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Friday, November 28, 2014

Do You Remember When?

Philippians 3 : 13 - 14, Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. NKJV
Deuteronomy 10 : 17 - 19, For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe. He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing. Therefore love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. NKJV
The Lord laid these two particular passages on my heart for a very specific reason. You will notice in Paul's letter to Philippi that he is instructing the Christians to forget their past and to press toward the goal for the prize of the upward calling in Christ. However, in the second passage from Deuteronomy, God is instructing the people through His prophet, Moses to remember from where He had brought them and to be kind toward strangers because they, too, were once strangers in the land of bondage.
If you take both passages at face value, it seems as if the Bible is contradicting itself; nevertheless, there is a harmony in them that makes for a wonderful story of redemption. First, let's breakdown Paul's writing. When we came to Christ, it required a step of faith and boldness. We knew in our hearts the sins that we had committed and the guilt that was associated with our sins. We also knew that God was fully aware of our past; therefore, we tended to feel somewhat intimidated by it all. Our mind wondered, "What will happen when I confess my sins to the Lord? Will He reject and despise me over my sin and make me feel condemned like others have done?" Consequently, it takes faith to approach God for forgiveness. Satan doesn't want us to know that God doesn't condemn us. As a result, he works overtime using guilt, shame, and fear to keep us away from God's forgiveness and grace.
Nevertheless, you overcame Satan's tactics, faced your fears, and took the guilt and shame of your past to the Father through the blood of Jesus and asked for His forgiveness. Wasn't it amazing when, instead of sensing condemnation, you felt the love of God fill your heart and the acceptance of the Lord when forgiveness was received? There is something glorious that transpires when a sinner gives the heavy burden of sin over to Jesus and receives His forgiveness in their hearts. It's a feeling of release that a believer never forgets.
Now let's address the passage from Deuteronomy. God is instructing the people through Moses to show love toward strangers because they were also once strangers in Egypt. In this passage, He wants them to remember from where He brought them, as former slaves in a strange land, so that they would be compassionate toward others. God didn't want them to remember the guilt and shame of slavery and how terrible they were treated as slaves in Egypt.
If we put the two lessons together, we have a perfect picture of the work of redemption in our own lives through Christ. God wants us to forget everything that pertains to sin before the blood of Jesus cleansed us, but He doesn't want us to forget the goodness and mercy that He so graciously lavished on us when we confessed our sin. Once repentance and confession have been made and forgiveness is given to a sinner, God only wants us to focus on His goodness and from where He has brought us, so that we won't get lifted up, and despise or reject others who might now be where we once were before we came to know Christ.
The Lord can turn mourning into joy and ashes into beauty when we learn how to remember from where God has brought us and how He wants us to forget how our sin made us feel before He forgave us. What great love the Father has given us through His Son, Jesus. Now we must go out and show that same kind of love and compassion toward others and lead them to Christ.
No Greater Love,
Pastor Asa Dockery
 

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Tempted to Tempt the Lord

Luke 4 : 9 - 12, Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you,' and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.'" And Jesus answered and said to him, "It has been said, 'You shall not tempt the LORD your God.'" NKJV
Christians have many promises given to us in God’s Word that are yes and amen in Christ. Since we are in Christ, and His Spirit lives in us, every promise is ours. God in His infinite love and wisdom has provided promises that cover every area of life. All that God requires of us is that we take Him at His Word and stand on His promises until they manifest in our lives.
In today’s scripture, Satan tempted Jesus to tempt the Lord God. When I sought direction for today’s word, the Holy Spirit instructed me to this particular temptation of Jesus and said to teach His people the warning contained within it. Let’s dissect this story so that we can glean a few powerful insights into what was really going on and why Satan sought to tempt Jesus to tempt the Lord God.
At this point, in the forty days of temptation, Satan had already provoked Jesus in an attempt to get Him to prove His spiritual identity by turning the stone into bread. Since Jesus didn’t give in to the enemy’s invitation, Satan changed his approach just a little. Why did he change the way he tempted Jesus? The first attempt failed; this let Satan know that he wasn’t toying with just anyone. Jesus had responded with authority from the Word. Therefore, Satan pulled a promise out of context and tried to use it to tempt Jesus to put His Father to the test. Nonetheless, Satan’s second method of temptation was also futile. If a particular temptation doesn’t work on a believer, then Satan will move on to the next level.
Even though Jesus is the Son of God, and the promise that Satan used was written about Him, Jesus understood the conditions or context of the promise. If we read the promise in its context, we will see that Satan conveniently omitted a very important part that keeps us from forcing the Lord to protect us while we are in rebellion to the promise. Here is the promise in its entirety. Psalms 91 : 11 - 12, For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. NKJV
I highlighted the omitted part of the promise so you could see the subtlety of Satan. A person would have to know the scripture like Jesus did in order to understand that you can’t tempt the Lord God, even though the promise of protection is written especially for you. You may be wondering, “How would knowing this small omission of scripture keep me from entering temptation and tempting the Lord?”
God tells us in Hosea 4:6 that His people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. When we don’t know the Word of God for ourselves, we won’t know when we have “crossed-the-line” and entered into temptation, to the extent that we begin to tempt the Lord God. Jesus knew the Word and quoted it correctly back to Satan. Therefore, we, too, must know the Word so that we can properly respond to Satan. We can learn from today’s teaching that if we are ignorant of the Word of God, then Satan will use it to cause us to “sin against the Lord and then justify our sin” by taking scripture out of context or omitting parts of scripture that holds us accountable to God.
Has Satan tempted you recently to misuse the Word in order to justify a particular sin or way of life that violates the Word of God? If so, then Satan has been effective at getting your cooperation to tempt the Lord your God. God has promised to protect us, but He won’t cover unrepentant sin in our hearts. Love only covers sins that have been confessed and repented of. God gives grace to the humble, but He opposes the proud.
Thank God that He forgives us when we repent and ask for His forgiveness. He covers our sins with the blood of Jesus so that the Tempter can’t exploit our weaknesses to the point of destroying our souls because we committed sin against the Lord. There is nothing as great as the graciousness of our God when we realize that we have crossed-the-line, and we humble ourselves before Him.
Forgiven And Covered,
Pastor Asa Dockery
 

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Can Christians Have Problems?

Psalms 34 : 17 - 22, The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all. He guards all his bones; not one of them is broken. Evil shall slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous shall be condemned. The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned. NKJV
It seems that the question used in today’s title is an ongoing curiosity; it is often asked by new converts, who come to faith in Jesus for their salvation. Salvation is given to mankind to keep our souls from entering eternal torment. Unfortunately, it does not keep us from experiencing trouble in this life on earth.
I don’t personally know of any promise in God’s Word that specifically says God will keep us from all trouble, heartache, and suffering. However, I could fill up several pages with verses that teach us that saints had to suffer greatly, just because of their faith in Christ. If we are honest with ourselves and read the Bible as it is written, it will end the discussion that asks, “Do Christians have troubles after receiving Christ into their hearts?”
Even so, since we’re on this subject, let’s take the time to dig a little deeper. The same mindset that says, “I won’t have troubles or problems when I become born again,” can later condemn believers when trouble does invade their lives. If you have experienced this, then rest assured it is the voice of condemnation and not the heart of God. God’s Spirit will NEVER contradict God’s Word. Jesus tells us in John 16 : 33, “In this world, you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; for I have overcome the world.” If Jesus says we will have tribulation in this world, then you can be certain trouble is inevitable for believers.
Nevertheless, Jesus shows us in the verse from John’s gospel where our focus and curiosity should rest. You see; before you and I came to faith in Christ, we were “on our own,” so to speak. We didn’t turn to God in times of trouble because we didn’t have faith in God. However, now that we have submitted our hearts to Christ, God has promised to be with us no matter what trouble may come our way. Even though we have faith in Christ, we will still have problems; however, God is with us to deliver us from ALL of them.
Let me leave this final thought with you about Moses’ walk of faith. God appeared to Moses while he was tending sheep on the backside of the desert. After the Lord introduced Himself to him, God instructed Moses to go to Pharaoh and demand the release of His people. Nevertheless, when Moses heard what God had planned, he began to struggle with self-doubt and fear. In response to Moses’ doubt and trepidation, God told Moses, “Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.” KJV
God was about to send Moses into the face of trouble, yet all that He told Moses is, “I will be with you.” It didn’t matter how many signs God showed Moses in Exodus 3, there was only one promise that really gave Moses both the strength to face Pharaoh and the trouble that would follow; it was the promise that God was with him. You may have experienced many signs and miracles that built your confidence to move onward in faith despite the troubles ahead, but miracles aren’t enough to convince us to face trouble; we must have the assurance that God is with us before we can be strong and do great exploits for Him.
What trouble are you faced with today? Are you experiencing condemnation because of the trouble? If you are, then place your complete attention on Jesus and know that He is with you. As a result, you will overcome this problem in your life, and it will become a testimony of God’s faithfulness.
Emmanuel, God Is With Us,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Friday, November 21, 2014

“We Will Fight!”



“We Will Fight!”

Deuteronomy 1 : 41 – 45, "Then you answered and said to me, 'We have sinned against the LORD; we will go up and fight, just as the LORD our God commanded us.' And when every one of you had girded on his weapons of war, you were ready to go up into the mountain. "And the LORD said to me, 'Tell them, "Do not go up nor fight, for I am not among you; lest you be defeated before your enemies."' So I spoke to you; yet you would not listen, but rebelled against the command of the LORD, and presumptuously went up into the mountain. And the Amorites who dwelt in that mountain came out against you and chased you as bees do, and drove you back from Seir to Hormah. Then you returned and wept before the LORD, but the LORD would not listen to your voice nor give ear to you. NKJV

Today’s word is one of encouragement; however, it is also filled with Godly wisdom that will help believers avoid the pitfalls of pride and unbelief that sometimes blinds us to our own ways. To understand better all that the Lord is teaching us today please take a moment and read all of Deuteronomy 1.

On the surface, it appears as if the men of Israel repented of their rebellion (sin) against the command of the Lord to possess the land. Nevertheless, instead of obeying the Lord and entering into the Promised Land, they chose to believe the evil report of the ten spies. Israel allowed unbelief to fill their hearts to the point that they took man’s word or assessment of the land over God’s Word, even though they brought back fruit, which proved God’s promises were true.

After the spies gave Moses and Israel the bad report, the people entered into their tents and spoke evil against the Lord, although God had told them the truth. In verse 29 of Deuteronomy 1, Moses begins to chide the men of Israel for turning their hearts against the Lord in unbelief. Afterwards, Moses informed them that God was displeased with their sin; and he let them know that none of the older generation would be able to inherit the land of promise.

However, when the men heard of God’s decision, they seemed to have a change of heart, or did they? They did tell Moses they had sinned against the Lord. Let’s stop here for a moment. Does confession of sin also mean that you have repented of the sin? No, it does not. Let’s continue. Although they had confessed their sin before God and Moses, their hearts were still filled with rebellious pride. Instead of repenting (change of hearts and ways), they decided among themselves that they would NOW obey the command of the Lord to fight the Amorites. When the men told Moses what they were about to do in response to God’s previous command to seize the land, Moses told them not to go because God had told him that He wouldn’t be with them, nor would He fight for them. Nevertheless, the men DEFIED the Lord’s command once again; even though they knew that God wasn’t with them, they pounced on the Amorites. Guess what happened? They got defeated by their enemies.

The spirit of pride and rebellion that blinded the children of Israel in Deuteronomy 1 is alive and well in the hearts of believers today. Let me explain. Whenever the men realized what they had done was sin against the Lord, instead of submitting to the Lord and following His will, they allowed their pride to defy God’s will and sought to fulfill God’s previous command in “their own strength.” How many times has God allowed America and His church in America to endure hardship and even disaster simply because we wouldn’t repent of our sins, even though we’ve gotten up in church and confessed that we had sinned.

I’m sure you can think of things that the church knows are sin, but we haven’t truly repented of them, and we’ve attempted to fight the sin in our own strength. I could probably go on for another few pages, but you have things to do, and places to go. Even so, before I leave you let me ask you one question. Is there an area in your heart that God has said you have sin, and you have confessed it, but haven’t submitted your heart or will to God? If so, then today is the day to bring your sin before the Lord and ask His forgiveness, and seek His ways instead of your own. God will turn your life, and the hard situations that you‘ve been fighting completely around for you.

Praising the Lord for Victory,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Do You know Who You Are?


Acts 27 : 20 – 26, Now when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest beat on us, all hope that we would be saved was finally given up. But after long abstinence from food, then Paul stood in the midst of them and said, "Men, you should have listened to me, and not have sailed from Crete and incurred this disaster and loss. And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying, 'Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.' Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me. NKJV

Every person comes into the world with a void in their heart. Consequently, we set out early in life looking for someone or something to fill the emptiness. Perhaps you have sought to discover who you are by entering relationships, but later found that they didn’t meet the need. Some have sought to fill this mysterious void with fortune and fame. However, they realized that neither came close to answering the nagging question of who they are. Let’s look at someone from the Bible that will help us in our search to be made complete.

In Genesis 3, the serpent approached Eve and enticed her to discover her true identity by committing sin against her Creator. Satan found or uncovered a void in Eve that, at first, she may not have even realized was in her heart. Too many times, humans discover they have a need long before they have the opportunity to know how to fill the void, and it can lead them into making destructive choices. Eve is a prime example of what happens when people want “good” things, but choose wrong ways to acquire them.

Satan awoke a need or desire in Eve to be like God, and then he exploited her ignorance and gullibility in order to seduce her into sinning against the Lord, in an attempt to be like God. She had a legitimate need in her heart that began as a godly one; nevertheless, Satan perverted it and captured her attention before she knew the truth. He introduced her to a way of “filling that void” apart from God’s help. Someone might be thinking, “What is so wrong with her desiring to be like God and trying to find it on her own? Didn’t God give her freewill to do just that?” To answer those questions let’s look deeper into what happened in Eve’s life after she sought to become like her Creator and Father through sin. The result of Eve seeking to fill the void in her heart through her own acts of sin caused her great sorrow and emotional anguish in her heart and life (Genesis 3 : 16). Have you ever wondered why people hold onto people and things that cause them pain? It is because they don’t want to experience an even greater pain called “rejection.”

Did you know that Satan loves to rob us by preying on the ignorance that we have concerning our “spiritual identity”? Why does Satan seek to awaken desires in our hearts that begin innocently, but quickly turn into a lifestyle that is fraught with pain and rejection? He wants us to ignore God’s truth and His guidance, so that he can lead us on a destructive path FULL of pain, sorrow, and rejection. You see; rejection is the opposite of affirmation, which is exactly what Eve was after when she considered eating the forbidden fruit. What do you do when you have a need or void, and everything you do only makes life worse?

Because Eve had chosen to become like God by filling the void in her heart apart from going to God, Satan led her to make decisions that would only cause her heartache, regret, and sorrow of heart. When we fill the void in our hearts with “wrong people and things” it just causes pain. When we hold onto that pain, instead of turning our lives over to the Lord, the enemy continues to exploit the pain and causes us to make “poor or wrong” decisions, which then exacerbates the dysfunction and confusion.

If we seek to fill the need in our hearts, which is to be affirmed by our Creator, without turning to God, then we will live in bondage to the pain of rejection. God doesn’t want anyone to live in bondage. It was because of sin that He sent Jesus to earth to die on our behalf. Instead of condemning us for the sin in our hearts, God through Christ has chosen to forgive us and ACCEPT us in Christ. You and I don’t have to turn to the world, bad relationships, or bondage in order to find acceptance. It’s free, and it’s ours, if we will only accept it.
Complete In Christ,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

The Finish Line

Galatians 6 : 7 - 10, Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. NKJV
The biggest part of being successful at anything, including being a Christian, is to be consistent. No one has ever won a competition by throwing up their hands and quitting. Throughout the Word of God, we’re commanded to persevere and to keep the faith when troubles rage against us. In chapter 12 of Hebrews, the writer teaches us to run the race that is set before us with endurance. Likewise, Paul tells us in Philippians 3 to press toward the goal that we might win the prize.
It’s easy to start something new in our lives, but it takes consistency, determination, and discipline to complete a goal or win a competition. Therefore, the Lord prompted me today to write this word to encourage anyone who may be struggling to continue in the good fight of faith. As Christians, we are instructed by the Lord, that in order to receive our just reward, we must keep the faith and continue steadfast, until we cross the finish line. Do you remember what happened to the generation of Israelites who came out of Egypt? There were a lot of them; nevertheless, none was allowed to enter the Promised Land, except Joshua and Caleb. Why? It was because only Joshua and Caleb consistently kept the faith and remained submitted to God’s will.
Are you involved in a local church? As a pastor of a church for 13 years, I’ve seen many believers who have put their hands to the plow and committed to the work of God; however, after a short season, some lost the vision and stopped plowing. You might say that they grew weary while doing the Lord’s service. Paul admonishes us in today’s scripture to continue sowing to the Spirit so that we will reap everlasting life.
Whenever a believer commits to God’s work, whether it’s in a church or out in the world, we are sowing to the Spirit. If for any reason, we should stop sowing, then we will also cease reaping the blessings. Let me further add that if we aren’t sowing to the Spirit, we are sowing to the flesh, and we will reap a harvest of (weeds) corruption. In today’s society, it seems that more believers are falling prey to inconsistency. However, we know from Paul’s teachings that this will disrupt our harvest of blessings because we’ve stopped sowing into the Lord’s kingdom.
Once again, I have watched the Lord bless His children whenever they committed to serve His kingdom purpose in the local church. Many have gone from very hard and harsh situations to becoming blessed with the Lord’s favor. Even so, before long, consistency began to give way to convenience, and determination gave way to distraction. Consequently, after a while, the very ones that God had so graciously blessed would be gone from the church.
All of us will one-day stand before the judgment seat of Christ, as Christians, and we will give an account for the things that we have done in this life (2 Corinthians 5 : 10). If we have pleased the Lord, then we will receive a great reward and a crown of life, but if we should allow inconsistency to stop us from walking by faith, then we will suffer loss (1 Corinthians 3 : 15). You and I both should realize that we are, indeed, living in the last days. We can see the love of believers growing cold toward the Lord and His work, just as Jesus prophesied in Matthew 24. Nevertheless, as we see these things coming to pass, it should encourage us all-the-more to keep our eyes on Jesus, our hands on the plow, and sow, sow, sow!
I pray that the Lord will strengthen you with might in the inner man and that His grace will empower you to keep consistently running the race before you. You can do it because you have the Spirit of Christ dwelling within you. Lean on His strength and allow Him to carry you victoriously across the finish line.
Keep Your Eyes on the Prize,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Monday, November 17, 2014

Driven by Fear

1 Kings 19 : 1 - 4, And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time." And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, "It is enough! Now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!" NKJV
If there is anything that all humans have in common, it must be that we all get bad news. In today’s scripture, Elijah got a message from Jezebel that basically threatened his life. Nevertheless, before I continue, let me share the context of the story that led to the threat against Elijah.
Elijah had summoned the false prophets of Israel and the prophets of Baal. Elijah then single-handedly took on all 850 of these prophets. However, after the miraculous win of killing all of Jezebel’s prophets, she sent this evil threat to Elijah. Now you can imagine the emotional roller coaster he was on; he went from a huge victory to facing a death sentence, if Jezebel’s men could capture him.
The Bible tells us that when Elijah got the bad news, he ran for his life. Afterwards, Elijah left his servant in Beersheba and went a day’s journey into the wilderness. It was there and while he was alone that he prayed to God to let him die. Stop! Look at the confusion and contradictions that Elijah is exhibiting in his decisions immediately after he heard the threat from the messenger of Jezebel. In one moment, he is running for his life (so he wouldn’t die), and in a different moment, he is praying to die.
Fear makes us humans do strange things that really don’t make sense. Fear made Elijah run for his life, and then it made him pray to God that He would let him die. Elijah is no longer being controlled by the Spirit of God, as he was on Mount Carmel when he killed the false prophets; now, he is being driven by the spirit of fear.
Are you, like Elijah, facing situations that threaten your existence? Are you being driven by fear into making irrational decisions? If so, then receive this as a word from the Lord for the season that you’re going through. You will notice that the fear in Elijah’s heart made him run into the wilderness alone. Satan uses fear tactics to cause believers to run into pits of seclusion, so he can prey on them through their out-of-control thoughts and emotions.
Have you prayed for God to take your life because of the trouble that seems to surround you? If you have, then know it’s not your heart that wants you to die; rather it is that you’re fighting a demonic spirit, which is using negative situations and threats to push you into the corner of hopelessness. We’re commanded in James 4 to submit to God, resist the Devil, and he must flee from us. Instead of running in fear, ask the Lord to give you peace in your heart and mind. As His peace fills your heart, you will be able to think clearly and rationally. Like Elijah, you have come under a demonic attack that is seeking to devour you; even so, you have the victory in Jesus!
If this word has described the world that you’ve been enduring, then this is God’s word of deliverance for you. Let me know if you need prayer to help you overcome this attack by emailing us at prayer@whcnorth.org. I and the intercessors of World Harvest Church North will stand in agreement with you for breakthrough and deliverance, so that you can, once again, enjoy your life in Christ.
Standing With You in Prayer,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Friday, November 14, 2014

Go To The Garden Alone

Matthew 26 : 36 - 39, Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, "Sit here while I go and pray over there." And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me." He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." NKJV
As an instructor of the Bible, I have taught from this portion of scripture many times. Even so, there has always been something that puzzled me about the context of Jesus’ prayer. I’ve often wondered why Jesus prayed to the Father for the “cup of suffering” to pass from Him. Let’s look at a couple of scriptures that further illustrate the point of today’s devotion.
Luke 24 : 46 - 47, Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. NKJV
John 1 : 29, The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! NKJV
We all know from the Word of God that Jesus knew exactly why He was sent to earth. The Old Testament prophets prophesied that the Messiah would come and take away the sins of His people. Jesus also spoke many times during His earthly ministry about the suffering that He would endure and about His death. Nevertheless, we see Him in the garden praying and asking that the cup of suffering pass from Him. Why would He do this, knowing what was at stake for the entire world?  
The Lord showed me a truth that is new to me, and I taught it at a recent church service. The sermon dealt with believers learning how to trust God while under a threat from the enemy. This is what the Holy Spirit revealed: When Jesus prayed for the cup of suffering to pass, He was, in fact, establishing “it” as being the will of God. We have to realize just “who” was praying to the Father. This was Jesus, God’s only-begotten Son. God always responded to Jesus’ prayers with great miracles, signs, and wonders. Nevertheless, Jesus received confirmation that He would, indeed, have to partake of the cup and die for His people. Since God didn’t release Him from suffering on the cross, Jesus submitted to God’s will.
If you read the beginning of the scripture for today, you will see that Jesus’ soul was exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death. However, when He left the garden of prayer, His soul was comforted and at rest. What changed? Because Jesus prayed and submitted the way that He did, God was able to confirm His will to Jesus and give Him the grace to carry out the Father’s will.
There will be trials that we will have to face as God’s children, and it’s not because we did something wrong or that God is mad at us; they come because it is His will for our lives, in order for us to be made complete. Therefore, the next time you enter a season where your faith is being tried, “go to the garden” and pray. Ask the Father to remove this trial or affliction from your life so that you won’t have to suffer. If God doesn’t remove it after you have prayed, then know that He has another plan in mind, and it requires your FULL cooperation. Consequently, you must do as Jesus and submit to God’s will, not yours.
Don’t worry; once you submit to God and move forward in faith, He will give you the grace both to face and to endure whatever is required of you. In the end, you will be rewarded, and God will be glorified through your obedience. Can I get an “Amen”?
I’m about to Get Happy,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Escape

John 10 : 31 - 39, Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, "Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?" The Jews answered Him, saying, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God." Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your law, 'I said, "You are gods"'? If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'? If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him." Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand. NKJV
Let’s begin today by giving thanks to the Lord for the wisdom He reveals so that I can share His truths with you daily. Our heavenly Father loves us so dearly; therefore, He seeks out ways to encourage and bless us. Will you take a moment and praise God for His goodness in your life?
If you read John 10 in its entirety, you will see that Jesus uses the term “Father” when speaking about God to the Jews. However, in response to Jesus declaring that He is the Son of God, the Jews wanted to stone Him. Now let’s bring us into the story. There are trials and threats that we often have to face as Christians. Nevertheless, when trouble invades our lives, what is our response? There is a term commonly used for the behavior that people exhibit who feel in danger; it is called, “Fight or flight.”
Do you try to hide or run from trouble? If so, then let me share a truth with you that can break that “fear of man” off your heart and life. You are a child of God, and He has given His angels charge over you. You’ve been bought with the blood of Jesus, and Satan can’t do anything to you without God’s permission. If God allows trouble to disrupt your life, then it’s there for a “good” reason. Anything that God does or allows to come our way is for our good (Romans 8 : 28).
Now, let’s focus on Jesus and His response to the threats that were made on His life by the Jews. Jesus never ran in fear; neither did He try to fight to preserve His life. Instead, He stood His ground with them and told them the truth. Therefore, we are to imitate the Lord when we are being threatened with harm. Once again, if God has allowed someone or something to threaten us with harm, then He has a plan to help us escape. However, we must let our stand of faith speak to those who want to harm us.
After Jesus spoke the truth to the people, John tells us that the Jews sought to stone Him once again. However, Jesus escaped out of their hand. Paul tells how God makes a way of escape for us during temptation in 1 Corinthians 10 : 13, No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. NKJV
Whenever you and I find ourselves in a dangerous situation, it is human nature to want to do something in order to defend “self.” Nevertheless, God is our heavenly Father, and if we’re living for Him, we are supposed to place our trust in Him for protection and deliverance from our troubles, when He is ready. So the next time you find yourself being threatened, remember to look to the Father, instead of trying to fight or run. God wants you to be still and obey His will during the trial.
Although the flames may burn hot around you, God won’t allow them to burn you. Therefore, you will need to exercise patience and longsuffering while you wait on God’s plan to unfold. As you set your heart to obey, God will give you the grace to continue standing while under the pressure until it’s your time for promotion. When His will is fulfilled in you and in the situation, God will make a way of escape, and you won’t have to deal with that enemy again. Why? You overcame it; now it’s a defeated foe. Ain’t God good? Save this devotion in your favorites so the next time the enemy tries to intimidate you into fighting for yourself or running away in fear, you will have these truths to help you stand in faith until...
Waiting on God to Make a Way,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Monday, November 10, 2014

Jesus Has Already Been There

Psalms 139 : 7 - 12, Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me. If I say, "Surely the darkness shall fall on me," Even the night shall be light about me; indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You. NKJV
Hebrews 4 : 14 - 15, Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. NKJV
Do you ever feel as though no one understands you? One of the hardest places to be in life is where you struggle with an issue and have no one in your life that can begin to fathom your situation. It’s a lonely place when it seems as though no one can really relate to you and the unique challenges that come against you.
Did you know that all of Satan’s strategies are exposed in the Word of God? Nevertheless, Satan still plots against God’s children; and the scheme he uses most is isolation. Didn’t God say in Genesis 2 that it wasn’t good for man to be alone? However, God filled that void and prevented Adam from being alone when He created a wife for him. Even so, isolation is still a very effective weapon against humans because it can make us feel and believe that no one can connect with us on a level that can help us out of the pit we are in.
Just as the Lord God saw in Adam’s life the need to connect with others and filled that void, God also knows what we need. The answer to our every need has been freely offered in Jesus. He is a Friend who sticks closer than a brother. It doesn’t matter where we are in life or what we’re dealing with, Jesus has already been there. Not only has Jesus suffered with ALL that any of us will ever encounter in this life, He has gone a step further and defeated these strongholds on our behalf so that we can overcome them through Him.
One of the worst times to lose a valued relationship is when we’re in trouble, and we realize that our friend can’t relate to our circumstances and/or reactions and, as a result, he pulls away. Family and friends can only walk with us as far as their ability and/or willingness to understand can take them. However, it doesn’t matter how deep we may be in an adverse situation; Jesus has already been there.
The psalmist wrote in today’s passage that it didn’t matter if he ascended into heaven or made his bed in hell, God’s Spirit was there. If you have Christ in your life, then He is right there with you. I’m not just suggesting that His presence is there; I’m saying that He understands what you’re feeling and why you’re feeling the way you are.
The key to overcoming isolation and the rejection of others, who may not understand you, is to open up your heart to the Lord and allow His presence to fill it. The writer of Hebrews tells us that as our High Priest, Jesus has been tempted in EVERY point as we are, yet He did not sin. Therefore, don’t believe the lie Satan keeps telling you: that no one understands you, and no one loves you. Jesus can completely relate to you; and what’s so great is He can give you His power to defeat the demon of isolation and pull you safely out of the pit.
If this word has spoken to your heart in a real way, please take a very important step and place your trust in Jesus; allow Him to lead you out of the darkness of isolation. The very moment that you reach out in faith, you will sense His presence flood your heart. This will give you the hope that you need to defeat the enemy of your soul and overcome the obstacles in your way. Just reach out to Jesus and watch Him move on your behalf.
What a Friend We Have In Jesus,
Pastor Asa Dockery
 

Friday, November 7, 2014

Times Of Refreshing

Matthew 26 : 40 - 45, Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done." And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. Then He came to His disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. NKJV
Today I would like to use relationship terms to convey what salvation is and what it isn’t. Salvation isn’t a date where you meet someone and make a connection, but then later move on to someone else. Instead, salvation is much like entering a marriage covenant, which is to last until death. Salvation is only the beginning of our relationship and walk with Jesus. After accepting Jesus and His love into our hearts, we begin the process of being made complete in Christ and of furthering our journey toward heaven. Nevertheless, just as in other relationships, salvation requires commitment, determination, and endurance.
One of the greatest depictions of salvation in the Bible is the story of the Israelites when they were delivered from Egypt (sin) and given the promise of God’s rest in their own land. Even so, the only thing that God asked of the Jews when He brought them to His holy hill (Mount Sinai) is that they hear His commands and obey His voice. Nonetheless, in order for them to accomplish God’s demands, they had to live and walk by faith.
You see; salvation is more than just eternal life; we must also live it out daily. As we all know, salvation is by promise. Consequently, we must fulfill our part of the covenant, as did the Jews... if they wanted to inherit the promise of salvation when they were delivered from the land of bondage. There’s much more I could say regarding the subject of salvation being a promise; however, that isn’t the reason for today’s word. The Holy Spirit prompted me to write this special devotion for His people today to expose the weariness that is so prevalent in the church.
The weariness that the Lord wants to address doesn’t necessarily come from manual labor. Instead, it comes from being spiritually exhausted. How is it possible for believers to become weary without physical labor? Did you notice in today’s scripture that it was because the disciples were exhausted that they didn’t obey Jesus’ command to pray so that they wouldn’t enter into temptation?
Spiritual fatigue can prevent believers from fulfilling the things that are NEEDFUL in order to maintain their spiritual strength, so that they can endure the rigors of being righteous in a fallen world. Weariness in believers is mainly attributed to being exhausted of patience, tolerance, and pleasure, thus we become tired. You will know that you are spiritually weary when you can’t muster the strength to pray, fast, praise, or obey God’s voice.
Weariness will also zap your joy, which is a fruit of the Spirit and comes from simply taking the time to be in the presence of the Lord. The word of God tells us plainly that the joy of the Lord is our strength. Therefore, if we’re too tired to receive joy from being in the presence of the Lord, as the disciples were that night with Jesus, then, just like them, we will grow weary in well doing and could possibly faint. Faint simply means that we stop moving forward; it could also mean that we have fallen away from the Lord and gone back to our old ways. Thus, our relationship with Christ requires much time and attention so that we are able to grow in our faith and overcome anything that might try to stand in our way and keep us from successfully completing the race.
In conclusion, Jesus repeatedly tried to get the disciples to pray, but they allowed their weariness in the flesh to overrule the desire of the Spirit. As a result of the disciples’ unwillingness to pray, every one of them entered into temptation and denied Christ. So if you’re weary to the point of backing off any of the aforementioned items that help to keep us spiritually strong, then begin praying today; ask the Lord to give you a desire to pray so that you will overcome temptation. Restoration of all things begins with prayer. Let us pray!
Encouraging You in the Faith,
Pastor Asa Dockery 
 

Thursday, November 6, 2014

Wait On The Lord!

James 1 : 12 - 15, Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. NKJV
Satan is after anyone who loves and serves the Lord. Nevertheless, the Apostle James tells us that when we choose to endure temptation, we are blessed. Satan doesn’t want us to reap the harvest for the labor that we have done for God. We must realize that Satan is after us because he wants to consume our harvest or reward before it matures.
We are children of promise. We have been given the assurance of the Holy Spirit, and He is the earnest of our inheritance in Christ until the day of redemption. Everything in the New Testament is based on faith and promise. If we will keep God’s Word and remain committed to His work, we will inherit the promises of God. Even so, James tells us that we are blessed long before we receive the promises he mentions in the passage above. Nonetheless, how can he call us blessed when we haven’t received the fulfillment of the promise?
James understood that if we endure temptations when they come our way and not be distracted from our heavenly calling, then we will absolutely inherit our reward for being faithful. Not only did James understand this principle, but Satan also understands it and seeks ways to seduce us from remaining steadfast in the work of the Lord. Our adversary, the Devil is always trying to tempt us with various things to see whether any will get our attention. If his scheme isn’t successful with us, then he will move on and try something else.
Therefore, we must constantly guard our hearts so that we don’t allow Satan to get our heart’s attention and pull us away from our faithfulness in serving the Lord. I have seen that Satan can be most effective with his evil devices when believers are waiting on an answer from the Lord. The writer of Hebrews tells us in chapter 10 that we have need of patience, so that after we have done the will of God, we will receive the promise of God. He goes on to write that we must not draw back into lawlessness and unbelief while waiting on the Lord, even when it seems to us that He is late.
Christians oftentimes become weary in doing well while we’re waiting on God to fulfill a promise or meet a need in our lives; this is the time that we are most susceptible to Satan’s seductiveness and stand a greater chance of being lured away from our faithfulness in Christ.
When it comes to enduring temptation, that we might receive the reward of our faith, we have to be completely submitted to the timing of God, rather than try to get God to move in “our” time frame. Satan will definitely use our lack of patience to PUSH us into stepping ahead of God and to pull us away from the presence of God through evil desires. (Desires become evil when we allow Satan a place in our heart to lead us astray from God’s will).
Please take this word to heart today; use it to benefit your life and walk with Christ. I am seeing an increase in believers being pulled away, or at the least, becoming distracted from remaining faithful to their work of the Lord. We are truly living in perilous times, and we must guard our hearts so that we don’t fall prey to Satan’s schemes and lose our harvest. I would like to ask you to please pray for your brothers and sisters in Christ that God would strengthen and keep others from falling away from the Lord in order to meet an evil desire in his or her life. Together, we can pray and see a move of God in the hearts and lives of believers everywhere. We’ve come too far to turn back now!
Standing Together In Faith,
Pastor Asa Dockery
  

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

The Precious Gift of Repentance

2 Corinthians 7 : 8 - 10, For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while. Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. NKJV
Where would you and I be if God had not granted us the gift of being able to repent of our sins? Truly, God’s love and grace are amazing, especially to those of us who realize that He only wants to save us from destruction. Paul brings out a VERY important point in his second letter to the believers at Corinth; however, the truths he spoke of actually came from his initial letter to them. In his first letter, he mentioned some things that made some feel sorrowful (sorry) in their hearts. Sorry means to be sad, grieved, heavy.
Nonetheless, after hearing about the effects of his first letter on the believers, Paul regretted that he had sent them the news because of those who were made sorry by it; this leads me to the point of today’s word for believers. We can plainly see that “Godly sorrow” is the beginning of the work of repentance. Paul almost made the mistake of thinking that it was HIS FAULT that the believers in Corinth were made sorrowful; however, obviously, God showed him differently. We know this to be the truth because at first Paul was remorseful, but, later, when he heard that his letter caused them to repent, he recanted his attempt to apologize...because God had used the truth Paul spoke to break the spirit of deception from their hearts.
Let’s expound on what you just read in the previous paragraph. Preaching and teaching the Word of God can cause hurt feelings. The main reason people feel the sting of the truth when it’s preached is because they recognize that what they believed to be right was actually an error. The truth enabled them to realize that they were deceived and had gone astray in their hearts. Sometimes it shocks us when we come to the understanding that we were wrong in our thinking.
It’s at this point in the work of repentance that people can easily take offense and turn on the one who delivered the truth because of the pain
“they have inflicted." I thank God that He loves us enough to tell us the truth about the sin in our hearts, instead of allowing us to die in our sins and suffer eternally in torment.
Repentance is a progressive work. It begins in sorrow, but when it is complete, it produces a change of heart in the recipient’s life. Repentance is a very precious gift from God. Nevertheless, if we disdain the “hurt caused by Godly sorrow,” then when our time of correction comes, we will have contempt for the work of repentance. Solomon tells us in Proverbs 15 : 5, A fool despises his father's instruction, but he who receives correction is prudent. NKJV
Therefore, when the Lord deals with our hearts about “wrong thinking” or sin, we need to be humble before Him; however, if we choose not to be, we may misunderstand God’s attempt to correct, take it as rejection, and become angry. There is a very thin line between getting offended by the truth we hear and in being broken by that same truth, and then repenting. We’re told many times in the Word to remain broken before the Lord so that He can extend His grace to us. God loves to give grace to the humble, but He WILL oppose the proud.
Grateful for the Love of God,
Pastor Asa Dockery  

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Super Cake

1 Kings 19 : 1 - 8, And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time." And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, "It is enough! Now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!" Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, "Arise and eat." Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again. And the angel of the LORD came back the second time, and touched him, and said, "Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you." So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God. NKJV
You may enjoy baking. However, if you’re like me, you just enjoy eating foods that someone else baked, especially cake. I want to use the cake mentioned in this story about Elijah to share a very empowering principle for anyone who may be on-the-run from Satan. In today’s scripture, we find Elijah on the run from danger. His life has been threatened by Jezebel because he had killed all her false prophets.
Nevertheless, after Elijah heard about Jezebel’s threat to kill him, he ran into the wilderness alone and prayed that the Lord would take his life (in other words, Elijah wanted to die). In response to Elijah’s prayer request, God sent him an angel, who baked a cake for him to eat. Imagine with me for a moment how frightened for his life Elijah must have been. Now imagine how he must have felt when he was awakened from a nap (brought on by depression and fatigue) and instructed to eat a cake.
A cake... what was Elijah going to do with a cake while his life is on the line? Well, we know that He was going to eat it and live. Let’s not overlook the importance of the meaning of the cake. If God was offering him a cake to eat because his journey was going to be too great, then Elijah knew this was more than just the last meal before his execution. God was letting him know that his life would continue, even though there was a bounty on his head. Psalms 23 : 5, You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; NKJV
Have you ever been in a serious situation and prayed specifically to God about it? Nonetheless, instead of Him responding in the way you asked, He gave you something else that appeared insignificant at the time? We mustn’t despise or overlook an answer to prayer simply because it wasn’t the answer that we “thought” we needed. Grab hold of this truth. Elijah could have resented God’s offer of the cake and ignored it because of the threat. However, he chose to obey God and, consequently, ran for forty days on the strength from that one meal.
We all know that the natural food from one meal cannot give us the strength to live for forty days. So let’s look deeper at the ingredients of this “super cake." Because Elijah accepted God’s gift and ate it, God gave him the grace (strength) to continue living in spite of the threat from Jezebel. The lesson that we learn from today’s word is to be humble before God and obey Him when He answers our desperate plea for help with something that is “seemingly” insignificant.
Compared to the authority of Jezebel, and Elijah’s frame of mind at the time, receiving a cake must have seemed like a joke to Elijah; nevertheless, Elijah knew God and understood His ways. Therefore, he submitted to Him and received the grace to live. Likewise, you and I must also honor God’s answer to prayer when something is threatening us. As we obey God, no matter how ridiculous His answers may seem to us, He will give us the grace to move forward in faith.
If God be for us, then who can be against us? No one can, not even the spirit of Jezebel! What are you running from today? Are you asking the Lord to take your life? Look around you with spiritual eyes and notice how He is answering your cries for help. It’s not about what He isn’t saying, but rather what He is saying through insignificant things He is doing on your behalf. God is in control of your life; He has given His angels charge to watch over you. So be still and SEE the salvation of the Lord in your situation today.
Now Let’s Eat Some Cake,
Pastor Asa Dockery 
 

Monday, November 3, 2014

God Looks Toward Our Future

Jeremiah 29 : 10 - 14, For thus says the LORD: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the LORD, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive. NKJV
It amazes me how the Lord can bring so many teachings from just one verse or small portion of scripture. Over the years, the Holy Spirit has led me to the above prophecy from Jeremiah many times, and each time He has brought out new understanding from it that I haven’t seen before. Well, He has done it again. Let’s dig into today’s Word.
Israel had been in rebellion for an extended period of time and had rejected the prophecies of His prophets (Jeremiah 25). The Jews refused to turn from their evil ways and wouldn’t stop worshiping false gods. Consequently, they provoked God to anger. Even so, the Lord comes to Israel once again through Jeremiah and reveals what is about to happen to them as a nation over the next seventy years.
There are two things taking place while Jeremiah is declaring the Word of the Lord to the Israelites. First of all, God tells them that after seventy years are completed, He will visit them; He will perform His good word (Sin had delayed it); and finally, He will cause them to return to the place from where they were driven. We can see this as a picture of repentance because the Jews would be broken from living in captivity for seventy years.
While the Lord is telling Israel that they’re about to be led into captivity, He is also revealing what He is feeling toward them and what He is thinking about them in His heart. His heart was filled with love for them; and the actions that He was about to perform were also motivated out of His love. God said, “I know the thoughts that I think toward you; thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
Although it was God that drove His own people to captivity in the land of Babylon; in His heart, He was looking forward to the day that His people would repent of their evil ways and return to Him with their whole hearts. God had to punish His people. Nevertheless, the punishment was to insure that their future would be bright and filled with peace... the day when they would be reconciled with God after being punished for their sins.
Isn’t it wonderful to know that our heavenly Father loves us so much that even when He has to punish us for our sins, He isn’t looking at our past. Instead, He is focused on the day that we are fully restored to our rightful place in Christ? Oh, the love that the Father has bestowed upon us that we should be called His children.
Praising His Goodness,
Pastor Asa Dockery
P.S. Please join me in prayer for America and its leaders during this very crucial time. Our government needs to hear from the Lord in order to lead this nation and to bring this great country back into unity as “One nation under God!” We must stand on God’s promises in faith until we see the salvation of the Lord for America with our physical eyes. God has promised us in 2 Chronicles 7 : 14, If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. KJV