1 Peter 5 : 10 - 11, But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. NKJV
In recent weeks, the Lord has led me to write to you on the subject of man being created in the image and likeness of God. Today, the Holy Spirit has laid a specific word on my heart for believers who find themselves surrounded with troubles. As a result of the fall, sin defiled the heart of man. "Self" became the replacement for the authority of God, and the mind of man took the place of the voice of God as the final word on wisdom. The perverted lusts of man became the compass and the basis for poor and immoral decisions.
Now that we have been redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus and made complete in Christ, we must begin to allow God to strip the old man and his ways from us and begin to be renewed, once again, into the image of the One who has created us. This transformation will require us to suffer many things as we lose the heart for the world and gain a new heart for the Lord and His Kingdom. While we are kept in Christ, God can transform us from the image of the first Adam and into the image of the Last Adam, Christ.
Since we are human, troubles cause us to fear because situations are out of our control. Therefore, we must train ourselves to rely on the strong arm of the Lord. Once a believer begins the conversion process of becoming Christ-like, it will shake us down to the very core of our being. Nevertheless, according to Jesus and the writers of the New Testament, these things must come to pass, if we are going to overcome the flesh nature, and, ultimately, the things of the world, through our faith in Christ.
Peter admonishes us in his epistle not to think it strange when we're faced with fiery trials. Even so, James tells us to count it all joy when we fall into various trials. IT IS IN THE SHAKING AND THE SIFTING THAT WE BECOME ESTABLISHED IN CHRIST. It is through the hard and terrible trials that we learn where we should be firmly planted. Hard times in and of themselves can't make us like Christ. However, our faith in Christ during the hard seasons of life will make us Christ-like.
As we learn and grow in our faith walk, we will become established firmly in the Lord. At this point, I can only speak from my own experiences; in the past few years, while the world has been shaking all around us, I have become more unsettled than ever before in my life. The unsettling came as a result of the shaking... this was a part of my maturation process. God wanted me to stop relying on and listening to the soulish part of my being, which was crying out to keep control. Today, I saw a picture in my mind of God wrapping His arms around His children while the "shaking to mature" was all around us. He constantly tells us by the Holy Spirit and in His Word that He has us in His care. Nevertheless, we must come into agreement with that truth before we can begin to experience the loving embrace of our heavenly Father while the storms are raging all around us.
When we "FEEL" out of control and become shaken, we will try to console our flesh and bury the feelings with self-help tactics. These futile attempts eventually give way to the sinking feeling in our heart as we realize that it will take God in His time to settle and establish us. The way I have found that I am overcoming the weaknesses of my flesh and being established in Christ is confirmed with a peace that doesn't make any sense. As the peace grows in my heart and "keeps me" so that shaking no longer moves me to fear or self-protection, I can begin to know that God has been doing "a good work" in my heart and life.
Jesus said that He would give us peace, but it would be in the midst of tribulations. How will any of us know whether we're rooted and grounded in Christ if God never allows us to suffer or be shaken? The cause of the shaking isn't good, but the results of the process will yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness and are good because God is good. So the next time trouble knocks at your door, remember the Words that God spoke to Moses at the banks of the Red Sea when they had no way of escape. Be still and see the salvation of the Lord. Let me leave you today with a perfect verse that sums up what I have tried to articulate.
Psalms 23: 4 - 5, Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; NKJV
Because God is with you, you can walk through death and not fear. Because the Lord is with you, you can eat in the presence of your enemies. Why? Because He has established you in Christ, and nothing shall pluck you up.
I Feel a Praise About To Erupt,
Pastor Asa
Monday, January 2, 2012
Friday, December 30, 2011
Work Through Me, Lord!
Galatians 1 : 1 - 2, Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead), NKJV
As a child of God and a minister of the Gospel, there's nothing that is as fulfilling as when the Lord flows through me to touch a person's heart and life. Paul tells us, in Corinthians, that we have this treasure in earthen vessels. He goes on to explain why the Lord has chosen to perform His will in this manner; it is so that the people will know that it is the power of God flowing through us.
I remember when R. W. Schambach, the famous evangelist, struggled with heart issues. For years this powerful man of God would lay hands on people and watch the power of God heal them. When he found out that his own heart was in need of a miracle, he sought the Lord, but the Lord chose to heal him another way; instead of an instant miracle, R.W. had to undergo heart surgery. I later heard him on television wrestling with his own theology over healing because he had needed surgery...He struggled with "why", when the Lord had used him to touch so many lives over the years.
This is what Paul is saying in our verse in today's word. It's not according to our will or man's will, but God will perform His mighty work through people who allow Him to flow. Paul was quick to let the Galatians know where his power to be an apostle of the faith came from.
According to 2 Corinthians 5 : 18, we all have been given the ministry of reconciliation (that includes you). You might be thinking, "God could never use me." He will use you, but you must allow Him to work through your heart. If you will remember, before Paul became a mighty man of God, he was Saul, a murderer. And like he wrote in 2 Corinthians 5, he, too was a new creature in Christ. Saul humbled himself and sought the Lord's will over his own desires in life, and God was able to use him. The Lord will do the same work through you, but you must be willing to submit to His voice.
"Work through me, Lord" is more than just you and me hearing the voice of the Lord. He can do far more than we could ever ask or think, if we will simply pray before we start our day or set out to accomplish His will; this is what I have discovered in my times of prayer. I no longer just seek to hear instructions from the Lord, but I press on in my prayer time to allow Him to fill my heart with His will. It's obvious that Paul had come to that truth in his own prayer life with the Holy Spirit. He had learned how to become and to accept the call of God that was on his life to become an apostle through his time in prayer with the Lord.
None of us has the power within our humanity to perform the wonders of the Lord, so we must take the time needed to prepare our hearts for Him to work through us. Prayer will determine if a minister is ordinary or extraordinary. Jesus always sought the Father in prayer and moved according to the leading of the Holy Spirit afterwards. At the end of His ministry on earth, He told the Jews one day. "The Father is always with me, because I always do those things that please Him." The result of a life of prayer and supplication is a life that pleases the Father in all that we say and do.
Thank You for Using Me Lord,
Pastor Asa
As a child of God and a minister of the Gospel, there's nothing that is as fulfilling as when the Lord flows through me to touch a person's heart and life. Paul tells us, in Corinthians, that we have this treasure in earthen vessels. He goes on to explain why the Lord has chosen to perform His will in this manner; it is so that the people will know that it is the power of God flowing through us.
I remember when R. W. Schambach, the famous evangelist, struggled with heart issues. For years this powerful man of God would lay hands on people and watch the power of God heal them. When he found out that his own heart was in need of a miracle, he sought the Lord, but the Lord chose to heal him another way; instead of an instant miracle, R.W. had to undergo heart surgery. I later heard him on television wrestling with his own theology over healing because he had needed surgery...He struggled with "why", when the Lord had used him to touch so many lives over the years.
This is what Paul is saying in our verse in today's word. It's not according to our will or man's will, but God will perform His mighty work through people who allow Him to flow. Paul was quick to let the Galatians know where his power to be an apostle of the faith came from.
According to 2 Corinthians 5 : 18, we all have been given the ministry of reconciliation (that includes you). You might be thinking, "God could never use me." He will use you, but you must allow Him to work through your heart. If you will remember, before Paul became a mighty man of God, he was Saul, a murderer. And like he wrote in 2 Corinthians 5, he, too was a new creature in Christ. Saul humbled himself and sought the Lord's will over his own desires in life, and God was able to use him. The Lord will do the same work through you, but you must be willing to submit to His voice.
"Work through me, Lord" is more than just you and me hearing the voice of the Lord. He can do far more than we could ever ask or think, if we will simply pray before we start our day or set out to accomplish His will; this is what I have discovered in my times of prayer. I no longer just seek to hear instructions from the Lord, but I press on in my prayer time to allow Him to fill my heart with His will. It's obvious that Paul had come to that truth in his own prayer life with the Holy Spirit. He had learned how to become and to accept the call of God that was on his life to become an apostle through his time in prayer with the Lord.
None of us has the power within our humanity to perform the wonders of the Lord, so we must take the time needed to prepare our hearts for Him to work through us. Prayer will determine if a minister is ordinary or extraordinary. Jesus always sought the Father in prayer and moved according to the leading of the Holy Spirit afterwards. At the end of His ministry on earth, He told the Jews one day. "The Father is always with me, because I always do those things that please Him." The result of a life of prayer and supplication is a life that pleases the Father in all that we say and do.
Thank You for Using Me Lord,
Pastor Asa
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Can You Keep A Secret?
Matthew 6: 1 - 4, "Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly. NKJV
Matthew 6: 5 - 6, "And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. NKJV
Matthew 6: 16 - 18, "Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. NKJV
When it comes to being a witness for Christ, our heavenly Father wants us to live out loud. Jesus commands us in Matthew 5 to be salt and light to the world. He instructs us to let our light shine in a way that brings glory to our heavenly Father. However, when it comes to our personal acts of worship and obedience to the Lord, Jesus commands that we keep them secret.
You will notice that in the areas of giving, praying, and fasting, our Lord doesn't give us an option. He only tells us "when" we respond to the leading of the Holy Spirit in these three areas, then we are to see to it that no one knows what we are doing because His desire is for our reward to come from God and not man.
The Lord doesn't want us to give any place for our flesh to participate in these areas so that we may receive a greater reward from the Father... who sees what we secretly do. Our secrecy will also challenge the motive behind what we do for Christ and the kingdom of God. If we can give, pray, and fast without recognition from man, then it shows the Lord that we have truly fulfilled these acts of worship solely for His pleasure from a heart of love and gratitude.
Scripture commands that the emphasis in these areas of personal worship and devotion before the Lord be made on the importance of doing them in secrecy before God and not on the acts themselves. Doesn't this principle remind you of what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13, the chapter on love? He admonishes us to carry out what we do for God from a heart of love. If we perform acts of worship for the accolades of man, not from love, Paul tells us that our worship will be in vain. Therefore, we will know that we have given, prayed, and fasted from a heart motivated by love when we do them all in secret before God.
Only God knows,
Pastor Asa Dockery
Matthew 6: 5 - 6, "And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. NKJV
Matthew 6: 16 - 18, "Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. NKJV
When it comes to being a witness for Christ, our heavenly Father wants us to live out loud. Jesus commands us in Matthew 5 to be salt and light to the world. He instructs us to let our light shine in a way that brings glory to our heavenly Father. However, when it comes to our personal acts of worship and obedience to the Lord, Jesus commands that we keep them secret.
You will notice that in the areas of giving, praying, and fasting, our Lord doesn't give us an option. He only tells us "when" we respond to the leading of the Holy Spirit in these three areas, then we are to see to it that no one knows what we are doing because His desire is for our reward to come from God and not man.
The Lord doesn't want us to give any place for our flesh to participate in these areas so that we may receive a greater reward from the Father... who sees what we secretly do. Our secrecy will also challenge the motive behind what we do for Christ and the kingdom of God. If we can give, pray, and fast without recognition from man, then it shows the Lord that we have truly fulfilled these acts of worship solely for His pleasure from a heart of love and gratitude.
Scripture commands that the emphasis in these areas of personal worship and devotion before the Lord be made on the importance of doing them in secrecy before God and not on the acts themselves. Doesn't this principle remind you of what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13, the chapter on love? He admonishes us to carry out what we do for God from a heart of love. If we perform acts of worship for the accolades of man, not from love, Paul tells us that our worship will be in vain. Therefore, we will know that we have given, prayed, and fasted from a heart motivated by love when we do them all in secret before God.
Only God knows,
Pastor Asa Dockery
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Faint Not
2 Samuel 11 : 1 - 5, It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king's house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold. So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, "Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house. And the woman conceived; so she sent and told David, and said, "I am with child." NKJV
God had given David a divine purpose. In fact, He has given every person a divine purpose on the earth. Some will fulfill their purpose, and some will choose to fulfill the lusts of their flesh. One spring, when the kings went out to battle, David sent Joab and his servants. Apparently David had grown weary in serving the Lord by choosing not to carry out his purpose that spring.
If you will read chapter 12 in 2 Samuel, you will see where God tells David that He would have given him more... if the blessings that he had already received were not enough. Obviously, there had come a separation in the communion between David and his Lord. Let's look at this story from a different perspective. We're told in Galatians 6 not to grow weary in well doing, for in due season, we will reap... if we don't faint.
David had fainted in doing the will of God that year, and it cost him dearly. Perhaps the enemy had convinced David that he had reached the top, and that he had gotten all that God was willing to offer him; after all, he "was" king over Israel. Something made him decide to remain in Jerusalem instead of carrying out the Lord's purpose for his life. Take careful notice of what can happen should we decide we're too tired to go out into battle (to the war that is against the lusts of our flesh) and decide to give in to them. It opened the door for Satan to tempt David with adultery, and then to the murder of Uriah to cover it up.
Are you tired of doing well? Have you decided to stay at home instead of going to battle against the enemy of your soul? This one occasion in the spring of the year brought a curse upon David's house, and it cost him the child that was conceived.
In chapter 12, God speaks through the prophet Nathan and tells the king that if what he had given him had not been enough, that He would have given him so much more. This tells us that David wasn't looking to God to supply his desires, but to himself. He chose the lust of his fleshly heart instead of the passion of his heart for the Lord. David had allowed Satan to blind him to the blessings that God would have given him had he continued to obey. And Satan used that season to rob David of future blessings and the security of the past blessings that he had already enjoyed.
Instead of peace, the sword was now in the king's house. You see, in the context of the passage in Galatians 6, we're told that if we sow to the flesh, we will reap corruption from our flesh. If Satan is lying to you about the blessings of God being dried up, and he's telling you that there is no reason in the natural why you should continue to go to battle and contend for the faith, beware. Jesus tells us in John 10 : 10 that the thief only hangs out with us so that he can steal, kill, and destroy the blessings of life that God has given to us. Lust will never give you anything other than a moment's pleasure, but will rob from you the blessings of peace, joy, and fulfillment. Delight yourself in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Contending for the Faith,
Pastor Asa
God had given David a divine purpose. In fact, He has given every person a divine purpose on the earth. Some will fulfill their purpose, and some will choose to fulfill the lusts of their flesh. One spring, when the kings went out to battle, David sent Joab and his servants. Apparently David had grown weary in serving the Lord by choosing not to carry out his purpose that spring.
If you will read chapter 12 in 2 Samuel, you will see where God tells David that He would have given him more... if the blessings that he had already received were not enough. Obviously, there had come a separation in the communion between David and his Lord. Let's look at this story from a different perspective. We're told in Galatians 6 not to grow weary in well doing, for in due season, we will reap... if we don't faint.
David had fainted in doing the will of God that year, and it cost him dearly. Perhaps the enemy had convinced David that he had reached the top, and that he had gotten all that God was willing to offer him; after all, he "was" king over Israel. Something made him decide to remain in Jerusalem instead of carrying out the Lord's purpose for his life. Take careful notice of what can happen should we decide we're too tired to go out into battle (to the war that is against the lusts of our flesh) and decide to give in to them. It opened the door for Satan to tempt David with adultery, and then to the murder of Uriah to cover it up.
Are you tired of doing well? Have you decided to stay at home instead of going to battle against the enemy of your soul? This one occasion in the spring of the year brought a curse upon David's house, and it cost him the child that was conceived.
In chapter 12, God speaks through the prophet Nathan and tells the king that if what he had given him had not been enough, that He would have given him so much more. This tells us that David wasn't looking to God to supply his desires, but to himself. He chose the lust of his fleshly heart instead of the passion of his heart for the Lord. David had allowed Satan to blind him to the blessings that God would have given him had he continued to obey. And Satan used that season to rob David of future blessings and the security of the past blessings that he had already enjoyed.
Instead of peace, the sword was now in the king's house. You see, in the context of the passage in Galatians 6, we're told that if we sow to the flesh, we will reap corruption from our flesh. If Satan is lying to you about the blessings of God being dried up, and he's telling you that there is no reason in the natural why you should continue to go to battle and contend for the faith, beware. Jesus tells us in John 10 : 10 that the thief only hangs out with us so that he can steal, kill, and destroy the blessings of life that God has given to us. Lust will never give you anything other than a moment's pleasure, but will rob from you the blessings of peace, joy, and fulfillment. Delight yourself in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Contending for the Faith,
Pastor Asa
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Am I a Sinner or a Child of God?
2 Corinthians 5 : 14 - 17, For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if one died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. NKJV
Do you know who you are in Christ? Who we are has been a mystery to mankind since our very creation. Wasn't Eve led astray by Satan and into sin over the mystery of her identity? Didn't Satan lie to her about the result of eating from the tree of knowledge; he told her that she would be LIKE God. By eating from the tree, Eve was rebellious, and we know that we can't become like God through disobedience. Satan made it appear as though God was keeping something back or hidden from Eve and convinced her that she could discover the mystery of her hidden identity by participating in sinful activity.
Why did the Lord God create us in His image and likeness and then leave us ignorant about who we were? Since the Bible declares that man, both male and female were created in the image and likeness of God, we now know Who to go to for the answers surrounding the mystery of our spiritual identity. Obviously, God didn't desire for mankind to be a "ROBOT." He created us in His image, but with a void of the knowledge of who He is and who we are in Him so that we might seek to know Him through a relationship. The Lord God's desire is for us to want to be intimate with Him. He wants us to desire Him, not just have knowledge about Him. By the Lord creating us with the void of knowing Him, He was giving mankind the freedom and the option to choose for ourselves to know Him. Unfortunately, man chose to "learn" about God outside the perimeters of God's provision and will. Instead of man becoming like God through Satan's lie, we became spiritually blinded to God's ways and lost our ability to know who we are or who we were to become.
It was unbelief that caused Adam and Eve to believe Satan's lies about God. If they had chosen God's way of knowing Him as Lord, they would have discovered their spiritual identity. So wouldn't it stand to reason that "faith," the opposite of unbelief, would be the way to know God and to know who we are spiritually? When we choose to walk by faith in Christ as Abraham, Sarah, and a host of other men and women of God have done, we have chosen the only path that will lead us to know God and discover our true identity. The path of righteousness is the only avenue that gives humans the liberty to be all that God has called us to be. Faith in Christ and obedience to His Word liberates us from the bondage of the flesh nature so that the new man can burst forth. To the degree that we can say we know God or His ways will be the degree that we will know our spiritual identity. Therefore, if we desire to know our true identity and seek to be free from this world, then we must form a deep desire and hunger for God and His righteousness. Jesus tells us in the Sermon on the Mount that if we hunger and thirst for Him, we shall be filled.
There's only one way to fill that void completely in our hearts and that is to seek God with all our hearts, souls, mind, and strength. As we diligently seek Him, He will reward us with the understanding of who we are in Christ. Any other way we choose to try and discover who we are, other than God's predetermined plan, will end up in disappointment and disaster. We have learned that lesson through the decisions of Adam and Eve. Let us choose to walk in the Light while He is with us so that we won't stumble in the dark and fall.
Discovering Who I Really Am,
Pastor Asa Dockery
Do you know who you are in Christ? Who we are has been a mystery to mankind since our very creation. Wasn't Eve led astray by Satan and into sin over the mystery of her identity? Didn't Satan lie to her about the result of eating from the tree of knowledge; he told her that she would be LIKE God. By eating from the tree, Eve was rebellious, and we know that we can't become like God through disobedience. Satan made it appear as though God was keeping something back or hidden from Eve and convinced her that she could discover the mystery of her hidden identity by participating in sinful activity.
Why did the Lord God create us in His image and likeness and then leave us ignorant about who we were? Since the Bible declares that man, both male and female were created in the image and likeness of God, we now know Who to go to for the answers surrounding the mystery of our spiritual identity. Obviously, God didn't desire for mankind to be a "ROBOT." He created us in His image, but with a void of the knowledge of who He is and who we are in Him so that we might seek to know Him through a relationship. The Lord God's desire is for us to want to be intimate with Him. He wants us to desire Him, not just have knowledge about Him. By the Lord creating us with the void of knowing Him, He was giving mankind the freedom and the option to choose for ourselves to know Him. Unfortunately, man chose to "learn" about God outside the perimeters of God's provision and will. Instead of man becoming like God through Satan's lie, we became spiritually blinded to God's ways and lost our ability to know who we are or who we were to become.
It was unbelief that caused Adam and Eve to believe Satan's lies about God. If they had chosen God's way of knowing Him as Lord, they would have discovered their spiritual identity. So wouldn't it stand to reason that "faith," the opposite of unbelief, would be the way to know God and to know who we are spiritually? When we choose to walk by faith in Christ as Abraham, Sarah, and a host of other men and women of God have done, we have chosen the only path that will lead us to know God and discover our true identity. The path of righteousness is the only avenue that gives humans the liberty to be all that God has called us to be. Faith in Christ and obedience to His Word liberates us from the bondage of the flesh nature so that the new man can burst forth. To the degree that we can say we know God or His ways will be the degree that we will know our spiritual identity. Therefore, if we desire to know our true identity and seek to be free from this world, then we must form a deep desire and hunger for God and His righteousness. Jesus tells us in the Sermon on the Mount that if we hunger and thirst for Him, we shall be filled.
There's only one way to fill that void completely in our hearts and that is to seek God with all our hearts, souls, mind, and strength. As we diligently seek Him, He will reward us with the understanding of who we are in Christ. Any other way we choose to try and discover who we are, other than God's predetermined plan, will end up in disappointment and disaster. We have learned that lesson through the decisions of Adam and Eve. Let us choose to walk in the Light while He is with us so that we won't stumble in the dark and fall.
Discovering Who I Really Am,
Pastor Asa Dockery
Friday, December 23, 2011
My Christmas Prayer for You
Luke 1: 30 - 38, Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end." Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy one who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible." Then Mary said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." NKJV
The very first story that is told in the Bible is the account of creation. God looked at His creation and saw that there was a void in the earth. Something catastrophic had occurred leaving the earth formless and void. However, if you read the story found in Genesis one, you will see that God was restoring and filling the earth with living vegetation and living creatures. Throughout the Word of God, we can see God at work restoring the earth and the lives that had been devastated by the evils of sin.
Since the fall of man, mankind has had a void in their hearts. The fall caused us to become separated from the very presence of God. As a result of that void, people have pierced themselves through with many sorrows in their effort to fill that void with something other than the presence and life of God. Although sin originally separated us from the life of God, it did not separate us from the love of God. The love of God overcame His wrath against sin and caused Him to send His Son to earth.
For God so loved the "world" that He sent us His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believes on Him would not perish, but have everlasting life. God created a void in heaven and filled the womb of a virgin on earth. What is so amazing and glorious about this virgin conceiving and giving birth to the Christ-child is the truth that she didn't need a man in order to obey God's will. When Mary heard the angel tell her about God's plan to allow her to bring forth the Christ into the world, she agreed with His Word instead of doubting it. As a result of her faith and willingness to agree with God, the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary and the formation of Jesus began in her womb.
This event of Mary becoming the Mother of God is the greatest story of all time. Many traditions and forms of celebrations have arisen over the centuries to commemorate that joyous occasion. Over two-thousand years later, people celebrate the birth of Christ and remember how God filled the void in man by first filling the womb of a virgin without the aid of a man. The lesson that we need to learn from the method God used to send His Son to man is very important. God shows us through the immaculate conception of His Son that we don't need man to partake or to enjoy His goodness and life in our lives. In fact, the more we try to add "man's ways" to the gift of God's Son and the celebrations that surround this blessed event, the less we will be able to experience the liberty of His gift.
In what should be a fulfilling and heart-warming season, we are witnessing an upswing of anxiety, depression, and despair in more and more people because of the "frenzy" that is brought on by a world that overshadows and surrounds this sacred event. As Christmas, which is the celebration of the birth of Christ, becomes more and more about something else, disastrous results can occur. Anytime something is misused or misrepresented, such as Christmas has been by the world, it will also alter the intended purpose, and the results of the season that surrounds it.
Christ was sent to earth to fill the void that was caused by man turning his heart on God. If we should turn our hearts toward the world's view of Christmas at the expense of not having Christ as the focal point, then the season won't have the power to fill the void in our hearts. Remember, it was Satan convincing Eve that she could find fulfillment outside of God's will that formed the void to begin with.
The "Christmas" that the world portrays will leave you empty and hurting. However, the CHRIST-mas that is spoken of in Luke 1 will fill your hearts and lives with great joy, whether you have a worldly Christmas or not. Always remember that nothing can replace Christ and the joy that He gives to the human heart. It's good to share our love through gifts and Christmas get-togethers, but our love didn't empty heaven in order to fill the hearts of mankind. It was God's love that did that.
If you have to be away from your family and the ones who mean the most to you this Christmas, instead of looking at what you don't have, begin to thank God for the Christ that is always with you and allow Him to fill that void in your heart with His presence. Doesn't the Bible teach us that when we have Christ in us, we have the "HOPE OF GLORY?" Christmas and hard times come in seasons. Christ is year-round and will never forsake you, especially in your darkest valleys. If you are hurting this Christmas because of lack, separation, or the loss of a family member, then invite the Lord to fill that void with His comfort, peace and love.
I want to thank you personally for allowing this ministry to be a part of your life this past year. Today, I pray that God will heal the brokenness in your life and fill your heart with His comfort and joy. May the Holy Spirit surround you wherever you might be this week and cause you to know that He loves you. May the LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.
Fill in the blank. MERRY _______________mas. It isn't the same without Christ.
Merry Christmas Y'all,
Pastor Asa Dockery
The very first story that is told in the Bible is the account of creation. God looked at His creation and saw that there was a void in the earth. Something catastrophic had occurred leaving the earth formless and void. However, if you read the story found in Genesis one, you will see that God was restoring and filling the earth with living vegetation and living creatures. Throughout the Word of God, we can see God at work restoring the earth and the lives that had been devastated by the evils of sin.
Since the fall of man, mankind has had a void in their hearts. The fall caused us to become separated from the very presence of God. As a result of that void, people have pierced themselves through with many sorrows in their effort to fill that void with something other than the presence and life of God. Although sin originally separated us from the life of God, it did not separate us from the love of God. The love of God overcame His wrath against sin and caused Him to send His Son to earth.
For God so loved the "world" that He sent us His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believes on Him would not perish, but have everlasting life. God created a void in heaven and filled the womb of a virgin on earth. What is so amazing and glorious about this virgin conceiving and giving birth to the Christ-child is the truth that she didn't need a man in order to obey God's will. When Mary heard the angel tell her about God's plan to allow her to bring forth the Christ into the world, she agreed with His Word instead of doubting it. As a result of her faith and willingness to agree with God, the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary and the formation of Jesus began in her womb.
This event of Mary becoming the Mother of God is the greatest story of all time. Many traditions and forms of celebrations have arisen over the centuries to commemorate that joyous occasion. Over two-thousand years later, people celebrate the birth of Christ and remember how God filled the void in man by first filling the womb of a virgin without the aid of a man. The lesson that we need to learn from the method God used to send His Son to man is very important. God shows us through the immaculate conception of His Son that we don't need man to partake or to enjoy His goodness and life in our lives. In fact, the more we try to add "man's ways" to the gift of God's Son and the celebrations that surround this blessed event, the less we will be able to experience the liberty of His gift.
In what should be a fulfilling and heart-warming season, we are witnessing an upswing of anxiety, depression, and despair in more and more people because of the "frenzy" that is brought on by a world that overshadows and surrounds this sacred event. As Christmas, which is the celebration of the birth of Christ, becomes more and more about something else, disastrous results can occur. Anytime something is misused or misrepresented, such as Christmas has been by the world, it will also alter the intended purpose, and the results of the season that surrounds it.
Christ was sent to earth to fill the void that was caused by man turning his heart on God. If we should turn our hearts toward the world's view of Christmas at the expense of not having Christ as the focal point, then the season won't have the power to fill the void in our hearts. Remember, it was Satan convincing Eve that she could find fulfillment outside of God's will that formed the void to begin with.
The "Christmas" that the world portrays will leave you empty and hurting. However, the CHRIST-mas that is spoken of in Luke 1 will fill your hearts and lives with great joy, whether you have a worldly Christmas or not. Always remember that nothing can replace Christ and the joy that He gives to the human heart. It's good to share our love through gifts and Christmas get-togethers, but our love didn't empty heaven in order to fill the hearts of mankind. It was God's love that did that.
If you have to be away from your family and the ones who mean the most to you this Christmas, instead of looking at what you don't have, begin to thank God for the Christ that is always with you and allow Him to fill that void in your heart with His presence. Doesn't the Bible teach us that when we have Christ in us, we have the "HOPE OF GLORY?" Christmas and hard times come in seasons. Christ is year-round and will never forsake you, especially in your darkest valleys. If you are hurting this Christmas because of lack, separation, or the loss of a family member, then invite the Lord to fill that void with His comfort, peace and love.
I want to thank you personally for allowing this ministry to be a part of your life this past year. Today, I pray that God will heal the brokenness in your life and fill your heart with His comfort and joy. May the Holy Spirit surround you wherever you might be this week and cause you to know that He loves you. May the LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.
Fill in the blank. MERRY _______________mas. It isn't the same without Christ.
Merry Christmas Y'all,
Pastor Asa Dockery
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Hope Waits
Romans 8 : 24 - 25, For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. NKJV
Have you ever found yourself in a valley, and it seemed as though God was no where around? Even though we may "feel" forsaken, we know from His Word that He has not left us. In Romans 12: 3 we find that God has given every person the measure of faith. We're also told in Hebrews 11: 6, that without faith, it is impossible to please God. So if God has given us faith and requires us, as His children, to live and walk by it, then He might be telling us that there will be times in our relationship with Him where "things" will put it to the test. Since we know that God can't lie, and that He won't ever leave or forsake us, and since we also know His Word is truth from cover to cover, the only other component in this relationship is "us."
We all need something that is greater than our human abilities to help us stand, not fall, during trying times. We need something strong so when it looks like "its" over, we can know beyond a doubt that God is still with us, and we can lean on the everlasting ARM of the Lord and not faint. As long as we hold on to the faith that we have placed in Christ and the Word of God, then we will have the strength to keep our relationship intact, no matter what weapon Satan forms against us to try and separate us from walking with our heavenly Father.
One of the Old Testament names given to Jesus by the Father is Emmanuel. Emmanuel means, "God is with us." If we truly believe that He is with us, then we won't lose faith when something unexpected occurs. However, there are times when tragedy hits hard, and we can begin to struggle with our faith in God because we can't see the goodness of God anywhere. Whenever something adverse hits our faith walk, and we lose faith, and we lose all hope, it means that we don't see any positive in our situation or even how God could possibly work it out for our good. The human response to such a scenario is to feel as though God has forsaken us. If this should be the case, then our next reaction will be to quit moving forward. Once we stop moving forward in faith because we have given up on God, the tendency will arise to want to go back. Old ways can look inviting during a time of deep anguish and pain because of the familiarity of the past mixed with the uncertainty of the future.
Remember, we are talking about the principle of faith and how we are to lean on that faith when trouble comes against it. As Christians, we must learn effectively how to activate the power of faith so that we might overcome this world and continue moving forward in our relationship with the Lord. Whenever Israel came upon an unexpected trial in the wilderness, and it seemed all hope was gone, the natural, human response was to give up and want to go back into Egypt, the land of bondage. Consequently, God can now use the Israelites as an example to teach us how to respond correctly to hopeless situations.
The writer of Hebrews defines faith for us in a way that can help us to better understand it, and to utilize it more effectively against Satan's devices. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen. As little children, we used to go out and look up at the sky at night and wish upon a star. This type of faith has no substance or true hope because a star can't supply our needs or desires. However, God can, and He will. When God makes us a promise that He will never leave or forsake us, then you can stand on that promise when hell lashes out against your faith in Christ.
We must understand that our faith is the substitute for our ears, eyes, and human abilities when all hope seems to be gone. True faith in God's Word will produce a valid witness, not the "blind faith," like a fairytale. If you should encounter an attack of the enemy that leaves you doubting the faithfulness of God, BE STILL. Wait until you can begin to sense the witness of God's presence in your heart surrounding you before you react. Generally, fear will try to seize your heart and cause you to feel alone at the moment something destructive occurs. Don't believe the lie of Satan or react. Instead, be still and wait until you can begin to see the salvation of the Lord.
I used the verses from Romans 8 about hope today to help you understand that faith sometimes has to wait. Instead of allowing fear and unbelief to fill your heart when tragedy occurs, just be still and wait through the hope that only comes from a life of walking by faith. After a season of working through your emotions, you will begin to experience the faithfulness of God once again, and then instead of sliding back, you will desire to continue moving forward.
So the next time you find yourself in a situation, and something tells you to go back, just remember, there's nothing back there. God is with you and in your future. God doesn't live in our past because unbelief hangs out there. If you're too weak spiritually to move forward, then let hope strengthen you to wait on God to remove the darkness and make a way of escape for you. True hope will wait on God until He can clear the way for us to continue moving forward in our relationship with Him. God hasn't forsaken you; you just got blindsided by Satan.
God Knows the Way Out of Here,
Pastor Asa Dockery
Have you ever found yourself in a valley, and it seemed as though God was no where around? Even though we may "feel" forsaken, we know from His Word that He has not left us. In Romans 12: 3 we find that God has given every person the measure of faith. We're also told in Hebrews 11: 6, that without faith, it is impossible to please God. So if God has given us faith and requires us, as His children, to live and walk by it, then He might be telling us that there will be times in our relationship with Him where "things" will put it to the test. Since we know that God can't lie, and that He won't ever leave or forsake us, and since we also know His Word is truth from cover to cover, the only other component in this relationship is "us."
We all need something that is greater than our human abilities to help us stand, not fall, during trying times. We need something strong so when it looks like "its" over, we can know beyond a doubt that God is still with us, and we can lean on the everlasting ARM of the Lord and not faint. As long as we hold on to the faith that we have placed in Christ and the Word of God, then we will have the strength to keep our relationship intact, no matter what weapon Satan forms against us to try and separate us from walking with our heavenly Father.
One of the Old Testament names given to Jesus by the Father is Emmanuel. Emmanuel means, "God is with us." If we truly believe that He is with us, then we won't lose faith when something unexpected occurs. However, there are times when tragedy hits hard, and we can begin to struggle with our faith in God because we can't see the goodness of God anywhere. Whenever something adverse hits our faith walk, and we lose faith, and we lose all hope, it means that we don't see any positive in our situation or even how God could possibly work it out for our good. The human response to such a scenario is to feel as though God has forsaken us. If this should be the case, then our next reaction will be to quit moving forward. Once we stop moving forward in faith because we have given up on God, the tendency will arise to want to go back. Old ways can look inviting during a time of deep anguish and pain because of the familiarity of the past mixed with the uncertainty of the future.
Remember, we are talking about the principle of faith and how we are to lean on that faith when trouble comes against it. As Christians, we must learn effectively how to activate the power of faith so that we might overcome this world and continue moving forward in our relationship with the Lord. Whenever Israel came upon an unexpected trial in the wilderness, and it seemed all hope was gone, the natural, human response was to give up and want to go back into Egypt, the land of bondage. Consequently, God can now use the Israelites as an example to teach us how to respond correctly to hopeless situations.
The writer of Hebrews defines faith for us in a way that can help us to better understand it, and to utilize it more effectively against Satan's devices. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen. As little children, we used to go out and look up at the sky at night and wish upon a star. This type of faith has no substance or true hope because a star can't supply our needs or desires. However, God can, and He will. When God makes us a promise that He will never leave or forsake us, then you can stand on that promise when hell lashes out against your faith in Christ.
We must understand that our faith is the substitute for our ears, eyes, and human abilities when all hope seems to be gone. True faith in God's Word will produce a valid witness, not the "blind faith," like a fairytale. If you should encounter an attack of the enemy that leaves you doubting the faithfulness of God, BE STILL. Wait until you can begin to sense the witness of God's presence in your heart surrounding you before you react. Generally, fear will try to seize your heart and cause you to feel alone at the moment something destructive occurs. Don't believe the lie of Satan or react. Instead, be still and wait until you can begin to see the salvation of the Lord.
I used the verses from Romans 8 about hope today to help you understand that faith sometimes has to wait. Instead of allowing fear and unbelief to fill your heart when tragedy occurs, just be still and wait through the hope that only comes from a life of walking by faith. After a season of working through your emotions, you will begin to experience the faithfulness of God once again, and then instead of sliding back, you will desire to continue moving forward.
So the next time you find yourself in a situation, and something tells you to go back, just remember, there's nothing back there. God is with you and in your future. God doesn't live in our past because unbelief hangs out there. If you're too weak spiritually to move forward, then let hope strengthen you to wait on God to remove the darkness and make a way of escape for you. True hope will wait on God until He can clear the way for us to continue moving forward in our relationship with Him. God hasn't forsaken you; you just got blindsided by Satan.
God Knows the Way Out of Here,
Pastor Asa Dockery
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)