Do You Know Who You Are?

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

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

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

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

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

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

If we seek to fill the need in our hearts, which is to be affirmed by our Creator, without turning to God, then we will live in bondage to the pain of rejection. God doesn't want anyone to live in bondage. It was because of sin that He sent Jesus to earth to die on our behalf. Instead of condemning us for the sin in our hearts, God through Christ has chosen to forgive us and ACCEPT us in Christ. You and I don't have to turn to the world, bad relationships, or bondage in order to find acceptance. It's free, and it's ours, if we will only accept it. Will you let me know how this word has ministered to you today? You can contact me at pastorasadockery@whcnorth.org

Complete In Christ,
Pastor Asa Dockery

We Will Go Up And Fight

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Praising the Lord for Victory,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Can Christians Have Problems?

Psalms 34: 17 – 22, The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all. He guards all his bones; not one of them is broken. Evil shall slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous shall be condemned. The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned. NKJV

It seems that the question used in today’s title is an ongoing curiosity; it is often asked by new converts, who come to faith in Jesus for their salvation. Salvation is given to mankind to keep our souls from entering eternal torment. Unfortunately, it does not keep us from experiencing trouble in this life on earth.

I don’t personally know of any promise in God’s Word that specifically says God will keep us from all trouble, heartache, and suffering. However, I could fill up several pages with verses that teach us that saints had to suffer greatly, just because of their faith in Christ. If we are honest with ourselves and read the Bible as it is written, it will end the discussion that asks, “Do Christians have troubles after receiving Christ into their hearts?”

 Even so, since we’re on it this subject, let’s take the time to dig a little deeper. The same mindset that says, “I won’t have troubles or problems when I become born again,” can later condemn believers when trouble does invade their lives. If you have experienced this, then rest assured it is the voice of condemnation and not the heart of God. God’s Spirit will NEVER contradict God’s Word. Jesus tells us in John 16: 33, “In this world, you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; for I have overcome the world.” If Jesus says we will have tribulation in this world, then you can be certain trouble is inevitable for believers.

Nevertheless, Jesus shows us in the verse from John’s gospel where our focus and curiosity should rest. You see; before you and I came to faith in Christ, we were “on our own,” so to speak. We didn’t turn to God in times of trouble because we didn’t have faith in God. However, now that we have submitted our hearts to Christ, God has promised to be with us no matter what trouble may come our way. Even though we have faith in Christ, we will still have problems; however, God is with us to deliver us from ALL of them.

Let me leave this final thought with you about Moses’ walk of faith. God appeared to Moses while he was tending sheep on the backside of the desert. After the Lord introduced Himself to him, God instructed Moses to go to Pharaoh and demand the release of His people. Nevertheless, when Moses heard what God had planned, he began to struggle with self-doubt and fear. In response to Moses’ doubt and trepidation, God told Moses, “Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.” KJV

God was about to send Moses into the face of trouble, yet all that He told Moses is, “I will be with you.” It didn’t matter how many signs God showed Moses in Exodus 3, there was only one promise that really gave Moses both the strength to face Pharaoh and the trouble that would follow; it was the promise that God was with him. You may have experienced many signs and miracles that built your confidence to move onward in faith despite the troubles ahead, but miracles aren’t enough to convince us to face trouble; we must have the assurance that God is with us before we can be strong and do great exploits for Him. What trouble are you faced with today? Are you experiencing condemnation because of the trouble? If you are, then place your complete attention on Jesus and know that He is with you. As a result, you will overcome this problem in your life, and it will become a testimony of God’s faithfulness.

Emmanuel, God Is With Us,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Tempted To Tempt

Luke 4: 9 – 12, Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you,' and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.'" And Jesus answered and said to him, "It has been said, 'You shall not tempt the LORD your God.'" NKJV

Christians have many promises given to us in God’s Word that are yes and amen in Christ. Since we are in Christ, and His Spirit lives in us, every promise is ours. God in His infinite love and wisdom has provided promises that cover every area of life. All that God requires of us is that we take Him at His Word and stand on His promises until they manifest in our lives.

In today’s scripture, Satan tempted Jesus to tempt the Lord God. When I sought direction for today’s word, the Holy Spirit instructed me to this particular temptation of Jesus and said to teach His people the warning contained within it. Let’s dissect this story so that we can glean a few powerful insights into what was really going on and why Satan sought to tempt Jesus to tempt the Lord God.

At this point, in the forty days of temptation, Satan had already provoked Jesus in an attempt to get Him to prove His spiritual identity by turning the stone into bread. Since Jesus didn’t give in to the enemy’s invitation, Satan changed his approach just a little. Why did he change the way he tempted Jesus? The first attempt failed; this let Satan know that he wasn’t toying with just anyone. Jesus had responded with authority from the Word. Therefore, Satan pulled a promise out of context and tried to use it to tempt Jesus to put His Father to the test. Nonetheless, Satan’s second method of temptation was also futile. If a particular temptation doesn’t work on a believer, then Satan will move on to the next level.

Even though Jesus is the Son of God, and the promise that Satan used was written about Him, Jesus understood the conditions or context of the promise. If we read the promise in its context, we will see that Satan conveniently omitted a very important part that keeps us from forcing the Lord to protect us while we are in rebellion to the promise. Here is the promise in its entirety. Psalms 91: 11 – 12, For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. NKJV

I highlighted the omitted part of the promise so you could see the subtlety of Satan. A person would have to know the scripture like Jesus did in order to understand that you can’t tempt the Lord God, even though the promise of protection is written especially for you. You may be wondering, “How would knowing this small omission of scripture keep me from entering temptation and tempting the Lord?”

God tells us in Hosea 4:6 that His people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. When we don’t know the Word of God for ourselves, we won’t know when we have “crossed-the-line” and entered into temptation, to the extent that we begin to tempt the Lord God. Jesus knew the Word and quoted it correctly back to Satan. Therefore, we, too, must know the Word so that we can properly respond to Satan. We can learn from today’s teaching that if we are ignorant of the Word of God, then Satan will use it to cause us to “sin against the Lord and then justify our sin” by taking scripture out of context or omitting parts of scripture that holds us accountable to God.

 Has Satan tempted you recently to misuse the Word in order to justify a particular sin or way of life that violates the Word of God? If so, then Satan has been effective at getting your cooperation to tempt the Lord your God. God has promised to protect us, but He won’t cover unrepentant sin in our hearts. Love only covers sins that have been confessed and repented of. God gives grace to the humble, but He opposes the proud.

Thank God that He forgives us when we repent and ask for His forgiveness. He covers our sins with the blood of Jesus so that the Tempter can’t exploit our weaknesses to the point of destroying our souls because we committed sin against the Lord. There is nothing as great as the graciousness of our God when we realize that we have crossed-the-line, and we humble ourselves before Him.

Forgiven And Covered, Pastor Asa Dockery

Follow Pastor Asa on Twitter 

Do You Remember When?

Philippians 3 : 13 – 14, Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. NKJV

Deuteronomy 10 : 17 – 19, For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe. He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing. Therefore love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. NKJV

The Lord laid these two particular passages on my heart for a very specific reason. You will notice in Paul’s letter to Philippi that he is instructing the Christians to forget their past and to press toward the goal for the prize of the upward calling in Christ. However, in the second passage from Deuteronomy, God is instructing the people through His prophet, Moses to remember from where He had brought them and to be kind toward strangers because they, too, were once strangers in the land of bondage.

If you take both passages at face value, it seems as if the Bible is contradicting itself; nevertheless, there is a harmony in them that makes for a wonderful story of redemption. First, let’s breakdown Paul’s writing. When we came to Christ, it required a step of faith and boldness. We knew in our hearts the sins that we had committed and the guilt that was associated with our sins. We also knew that God was fully aware of our past; therefore, we tended to feel somewhat intimidated by it all. Our mind wondered, “What will happen when I confess my sins to the Lord? Will He reject and despise me over my sin and make me feel condemned like others have done?” Consequently, it takes faith to approach God for forgiveness. Satan doesn’t want us to know that God doesn’t condemn us. As a result, he works overtime using guilt, shame, and fear to keep us away from God’s forgiveness and grace.

Nevertheless, you overcame Satan’s tactics, faced your fears, and took the guilt and shame of your past to the Father through the blood of Jesus and asked for His forgiveness. Wasn’t it amazing when, instead of sensing condemnation, you felt the love of God fill your heart and the acceptance of the Lord when forgiveness was received? There is something glorious that transpires when a sinner gives the heavy burden of sin over to Jesus and receives His forgiveness in their hearts. It’s a feeling of release that a believer never forgets.

Now let’s address the passage from Deuteronomy. God is instructing the people through Moses to show love toward strangers because they were also once strangers in Egypt. In this passage, He wants them to remember from where He brought them, as former slaves in a strange land, so that they would be compassionate toward others. God didn’t want them to remember the guilt and shame of slavery and how terrible they were treated as slaves in Egypt.

 If we put the two lessons together, we have a perfect picture of the work of redemption in our own lives through Christ. God wants us to forget everything that pertains to sin before the blood of Jesus cleansed us, but He doesn’t want us to forget the goodness and mercy that He so graciously lavished on us when we confessed our sin. Once repentance and confession have been made and forgiveness is given to a sinner, God only wants us to focus on His goodness and from where He has brought us, so that we won’t get lifted up, and despise or reject others who might now be where we once were before we came to know Christ.

The Lord can turn mourning into joy and ashes into beauty when we learn how to remember from where God has brought us and how He wants us to forget how our sin made us feel before He forgave us. What great love the Father has given us through His Son, Jesus. Now we must go out and show that same kind of love and compassion toward others and lead them to Christ.

No Greater Love,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Reminder: The outreach date for MyHope with Billy Graham is fast approaching. November 7, 2013 will be here before we realize it. If you aren’t familiar with MyHope with Billy Graham, please click on the link and learn how to reach the lost with the love of Christ. If you are already participating in this great evangelistic outreach, I want to thank you for allowing the Holy Spirit to work through you to see the lost (stranger) come to Christ in November. MyHope Link.

Avoid The Serpent's Poison

Genesis 3: 1 - 5, Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?" And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.'" Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." NKJV

Even though the serpent didn't bite Eve, he still injected her heart with his venomous poison. Eve listened to the serpent; therefore, she empowered him to poison her heart against the Lord God. The very moment the serpent wrongly convinced Eve that God wasn't truthful with her concerning the tree of knowledge, he captivated her heart. Then, once he seized her complete attention, he seduced her into sinning against the Lord and robbed her of the blessings of God in her life.

Satan never fights fair, to say the least. In fact, he preys on the weaknesses, the ignorance, and the vulnerabilities of us, humans. Satan doesn't come to us as the Devil in a red suit with a pitch fork. He always disguises himself or will operate under a cloak of deception. This is depicted in the story with Eve. Satan embodied the MOST subtle beast of the field in order to pull off his vicious attack against humanity. He didn't come to Eve and say, "Hi my name is Satan, and I want to destroy your soul. Can I enter your heart now?" Satan always uses "occasions" when we're at our weakest or going through something that is discouraging and heartbreaking; he does this in order to assure himself a greater chance of victory.

We can see these same tactics being used on Jesus when He was fasting and praying for forty days in the wilderness. Satan came to Jesus and challenged Him while He was physically drained to do something with His anointing in order to prove Himself to be the Son of God. Once again, Satan was attacking someone born of God concerning their identity. When it comes to rejecting the poison of Satan's lies, we have to know our spiritual identity in Christ, or we can fall prey to his devices, as Eve did.

We're told in Luke 4 that Satan left Jesus, after he tried to tempt Him, and waited for a more "opportune" time. Satan loves to capitalize on "opportunities" to assist him in carrying out his dastardly deeds.

Whenever the children of Israel were about to enter the Promised Land, the people, along with Moses decided to send in spies to check out the land (Numbers 13). For forty days, the twelve men spied out the land and its inhabitants. When they saw the giants in the land and saw the cities that were fortified with walls "up to heaven," they allowed fear to fill their hearts. Do you see how the enemy got their attention on the wrong things in order to gain access to their hearts through fear? The spies gave their hearts over to fear and doubt, and then unbelief took charge. As a result, they called God's promises into question, and brought back an evil report to the people and Moses.

Once again, Satan didn't make them "sin," but he used a negative situation to cause the spies and the children of Israel to consider a way other than what God had commanded them. As a result of the evil report from the spies, the children of Israel turned their hearts against the Lord and sinned in God's sight. Because of their unbelief, Satan was successful at turning the hearts of the people against God by using the emotions that arose from receiving the wicked report. As Christians, we must continually guard our hearts, so that we don't allow undesirable emotions, like the ones experienced by the Israelites to cause us to make rash decisions, which could lead us to sin against the Lord.

There is much spiritual warfare in the world today against Christians. Satan and his demons are very busy using the negativity in the world to cause Christians to begin to doubt God and His Word. The more we look at circumstances and storms and dwell upon these things in our hearts, the more we become vulnerable to Satan's schemes and lies.

Therefore, we must constantly guard our hearts against the lies of Satan by standing firmly on the Word of God. God isn't man that He should lie or the Son of man that He should repent. Those things that God has promised in His Word, He will surely do on our behalf. Even so, we have to guard our hearts and exercise patience. If you've been feeling overwhelmed with discouragement, fear, doubt, and worry, then this is a Word from the Lord, which will empower you to say "no" to Satan's lies. You are more than a conqueror through Christ, and He will give you strength to get through the storms of life. Just hold on until the answer comes and the mountain is removed.

Standing Still until the Promise Comes,
Pastor Asa Dockery  

Double Vision

Proverbs 29: 18, Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. KJV

In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul teaches us that the natural precedes the spiritual. In fact, God uses the physical realm to teach us about the spiritual realm, so that we're able to understand the ways of God. Having stated this let me ask you a very important question. You have sight, but do you have vision?

It doesn't take faith to see with our eyes; however, it does require faith to have vision. Throughout both the Old and New testaments, God gave men and women great visions. When the Lord gave visions to His servants, they would know a thing before it had even begun. Consequently, as they stepped out to fulfill God's vision for their lives, they were literally walking by faith instead of by sight.

Do you have spiritual vision? Are you able to see the invisible realm as if it is as real as the physical realm? If so, then you have learned how to trust God and take Him at His Word, even though the physical realm or your current circumstances don't agree with what God has shown you by His Spirit. All Christians should have double vision. In other words, we need to be able to live victoriously in the natural realm by what has been revealed to us in the realm of the Spirit.

The main purpose of today's word has to do with developing and living patiently while waiting on God's vision to come to pass. God gives believers visions so that we can know the end of something even before it begins in the natural, but He uses that vision to teach us patience. Satan uses the lack of patience in people to cause us to get ahead of God and spoil our reward. Throughout the New Testament, we are promised great reward "if" we will wait patiently on God's will to be fulfilled in our lives.

If a person doesn't have spiritual sight or a vision from the Lord, then they are more apt to give up on God before He has time to work things out on their behalf. You see; God does give us vision. Nevertheless, vision has a greater purpose than just being able to see something that is yet to be fulfilled in the natural realm. God gives us vision so that we will have patience and spiritual sight to "see beyond today's troubles" and hold on in faith, until the deliverance or breakthrough manifests in our lives.

Here is the reason why I chose today's scripture from Proverbs 29. The Lord doesn't want anyone to perish, especially His people. Therefore, He gives us vision to teach us how to wait on God. If we don't possess vision, we won't wait; consequently, Satan has an opportunity to cause us to "throw in the towel" too soon and miss our appointed time of deliverance. I like the NKJV of this passage because it gives us better insight into the true meaning of this verse.

Proverbs 29: 18, Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; NKJV

When we have and live by faith because of what God's Word declares or because the Holy Spirit has revealed a vision to us, then we will live patiently. We will also discipline ourselves to ensure that we don't miss the appointed time that God has ordained for His promise to be manifested in our lives. However, if a person doesn't practice patience and doesn't have a vision or spiritual sight, they will "cast off restraint."

When Simon Peter saw Jesus die on the cross, he momentarily lost his spiritual sight. As a result of the eclipse of his faith, he threw off all the restraint that had been given to him while walking with Jesus and returned to his old ways and old lifestyle. We all need faith, spiritual sight, and revelation, or "vision" in order to secure us continually until our faith becomes sight. Vision gives us the power to see beyond our current situations and builds our faith so that we will wait faithfully on God's timing.

Walking By Faith,
Pastor Asa Dockery 

Why Christians Walk Away After The Fight

Revelation 2 : 1 - 5, "To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, 'These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: "I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place -- unless you repent. NKJV

The word for today is very important because it addresses a serious issue that is pervasive in the body of Christ. The day and hour that we're living in shows us that the same issue Jesus addressed in Ephesus is still around in today's churches. The believers at Ephesus were commended by Jesus for being persistent, patient, and hard workers in the fight for their faith in Christ. Nevertheless, they allowed the battle to harden their hearts, and, as a result, left their First love, Jesus. In other words, the good fight of faith continued to be fought, but their love for Jesus greatly diminished due to the fight.

I recently heard of a couple whose daughter was murdered, and her body wasn't found for several months. This couple stood together in faith and fought to believe that one day her remains would be found, and they could find closure at her memorial. Finally, that day came, and her remains were discovered. However, after this horrific ordeal, the couple got a divorce. The fight for their daughter and to see the perpetrator come to justice completely exhausted the parents. They had nothing else in them to give.

I heard a preacher many years ago touch on a subject that puzzled him for years. He wondered why married couples who incurred a long term illness of one of the spouses would stay together during the hardship, but after the battle was won, the spouse who had faithfully stood by the side of the sick spouse would just up and leave.

As humans, who happen to also have faith in Jesus, it's easy for us to become weary and poured out when we have to endure long term trials and afflictions. For example, look at the trial of Job; it lasted for nine months. However, it wasn't just the length of the trial that was hard; it was also the intensity of the emotional and physical pain he had to endure. Nevertheless, Job didn't walk away from God after the affliction had ended.

Why do some believers endure and remain, while others pack their bags and leave their marriage, children, church, career, etc.? Jesus gives us the answer in today's passage. He told them to remember from where they had fallen. Did you know that fighting the good fight of faith can cause you to fall from having a strong love for Jesus? Many who walked with Jesus left Him after their love was challenged. So, what is the answer that we need to prevent us from walking away from the Lord, our spouse, our children, etc.?

2 Chronicles 20: 15 - 19, And he said, "Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the LORD to you: 'Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel. You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!' Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD is with you." And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bowed before the LORD, worshiping the LORD. Then the Levites of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with voices loud and high. NKJV

The KEY to remaining in love with Jesus, in other words, not having our love diminish is found in our worship. In the context, the Lord told King Jehoshaphat that the battle didn't belong to them; it belonged to God. In this story, the Holy Spirit shows us how to let God fight for us through our worship. In worship, we keep ourselves from taking ownership of the battle and from becoming hurt and cold toward God because we feel alone in the battle. In John 4, Jesus told the woman at the well that God seeks those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth.

Has your love for the Lord grown cold because of recent trials or afflictions? Are you hurt and angry at God today? Do you feel distanced from the presence of God? If so, then somewhere along the way, you've taken the good fight of faith personally. Even though you may not feel like it, you must begin to praise and worship the LOVER of your soul. As you do this, the Lord will give you joy for mourning, and beauty for ashes. He will give you a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness that is holding you down.

Praising My Way to Victory,
Pastor Asa Dockery 

Jesus, Did I Hear You Correctly?

Matthew 5: 43 – 48, "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. NKJV

What exactly is love according to the Word of God? John teaches us in his epistle that God is love, and everyone who loves is born of God. However, Jesus breaks the meaning of love down further, so that we can understand it and implement it in our lives. Jesus teaches Christians that we are not to love only those who love us, but we are called to show love to those who hate us as well.

Let’s look at the love of God through this perspective. What if God only chose to love us when we pleased Him? First of all, He never would have loved us because we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. Secondly, He would never be able to love us because we would continually fail and disappoint Him. Love that can’t be put to the test isn’t God’s love, but is, in fact, selfish love. Selfish love will only love those who love them in return and will only accept those who agree with and please the one who is filled with self-love.  Selfish love thinks only about the person who is supposed to be showing love, rather than being concerned about showing that love to others.

When Jesus came to earth as our example of how Godly love is to operate, He demonstrated His love for us while we were unable to measure up to God’s holy standards. Jesus put us before Himself because that is what Godly love does.

In John 14, Jesus teaches us that if we love Him, we will be submitted and keep His sayings. It is impossible to submit to someone you do not love, and you do not agree with. It is from this perspective that Jesus addresses the subject of loving our enemies, in contrast to our loving only those who love us.

In order to have the ability to love someone whom we don’t agree with, such as an enemy, we must first be submitted to God. Now we’re getting to the core of the problem that Jesus was addressing head-on in Matthew 5. He said that our righteousness had to exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, if we wanted to make it to heaven. Therefore, we must allow God’s love to fill our hearts, so that we’re able to love those who “don’t deserve our love.”  

I didn’t “deserve” God’s love, but He chose to love me anyway. His love wasn’t, and still isn’t, based on my goodness or my unworthiness; it is established on His willingness to love. Jesus is our example; therefore, we are told by Christ to love one another in like manner. It is by our love that the world will know we are Jesus’ disciples. Jesus didn’t just love those who loved Him. When His love was challenged by those who hated Him, He didn’t respond in hatred, but loved them instead.

God’s love isn’t like man’s love. He doesn’t require us to qualify before He will release His love to us. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees repeatedly for this. They were hypocrites, who pretended to love in the name of God. Jesus doesn’t want us to be like the Pharisees. Instead, He wants us to love those who otherwise might seem unworthy of our love. We do this because He loved us. Love requires all.

Loving Others More,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Persecuted

2 Peter 3 : 8 - 9, But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. NKJV

There is no power anywhere that is greater than God's love for our soul. In fact, we will never know, on this side of eternity, all the things that God has done on our behalf to keep our souls from being lost forever. His love is SO great toward us that He will wrestle with us until we finally yield control of our soul over to Him. When it comes to saving souls, God is relentless!

Did you know that there was a war going on between God and Satan long before Adam committed sin? Satan, through his rebellion, was convinced in his heart that he could become greater than God (Isaiah 14). Satan may have written the book on sin; however, God wrote the Book on love and on how to overcome sin. When I say that Satan may have written the book on sin, I mean that he is the author of sin. Jesus tells us in John 8 that Satan was a liar from the beginning and the father of all lies.

Like the brothers of Joseph, who threw him into a pit, Satan has used deception and seduction to lure mankind into the pit of sin. Without God's mercy and love, no one would ever have the power to climb out of the proverbial "pit of sin" on their own...but thanks be to God who gives us the victory through Christ to die to sin and live free from its power.

This is where the war begins to intensify between the Spirit of God and the spirit of bondage to fear over our souls. Satan doesn't want to lose one soul to God's love, so he works very diligently in people's lives distracting them, so that they don't recognize God's goodness for what it is in their lives. As a result, people will dismiss the longsuffering and the love God has for their souls and will keep their attention on the cares and pleasures of this world. Meanwhile, their time is quickly running out.

Nevertheless, God's Spirit continues to deal with people's hearts about their sinful condition. Remember, God is relentless because He loves us so intensely. Consequently, He pursues us and gives every person ample opportunity to come to the place in their lives where they become broken over sin and repent. We can conclude that God's grace and longsuffering aren't about God giving us time to get our "fill" of sin's pleasures; He is giving you and me time to "come to our senses," as was illustrated through the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15: 11).

Are you running from God? Like Adam after he sinned in the garden, are you hiding something from the Lord? He knows where you are, and He knows what is hidden in your heart. Nevertheless, you need to know that the spirit of fear is driving you from God's presence. In God's presence is fullness of joy. If you're running or hiding, won't you just stop, drop, and pray? Ask the Lord to forgive you and grant you repentance, so that He can restore your soul from sin and death.

God Loves You So Much!
Pastor Asa Dockery

P.S. If this word has brought spiritual restoration to your soul, please email me and share the good things that God has performed in your life. pastorasadockery@whcnorth.org

God Doesn't Want You To Perish

2 Peter 3 : 8 - 9, But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. NKJV

There is no power anywhere that is greater than God's love for our soul. In fact, we will never know, on this side of eternity, all the things that God has done on our behalf to keep our souls from being lost forever. His love is SO great toward us that He will wrestle with us until we finally yield control of our soul over to Him. When it comes to saving souls, God is relentless!

Did you know that there was a war going on between God and Satan long before Adam committed sin? Satan, through his rebellion, was convinced in his heart that he could become greater than God (Isaiah 14). Satan may have written the book on sin; however, God wrote the Book on love and on how to overcome sin. When I say that Satan may have written the book on sin, I mean that he is the author of sin. Jesus tells us in John 8 that Satan was a liar from the beginning and the father of all lies.

Like the brothers of Joseph, who threw him into a pit, Satan has used deception and seduction to lure mankind into the pit of sin. Without God's mercy and love, no one would ever have the power to climb out of the proverbial "pit of sin" on their own...but thanks be to God who gives us the victory through Christ to die to sin and live free from its power.

This is where the war begins to intensify between the Spirit of God and the spirit of bondage to fear over our souls. Satan doesn't want to lose one soul to God's love, so he works very diligently in people's lives distracting them, so that they don't recognize God's goodness for what it is in their lives. As a result, people will dismiss the longsuffering and the love God has for their souls and will keep their attention on the cares and pleasures of this world. Meanwhile, their time is quickly running out.

Nevertheless, God's Spirit continues to deal with people's hearts about their sinful condition. Remember, God is relentless because He loves us so intensely. Consequently, He pursues us and gives every person ample opportunity to come to the place in their lives where they become broken over sin and repent. We can conclude that God's grace and longsuffering aren't about God giving us time to get our "fill" of sin's pleasures; He is giving you and me time to "come to our senses," as was illustrated through the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15: 11).

Are you running from God? Like Adam after he sinned in the garden, are you hiding something from the Lord? He knows where you are, and He knows what is hidden in your heart. Nevertheless, you need to know that the spirit of fear is driving you from God's presence. In God's presence is fullness of joy. If you're running or hiding, won't you just stop, drop, and pray? Ask the Lord to forgive you and grant you repentance, so that He can restore your soul from sin and death.

God Loves You So Much!
Pastor Asa Dockery

P.S. If this word has brought spiritual restoration to your soul, please email me and share the good things that God has performed in your life. pastorasadockery@whcnorth.org

Protective Boundaries

Exodus 19 : 10 - 13, Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes. And let them be ready for the third day. For on the third day the LORD will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. You shall set bounds for the people all around, saying, 'Take heed to yourselves that you do not go up to the mountain or touch its base. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. Not a hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot with an arrow; whether man or beast, he shall not live.' When the trumpet sounds long, they shall come near the mountain." NKJV

Before we proceed, let's digress for a moment and look at the reason why God is setting boundaries at the base of Mount Sinai. Why would God call Moses and the children of Israel out of the Egypt, to come and worship Him as their God, if He is going to keep them at a distance?

The Jews have been in captivity over four hundred years. While they were in Egypt, the Egyptians had a great impact upon their lives. We see just how influential the Egyptians were upon the Jews in Exodus 32. Moses is upon the mountain with God; meanwhile, Aaron instructs the people to bring their precious metals, so that he could fashion a molten calf for the people to worship it as their Lord.

This same mindset is just as prevalent in today's society. Whenever the Lord draws a sinner by the Holy Spirit out of the ways of the world, they have a perception of who God is based on their earthly experiences and on hearsay, not according to the Word. Consequently, God instructed Moses to set barriers at the base of the mountain to teach the children of Israel, and us, how to respect boundaries. The boundaries that God instituted were not intended to keep the people out, so that they couldn't get to know God; He ordained them for the "protection" of the people. God didn't want them to touch the mountain and die.

Later, in Exodus 20, God handed down the Law, which set other barriers in place. This time the barriers were to be placed in their hearts and not at the bottom of a mountain... in order to teach Israel about protection from sin. God gave Israel the Law, so they wouldn't go beyond the safety (boundary) of the Law and perish in their sin. Just as God warned Moses about the consequences that would occur if anyone should touch His holy hill, God used the Law to set boundaries and to teach the people that there would be severe repercussions for violating His Law.

Whenever God has to set boundaries in our lives, it is always for our protection. God has promised us in Psalm 84 that no good thing will He withhold (boundary) from them who walk uprightly. The Lord God had to teach Israel how to fear and how to have respect for the boundaries that He put in place; He did this because He loved them.

The God of the Bible is the God of liberty. He didn't call us into bondage to Him; rather He called us to serve Him from a willing heart. When we come to Him, and we begin to learn of His ways, God will give us the grace to cover our mistakes when we "step across the line" out of ignorance. Afterwards, He will, likewise, deal with our hearts through His Spirit and warn us about crossing the line of His protection from sin.

After the warning, if we should, once again, violate His boundaries and abuse our liberty within God's parameters, then He will have to bring correction into our lives to teach us to fear Him and to avoid sin.

Finally, when God called the children of Israel to meet Him at Mount Sinai, it was for the purpose of teaching them both the fear of the Lord and boundaries, so that they could live a free, but disciplined life, as the people of God. Every believer has unseen barriers that God has set in his or her life. He wants to keep us from entering temptation. If it was good for us, then He would allow it. Do you know your boundaries? Do you respect the boundaries that God has set, and do you choose to live within His will?

Finding Liberty within the Boundaries,
Pastor Asa Dockery

God Will Fight For You

Deuteronomy 10 : 12 - 19,"And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes which I command you today for your good? Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the LORD your God, also the earth with all that is in it. The LORD delighted only in your fathers, to love them; and He chose their descendants after them, you above all peoples, as it is this day. Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer. For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe. He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing. Therefore love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. NKJV

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the greatest Friend you could ever have in your life. It doesn't matter how many times you have failed Him; He still loves you and will stand in your corner with you when the enemy attacks your life. We know from the Bible that God dearly loved Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, even though they had "issues" in their lives that He had to confront and remove. They were His precious people, and if any man or nation ever rose up against them, that person or nation had to take God on as well.

God is no respecter of persons. In the same way that God defended Israel and protected them, He will also fight for you. As you read today's scripture, you saw where God told Israel that He would administer justice for the fatherless, the widow, and that He loves the stranger. It wasn't that God couldn't love anyone other than the descendants of Israel; God had chosen the Hebrews to demonstrate His love to the world through His relationship with them.

Furthermore, in the above passage, God instructs Israel to love the stranger. If He only loved and fought for Israel, why would He instruct them to reach out to and to love strangers? I'm belaboring this point to establish a truth that can greatly bless you. God isn't just the Defender of Israel. In fact, He is the defender of anyone who is considered an "underdog," reject, outcast, etc. Even though Israel made plenty of mistakes and committed serious trespasses against the Lord, He still defended them, even when they were in the wrong (Genesis 20).

When the Lord delivered the children of Israel from the land of Egypt, God led them through the wilderness with a cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night. There was a time when the children of Israel needed to pass through the land of Edom (Esau's descendants), and the Edomites would not give them passage through the land. Many times Esau and his descendants made themselves enemies of Israel, and their prideful actions made them enemies of God. We're told in Romans 9 that God loved Jacob, but He hated Esau. Why was this? Read Obadiah; and you will see why God hated and completely destroyed the descendants of Esau.

God can handle us when we sin, but God hates pride. Consequently, if you've been exploited, and someone has taken advantage of you, like Esau did with Jacob, you can rest assured that God will fight for you, as long as you humble yourself under His mighty hand. Nevertheless, if you should decide to allow arrogance and pride to get in God's way, and you choose to retaliate yourself, then God will bring correction upon your life. You see; God is no respecter of persons. He will defend you when people take advantage of your weaknesses, but He will also punish you, if you allow pride to enter your heart. King Solomon tells us in Proverbs 6 how God hates pride and a haughty look. The Lord wants us to remain humble at all times, so that He can defend us against those that would rise up against us, even though we may have "issues" in our own lives. Isn't our God a great God? Can I get a witness?

Amen and Amen,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Connect with Pastor Asa on

facebook.

Don't Be Stopped By Contentious People

Matthew 12 : 22 - 28, Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw. And all the multitudes were amazed and said, "Could this be the Son of David?" Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, "This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons." But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. NKJV

If you were to be able to go back to the days when Jesus walked the earth and ask the scribes and Pharisees who they represented, they would tell you that they were servants of God. We know that Jesus was both God's servant and His voice to the Jews. However, in this passage today we see contention between Jesus and the religious rulers of the synagogues.

The leaders of Judaism accused Jesus of casting out demons through the power of Beelzebub, the ruler of demons. Instead of acknowledging the authority that rested on Jesus as being from God, the Pharisees lied against Him. Why was there contention between Jesus and the Pharisees, if they all represented God's will in the earth? The Pharisees weren't submitted to God's will; they only did what pleased them. They continually did things in order to get the attention and accolades of man, but Jesus sought to please the Father. Consequently, there was always contention between them.

Whenever a church leader or believer becomes offended at God because He hasn't allowed them to do what they want to do, the enemy will use such an occasion to tempt them. I call this form of temptation a "spirit of distraction." It leads "good," well-meaning people astray in their hearts and away from God's will, so that they become consumed with fulfilling their own will or agenda.

You can see in today's passage that the Pharisees opposed Jesus, even though His heart was set to please only the Father. Whenever people get distracted by their own agenda, they can become enemies of the cause of Christ. (I will give you a scripture to confirm in a moment) We see the contention and the hostility that the Pharisees, the scribes, and the later elders of Israel had against Jesus when He sought to please God. As you step out to know and to fulfill God's will for your life, you, too, must guard your heart from "going after" your own desire or agenda. The quickest and easiest way to fall prey to the spirit of distraction and contention is through offense.

James teaches us how to overcome the accusations and temptations of Satan. First, we are to submit to God, and then we can resist Satan. As long as we remain submitted in our hearts to God with a clear conscience, we won't fall prey to demonic attacks. I want to leave you today with a verse that confirms the principle that I've shared with you.

John 16: 1 - 3, "These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me. NKJV

Notice that there is a difference between pleasing God, as Jesus did, and offering God service, as the Pharisees did. Jesus always did those things that pleased His heavenly Father. The Pharisees only did what pleased themselves in the name of God. If we are truly serving God in the way that is pleasing to Him, then the Holy Spirit will bear witness with our conscience that it is of God. Paul used this confirmation many times in his teachings.

Finally, Jesus tells us that we, too, will have to face the same hostility from religious spirits who seek to persecute us and even put us to death because they believe in their hearts that they are doing God's service. Anyone who lives and speaks the truth of Christ is going to be confronted by those who seek their own agenda and philosophies. All we have to be concerned about is being submitted to God, like Jesus was while He ministered. God will take care of our adversaries. Now, go out there and turn your part of the world upside-down for Christ.

Be Instant in Season and Out,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Connect with Pastor Asa on facebook. 

New Again

2 Corinthians 4: 16, Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. NKJV

Take a look around you. Everything you see is aging; and considering the alternative, it is good that we are getting older as well. I enjoy watching someone's reaction when God blesses them with a new car or house. They are so excited and want to spend as much time as possible with their brand-new treasure. We, humans, certainly enjoy new things in life, but it doesn't take long for the new to begin to fade.

We're told many times in the Word of God that the things of this world are quickly fading away. When our possessions get some age on them, it's easy to grow tired of them and lose interest. I bring up this point to illustrate how life can also have a way of losing its zest and its enjoyment. When a person loses their passion for life because nothing new or exciting is happening to them, they have a tendency to forget just how blessed they are. You may think, "Given the recent turn of events in my life, I certainly don't feel blessed." Well, hold on and allow me to share the Word that the Holy Spirit revealed to me for you today.

As I stated previously, everything in this world is growing older by the second. Even so, there is great news for the believer in Christ; our spirit man is being renewed daily. However, if that isn't enough to encourage you, take a moment to remember when you used to be lost in your sins and had no hope; God forgave you, placed His Spirit into your spirit, and gave you a brand-new life that is eternal. Nevertheless, if that still isn't sufficient, Paul teaches us in 2 Corinthians 5 that if we be in Christ, then old things have passed away (because our old man was crucified with Christ) and behold all things become new in Him.

Are you getting a hold of what the Holy Spirit is telling you today? Let go of the dead things from your past, and open your heart to God so that He can give you a glorious future. Yes, it can be done through Christ because God has promised us in Jeremiah 29: 11 that He would give us a hope and a future. All things can become new today. How many times did God do a "new thing" in the Bible? How many times did God allow men and women, whom He had called, to get a brand-new start in life "after" they had failed Him? You, too, can choose today as the "new beginning" or genesis in your life. If this a "right now" word for you, then faith will explode in your spirit, so that you can receive the manifestation in your life. Now start praising the Lord for a new day, a new beginning, and a renewed spirit that will never age or die. I'm getting happy just writing this to you. Somebody shout to the Lord!

Feeling Happy About Your New Beginning,
Pastor Asa Dockery

P.S. If this has exploded in your heart and life today, won't you write me so that I can praise God with you? Email me at pastorasadockery@whcnorth.org 

A Great Cloud Of Witnesses

Hebrews 11: 30 - 40, By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace. And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented -- of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. NKJV

If you're a follower of Christ, then God has placed a divine calling on your life. Even so, as we seek to know and to fulfill the plan of God for our lives, we begin to undergo a transformation. The passages that I used today are representative of the transformation that God wants to demonstrate in us and through our obedience to His calling.

When we read about the heroic actions of the great men and women who have gone before us and how God used their simplistic faith to impact their world, we can begin to see what can transpire when God moves on ordinary people to do extraordinary acts in His name. God uses humans, along with our weaknesses, our shortcomings, and our frailties; then, He mixes them with our faith to show the world His greatness.

If we will allow God to use our vessel, He can challenge and uproot corruption and injustice in our society, so that others will be able to lead a more peaceable life. Can you imagine what this world would be like if there were no Christians? I can't begin to imagine how corrupt and evil the earth would be without obedient believers. The story of Noah's day in Genesis 6 gives us a glimpse of what it would be like if there were only a few righteous souls on the earth today.  

The world and the satanic forces that you face daily, and which war against your stand of faith, can cause you to view yourself as insignificant and unimportant. Nevertheless, you must reject the opinions and accusations of the world, lest you give into the pressure and allow others to squelch your faith and your impact on the world. God has you on this earth for a divine purpose. It is your responsibility to God to see that you fulfill that purpose with all that is within you. God still performs the extraordinary through ordinary believers. Remember, you can do ALL things through Christ because He will give you the strength.

Now Go Change the World,
Pastor Asa Dockery