By Every Word

The Lord’s Prayer 01

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Jul 142010

Luke 11
1) And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.

Don’t read the bible too fast, otherwise you’ll miss important parts of God’s word. Look what His disciples asked Him.

‘Teach us how to pray’.

Now me personally, before learning this, I would have said “Teach me how to heal the sick, teach me how to open blinded eye, teach me how to make a pillar of fire come down from heaven, teach me how to walk on the water, teach me how to raise the dead…”

But no… they asked Him to teach them how to pray. This shows that prayer is something that needs to be taught. Do you know how to pray?

“Well, I just talk to God”

No, no, no… That’s not what Jesus taught. I will show you in the next few posts as we discuss the order of prayer. It was so important that the disciples asked Him- how to pray.

Purpose of Prayer – Lesson 1

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Jul 092010

This is message 1 of the Kingdom Study Series on Prayer. In this message we explore the question “Why do we pray?” We first have to review God’s purpose which will open up questions we have all asked our self. There is a reason for prayer… as kingdom citizens, it’s time we discover what it is. Understand the purpose of prayer, and you can finally pray with purpose.

Sacrifice

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Jun 302010

Why does every American get into the same scenario?

Mortgage they can’t afford or renting something above their means
Car payments they can barely afford
Clothes they spend twice as much on then they have to
Living paycheck to paycheck

It’s because we consume everything we get, making us what the system wants us to be which is CON-SU-MERS.
It’s time to break this cycle. It’s not God’s will for His people to be this way- it’s not kingdom.

When a person of Asian descent comes to America- they do something different. They live on nothing so they can buy and own a business. They sacrifice the things we consider necessities so they can win later. As Dave Ramsey says, ‘You have to delay gratification’.

It’s a different mentality in cultures that we have. We have to have nice clothes because everyone else does and we want to look and feel good… Now. We don’t want to be seen riding a bike to work, we need a car and we want a nice one… Now. We want to live somewhere nice even if it means being stressed about paying for it everyday when we come home.

We have things we consider “we are owed”.

“I’ve had it rough- I deserve something nice.”

So we get those things and then cannot afford them and we stress. We do this all of our lives until we get a stress related illness and wonder what happened to our dream.

Sacrifice now, Win later. And later is sooner than you think. When you start managing your finances properly, you are in right standing with the kingdom, and you begin to see more come to you. (Parable of the talents)

Destroying Evidence

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Jun 242010

Have you ever felt you were wronged by someone in a way that it came against your character?
Ever felt like you were trying to prove who you were? And just when you did- someone tries to destroy the very thing that finally displayed beyond a shadow of a doubt you are who you say you are.

Well, I have good news for you, so did Jesus. I want you to take a look at this verse.

John 12
9) Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.

10) But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death;

11) Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.

Wow! What a revelation this can be in our own life. Someone is going to read this next part and be uplifted and encouraged.

You may have had people come against you in the past, but don’t worry so did Jesus. These things must happen- because remember He said “No servant is greater than his master, they persecuted Me, they will persecute you”. The pharisees spent so much time trying to disprove who Jesus was- because they didn’t want to acknowledge Him. They even went as far as trying to destroy the very thing that proved He was who He said He was.
In law this would be called ‘destroying evidence’. When you are leading, when you are triumphing in life, when favor is upon you- people will come against you because you’re rising- don’t be surprised when this happens, in fact expect it. People will try to destroy the evidence of your calling… of your work.

They may even be the ones you wouldn’t expect. They may dress the part, have the robes, hold the office, have the title- but their deeds are not kingdom intent. The pharisees were more worried about losing “members’ than pleasing God. Members and worship of the letter of the law was all they had. Jesus came to fulfill the spirit of the law and brought what they couldn’t… results. So they consulted to destroy the evidence.

Do not fear what man can do to you though. They can only- HEAR ME! – They can ONLY do what is allowed for them to do by our God in heaven. We have nothing to prove. The evidence of our lives will speak volumes.

I love this kingdom!

If It Was Easy

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Jun 162010

If the things worth achieving were easy they would already be done. This also goes with the phrase ‘Nothing worth having is free’.

I heard Dave Ramsey answer a question about why he charges for his Financial Peace University DVD set once. He said (paraphrase) ‘That you don’t hold value in things that you get for free, but if you have to sacrifice money then you want to make sure you get your money out of it.’

This is so true! Anything worth having has a cost associated with it. Electricity is nice to have and has a cost. A good job has the cost of hard work. A good relationship has the investment of time in it. Vegetables and fruit have the cost of sweat and labor. Sweet victories have the cost of trials and battles. Everything has a cost.

There are some who define themselves as a Christian… but they show no sign of the cost of their old ways. They haven’t sacrificed the pleasure of getting high, they haven’t kept themselves from their lusts, they haven’t forgiven those who have offended them- they continue to hate. We cover these issues up and don’t deal with it by calling a lot of it… human nature. We say things like “Well the Lord knows you need a little break sometimes.” What?!?

Isn’t it funny how we try to associate the Lord with many of our pagan activities. We preach a God of only love, peace, and understanding. We speak about Him this way as to assume He is OK with the breaking of His law. You catch that? H-I-S LAW.

OK- look at this. Many times when we start reading these types of paragraphs, like above, our mind starts racing for a scripture to defend our life. We’ll remember that one scripture but will not study the whole law. Could you be an effective lawyer if you only knew one article of law? You would be clueless the first time the other lawyer says “I object your honor!”. You would think ‘Why? How can he object, this law says this…’
But you see, you only studied that one little article of many articles of that one subsection of many subsections of one section of many sections. How can you be effective with your one article.

How could God be less thorough than man?

The awesome thing about God’s word though is it is easier to understand than man’s laws. You don’t have to pass a bar exam or go to some high end college to understand His law- in order to have it be effective in life every time for you! He has designed it with such complexity where it covers every single area of life- but so simple because He wants everyone to know His word and understand it. The wonderful thing is all you have to do is read and obey it. The sad thing is we won’t read it.

His law are instructions for life.

Instructions come with new devices not to make you’re life hard but so that you can get the full use of the device and not destroy it by using it in a way it was not meant. Would you buy an iPOD and go swimming while listening to it? No, why? Because you know it was not made to be submersed underwater and will short circuit the device and will not function. You have that knowledge so you act accordingly. Your body was made to take in food, water, and oxygen- but we neglect the natural and put drugs, high fat content foods, and nicotine in our bodies. Then we wonder why do I have high blood pressure, bad health, clogged arteries, and failing lungs. We have violated the natural laws of our bodies. We violate God’s law when we don’t obey it, regardless it we know it, and wonder why we’re not getting results.

Law determines everything in life. It’s not always easy to follow law but remember God is the designer and He gives us law, not to make it hard, but for our good. It will bring us the best results and we’ll get the full and correct use out of our life, our purpose. It’s not always easy quitting smoking, giving up those fatty foods all the time, or sustaining ourselves from unrighteous desires- but it will bring about rewards that are worth it. The lessons Dave Ramsey teaches has a reward of getting your financial life in order, which is also a kingdom law. Giving up cigarettes has the reward of healthy lungs and heart. Giving up those high content sugary foods will increase your energy when substituted with fruit. It’s a law that is in place! If it was easy everyone would do it!

So get in line with God’s word, study it, understand it. We get in line with His law and it works, not the other way around.

With Every Breath

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Jun 152010

Have you praised Him today? Have you thanked Him?

When my son thanks me for buying him something, it gives me so much joy I just want to give him more.

We being in His image… think about it. Get your Father’s attention this day. Thank Him for waking up, thank Him that your heart is beating, thank Him for the car starting up- and if the car didn’t start up- thank Him for all the days it did.

This is a short one- but I’m just in the mood to thank Him. With every breath praise ye the Lord!

Ready To Rise

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Jun 102010

So how is life currently looking?

Are you above or beneath? Are you the head or the tail? Are you the lender or the borrower?

If your apart of the colony of the kingdom then you’re supposed to be above, the head, and lenders only… ONLY!

So- if you’re in the kingdom and you’re not above, the head and lenders only- Get ready for change- because your status is illegal in the kingdom so something has to change.

If you don’t expect that- don’t expect anything to change. If you expect to be broke, enjoy being broke. You activate your faith for what you believe. But my prayer is

“LORD, LET THY KINGDOM COME, LET THY WILL BE DONE- ON EARTH- JUST AS IT IS IN HEAVEN- THROUGH ME AND IN MY LIFE.”

Your Purpose Can’t Be Stolen

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Jun 072010

Our number one concern in life should be the kingdom of Heaven. After all the bible says seek ye first… (Matthew 6:33)

God’s original plan was to inhabit the earth with his children and impact the world through us so that the earth becomes just like Heaven. (Please see the Lord’s Prayer for proof of this)

So God created all of us with a purpose, a work, a gift that we are supposed to serve the earth with. After all He creates everything with a purpose. However a lot of the time we get sidetracked with the cares of this world instead of the purpose of God. We get caught up in its affairs and lose vision of the original intent. When we do this we end up putting more faith in the normal outcomes of this world than the results the kingdom culture promises. We wind up putting more faith in things sustaining us than God. Take a look at what God showed me the other day- this blew me away when I read it.

John 12

3) Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

4) Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him,

5) Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

6) This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

I have read through these verses so many times but never looked at this verse this way and will never see it the same again. Jesus and His disciples knew that Judas was a thief. They knew he stole, they knew he was dishonest, and Jesus knew because of Judas’s heart that he would betray Him… yet Jesus allowed him to stay. Not only that but they allowed Judas to ‘keep the bag’. He kept the bag with the money box, and their belongings! Judas… the thief… held the money!

You never see a dispute in the bible between Judas and Jesus over missing money or belongings. You never see Jesus distraught because Jesus and the other disciples couldn’t eat or provide themselves with provisions because of missing valuables. The stuff in the bag did not sustain them, nor does the lack of stuff in the bag hinder His purpose. And there is our problem.

We get so involved with the work of getting the resources to carry out purpose that we never get to purpose. We’re hindered by the contents of the bag, or lack there of, that we never start the work. Our priorities are out of order. Remember “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all of these other things I will add unto you.” What a promise! But we fail to grasp the understanding.

Jesus asked the disciples a question one time “Why do you worry what you will eat or what you will wear?- the Father knows you have need of these things.” Quit worrying about where the resources are going to come from and be focused on the purpose. God will provide the resources for His will EVERYTIME! David said ‘I have never seen the righteous forsaken nor His seed begging bread.” He is a faithful God who provides for His people and is committed to seeing His will carried out in the earth. But when we seek the other things first… we are out of order and God can’t bless disorder. He created this law and wants us to line up with it so we can see the kingdom manifest in our lives. We are confused sometimes by God and His ways. We act like God is surprised or caught off guard by what’s in the bag. (Wallet, Bank Account, Net Worth, Current Resources, Current Position, Current Status) God says “You are about to get promoted” and you were just fired- “I am giving you a helpmate in life”- and you just separated from your girlfriend or boyfriend. God says “It’s time to start a business”- and you’re broke. God sees which kingdom we trust in more- the kingdom of God or the kingdom of man.

This is so important for everyone to hear- please read this next part carefully. Your purpose is not tied to things. Your purpose is not tied to resources. Your lack of abilities and skills has nothing to do with your purpose- it can’t keep you from your purpose. The enemy gets us so involved with what’s in the bag that we look to the bag as a sign of who we are in life. We look to the bag wanting God to fill the bag instead of looking to God. The bag has limits, the bag has a maximum capacity- the bag cannot hold what you need to carry out God’s purpose so quit looking in the bag for a sign of God’s will. Seek the kingdom first and the rest will be added. Get to work on the purpose and the provisions will be provided. God is not concerned with where you were or what you have. Moses was a prince in Egypt, but after fleeing from Egypt He become a keeper of his father in laws herd’s. You never hear Moses saying “What? But I was a prince in Egypt.” God was taking him through a process to train him- by leading the herd’s he was preparing him to lead the children of Israel. Moses did not lose his purpose when he become an employee of his father in law- it was just a part of the plan. Oh how many times we wind up getting stuck in a phase of God’s plan thinking it’s the end of it. It’s just a phase, a season.

Jesus was never worried that Judas would steal something that would keep Him from His purpose. He was never worried that because of Judas’s character that they would be without. Jesus never looked to the bag as the source. The contents of the bag did not sustain them, the Father in Heaven did. IN FACT the very one the enemy would use to hinder Jesus would be a tool to elevate Him and actually be a tool in fulfilling His purpose.

I prophecy to you that the very people that the enemy would use for destruction God will use to bring out His purpose in you. The very ones who try to hold you down will be the ones God uses to push you higher. They will not realize that they are pushing you to the next level but remember it’s not about them but about God’s purpose. God will exalt you, not by going around the storm, but by going through it. The storm, the enemy, is the door to God’s purpose. Remember God has allowed this to come against you and so it has been ordained to lift you higher. Praise God! David could testify of this- that sheppard’s cannot become king’s without their Goliath’s.

Just remember it’s not about the resources in the bag, but about your source in Heaven. The Father will provide and sustain His people. He will add unto those who seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Amen!

Kingdom Come – Lesson 6 – Kingdom Study Series

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May 312010

In this lesson we study when the bible says the kingdom will come. Is the kingdom now? Where is the kingdom? We also take a look at the prodigal son parable. Who are you? Are you the prodigal son who has returned and received gladly what your father has given you? Or are you the religious elder son who has been saved a long time but never takes on the purpose your father meant for you to have?

The Promise of Change

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May 242010

Are you caught off guard when the power bill arrives every month? Not because of the bill itself, but just because the power company sent you one?

Are you surprised by Christmas just showing up?

No. We expect to receive bills for our utilities- and we know that Christmas is on December 25th every year. We expect it.

However we seem surprised every time a trial hits our lives. Like we just totally didn’t expect it. I mean what is a trial doing, showing up, in our lives when we serve God?

We love to claim the good things in the bible- blessings, favor, overcoming…
But in order to have blessings you have to have went through rough storms, in order to have favor you had to have been at the bottom. How could you recognize overcoming if there wasn’t something to overcome?

We claim the good- but we skip over the parts in the bible that tell us to be prepared for the trials. Jesus said ‘you shall suffer persecution’. Why do we think we are exempt? Why are we surprised by attacks of the enemy.
It would be like getting my paycheck and spending every bit of it- and then be surprised when bills show up at my house and I say “Where did these come from? How am I going to pay these?”
We cannot be ignorant of satan’s devices. We have to know that trials will come. We have to be prepared for the storms that will hit. But there is good news in a storm’s arrival. It means it’s testing time. It means God sees you are ready for the next level- and you only get to the next level by way of an enemy or a trial. -Don’t focus on the perilous sea, Peter!-

Realize that these times must happen- but you are GUARANTEED to win! You are guaranteed to overcome. There is a parable which most should know. Two men built houses, one on the sand, one on a rock. The same storm hit both homes- the same rains came down upon them, the same winds blew against their homes- but only one stood. That is the guarantee we have. If we build upon the foundation of God’s word, we can ‘outlast’ any storm or trial.

We worry when we doubt God’s promises. We expect thing’s not to change- and so we are caught unaware- and we suffer for it. If we prepare our self with prayer, the Word, and good management in our lives- then we will be ready when bad times come. We will see an increase when others are barely keeping their heads above water or sinking.

God and His word are the only constant in life. God will not change, and His word will not change. So don’t hold onto comfortable places or positions in life- they WILL change. It is inevitable that change will come. Your life will change. Your job situation will change. Your friends will change. Your family will change. Your finances will change. This is all for the good and the bad.

Enjoy the good times and stock up during them for the bad that will come. In the bad times don’t fret, after all you should have known it was going to come, the good thing is it’s guaranteed to go. Everything changes. Praise God it changes. If we hold onto material, earthly things because we think it’s ours forever we are going to be distraught when that stuff leaves us. But if we live in the kingdom everyday- then everything we have belongs to the King. Even the time belongs to the Lord. The place in our life is His and He does not change. I can still trust His word in the midst of every battle. I can still trust Him when everything is stacked against me. So if finances begin to dwindle, but I have been managing correctly, it’s OK. Because He owns that too. He’s allowing that time to hit, that storm to come my way. But I will get promotion on the other side, an increase when I make it through- I am guaranteed to come out of the situation. It’s just a season. It’s temporary.

He’s the God of change- but He Himself will not change- so all I need is His word. His promises. Him. After all He IS everything. He is the I AM.

Be thankful for the promise of change.

Older Entries Newer Entries

By Every Word

The Lord’s Prayer 01

Purpose of Prayer – Lesson 1

Sacrifice

Destroying Evidence

If It Was Easy

With Every Breath

Ready To Rise

Your Purpose Can’t Be Stolen

Kingdom Come – Lesson 6 – Kingdom Study Series

The Promise of Change

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