughter, I wasn't what she wanted, and I was a mistake through and through. I believe truly, within my heart, that abuse can cause lifetime problems such as this. Abuse, especially that in childhood, does not just affect your personality, your social life, and your way of coping with life situations. Abuse affects your lifestyle, your beliefs, and all the critical things of yourself. I am stuck. My ex-best friend and I started talking recently. We grew up together and shortly after I went from a true Christian to Atheist, we fell apart from one another. In the past month, we found each other via social media and I have come to find, not to my surprise, that she is still very faithful and connected to God. Even when we were little and very close, I was inspired by her connection with God and trust in Him, despite our different beliefs. She was raised Apostolic Pentecostal. I was raised Baptist. However, now that we have reconnected, I have caught her up with everything that happened to me in the past years that we haven't talked. She amazes me still at her immaculate trust in God. She is now involved in leading many youth groups to teach the Bible to younger kids, as well as attending her own youth group herself. This makes me intrigued in her beliefs since I am currently not under any official belief besides that in which God does indeed exist. My mother is not much in the picture anymore, so I have free reign to explore all sorts of Christianity that I please without fear of being bashed or shunned for doing anything other than Baptism. I have been looking into Apostolic Pentecostal all day, trying to actually understand what the belief is all about compared to Baptism, since that is what I know best, and it makes so much more sense to me compared to what I grew up with. Is there anybody who is an Apostolic Pentecostal that could please help guide me and help me in understanding the beliefs? I am very intrigued by this way of praise and church-going. So please, if you read all of this, which I hope you did because it contributes so much to my reasoning behind this, and you are an Apostolic Pentecostal, please give me information on your beliefs and ways of praising and keeping faith. I am finding God again, and I do not plan on losing Him this time. Not again.
  6. Hello everyone!!! So for those who checked out part 1, and part 2 , Part 3 is also available!!!! We continue looking into God's will for a partner. This time, we find out, does God's perfect partner for us exist? Is there someone who can fit you like a glove? Feel free to check it out.? God bless.
  7. Here is a link to my music that I hope will bring peace and healing to people. www.laurenlehman.com or you can listen on Spotify, Itunes, etc. Below is a link to my song, "Peace Be Still" from my new album, "Peace Be Still." "Peace Be Still, and know that He is God... Come on into His place to seek His face, Peace, Peace, Be Still." Peace Be Still - on Youtube
  8. Here is a Thread to post your favourite masterpieces in the Christian art world. Really an amazing piece of art that Michaelangelo painted on the Vatican ceiling. Though I am not catholic, I can still appreciate the time, dedication, effort that this man put to paint such a complex painting on a ceiling! Imagine how many times he had to go up and down to paint this! https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwi_iprnvb_fAhUNWhoKHYpQAsUQjRx6BAgBEAU&url=https%3A%2F%2Fsmarthistory.org%2Fmichelangelo-ceiling-of-the-sistine-chapel%2F&psig=AOvVaw0MMZPjckNNTT-Jso4Y9MCq&ust=1545981972325196
  9. I've encountered a teaching that seems to be quite prevalent, at least here in Israel. I first heard it taught in "The Purpose Driven Life" by Pastor Rick Warren and I have since encountered this teaching in 3 different Messianic Congregations here in Israel. That message is basically, 'forgiveness does not mean trust: that we as believers must forgive as Jesus taught, even 77 times (or 70 times 7 times) but that does not mean trusting the other person. They must re-earn our trust' and I basically just accepted this message as fact since it does seem to be reasonable. Then a few months ago, I finally watched the 1935 version of Les Miserables. For some inexplicable reason, I had been wanting to read or watch it for the last year or so but kept putting it off. When I finally encountered that scene with the Bishop and Jean Valjean, something hit me very hard about it. The way the bishop gave Jean the silver candlesticks when the police brought him back to the place and then the way the bishop told him before he left that he is always welcome there and that the front door is the proper way and not by any other means. It may be fictional, but it reminded me of a factual story. The story from "The Cross and the Switchblade" and the way in which David Wilkerson led Niki Cruz and gang to the Lord. How he had finally gotten several gang members and others from the community together in an auditorium to share with them the Gospel message and how David Wilkerson asked Niki Cruz and his gang to take up the offering. As they were going through the passage up to the balcony, they noticed an exit door and were about to run off with the money when suddenly it occurred to them: 'This guy is trusting us. No one has ever trusted us before' and they brought the offering up to David. That single act of trust was instrumental in dissolving NYC gangs and eventually lead to hundreds of inner city Victory Outreach Missions throughout the world today, including one in Haifa, Israel. So I started asking myself, "Why is it whenever this message of 'forgiveness does not equal trust' is taught, they do not bring any scriptural support for it?" And I'm kind of hard pressed. I am no doctor of scripture but I am quite familiar in a general overview sort of way and usually when I am troubled like this, the Lord will bring to memory scriptural support. But none arises to memory. Three insights have been occurring to me and I'd really like some input here: 1) Forgiveness minus Trust really equals unforgiveness; 2) The person may be being hypocritical, saying to the other that they are forgiven, but their behavior, attitude and actions do not outwardly demonstrate it; 3) We are supposed to show to others the same Grace God showed us. God doesn't tell us, "I forgive you but now you must earn my trust". How then could we approach His Throne of Grace... How then will He welcome us into His Home? If I am way off base here, then please let me know. I've been wrong many times in the past, and will be pleasantly surprised if I am way wrong about this: it will be an excellent reminder of how fallible I am and how much I need to be involved regularly in open discussions with other followers of Christ. God Bless! Joe
  10. I think that as Christian's, we too can be "in the spirit" like John in the book of Revelation. It is when you have a lot of faith and in this time a lot of God's revelations (things that will happen) come to us. The book of Revelation has this title because of this - it was revealed to John how things will be. A good way to get a lot of faith is to read your bible for a long period of time maybe an hour on an occasion - you cannot do this all the time but you should daily read your bible for shorter periods. Get an enjoyable version that is fun to encourage you to do this (I like the Message and/or the ESV - English Standard Version): Faith is our link to God so having a link in faith enables Him to reveal things to us through what is like a telephone line that has been setup. Read your favourite bible version and pray to God like you are having a conversation with Him whilst you are having a coffee - who knows, you might end up having a chat, coming closer to someone who loves you more than you could ever know and therefore making Him very happy. Make sure you use wisdom with your faith though so you can discern away mis-leading spirits that may effect the conversation. This is noise and interference on the telephone line. Shalom
  11. John 11:33-35 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. Jesus wept. Sometimes in our society the world tells people to suck it up, not be emotional, and looks at crying as a weakness. Especially if someone is a male it’s not looked at as manly to cry, yet Jesus wept. It said he was “deeply moved…..troubled….wept.” Not just a little upset, but extremely. This passage is clear that Christ had emotions and was compassionate. I believe this is an example where we should not follow the ways of the world, but use Jesus’ as an example of how to live. Romans 12:15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep, is another place we are told to do this. Then it goes on to say in John 11:36 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” By weeping, Jesus showed love. John 11:43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” Because what Jesus spoke comes to fruition, if he had not called Lazarus by name, it would appear that all the dead buried there would have been brought back to life. John 11:48 If we let him (Jesus) go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.” Fear of losing their power and greed led to the chief priests and Pharisees plotting to kill Jesus. John 11:53-54 So from that day on they plotted to take his life. Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea. Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples. I’ve heard some Christians over the years say that we should just let evildoers overtake us and be martyrs for our faith. I think this is an example where Jesus was wise and didn’t help them to do evil to Him, until it was His appointed time to die/be our sacrifice.
  12. I'll try to make this as brief as possible. A little under two years ago, I started talking to a colleague at work. At first, I was just simply attracted to his appearance but the more we started talking, the more my feelings developed. He comes from a Catholic background, he goes clubbing, drinks and he smokes marijuana. I can always resist the temptation to go clubbing (or pubbing should I say) but when I have been invited and I know he'll be there, I'll instantly agree to tag along. I left my job, the autumn of last year, he attended my leaving do and we were inseparable for the night, outside in the smoking area (I don't smoke by the way), next to each other in photos and on the dancefloor. I secured and left three positions after this job in question but I ended up returning to this same company office, a little over a week ago. The only difference is, I am now working in another department. My main problem is, I cannot stop thinking about him, he is constantly on my mind. I'm a little confused, I understand that God has a reason for everything he does but I don't understand why/how I ended back at the same company for my crush to resume. I understand that we must not be unequally yoked, in my mind as I am sure some believers have been in my position, I'm hopeful that he his relationship with God will blossom. I'm about 75% sure that the feeling is mutual (maybe not to my extent but there is some certainty he may feel the same way) I have prayed on it but what else should I do?
  13. How does the Church balance Truth and Love in a way that we do not allow tolerance to take presidence over Biblical truth?
  14. Several weeks ago the Monday morning study leader announced that the following week we would be starting a study on vengeance. To show that the carnal side of me still exists, I wrote this on my notepad, Coming up next week, Vengeance!, Yeah baby! I was messing around, as the first reaction I had, was to moan because every study is a fitful barrage of legalism. When that particular “study” ended, I turned to my friend and said, that wasn't all bad. The leader was giving an introduction, but he had already lost me, as I was looking up passages on vengeance. The first thing I came to was a passage in Leviticus. Leviticus 19:18 ISV "You are not to seek vengeance or hold a grudge against the descendants of your people. Instead, love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD." The first thing I realized is that this is “the law,” and we, are not under the law; or, are we? If we are not under the law, then what do I do with this statement from the Apostle Paul? Romans 12:16-19 ISV Live in harmony with each other. Do not be arrogant, but associate with humble people. Do not think that you are wiser than you really are. 17) Do not pay anyone back evil for evil, but focus your thoughts on what is right in the sight of all people. 18) If possible, so far as it depends on you, live in peace with all people. 19) Do not take revenge, dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath. For it is written, "Vengeance belongs to me. I will pay them back, declares the Lord." Wait a minute, Paul, the reformed Pharisee, and one of the most prominent advocates of grace; tells his audience of Jewish converts, and us, do not put yourself back under the bondage of the law. And yet, here it is. Nahum 1:2-3 AMPC The Lord is a jealous God and avenging; the Lord avenges, and He is full of wrath. The Lord takes vengeance on His adversaries and reserves wrath for His enemies. [Exodus 20:5] 3) The Lord is slow to anger and great in power and will by no means clear the guilty. The Lord has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet. [Exodus 34:6-7] There are many scriptural illustrations that Paul could have pulled from, but Nahum conveys the idea of vengeance well. If Paul could be comfortable drawing examples from the “law” while speaking of those same laws as a return to bondage, then your spirit should be telling you that there is something more involved in this idea of bondage than mere constraints put on us by God. The “laws,” such as, love your neighbor as yourselves, are, at the very least, a better way of living; And, they are the very thing that keeps us out of God's way, as we focus on the positive rather than our hidden agenda of supplanting God by dishing out vengeance and judgment. So then, even the New Testament conveys constraints that parallel the law. I have mentioned, many times, how we live under the perfect law of liberty. James 2:10-12 NASB For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. 11) For He who said, "DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY," also said, "DO NOT COMMIT MURDER." Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12) So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. James is also the one who tells us that we are blessed when we walk in this law. James 1:25 NASB But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does. We then, do not have the freedom to seek vengeance, nor are we entirely free from the God's law. As the morning's study progressed a brash statement was made, when we get to heaven, you will not find a Pharisee there as they will all be in hell. A quick inventory in my head put me in remembrance of Nicodemus, Simon of Arimathea, and the Apostle Paul, all of which, were prominent Pharisees who displayed a love of Jesus Christ. Several minutes passed and I raised my hand. When the leader finally acknowledged me, I said, as a recovering Pharisee who struggles with judgment I want to share a story with you. At this point, I told them about a stepson who had inappropriately taken one of my handguns into the backyard to show a friend of his. You need to understand that there had been a series of events that ended with a stolen bicycle, and this young man in my backyard had played a role in that. I that moment, with them fondling my revolver, I merely held out a hand, and my stepson placed the gun in my hand. I simply said, had you asked me I would have taken you to the range and taught you how to respect the weapon and shoot it, but since you chose to go behind my back you have lost that opportunity. I began that day to pray that God would remove bad influences from my stepson's life. Two weeks later, the other boy shot himself in the head while playing Russian roulette. The important thing was I merely asked God to intervene, but I did not try to tell Him what to do about it. I remind you of Romans 12:19 which says, 19) Do not take revenge, dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath. For it is written, "Vengeance belongs to me. I will pay them back, declares the Lord." I don't know how I did it because I was angry in the days that preceded that young mans death. I was the one who walked my son into the police station and made him “return” this obviously stolen bicycle, and this entire process was laden with humiliation and fear for both of us, but it worked out, as they apparently realized that my actions had ingrained a serious lesson in my son. Once again look at what James has to say. James 2:12-13 NASB So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. 13) For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. Pay close attention to verse 13 where it says, “For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy.” I my story above I feel like I did it right. I feel no blame for the young man, but I grieved with his father who explained how they had seen unusual patterns beginning to develop. I can assure you that there were multiple times that I did not get this right, and here is one. Having been raised in the church, I was severely wounded by a few sarcastic church elders. I carried their wounds most of my life. Did they always occupy my mind? No, but a string of events that I can relate to codependency, seemed to bring their brutal tongues to the forefront of my thinking. The bottom line here is that in my mind I hated them and wanted them to suffer slow, prolonged, and painful torture, for what they did. When you think about the logic in all this, you can see that this pain I believed I inflicted upon them, and the chains I held them in, was all in my head. That means I gave them too much free space in my head. And never, were they aware of this bondage I held them in. During the time involved, I had to maintain the chains, keeping the rust off those chains by oiling them. All this maintenance cost me a tremendous amount of time and energy. Sadly, I felt justified in all this. Primarily I learned I needed to forgive them. Yes, I needed to forgive; the problem is, I had no idea of what to do. Oh sure, mother had her designs, which amounted to letting people continue to slap you until you are spinning, but that was not going to work for me either (anymore.) Thankfully there was a day when a prophetic woman stopped me and said, you have to forgive those men who hurt you! I responded with, alright, but how? She said, it's simple, you merely release them from the debts you think they owe you. To be honest, it only took me a couple of days to realize that I was having no impact on them and that my efforts were simply me, judging them. After, what seemed like a lifetime I released them from the bondage that I felt they owed me. Quickly, I began doing that with ex-wives and others that had offended me. I have, over time, told these truths to others, only to have them say its hard to forgive! I responded briskly with, no, it's not. The only difficult part is you letting go of the imaginary control you think you have. You see, when we set ourselves up as judges and put people into the prison of our minds, we have set ourselves up as God. We have supplanted God and tried to take over His job. In doing this, we have set up our own fates, which James spells out. James 2:12-13 NASB So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. 13) For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. Since we are not under the law, and yet have an almost identical command in the New Testament, then let's try one more and see if we can find the freedom in it. Deuteronomy 32:35 CJB Vengeance and payback are mine for the time when their foot slips; for the day of their calamity is coming soon, their doom is rushing upon them.' On one hand, this tells us that all vengeance belongs to God, while on the other hand it speaks to payback, which is His also. Their day will come, whether they be religious or ungodly. I will show you Romans 12:19 once again. Romans 12:19 ISV Do not take revenge, dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath. For it is written, "Vengeance belongs to me. I will pay them back, declares the Lord." By taking yourselves out of the judgment seat, you are putting these people back into God's hand. As the ISV translation says, leave room for God's wrath. Alright, there is time for just one more story. On a particular day, I was put in charge of the office where I was outnumbered by women who had taught us men, how to install and repair pay phones. A particular lady, who had a horrific case plantar fasciitis, whined incessantly about how she could not do the job. I suspect that I misread her that day, and thought that she was saying that she could not do the added dimension of installing the wiring. I asked her to stay in the office for a moment and proceeded to tell her, in my most Pharisaical tone, that as a Christian I was ashamed of her because, we, as believers, can do all things through Christ. The short of it, within about six months my judgment came back on me, and I found myself ashamed of my actions. I don't know what became of her, but I lost everything dear to me. So, I understand how this works, and you don't want to get into the judgment game. As an addendum: 4/16/18 Monday morning's Men's study Opened with, "Vengeance, we are not to even have the thought!" Is this possible? Paul, in his letter to Timothy, wrote (2Timothy 4:14,15) 2 Timothy 4:14-15 AMPC Alexander the coppersmith did me great wrongs. The Lord will pay him back for his actions. 15) Beware of him yourself, for he opposed and resisted our message very strongly and exceedingly. 2 Timothy 4:15 GNB Be on your guard against him yourself, because he was violently opposed to our message. 2 Timothy 4:15 MSG Fiercely opposed to our Message, he caused no end of trouble. God will give him what he's got coming.
  15. If you are going to post anything against sanctification or to discourage it then please, in the name of the Lord Jesus: “Do not reply to this post”. If you are proud about your sins and your unholy state, then please do not discourage those who do not want to be. “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.” - Luke 11:23 “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” - 1 Corinthians 10:31 For it is for God they desire to be holy. And is it for God you desire to be unholy?! “And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him - the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.” - John 12:47-48 Pursue holiness, yes, pursue holiness. As commanded by the Lord. “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;” - Hebrews 12:14-15 Sanctification for the sheep. Yes, for the sheep! “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.” - Matthew 15:19-20 “Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.” - Proverbs 4:23 No one can even desire sanctification if the Spirit of God is not in them. “and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.” - Acts 15:9 If you desire sanctification it is a good indication that the Spirit of God is dwelling in you. “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.” - Romans 8:9 But is there a limit to sanctification for me?! No, there is no limit: “...go and sin no more.” - John 8:11 Is it the will of God that I walk holy in this world?! It is not only the will of God, but it is He Himself that puts this desire in you, through His Spirit. “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” - Philippians 2:13 And by doing so, in truth, you are pleasing and honoring Him. “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” - John 17:17 And forget everything you have heard from friends and family. Everything is possible with God, and He can sanctify you, in truth, completely... There is no limit to His power. “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” - Matthew 19:26 It is very common we hear from people that this or that is impossible to overcome. This is not true, as explained above. “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” - Mark 11:24 The limit is that your pride may hinder your sanctification, the prouder you are, the less sanctified you will be. Submission to the Lord and acknowledgment that you stand by faith in Him and not on your own strenght or ability. “Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear.” - Romans 11:20 And you will see this as you progress, that whenever you become proud... Then, you fall. “I am the Lord, that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another, Nor My praise to carved images.” - Isaiah 42:8 As it is written, humbleness is very, very important in the sanctification process. The Lord is very, very interested in your sanctification but without submission and humility this is not going to happen. “But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”” - James 4:6 First, get rid of all deceit and hypocrisy... You are not going to be sanctified in truth if you walk in darkness. “If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” - 1 John 1:6 Be sincere with the Lord, you cannot hide anything from Him. If you know you are doing something that displeases Him, then, repent. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” - 1 John 1:9 The Lord understands and know of your weaknesses, but He desires that you pursue His righteousness and do not be satisfied with your current state. Whenever you fail, you are not willing to, but by your own strength you cannot improve and overcome. “For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.” - Romans 7:19 “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God - through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.” - Romans 7:24-25 Whenever you fall, confess it, and seek not to next time, this is obviously if you have repented. Just seek to walk in sincerity before Him. “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” - 1 John 1:7 Give priority to the Spirit, not the flesh. I believe that reading the Bible, especially the New Testament; at least once a day can help. You do not need to read it whole at once, a few minutes a day would be fine. But read it, and pray before you do it: Asking for wisdom, understanding, and to guide you in truth! The Word and the Spirit have to work together, just reading it is not enough, you have to believe it! If evil temptation comes, and your desire is to please God, but then Satan says that God wants you to do that, then the following Scripture comes: “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.” - James 1:13-14 You will notice that Satan will soon stop to try this strategy on you because he was defeated by the truth. And no lies can prevail against truth. And by faith, you will stand, if He allows you to stand. Remember: Faith comes from God. A few things you can do to help your sanctification is to abstain from unnecessary and wordly things, as much as possible. Do not take the abstention of evil lightly. It is very, very important. “Abstain from every form of evil.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:22 Fighting in the spiritual realm, putting the Word into practice. As I said, the Word have to work with the Spirit. And by practicing the Word - which means to believe it - your sanctification will reach higher levels. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” - Hebrews 11:6 At the start, you will see yourself in many fights against the flesh. But as you grow it will become easier and easier, and the fights against the flesh gets much lower. As commanded by the Lord: Watch against all evil, do not let them enter in your heart. Feelings of the flesh, like: pride, envy, outbursts of wrath, fornication, obscene thoughts, hate, bitterness, etc may come. But be prepared to resist them, the Spirit will warn and give you faith to resist them. “But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.” - Luke 12:39 If you feel Satan is going too strong, then use your authority in the name of the Lord Jesus to fight against him. “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” - John 14:14 “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” - Luke 10:19 Remember, the Spirit of the risen Lord dwells in you. The Spirit must reign, not sin (flesh, evil desires, etc). “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.” - Galatians 5:17 “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.” - Romans 6:12 Addiction to sinful behavior and bad habits may seem very hard to get rid of, but it is possible through faith in the power of God. It is those bad habits that goes through years and years, you know it is not cool or something to be comfortable with. But you always fall from time to time, some every week, others every few days, and this keeps repeating. For you to become free of such bad habit you have to pray that this desire goes away. And only God can do this. Pray that this desire goes away, that you do not want to see pleasure in these evil things anymore, and that you want to have pleasure in the things of God, you want to love Him! And keep praying daily, until you feel you have received it. You may feel a progress each day. “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:23 And keep praying, whenever you feel to, in faith... God will help you during your day, at work, or anywhere you go. “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing” - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17 And He is willing to see your progress, then whenever you feel to ask, then ask Him. “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” - Romans 8:26 If you have fallen, rest assured God is there willing to forgive you and make you stand again. He loves you! “Who are you to judge another's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.” - Romans 14:4 And it is by His grace, His power, His Spirit in us that makes us feel so comfortable and in peace. “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” - Romans 8:2 And all the things we used to practice when we were lost, all the works of the flesh, all the envy, hate, bitterness, lewdness, deceit, and much more. “What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.” - Romans 6:21 But now in Christ Jesus we are finally free, free to do and love all that is good and pleasant in the sight of God; and with sincerity. “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” - Galatians 6:9 “For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men” - 1 Peter 2:15 It is time to welcome, receive, and embrace the Holy Spirit. “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” - Luke 11:13 “I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” - Mark 1:8 And to focus on the complete renewal of our mind. Stay more and more focused on the things above, the things of the Spirit. “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” - Romans 8:6 “Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.” - Ephesians 6:24 God bless you in Jesus' name!
  16. John 15: 12-13 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” So my question is: Jesus’ great love for us sent him to the cross for us. It would be the greatest love. But if we lay down our life for a friend it would not be as great as the love Christ showed us, would it? And why?
  17. The past few days have been a bunch of small things that can easily have been fixed. my husband refuses to talk about things and it is like pulling teeth to get any of his feelings out of him. I told him i need him to communicate things with me so we can both work on things together. he thinks im trying to change him and that's just "how he is." which i explained is not true. it's a behavior things. how can we work on this? he went to bed still angry at me. I know in the Bible it talks about if someone becomes angry do not go to bed angry. So it really hurt me that he did. He's told me before that he just likes to be angry sometimes and he can't just get over it even after the problem has been dealt with. Please pray for our relationship. We just got married this December.
  18. To secure our attention and place us on the pathway God desires, there are strategies that He employs that are very effective. As much as we are not to be ignorant of satan's devices (2 Cor. 2:11), we must be even more knowledgeable of the ways of the Lord (Ps. 25:4). Knowing God's ways will result in us experiencing His mighty acts (Psalms 103:7). Three ways God works to move us in a new direction: 1. DISRUPTION OF OUR PLANS When stuck at an impasse, it is a natural tendency to return to familiar surroundings. We see this in the lives of the disciples after Jesus' death. They went back to fishing even though they had clearly been mandated to forsake their vocation and follow Christ (see Luke 5:10-11; John 21:3). Because they were commercial fishermen, there may even have been economic motives behind their actions. Nevertheless, we see clearly that there was no lasting provision and no permanent peace in returning to past environments. When God leads us out of a place of familiarity and the way forward is blocked, what is the solution? There are some breakthroughs reserved for us that can only be accessed through prayer. We must seek God until we receive a clear answer from Heaven. Whether it was Paul's night vision of the man in Macedonia summoning him, or the voice of Jesus speaking to the disciples on the seashore in Galilee, the New Testament Christians received clear direction from the Spirit and were able to regain momentum and experience breakthrough. 2. DISSIPATION OF RESOURCES Just as Elijah had foretold, the word of the Lord came to pass. "And there was a severe famine in Samaria ..." (1 Kings 18:2). During the famine, God looked after Elijah. He gave him specific instruction relative to how he would be sustained. "Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 'Get away from here and turn eastward and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.' So he went and did according to the word of the Lord, for he went and stayed by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook" (1 Kings 17:2-6). Cherith which means "place of covenant," was where the Lord demonstrated His faithfulness in taking care of Elijah. However, the day would come when the brook would run dry and the birds would no longer fly (see 1 Kings 17:7). Although Elijah had come to depend on such provision, God seemed to have no compunction at all in cutting off these resources. Has Your Brook Dried Up? Have you experienced something similar? Your streams of resource have dried up. During such a time, trust that the Lord will soon speak to you like He did to Elijah. "Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 'Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you'" (1 Kings 17:8-9). You will see that the place where He leads you will be the place where He feeds you. Where the Lord guides, He provides! 3. DISSOLUTION OF RELATIONSHIPS Here is a powerful truth to embrace when a key connection you value has dissolved for no apparent legitimate reason: The Lord is turning the hearts of men in the direction He desires (Prov. 21:1) and is, in fact, making it easier for you to let go and move forward into your next assignment. Therefore, do not take the matter personally nor become bitter with people as though they are rejecting you. TRUSTING IN GOD'S GOOD GUIDANCE Sometimes Father God's ways do not make sense to us. Scripture even attests to this reality."For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:9). No matter how it may appear on the surface, He is actively involved in the affairs of our lives. On occasion, He may even interrupt our plans resulting in us experiencing a sense of anxiety due to a perceived loss of control. However, as uncomfortable as we may become, we must trust that He is leading us along the best pathway for our lives. "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My eye on you" (Psalms 32:8). ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com
  19. Genesis 1:2 - "The earth was without form and an empty waste, and darkness was upon the face of the very great deep. The Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." Observation: AS I MEET WITH GOD HE COMES LIVING AND BREATHING THROUGH THE SCRIPTURES INTO MY HEART. AT THAT MOMENT THE VERY SAME SPIRIT THAT HOVERED OVER CREATION, IN THE BEGINNING, IS HOVERING OVER ME, TRANSFORMING ME INTO THE IMAGE OF CHRIST THROUGH THE WORD. THAT LIVING, BREATHING WORD IS GOD! 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." Matthew 14:27 - "But Jesus immediately said to them: 'Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."' Christ's assurance, "It is I", literally translated reads, "I Am" - the eternal designation of God. While Jesus indeed comes to the aid of His disciples, He also reveals Himself transcendent of time's barriers. As such, He proclaims His availability to all His disciples. He is God with us, even to the end of the age! AFFIRMATIONS: Since I am in Jesus Christ all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in me. (Col. 2:9,10) God has put eternity in my heart. (Ecclesiastes 3:11) The Lord is like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I cannot contain it any longer. (Jer.20:9) Matthew 7:25 - "And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock." Observation:I CANNOT BUILD MY HOUSE "IN A STORM". MY HOUSE MUST BE BUILT DAY BY DAY, BEFOREHAND, BY DIGGING DEEP AND BUILDING ON THE ROCK OF HEARING AND OBEYING THE WORDS OF CHRIST. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRYhttp://afministry.ning.com
  20. "Oh, my soul, my soul! I am pained in my very heart! My heart makes a noise in me, that I cannot hold my peace, because you have heard, 'O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.'" Jeremiah 4:19 The Holy Spirit within us wants to use us to properly do battle against the enemy. However, we must remember, "...the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty THROUGH GOD for pulling down of strongholds." 2 Corinthians 10:4 We must allow the Holy Spirit the "right of way" to take it over and to direct it. We must turn TO it and not from it. We must not be ashamed of the WEEPING that He desires to cry out through us! "...Today if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts...." Hebrews 3:7-8 SO WHAT DO WE DO WITH THIS WEEPING? We need to ALLOW the Holy Spirit to cry, to pray through us when this unction comes upon us, and to NOT "shut it down." Additionally, don't worry about the "words" you will pray.... Romans 8:26-27, "...the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God." As we allow the weeping unction of the Holy Spirit to cry out through us, we will be praying for the things for which the Spirit within us is weeping, in the way the Lord wants it prayed about, and in the will of the Lord for the outcome. Romans 8:28, "And (then) we know that all things (will) work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." PRAY IT THROUGH When those tears and/or deep groanings come, LET them! Don't stop it! Be led by the Holy Spirit. And understand that even if you don't have your prayer language, you are still His Sheep, and you can still hear and obey the voice of the Lord, and be directed to pray according to the will of God. In whatever way He desires for you to pray, "pray it through!" Until you have a "release" or a sensing of peace that it has been "taken care of." Don't be concerned about "words!" It may be that you will experience tears and/or groanings alone. Also, we don't need to be embarrassed by tears (ours or others) if they begin to flow. We just need to "let go and let God!" And let's not "fake it" or get loud to get attention. Weeping may very well and most likely occur when we are all alone. Let's just allow the Holy Spirit total access to and through us, to be led by Him, for His purposes to be accomplished when and how He causes that unction to come. It is a time to let the "rain" of the Holy Spirit "reign!" To let Him cry out through us for souls and for mercy! In this time when so many have serious needs, let us heed the voice of the Spirit to "pray it through." Revelation 2:11, "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches..." ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com
  21. Exodus 16:4 - "Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law or no." God did not give the children of Israel the heavenly manna until they exhausted the flour brought from Egypt. This bread of angels is disagreeable to the palate of anyone who wants to taste human food. Persons feeding on other strange tastes not only become incapable of the Divine Spirit but are not satisfied with God alone but entertain a desire and affection for other things. John 14:6,7 - "Jesus saith unto him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known My Father also: and from henceforth ye know Him, and have seen Him."' Unless we can be corrected, unless we are seeking God for an unfolding revelation of His son, our so-called "faith" may be, in reality, just a lazy indifference, a deception concerning the things of God. Subconsciously, we may actually want a dead religion so we do not have to change. True faith is freighted with the power of God. Timothy 3:5 - "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away."AFFIRMATIONS: I do only those things that I see the Father doing. As I take communion, partaking of the bread and wine, I confirm my oneness with Jesus. I am in Christ Jesus. I walk worthy of the Lord - I am fruitful, and I increase in the knowledge and wisdom of the Lord. Each day I seek to draw ever nearer to Christ, seeking to yield, ever deeper, my will to His will. Psalm 145:2 - "Every day will I bless Thee; and I will praise Thy name forever and ever." WHAT I DO DAILY DETERMINES WHAT I BECOME PERMANENTLY. Proverbs 8:34 - "Blessed is the man that heareth Me, watching daily at My gates, waiting at the posts of My doors." ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
  22. Genesis 21:10 - "Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac." Freedom cannot abide in a slaves heart dominated by worldly desires and honors. Royal freedom of spirit attained in divine union has nothing to do with slavery. There are certain foundational attributes of servanthood and sacrifice that create a seedbed for the fragrance of Christ in our lives. Luke 22:26 - "Not so with you: on the contrary, the highest among you must bear himself like the youngest, the chief of you like a servant." Romans 5:5 - "And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us." The proof of love is the willingness to changeObservation: I HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE SAME LOVE THAT COMPELLED JESUS TO GO TO THE CROSS. IT IS THE LOVE THAT COMPELS ME TO INTERCEDE FOR OTHERS. I PRAY FOR OTHERS TO RELEASE THEM FROM THE BONDAGE OF THE ENEMY. I PRAY FOR THEM SO THEY CAN COME TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH. Romans 15:13 - "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit." One of the fruits of the Holy Spirit is JOY! One way you can know that you are communing with the Holy Spirit is when His love, joy, and peace begins to flood your heart. It is a supernatural result of your love for God in the Person of the Holy Spirit. Romans 14:17 - "For the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." There is a domino effect when we choose to live in sync with the Holy Spirit rather than following the fleshly mind. Faith and trust blossoms in the presence of God. When God is big in your life, you won't make molehills mountains and mountains molehills. You will magnify the Lord and rejoice in Him at all times. Be encouraged in your faith, believe God for greater, keep moving forward, and rejoice in His presence! ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
  23. Romans 5:5 - "And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us." Observation: ACTING IN LOVE WHEN OTHERS ARE NOT ACTING IN LOVE TOWARD ME - THIS IS THE HIGHEST VALUE TO MY SOUL. LOVE IS THE PATH ON WHICH I WALK AS CLOSELY AS IS POSSIBLE TO THOSE WHO ARE ALREADY LIVING IN THE LIFE ETERNAL. THE MORE I FOLLOW LOVE THE MORE MY OLD SELF IS CONSUMED AND DIES. Galatians 5:22 - "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith." Proverbs 18:21 - "Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." Affirmation:I SPEAK GOD'S WORDS CONTINUALLY, AND THEN WATCH THE HOLY SPIRIT BLAST THE MOUNTAINS OF OBSTACLES OUT OF MY WAY. Psalm 77:12 - "I will meditate also of all Thy work, and talk of Thy doings." What I think about the most will grow the strongest in me. Joshua 1:8 - "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night." "Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." - Ephesians 5:20 Thankfulness takes the sting out of adversity. That is why He has instructed us to give thanks for everything. There is an element of mystery in this transaction: You give Him thanks (regardless of your feelings), and He gives you Joy (regardless of your circumstances). This is a spiritual act of obedience—at times, blind obedience. Thankfulness opens your heart to His Presence and your mind to His thoughts, enabling you to see from His perspective. It is this Light of His Presence that removes the sting from adversity. "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." - Psalm 118:1 "Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O Lord." - Psalm 89:15 ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
  24. 2 Corinthians 3:18 - "But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror, the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit." Our goal is not to become perfect people, but to abide in the one who is perfect. Our righteousness will never be in us, but will always be in Him. It is not what we do, but what He has already done, that changes us. Affirmation: NO MENTAL STRUGGLES, NO SADNESS, NO TEMPTATION, BONDS, OR TEMPORARY AFFLICTIONS ARE GOING TO MOVE ME OFF MY COURSE -- GOD HAS ALREADY GIVEN ME THE VICTORY THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS. 2 Timothy 1:6 - "Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands." The Greek word for gift is "charisma" which describes those spiritual abilities with which God equips believers. Nothing in the realm of the Spirit is accomplished without this "charisma", or supernatural ability of God. Affirmation: I AM GOING TO COMPLETE MY CALLING IN CHRIST -- IM GOING TO REACH MY DESTINY. We must pass through a door to enter the new season. When we go through a door, we enter another realm. Many times we don't want to go through the open doors because they are scary. Even if we can see past them, we don't know what to expect when we go through them. We say things like, "I've never gone that way before. Suppose I am inadequate? What if I fail?" Paul was aware of the scary things that lay ahead through his new door, as he said in 1 Corinthians 16:9, "For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries." Going through an open door symbolizes trusting Him. Fear of the future and inability to control things can prevent you from doing that. Even though the door is not closed, you really don't know what is on the other side. So going through is an act of faith. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
  25. "For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in Heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." - Ephesians 3:14-19 Thank God that the Holy Spirit dwells within us with the fullness of His love so that we are not left with our limitations. As we think on God's love, forgiveness, compassion, and grace we know that there is no way to measure or contain His capacity in these things. Every attribute that God has is eternal and cannot be contained or measured. UNLIKE HUMAN LOVE His love has no beginning and no end; it is eternal in every way. His love was upon us before we were formed and will extend to us throughout eternity. Human love most often depends upon the actions of another, but God's love has no dependency or expectation upon another. He is not capable of withholding love or wavering in His love toward us. Even in the midst of our sin and constant "wavering" affections, His love is immeasurable and unmovable. The same is true with every attribute of God. His forgiveness is eternal in every sense of the word. His grace, mercy, wisdom, power, righteousness, justice and goodness are absolutely measureless and cannot be contained within time or space. Often we misunderstand God's ways with us as being measurable by believing that He is withholding from us (healing, provision, blessings, etc.). Our understanding is limited to our experience or our ability to imagine God's ways, but still everything we know or imagine is contained within the limits of our humanity. We are not able to comprehend that which is not comprehensible. As humans, we live within the boundaries of time and space; God is the only immeasurable thing we know. So how do we do what Ephesians 3:14-19 says? How do we grasp how long, wide, high, or deep is the love of God if it is immeasurable and uncontainable? We can only grasp it by understanding verse 19: "to know this love that surpasses knowledge..." We must grasp the truth that HIS LOVE for us will always SURPASS our knowledge and our limited understanding. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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