Colossians 3: 1 - 11, If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. NKJV
According to scripture, Satan is his most effective when he is coming against the minds of believers. The reason for this is very simple. Our minds aren't based on truth; they are carnal and are not submitted to God's Word. Therefore, Satan can use our lack of knowledge of the truth to try and convince us of things that are based on his lies, and we will believe them, if we don't know who we are in Christ.
Since our unregenerate or carnal mind isn't submitted to truth, nor can it be, Satan will use situations of all types in an attempt to get us to react to his lies about us. If he can get us "to move" out of our position of authority because of something that he originated, then he knows that we don't have the knowledge of the truth in that area of our life and will proceed to use that ignorance or weakness to hurt us.
Satan embodied the serpent and was successful in his plan to deceive Eve because she was devoid of the truth concerning God and her identity in Him. Satan simply convinced Eve (though it was a lie) that she didn't have the things she desired when she obeyed God's will. He told her that she wouldn't die if she partook of the forbidden fruit, but rather she would be like God.
If everything that we are and have is wrapped up in Christ, then why would we desire to look to the world? This principle is very important, and all Christians need to be aware of the consequences of violating it. When we look to the Lord to be the source of all that we desire and all we do, He will keep us protected from the devouring spirit that operates through the deceitful lusts of the world. In Christ, we are kept, and in Him, we are complete. However, if we look to the world, it will show us what we lack and will try to provide that need for us. Nevertheless, it will cost us our liberty in Christ.
We must not look to the world to show us what we are in need of or lack as a child of God. Consequently, by doing so, we open ourselves up to be pierced through with many sorrows just as Adam and Eve were after the fall. The old flesh nature has to die in us, who have accepted Christ as our Savior and our only Source. When we die to the carnal (or flesh nature) that makes us view ourselves as incomplete, even though we're in Christ, we won't feel the need to look outside of Christ for our needs or desires to be met.
The world loves to tell us that we are incomplete, so that we will act in our own strength and attempt to fill that void which was created by the world. You can see that this will lead to a vicious cycle; we will never be fulfilled. It is for this very reason that we're told throughout the New Testament to put to death the deeds of our flesh and live to God. Keep your eyes and your desires focused on Christ and live a healthy, fulfilled, and blessed life filled peace and contentment. As we learn to delight ourselves in the Lord, He will give us the desires of our heart. When God gives us a desire, it also means that it was given without any strings attached.
There is a void in every person on earth. This void is the need to live in liberty. As long as we try to fill that void through carnal thinking, by viewing what the world has and basing our need on its values, we will live in bondage as believers. However, if we will die to the need to look outside of Christ to find freedom and liberty through people or "stuff," then we can have and maintain a life of fulfillment and peace.
Rich in the Blessings of God,
Pastor Asa Dockery
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Monday, December 19, 2011
Grieve Not the Holy Spirit
Ephesians 4: 29 - 32, Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. NKJV
For a while, the Lord has been speaking to me about believers and the need for us to guard our hearts from the wiles or strategies of the Devil. I see two primary and effective ways that Satan works in order to cause a Christian to grieve the Holy Spirit. Satan will find entrance into our hearts so that he might gain power over our decisions when we act or react to temptation and/or offense.
Many times when Jesus made reference to the Holy Spirit being our Comforter, He also mentions that He is the Spirit of Truth. If we should allow anything (offense) or anyone (offender) to cause us to stumble from obeying the truth, then we, too, will grieve the Spirit of Truth.
When we're single and out on our own, it's easy to make a rash decision and do something on the spur-of-the-moment, but when you get married, there's another person who must be included in the decision-making process. When you and I were out in the world doing our own thing, it was all about self and what made us happy, but now that we're born again and married to Christ, we must first consider His will over our own. Doesn't Jesus instruct us in Matthew 6 to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness? Remember, "Father knows best."
As the Lord has been showing me specific principles and examples of what can happen once these principles are violated, I couldn't help but share these valuable truths with you today. When God called John the Baptist into the ministry, He told John how he would be able to recognize the Christ. Obviously, God had foretold to John that one day he would have the high honor of baptizing Israel's Messiah. John 1: 32 - 34 says, And John bore witness, saying, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God." NKJV
Please notice that, even though Jesus and John were cousins, John didn't know Jesus was the Son of God until the Holy Spirit made Him manifest by descending upon Jesus. Once the Holy Spirit lighted upon Jesus, John knew for certain that, indeed, this was the Christ. At this moment, John was fully engaged in his calling to be the forerunner of Christ and to bear witness of Him. However, later in John's ministry, something transpired that caused John to fail to see Jesus as the Christ, and he began to question the calling and authority that rested upon Jesus.
Matthew 11: 2 - 3, And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, "Are You the Coming one, or do we look for another?" NKJV
You're probably wondering the same thing that came to my mind when I realized what John was actually doing in this passage. How could John, the forerunner and witness of Christ, suddenly doubt the VALIDITY of Jesus' calling and authority? What could Jesus have possibly done to John that caused him to doubt Jesus was the Christ and to forget all the times that God through the Holy Spirit had confirmed this to be true? Jesus did nothing against John, but rather John took an offense over something that had gone wrong in his own life or ministry.
Matthew 11: 4 - 6, Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me." NKJV
Let's take a moment to look at the spirit of offense in John's life. Notice that John's perception about Jesus changed when he came under the influence of offense. He began to see Jesus in a different way than the way that was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit. The spirit of offense had "so" blinded John that he began to question the very One that he-himself had confirmed to be the Christ. This also happened with Adam and Eve after they entered into temptation and offended the Law of God in the garden. They viewed God with a different understanding after their offense than they did before it. When they opened their hearts to sin and the spirit of offense, they became afraid of God for the first time. God didn't change. However, sin had changed their hearts, which distorted their perception. The same transformation had taken place in John's heart as well. He no longer stood in confirmation and agreement that Jesus was the Christ, but was in opposition to the point that he wanted Jesus to prove Himself to him.
John had allowed an offense to replace the influence of the Holy Spirit. He had begun to grieve the Holy Spirit by the new attitude he had developed...probably while he was in prison awaiting to be executed for the gospel's sake. Even though he confessed on the banks of the Jordan, "I must decrease and Christ must increase." Apparently, John wasn't in total agreement with the way God was allowing him to decrease. Maybe he didn't feel he deserved to be in prison. So beware how you handle an offense when something unexpected or tragic occurs in your walk with Christ. We cannot allow the spirit of offense to push the influence of the Holy Spirit completely out of our hearts and begin to disobey the will of God. John was going back on his calling when he made the decision to allow an offense to make him doubt the authority that was on Jesus' life. There's so much more than can be said about today's subject, but I realize this is a devotion and not a book. To protect your heart from taking on offense when faced with a seemingly impossible situation, ask the Lord to keep your heart. "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from all evil." In Jesus' name, I pray.
Enduring the Test of My Faith,
Pastor Asa Dockery
For a while, the Lord has been speaking to me about believers and the need for us to guard our hearts from the wiles or strategies of the Devil. I see two primary and effective ways that Satan works in order to cause a Christian to grieve the Holy Spirit. Satan will find entrance into our hearts so that he might gain power over our decisions when we act or react to temptation and/or offense.
Many times when Jesus made reference to the Holy Spirit being our Comforter, He also mentions that He is the Spirit of Truth. If we should allow anything (offense) or anyone (offender) to cause us to stumble from obeying the truth, then we, too, will grieve the Spirit of Truth.
When we're single and out on our own, it's easy to make a rash decision and do something on the spur-of-the-moment, but when you get married, there's another person who must be included in the decision-making process. When you and I were out in the world doing our own thing, it was all about self and what made us happy, but now that we're born again and married to Christ, we must first consider His will over our own. Doesn't Jesus instruct us in Matthew 6 to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness? Remember, "Father knows best."
As the Lord has been showing me specific principles and examples of what can happen once these principles are violated, I couldn't help but share these valuable truths with you today. When God called John the Baptist into the ministry, He told John how he would be able to recognize the Christ. Obviously, God had foretold to John that one day he would have the high honor of baptizing Israel's Messiah. John 1: 32 - 34 says, And John bore witness, saying, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God." NKJV
Please notice that, even though Jesus and John were cousins, John didn't know Jesus was the Son of God until the Holy Spirit made Him manifest by descending upon Jesus. Once the Holy Spirit lighted upon Jesus, John knew for certain that, indeed, this was the Christ. At this moment, John was fully engaged in his calling to be the forerunner of Christ and to bear witness of Him. However, later in John's ministry, something transpired that caused John to fail to see Jesus as the Christ, and he began to question the calling and authority that rested upon Jesus.
Matthew 11: 2 - 3, And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, "Are You the Coming one, or do we look for another?" NKJV
You're probably wondering the same thing that came to my mind when I realized what John was actually doing in this passage. How could John, the forerunner and witness of Christ, suddenly doubt the VALIDITY of Jesus' calling and authority? What could Jesus have possibly done to John that caused him to doubt Jesus was the Christ and to forget all the times that God through the Holy Spirit had confirmed this to be true? Jesus did nothing against John, but rather John took an offense over something that had gone wrong in his own life or ministry.
Matthew 11: 4 - 6, Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me." NKJV
Let's take a moment to look at the spirit of offense in John's life. Notice that John's perception about Jesus changed when he came under the influence of offense. He began to see Jesus in a different way than the way that was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit. The spirit of offense had "so" blinded John that he began to question the very One that he-himself had confirmed to be the Christ. This also happened with Adam and Eve after they entered into temptation and offended the Law of God in the garden. They viewed God with a different understanding after their offense than they did before it. When they opened their hearts to sin and the spirit of offense, they became afraid of God for the first time. God didn't change. However, sin had changed their hearts, which distorted their perception. The same transformation had taken place in John's heart as well. He no longer stood in confirmation and agreement that Jesus was the Christ, but was in opposition to the point that he wanted Jesus to prove Himself to him.
John had allowed an offense to replace the influence of the Holy Spirit. He had begun to grieve the Holy Spirit by the new attitude he had developed...probably while he was in prison awaiting to be executed for the gospel's sake. Even though he confessed on the banks of the Jordan, "I must decrease and Christ must increase." Apparently, John wasn't in total agreement with the way God was allowing him to decrease. Maybe he didn't feel he deserved to be in prison. So beware how you handle an offense when something unexpected or tragic occurs in your walk with Christ. We cannot allow the spirit of offense to push the influence of the Holy Spirit completely out of our hearts and begin to disobey the will of God. John was going back on his calling when he made the decision to allow an offense to make him doubt the authority that was on Jesus' life. There's so much more than can be said about today's subject, but I realize this is a devotion and not a book. To protect your heart from taking on offense when faced with a seemingly impossible situation, ask the Lord to keep your heart. "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from all evil." In Jesus' name, I pray.
Enduring the Test of My Faith,
Pastor Asa Dockery
Friday, December 16, 2011
Consistency
Psalms 1 : 1 - 3, Oh, the joys of those who do not follow evil men's advice, who do not hang around with sinners, scoffing at the things of God. But they delight in doing everything God wants them to, and day and night are always meditating on his laws and thinking about ways to follow him more closely. They are like trees along a riverbank bearing luscious fruit each season without fail. Their leaves shall never wither, and all they do shall prosper. TLB
It's always refreshing when you can begin your day with some good news. I believe that is why the Lord has led me to share a portion of the first Psalm with you today. Please reread it until it begins to get deep into your spirit. Just look at the blessings that God has laid up for those who make the decision to remain planted by the river of living water.
As Christians, you and I have been called by our heavenly Father to undergo the conversion process of being made into the image of Christ. There are no shortcuts or detours; there is only faith and obedience through good times and difficult times. Now that we have been born again and have a glorious future in Christ, we realize and better understand the principle that apart from Christ, there is no life. In Christ, we move and live and are. We have accepted that truth and have chosen to conduct our lives according to the purpose and plan of our heavenly Father. We also know that this will require that we center our lives on Christ.
In other words, we must be willing to abide within the confines of the will of God in order that He might be allowed to transform us, through our cooperation, from being a carnal soul into a spirit-filled son or daughter of God. For many in Christendom, it might seem a little too demanding to have to give our "all" to Christ so that God can take what remains and change us into a person who continuously reflects the true nature and heart of Christ.
Once again, you may want to read the passage for today. In it, we're instructed to part company with the world and become planted in Christ. This will require us to be sold-out, committed, and consistent with the calling of God on our lives for as long as God allows us to live. Initially, committing to Christ at this level can be more than a little intimidating and can also seem impossible. However, it might seem this way because we are only focused on what we're being asked to give up. In today's scripture passage, we read that God has promised to reward those who make such a high commitment to Him with life, blessings, peace, and prosperity. When we allow God to transform us and to make us prosperous, it's not the same as the prosperity of the world which causes great sorrow. The blessing of God makes us rich and adds no sorrow to our lives.
The writer of Hebrews exhorts us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. This is a commandment of Christ, and we would do well to obey it. As we assemble ourselves together on a continual basis, the Lord will see that we are actively engaging in our own conversion process. Being in Christ means you have eternal life; however, serving Christ means that you have taken the next step in the process of allowing Him to live through you. As we continue engaging in His will while being planted like a tree by the water brook, God will cause us to begin to flourish, even in times or seasons of drought.
The word for today is CONSISTENCY. If you're not consistent as a child of God to the call of God, then your life can be compared to a farmer planting a tree or vine and going out every month and plucking it up. The results are disastrous. We're told in John 15 to abide in Christ, and as we remain connected to the vine, we will bear much fruit, and our fruit will remain. If you're not committed to your service to God in the way that God has had me lay it out for you today, I challenge you to take the next 12 months and commit to the Lord at a deeper level. Go to church, get involved in the work of the ministry where God would have you to serve, and stay rooted no matter what tries to pluck you up by the roots. At the end of the 12 months, you will see a difference in your life and walk. Others will also see the change and be blessed by the presence of God on your life.
Abiding in the Vine,
Pastor Asa Dockery
It's always refreshing when you can begin your day with some good news. I believe that is why the Lord has led me to share a portion of the first Psalm with you today. Please reread it until it begins to get deep into your spirit. Just look at the blessings that God has laid up for those who make the decision to remain planted by the river of living water.
As Christians, you and I have been called by our heavenly Father to undergo the conversion process of being made into the image of Christ. There are no shortcuts or detours; there is only faith and obedience through good times and difficult times. Now that we have been born again and have a glorious future in Christ, we realize and better understand the principle that apart from Christ, there is no life. In Christ, we move and live and are. We have accepted that truth and have chosen to conduct our lives according to the purpose and plan of our heavenly Father. We also know that this will require that we center our lives on Christ.
In other words, we must be willing to abide within the confines of the will of God in order that He might be allowed to transform us, through our cooperation, from being a carnal soul into a spirit-filled son or daughter of God. For many in Christendom, it might seem a little too demanding to have to give our "all" to Christ so that God can take what remains and change us into a person who continuously reflects the true nature and heart of Christ.
Once again, you may want to read the passage for today. In it, we're instructed to part company with the world and become planted in Christ. This will require us to be sold-out, committed, and consistent with the calling of God on our lives for as long as God allows us to live. Initially, committing to Christ at this level can be more than a little intimidating and can also seem impossible. However, it might seem this way because we are only focused on what we're being asked to give up. In today's scripture passage, we read that God has promised to reward those who make such a high commitment to Him with life, blessings, peace, and prosperity. When we allow God to transform us and to make us prosperous, it's not the same as the prosperity of the world which causes great sorrow. The blessing of God makes us rich and adds no sorrow to our lives.
The writer of Hebrews exhorts us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. This is a commandment of Christ, and we would do well to obey it. As we assemble ourselves together on a continual basis, the Lord will see that we are actively engaging in our own conversion process. Being in Christ means you have eternal life; however, serving Christ means that you have taken the next step in the process of allowing Him to live through you. As we continue engaging in His will while being planted like a tree by the water brook, God will cause us to begin to flourish, even in times or seasons of drought.
The word for today is CONSISTENCY. If you're not consistent as a child of God to the call of God, then your life can be compared to a farmer planting a tree or vine and going out every month and plucking it up. The results are disastrous. We're told in John 15 to abide in Christ, and as we remain connected to the vine, we will bear much fruit, and our fruit will remain. If you're not committed to your service to God in the way that God has had me lay it out for you today, I challenge you to take the next 12 months and commit to the Lord at a deeper level. Go to church, get involved in the work of the ministry where God would have you to serve, and stay rooted no matter what tries to pluck you up by the roots. At the end of the 12 months, you will see a difference in your life and walk. Others will also see the change and be blessed by the presence of God on your life.
Abiding in the Vine,
Pastor Asa Dockery
Grateful
Job 1: 20 - 22, Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. And he said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong. NKJV
It seems that with each passing week, Jesus' prophecies concerning the last days are speaking louder and louder. We can see with our own eyes the unveiling of the final days and the fulfillment of Jesus' Words. However, we must also remember that Jesus warned His disciples what would happen before His return. He foretold end-time events to them (and to us) so that when these things come to pass, we wouldn't be offended by them.
The prophet, Hosea, tells us, in no uncertain terms, that God's people can be destroyed if they don't know the truth. Ignorance of Christ, what He requires of His disciples, and what it will cost to follow His teachings in a fallen world can prove to be disastrous. If we are ignorant of these truths, but we still seek to follow or obey Christ, then Satan will exploit our ignorance and bring an offense. Offense means: to stumble or cause to sin. Peter warns us in his epistle that Satan is going about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Therefore, it is incumbent on us to know what the Word of God says about being a true disciple of Christ and to know what Christ requires of us, lest we become offended and return to sin.
Furthermore, we must also realize the same truth that Job knew when he served God... we "own nothing." If we understand that God has allowed us to steward His possessions on earth in order that He might know whether we can be trusted with eternal riches and glory, then we will gain victory over the offenses of Satan. Job didn't charge God foolishly; neither did he sin against God because he had a good understanding that God had given him everything. Therefore, he could say without malice in his heart, "The Lord has given and the Lord has taken." Jesus told the disciples, "Freely you have received, freely you are to give." If we should love anything or anyone more than Christ, it will open up the door for Satan to bring an offense and cause us to stumble.
Satan knows his end is drawing closer with each passing day. Consequently, he is like a raging and roaring lion. His desire is to take out as many of God's warriors as he possibly can through the "door or avenue" of offense. We don't have to fall prey to Satan's devices because we have the Greater One living within us; we are not alone. John tells us in his epistle not to love the world, neither the things that are in it. If we love the world, then the love of the Father is not in us. He goes on to warn us that this world will pass away, and the lusts of it will also, but only those who do the will of God will live forever.
Our focus as Christians in these last days must be on what God has already done for us on the cross. We must not fall in love with this world to the point that we disobey God's will. What will it profit us if we were to gain the entire world, but have to forfeit our souls in the process? We must live by faith like never before. We must hold on to our faith and love God more than ever. By these, we will be able to keep the faith and overcome this world for Christ. Then we will have a great and eternal reward awaiting us in heaven. There's nothing as fulfilling as the goodness of God to a grateful heart.
Thankful for the Gift of Eternal Life,
Pastor Asa Dockery
It seems that with each passing week, Jesus' prophecies concerning the last days are speaking louder and louder. We can see with our own eyes the unveiling of the final days and the fulfillment of Jesus' Words. However, we must also remember that Jesus warned His disciples what would happen before His return. He foretold end-time events to them (and to us) so that when these things come to pass, we wouldn't be offended by them.
The prophet, Hosea, tells us, in no uncertain terms, that God's people can be destroyed if they don't know the truth. Ignorance of Christ, what He requires of His disciples, and what it will cost to follow His teachings in a fallen world can prove to be disastrous. If we are ignorant of these truths, but we still seek to follow or obey Christ, then Satan will exploit our ignorance and bring an offense. Offense means: to stumble or cause to sin. Peter warns us in his epistle that Satan is going about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Therefore, it is incumbent on us to know what the Word of God says about being a true disciple of Christ and to know what Christ requires of us, lest we become offended and return to sin.
Furthermore, we must also realize the same truth that Job knew when he served God... we "own nothing." If we understand that God has allowed us to steward His possessions on earth in order that He might know whether we can be trusted with eternal riches and glory, then we will gain victory over the offenses of Satan. Job didn't charge God foolishly; neither did he sin against God because he had a good understanding that God had given him everything. Therefore, he could say without malice in his heart, "The Lord has given and the Lord has taken." Jesus told the disciples, "Freely you have received, freely you are to give." If we should love anything or anyone more than Christ, it will open up the door for Satan to bring an offense and cause us to stumble.
Satan knows his end is drawing closer with each passing day. Consequently, he is like a raging and roaring lion. His desire is to take out as many of God's warriors as he possibly can through the "door or avenue" of offense. We don't have to fall prey to Satan's devices because we have the Greater One living within us; we are not alone. John tells us in his epistle not to love the world, neither the things that are in it. If we love the world, then the love of the Father is not in us. He goes on to warn us that this world will pass away, and the lusts of it will also, but only those who do the will of God will live forever.
Our focus as Christians in these last days must be on what God has already done for us on the cross. We must not fall in love with this world to the point that we disobey God's will. What will it profit us if we were to gain the entire world, but have to forfeit our souls in the process? We must live by faith like never before. We must hold on to our faith and love God more than ever. By these, we will be able to keep the faith and overcome this world for Christ. Then we will have a great and eternal reward awaiting us in heaven. There's nothing as fulfilling as the goodness of God to a grateful heart.
Thankful for the Gift of Eternal Life,
Pastor Asa Dockery
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Being Enlightened by the Holy Spirit
Ephesians 1 : 15 - 21, Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. NKJV
Welcome to a new day to live out the plan of God for your life and to glorify your Lord. However, we don't always know what His plan is. Even so, not knowing is a good thing because it keeps us looking to God for wisdom and direction, especially when we encounter a trial or setback that wasn't expected. Have you had "the unexpected" happen in your life recently? Have you been blind-sided by a situation that has caused you to lose sight of the path for your life? If this describes where you are in your walk with Christ, then Paul has given us an answer in today's scripture that will assist us when we go through dark seasons and blinding tragedies in life. Nevertheless, first, let's lay some foundation so that you will have a better understanding of it.
If you read Genesis 3, where Adam and Eve partook of the tree of knowledge, you will discover that their eyes were opened, and they became self-conscious. Just as the serpent had predicted, they had gained an understanding of good-and-evil. I have always found this portion, "the eyes of them both were opened," of scripture interesting, since they could already see. Consequently, we know that Moses was alluding to the eyes of their understanding and not their physical sight. Once man had partaken of sin, we became aware of a fallen world, and in exchange, we lost God-consciousness, in the way that Adam and Eve had only known.
This brings us to the scripture for today's devotion found in Ephesians 1. When we rejected sin and believed on Jesus as our personal Savior and Lord, our heavenly Father gave us the Holy Spirit. Through Him, we have the ability once again to know God and learn about His ways and to see God without the use or benefit of our physical, human eyes for sight. Besides our eyesight, we also have what Paul described as "eyes of our understanding." When Adam and Eve sinned, mankind lost the understanding that allowed us to see or perceive God and to trust in Him even though He is invisible to the human eye.
You may be asking, "Why is this information important to me as a Christian?" As you face dark seasons in your life, where it seems as though the Light of God's presence has been extinguished, or you are blind-sided by tragedy, you don't have to allow yourself to feel isolated, lonely, or abandoned by God anymore. Since becoming a child of God and receiving the Holy Spirit, you now have someone who will remain with you through every season of your life. He will be there when this world goes "dark and cold" to reassure and comfort you.
It is during the trying times of life that humans can lose all hope. However, once we accept Christ and receive the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit gives us enlightenment. He does this so that we will have hope in our heart to stand, when it appears that in the natural, physical realm, there is no hope to be found. We must, at that moment, decide to either look to God or look at our circumstances. If we will choose to take our eyes off what is seen and begin to trust in the unseen God, who dwells within us, then He can begin to enlighten our understanding and lead us on in our walk of faith. Through the truths that God has given, we all can learn to lean more on the God of hope during times of isolation and heartache. We can know that we have a hope and a future, even when it seems as though all hope is gone. Allow the Lord to enlighten your understanding and to lead you into greener pastures and a greater hope in Christ. Remember, this world is not our final destination. We're just passing through on our way to an eternal reward in Christ.
Seeing the Invisible through Eyes of Faith,
Pastor Asa
Welcome to a new day to live out the plan of God for your life and to glorify your Lord. However, we don't always know what His plan is. Even so, not knowing is a good thing because it keeps us looking to God for wisdom and direction, especially when we encounter a trial or setback that wasn't expected. Have you had "the unexpected" happen in your life recently? Have you been blind-sided by a situation that has caused you to lose sight of the path for your life? If this describes where you are in your walk with Christ, then Paul has given us an answer in today's scripture that will assist us when we go through dark seasons and blinding tragedies in life. Nevertheless, first, let's lay some foundation so that you will have a better understanding of it.
If you read Genesis 3, where Adam and Eve partook of the tree of knowledge, you will discover that their eyes were opened, and they became self-conscious. Just as the serpent had predicted, they had gained an understanding of good-and-evil. I have always found this portion, "the eyes of them both were opened," of scripture interesting, since they could already see. Consequently, we know that Moses was alluding to the eyes of their understanding and not their physical sight. Once man had partaken of sin, we became aware of a fallen world, and in exchange, we lost God-consciousness, in the way that Adam and Eve had only known.
This brings us to the scripture for today's devotion found in Ephesians 1. When we rejected sin and believed on Jesus as our personal Savior and Lord, our heavenly Father gave us the Holy Spirit. Through Him, we have the ability once again to know God and learn about His ways and to see God without the use or benefit of our physical, human eyes for sight. Besides our eyesight, we also have what Paul described as "eyes of our understanding." When Adam and Eve sinned, mankind lost the understanding that allowed us to see or perceive God and to trust in Him even though He is invisible to the human eye.
You may be asking, "Why is this information important to me as a Christian?" As you face dark seasons in your life, where it seems as though the Light of God's presence has been extinguished, or you are blind-sided by tragedy, you don't have to allow yourself to feel isolated, lonely, or abandoned by God anymore. Since becoming a child of God and receiving the Holy Spirit, you now have someone who will remain with you through every season of your life. He will be there when this world goes "dark and cold" to reassure and comfort you.
It is during the trying times of life that humans can lose all hope. However, once we accept Christ and receive the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit gives us enlightenment. He does this so that we will have hope in our heart to stand, when it appears that in the natural, physical realm, there is no hope to be found. We must, at that moment, decide to either look to God or look at our circumstances. If we will choose to take our eyes off what is seen and begin to trust in the unseen God, who dwells within us, then He can begin to enlighten our understanding and lead us on in our walk of faith. Through the truths that God has given, we all can learn to lean more on the God of hope during times of isolation and heartache. We can know that we have a hope and a future, even when it seems as though all hope is gone. Allow the Lord to enlighten your understanding and to lead you into greener pastures and a greater hope in Christ. Remember, this world is not our final destination. We're just passing through on our way to an eternal reward in Christ.
Seeing the Invisible through Eyes of Faith,
Pastor Asa
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
The Inheritance Is Given By Promise
Galatians 3: 16 - 18, Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, "And to seeds," as of many, but as of one, "And to your Seed," who is Christ. And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect. For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise. NKJV
If there was a law of God that we could keep in order to inherit eternal life, then there would be no need for faith. Please take a moment and meditate on that statement. There is no law or no good thing that we can do that would grant us access into heaven. If we really know this to be the truth, why do so many "believers" try to avoid operating by faith? Ignorance isn't a legitimate excuse in the Kingdom of God. In fact, the prophet Hosea wrote under the leading of God's Spirit, "The people of God are destroyed from a lack of knowledge." If we choose to plead ignorance as an excuse for not walking by faith, then we are only deceiving ourselves and opening a door that will allow us to be devoured by the enemy.
The writer of Hebrews tells us in chapter 11, "Without faith it is impossible to please God." Paul teaches us in Romans 10 that faith can only be released in our hearts when we hear God speaking to us through the Holy Spirit or through His Word. Therefore, we can conclude that the only way to please the Father and to inherit the promises of the Kingdom of God is to seek to learn and to obey His will. Some might try to say, "This sounds like you're adding works to salvation. After all, aren't we saved by faith in Christ alone?" To this I would ask, "Is there another way that I can walk by faith and be in complete agreement with the Father while I fulfill His purpose for my life on earth?" Paul has already taught us that the inheritance can't be given by keeping the Law.
We're told in Romans that the JUST shall live by faith. In Hebrews, we find the same statement. However, it is followed by this verse. "If any man draws back in unbelief, the Lord will have no pleasure in them." James also teaches us to add action or works to our faith. Well, we can't just do our own thing and call it God's will. So we can say then, that walking by faith means we listen for the voice of the Father, and we read His Word to train our spiritual ears to hear and our hearts to obey His commands. Just like there's only one Way to the Father, there is only one way to live by faith and in agreement with the Father once we accept Jesus as the Christ in our life. We had better understand now, through this principle, that those who continue to walk by faith after their initial commitment to Christ are walking in a relationship with the Father and not operating by works. Christianity is based on a relationship and not on our works. We can't commit to Christ as our Savior and afterwards live by the Law or do our own thing.
If we are truly saved by grace through faith, then we will add obedience to our faith, and do everything that God commands us to do. This will let the Lord see "through our actions" that we are living by faith. Then He can reward us with the fulfillment of His promises because we have chosen to "live" by faith and not just accept Jesus by faith. The question we must ask ourselves is this. "As God's child, am I living my life according to God's will or according to my will?" Allow the Holy Spirit to give you the answer. It's all based on a relationship by faith.
I Love the Lord,
Pastor Asa
If there was a law of God that we could keep in order to inherit eternal life, then there would be no need for faith. Please take a moment and meditate on that statement. There is no law or no good thing that we can do that would grant us access into heaven. If we really know this to be the truth, why do so many "believers" try to avoid operating by faith? Ignorance isn't a legitimate excuse in the Kingdom of God. In fact, the prophet Hosea wrote under the leading of God's Spirit, "The people of God are destroyed from a lack of knowledge." If we choose to plead ignorance as an excuse for not walking by faith, then we are only deceiving ourselves and opening a door that will allow us to be devoured by the enemy.
The writer of Hebrews tells us in chapter 11, "Without faith it is impossible to please God." Paul teaches us in Romans 10 that faith can only be released in our hearts when we hear God speaking to us through the Holy Spirit or through His Word. Therefore, we can conclude that the only way to please the Father and to inherit the promises of the Kingdom of God is to seek to learn and to obey His will. Some might try to say, "This sounds like you're adding works to salvation. After all, aren't we saved by faith in Christ alone?" To this I would ask, "Is there another way that I can walk by faith and be in complete agreement with the Father while I fulfill His purpose for my life on earth?" Paul has already taught us that the inheritance can't be given by keeping the Law.
We're told in Romans that the JUST shall live by faith. In Hebrews, we find the same statement. However, it is followed by this verse. "If any man draws back in unbelief, the Lord will have no pleasure in them." James also teaches us to add action or works to our faith. Well, we can't just do our own thing and call it God's will. So we can say then, that walking by faith means we listen for the voice of the Father, and we read His Word to train our spiritual ears to hear and our hearts to obey His commands. Just like there's only one Way to the Father, there is only one way to live by faith and in agreement with the Father once we accept Jesus as the Christ in our life. We had better understand now, through this principle, that those who continue to walk by faith after their initial commitment to Christ are walking in a relationship with the Father and not operating by works. Christianity is based on a relationship and not on our works. We can't commit to Christ as our Savior and afterwards live by the Law or do our own thing.
If we are truly saved by grace through faith, then we will add obedience to our faith, and do everything that God commands us to do. This will let the Lord see "through our actions" that we are living by faith. Then He can reward us with the fulfillment of His promises because we have chosen to "live" by faith and not just accept Jesus by faith. The question we must ask ourselves is this. "As God's child, am I living my life according to God's will or according to my will?" Allow the Holy Spirit to give you the answer. It's all based on a relationship by faith.
I Love the Lord,
Pastor Asa
Monday, December 12, 2011
Truth and Unity Walk Together
Amos 3: 3, Can two walk together, unless they are agreed? NKJV
Psalms 133: 1 - 3, Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; for there the LORD commanded the blessing --Life forevermore. NKJV
When Jesus established His church, He set it upon the foundation of who He is. He is TRUTH. Jesus didn't base it on man's opinions, conjectures, or philosophies.
Consequently, if divisions should arise in the church, they will stem from man's beliefs and not because of the truth. In Ephesians, Paul writes to us about the body of Christ coming to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. We must all grow in our faith, until we all come to the unity of the faith. Christ is the only way to the Father. He is the only- begotten Son of God. Until we become mature in our faith and understand this truth about Jesus, we will continue to be divided over what we choose to believe about Christ and the Word of God. All Christians, who are truly born again, already believe unanimously that He is the Christ, the Son of God. Nevertheless, the body remains largely divided by our personal beliefs about scripture and/or our personal interpretation of the Word.
Truth isn't divided, nor can it ever be. Therefore, if we walk in the truth and don't hold too closely to our opinions, then we will also walk in unity in the body of Christ. If all that I have written up to this point is, indeed, truth, how will we know when someone is walking in the truth, or just sharing a personal interpretation, or is operating under the influence of the spirit of error? This is where the Holy Spirit comes into the maturation process. When Jesus was preparing to return to His Father, He told His disciples that they would not be abandoned. They wouldn't be left to try and figure out everything that He had taught them concerning the Kingdom of God and the Father on their own. The Father sent the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus also called the Spirit of Truth.
Whenever truth is taught and when it is heard, it is the work of the Holy Spirit to bear witness or confirm to the hearers that it is truth. If someone should interject opinions, or conjecture, then the Holy Spirit won't bear witness to the truth. This brings up a very important question. How can a believer know when they have heard from the Holy Spirit? The Spirit of Truth will only speak from the Word of God and won't confirm man's beliefs as being the truth. Therefore, as a believer, it is your personal responsibility to be willing and ready to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit when He either confirms or rejects something that has been proclaimed as truth. If a person should harden their hearts to the voice of Truth, then it will open them up to be deceived by man's deceitful ways.
Divisions arise when something other than truth has been spoken to a body of believers as truth, but not confirmed by the Spirit of Truth. When division occurs, either in the body of Christ or a body of believers because someone has presented opinion or personal beliefs as truth, then know that some have heard the Holy Spirit, and some have not. The Apostle John teaches us in his epistle that this is the way we will know the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of error. If you're truly concerned about being deceived by a minister, and you don't know if they're really hearing from God, you must do as Proverbs 3 : 5 - 8 says, 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. It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones. NKJV
Jesus tells us plainly in Matthew 7 that if we, being evil know how to give good gifts to our children, how much more will the heavenly Father give good things to those who ask Him. Where there is truth, (if all are hearing from the Holy Spirit) there should also be unity, and where there is unity, there will also be the blessing of God-life forever.
Walking in Agreement with Truth,
Pastor Asa Dockery
Psalms 133: 1 - 3, Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; for there the LORD commanded the blessing --Life forevermore. NKJV
When Jesus established His church, He set it upon the foundation of who He is. He is TRUTH. Jesus didn't base it on man's opinions, conjectures, or philosophies.
Consequently, if divisions should arise in the church, they will stem from man's beliefs and not because of the truth. In Ephesians, Paul writes to us about the body of Christ coming to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. We must all grow in our faith, until we all come to the unity of the faith. Christ is the only way to the Father. He is the only- begotten Son of God. Until we become mature in our faith and understand this truth about Jesus, we will continue to be divided over what we choose to believe about Christ and the Word of God. All Christians, who are truly born again, already believe unanimously that He is the Christ, the Son of God. Nevertheless, the body remains largely divided by our personal beliefs about scripture and/or our personal interpretation of the Word.
Truth isn't divided, nor can it ever be. Therefore, if we walk in the truth and don't hold too closely to our opinions, then we will also walk in unity in the body of Christ. If all that I have written up to this point is, indeed, truth, how will we know when someone is walking in the truth, or just sharing a personal interpretation, or is operating under the influence of the spirit of error? This is where the Holy Spirit comes into the maturation process. When Jesus was preparing to return to His Father, He told His disciples that they would not be abandoned. They wouldn't be left to try and figure out everything that He had taught them concerning the Kingdom of God and the Father on their own. The Father sent the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus also called the Spirit of Truth.
Whenever truth is taught and when it is heard, it is the work of the Holy Spirit to bear witness or confirm to the hearers that it is truth. If someone should interject opinions, or conjecture, then the Holy Spirit won't bear witness to the truth. This brings up a very important question. How can a believer know when they have heard from the Holy Spirit? The Spirit of Truth will only speak from the Word of God and won't confirm man's beliefs as being the truth. Therefore, as a believer, it is your personal responsibility to be willing and ready to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit when He either confirms or rejects something that has been proclaimed as truth. If a person should harden their hearts to the voice of Truth, then it will open them up to be deceived by man's deceitful ways.
Divisions arise when something other than truth has been spoken to a body of believers as truth, but not confirmed by the Spirit of Truth. When division occurs, either in the body of Christ or a body of believers because someone has presented opinion or personal beliefs as truth, then know that some have heard the Holy Spirit, and some have not. The Apostle John teaches us in his epistle that this is the way we will know the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of error. If you're truly concerned about being deceived by a minister, and you don't know if they're really hearing from God, you must do as Proverbs 3 : 5 - 8 says, 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. It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones. NKJV
Jesus tells us plainly in Matthew 7 that if we, being evil know how to give good gifts to our children, how much more will the heavenly Father give good things to those who ask Him. Where there is truth, (if all are hearing from the Holy Spirit) there should also be unity, and where there is unity, there will also be the blessing of God-life forever.
Walking in Agreement with Truth,
Pastor Asa Dockery
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