“If you love Me, keep My commandments.”
John 14:15 NKJV This is one of those Scriptures that really catches my attention. For me it’s like a bright neon sign flashing in the middle of a dark night. It can’t be missed! It’s blunt and to the point. He didn’t say if you love Me try to do what I’ve commanded. Give it your best effort and if you don’t succeed that’s OK. Because it’s not OK! We don’t get a pass on this one! When you look at what Jesus has had to say it will serve us well if we look at His words of instruction as commandments rather than suggestions. This goes not only for the written Word of God but also for His leading by the Spirit. Your rejection of Him speaking to you by the Spirit, to your inner man, reveals a lack of respect for Him. We can’t disrespect Him and love Him at the same time. Your our love for Jesus is revealed in your obedience to His instructions, both from the Scriptures and Him speaking to you. Your inward witness. I like the way The Passion Translation reads. “Loving me empowers you to obey my commands.” John 14:15 TPT I really like that! Loving Him empowers us to obey. It’s not a forced obedience because it’s a choice on our part. We can elect to do what He says or not. It’s entirely up to us and we can always be confident that He will grace us to carry out His instructions for our lives. He will help us, He will empower us! Father God we love You and thank You for Your Word that speaks to us. We also thank You that You are also speaking to us by the Spirit. Father we thank You for Your grace, Your empowerment, to carry out Your instructions. We give You all the praise and the glory in Jesus Name. It’s exciting day to be alive and expect great things to be happening because He is with you every step of the way!
0 Comments
“And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
Mark 16:15-18 NKJV Glory to God it is a great day to be alive and serving the King of Kings. We are so excited about what God is doing in the earth today and we are excited about what He desires to do through you. You are very special to Him! You are one of a kind, there is no one like you. No one like you ever before and there will be only one of you to walk this planet. Ever! You are special to God! Special to Him and special to the work that He has called you to do. In our Scripture today, Jesus is commissioning His disciples, instructing them in what they are to do after He is gone. This work that He has been doing in His ministry was to be continued by them. He told them: • Cast out devils • They would speak with new tongues • They could expect God to supernaturally care and protect them • Lay hands on the sick This commissioning is not just for those 12 but it’s for you and I today! This is our commission as long as we are living and breathing on planet earth. Many believers are wondering what God would want them to do with their lives. Well here’s where you start! “And the apostles went out announcing the good news everywhere, as the Lord himself consistently worked with them, validating the message they preached with miracle-signs that accompanied them!” Mark 16:20 TPT Friend, you have been commissioned by the Master “to go” and Jesus will be working with you validating the message with miracles. That is awesome and it doesn’t get any better than that! Jesus Himself is with you every step of the way! So let’s not you and I delay any longer but as Larry the Cable Guy likes to say "Git-R-Done! “Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.” So He said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.”
Luke 11:1-2 NKJV God’s plan is for the Kingdom of God to be manifested and revealed in the earth, in this age. Our current home, earth, is filled with pain and suffering. It’s all around us and is impacting each of us, in someway. What we see in the pain and suffering was not God’s original plan for you and I. Before Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eden and disobeyed God there was no pain and suffering. There were no tears to be wiped nor bodies to be healed. How it was before the fall and as it is in Heaven, is to be on earth! Right now! We know in Heaven there is no pain and suffering, no tears to be shed. There, we will as believers, get to enjoy that. But here in this life, this current life, there is too much pain and suffering! If we are not careful it is very easy to be consumed with all the nastiness, and to focus in on it. If you do your hope and your faith will fade away. I am not suggesting that we not understand what is happening around us but let’s always remember that God has an answer, and a plan to alleviate it. Focus on the solution not the problem! Jesus would do this through not only through His ministry and His disciples but through you and I as well. What they started under the anointing of God we are to continue today! It is the anointing that breaks the yoke of all bondage! “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.” Acts 10:38 KJV That same anointing that Jesus and the disciples operated in is available to us today. We are not waiting to enjoy the benefits of Kingdom living when we reach Heaven but we can enjoy those Heavenly benefits now. “Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ...” II Corinthians 5:20 NKJV We are Kingdom representatives, Ambassadors for Christ. Paul said this of himself “for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” Ephesians 6:20 NKJV So as His representatives, His Ambassadors what are we to do? Let’s understand that God’s desire is for His Kingdom to be established in the earth, today. I believe there is some misconception that this will only occur with the second coming of our Lord Jesus. “The LORD is good to all, And His tender mercies are over all His works. All Your works shall praise You, O LORD, And Your saints shall bless You. They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom, And talk of Your power, To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts, And the glorious majesty of His kingdom.Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.” Psalms 145:9-13 NKJV Notice what it says! This gives us a glimpse into what we as His Ambassadors are to be doing. “They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom, And talk of Your power, To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts, And the glorious majesty of His kingdom.” Oh my friend His Kingdom is glorious! And that’s what we need to be doing, not only talking about how great it is, but demonstrating what Kingdom life is like. “Jesus sent his twelve harvest hands out with this charge: “Don’t begin by traveling to some far-off place to convert unbelievers. And don’t try to be dramatic by tackling some public enemy. Go to the lost, confused people right here in the neighborhood. Tell them that the kingdom is here. Bring health to the sick. Raise the dead. Touch the untouchables. Kick out the demons. You have been treated generously, so live generously.” Matthew 10:5-8 MSG “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”
Ephesians 6:17 NKJV In today’s Grace for Today, God shows us through Ephesians 6 we are to be well dressed, ready for battle, wearing the armor of God. As I was reading this Scripture God quickened to my spirit what is found in verse 17. He said we are to take, ”THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, WHICH IS THE WORD OF GOD.” Let’s look at several other translations: Amplified Bible Classic, “the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God.” Gods Word, “the sword that the Spirit supplies.” He told us earlier in this chapter that our battle is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces. This is something we must always remember. It’s not the seen but the unseen we need to focus on. The spirit behind the activity. Our battle is not against flesh and blood. Therefore the battle is not fought with physical weapons but weapons of the Spirit. GOD’S WORD IS POWERFUL, IT’S SUPERNATURAL, IT’S A WEAPON! “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12 KJV When Jesus was tempted by the devil He said “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4 KJV Jesus was quoting what we find in the book of Deuteronomy. “man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.” Deuteronomy 8:3 KJV THE WORD OF GOD IS YOUR WEAPON THAT YOU USE AGAINST THE DEVIL! The devil hates you because he hates God and he can’t take God out but he will try to take you out. The devil will attempt to steal from you, kill you and destroy you. That’s his goal. Take action today against the enemy in any area that he has come to steal, kill and destroy within your life or the lives of your loved ones. Take action today against his activity in the governments of the world or where ever God directs you to release His Word over a situation. As you take up the Sword of the Spirit, declaring what God has said regarding the situation, you don’t have to physically be there to do battle. You could be driving in your car or sitting in your living room and doing battle with those evil forces in your neighborhood or on the other side of the world. God has given you the authority to do just that using the authority of His Word. Jesus Himself said the words that He spoke are Spirit and life. “It is the Spirit Who gives life [He is the Life-giver]; the flesh conveys no benefit whatever [there is no profit in it]. The words (truths) that I have been speaking to you are spirit and life.” John 6:63 AMPC I like the way the Message Bible phrases it. “The Spirit can make life. Sheer muscle and willpower don’t make anything happen. Every word I’ve spoken to you is a Spirit-word, and so it is life-making.” John 6:63 MSG His Word is life-giving! Look what God said to Jeremiah regarding His Word. “Then said the Lord to me, You have seen well, for I am alert and active, watching over My word to perform it.” Jeremiah 1:12 AMPC “to see that my word is fulfilled.” Jeremiah 1:12 NIV Imagine that! He is watching and looking for us to be bold enough to speak and declare His Word. Glory to His Name! As you declare His Word, God and all of Heaven’s resources are made available and activated to bring to pass that which you have declared from His Word! SO WHAT’S IN YOUR HAND? Father we thank You for Your precious Word and for all that You have provided for Your children. We are so blessed!! Linda and I want to thank you for partnering with this ministry through your prayers and financial gifts as God directs. We love you and boldly declare Jesus is Lord! Ron and Linda |