Romans 10: 1 - 4, Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. NKJV
God called Moses to lead the children of Israel to the wilderness so they could worship Him. The Lord God has always had a plan to reconnect His people with Himself through holy fellowship. When God instructed Moses to lead the people to Mount Sinai, His purpose was for them to get to know Him. When the presence of God descended on the mountain, His power caused lightning, thunder, smoke, and the mountain to tremble. This encounter with the living God caused Israel to draw back in great fear. Moses told them not to be AFRAID... however, he further added that the fear of the Lord would keep them from sinning against the Lord.
Out of fear and anxiousness at the awesomeness of God's power and presence on the mountain that day, the children of Israel told Moses to go and speak with God. However, they, themselves, rejected listening to God's voice on earth (the very avenue by which they could walk by faith). Instead, they wanted Moses to speak with God and tell them what God wanted of them. They also vowed to do all that God would command of them... through the mouth of Moses.
Here's where the story takes a turn. As God was descending upon Mount Sinai to speak with His people, He was also preparing to hand down His Law. The Law of God would spiritually govern the actions of this holy nation. When people have the Law of God, but refuse to listen to the voice of God, it opens the door for man to establish his own form of righteousness. As a result of Israel choosing to ignore the voice of God and, instead, listening to the voice of man, it left them to interpret what God meant to say according to the dictates of their own hearts.
In the New Testament, God has fulfilled the Law through the obedience of Christ, and we don't have to keep the Law. Instead, new covenant believers have been given the Holy Spirit, who represents the voice of God in the earth. As we listen to the Holy Spirit and obey the truth, our faith makes us righteous apart from the Law. Being made righteous through faith means that we measure up to God's standard. Righteousness is not based on our works, but on our faith in Christ and on our obedience to His leading. If you struggle with inadequacy and have the Holy Spirit living within your spirit, then you must focus on being obedient to the voice of God. Only through faith are we made complete. If we should ignore the voice of God like Israel did, then we, too, will fall from grace and go back under the works of the Law. There is freedom from works for those who place their faith in Christ and obey Him.
The Just Shall Live by Faith,
Pastor Asa Dockery
Friday, September 9, 2011
Thursday, September 8, 2011
There is a Secret Place in Perilous Times
2 Timothy 3: 1 - 6, But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! NKJV
Please take the time to read the entire word today, because I believe it was given by the Lord specifically for the days we're living in.
When Paul describes the last days, he gives us valuable insights into what will be the root cause for the trouble that erupts. All the things Paul lists get their root from self-sufficiency... not depending on God through faith in His Word. He describes the last days as being perilous times, because some people will have a form of godliness, but deny its power. Basically, people will try to be godly apart from the righteousness of God in Christ. When society becomes self-sufficient, this opens the door for Satan to destroy through corruption.
When the world is at peace, and there are no threats of war or calamity, the people of the land don't have to be on guard. They can live in a sense of security that the world is safe. You don't have to take things as seriously as you do when the world is filled with peril. On September 11, 2001, America had a wakeup call that told us that we were now living in perilous times. People listened to all kinds of news agencies and broadcasts seeking information and direction. As the people of this nation and the world watched with unspeakable horror, they began to hang onto every word that was broadcast over the airways. We heard that President Bush was safe and was in the air with the protection of the Air Force. We also heard that all flights were grounded and made to land wherever they happened to be at the time... instead of flying into their original destinations. You see, things changed instantaneously and dramatically when perilous times erupted.
Life becomes very serious, and what you hear takes on a greater weight than before the trouble struck. Why do you suppose humans get serious only after trouble strikes as opposed to being careful or observant at all times? Could it be because we enjoy living life on our own terms? Paul teaches us in today's scripture that living this way can open a door that will lead us into becoming self-sufficient. The Sunday following 9/11, churches began to see an influx of new people filling the pews. We watched as people, who before that terrible day ignored God, now, all of a sudden find a new reason to worship Him. I'm writing this to say that when trouble hits, people turn to Lord and away from self. Why? Because things have become very serious, and they realize that everything in their life depends on what they hear and how they respond.
We're told in Psalms 91 that there is a secret place for those who place their trust in the Most High God. The psalmist writes, "Only with our eyes shall we see the reward of the wicked, but it will not come near us." It is our faith in the Lord and His Word that keeps us from calamity during perilous times. God wants us to trust in Him and live soberly or watchful. He doesn't want us to indulge in the pleasures of this world at the expense of listening and heeding to His Word for us. We see trouble as the biggest threat to our well being, but God views self-sufficiency as the biggest enemy to our souls; let's allow Him to help us keep our "self" nature from destroying us.
In conclusion, if you will read Deuteronomy 8, you will find that God allowed His chosen people to experience some tough times. In this chapter, God tells us the reason He allowed His chosen people to suffer hunger; it was so that they would become humble and trust in God... not in self. They needed to be at a place in their walk with the Lord that they would live by every Word that proceeded from the mouth of God...and not depend only on the daily bread that sustained them.
If you're a pastor who receives these devotions, this is a word of encouragement for you to seek God for direction as never before. The flock of God doesn't need to get into fear, but be led by the Spirit of God through these troubling times. Seek the Lord diligently, because He hasn't forsaken us; He is challenging us to turn to Him with our whole hearts. The Lord's direction will calm our fears, reinforce our faith, and give us the peace we will need to live in a volatile world. Remember saints, we're in this world, but we're not of this world, because we place our trust in the Lord. Be encouraged today and know that our God is still in control; He desires His people to hear His voice... that He might bless us even in perilous times. God bless you today; that is my prayer for you and your family.
In the Secret Place,
Pastor Asa
Please take the time to read the entire word today, because I believe it was given by the Lord specifically for the days we're living in.
When Paul describes the last days, he gives us valuable insights into what will be the root cause for the trouble that erupts. All the things Paul lists get their root from self-sufficiency... not depending on God through faith in His Word. He describes the last days as being perilous times, because some people will have a form of godliness, but deny its power. Basically, people will try to be godly apart from the righteousness of God in Christ. When society becomes self-sufficient, this opens the door for Satan to destroy through corruption.
When the world is at peace, and there are no threats of war or calamity, the people of the land don't have to be on guard. They can live in a sense of security that the world is safe. You don't have to take things as seriously as you do when the world is filled with peril. On September 11, 2001, America had a wakeup call that told us that we were now living in perilous times. People listened to all kinds of news agencies and broadcasts seeking information and direction. As the people of this nation and the world watched with unspeakable horror, they began to hang onto every word that was broadcast over the airways. We heard that President Bush was safe and was in the air with the protection of the Air Force. We also heard that all flights were grounded and made to land wherever they happened to be at the time... instead of flying into their original destinations. You see, things changed instantaneously and dramatically when perilous times erupted.
Life becomes very serious, and what you hear takes on a greater weight than before the trouble struck. Why do you suppose humans get serious only after trouble strikes as opposed to being careful or observant at all times? Could it be because we enjoy living life on our own terms? Paul teaches us in today's scripture that living this way can open a door that will lead us into becoming self-sufficient. The Sunday following 9/11, churches began to see an influx of new people filling the pews. We watched as people, who before that terrible day ignored God, now, all of a sudden find a new reason to worship Him. I'm writing this to say that when trouble hits, people turn to Lord and away from self. Why? Because things have become very serious, and they realize that everything in their life depends on what they hear and how they respond.
We're told in Psalms 91 that there is a secret place for those who place their trust in the Most High God. The psalmist writes, "Only with our eyes shall we see the reward of the wicked, but it will not come near us." It is our faith in the Lord and His Word that keeps us from calamity during perilous times. God wants us to trust in Him and live soberly or watchful. He doesn't want us to indulge in the pleasures of this world at the expense of listening and heeding to His Word for us. We see trouble as the biggest threat to our well being, but God views self-sufficiency as the biggest enemy to our souls; let's allow Him to help us keep our "self" nature from destroying us.
In conclusion, if you will read Deuteronomy 8, you will find that God allowed His chosen people to experience some tough times. In this chapter, God tells us the reason He allowed His chosen people to suffer hunger; it was so that they would become humble and trust in God... not in self. They needed to be at a place in their walk with the Lord that they would live by every Word that proceeded from the mouth of God...and not depend only on the daily bread that sustained them.
If you're a pastor who receives these devotions, this is a word of encouragement for you to seek God for direction as never before. The flock of God doesn't need to get into fear, but be led by the Spirit of God through these troubling times. Seek the Lord diligently, because He hasn't forsaken us; He is challenging us to turn to Him with our whole hearts. The Lord's direction will calm our fears, reinforce our faith, and give us the peace we will need to live in a volatile world. Remember saints, we're in this world, but we're not of this world, because we place our trust in the Lord. Be encouraged today and know that our God is still in control; He desires His people to hear His voice... that He might bless us even in perilous times. God bless you today; that is my prayer for you and your family.
In the Secret Place,
Pastor Asa
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Aligning Our Actions with Our Beliefs
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
It's very easy to become a born-again child of God, but it's very challenging, to say the least, for a Christian to become Christ-like. Whenever Jesus taught the people of His day, He would use physical things and human problems in order to communicate to people who were carnal thinkers so that they could comprehend spiritual concepts.
When a woman gives birth to her baby, she realizes the infant is going to act and speak as an infant. It is the parents' responsibility to nurture and train that child up in the way that he or she should go. When you look at a new-born baby or an infant, you don't always know if they are a girl or boy. It takes time and development for a baby to take on characteristics that distinguish its identity.
If we don't understand that a Christian has to be renewed in the spirit of their mind in order to be Christ-like, we might have a tendency to judge their actions and say they're not really saved. Just because a person believes in Jesus for their soul's salvation doesn't mean that they have allowed the Word to change their heart.
Spiritual immaturity is manifested in our actions. If we haven't taken the time to allow the Holy Spirit to lead us into the truth, then we will remain carnally minded, and our actions won't always align with our beliefs. When this occurs, it causes others to question the authenticity of our faith. Paul definitely understood the transformation process as one of being changed from a carnal minded person into a spiritual minded disciple of Christ. He had to undergo such a transformation in his own walk and life.
The Bible is our moral compass. It teaches us how we should behave, vote, conduct business, and how to settle disputes within the body of Christ. Therefore, Christians are to show their love for the Lord by keeping His commands. Until the Word of God is revealed to our hearts, it is possible for a Christian to walk in carnality or in the ways of the world.
If your actions contradict the Word of God and people see the contradictions, then your witness of Christ is made ineffective. In other words, there will be no fruit in your life. Jesus said that we should live in such a way that men will see our good works, therefore, causing them to glorify the Father because they know our works are of Him. Let me challenge you today to realign any area of your new life that doesn't agree with the Word of God. As a Christian, our conversations are to be holy and not filled with gossip and filth. Jesus asked how sweet water and bitter water can flow from the same fountain. It was in this context that He taught about doing His will, not just being religious, that He spoke about this fountain in us. He doesn't want us to only have a "form" of godliness. He wants us to be clothed in humility and godliness as the children of God. To seek change means that you must first seek God, and He will cause the change to occur that you seek.
Being Changed From the Inside Out,
Pastor Asa Dockery
It's very easy to become a born-again child of God, but it's very challenging, to say the least, for a Christian to become Christ-like. Whenever Jesus taught the people of His day, He would use physical things and human problems in order to communicate to people who were carnal thinkers so that they could comprehend spiritual concepts.
When a woman gives birth to her baby, she realizes the infant is going to act and speak as an infant. It is the parents' responsibility to nurture and train that child up in the way that he or she should go. When you look at a new-born baby or an infant, you don't always know if they are a girl or boy. It takes time and development for a baby to take on characteristics that distinguish its identity.
If we don't understand that a Christian has to be renewed in the spirit of their mind in order to be Christ-like, we might have a tendency to judge their actions and say they're not really saved. Just because a person believes in Jesus for their soul's salvation doesn't mean that they have allowed the Word to change their heart.
Spiritual immaturity is manifested in our actions. If we haven't taken the time to allow the Holy Spirit to lead us into the truth, then we will remain carnally minded, and our actions won't always align with our beliefs. When this occurs, it causes others to question the authenticity of our faith. Paul definitely understood the transformation process as one of being changed from a carnal minded person into a spiritual minded disciple of Christ. He had to undergo such a transformation in his own walk and life.
The Bible is our moral compass. It teaches us how we should behave, vote, conduct business, and how to settle disputes within the body of Christ. Therefore, Christians are to show their love for the Lord by keeping His commands. Until the Word of God is revealed to our hearts, it is possible for a Christian to walk in carnality or in the ways of the world.
If your actions contradict the Word of God and people see the contradictions, then your witness of Christ is made ineffective. In other words, there will be no fruit in your life. Jesus said that we should live in such a way that men will see our good works, therefore, causing them to glorify the Father because they know our works are of Him. Let me challenge you today to realign any area of your new life that doesn't agree with the Word of God. As a Christian, our conversations are to be holy and not filled with gossip and filth. Jesus asked how sweet water and bitter water can flow from the same fountain. It was in this context that He taught about doing His will, not just being religious, that He spoke about this fountain in us. He doesn't want us to only have a "form" of godliness. He wants us to be clothed in humility and godliness as the children of God. To seek change means that you must first seek God, and He will cause the change to occur that you seek.
Being Changed From the Inside Out,
Pastor Asa Dockery
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Access Granted
John 7:37-39, On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. NKJV
Paul teaches us in his writings that we are ambassadors of God's Kingdom on the earth. Jesus also told His disciples (and us) that we are in the world, but we are not of the world. You may ask, "How is it possible that I be a Christian, who lives in the world and yet not be a part of the world?" It is because you have been born again by faith in Jesus Christ. Now, you're a citizen of the heavenly kingdom of God, and you are to fulfill your heavenly assignment. Everything to do with God and His Kingdom must be understood, accepted, and inherited by faith in His Word. We live in the reality of a fallen world, but as Christians, we are not to live in bondage or under the power of the sin that is in the world. We have been made free through our faith in Jesus Christ and have been called to serve Him in the earth.
Jesus gave us an example of how the principle of faith operates in the heart of a believer. He asked those present at the feast that day if they were thirsty, and told them that if they were, they could come to Him and drink. If you read His invitation with a carnal mind, you would draw the conclusion that He must have had a container of water and was offering some refreshment to the guests. If that were the case, then the next statement that He made about "living water" wouldn't make much sense. When we make the transition over to faith, it opens us up to a whole new world where God supplies all of our needs, not man.
When we are first introduced to operating as spirit beings in the realm of the Holy Spirit, it seems strange to us. However, as we grow in our faith as children of God and become comfortable with the understanding and speech of the Kingdom, the ways of this world become foreign to us. When His ways start to become your ways, you will know that your faith in God's Word is changing your heart and causing you to become spiritually minded and no longer carnally minded.
The key to walking in the understanding of the Spirit and accessing the promises and provision of God while in this world is to walk by faith in God's Word. As they believed on Jesus, He gave them the power to become children of God and to have the living water begin to flow out of their innermost being. By faith, we can tap into the realm of heaven where God dwells and bring into this realm all that is needed to protect and sustain us in this life. Once we establish in our hearts that we're going to live always by faith in Christ and His Word, we will grow in confidence that He is a very present Help in times of trouble. We will have the certainty that He is with us at all times and in all situations. At this point, we will then understand what God's grace has done for us. Through our faith in Jesus, we can be transformed and live in the world as pilgrims or sojourners waiting for the day of Christ's return. Faith takes our attention away from how we began in the garden and changes us to look forward to the future when we shall be reunited with Christ.
Changed by Faith in Jesus,
Pastor Asa Dockery
Paul teaches us in his writings that we are ambassadors of God's Kingdom on the earth. Jesus also told His disciples (and us) that we are in the world, but we are not of the world. You may ask, "How is it possible that I be a Christian, who lives in the world and yet not be a part of the world?" It is because you have been born again by faith in Jesus Christ. Now, you're a citizen of the heavenly kingdom of God, and you are to fulfill your heavenly assignment. Everything to do with God and His Kingdom must be understood, accepted, and inherited by faith in His Word. We live in the reality of a fallen world, but as Christians, we are not to live in bondage or under the power of the sin that is in the world. We have been made free through our faith in Jesus Christ and have been called to serve Him in the earth.
Jesus gave us an example of how the principle of faith operates in the heart of a believer. He asked those present at the feast that day if they were thirsty, and told them that if they were, they could come to Him and drink. If you read His invitation with a carnal mind, you would draw the conclusion that He must have had a container of water and was offering some refreshment to the guests. If that were the case, then the next statement that He made about "living water" wouldn't make much sense. When we make the transition over to faith, it opens us up to a whole new world where God supplies all of our needs, not man.
When we are first introduced to operating as spirit beings in the realm of the Holy Spirit, it seems strange to us. However, as we grow in our faith as children of God and become comfortable with the understanding and speech of the Kingdom, the ways of this world become foreign to us. When His ways start to become your ways, you will know that your faith in God's Word is changing your heart and causing you to become spiritually minded and no longer carnally minded.
The key to walking in the understanding of the Spirit and accessing the promises and provision of God while in this world is to walk by faith in God's Word. As they believed on Jesus, He gave them the power to become children of God and to have the living water begin to flow out of their innermost being. By faith, we can tap into the realm of heaven where God dwells and bring into this realm all that is needed to protect and sustain us in this life. Once we establish in our hearts that we're going to live always by faith in Christ and His Word, we will grow in confidence that He is a very present Help in times of trouble. We will have the certainty that He is with us at all times and in all situations. At this point, we will then understand what God's grace has done for us. Through our faith in Jesus, we can be transformed and live in the world as pilgrims or sojourners waiting for the day of Christ's return. Faith takes our attention away from how we began in the garden and changes us to look forward to the future when we shall be reunited with Christ.
Changed by Faith in Jesus,
Pastor Asa Dockery
Monday, September 5, 2011
Salvation Is Free
Ephesians 2: 4 - 9, But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. NKJV
If we are made complete in Christ, and we are according to scripture, why do believers struggle with such feelings as rejection, unworthiness, isolation, etc., after accepting Christ? Paul teaches us about salvation in a way that helps us to overcome the feelings in our hearts. If we have accepted the gift of God, salvation into our hearts, then we have also received the Spirit of Truth as well. The Spirit of Truth will begin to reveal to us the inadequacies of our flesh nature- the old man. This is the point at which many Christians begin to struggle in their faith walk and might make a premature decision to give up and believe their feelings. This struggle stems from being carnal beings who lived according to feelings and desires our entire lives until salvation set us free. Now we are required to walk by faith. Even though we are learning to walk by faith and not be driven by our feelings or desires, there will be times of weakness where our old mindset will try to pull us back into walking according to the flesh through guilt and shame of having those earlier feelings. However, we can overcome the feelings of our hearts by continuing to walk by faith.
Let's use an example to help you grasp what the Lord is saying to us today. A person isn't feeling well, and they go to their doctor. Once the doctor has listened to the person's description of the symptoms, he begins to examine the patient to determine what is causing their discomfort. After the examination, the doctor determines that his patient is suffering from a health condition that is treatable through proper diet and exercise. This would be the equivalent of someone who is beginning to walk by faith according to the truth hearing the Holy Spirit reveal to them the weaknesses that have held them back from obedience in the past. Like the patient who receives directions from their doctor, we should be willing to hear instructions from the Holy Spirit as He reveals the weaknesses in our walk.
Instead of listening to the Lord for instruction, we tend to get hung up on the fact that we have a weakness or desire that must be corrected. Instead of moving forward by obeying the Holy Spirit, there is a tendency to want to give up because we have learned the root cause of our issues. If we draw back into unbelief instead of walking with the Lord in faith, it can cause us to either begin to take ownership of the feelings of rejection, unworthiness, etc. as a part of our new identity or to try doing works in the strength of our flesh nature to earn what is only freely given to us.
If this word describes what you have been fighting in your spirit, and you know that it is truth, then submit to what the Holy Spirit is saying and follow His instructions. Just like the doctor gives a diagnosis and a prescribed cure, so does the Holy Spirit... but in a spiritual context. This means we have to accept it and obey His direction by faith. As we learn to walk by faith and listen to the leading of the Spirit of God, we are learning to walk in our new identity by God's grace. Sometimes, even though you follow doctor's orders and are on the way to recovery, you will have flare-ups from the condition; it can also be that way in our spiritual walk of faith to recovery...sometimes, we have a flare-up and lean on the understanding of our flesh nature. There will be those times when the flesh nature will hinder your development because we're all humans. However, we must also remember that this battle with our flesh nature and its weaknesses is fought and won by faith so that it might be by God's grace. Salvation is the gift of God, and no one can earn it through the works of their flesh. Obey and walk by faith, and you will see victory in your life.
Learning to Accept the Free Gift of God,
Pastor Asa Dockery
If we are made complete in Christ, and we are according to scripture, why do believers struggle with such feelings as rejection, unworthiness, isolation, etc., after accepting Christ? Paul teaches us about salvation in a way that helps us to overcome the feelings in our hearts. If we have accepted the gift of God, salvation into our hearts, then we have also received the Spirit of Truth as well. The Spirit of Truth will begin to reveal to us the inadequacies of our flesh nature- the old man. This is the point at which many Christians begin to struggle in their faith walk and might make a premature decision to give up and believe their feelings. This struggle stems from being carnal beings who lived according to feelings and desires our entire lives until salvation set us free. Now we are required to walk by faith. Even though we are learning to walk by faith and not be driven by our feelings or desires, there will be times of weakness where our old mindset will try to pull us back into walking according to the flesh through guilt and shame of having those earlier feelings. However, we can overcome the feelings of our hearts by continuing to walk by faith.
Let's use an example to help you grasp what the Lord is saying to us today. A person isn't feeling well, and they go to their doctor. Once the doctor has listened to the person's description of the symptoms, he begins to examine the patient to determine what is causing their discomfort. After the examination, the doctor determines that his patient is suffering from a health condition that is treatable through proper diet and exercise. This would be the equivalent of someone who is beginning to walk by faith according to the truth hearing the Holy Spirit reveal to them the weaknesses that have held them back from obedience in the past. Like the patient who receives directions from their doctor, we should be willing to hear instructions from the Holy Spirit as He reveals the weaknesses in our walk.
Instead of listening to the Lord for instruction, we tend to get hung up on the fact that we have a weakness or desire that must be corrected. Instead of moving forward by obeying the Holy Spirit, there is a tendency to want to give up because we have learned the root cause of our issues. If we draw back into unbelief instead of walking with the Lord in faith, it can cause us to either begin to take ownership of the feelings of rejection, unworthiness, etc. as a part of our new identity or to try doing works in the strength of our flesh nature to earn what is only freely given to us.
If this word describes what you have been fighting in your spirit, and you know that it is truth, then submit to what the Holy Spirit is saying and follow His instructions. Just like the doctor gives a diagnosis and a prescribed cure, so does the Holy Spirit... but in a spiritual context. This means we have to accept it and obey His direction by faith. As we learn to walk by faith and listen to the leading of the Spirit of God, we are learning to walk in our new identity by God's grace. Sometimes, even though you follow doctor's orders and are on the way to recovery, you will have flare-ups from the condition; it can also be that way in our spiritual walk of faith to recovery...sometimes, we have a flare-up and lean on the understanding of our flesh nature. There will be those times when the flesh nature will hinder your development because we're all humans. However, we must also remember that this battle with our flesh nature and its weaknesses is fought and won by faith so that it might be by God's grace. Salvation is the gift of God, and no one can earn it through the works of their flesh. Obey and walk by faith, and you will see victory in your life.
Learning to Accept the Free Gift of God,
Pastor Asa Dockery
Friday, September 2, 2011
Drawing Closer to God
Proverbs 3: 5 - 7, Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and depart from evil. NKJV
Throughout biblical history, the Lord has called and drawn His people to Himself. Today, I feel deeply compelled to share a few insights with you as to the reason God desires our fellowship. First of all, He loves us more than our spiritual hearts or our human minds have the ability to comprehend. God has shown us His vast love through the cross of His Son, Jesus; there He demonstrated to us just how much He values His fellowship with His children. God didn't allow sin and our initial rejection of His love to stop Him from loving us even greater. It was one thing for God to make a garden and offer mankind dominion, but when man rejected His love for the pleasures of sin, God gave His only-begotten Son as ransom for our sin debt.
When we're first drawn to Christ as a sinner to receive forgiveness for our sins, God is also inviting us to get to know Him on a personal and intimate basis. This is where the battle begins for a new convert. It's easy to fall into a spiritual "rut" once you become born again. There is a tendency to believe that getting saved is all there is to spiritually acquire. However, can I say that salvation is only the beginning of an awesome relationship with your Creator and Father?
As you begin to pursue a deeper walk of faith and a greater understanding of who God is and who you are in Christ, Satan will begin to stir up either your flesh or the flesh of others to try and dissuade you from pursing intimacy with the Lord. Now, let's see how today's scripture can encourage us to trust in the Lord and lean not to our own understanding. If we continue to walk according to our fleshly desire, and the carnal knowledge that we trusted in as a sinner, even though we're born again, it will prevent us from getting to know our God. If we don't get to know God beyond salvation, then how will we come to trust Him to lead us?
Therefore, all who have received Christ must come to the same place that John the Baptist came to in his own ministry. After the initial experience of salvation, we must listen to the Holy Spirit and begin the process of being transformed through the renewing of our minds so that we might become like Christ. When Jesus arrived on the scene and was baptized by John, John said that he must decrease and Christ must increase. After we are baptized into Christ, we, too, must begin the humbling process of decreasing in the carnal knowledge of our past and begin listening to the leading of God's Spirit to bring into conformity to God's will for us as His children.
We must train ourselves to develop a taste for the things of God so that we will begin to seek God and value the times of refreshing that comes from being in His presence. If we should ignore or lose interest in the development of spiritual senses and appetite, then our spirit man will remain immature and weak against the strategies of Satan. Satan preys upon the spiritual ignorance of Christians, especially when we don't invest the time that is needful for us to become one with God.
Paul teaches us throughout his writings that we should have our mind and/or the spirit of our mind renewed in order that we might put off the old man who grows corrupt. As we grow in the knowledge of the Lord and walk by faith, we will be renewed and begin to put on the new man or take on our new identity which is created in true righteousness and holiness. Salvation is more than a onetime experience. It is the beginning of becoming Christ-like as we walk by faith and seek to become one with Him through obedient faith.
Walking With God Each Day,
Pastor Asa Dockery
Throughout biblical history, the Lord has called and drawn His people to Himself. Today, I feel deeply compelled to share a few insights with you as to the reason God desires our fellowship. First of all, He loves us more than our spiritual hearts or our human minds have the ability to comprehend. God has shown us His vast love through the cross of His Son, Jesus; there He demonstrated to us just how much He values His fellowship with His children. God didn't allow sin and our initial rejection of His love to stop Him from loving us even greater. It was one thing for God to make a garden and offer mankind dominion, but when man rejected His love for the pleasures of sin, God gave His only-begotten Son as ransom for our sin debt.
When we're first drawn to Christ as a sinner to receive forgiveness for our sins, God is also inviting us to get to know Him on a personal and intimate basis. This is where the battle begins for a new convert. It's easy to fall into a spiritual "rut" once you become born again. There is a tendency to believe that getting saved is all there is to spiritually acquire. However, can I say that salvation is only the beginning of an awesome relationship with your Creator and Father?
As you begin to pursue a deeper walk of faith and a greater understanding of who God is and who you are in Christ, Satan will begin to stir up either your flesh or the flesh of others to try and dissuade you from pursing intimacy with the Lord. Now, let's see how today's scripture can encourage us to trust in the Lord and lean not to our own understanding. If we continue to walk according to our fleshly desire, and the carnal knowledge that we trusted in as a sinner, even though we're born again, it will prevent us from getting to know our God. If we don't get to know God beyond salvation, then how will we come to trust Him to lead us?
Therefore, all who have received Christ must come to the same place that John the Baptist came to in his own ministry. After the initial experience of salvation, we must listen to the Holy Spirit and begin the process of being transformed through the renewing of our minds so that we might become like Christ. When Jesus arrived on the scene and was baptized by John, John said that he must decrease and Christ must increase. After we are baptized into Christ, we, too, must begin the humbling process of decreasing in the carnal knowledge of our past and begin listening to the leading of God's Spirit to bring into conformity to God's will for us as His children.
We must train ourselves to develop a taste for the things of God so that we will begin to seek God and value the times of refreshing that comes from being in His presence. If we should ignore or lose interest in the development of spiritual senses and appetite, then our spirit man will remain immature and weak against the strategies of Satan. Satan preys upon the spiritual ignorance of Christians, especially when we don't invest the time that is needful for us to become one with God.
Paul teaches us throughout his writings that we should have our mind and/or the spirit of our mind renewed in order that we might put off the old man who grows corrupt. As we grow in the knowledge of the Lord and walk by faith, we will be renewed and begin to put on the new man or take on our new identity which is created in true righteousness and holiness. Salvation is more than a onetime experience. It is the beginning of becoming Christ-like as we walk by faith and seek to become one with Him through obedient faith.
Walking With God Each Day,
Pastor Asa Dockery
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Justified
Romans 8: 28 - 30, And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. NKJV
As believers in Christ, we have been taught much on the subject of salvation. However, today, I want to introduce to you a word that Paul used in his writings that also pertains to our salvation, but takes us in a different direction than traditional salvation messages tend to take us. When we think of salvation, there is the tendency to lean toward the understanding of having our souls rescued from sin... and this is absolutely true, but salvation doesn't stop the moment you become born again. In fact, it is the beginning of a brand-new life in Christ. Since we are born again, we are to live this new life through faith. We accomplish walking by faith when we learn about God's purpose for us, and we choose to serve His purpose. After all, we now belong to Him.
This brings us to the reason for today's devotion and the word "called." Paul tells us that we are the called of God. This word simply means invited of God. Once we become children of God, He invites us to become instruments of righteousness on the earth to proclaim and expand the Kingdom of God in the earth. Over the years, the word "calling" has become synonymous with those who answer God's call on their lives to have a pulpit ministry. Paul explains his use of "CALLED" by teaching us about the purpose of God and fulfilling His purpose as His children while we remain here on earth. As you and I accept God's invitation to serve His purpose in the earth, it gives God the ability to work in us His good pleasure. So as we serve His purpose in the earth by obedient faith, we are at the same time giving God access into our lives to change us or to conform us into the image of Christ.
Paul tells us in today's verses that God not only called us, He also justified us, and those He justified, these, He also glorified. The justification process that Paul spoke about and Jesus taught His disciples about might be new to your understanding, but it isn't a new doctrine. Do you remember Jesus told the Jews, who believed on Him as the Christ that if they should continue walking in His Words, they would come to know the truth, and the truth would make them free? (John 8) He also told His disciples that if they wanted to come after Him, they had to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him. As we answer God's invitation to serve His purpose on the earth, it gives God access to our hearts through our faith to change us into the image of Christ. We have Christ in our hearts the moment we become born again, but we have not become Christ-like in our soul (mind, will, emotions).
Here is how you can implement this teaching in your life today. Now that you have accepted Jesus into your life and have become saved, do you fully know and understand God's invitation to serve His purpose in your new life in Christ? Paul also teaches us in Romans that Abraham believed God, and God accounted him as righteous. God considered Abraham righteous because Abraham believed and served God's purpose for him on the earth. God made him to be the "father" of the faith. We see that Abraham was made righteous apart from the works of the law because of faith alone. There's more to salvation than being saved. We will discover our new identity and destiny in Christ once we both accept God's purpose and live by faith through our obedience to His heavenly calling.
Called to Serve His Good Purpose,
Pastor Asa Dockery
As believers in Christ, we have been taught much on the subject of salvation. However, today, I want to introduce to you a word that Paul used in his writings that also pertains to our salvation, but takes us in a different direction than traditional salvation messages tend to take us. When we think of salvation, there is the tendency to lean toward the understanding of having our souls rescued from sin... and this is absolutely true, but salvation doesn't stop the moment you become born again. In fact, it is the beginning of a brand-new life in Christ. Since we are born again, we are to live this new life through faith. We accomplish walking by faith when we learn about God's purpose for us, and we choose to serve His purpose. After all, we now belong to Him.
This brings us to the reason for today's devotion and the word "called." Paul tells us that we are the called of God. This word simply means invited of God. Once we become children of God, He invites us to become instruments of righteousness on the earth to proclaim and expand the Kingdom of God in the earth. Over the years, the word "calling" has become synonymous with those who answer God's call on their lives to have a pulpit ministry. Paul explains his use of "CALLED" by teaching us about the purpose of God and fulfilling His purpose as His children while we remain here on earth. As you and I accept God's invitation to serve His purpose in the earth, it gives God the ability to work in us His good pleasure. So as we serve His purpose in the earth by obedient faith, we are at the same time giving God access into our lives to change us or to conform us into the image of Christ.
Paul tells us in today's verses that God not only called us, He also justified us, and those He justified, these, He also glorified. The justification process that Paul spoke about and Jesus taught His disciples about might be new to your understanding, but it isn't a new doctrine. Do you remember Jesus told the Jews, who believed on Him as the Christ that if they should continue walking in His Words, they would come to know the truth, and the truth would make them free? (John 8) He also told His disciples that if they wanted to come after Him, they had to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him. As we answer God's invitation to serve His purpose on the earth, it gives God access to our hearts through our faith to change us into the image of Christ. We have Christ in our hearts the moment we become born again, but we have not become Christ-like in our soul (mind, will, emotions).
Here is how you can implement this teaching in your life today. Now that you have accepted Jesus into your life and have become saved, do you fully know and understand God's invitation to serve His purpose in your new life in Christ? Paul also teaches us in Romans that Abraham believed God, and God accounted him as righteous. God considered Abraham righteous because Abraham believed and served God's purpose for him on the earth. God made him to be the "father" of the faith. We see that Abraham was made righteous apart from the works of the law because of faith alone. There's more to salvation than being saved. We will discover our new identity and destiny in Christ once we both accept God's purpose and live by faith through our obedience to His heavenly calling.
Called to Serve His Good Purpose,
Pastor Asa Dockery
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