Exodus 10: 21 - 26, Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, darkness which may even be felt." So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. They did not see one another; nor did anyone rise from his place for three days. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings. Then Pharaoh called to Moses and said, "Go, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be kept back. Let your little ones also go with you." But Moses said, "You must also give us sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God. Our livestock also shall go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind. For we must take some of them to serve the LORD our God, and even we do not know with what we must serve the LORD until we arrive there." NKJV
Do you feel like you're in a place or a season of oppression? Unfortunately, all believers experience hard places in their walk; and it may seem as if it would be better to "make a deal with Pharaoh" and "cut our losses." Nevertheless, we must remember our covenant with God. The Lord revealed something to me several years ago, and it remains just as relevant today. He said, "Men love to make deals, but God only "makes covenants." The terms of our spiritual release from our foes have already been predetermined by the Lord; they are not up for negotiation by our captors.
If you remember, God had promised Abraham, the father of Israel that his people would live in a land for four hundred years and afterwards, they would come out with great substance. Pharaoh told Moses that he would let the people of God go so that they could worship the Lord.... However, he also said they had to leave their livestock behind. Therefore, Moses wouldn't agree with him.
You see; when the enemy seems to have the upper hand in a situation in our lives, we must remember our covenant with the Lord. I'm sure there are some of you reading this today that are in a situation you can't get out of; and your adversary wants you to take a loss before releasing you.
Please note that Pharaoh was willing to let them go, but he wanted to keep their animals so that they couldn't worship the Lord in the wilderness. What is the enemy in your situation trying to steal from you that could be used to bring glory and praise to God if it were released with you? God doesn't want you to come out with regrets. He wants you to walk free with everything that He has given to you; it will be a witness to others of His faithfulness and honor.
God will lead you with peace. When Pharaoh gave Moses the conditions of his release, Moses didn't have peace and, therefore, rejected the offer. So be still and know that God has your best interest at heart. When the conditions match the covenant, then the release will come without strings or regrets. Those who wait upon the Lord are renewed. The Lord waits until we can come out with our praise intact so that the world, and our enemies will know Who it was that has delivered us.
Not Leaving Without My Praise,
Pastor Asa Dockery
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Breaking the Stronghold Of Isolation
John 8 : 29 - 30, And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him." As He spoke these words, many believed in Him. NKJV
When God created us, He said that it wasn't good for us to be alone. Although the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, were created in the image and likeness of God, they were not created "self-sufficient." Had God created us as self-sufficient beings, there would not have been any need for man to have a companion. Nor would there have been any need for God to show them what to eat while in the garden. Furthermore, if God had created us as self-sufficient beings, we would not have needed Him. However, this is exactly the lie that Satan perpetrated upon Eve's ignorance about God and about herself.
Satan convinced Eve that she didn't need God to become "like God" or become "self-sufficient." When he swayed her with his lies about God, it caused her to reject the commands of God and to partake of the forbidden fruit. What was the result of listening to the lies of the serpent? They became alienated from the life of God. Now let's review this for a moment. God created man with certain needs, and one of them is companionship with others. Knowing this, Satan followed God's original plan with his own agenda to separate us from the SOURCE of life, God, and ultimately from one another. God's goal is for us to be one with Him and each other, but Satan's goal is to isolate us. Satan first separated us from God through sin... preventing us from becoming one with each other. As a result of the fall of man, we lost God- consciousness. This simply means our conscience has been defiled with sin, and we are now sin-conscious.
We see this sin-consciousness in the Garden of Eden shortly after they had partaken of the tree of knowledge. God came to Adam, but he and Eve hid themselves in the midst of the trees because they were afraid, and they were naked (self-conscious). Before the fall of man, Adam was neither frightened, nor was he ashamed. Therefore, we can conclude that as a result of sin (resulting in sin-conscience), we are separated from God through guilt, shame, and fear.
Now that we have been redeemed from sin and from the curse of the law as believers in Christ, how do we break the stronghold of isolation? You might tend to think that the stronghold over us would have been broken off of our lives at the point of salvation, and you would be correct (to a degree). In Christ and through His shed blood, the curse of sin has forever been broken off of our hearts and lives. Our spirit man has been regenerated, but our minds still need to be renewed. This is why Paul teaches us in Romans 12 that we must have our minds renewed so that we're not conformed to this world. It is through the renewing of our minds that we become transformed. This process doesn't happen overnight or with a one-time encounter with God. Remember, the JUST shall live by FAITH. We're not only saved by faith, but we're renewed daily by faith through the life of God dwelling within us.
As Jesus was preaching to the Jews in our opening verses, He told them that He was not alone. Isn't it something that Jesus was preaching on "spiritual isolation?" If He thought it important enough to mention to the chosen people of God, shouldn't we also take notice? As Jesus preached about the Father being with Him, He qualified (or gave the reason) why the Father had always been with Him, and He attributed it to unfailingly doing those things which pleased the Father. Now, remember that Adam didn't please the Father and became isolated from the life of God. The Last Adam, Jesus, obeyed the Father, and He knew or was cognoscente that God was always with Him.
In the following verses, Jesus is sharing to those who believed on Him that day. He made a very powerful and important statement to the Jews. He said, "If you continue in my word, then you are my disciples indeed." This tells us that we're not complete at the moment of salvation... although we ARE made complete in Christ. Salvation is the "beginning" of the restoration process of bringing us to a completed state in Christ. After Jesus told them to continue in His Word, He went on to say that they would come to know the truth, and the truth that they knew or experienced would make them free. If you truly want to break the stronghold of a guilty conscience and the feeling of being isolated from God, then you must live your new life in and through the Word of God. As believers learn and live the Word of God daily, it empowers us to break free from the stronghold of isolation and purges our guilty conscience. As the stronghold is broken, you will regain a God-consciousness. This is a very important principle for Christians to know and understand.
Why did Satan want man to become separated from God in our minds? He knew that we would become weak and vulnerable to his vicious lies and attacks against us if we walked around with a guilty conscience or unworthy attitude concerning God's goodness. Furthermore, Satan wanted to disrupt and uproot us from inheriting the promises that God had spoken over man in Genesis 1. God had given us dominion over the earth so that we would cause it to become fruitful and bring an increase. God wanted us to REPLENISH the earth, but Satan wanted it to be destroyed. This is the reason he attacked Eve's faith in the garden. Satan didn't want mankind to have spiritual authority over him. He used the power of sin (creating fear in us) to make us feel unaccepted and unworthy of walking with God.
Today, if you feel as though God has abandoned you because of circumstances that have occurred, then know that it is the stronghold of isolation. Satan uses this weakness of feeling separated in our minds to try and prevent us from stepping out in faith and challenging our feelings. One thing you and I as believers have that Adam and Eve didn't have is "Christ in us the hope of glory." This is the only sign that we need to overcome any stronghold that sin has placed on our minds from our past life. Today, submit this stronghold on your mind to the Lord and ask Him to guide you out of this pit of isolation. Once you pray the prayer of faith, you will begin to think differently. See yourself with God as the victor and not the victim. Finally, stay in the Word, in the fellowship of believers, live your new life according to the principles of God's Word, and in the liberating power of the Holy Spirit. "Whom the Son has set free, they are free indeed."
Walking with God,
Pastor Asa
When God created us, He said that it wasn't good for us to be alone. Although the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, were created in the image and likeness of God, they were not created "self-sufficient." Had God created us as self-sufficient beings, there would not have been any need for man to have a companion. Nor would there have been any need for God to show them what to eat while in the garden. Furthermore, if God had created us as self-sufficient beings, we would not have needed Him. However, this is exactly the lie that Satan perpetrated upon Eve's ignorance about God and about herself.
Satan convinced Eve that she didn't need God to become "like God" or become "self-sufficient." When he swayed her with his lies about God, it caused her to reject the commands of God and to partake of the forbidden fruit. What was the result of listening to the lies of the serpent? They became alienated from the life of God. Now let's review this for a moment. God created man with certain needs, and one of them is companionship with others. Knowing this, Satan followed God's original plan with his own agenda to separate us from the SOURCE of life, God, and ultimately from one another. God's goal is for us to be one with Him and each other, but Satan's goal is to isolate us. Satan first separated us from God through sin... preventing us from becoming one with each other. As a result of the fall of man, we lost God- consciousness. This simply means our conscience has been defiled with sin, and we are now sin-conscious.
We see this sin-consciousness in the Garden of Eden shortly after they had partaken of the tree of knowledge. God came to Adam, but he and Eve hid themselves in the midst of the trees because they were afraid, and they were naked (self-conscious). Before the fall of man, Adam was neither frightened, nor was he ashamed. Therefore, we can conclude that as a result of sin (resulting in sin-conscience), we are separated from God through guilt, shame, and fear.
Now that we have been redeemed from sin and from the curse of the law as believers in Christ, how do we break the stronghold of isolation? You might tend to think that the stronghold over us would have been broken off of our lives at the point of salvation, and you would be correct (to a degree). In Christ and through His shed blood, the curse of sin has forever been broken off of our hearts and lives. Our spirit man has been regenerated, but our minds still need to be renewed. This is why Paul teaches us in Romans 12 that we must have our minds renewed so that we're not conformed to this world. It is through the renewing of our minds that we become transformed. This process doesn't happen overnight or with a one-time encounter with God. Remember, the JUST shall live by FAITH. We're not only saved by faith, but we're renewed daily by faith through the life of God dwelling within us.
As Jesus was preaching to the Jews in our opening verses, He told them that He was not alone. Isn't it something that Jesus was preaching on "spiritual isolation?" If He thought it important enough to mention to the chosen people of God, shouldn't we also take notice? As Jesus preached about the Father being with Him, He qualified (or gave the reason) why the Father had always been with Him, and He attributed it to unfailingly doing those things which pleased the Father. Now, remember that Adam didn't please the Father and became isolated from the life of God. The Last Adam, Jesus, obeyed the Father, and He knew or was cognoscente that God was always with Him.
In the following verses, Jesus is sharing to those who believed on Him that day. He made a very powerful and important statement to the Jews. He said, "If you continue in my word, then you are my disciples indeed." This tells us that we're not complete at the moment of salvation... although we ARE made complete in Christ. Salvation is the "beginning" of the restoration process of bringing us to a completed state in Christ. After Jesus told them to continue in His Word, He went on to say that they would come to know the truth, and the truth that they knew or experienced would make them free. If you truly want to break the stronghold of a guilty conscience and the feeling of being isolated from God, then you must live your new life in and through the Word of God. As believers learn and live the Word of God daily, it empowers us to break free from the stronghold of isolation and purges our guilty conscience. As the stronghold is broken, you will regain a God-consciousness. This is a very important principle for Christians to know and understand.
Why did Satan want man to become separated from God in our minds? He knew that we would become weak and vulnerable to his vicious lies and attacks against us if we walked around with a guilty conscience or unworthy attitude concerning God's goodness. Furthermore, Satan wanted to disrupt and uproot us from inheriting the promises that God had spoken over man in Genesis 1. God had given us dominion over the earth so that we would cause it to become fruitful and bring an increase. God wanted us to REPLENISH the earth, but Satan wanted it to be destroyed. This is the reason he attacked Eve's faith in the garden. Satan didn't want mankind to have spiritual authority over him. He used the power of sin (creating fear in us) to make us feel unaccepted and unworthy of walking with God.
Today, if you feel as though God has abandoned you because of circumstances that have occurred, then know that it is the stronghold of isolation. Satan uses this weakness of feeling separated in our minds to try and prevent us from stepping out in faith and challenging our feelings. One thing you and I as believers have that Adam and Eve didn't have is "Christ in us the hope of glory." This is the only sign that we need to overcome any stronghold that sin has placed on our minds from our past life. Today, submit this stronghold on your mind to the Lord and ask Him to guide you out of this pit of isolation. Once you pray the prayer of faith, you will begin to think differently. See yourself with God as the victor and not the victim. Finally, stay in the Word, in the fellowship of believers, live your new life according to the principles of God's Word, and in the liberating power of the Holy Spirit. "Whom the Son has set free, they are free indeed."
Walking with God,
Pastor Asa
Monday, May 21, 2012
God's Word Exposes Deception
Hebrews 4 : 11 - 13, Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a Discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. NKJV
The Word of God is alive! And if you take a moment to think about it, it seems strange to our carnal mind. Jesus tells us in John that not only is the Word of God alive, it gives life to those who hide it in their hearts.
I want you to imagine for a moment how many books there are in the world today... that's a lot of knowledge! When we read one of them, we may be able to gain some great insights into the author's heart, imagination, experiences, and knowledge. However, when we read the Bible, we will gain spiritual life for our thirsty soul.
When you begin to hide the Word in your heart, you should soon notice that you are gaining a deeper understanding of it. As we set our minds to ingest God's bread from heaven, it will begin to illuminate our understanding, thereby enabling us to comprehend spiritual matters. The Light of God's Word will fill your heart, and you will begin to walk in spiritual discernment. We see examples of this throughout the gospels. Many times people would address Jesus in what appeared on the surface as a goodwill gesture. Nevertheless, He would discern what was really hidden in their heart. Often times their motives weren't pure. Even so, He knew their hearts and didn't fall prey to their schemes.
Jesus instructs us in Matthew 10 to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. Through spiritual discernment, God equips us to face the world and to know what is hidden in the deep recesses of people's hearts. We are guarded from getting hurt by those we don't know, if we recognize what the Holy Spirit is telling us about them. As a minister, I rely on spiritual discernment constantly. Serpents in the Bible represent subtlety and deception through smooth speech. Discernment gives Christians the ability to see beyond a person's words, revealing the hidden motives of the heart. Didn't God tell Samuel that He didn't look at the outward appearance of a man, but He looks at their hearts? God wants to protect us from wolves and the poison of bitter people. So we must get the Light of His Word in our own hearts so that we are able to know what is hidden in the hearts of others.
Protected by God's Word,
Pastor Asa Dockery
The Word of God is alive! And if you take a moment to think about it, it seems strange to our carnal mind. Jesus tells us in John that not only is the Word of God alive, it gives life to those who hide it in their hearts.
I want you to imagine for a moment how many books there are in the world today... that's a lot of knowledge! When we read one of them, we may be able to gain some great insights into the author's heart, imagination, experiences, and knowledge. However, when we read the Bible, we will gain spiritual life for our thirsty soul.
When you begin to hide the Word in your heart, you should soon notice that you are gaining a deeper understanding of it. As we set our minds to ingest God's bread from heaven, it will begin to illuminate our understanding, thereby enabling us to comprehend spiritual matters. The Light of God's Word will fill your heart, and you will begin to walk in spiritual discernment. We see examples of this throughout the gospels. Many times people would address Jesus in what appeared on the surface as a goodwill gesture. Nevertheless, He would discern what was really hidden in their heart. Often times their motives weren't pure. Even so, He knew their hearts and didn't fall prey to their schemes.
Jesus instructs us in Matthew 10 to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. Through spiritual discernment, God equips us to face the world and to know what is hidden in the deep recesses of people's hearts. We are guarded from getting hurt by those we don't know, if we recognize what the Holy Spirit is telling us about them. As a minister, I rely on spiritual discernment constantly. Serpents in the Bible represent subtlety and deception through smooth speech. Discernment gives Christians the ability to see beyond a person's words, revealing the hidden motives of the heart. Didn't God tell Samuel that He didn't look at the outward appearance of a man, but He looks at their hearts? God wants to protect us from wolves and the poison of bitter people. So we must get the Light of His Word in our own hearts so that we are able to know what is hidden in the hearts of others.
Protected by God's Word,
Pastor Asa Dockery
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Emotional Affair
Colossians 3: 1 - 4, If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. NKJV
From the beginning chapters of the Bible until the end, God reminds us about the importance and sanctity of marriage. Marriage between a husband and wife is one of the physical and tangible ways God has chosen to demonstrate our relationship with Christ.
Just as we are commanded to be faithful to our spouse as Christians, we are also commanded to be loyal to the Lord. Jesus tells us in John that we are to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. If we seek to fulfill this one command to love, it will empower us to live a holy and devoted life of purity to Christ.
Even though we might commit ourselves to Christ and to our spouse for life, this won't prevent the enemy from tempting us. Therefore, we must continually guard our hearts so that we don't give ourselves over to seduction through deception. Let me explain what I mean by deceptive seductions. Well-meaning and sincere people have fallen prey to emotional affairs simply because they didn't realize they were crossing an invisible line in an attempt to "help the opposite sex."
This is probably the greatest ploy that Satan uses to destroy the marriages of many ministers. It is in a minister's heart to want to help those who are in need. However, if we're not careful, we can cross the line of protection and therefore, veer from giving sound counsel into fulfilling a person's emotional needs. One way to avoid this pitfall is to point those who are in need to Jesus and away from personal emotional interaction.
You will know that you have strayed from the "protected path" when you begin to share your heart and feelings with a co-worker, friend, or counselee; however, you begin to keep those areas closed with your own spouse.
One of the best stories that depicts this occurrence is found in Judges 16. Here, Samson is revealing his whole heart to Delilah. The moment Samson told her everything Delilah knew that she had won him over through seduction. After this, we can begin to see the fall of this mighty man of God. He is pierced through with great pain and sorrow from his sin.
As Christians, we must be willing to give Christ our whole heart. If we don't, then it can clear the way for Satan to offer us another avenue to get "our needs met." Nevertheless, Satan's way will cost you dearly. Just like Paul instructed us in today's scriptures, we have to set our affections on things above and die to the lusts of our flesh while on earth. Circumcision of the flesh will hurt; however, giving in to an emotional or spiritual affair can destroy you, your soul, and your marriage.
Take the time that is needed to be fulfilled by the Lord and your spouse (if you are married) so that you don't give place to the Devil. Set your affections on the Lord and delight yourself in Him. He has promised to give you the desires of your heart; and you will be able to live and enjoy a fulfilled life.
Already Taken,
Pastor Asa Dockery
From the beginning chapters of the Bible until the end, God reminds us about the importance and sanctity of marriage. Marriage between a husband and wife is one of the physical and tangible ways God has chosen to demonstrate our relationship with Christ.
Just as we are commanded to be faithful to our spouse as Christians, we are also commanded to be loyal to the Lord. Jesus tells us in John that we are to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. If we seek to fulfill this one command to love, it will empower us to live a holy and devoted life of purity to Christ.
Even though we might commit ourselves to Christ and to our spouse for life, this won't prevent the enemy from tempting us. Therefore, we must continually guard our hearts so that we don't give ourselves over to seduction through deception. Let me explain what I mean by deceptive seductions. Well-meaning and sincere people have fallen prey to emotional affairs simply because they didn't realize they were crossing an invisible line in an attempt to "help the opposite sex."
This is probably the greatest ploy that Satan uses to destroy the marriages of many ministers. It is in a minister's heart to want to help those who are in need. However, if we're not careful, we can cross the line of protection and therefore, veer from giving sound counsel into fulfilling a person's emotional needs. One way to avoid this pitfall is to point those who are in need to Jesus and away from personal emotional interaction.
You will know that you have strayed from the "protected path" when you begin to share your heart and feelings with a co-worker, friend, or counselee; however, you begin to keep those areas closed with your own spouse.
One of the best stories that depicts this occurrence is found in Judges 16. Here, Samson is revealing his whole heart to Delilah. The moment Samson told her everything Delilah knew that she had won him over through seduction. After this, we can begin to see the fall of this mighty man of God. He is pierced through with great pain and sorrow from his sin.
As Christians, we must be willing to give Christ our whole heart. If we don't, then it can clear the way for Satan to offer us another avenue to get "our needs met." Nevertheless, Satan's way will cost you dearly. Just like Paul instructed us in today's scriptures, we have to set our affections on things above and die to the lusts of our flesh while on earth. Circumcision of the flesh will hurt; however, giving in to an emotional or spiritual affair can destroy you, your soul, and your marriage.
Take the time that is needed to be fulfilled by the Lord and your spouse (if you are married) so that you don't give place to the Devil. Set your affections on the Lord and delight yourself in Him. He has promised to give you the desires of your heart; and you will be able to live and enjoy a fulfilled life.
Already Taken,
Pastor Asa Dockery
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Talking To Yourself
Psalms 103: 1 - 5, Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. NKJV
There are some days that you just have to talk to yourself. Pardon the pun, but the soul has a mind of its own, and it tries to tell us how we're going to act or respond to life based on our feelings. Unfortunately, we're living in a day and hour when people are listening to and obeying their minds and emotions instead of taking control over their souls. When anyone, especially believers, falls prey to allowing their thoughts, emotions, and circumstances to dictate their attitude, it opens the door for the enemy to pull them down on his level. Let me explain.
We have to understand that our soul is weak at best. Therefore, we must look outside of it to draw the strength that is needed to live victoriously. The type of strength that I am speaking about can only be gotten from reading, meditating, and quoting the Word of God.
Even though we may wake up with certain thoughts going through our heads in anticipation of the day that lies ahead, it doesn't mean we have to take ownership of those thoughts. We're told in Matthew 13 that while men slept on the enemy came in and planted weeds among the good seed. Consequently, when you and I wake up with wrong thoughts or a bad attitude toward the day, we might have to do some "weeding" before moving on.
The principle that I'm sharing with you today comes directly from the Word of God. The psalmist is recorded in God's Word as he speaks to his soul and instructs it to bless the Lord first. He knew where his strength came from. Likewise, as we lift up the name of the Lord, His presence begins to lift our soul. God's presence will give us a different perspective than the one our soul would want us to live under.
Even as he told his soul to bless the Lord, he went on to tell it to remember all the benefits that God already gave to him. We, too, have to remove bad thoughts from our minds and begin to replace them with praise and memorization of God's promises and blessings. Lest you become weary of the chore of having to clean your mind's garden continually, let me say that God's Word, once it has been planted, will begin to grow and will spread throughout your entire being. Nevertheless, we must begin somewhere, and the scripture that comes from Psalms 103 is a very good place to start.
Renewing My Mind Daily,
Pastor Asa Dockery
There are some days that you just have to talk to yourself. Pardon the pun, but the soul has a mind of its own, and it tries to tell us how we're going to act or respond to life based on our feelings. Unfortunately, we're living in a day and hour when people are listening to and obeying their minds and emotions instead of taking control over their souls. When anyone, especially believers, falls prey to allowing their thoughts, emotions, and circumstances to dictate their attitude, it opens the door for the enemy to pull them down on his level. Let me explain.
We have to understand that our soul is weak at best. Therefore, we must look outside of it to draw the strength that is needed to live victoriously. The type of strength that I am speaking about can only be gotten from reading, meditating, and quoting the Word of God.
Even though we may wake up with certain thoughts going through our heads in anticipation of the day that lies ahead, it doesn't mean we have to take ownership of those thoughts. We're told in Matthew 13 that while men slept on the enemy came in and planted weeds among the good seed. Consequently, when you and I wake up with wrong thoughts or a bad attitude toward the day, we might have to do some "weeding" before moving on.
The principle that I'm sharing with you today comes directly from the Word of God. The psalmist is recorded in God's Word as he speaks to his soul and instructs it to bless the Lord first. He knew where his strength came from. Likewise, as we lift up the name of the Lord, His presence begins to lift our soul. God's presence will give us a different perspective than the one our soul would want us to live under.
Even as he told his soul to bless the Lord, he went on to tell it to remember all the benefits that God already gave to him. We, too, have to remove bad thoughts from our minds and begin to replace them with praise and memorization of God's promises and blessings. Lest you become weary of the chore of having to clean your mind's garden continually, let me say that God's Word, once it has been planted, will begin to grow and will spread throughout your entire being. Nevertheless, we must begin somewhere, and the scripture that comes from Psalms 103 is a very good place to start.
Renewing My Mind Daily,
Pastor Asa Dockery
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Turning the Page
1 Samuel 15: 35, 16: 1, And Samuel went no more to see Saul until the day of his death. Nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul, and the LORD regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel. Now the LORD said to Samuel, "How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons." NKJV
We all go through difficult seasons in life, and we've all made mistakes and committed sins, which have caused us great heartache. Just as the Lord regretted that He had placed Saul as king over Israel, we, too, have situations that have arisen in our own lives which cause regret and shame. When you read the scriptures, you can see a stark contrast between Samuel's response to God's decision to remove Saul and God's response to it. The prophet mourned for a while; however, God was ready to move on. In fact, God already had a "son" in mind who would replace the disgraced leader of Israel.
There are many attributes that I personally love about God's nature; nonetheless, there's one attribute that I dearly love and that is the one which gives every person on earth the ability to move on in life. The unmerited favor of God (GRACE) gives fallen humanity a chance to start over and make things right. God's grace grants us forgiveness for our past mistakes and empowers us "to turn the page."
If today, you find yourself living with grief and regret over your past, and you feel stuck there, then there is hope for you in Christ. God is in the redemption "business" of turning hopelessness into hope. It is His will and His desire to come into your life and redeem your past. No one can go back into their past and undo what has already taken place. Even so, God has promised us that He will remove our sins and failures through His grace and will remember them no more... if we repent and accept His plan for us.
We can either decide to live in the regret of our past mistakes and mourn about the death or loss of what has been, or we can align ourselves with God and turn the page on a new chapter in our lives. If we choose to move on with God and to fulfill His plan and purpose, then His joy will become our strength. Satan doesn't want us to break free from regrets over our past because he can use those sins as weight. Satan enjoys holding us in bondage and wearing us down over things that we have done. In contrast, God wants us to be strong and filled with His joy.
We're instructed in Hebrews 12: 1-2, "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." NKJV
If you allow Him, God will give to you a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. It's okay! Let the past go; give it to Jesus and watch as He turns the page on your life.
Moving on in Christ,
Pastor Asa Dockery
We all go through difficult seasons in life, and we've all made mistakes and committed sins, which have caused us great heartache. Just as the Lord regretted that He had placed Saul as king over Israel, we, too, have situations that have arisen in our own lives which cause regret and shame. When you read the scriptures, you can see a stark contrast between Samuel's response to God's decision to remove Saul and God's response to it. The prophet mourned for a while; however, God was ready to move on. In fact, God already had a "son" in mind who would replace the disgraced leader of Israel.
There are many attributes that I personally love about God's nature; nonetheless, there's one attribute that I dearly love and that is the one which gives every person on earth the ability to move on in life. The unmerited favor of God (GRACE) gives fallen humanity a chance to start over and make things right. God's grace grants us forgiveness for our past mistakes and empowers us "to turn the page."
If today, you find yourself living with grief and regret over your past, and you feel stuck there, then there is hope for you in Christ. God is in the redemption "business" of turning hopelessness into hope. It is His will and His desire to come into your life and redeem your past. No one can go back into their past and undo what has already taken place. Even so, God has promised us that He will remove our sins and failures through His grace and will remember them no more... if we repent and accept His plan for us.
We can either decide to live in the regret of our past mistakes and mourn about the death or loss of what has been, or we can align ourselves with God and turn the page on a new chapter in our lives. If we choose to move on with God and to fulfill His plan and purpose, then His joy will become our strength. Satan doesn't want us to break free from regrets over our past because he can use those sins as weight. Satan enjoys holding us in bondage and wearing us down over things that we have done. In contrast, God wants us to be strong and filled with His joy.
We're instructed in Hebrews 12: 1-2, "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." NKJV
If you allow Him, God will give to you a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. It's okay! Let the past go; give it to Jesus and watch as He turns the page on your life.
Moving on in Christ,
Pastor Asa Dockery
Monday, May 14, 2012
Two Options
Psalms 34 : 8 - 10, Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing. NKJV
As believers in Christ, who also happen to live in a fallen world, we have two options. We can either live in fear of lack, or we can place our trust in the Lord to provide. According to the Psalmist, we can avoid "want" if we will only fear Him. Simply put, this means we must revere and adorn Him over the threats that can loom over our lives. He goes on to write that there is no lack for those who seek the Lord.
Please understand when I write these words of encouragement to you that I am also living by faith. My faith is not raised to a place that God would want it to be... where there is peace in my heart about every situation. The one thing that we all must do is keep pressing on toward the goal of complete peace no matter what our state of affairs looks like.
The passage for today's word begins by exhorting us to taste and see that the Lord is good. I have found that I can't always experience His goodness without first having to experience some discomfort. It has been in the trials and pressures of life that I have sought the Lord, and He revealed Himself to me. It's not that the Lord's goodness isn't always with us, but that we don't always see or acknowledge it. Could this be the result of this world diverting our attention away from the Lord's goodness because of the care of this world?... Possibly
When lack or higher prices begin to challenge our peace, these are good indicators that the eyes of our faith must remain on the Lord. This will require us to go to the "ROCK" of our salvation and stand until we see the threatening storms subside and the clouds of doubt dissipate. This world does not, nor will it ever, be our provider. The Lord is our Provider, and He knows exactly what we need and when we will need it, but we must be willing to seek Him in the storm. Guard your heart from being consumed and filled with fear by placing total trust in the Lord to take complete care of you and your family.
Resting in Him,
Pastor Asa Dockery
As believers in Christ, who also happen to live in a fallen world, we have two options. We can either live in fear of lack, or we can place our trust in the Lord to provide. According to the Psalmist, we can avoid "want" if we will only fear Him. Simply put, this means we must revere and adorn Him over the threats that can loom over our lives. He goes on to write that there is no lack for those who seek the Lord.
Please understand when I write these words of encouragement to you that I am also living by faith. My faith is not raised to a place that God would want it to be... where there is peace in my heart about every situation. The one thing that we all must do is keep pressing on toward the goal of complete peace no matter what our state of affairs looks like.
The passage for today's word begins by exhorting us to taste and see that the Lord is good. I have found that I can't always experience His goodness without first having to experience some discomfort. It has been in the trials and pressures of life that I have sought the Lord, and He revealed Himself to me. It's not that the Lord's goodness isn't always with us, but that we don't always see or acknowledge it. Could this be the result of this world diverting our attention away from the Lord's goodness because of the care of this world?... Possibly
When lack or higher prices begin to challenge our peace, these are good indicators that the eyes of our faith must remain on the Lord. This will require us to go to the "ROCK" of our salvation and stand until we see the threatening storms subside and the clouds of doubt dissipate. This world does not, nor will it ever, be our provider. The Lord is our Provider, and He knows exactly what we need and when we will need it, but we must be willing to seek Him in the storm. Guard your heart from being consumed and filled with fear by placing total trust in the Lord to take complete care of you and your family.
Resting in Him,
Pastor Asa Dockery
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