John 10: 10, The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. NKJV
Jesus' statement in the above verse is very interesting. On one hand, you have Satan, who comes into your life trying to destroy it and take it from you. On the other hand, you have Jesus, who has come that you might have, keep, and enjoy your life... all in the same verse. In Matthew 10, Jesus tells us how we can keep our life, and how we can lose it. If we lose our life for His name's sake, we shall find it, but if we seek to keep our life (on our terms), then we will lose it. When Jesus tells us that Satan does not come except to steal, kill, and destroy, it is with the understanding that Satan must have your cooperation to do so.
Therefore, we must be wise when it comes to understanding and resisting the Devil's devices. Jesus spoke about Himself and Satan in the same verse to show us that a particular situation can be won or lost depending on how we respond to it. God doesn't want you to lose the life that Jesus died in order for you to have and enjoy, but He also won't override your will should you choose to live this new life according to the pleasures of the flesh. We are the ones who will determine whether Jesus succeeds in blessing us or if Satan succeeds in cursing us.
Let's look at this principle through some practical situations. Have you ever had the feeling that you needed to stop what you were doing to go pray? Have you ever been living life, and suddenly you had a spiritual burden placed on your heart? Have you ever had a sense in your heart that you weren't supposed to do something at a particular moment, but you followed through with it anyway only to discover that it was disastrous? These are just three scenarios that I personally know and have experienced from the Lord that depict how God works in our lives trying to help us prevent the success of a spiritual attack... but we must be sensitive to the Spirit in order to abort Satan's plans.
If for the sake of convenience we choose to ignore the tugging of the Lord on our heart and decide to charge full steam ahead, then we have just played into the hands of Satan. When we harden our hearts to the direction of God to humble ourselves and seek Him for a direction, we open the door for Satan to enter the picture unrestrained.
The Lord gave me this word for you today out of the passage in Matthew 26. This is where Jesus enters the Garden of Gethsemane because His heart is feeling sorrowful. He went there because of what He was feeling in order to get prayed through. Notice that the disciples didn't feel the sorrow. Peter, James, and John who were closer to Him than any of the others didn't feel the sorrow of heart as Jesus did either. Prayer will make us sensitive to the feelings of the Holy Spirit. He will warn us when He foresees a danger on the horizon. Nevertheless, if we neglect this type of prayer for sensitivity, then we won't be able to discern danger when it is near.
Since the disciples didn't feel the sorrow of heart, it was difficult for them to pray with Jesus for an hour. In spite of the hardness of the disciples' hearts, Jesus went on a little further from them and obeyed the leading of the Father to pray. As He prayed under the pressure of great sorrow, He submitted His will to accomplish the Father's will. After praying this prayer three times, He returned to the disciples only to find them asleep. They were walking and living in the power of their flesh and were detached from the sensitivity of the Spirit. Their spirits were willing, but their flesh won out over the will of God for them. Consequently, they all entered temptation because they weren't willing to subject their will to the will of Jesus and pray for God's power to overcome their hour of temptation.
We can see through this story how Jesus submitted His will to what the Father was telling Him to do at that moment. Therefore, the Father empowered Jesus to prevail. We can also see what happens to us when we choose to ignore the leading of the Lord for the sake of our flesh (as the disciples did), and we succumb to the temptations of the Devil. As the Holy Spirit troubles your spirit or deals with your heart, submit your will and drop what is important to you at that moment and pray the Father's will for your life. If you will obey, then He will be released through your submission to empower you to overcome the plans of Satan. Listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit through the feelings, burdens, and checks that He places on your heart as you set out to live your life in this fallen world. It will make the difference.
Humbling My Heart in His Presence,
Pastor Asa
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Monday, May 9, 2011
Keep It Real
John 17: 3, And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. NKJV
Can you name a religion that allows you the honor of becoming a child of the Most High God? Why is Christianity so different than religion? It is different because it's not a religion at all, but rather it is predicated on our relationship with Jesus Christ and His heavenly Father. In fact, Christianity is defined as being "in Christ." A Christian becomes a child of God through the Spirit of Christ which dwells in all that believe in Him as God's only Son.
Christ is in us; we are in Him, and He is in God the Father. Through Jesus Christ, we have been granted reconciliation with God through His shed blood on the cross. Even the word reconciliation is a relationship term that describes the very reason for Jesus coming to earth and redeeming man back to a right relationship with our heavenly Father.
There is so much more than I could write to prove further the point that Christianity isn't a religion that was conceived in the mind of fallen man. The Bible is very clear when it comes to revealing who originated and initiated our relationship with our Creator and Father. In the book of the Revelation, we're told that Jesus was the Lamb, who was slain before the foundation of the world. Therefore, we can conclude that man had nothing at all to do with the fact that God set out to form a relationship with man and not a "religion".
Religion is man's vain attempt to reach God or become like God without knowing Him through Christ. Even though we have established that Christians are indeed the children of God, and He is our heavenly Father, it is very possible to make Christianity into just another religion simply by going through the motions without your heart being engaged in the process.
Matthew 15: 8 - 9, "These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'" NKJV
Christianity or a relationship with the Father begins in our hearts as His children. If we should love the world more than Him, allow something or someone else to come before our relationship with Him, or become invested in anything besides the Lord and His kingdom, then according to Jesus, our worship of Him will be in vain. This is why Jesus instructs us in Matthew 6 to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these earthly things will be added. Vain worship in the words of Jesus is the definition of religion. We must keep our heart engaged in an active pursuit of God through intimacy. Be very careful to guard your heart so that you don't slip from intimacy over into performance based religion.
The scripture from Matthew 15 also reminds me of another one from the Psalms where David, the King of Israel, is repenting for his sins. In this psalm, we can see that true repentance and reconciliation begin with a humble and contrite heart. David had allowed himself to sink to a place in his heart where pleasure had taken the place of intimacy with the Lord. As a consequence of David's misplaced priorities, Satan was allowed to seduce this mighty king into committing adultery and murder. Through David's sin, we can see the importance of diligently keeping our heart from lusts, lest we fall from grace and enter sin ourselves.
Psalms 51: 15 - 17, O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Your praise. For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; you do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart --These, O God, You will not despise. NKJV
David began his prayer of repentance asking the Lord to open his lips so that he could praise Him. It is God and His grace that gives us the ability to repent of sins that we have committed. David goes on to describe what God requires of any of His children that have fallen from intimacy and given themselves to the power of sin. We must get our hearts right before the Lord if we truly desire to be reconciled back to a correct relationship with God. God doesn't accept sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins. However, He does accept a humble and broken heart. Religion requires sacrifices and paying of penance through acts of our own strength and not of Christ.
Today, I want to encourage you to maintain a healthy fellowship with your heavenly Father. Only in His presence will you find the strength that is required to live a holy life before Him. Anything else will be in vain.
Keeping It Real,
Pastor Asa
Can you name a religion that allows you the honor of becoming a child of the Most High God? Why is Christianity so different than religion? It is different because it's not a religion at all, but rather it is predicated on our relationship with Jesus Christ and His heavenly Father. In fact, Christianity is defined as being "in Christ." A Christian becomes a child of God through the Spirit of Christ which dwells in all that believe in Him as God's only Son.
Christ is in us; we are in Him, and He is in God the Father. Through Jesus Christ, we have been granted reconciliation with God through His shed blood on the cross. Even the word reconciliation is a relationship term that describes the very reason for Jesus coming to earth and redeeming man back to a right relationship with our heavenly Father.
There is so much more than I could write to prove further the point that Christianity isn't a religion that was conceived in the mind of fallen man. The Bible is very clear when it comes to revealing who originated and initiated our relationship with our Creator and Father. In the book of the Revelation, we're told that Jesus was the Lamb, who was slain before the foundation of the world. Therefore, we can conclude that man had nothing at all to do with the fact that God set out to form a relationship with man and not a "religion".
Religion is man's vain attempt to reach God or become like God without knowing Him through Christ. Even though we have established that Christians are indeed the children of God, and He is our heavenly Father, it is very possible to make Christianity into just another religion simply by going through the motions without your heart being engaged in the process.
Matthew 15: 8 - 9, "These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'" NKJV
Christianity or a relationship with the Father begins in our hearts as His children. If we should love the world more than Him, allow something or someone else to come before our relationship with Him, or become invested in anything besides the Lord and His kingdom, then according to Jesus, our worship of Him will be in vain. This is why Jesus instructs us in Matthew 6 to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these earthly things will be added. Vain worship in the words of Jesus is the definition of religion. We must keep our heart engaged in an active pursuit of God through intimacy. Be very careful to guard your heart so that you don't slip from intimacy over into performance based religion.
The scripture from Matthew 15 also reminds me of another one from the Psalms where David, the King of Israel, is repenting for his sins. In this psalm, we can see that true repentance and reconciliation begin with a humble and contrite heart. David had allowed himself to sink to a place in his heart where pleasure had taken the place of intimacy with the Lord. As a consequence of David's misplaced priorities, Satan was allowed to seduce this mighty king into committing adultery and murder. Through David's sin, we can see the importance of diligently keeping our heart from lusts, lest we fall from grace and enter sin ourselves.
Psalms 51: 15 - 17, O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Your praise. For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; you do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart --These, O God, You will not despise. NKJV
David began his prayer of repentance asking the Lord to open his lips so that he could praise Him. It is God and His grace that gives us the ability to repent of sins that we have committed. David goes on to describe what God requires of any of His children that have fallen from intimacy and given themselves to the power of sin. We must get our hearts right before the Lord if we truly desire to be reconciled back to a correct relationship with God. God doesn't accept sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins. However, He does accept a humble and broken heart. Religion requires sacrifices and paying of penance through acts of our own strength and not of Christ.
Today, I want to encourage you to maintain a healthy fellowship with your heavenly Father. Only in His presence will you find the strength that is required to live a holy life before Him. Anything else will be in vain.
Keeping It Real,
Pastor Asa
Friday, May 6, 2011
Again I Will Say
Matthew 4 : 23, And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. NKJV
What is the one message that church goers have heard more so than any other? If you said "the gospel message" you are absolutely correct. Paul tells us in his epistles that he preached on Christ and His suffering to the Jew first and then the gentile. Since we have established that the gospel is the mainstay for the Christian church, now let's look at the results of people hearing this message time and time again.
When I ask someone who knows they are born again if they have any doubts about where they will spend eternity, generally I discover they are certain that heaven will be their destination. We can even take this a step further. Christians are very emphatic when it comes to their faith in Christ that He is the way to heaven. If you should try to argue with a truly born again Christian about their faith in Christ and where their soul will go when they die, you might discover they are very dogmatic and unyielding. We can attribute this tenacity to the continual preaching of the gospel to the saints.
The very moment a person accepts Jesus and receives the Holy Spirit into their heart, they can be assured their destination is heaven. How can Christians be so certain of that belief? When God gives a person His Spirit, there is a peace that will comfort their heart, and they will know they are truly forgiven.
A person may be born again because of the preaching of the Gospel, but is that all they will need in order to live a victorious life? Look back at the verse that was used for today's word. Jesus preached the message "of the kingdom" to those who once followed John the Baptist. The gospel of the kingdom teaches us to walk in our new identity and spiritual authority by walking in the spirit and not the flesh.
Now let's take what we've discussed and put it into perspective. When a Christian is challenged by Satan about their salvation or eternal destination, he is met with resistance and a fight. However, when a Christian who doesn't know who they are in Christ (the kingdom message) is challenged with a fiery trial or God requires them to trust Him through a difficult situation, generally the stance of the average believer is not as strong against the doubt and unbelief that arises. Why is this?
We have heard the gospel repeatedly, but the gospel of the kingdom which turns converts into disciples who are strong in the Lord has not been widely taught. This leaves converts struggling to know God in that context. We know the God of salvation, but we don't all know the God of the kingdom message. In chapter 11, Daniel tells us: only those who know THEIR GOD shall be strong and do great exploits. Once we become born again, we must not live on salvation messages alone, but on the message of the kingdom of God that teaches us about God... after the salvation experience.
Isn't it amazing that we can trust an invisible God with our eternal security and think nothing about it, and then turn around and not trust Him to supply our earthly needs this week? As Christians, we must advance in our understanding of God so that we might learn how to be strong when Satan rages against us as believers.
Hebrews 6: 1 - 3, So let us stop going over the basics of Christianity again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don't need to start all over again with the importance of turning away from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. You don't need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding. NLT
Moving Forward in the Faith,
Pastor Asa
What is the one message that church goers have heard more so than any other? If you said "the gospel message" you are absolutely correct. Paul tells us in his epistles that he preached on Christ and His suffering to the Jew first and then the gentile. Since we have established that the gospel is the mainstay for the Christian church, now let's look at the results of people hearing this message time and time again.
When I ask someone who knows they are born again if they have any doubts about where they will spend eternity, generally I discover they are certain that heaven will be their destination. We can even take this a step further. Christians are very emphatic when it comes to their faith in Christ that He is the way to heaven. If you should try to argue with a truly born again Christian about their faith in Christ and where their soul will go when they die, you might discover they are very dogmatic and unyielding. We can attribute this tenacity to the continual preaching of the gospel to the saints.
The very moment a person accepts Jesus and receives the Holy Spirit into their heart, they can be assured their destination is heaven. How can Christians be so certain of that belief? When God gives a person His Spirit, there is a peace that will comfort their heart, and they will know they are truly forgiven.
A person may be born again because of the preaching of the Gospel, but is that all they will need in order to live a victorious life? Look back at the verse that was used for today's word. Jesus preached the message "of the kingdom" to those who once followed John the Baptist. The gospel of the kingdom teaches us to walk in our new identity and spiritual authority by walking in the spirit and not the flesh.
Now let's take what we've discussed and put it into perspective. When a Christian is challenged by Satan about their salvation or eternal destination, he is met with resistance and a fight. However, when a Christian who doesn't know who they are in Christ (the kingdom message) is challenged with a fiery trial or God requires them to trust Him through a difficult situation, generally the stance of the average believer is not as strong against the doubt and unbelief that arises. Why is this?
We have heard the gospel repeatedly, but the gospel of the kingdom which turns converts into disciples who are strong in the Lord has not been widely taught. This leaves converts struggling to know God in that context. We know the God of salvation, but we don't all know the God of the kingdom message. In chapter 11, Daniel tells us: only those who know THEIR GOD shall be strong and do great exploits. Once we become born again, we must not live on salvation messages alone, but on the message of the kingdom of God that teaches us about God... after the salvation experience.
Isn't it amazing that we can trust an invisible God with our eternal security and think nothing about it, and then turn around and not trust Him to supply our earthly needs this week? As Christians, we must advance in our understanding of God so that we might learn how to be strong when Satan rages against us as believers.
Hebrews 6: 1 - 3, So let us stop going over the basics of Christianity again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don't need to start all over again with the importance of turning away from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. You don't need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding. NLT
Moving Forward in the Faith,
Pastor Asa
Thursday, May 5, 2011
And You Shall Know The Truth
1 John 4 : 6, We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. NKJV
When Jesus came to earth, He was the embodiment of TRUTH. There are many people in our world that have knowledge of the truth, but He is the truth. Everywhere He traveled during His life on earth, He preached the truth to those who would listen to His Words. One day as He was speaking, some Jews believed the words that He spoke, and Jesus told those who believed that if they would continue in His Word, they would become His disciples and know the truth.
Just like the Jews, who believed in Jesus, but had to be persuaded to continue walking in it, we, too, must learn how to place our complete faith and trust in God's Word as the absolute truth. It's one thing to say that you believe in God's Word as being the truth, but it's another thing altogether to say that you now trust in His Word as the truth. This place of confidence is established by living according to God's principles on a daily and consistent basis allowing those truths to become a part of who you are.
As you and I continue to receive the truth of God into our hearts, we will grow past the initial stage of "just believing in His word" to walking in truth. Once the truth of God's Word is believed and acted upon, it begins to change us by changing our hearts. The truth of God's Word is far more than words in a book; they are living and will live in us. Once we learn how to walk in the truth (or the light of His Word), then we will be kept alive spiritually by His Word in us.
Jesus ministered for forty-two months before He was crucified. However, before He departed, Jesus told the disciples that He would not leave them (us) as orphans. He prayed to the Father and asked Him to send us another Comforter. This Comforter is called the Holy Spirit of God...we also know Him as the Spirit of truth. As Christians, we must die to the self-nature and become one with the Spirit of truth through our new nature.
We will know that our hearts have been changed by the Word of God, and that we're walking in the truth when we can begin to recognize when someone is walking in the truth or in error. In order for the Word to keep us from deception or from becoming deceived by people and the lies of the enemy, we must become one with God's Word. Take the time that is required to build your confidence in God's Word so that you can walk in the spirit of truth. As you grow in the Word spiritually, then your knowledge of the truth will move from your mind and will become a part of who you are in your heart. Other people will begin to see that you walk in the truth without you having to quote one verse. It's a heart thing!
Walking in the TRUTH,
Pastor Asa
When Jesus came to earth, He was the embodiment of TRUTH. There are many people in our world that have knowledge of the truth, but He is the truth. Everywhere He traveled during His life on earth, He preached the truth to those who would listen to His Words. One day as He was speaking, some Jews believed the words that He spoke, and Jesus told those who believed that if they would continue in His Word, they would become His disciples and know the truth.
Just like the Jews, who believed in Jesus, but had to be persuaded to continue walking in it, we, too, must learn how to place our complete faith and trust in God's Word as the absolute truth. It's one thing to say that you believe in God's Word as being the truth, but it's another thing altogether to say that you now trust in His Word as the truth. This place of confidence is established by living according to God's principles on a daily and consistent basis allowing those truths to become a part of who you are.
As you and I continue to receive the truth of God into our hearts, we will grow past the initial stage of "just believing in His word" to walking in truth. Once the truth of God's Word is believed and acted upon, it begins to change us by changing our hearts. The truth of God's Word is far more than words in a book; they are living and will live in us. Once we learn how to walk in the truth (or the light of His Word), then we will be kept alive spiritually by His Word in us.
Jesus ministered for forty-two months before He was crucified. However, before He departed, Jesus told the disciples that He would not leave them (us) as orphans. He prayed to the Father and asked Him to send us another Comforter. This Comforter is called the Holy Spirit of God...we also know Him as the Spirit of truth. As Christians, we must die to the self-nature and become one with the Spirit of truth through our new nature.
We will know that our hearts have been changed by the Word of God, and that we're walking in the truth when we can begin to recognize when someone is walking in the truth or in error. In order for the Word to keep us from deception or from becoming deceived by people and the lies of the enemy, we must become one with God's Word. Take the time that is required to build your confidence in God's Word so that you can walk in the spirit of truth. As you grow in the Word spiritually, then your knowledge of the truth will move from your mind and will become a part of who you are in your heart. Other people will begin to see that you walk in the truth without you having to quote one verse. It's a heart thing!
Walking in the TRUTH,
Pastor Asa
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
The Truth About Hell From Someone In Hell
Lately, it seems many voices have arisen trying to discredit, distort, and pervert the truth contained in God's Word about a place called "HELL." Don't you find it strange that suddenly so many voices are coming out with their argument against the Bible concerning this subject? These "instructors" seem convinced that their personal belief is correct in the face of truth that is found in the Bible. Even though I have heard men argue the nonexistence of HELL, I've never heard any of them say that they have gone there.
So today, the Lord told me to share this excerpt from HIS WORD that directly quotes a man who not only went to hell, but still remains there today. This story that Jesus shared with the people of His day was not a parable, but was taken from a real account of people who had real names. Listen very closely to a man who once enjoyed the best of this world's pleasures, but now lives in torment. Take note that he begs Abraham to warn his other brothers about this place called "HELL."
NOTE: The Bible says that the wicked are forgotten, but the righteous are remembered. The rich man's name isn't used in this true account, but Lazarus, the beggar, is remembered.
Luke 16 : 19 - 31, "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. "Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.' But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.' "Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.' Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'" NKJV
Friends Don't Let Friends Go to HELL!
Pastor Asa
Please post this on your status, forward it on or tweet it.
So today, the Lord told me to share this excerpt from HIS WORD that directly quotes a man who not only went to hell, but still remains there today. This story that Jesus shared with the people of His day was not a parable, but was taken from a real account of people who had real names. Listen very closely to a man who once enjoyed the best of this world's pleasures, but now lives in torment. Take note that he begs Abraham to warn his other brothers about this place called "HELL."
NOTE: The Bible says that the wicked are forgotten, but the righteous are remembered. The rich man's name isn't used in this true account, but Lazarus, the beggar, is remembered.
Luke 16 : 19 - 31, "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. "Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.' But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.' "Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.' Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'" NKJV
Friends Don't Let Friends Go to HELL!
Pastor Asa
Please post this on your status, forward it on or tweet it.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Be Renewed
Ephesians 4: 20 - 24, But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. NKJV
As we are renewed in the spirit of our mind, we will also put on the "new man." Many Christians struggle from time to time to STOP doing something that, as born again believers, they should not to be doing. In Galatians 5, Paul teaches us that if we will walk in the Spirit, then we won't fulfill the lust of the flesh. Do you walk in spiritual authority over the flesh to the point of living in liberty? If not, this word can empower you to gain the knowledge you may need to overcome fleshly ways or weaknesses.
In Romans 12, we're told that God has given every person a measure of faith. He also warns us believers not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought, but to think soberly. Once we become born again, it's true that our sins have been forgiven, and our conscience has been purged by the precious blood of Jesus. Jesus did defeat the Devil on the cross as well as paid the debt for our sins, but there's something that He left for us to do "after" we accept Him as our Savior and Lord. This has nothing to do with earning our salvation because salvation is a gift of God.
If you're a Christian, and you still struggle with issues that should have been left behind with your past life, it only means that you need to be renewed in the spirit of your mind. This is where the measure of faith that Paul taught about comes into operation. As God deals with our hearts to change old mindsets and habits, we must use our faith to trust in His will over our human will. This is called changing our ways.
Once you recognize that there is a weakness in your walk and know that God wants to see a transformation in it, you can begin to submit to "His" process of changing your will. When you submit to God's will first, then He will empower you to resist the Devil. In due season, the Lord will lift you above the old ways, and you will begin to walk in authority and liberty. We must be aware of the enemy of "self" that tries to dominate and control our lives as Christians... lest it is allowed to prevent us from walking in victory.
Isaiah 55: 6 - 7, Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him; NKJV
We forsake our old ways by seeking the Lord and His will... and it begins with the Word of God and prayer.
Let the CHANGE Begin,
Pastor Asa
As we are renewed in the spirit of our mind, we will also put on the "new man." Many Christians struggle from time to time to STOP doing something that, as born again believers, they should not to be doing. In Galatians 5, Paul teaches us that if we will walk in the Spirit, then we won't fulfill the lust of the flesh. Do you walk in spiritual authority over the flesh to the point of living in liberty? If not, this word can empower you to gain the knowledge you may need to overcome fleshly ways or weaknesses.
In Romans 12, we're told that God has given every person a measure of faith. He also warns us believers not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought, but to think soberly. Once we become born again, it's true that our sins have been forgiven, and our conscience has been purged by the precious blood of Jesus. Jesus did defeat the Devil on the cross as well as paid the debt for our sins, but there's something that He left for us to do "after" we accept Him as our Savior and Lord. This has nothing to do with earning our salvation because salvation is a gift of God.
If you're a Christian, and you still struggle with issues that should have been left behind with your past life, it only means that you need to be renewed in the spirit of your mind. This is where the measure of faith that Paul taught about comes into operation. As God deals with our hearts to change old mindsets and habits, we must use our faith to trust in His will over our human will. This is called changing our ways.
Once you recognize that there is a weakness in your walk and know that God wants to see a transformation in it, you can begin to submit to "His" process of changing your will. When you submit to God's will first, then He will empower you to resist the Devil. In due season, the Lord will lift you above the old ways, and you will begin to walk in authority and liberty. We must be aware of the enemy of "self" that tries to dominate and control our lives as Christians... lest it is allowed to prevent us from walking in victory.
Isaiah 55: 6 - 7, Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him; NKJV
We forsake our old ways by seeking the Lord and His will... and it begins with the Word of God and prayer.
Let the CHANGE Begin,
Pastor Asa
Monday, May 2, 2011
Keeping Our Wells Clean
Genesis 26: 18, And Isaac dug again the wells of water which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, for the Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Abraham. He called them by the names which his father had called them. NKJV
We live in a subdivision that has a pond for the homeowners to enjoy. Periodically, the Property Owners Association has to hire someone to come with a piece of earth moving equipment and clean the sediment out of the reservoir that feeds the pond. Over the course of a year or two of rain, the dirt that is washed into the stream is carried to the reservoir before it enters our pond. If that reservoir isn't maintained, eventually the pond will be full of sediment and will become unhealthy for the fish.
Just as it is in natural, so it is in the spiritual. Whenever God brings showers of blessings down on the earth, the flesh of man can become stirred up and pollute the flow that originated at the Head of the stream. In the book of Job, we can read that the sons of God presented themselves to God, and Satan was among them. It seems that anywhere God is pouring out His blessings, Satan is somewhere very close ready to defile through the frailties of man's fleshly ways.
After the death of Abraham, the Philistines, who were the enemies of Israel, sought to destroy all the wells that provided water for the Jews and their livestock. I don't believe that it was just a coincidence that the Philistines did these evil deeds AFTER the DEATH of Abraham. It seems that Satan can have a greater influence to pollute the blessings of God in people's hearts in the midst of death. Satan also works very diligently to set up scenarios to make us believe that something is beyond hope so that we will cast off all restraint and give ourselves over to His devices.
I'm writing you this word today to encourage you to guard your heart from the strategies or methods of the Devil. God is moving in our generation like no other generation before our time. He is preparing us for the return of Christ. However, while God is on the move, so is Satan. He is orchestrating diversionary tactics to draw our attention away from the impact of what God is doing in order to rob us of seeing the hand of God at work and to discourage us with his destructive acts. Beware of anything that would cause you to lose hope and place doubt in your heart concerning God's ability to save us from destruction.
Satan desires to regain access back into your heart, but you must STAND YOUR GROUND against him. The enemy of your soul wants to use the weakness of your flesh to try and defile your heart through actions brought on by fear. If you're concerned that you have given a place to the enemy, and he is robbing you of God's pure blessings, and you want to be free from the impurities of this world, ask the Lord to keep your heart continually. If "God" keeps watch, then we will be kept, but if "we" try to keep watch, there's a good chance that we will fall asleep. His eyes are on us to watch over us as our Great Shepherd. Our duty is to listen for His voice and keep our eyes fastened on Him. Place your hope and trust solely in the Lord.
God Has the Key to My Heart,
Pastor Asa
We live in a subdivision that has a pond for the homeowners to enjoy. Periodically, the Property Owners Association has to hire someone to come with a piece of earth moving equipment and clean the sediment out of the reservoir that feeds the pond. Over the course of a year or two of rain, the dirt that is washed into the stream is carried to the reservoir before it enters our pond. If that reservoir isn't maintained, eventually the pond will be full of sediment and will become unhealthy for the fish.
Just as it is in natural, so it is in the spiritual. Whenever God brings showers of blessings down on the earth, the flesh of man can become stirred up and pollute the flow that originated at the Head of the stream. In the book of Job, we can read that the sons of God presented themselves to God, and Satan was among them. It seems that anywhere God is pouring out His blessings, Satan is somewhere very close ready to defile through the frailties of man's fleshly ways.
After the death of Abraham, the Philistines, who were the enemies of Israel, sought to destroy all the wells that provided water for the Jews and their livestock. I don't believe that it was just a coincidence that the Philistines did these evil deeds AFTER the DEATH of Abraham. It seems that Satan can have a greater influence to pollute the blessings of God in people's hearts in the midst of death. Satan also works very diligently to set up scenarios to make us believe that something is beyond hope so that we will cast off all restraint and give ourselves over to His devices.
I'm writing you this word today to encourage you to guard your heart from the strategies or methods of the Devil. God is moving in our generation like no other generation before our time. He is preparing us for the return of Christ. However, while God is on the move, so is Satan. He is orchestrating diversionary tactics to draw our attention away from the impact of what God is doing in order to rob us of seeing the hand of God at work and to discourage us with his destructive acts. Beware of anything that would cause you to lose hope and place doubt in your heart concerning God's ability to save us from destruction.
Satan desires to regain access back into your heart, but you must STAND YOUR GROUND against him. The enemy of your soul wants to use the weakness of your flesh to try and defile your heart through actions brought on by fear. If you're concerned that you have given a place to the enemy, and he is robbing you of God's pure blessings, and you want to be free from the impurities of this world, ask the Lord to keep your heart continually. If "God" keeps watch, then we will be kept, but if "we" try to keep watch, there's a good chance that we will fall asleep. His eyes are on us to watch over us as our Great Shepherd. Our duty is to listen for His voice and keep our eyes fastened on Him. Place your hope and trust solely in the Lord.
God Has the Key to My Heart,
Pastor Asa
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