Proverbs 1:2-5, 7
"For attaining wisdom and discipline for understanding words of insight; for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life; doing what is right and just and fair; for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young--let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge."
One of my goals this year is to read the entire Bible again. I come to the book of Proverbs and don't want to leave it, it is such a powerful book filled with all kinds of wisdom and knowledge.
It takes discipline to acquire wisdom and knowledge. To some it comes easier than others. I have always in my past struggled with retaining what I have read and sometimes often dreaded reading especially reading out loud. When I was young I did not see the importance of learning how to read and was more focused on what was going on around me and what I was missing out on rather than learning how to read. In the past ten years or so I started to understand the importance of reading and started to pray to God that I would retain what I read.
I am so glad that God has given me the desire not only to read, because I am hungry now for more, but also to retain the knowledge I am reading. I have a goal this year of reading 20+ books and I am on track. Now, I would never have had this hunger if God had not given it to me. God gives you the desires of your heart. Also while teaching a class this weekend; I usually share my lack of desire to read out loud...however God has given me the desire and skill to do it.
Today I challenge you to set a goal for yourself of reading. Maybe to some it is reading one chapter of the Bible a day, maybe to others it is reading a book a week. Whatever it is start today.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Prayers of Paul
Ephesians 1:16-20
"Do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places."
Ephesians 3:14-19
"For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height-to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."
These prayers apply to us today just as much as they did to the believers at Ephesus, because they were given by the Holy Spirit. You can and should apply these prayers in your daily lives. You can read them and personalize them by saying "me" wherever Paul said "you." We must have the spirit of wisdom and revelation of Christ and His Word if we are to grow. It is not going to be imparted to us through our intellect, either. The Holy Spirit must unveil it to us.
These prayers are also good to be praying for others as well. I want to challenge you to read these prayers to yourself over and over again.
"Do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places."
Ephesians 3:14-19
"For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height-to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."
These prayers apply to us today just as much as they did to the believers at Ephesus, because they were given by the Holy Spirit. You can and should apply these prayers in your daily lives. You can read them and personalize them by saying "me" wherever Paul said "you." We must have the spirit of wisdom and revelation of Christ and His Word if we are to grow. It is not going to be imparted to us through our intellect, either. The Holy Spirit must unveil it to us.
These prayers are also good to be praying for others as well. I want to challenge you to read these prayers to yourself over and over again.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Ergon....Works
I am going to piggy back of my last post on Thursday. We talked about John 14:12 where it says; "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works that these he will do, because I got to My Father."
This translation for works in Greek text is Ergon and is referenced three times in the New Testament. Let's find them today, Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." We find it also in James 2:14, "What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?"
I want to convince you of a few things today. You need to know that you have a purpose in your life. You have been shaped for something and Jesus said you would do greater works that he did. You are going to do greater things that Jesus did if you can only believe and get into His will.
WOW!!!
Come on people that should excite you and motivate you to start using your gifts and get into the fullness that God has for you.
I want to challenge you today to step and do something you would not normally do, reach out to someone you have not in the past, purchase the persons lunch behind you in the drive through lane, but do something different.
This translation for works in Greek text is Ergon and is referenced three times in the New Testament. Let's find them today, Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." We find it also in James 2:14, "What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?"
I want to convince you of a few things today. You need to know that you have a purpose in your life. You have been shaped for something and Jesus said you would do greater works that he did. You are going to do greater things that Jesus did if you can only believe and get into His will.
WOW!!!
Come on people that should excite you and motivate you to start using your gifts and get into the fullness that God has for you.
I want to challenge you today to step and do something you would not normally do, reach out to someone you have not in the past, purchase the persons lunch behind you in the drive through lane, but do something different.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
You Have Authority Part 4
You Have Authority Part 4
Jesus said in John 14:12
"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works that these he will do, because I got to My Father."
Someone will ask what the "greater works" are. Well, let’s just do the works Jesus did first and then think about the "greater works!"
Jesus didn't say that only a select few would do these works; He said those who believe on Him would. As we study what the Word of God teaches and educate our spirits about authority of the believer, I believe we'll be able to walk in this great truth more and more.
Jesus said in John 14:12
"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works that these he will do, because I got to My Father."
Someone will ask what the "greater works" are. Well, let’s just do the works Jesus did first and then think about the "greater works!"
Jesus didn't say that only a select few would do these works; He said those who believe on Him would. As we study what the Word of God teaches and educate our spirits about authority of the believer, I believe we'll be able to walk in this great truth more and more.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
You Have Authority. Part 3
Put on the full Armor of God today! It says in Ephesians 6:12, "that our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the powers of the dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil." However later on in the verse Paul tells us what to do, and that is to put on the Full Armor of GOD!!
Ephesians 6:13-17
"Put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything to stand. Stand firm then, with your belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this take up your shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God."
You see we have instructions as to how to overcome those powers of the dark world. We might not be able to see them with our physical eyes but when we are being attacked we sure can feel them in our physical body. We must stand firm and be ready for his attacks and make sure we are prepared for what he has.
Today Stand FIRM and make sure to put on your full armor of God.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
You Have Authority Part 2
2 Corinthians 10:4,5
"The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine powers to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."
Our enemy is limited to this world and we are not. We have to take authority over our strongholds and demolish them. We have to be ready for the devils attacks and know that we cannot give him an inch because he will take a mile. We can't allow thoughts of any type of insecurity, depression or fear to enter into our minds because once they do they can grow. What I have been doing lately in order to control these thoughts; is when some type of thought enters into my mind, that I know does not come from God, I start quoting scripture to it.
“Resist the devil and he will flee from you, the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy but Jesus came so we could have life and have it more abundantly, I have the full armor of God and God is for me and not against me.”
Get into the word and start memorizing scripture and then start using it against the devil.
What did Jesus do when he was tempted by the devil after his fast; he quoted scripture back to him. He did not allow the enemy any room. Also notice that sometimes the devil comes in during our weakest times and sometimes he can hit us head on, but stay in the word, don't allow the devil any room and he has to flee from you.
"The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine powers to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."
Our enemy is limited to this world and we are not. We have to take authority over our strongholds and demolish them. We have to be ready for the devils attacks and know that we cannot give him an inch because he will take a mile. We can't allow thoughts of any type of insecurity, depression or fear to enter into our minds because once they do they can grow. What I have been doing lately in order to control these thoughts; is when some type of thought enters into my mind, that I know does not come from God, I start quoting scripture to it.
“Resist the devil and he will flee from you, the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy but Jesus came so we could have life and have it more abundantly, I have the full armor of God and God is for me and not against me.”
Get into the word and start memorizing scripture and then start using it against the devil.
What did Jesus do when he was tempted by the devil after his fast; he quoted scripture back to him. He did not allow the enemy any room. Also notice that sometimes the devil comes in during our weakest times and sometimes he can hit us head on, but stay in the word, don't allow the devil any room and he has to flee from you.
Monday, June 1, 2009
You Have Authority. Part 1
Ephesians 6:10
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power."
This week we will be discussing the authority you have over the enemy. In this verse we are reminded to be strong in the Lord, not in ourselves. I have heard, "I am not sure if I can make it." To encourage you today, you can make it; don't even think for a second that you can’t. Remember to be strong in His might and not your power or might! You alone don't have the power to overcome the enemy and the temptations that the devil will send your way. In God you have the power and you have the authority to stand firm in Him!
You ask what is authority? Authority is delegated power. This means you can step out in front of the devil, hold up your hand and tell him not to come any close. Today use your authority!
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power."
This week we will be discussing the authority you have over the enemy. In this verse we are reminded to be strong in the Lord, not in ourselves. I have heard, "I am not sure if I can make it." To encourage you today, you can make it; don't even think for a second that you can’t. Remember to be strong in His might and not your power or might! You alone don't have the power to overcome the enemy and the temptations that the devil will send your way. In God you have the power and you have the authority to stand firm in Him!
You ask what is authority? Authority is delegated power. This means you can step out in front of the devil, hold up your hand and tell him not to come any close. Today use your authority!
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