Month: December 2019

Your Christmas Present

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Gifts brought to the creator of the universe. God gave Himself to you and me, so He could give us the ultimate gift.

Did you ask God for your Christmas gift? God has so many gifts for you. They are the most wonderful gifts. Why God would choose these gifts for you and me, I don’t understand. Luke 2:8 tells us that these gifts are personalized gifts. First, God chose Himself to come to this earth and be born as a baby. Why? So He could restore us to Him. He chose to lead us, you and me, back to Himself. Why would the One who made the universe leave His throne in heaven to restore us to Him? God, did this because of His unconditional love. Also, He knew He would have to suffer and die a horrible death for you and me. I have a number of medical problems, but because God came to earth, died so that I could someday join Him in heaven. It is because of what He did, I can have peace. With cancer, I can have peace. With two kinds of arthritis, I can have peace. With fibromyalgia, I can have peace. With degenerative disc disease, I can have peace. There are more things, but I think what I’ve mentioned is more than enough. Because of what God did for me (and you), I can live in joy. This peace and joy are forever.

So do you want your Christmas gift from God? Would you like to accept the gift and live in heaven forever with God? This is the first gift of many to follow. Pray this prayer and mean each word with all your heart and being. “Heavenly Father, I come to you in prayer asking for the forgiveness of my sins. I confess with my mouth and believe in my heart that Jesus is Your Son. I believe that He came to earth and was born from a virgin and that He died on a cross at Calvery that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of heaven. Father, I believe that Jesus rose from the dead and I ask you right now to come into my life and be my personal Lord and Saviour. I repent of my sins (the bad things you have done) and will worship you all the days of my life! I believe that You will return to earth someday. Because Your word is true, I confess with my mouth that I am born again and cleansed by the Blood of Jesus. In Jesus’ name, I pray and confess these things. Amen”

The second gift you will receive will be the Spirit of God coming to you, to live within you. You may or may not feel this Holy Spirit within you at first. The Holy Spirit is given to you as an engagement ring. The Spirit will seal you as one of His children. A few of the things that the Holy Spirit will give you is guidance, counsel, and tells Jesus your prayers who give them to God. As the Spirit and you grow closer, He will help you understand the Holy Bible. Without the Holy Spirit, one can not really understand the Bible. Especially the deeper things of God. All the above are gifts, but there is more than these mentioned.

Also, God has angels that He will send to help you there is a mighty war taking place. A war between God’s people and Satan with his demons. Before you accept Jesus as your Saviour and King you were a slave to your lust and
Satan with his demons. When you accept Jesus, you are rescued from Satan and his kingdom of darkness. We are then transferred into the kingdom of God’s Son, Jesus. These are special gifts, that are called spiritual gifts. Every believer has one or more spiritual gifts, but not all of them. In 2 Corinthians 12:3-11, there is a list of Spiritual gifts. Some of the Spiritual gifts are the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, and teaching. Also, there is mercy which can bring comfort to others (Rom 12:8). Romans 12:8 also speaks of Leadership. This special gift guides people to see goals and will motivate others. The one gift I need help with is discernment. I can know the truth of scripture and when one may speak in error, but to see a person’s character is not always with me. My gift of mercy gets in the way. I can even see how God could use a person in His kingdom. It is hard for me to discern a person’s character. I can be deceived. This gift is listed in I Corinthians 12:10.

In Romans 12:8, it mentions the gift of Exhortation or encouraging. This God-given ability can be used by God to uplift the broken and defeated.

In Ephesians 4:11, it mentions those who evangelize. With the work of Jesus Christ, they speak with power in their words and people respond in faith to Jesus.

Romans 12:8 also mentions giving. They always tithe as we all should do. Their life shows a very generous giving to the church, ministries and especially to those in need.

I mentioned knowledge and this ability can gather the knowledge of the Bible and take these facts, truth, and principals to give a deeper insight into the Word of God. You will find this in I Corinthians 12:8.

Pastoring or Shepherding is to guide in their faith and preaching the Word of God. This gift requires time along with God. Some think a pastor should do a number of things like visiting the sick and on multiple committees. Deacons are appointed to carry out these for the pastor.

I Corinthians 12:28 list the gift of Administrator. They can plan, organize and head up complex projects and see them completely by getting others to work together. It also lists Wisdom. There is wisdom in how to apply the scripture to life. They have wisdom in how to solve problems.

A prophet is listed in Romans 12:6, I Co 12:10, 28 and Ephesians 4:11. Most just think this gift is telling of future events. I am not saying this does not happen especially within a family, but it is declaring God’s truth boldly. This can be especially hard when you have to speak the truth to correct a person or a group. You are giving instructions.

Some people seem to always be where people are needing help. The gift of help is generally done without many knowing it was done. They seem to know how to help others. You can find this in Romans 12:7 and in I Corinthians 12:28.

Teaching is another gift. This includes organizing God’s word and communicating knowledge. Also, they can tell them how to apply what is being taught.

Love, especially unconditional love, is a goal for all of us. The only way I believe for this to be accomplished is to ask Jesus to put more love in one’s heart from Him. I look at loving Christ as the ultimate gift. To be allowed to love Him is the key to all of life. It is because of love for Him is necessary to have other gifts. If you do not love Christ, how can you use any other gifts that have been given to you? If what you do for Christ is only a motion without love, is it accounted to you? How can you be a reflection of Christ without love? Without love, how can you have peace and joy?

The gift of a family, co-workers and friends is a special gift. To share with each other is so wonderful. This morning I watched my grandchildren open presents. Their faces would glow with joy when they realized their presents. Does our face glow with the presence of the Lord’s love? With the Lord, you can share your wisdom and kindness. These are precious gifts from God you can share. There are so many gifts that the God of the universe gives. Ask God to open your eyes to see them. Then thank Him for these gifts.

What gifts can you share? Ask God to open your heart and let gifts of love and kindness go from you to others. Let Jesus the gift of light to you shine forth to others. Let your light help restore what had been lost in the darkness. Our journey in this gift of light and our obedience to Jesus becomes a journey above everything else. Learn and love this gift of rejoicing as we walk in our journey with excitement in our gift of purpose. We are covered in the gift of grace and growing in knowledge.

My husband and I were in a place to eat, when the young lady next to us responded to the waitress who must have said Merry Christmas and/or Happy New Year, she responded by saying something like “not if it was like yesterday.” Yesterday was Christmas. So I prayed for her and her 5-year-old child. That prayer was my gift to her, even though she did not know it was given to her. I use to stop and rest at the mall years ago and I would watch people. The Lord would quicken my spirit and I would pray for them. My gift of prayer and the lord’s gift was given to them. God’s gifts to you are never-ending. Keep these gifts close to your heart and grow in them, is that you may share them with others.

Be thankful for the gifts that God has given you and be willing to share them with others throughout the coming year.

GOD’S GIFT TO YOU
Have you received His Gift?

Put On The Armor Of God

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Proverbs 15: 29 The Lord is far from the wicked, But He hears the prayer of the righteous.

So ask Jesus to forgive you for your sins. Tell Jesus you want a relationship with Him. Surrender your All to Him. Give your life to Jesus and ask Him to come within you so that you will have a relationship with Him. Do not just accept Jesus in your mind, but let the desire to walk with Jesus and to know Him come from your heart.

Ephesians 6:10-18 Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil., For our struggles is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Therefore, (a command) take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done, everything to stand firm.

Stand firm, (dig in) therefore, Having Girded your loins with Truth (belt of truth of the Word of God, which holds your integrity and faithfulness, which comes from being in the Word constantly) and having put on the breast plate of righteousness (a relationship with God which protects your chest against Satan’s darts. Peace comes from standing firm. Christ, holy righteousness is to be practice by all believers} and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace (knowing you are with God and being stable} in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish ALL the flaming missiles of the evil one (not some but all). And take the Helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (security of the believer). With all prayer and petition, pray at all times in the Spirit, (the armor is put on in prayer) with this in view, be on alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, (Your prayer life is to be intense. Also read “Enter the Throne Room of God under Prayer.

Beloved, be so full of the Spirit of God and with His Word, so that you can fight the evil around you. Christ gave us examples in Matthew 4:1-11.

Know the Word and stand. We are to pray for people we will give the gospel to before we go to them. Satan’s demons will be there so you must prepare before hand and send the Holy Spirit before you. Put on the full armor of God. This will help us when we go forth in the world in love with faith. Our love for the Lord Jesus is to be pure, meaning that our motives are to be loyal to Christ.

I Peter 2: 15 “For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.” When we go into the world, we will meet others that do not understand spiritual things. We must pray every day for the Holy Spirit to go before us and we are to be so full of the Spirit that He will open their minds to spiritual things. Our spiritual knowledge needs to find a resting place in other people’s hearts and mind.. Our Prayer with the Spirit is essential in going out before us.

Matthew 10:16 Jesus says “Behold I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore be shrewd as serpents, and innocent as doves. Then in verse 19 Jesus says, “But when they deliver you up, do not become anxious about how or what you will speak; for it shall be given you in that hour what you are to speak.” Do you trust God to do these things.

Romans 5:5 says, “and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

Hurt Delivered Behind Your Back

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Someone is talking behind your back and spreading lies about you. When I was younger, I would have come out of my corner fighting mad. This is not the way God says to handle ourselves. Even if you say nothing, but allow anger to take over your heart, it is not how we are to handle ourselves. By allowing these feelings you have allowed them to steal your peace and your joy.

Psalm 34:13-14 Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it.

There are four important truths in that verse. The first one is to keep your tongue from evil. We are to speak what is truth. That truth is to be in a beautiful tone and say only what is necessary to say. Second we are not to be deceitful. We most definitely do not twist what is said. Third, we do not repay with evil, but we are to do good. We should tell them that we will pray for them and ask God to bless them. Now, there are at lease two ways they will respond to those words. One, they will say that they do not want you to pray for them. Now you told them you would pray, so do just that. You can pray later but be sure you do pray. You should already be praying. Just be sure your words are true and pray. The second way they may respond is with quietness. With this response, the Lord may be starting to work within them. The fourth thing in this verse is to seek peace and to pursue it. In Matthew 5:9, “Blessed are the peace makers for they shall be called sons of God.”

Matthew 12:36: And I say to you, that every careless word that men shall speak, they shall render account for it in the day of judgment.

One needs to read all of Ephesians. In Ephesians 1:4B reads, “we should be holy and blameless before Him in love.”

Remember, God says we are to live in harmony with others. We are to show love. We are to show compassion. We are to be humble. It is through these things that an unbeliever can see Christ. We are to be representatives of Christ. We are to keep God’s name Holy and bring Him glory. Gossip and lies about a child of God is a very serious wrong doing.

If the targeted christian continues in love and does not retaliate, the Lord will step in. I know a pastor and family that became a target in the church. It started with one person and spread to half of the church. It became unbearable for this pastor and family. This family left. A few weeks later, the person who started the unrest found out that she had cancer of the tongue.

Beloved, take your concern and lay them at the Lord’s feet. Continue in love with the church. If a pastor is wrong in his actions and words, go to Him privately with love for Christ. If his response is not holy, lay it at the feet of Jesus. Do not talk about the pastor or his family. Turn it over to God and quietly leave that church. The main thing is to keep God’s name holy.

Matthew 5:13 “You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you in order that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax-gatherers do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what do you do more than others. Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Even if you are not a mature christian, you are told to accept the call to be perfect. We are not to be followers of money and titles. Yes, one has to work to provide for a family. You do not have to let it consume you. We are to let God consume us and follow love, kindness, integrity, humility and generosity. These thing move God.

“And the Lord’s bond servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged with gentleness, correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to there senses and escape from the snare of the Devil having been held captive by him to do his will.” 2 Timothy 2:24-26

We are to bless others. That person may be a stranger, a friend or an enemy. Let your words be like the words of Jesus. His words always healed. We must fill our hearts with Christlike love for others.

When we are attacked, we can produce fruit. Fruit of bitterness, hurt, anger, hatred and other fruit. Christlike love must fill our heart so that Satan’s fruit will not settle in the heart. One must learn how to have the Holy Spirit live fully within them and have His power flow to others to restore, heal and free them from Satan’s power over them.

Remember this when someone is talking behind your back. Many times it is someone you think is a friend. You may think it is OK to feel offensive and not forgive. They are convinced these feelings are OK. Don'[t let your heart deceive you. Holding on to unforgiveness and bitterness will cause your recovery to take longer. One does not have the right to hold on to hurt. Hurt can turn into many things including hate.

Surely, you do not want Christ to return and find hate in your heart. Anger causes the bones to rot. Also envy, jealousy,and many other things. Proverbs has no less than 10 passages dealing with this subject.

When someone talks behind your back, you feel betrayed. Then one may want to protect oneself at the cost of another by their tongue. This turns into not only anger but hatred. Remember what the Bible says about hatred. It is the same as murder. (I John 3:15, Matthew 5:44, I Peter 2:21-23. Please read these passages. Do not fight the Holy Spirit. Do everything you can to return to the fullness of the Holy Spirit within you. You must develop a stronger love for God . Let this push out any thoughts of the person words. Let the wounds of your heart be healed in the presence of God.