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Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Robbed


Genesis 3 : 2 - 7, And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.'" Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. NKJV

Have you had something stolen from you, or perhaps you allowed someone to borrow something, and it hasn't made its way back to you? After you realize that someone has taken/or kept a possession of yours without your permission, then you must deal with the myriad of emotions that explode in your soul. When you are robbed, you feel violated. However, when you work through the process of trying to rationalize or make sense of such a dastardly deed, you soon come to the conclusion, "Satan has robbed me."

I bring up the subject of being "robbed" to share some powerful truths about the one whom Jesus called, "The thief- Satan." We read in today's scripture that Satan appears to Eve as a serpent. The thief loves to operate in the element of deception. I heard a story the other day where a woman's cell phone had been stolen. The thief saw a number with the name "husband" listed in her contacts and texted him, pretending to be his wife. Since the husband didn't know the phone had been stolen, the thief asked him for personal information; the husband sent it to the thief and was robbed. The thief was operating under the cloak of deception and, therefore, was effective in robbing the victims of their money.

After Satan came to Eve in the form of a serpent, he began to challenge both her knowledge of God and what He had said about the forbidden tree. When Satan disputed the truth with Eve, it caused her to doubt God's commandments as truth. Consequently, when she doubted God and believed Satan's lie, he was allowed to rob Adam and Eve; and he did so with their cooperation. It's one thing for someone to rob you, but to collaborate with the enemy like they did is dumbfounding. Even so, that is exactly what they did; and Satan was laughing at them the entire time. 

We know that God had already blessed Adam and Eve. The Lord had given them many promises, which are also called "our inheritance" in the New Testament. However, when Satan caused man to sin against God, man gave Satan the power to rob every person who would be born after them. Anytime we struggle with doubt, fear, and unbelief Satan is allowed to rob us of our spiritual inheritance. Only when Christians get to heaven and stand before the judgment seat of Christ will we see all that our flesh and Satan took from us on earth. 

Well, the Lord has given me this word  today to challenge you to take back from Satan what he has stolen, or is currently robbing from you and your family... before you get to heaven. You can do this by getting in the Word and reading about your spiritual inheritance in Christ, and then standing on the promises that pertain to your life and those of your family. Joel tells us in chapter 2 that God is the God of restoration. We must not doubt God's Word or His faithfulness to us, lest we allow the enemy of our soul an opening into our spiritual house. It's time the body of Christ takes back all that the enemy has stolen because God has laid it up for His people. It's time for the wealth of the wicked to be transferred to the righteous people of God. Just before God delivered the children of Israel out of the hands of Pharaoh, He had the women borrow the wealth of the Egyptians. The Jews came out of bondage WITH their natural inheritance. Payback! 

Take Back Your Inheritance,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Monday, April 29, 2013

Guard Your Heart against Doubt


John 11 : 17 - 22, So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. Now Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. Now Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. NKJV

"If you had been here, my brother would not have died." Can't you just hear the heartbreak, disappointment, and sorrow pouring from Martha's heart? Why would Jesus do this to His dear friends? Why did He wait until Lazarus was dead and in the tomb for four days before making an appearance at the tomb? Didn't Jesus realize the pain that He would cause to Lazarus' family? Didn't He care that they were hurting? 

You have to be careful that you don't entertain questions like the  ones I posed to you today. Although they may seem like legitimate ones, they are birthed out of a heart that is filled with hurt and that is giving doubt a place. There's a fine line between hurt and allowing the enemy to gain access to your heart through doubt. Are you looking to God for a breakthrough or miracle in your life, but it seems that God doesn't care about your condition? Whenever we have an unmet need, and it appears as if it is going unnoticed by the Lord, then that is the time when we must be careful to guard our hearts against doubt and unbelief. If we entertain thoughts such as, "Miracles happen in other people's lives, but not in mine." Beware! The enemy is trying to use delayed blessings as a weapon against us to cast doubt in our hearts and make us feel isolated. Jeremiah tells us to place our hope in the Lord; and when we do, God will bless us. We will be like a tree planted by the waters. We won't fear when heat or drought comes because our roots are in Him. 

Faith, hope, and perseverance will wait until the promise comes; they won't give in to the schemes of the Devil when it looks like God is late. The reason Jesus waited until Lazarus had been dead for four days was for God's glory. God operates on a level that far exceeds our feelings. He is in the "business" of saving souls. When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, it was so notable and irrefutable that it sent Jesus to the cross. The scribes, Pharisees, and elders were afraid that Jesus would become so popular that they would lose their strangle-hold on the people in Israel. They didn't want Jesus to become their king, so they conspired to crucify Jesus... all because He raised Lazarus from the dead. 

The purpose of today's devotion is to help you guard your heart against becoming a "victim of God's timing." When it comes to God meeting our needs, we all have a time frame. Nevertheless, faith will still believe even though God doesn't move in "our time." We have been called to believe until the saving of the soul. We must not draw back in unbelief because it didn't happen when we thought it should.

God is no respecter of persons. If He has healed others, then He will heal you as well. Don't doubt; just hold on to your faith until the Lord moves on your behalf. The JUST shall live by faith. Look! Here comes Jesus...

Waiting in Faith on God,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Friday, April 26, 2013

The Thrill of Discovery


Proverbs 25: 2, It is God's privilege to conceal things and the king's privilege to discover them. NLT

Have you heard of the term, "The thrill of the hunt?" This term isn't exclusive to hunters. Christopher Columbus was a pioneer, who had a passion to discover new lands. Treasure hunters spend much of their lives scouring over land and sea looking for something of great significance and value. There is much satisfaction that comes from discovering something valuable that has either been lost, or that could help to better the world, such as vaccines and new medicines.

Why is this term, "Thrill of the hunt" so pervasive throughout the world? It seems that people from all walks of life, for example, explorers and astronauts are on a quest to invent, discover, or find ways to improve their lives or the lives of others. However, it is God who created us with the thirst to quest and to conquer. He has hidden things on purpose, so that we would be blessed with a sense of accomplishment when the riddle is solved or the problem is resolved. 

By His own nature, God set us up to be blessed. It is a blessing to Him to see His children get excited over the discovery of a great find. There are many people who became famous because of their contributions to society, whether they are inventions, innovations, or breakthroughs; however, God's greatest desire is that men will seek Him with whole hearts.

The Word of God tells us that God covers Himself in darkness. I find that odd considering that God is light, and in Him, there is no darkness. Nevertheless, He has hidden Himself so that we would form a thirst to know Him. We see this with the title of the final book of the Bible, the "Revelation" of Christ. God wants to reveal Himself to us; nonetheless, He wants us to seek Him. God rewards those who diligently seek Him. Let me add this from my own personal pursuit of God. When we pursue the revelation of God and His ways, it will spill over into other areas of our lives. In other words, we will become more enriched by our pursuit of God because His presence is released into our lives by the hunger and openness of our heart for God. By pursuing and discovering the ways of God, we are really discovering who we were intended to be before the fall of man. God is our Creator, and only He knows what we were created to be and His purpose for placing us on the earth. Let us develop an even greater thirst to seek after and discover our God. Even though He is invisible to the human eye, we can come to know Him in our hearts. 

The Is No God like Jehovah,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Justified Or Making Excuses?


Acts 13 : 38 - 39, Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man (Jesus) is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. NKJV

Thank God for Jesus Christ! Can you begin to imagine what life was like for the Jewish people who were under the law? God didn't give the law so that the children of Israel could be justified by their works. It was given to make them aware of the sin hidden in their hearts. If a person doesn't understand the ways of God, they might misinterpret what God's motive was when He gave Moses His Law.

God didn't give the Law to condemn people; it was just the opposite. However, through the Law of God, man became conscious of his own sin nature. They began to realize that with their failure to obey the entire law, they were, in fact, committing sin against God. Consequently, the result of breaking God's commands caused the Jews to feel naked, ashamed, and exposed. 

 Once the Jewish worshiper realized his or her own shortcomings, it would give way to the voice of guilt, shame and condemnation from Satan. You might be thinking, "Why did God want them to feel guilty or hear condemning voices?" Paul tells us that God's law is holy, and He is just. It wasn't the law that made the Jewish worshipers feel the way they did, but rather it was the sin which was hidden in their hearts that condemned them. God gave Moses His commandments in the hope that once the people realized they were in sin, they would turn to the Lord for salvation from it. 

When Jesus came as the Messiah to God's chosen people, some accepted Him; however, many more rejected His truth. Those who rejected His teachings as truth didn't want to admit to having sin in their hearts. Therefore, in an effort to avoid falling under the convicting power of God after hearing the truth, these non-believers chose to make excuses to cover their sin.

Today, as Christians, we can try to justify ourselves by making up excuses, or we can become justified through faith in Jesus and God's Word. As you seek to be justified by faith, if Satan begins to accuse you, all you need is to point to the Word of God and let God defend your character in Christ. Anyone who rejects the righteousness of God by faith will fall into the trap of blaming the consequences of their sin on others... as Adam did with Eve. Since it's just you and God right now, be honest with yourself. Are you at peace in your heart about your life? Do you make excuses to God and to people when you know that you have done wrong? If so, then humble your heart before the Lord and ask Him to be your Justifier. It will change your life forever.

Justified by Faith in Christ,
Pastor Asa Dockery 

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

The Devil Is Still A Liar


Colossians 2 : 11 - 15, In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. NKJV

Even though Christ has paid the price for our sin and the sin of the world, and even though Christ has stripped Satan of all power over those of us who have placed our faith in Christ, we still have to wrestle with demonic forces (Ephesians 6).

Generally, when you hear of someone securing a victory over an adversary, you tend to think that the battle is over. Well, when Jesus was on the cross, and He had completed the work of His Father, He said, "It is finished." So let's break down what happened on the cross and in hell as a result of Jesus' sacrificial death.

The work of the cross and Jesus' descent into hell purchased our souls back from Satan's authority...the Devil had been given this power when man decided to sin against God's will. Whenever Jesus died on the cross and in three days arose from the dead, the work of redemption was completed and the day of grace was extended to all people.

You may ask, "If Jesus defeated the Devil on the cross, then why was he allowed to continue to operate in the earth?" This subject is separate from the victory that Christ secured for all on the cross; nonetheless, it has an impact on our lives, even today. Just because Jesus has forever settled the issue of redemption and made a way for every person to escape the torment of hell, it doesn't mean that everyone will. 

Since the creation of man, God has always given him the power to exercise his freewill. He placed them in the Garden of Eden, knowing that the Tree of Knowledge was present. God delivered the children of Israel out of Egypt and led them for forty years in the wilderness before He brought them into the Promised Land. In the book of Deuteronomy, He told them through Moses that He had set before them life and death, blessing and cursing. He then told them to choose life; however, they refused God's counsel.

Yes, the work of the cross completely guarantees us an eternal victory that we can rest upon. Nevertheless, now that we have been redeemed from the power of Satan and sin, we must choose to live for God. We are required to live by faith and to use our faith in Christ to resist the strategies of the Devil. Therefore, we must choose to stand on the Word of God whenever the accuser attacks our faith in Christ. 

Yes, we have the victory in Christ. However, that victory doesn't prevent the enemy from attacking our faith. The reason for this is very simple. Satan's existence didn't cease when Jesus stripped him of the keys of death and hell. Nevertheless, thankfully, there is an appointed time at the end of the age that the Father has reserved to end Satan's reign of terror on the earth and in the heavens. Therefore, as Christians, we are required to suffer for the sake of Christ while we live in this world. Our choice to live for God will serve as a witness to those who have been blinded by Satan's lies. 

Everyone who lives godly in this world will suffer persecution. Even so, if we endure faithfully to the end, God will richly reward us with the crown of life. Here's the clincher: You are in the world and have chosen to live by faith in the finished work of Christ, but will you keep the faith with confidence? You see; we have to accept Christ by faith. However, we also have to live Christ by faith until our faith becomes sight. Until then, we must endure in faith and keep our assurance that what we believe is, indeed, the truth.

Now you know the reason why you need to be encouraged as a Christian. You also understand why Satan tries every trick to keep you out of prayer, the Bible, and fellowship at church. He doesn't want you to keep your confidence built up in Christ. Nevertheless, it doesn't matter what Satan wants. As a Christian, we must concern ourselves with what our Savior and Lord desires for us. Stay strong in the Lord and walk in the power of His might so that you will endure to the end.

The Cost of Living by Faith,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Keep the Dream in You Alive


Genesis 37 : 23 - 24, So it came to pass, when Joseph had come to his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of many colors that was on him. Then they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it. NKJV

If you haven't read the story of Joseph, I encourage you to do so. The Lord has given us great wisdom in it that will help anyone who has a dream, yet feels as if it will never come to pass. 

The Lord showed me a truth today by His Spirit that will greatly encourage "dreamers." Dreamers are people that God has given an inner-knowing, plan, or vision about their destiny in Christ. When we have this unction or knowing from God, it gives us great expectancy and hope, even when it looks impossible in the natural.

Before I go on any further, let me ask you an important question. Do you feel like your life is on the wrong track and the situations you're facing aren't taking you toward your vision?  Be very careful that you don't allow these disruptions to discourage you from pursuing your dream. A pit was never mentioned in the dream God gave Joseph. Therefore, can you imagine how Joseph must have felt when he found himself being sold into slavery, and later, when he was thrown into prison? Life has a way of "throwing" a curve that we don't expect; nevertheless, it is all a part of the vision.

No enemy and/or no situation can keep us from fulfilling our destiny in Christ, as long as we don't give up along the way. We can't see the big picture right now, and we don't know how the things that we have experienced, or are experiencing can ever get us to our goal. Nevertheless, we must remember to keep our eyes on the Lord. 

God used the adversity that the enemy brought against Joseph (because of the dreams) to build character and to develop his abilities to be a leader in hard times. Consequently, Joseph succeeded when he arrived at the destination. Joseph's example teaches us that we have choices to make when adversity hits us. We can allow them to tear us down and see ourselves as victims of our circumstances, or we can choose to look to God for guidance and allow Him to build the characteristics that we need to sustain us when we arrive at our destination. How we choose to respond to adversity will greatly determine how long we will be in the process. 

Paul teaches us in Philippians 1 that God is doing a work in us, and He won't stop until that work is complete. We are in this world, and God is using it to develop some things in us that we need to fulfill our destiny in Christ. Let me leave you with a powerful truth: When we become a covenant friend with God, the world will hate us. However, if we keep our eyes on Jesus, He will cause our enemies to be used to assist us in completing the process and fulfilling our dream. 

Here's an example: Jesus told His disciples that He was going to Jerusalem, and that He would be tortured and crucified there. At that moment, Simon began to rebuke Him by saying that he would not allow those things to happen to Jesus. However, Jesus rebuked Simon; He said, "Get thee behind me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men." Later, while Jesus was in the garden praying, Judas leads Roman soldiers to Jesus and kisses him as a sign to them that Jesus was the One they were seeking. When Judas kissed Jesus, He called Judas, friend. Why would Jesus call Simon, Satan, and then call Judas, friend? It was because God was using Judas to fulfill His vision for Jesus, and Satan was exploiting Simon in order to get in Jesus' way of fulfilling His destiny; it was all centered around Jesus' suffering. 

Satan doesn't want you to suffer for Christ because you will learn how to obey God through suffering. Instead, Satan wants you to protect "self," and then suffer the loss of your eternal reward...because of disobedience to your calling in Christ. So once again, we all have a choice to make; when life offers us adversity, what will we do? Remember, your adversity comes because of God's dream. Allow God to fight for you; you be still and see God's salvation on your behalf.

It's All About the Lord,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Monday, April 22, 2013

Love


1 John 4: 19 - 21, We love Him because He first loved us. If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. NKJV

Being a child of God and living in this world can be challenging at times. The reason life is often difficult is because there is a war going on between the kingdom of God and the forces of darkness. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 4 that Satan, the god of this world, has blinded those who do not believe the gospel. Consequently, Satan has gained power over the minds and actions of the lost through their rejection of Christ; and he uses this power to war against God's children.

The world cannot love like a Christian does because they're not born of God. Therefore, since they don't love God, they don't adhere to the teachings of Christ. We, on the other hand, are born of God and strive to live according to the Word of God. However, what do children of God do when we're commanded to love those who hate us? We must turn to the words of Jesus and draw our strength from Him. In the book of John, He promised that He wouldn't leave us alone in this world, but would send us the Holy Spirit. Through our relationship and communion with the Holy Spirit, He gives us both power over this world and the power to love those who may not reciprocate our love.

According to John's teachings in today's scripture, our love for others is an overflow from our love for God. The more we give ourselves to God, the greater our capacity will be to love those who may reject and despise us. God is the source of all love. The Holy Spirit is the river of His love that flows out of our innermost being; and finally, we are the fountain in which the flow is released upon others we come in contact with. It's possible to love the world in the same way that God does, but it is impossible to love to that degree without first giving ourselves to love God.

Paul teaches us in Philippians 4:13 that we can do all things through Christ, who gives us the strength. All God needs from us is our willingness; He can then pour His love through us. We know that Jesus had the power to love His enemies because He didn't call down twelve legions of angels to destroy those who were torturing Him before He died. Instead, in His weakest moment as a human, He prayed that the Father would forgive them. He was willing to allow the love of the Father to be demonstrated through Him to a lost world. How great is our God... and His Son!

No Greater Power than God's Love,
Pastor Asa Dockery 

Friday, April 19, 2013

Learning To Rely On Jesus


Galatians 1: 3 - 5, Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. NKJV

When God sent His Son into the earth, it was for more than just the payment of sin. It is true that Jesus destroyed the works of the Devil; however, He also appeased the wrath of God and removed the charges that were leveled against us. The shed blood of Jesus opened the door of heaven for all peoples. Now anyone who believes in Jesus as the Christ is the recipient of God's grace and peace.

Paul teaches us that we are complete in Christ. Even so, what exactly does this mean? Now that we're in Christ, He is and will be everything that we will need in order to overcome this world of sorrow and sin. As a child of God, we have a responsibility to turn to our heavenly Father anytime we meet up with spiritual opposition. Whenever the enemy comes in against us like a flood, and we turn to the Lord, He will respond quickly to our humility and brokenness. As we turn to the Lord in times of trouble, we are accessing the benefits of the covenant between Jesus and God.  

The Father has given Jesus all power in heaven, on earth, and beneath the earth. Consequently, anytime His people are attacked or overwhelmed by the evil from this world, the Lord will arise on our behalf and deliver us from our oppressors and afflictions. In order to access the riches of God's glory in Christ and see the liberating power of God move on our behalf, we must be willing to humble ourselves and seek God.

It is very common for people who are believers in Christ to want to turn away from Him during troubling times. In the natural realm, when people are in trouble, they quickly reach out to others for assistance. However, in the spirit realm, it seems to be just the opposite. The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. How do you respond when this world tries to intimidate and overtake you?  For us to acknowledge God in a time of hardship is to admit that we are fighting a spiritual battle that must be won through our faith.

So instead of fighting according to our flesh and trying to defend ourselves, God first requires us to submit to Him then resist the Devil to ensure our victory. When we submit to the Lord during a battle, it keeps our hearts right before Him. We're not trying to seek revenge upon another human; we are calling upon our Righteous Judge and allowing Him to fight for us.

In Christ, God has given every believer the answer or deliverance that will be needed to successfully complete the journey we are on. We must first train ourselves to go to God... not take matters into our own hands. As we fully learn to rely upon Christ, we will begin to witness the hand of God move in our situations.  

We Have the Victory in Christ,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Thursday, April 18, 2013

God Has a Plan to Prosper You


Genesis 37: 3 - 10, Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him. Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more. So he said to them, "Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf." And his brothers said to him, "Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?" So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, "Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me." So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, "What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?" NKJV

Has God ever given you a dream or a vision? Generally, when the Lord gave dreams or visions to people in the Bible, like Joseph in today's scripture, it was for blessing others. However, before we dive into today's word, let me point out that the dream had very little to do with Joseph. In fact, it had more to do with his father and brothers. Nevertheless, the hatred that his brothers had toward Joseph tried to make the two dreams ALL about Joseph. 

There's an important principle to glean from this story concerning being led of God so that we can be a blessing to others. The enemy will use jealousy and envy in those who didn't have the dream or vision, and they will try to make the dream about you. When this happens (leaders), you must be careful not to fall into that (PIT) by taking their threats personally. Satan wanted to make the dreams about Joseph in order to try to get him to lose focus of the very reason God had given him the dream. Satan will use the spirit of offense to get you to take things personally concerning a dream or vision God has given you; however, you must resist his attacks.

Even though Joseph had the dream, the dream wasn't from him. God had given it to him to show Joseph what would eventually occur in his life when the dream was fulfilled. If the Lord has given us a vision or dream, then we can rest in knowing that it will be Him that will bring it to fruition. I cannot emphasize the importance of this point enough. If we know that a dream is spiritual, then we will be able to see that the warfare it brings to our lives is also spiritual; and we won't fall prey to taking the attacks personally or becoming bitter over them. 

God was showing both him and his family that he would be put into a position of authority. Because the Lord allowed Joseph to experience jealousy and hatred from his brothers, it taught Joseph to rely on the Lord, not on the dream. Over time, Joseph encountered many trials, afflictions, and imprisonment; nevertheless, he learned how to behave himself. Consequently, God could develop leadership capabilities in him. It didn't matter what the enemy did against Joseph to try to prevent the dream from coming to pass, the favor of God always brought him into leadership roles. Peter and James both teach us in their epistles to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God and in due season, He will exalt us.

Joseph lived by that principle; we know this because, in the end, he told his brothers that it was God who had done all of this to him and not them. Joseph had kept his heart free from bitterness and from the spirit of offense because he kept his eyes on the Lord and waited on Him to exalt him. The dream that God has given to you will happen in God's time, not in yours. Therefore, you need to wait on Him to bring you successfully through the maturation process so that He can bless you to be a blessing to others. 

Only when the dream had come to pass did we see the whole picture God originally showed Joseph. God used Joseph's willingness to be meek and longsuffering in the pit and the prison, so that he could trust him to provide for all of Israel's needs once the famine (not mentioned in the dream) was upon them. If it hadn't been for Joseph, the famine could've destroyed his family and his people. But God!

If you have been given a vision or dream from God, and you've experienced heartaches as a result of the call of God on your life, I pray that today's Word has been an encouragement to you. God gave us real- life stories in the Word of God to give us hope and understanding. Therefore, we can persevere through the hard times, waiting for His deliverance and salvation to come. God wants to prosper you, so that you can be a blessing to many others who don't know Him as well as you. Like Abraham, you have been blessed by the Lord to be a blessing.

Walking in the Favor of God,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Our channel is now available on your Roku Box!
http://www.lightcast.com/roku/channels/14/keys-to-kingdom-living

New and Improved


Matthew 5: 14 - 16, "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. NKJV

Would you knowingly buy a product that doesn't do what the manufacturer claims? Of course, you would not. It would be a waste of your time and resources. If a product doesn't deliver, it doesn't matter how many claims the manufacturer writes on its package, it won't be of any benefit to you. No one is in the market for just a pretty package. Generally, when a consumer buys a product that doesn't meet their needs, they return it for a refund. 

As disciples of Christ, we have to do more than just believe the Word of God; we must also live according to the Word. When we put action to our faith, then and only then, will we have the power to live the CHRIST-ian life. Until we ACT on God's Word, we are just like the pretty package that I referred to earlier. We will have the "image," but no substance or power to help anyone. The world knows "fake" when they see it. The lost are looking for someone who is real. They're looking for someone who can lead them to the truth by their example. Guess what? So is the Lord. 

If we don't or won't live by the truth, then how can we expect others to want it for their lives? Jesus tells us in His sermon that He wants us to live the Word so that others will see our "good works" and glorify the Father in heaven. Consequently, when we live the truth, the Word will cause us to become salt and light. Salt gives seasoning to your testimony and will make those who don't know Christ form a thirst for Him. Salt is also a preservative; therefore, when we live according to God's Word, it keeps us from the corruption of the flesh nature that spoils our influence with others. In other words, when we become salt, we are preserving our souls, so that we can live for God instead of ourselves. 

As we implement and obey God's Word, it causes us to become a "light" in a dark place, leading others to Christ, who is the LIGHT of the world. People will follow a Christian's example, if that believer is living according to Christ. Unbelievers will be drawn to Christ when we exemplify His nature and characteristics before them. 

I leave you today with this thought: Many "believers" feel that it's enough to "just believe" the Word and to claim salvation. However, the Apostle James deals very sternly with this belief in his epistle. In his letter, James asks us a very probing and thought-provoking question. 

James 2: 14 - 18, What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. NKJV 

We must add our obedience to God's Word and His will, if we want our faith to produce fruit in our lives and be an effective witness to others. If we don't obey, then we are like the product that makes great promises, but doesn't produce any results. Only when we choose to live the Word daily will we be able to bear fruit and influence others to want Christ. Therefore, let your light so shine "before others," that they will see your "good works" and glorify your heavenly Father today. I pray you have a blessed and fruitful day for the kingdom of God. 

All for the Glory of God,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

No Need to Worry


Matthew 6: 24 - 33, "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? "So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. NKJV

Faith believes, but doubt worries. Anytime we struggle in our hearts with doubt concerning God's ability or availability to meet our needs, we are giving Satan an open door to speak into our lives. While faith will listen only to God and will stand on His promises as the final authority over our lives, doubt will cause us to listen to the lies of Satan and cause us to be filled with fear.

Perhaps you already know this to be true. Nevertheless, sometimes it helps us to hear truths repeated, so that we're reassured in our hearts. Worry will NEVER change your situation or solve a problem that you face. Nonetheless, many Christians fall prey to the spirit of worry, and then hope that things will get better anyway. Jesus teaches us in today's scriptures that we're not to worry about our needs. Instead, He tells us to seek FIRST the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Jesus is telling us not to be concerned about what we will eat or what we will wear, but rather to seek the will of our heavenly Father.

Why would Jesus tell us to focus on God's needs and not on ours? When we put God first, He will cause the enemy of distraction to be silenced, thus putting a stop to worry. Do you want to be free from worry? Are you constantly tormented by Satan because of the threat of trouble that looms over the horizon? By obeying Jesus' command to seek first the kingdom of God, we are inviting the peace of God to guard our hearts and minds. When we seek God first, we are putting God's needs before our own; this will cause the blessings of God to follow us daily. 

Let me ask you to do something that can help you break free from worry and doubt. For one month, shut out every voice and influence that causes you to doubt God and to worry about your well-being. Begin, instead, to invest your time and effort in prayer and seeking God's will for your life. Keep a journal, so that you're able to chronicle the change that your heart and mind will undergo during the month. At the end of the month, if you have been faithful to keep the "bad influence" out of your ears, thoughts, and actions, you will be liberated from fear and doubt, which cause worry.

At first, you will probably find it very difficult to ignore the "need to worry" because it has been such a big part of your life, even as a child of God. Literally, you are breaking the habit of worry and overcoming the spirit that causes it. It's really not natural (in the Spirit) for a Christian to worry; therefore, don't feel bad because you've gone all day and haven't fretted over anything. It only means that you're getting your life back and can focus more on God and His kingdom. I want to walk with you on this one-month journey to freedom. You can keep me updated by emailing me at passion30@whcnorth.org. When the month is over, please send me your victory report so that we can share your testimony with others. How can I be so certain that this plan will work? It has worked very effectively for me. 

The Truth You Know Shall Make You Free,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Monday, April 15, 2013

A Penny Is All I Ask


James 4 : 13 - 15, Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit"; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. NKJV 

I would like to share an allegory with you today that the Lord revealed to me about our time on earth. In this story, we will imagine that you are currently a very wealthy person. All of your relatives and friends know you to be a billionaire. In Deuteronomy 8 the Lord told us that He is the one who has given you the power to get wealth in order to establish His covenant. 

One day the Lord comes to you and asks for a penny. Instead of giving Him the penny, you explain to Him that it will take some time for you to decide whether you will give it to Him. In order to get your head clear, so you can make a wise and profitable decision, you hop aboard your private jet and whisk away to a secluded villa on an island which you've purchased.

While you're there being lavished with all of the comforts that money can offer, you begin to consider what has been asked of you by the Lord. After all, your education and experience in the financial world has taught you not to make an unwise investment.  Time passes quickly. You retreat to your library and begin to pour through books on investing, seeking wisdom from famous entrepreneurs about this strange request. When you have exhausted all resources that are available to you, your heart still has not found the answer needed in order to respond to the Lord. 

Finally, after being held up on your island for months on end, you remember hearing of someone else that had become successful in the financial world. You board your jet again and excitement begins to fill your heart. You anticipate finding your answer in another's success. While in the air on the way to the meeting, you begin to imagine how you will explain such an odd investment to this person of great prominence and affluence. The moment you've been waiting for has arrived, and you find yourself in the palatial office of this corporate executive. Together, you sit down at "the round table," and you begin to share this strange petition from the Lord. However, after hours of deliberation and thought provoking debate, you walk away from the meeting even more baffled than before. In bewilderment, you tell your driver to follow you as you walk to the park to contemplate the debate in your own heart. 

You enter the park and find a seat. The sun has disappeared and the moon begins to shine its light on your face. After sitting there for hours looking up at the stars, you begin to sense that someone is beside you on the bench. You turn to see who has invaded your private space and realize that the Lord has returned for your answer. Unfortunately, after all of your searching and researching, you still don't know how to answer the Lord. As you begin to explain to Him that you need more time to further examine your options, He places His fingers over your lips. 

The Lord tells you that He has not come for the penny. He has come to let you know that your days on earth have come to an end. It is at that very moment you realize just how much time you have wasted trying to determine if giving a penny to the Lord was a wise investment. Now the billions that you once possessed will go to another. 

It seems foolish to think that someone would be so selfish as to deliberate so long about such a trivial request. What is the length of this life in comparison to eternity or eternal life? There is nothing on this earth that we can use to compare the time that we have on earth to an eternity (infinite time). A penny verses a billion dollars doesn't even begin to come close. What are you doing with the life God has given you? Are you living it for Him, or are you spending it in search of the way to best live it? 

Life Is Too Short to Waste,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Friday, April 12, 2013

Faith Waits


John 20: 24 - 29, Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, "We have seen the Lord." So he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace to you!" Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." NKJV 
  
Thomas has been named "doubting Thomas" by many ministers and believers over the years. However, let's take the time to consider a couple of truths about Thomas, and we might come to the conclusion that he was a man of faith, after all. When Jesus called Thomas away from his old life to follow Him, Thomas forsook all. For example, there was a time toward the end of Jesus' earthly ministry when He told His disciples that it was time for Him to return to Jerusalem to heal Lazarus. The disciples warned Jesus not to go because men in Jerusalem were out to kill Him, but Jesus would not relent. In response to Jesus' decision to go back to Jerusalem, Thomas spoke up and said, "Let's go that we might die with Him." I ask you. Does this sound like a "doubting Thomas?" I don't think so either. 
  
It's not out of the ordinary for someone to believe in Christ and still struggle on occasion with moments of unbelief when they hear or face something that seems impossible to believe or to overcome. I have been in some seemingly hopeless situations that I believed would not turn out for my good, but God! Have you struggled to believe God "would" or "could" at times? Well, this was the very place Thomas was in his walk. He just wouldn't allow himself to believe that Jesus had actually overcome death. It was here that Thomas erred. Jesus had promised them that He would arise from the dead after three days, but Thomas refused to submit to Jesus' Word. 
  
Because Thomas decided not to submit to Jesus' Word and believe it until He had appeared, it caused him to revert back to his old ways of walking in unbelief. We know this because he told the other disciples, "I won't believe what you have said about the resurrection of Christ until I see Him for myself." Even so, let's bring this down to where you and I live today. 
  
Thomas was hanging out with other believers, and it appeared that he had faith because he said, "I will believe when I see." In reality, this was unbelief acting as faith. It doesn't require faith for us to say I will believe it when I see it, or I will believe after Jesus shows up with proof. God requires us to believe His Word or promises, even though we can't see any proof that they actually exist. If we absolutely believe in God's Word as the truth, then we will wait on God in faith until He brings His Word to pass. If we wait until His Word or promises become sight as Thomas did, we won't inherit the promise or be blessed. We know this because after Jesus had appeared the second time with Thomas present, He said to him, "You have believed because you have seen, but blessed are those who have not seen, yet they have believed."   
  
As I stated in earlier paragraphs, Thomas had a degree of faith in Christ. Nevertheless, he had come to a place where he allowed unbelief to keep him from continuing in that faith. God requires the JUST to live by faith! Therefore, Thomas' lack of faith caused him to be in sin. He had come to a place in his walk with Christ where he wouldn't remain submitted to the truth of Jesus' resurrection, and he refused to wait IN FAITH UNTIL... 
  
(This is very important.) When operating in the life of a "Christian," both faith and unbelief will wait on God. The difference is... Faith waits with hope and expectancy while continuing to obey God's will. Unbelief waits until after Jesus shows up before believing God or obeying His will. The generation we're living in is a lot like Thomas. People confess faith in Christ; however, because they've hit a hard spot in their faith walk, they've put Christ on the back burner until He shows up again and proves He's still with them. This is not faith; it is unbelief, and it tempts the Lord. Be careful that you don't fall into the trap where you provoke God, and you miss the opportunity to inherit God's promises.   
  
If this Word has enlightened your understanding about unbelief, and faith will you contact us with your feedback? 
  
Waiting in Faith,
Pastor Asa Dockery 

Thursday, April 11, 2013

God Desires You to Be Blessed


John 3: 16 - 17, For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. NKJV

Genesis 12: 1 - 2, Now the LORD had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. NKJV

By His very nature, God is a giver. He gave mankind life in the beginning. Later, when man sinned and became separated from the life of God, He so loved the world that He gave us His only- begotten Son. Jesus then gave His life so that we might be redeemed from the curse of sin and death.

Even though God created Adam in a way that caused him to have needs, He did not intend for man/us to become needy. Why did God create us with requirements? It is because His desire was for us to be dependent upon Him to supply all of our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. It gives God great pleasure to prosper His children. Even so, Satan exploited our needs and used them to draw man away from God's provisions, thus causing us to look to ourselves as our own provider.

As long as Adam and Eve looked to God, they were blessed and provided for. However, the moment man "thought or believed" that he could take care of himself, the blessings and provisions dried up; and we became separated from the life and blessings of the Lord. What happened to man (male and female) that caused them to become cursed? Through sin and selfishness, Satan took the part of us that was needful, and should have trusted in God to provide for us, and caused mankind to become "takers" instead of being "receivers." 

Now that we know what caused the curse of poverty and lack for mankind, we must turn back to the Lord with whole hearts and allow Him to be our Provider once again. We must become dependent upon the Lord to take care of our daily needs. As we learn to trust in the Lord (over time), He will cause an increase to come upon our lives so that we can be a blessing to others. We see this principle in Genesis 12; God appeared to Abram and promised to make him great and to prosper him so he could be a blessing.

Again, I stress this point: even though God created man with the need to be dependent, He never intended for mankind to become needy. Being impoverished comes from a lack of God's blessing, truth, and presence on an individual's heart; it doesn't come from a lack of material wealth. Remember, all of man's needs were provided before sin entered the heart of mankind. Sin separated us from the blessing and the life of God; it made us poor. Jesus is the remedy for poverty and lack. He tells us in Matthew 5: 3,"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." NKJV 

If we truly trust in the Lord to provide for us, then we will obey His Word concerning giving. God focuses on giving throughout His Word so that He can teach us how to become blessed. Giving keeps the focus of our hearts off self and places it on the needs of others. Giving produces a flow of supernatural blessings in our lives so that we can be a blessing to others. Through our giving, we are able to be witnesses of God's love and generosity to others that don't know Him as their Provider. 

When we give in obedience to His Word or the Holy Spirit, we are showing God that we trust Him in our hearts. The more we trust Him and give, the greater He can increase our ability to prosper so that we can be an even greater blessing to others. Let's get the flow of God's life, love, and blessings back into our lives by keeping God's command to give. Let's break the curse of poverty off our lives by looking to God to be our Provider and giving as He leads us.

Operating in the Flow of God's Blessing, 
Pastor Asa Dockery 

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

God Knows Us Best


Genesis 3 : 2 - 5, And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.'" Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." NKJV

Job 1: 8 - 11, Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?" So Satan answered the LORD and said, "Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!" NKJV

In both of today's scripture references, Satan is engaged in a conversation with someone; however, he is talking to them about someone else. When we read the Genesis account where Eve is telling Satan about what God said concerning the Tree of Knowledge, we find that Satan twisted it; and she believed him. Here's a side note to consider: If she had known the truth about God and what He had actually said, do you think she would have fallen for a lie from Satan? No, she would not.  We know she was deceived because Paul tells us in 1Timothy 2:14 that she was. Jesus said, "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." If she had known God or His Word, then she would not have listened to Satan's lies about God's intentions.

Therefore, it is imperative for believers to get in God's Word and learn about their Creator and heavenly Father. God told Hosea that His people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge (Concerning the truth). If we don't take the time to know God, then we, too, will fall prey to the lies of Satan; and we will doubt God and/or His intentions for us. When we KNOW the TRUTH, we will have more peace in this life because we won't listen to anything that contradicts God's Word; and, as a result, takes away our peace.

Now back to the purpose of today's word. In Job, Satan is talking to God about Job's character, even after God told him that Job was a blameless and righteous man. Satan told God that if He were to take away the hedge that protected all of Job's possessions, and if He were to remove the blessings from his life, Job would curse God. However, we know from the scripture in Job that he didn't curse God, even though Satan had stolen and killed all of Job's children and livestock. 

Now look at the contrast between when Eve spoke with Satan and when God spoke with Satan. Eve believed what Satan told her about God, but God didn't believe what Satan said about Job. Keep in mind that God is perfect, yet Eve doubted Him and believed Satan. On the other hand, Job is a flawed human, yet God chose to trust in Job's character and faith by rejecting Satan's false accusations against Job. 

Today's teaching brings out some very important principles that we need to know: 1. God knows us better than we know ourselves. 2. We must get to know God and trust Him in the same way that He knows and trusts us. 3. When we don't know God or the truth contained in His Word, we will fall prey to Satan's lies and believe things about God that are not true, like Eve did. 4. Even though man believed a lie about God, God still loves us and rejects lies about us.

If you are struggling with a sin in your life today, then I invite you to draw closer to God through prayer and the studying His Word. Through fellowship with the Holy Spirit and reading God's Word, He can show you that some things you have received as truth are really lies from Satan. Lies have no power; nonetheless, when we believe them, they will have the authority to affect us negatively; and we will suffer the consequences of believing Satan. However, when we come to the knowledge of the truth, it will expose any lies that we have believed as truth and set us free from the grip of being deceived. 

Truth Gives Us Power Over Satan,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Releasing Your Hidden Potential


Genesis 1: 26 - 28, Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." NKJV

In 2 Corinthians 4:7, Paul tells us that we have treasure from heaven in this earthen vessel. This treasure that Paul writes about holds your hidden potential. However, we have to be willing to release it in order to fulfill God's plan and purpose for our lives. 

God formed man from the dust of the ground, and afterwards, He commanded a blessing over Adam and Eve. He told them to be fruitful, multiply, and to fill the earth. Please take hold of the commandment of God over Adam and Eve. He wanted THEM to FILL the earth. Even so, you may be wondering how one couple could possibly fill the earth. Before the fall, there was no death; consequently, it was possible for Adam and Eve to have filled the earth as God commanded. When we live for eternity, we can get a whole lot of things accomplished for God in the earth. 

Now let's focus on the purpose of today's word. Adam and Eve had the potential within themselves to fill the entire earth; nonetheless, they chose to fill only themselves. Instead of them remaining in fellowship with the Lord and walking in God's abundant blessings, they chose to take care of their own selfish desires; and as a result, they lost their ability to fill the earth. 

God has given us the story of Adam as an example so that we don't follow in his footsteps. Although God gave Adam and Eve the power to fill the earth, they chose to satisfy themselves by excluding God's will and plan for their lives. Nevertheless, God sent Jesus into the earth as the Last Adam; we know that He has descended and ascended in ordert that He might fill all things with Himself (Ephesians 4: 10).

Unlike Adam, who chose to allow sin to separate him from God (Tree of Life), Jesus always chose to obey the Father and to walk under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, when Jesus finished the work that His heavenly Father had given Him, He ascended into heaven; and the Holy Spirit was sent to live in us. Now, we are filled with God's presence, and, as a result, we can fill the earth with God's goodness through our continued obedience. However, the only way a Christian can continue to be FILLED and walk in God's blessings is to remain in God's presence. The Bible tells us, "In His presence is fullness of joy." Jesus tells us in Matthew 5: 6 that we are blessed, if we hunger and thirst... for we shall be filled.

As a child of God, are you setting time aside to be in the presence of the Lord? When you delight yourself in God, He has promised to give you the desires of your heart. God is life; and when you dwell in His presence, His life fills you and spills over into this natural realm. If you continue to live in His presence, you are going to become all that God has ordained for you to be. 

Living in God's Presence,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Monday, April 8, 2013

Jesus Gives Sight to the Blind


John 3: 17 - 21, For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God." NKJV

The Bible uses metaphors to describe what occurs when a person has sin in their heart. For example, we use terms such as walking in darkness or being spiritually blind. Likewise, when Adam sinned, the Bible teaches us that his eyes became opened, and he knew good and evil. We know that his natural eyes were opened already because they saw the forbidden fruit before they ate it. Therefore, we know that the Word was referring to the eyes of their understanding. For them to have known good and evil meant that they had gained an understanding of sin they didn't have when God created them.

In other words, sin affected their hearts and darkened their understanding. I can't discuss all that sin did to blind their hearts, so I will teach on two ways. First, sin blinded Adam and Eve to the sin in their lives. There are many scriptures that I can use to support this doctrine: Romans 7, John 15, as well as Genesis 3. Paul said that he would not have known he had sin if it hadn't been for the Law of God, which showed what sin was, and that it dwelled undetected in his heart.

Jesus said in John 15, if He had not come and spoken the truth and performed His mighty works, the Jews would not have known the sin in their hearts. So when Jesus spoke to them concerning the truth about their ways, it caused the sin in them to manifest and bring them under conviction so that they were without excuse.

Secondly, when Adam sinned against God, and the eyes of his understanding became darkened, he began to fear God; consequently, he ran from Him. Sin placed all of mankind under the bondage to the spirit of fear. Instead of trusting God, sin causes us to be afraid of God so that we won't go near His presence. If you accept the truth that sin blinds us to our own transgressions, and it also keeps us from turning to God; you will begin to see how deceptive the web was that Satan devised to trap mankind into darkness. Sin had us cut off from the light and life of God.

Here's the good news. Even though man had become spiritually blind to their sin, their transgression couldn't prevent the Light of Christ from shining into the darkened hearts of man. This is why many of the Jews hated Jesus. His Word shined into their hearts and exposed the hidden sin; and they desired the darkness over His light. This Word today reveals the loving heart of our heavenly Father. He knew that we were blind and didn't have a consciousness of sin residing in our hearts. Therefore, He sent His Son to our aid so that we could find our Way to safety.

In 2 Corinthians 3 and 4, Paul teaches us that there was a veil placed over the hearts of the Jews when they saw the glory of God on the face of Moses after he had been with God upon Mount Sinai. Paul also tells us that if they turned to the Lord, the veil would be lifted from their hearts, and they would be saved. In chapter 4, Paul goes on to teach us that when someone sees the light, but decides to reject that light because of their unbelief (don't believe in Jesus as the Christ), then Satan, the god of this world will keep them blinded to the Light of the truth. Truth is only found in the person of Jesus Christ. If a person rejects Jesus, then they will also reject the Word of God as being the final authority of truth.

Is it not amazing that sin didn't stop God from loving a world filled with sinners? Sin couldn't stop people from seeing the Light of truth in the face of Jesus Christ. Furthermore, sin couldn't prevent us from coming to the saving knowledge of Christ; nevertheless, unbelief can. All who reject Christ, who is the Light of the world will perish. They won't go into eternal torment just because they had sin. They will go because they chose to reject the only HOPE for forgiveness and redemption.

Have you placed your faith in Jesus as being the only-begotten Son of God? If you have, then His Light has set you free from the blindness of sin; you now walk in the Day and not the night. If you haven't accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, call on Him (Jesus) today and ask the heavenly Father to forgive you and fill your heart with His Spirit, Light, and Love.

Walking in the Light,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Friday, April 5, 2013

The Great Shepherd


John 10: 11 - 16, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd. NKJV

As our Great Shepherd, Jesus is always looking out for us. He protected us from the punishment of sin by laying His life down in our place. Jesus also took on Satan so that we would no longer have to live under his authority. We can't see Jesus with our eyes or talk with Him on the phone; even so, He is more present and more a part of our lives than any relative or friend.

We mustn't let the fact that Jesus is invisible to the human eyes cause us to believe that He isn't with us when we face danger in this life. The Father and Jesus have done everything that is needed to keep our soul safe and secure so that Satan isn't able to touch it. It is our responsibility to be informed as Christians so that we don't fall prey to Satan's devises and step out from under God's protective covering.

Our Great Shepherd has given us the Word of God so that we might know the ways of God and the schemes of the Devil. Jesus died on the cross in order to redeem us from sin so that we can escape the flames and torment of hell; however, we have also been given the Holy Spirit. He will guide us into all truth so that we remain on the path of righteousness. This will prevent us from drifting over into the enemy's territory where he can pull us with evil desires.

Our Great Shepherd has also called men and women to be under-shepherds to tend to the needs of His flock. As His servants, Jesus gives us revelation, wisdom, and understanding to teach His people and to encourage them in the faith. It is our responsibility as ministers to pray continually for His sheep so that He can show us what nourishment or protective word is needed at the time. The Word of God is more than God's Words written on parchment; His Word sets boundaries and wards off our enemies so that we're not consumed by them.

It is for this reason that we are told to hide the Word of God in our hearts so that we might not sin against it. If you're not a part of a local church, then you're missing out on one of the greatest safety nets that Jesus has put in place to keep you spiritually safe. When you're able to hear the Word of God preached or taught regularly, you will be built up in your faith walk. There is no possible way I could list all the protective measures your Great Shepherd has in place so that you and your family might be protected and blessed. Let me encourage you to begin to seek the Lord and His Word so you can learn more about the protection, provision, and power of God that is given to those who belong to Him.

In His service,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Repentance


Romans 2: 1 - 4, You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance? NIV 

According to Paul, we can be harder both on ourselves and on others concerning the matter of sin than God is. As fallen humans, who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus, it would appear that we would extend more mercy toward others' transgressions, but that isn't always the case. Since we have a tendency to be more critical toward others' sin than our own, it can cause us to begin to struggle in our own walk of faith and grace. 

A guilty conscious can cause the recipients of grace to forget just how God has found us, and where He has brought us from. A guilty conscience can also cause us to judge people who are in sin and demand swifter justice, and yet turn right around and beg God to extend His mercy and grace to cover our own shortcomings and failures. There is a perfect example in John 8 of how a guilty conscience can cause people to be very judgmental and condemning of others... even after they have committed the same sin and/or received forgiveness themselves. 

While Jesus was teaching early one Sabbath morning, some men brought a woman to Him that was caught in the act of adultery. These men were ready to try her case, convict her of sin, and condemn her to death until Jesus spoke up. He reminded them of something that they had not taken into account... they also had a sin issue in their own hearts. Once Jesus reminded them of their past, the men saw the error of their ways and dropped their rocks. Once they were gone, Jesus told the woman that He didn't condemn her either. Then He said to the woman, "Go and sin no more." Don't you find it interesting that the guilty men wanted to stone her, but the GUILTLESS Man forgave her and released her without punishment? 

Through the teaching of Paul and the love that is demonstrated through Christ, we can begin to see that God is LONG SUFFERING when it comes to sin. He doesn't "fly off of the handle" like people do when they find out that others have sin in their lives. When you think about the difference between man's point-of-view toward sin verses God's point-of-view toward sin could it be that we also know, through experience, what it is like once we have tasted of God's goodness, and we want others to taste of it as well? When we mix God's goodness with our zeal and judgmental attitude, we will fall short of God's grace every time... as it pertains to reaching out to people in their faults, failures, and sin.

God is long suffering; it's not that He winks or permits sin. Instead, He is giving humans an opportunity to repent of the error of their ways before it's too late for them. It is the goodness of God that produces true Biblical repentance and not man's hellfire and brimstone judgments. If Jesus didn't condemn sin in people's lives, then how can we, as His ambassadors do so?  I'm writing this to you because the Lord revealed a scripture to me today that ties in with Paul's writing in Romans. Now, hopefully, we can clearly see the heart of God and change the way we go about confronting sin in other people's lives.

Isaiah 6: 1 - 7, In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!" And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. So I said: "Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts." Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it, and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged." NKJV 

In this setting, Isaiah is mourning over the death of King Uzziah. (We mourn over the sin in our life that produces death.) In the same year that the king died, Isaiah saw the beauty and power of the Lord. It was while he was mourning over a death that God revealed to him His beauty and majesty; this causes Isaiah to realize that he is a sinner, a man that is undone and who has unclean lips, and is living among a people of unclean lips. You see, it was the goodness of God coupled with the brokenness of loss that brought Isaiah to a place of repentance. The Angel touched the lips of Isaiah and purged him of his sins. As a result of this encounter with God's goodness, Isaiah answers the calling of God to become a prophet and to speak to the nation of Israel for the Lord. An amazing story isn't it? So let's allow the beauty and the power of the Lord to shine through our hearts to others and watch as the conviction power of God turns a hard heart into a heart of flesh.

Lord, I Want to See Your Glory, 
Pastor Asa