Greetings brothers and sisters.
A sister in Christ who has been a believer since 1987 was sharing about her walk with Christ in our bible study Saturday night. She was a little frustrated and confused on what else to do, as she was experiencing many obstacles in her walk. Like so many of us, we know what the Bible says but little in the way of how to apply what we read to our lives.
Too often we are conformed to this world. (Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.) In other words, we are caught up with with all these things in our every day life that may not pleasing God. Unfortunately, we are not always aware of these habits that we have developed that need to be eliminated. Sometimes we are aware of these habits and in our flesh we fight the need to change.
Paul urges us not to be conformed to this world but to be transformed away from this world. To become transformed involves a process of change. Transform means metamorphosis as in the process of a caterpillar endures as it is transformed into a beautiful butterfly. The entire process involves death to an old identity, experiencing a season of change, and becoming an entirely new creation. This process is exactly what we believers experience as we are transformed into the image of Christ.
The enemy cannot have a hold on us if we renew our minds with His Word and perfect will. The process of renewing our minds involves three steps. First, we must be willing to change. Second, we are to present ourselves to the Lord as sacrifices in holiness. Third, we must not be conformed or fashioned to this world. All three steps are dependent upon our becoming saturated with His Word. By daily reading His Word, our minds are fashioned and we come into agreement with His perfect will. As we implement what we learn, we can dethrone the enemy. And as we digest His Word, we gain knowledge and understanding of who we are in Christ Jesus. As result, a new identity emerges devoid of our old habits. Therefore, empowered to defeat every strategy of the enemy.
My prayer is we transform ourselves by applying what you read in God's Word to our lives.
Blessings to you all,
Tony
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Friday, March 5, 2010
Book of Habakkuk - The Walk of Faith
Habakkuk provides a beautiful picture of how to move from doubt to faith, from confusion to understanding, and from fear to hope. He asked genuine question, waited for God's answers, and accepted them. He put his hope in God and experienced His presence. In faith, he looked beyond his present circumstances to God, placing his hope in God's saving grace and absolute faithfulness. He set his heart and his eyes on God.
Habakkuk 3:17-19 17 Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls—Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills.
Understand that is acceptable to acknowledge the difficulty of your situation. However, like Habakkuk, focus your attention on God rather than on your circumstances. Remember that circumstances will change, but God remains the same. Put your hope in God's ability to save you; He is present with you in even the most difficult of times. Choose to rejoice in the Lord, regardless of the way you feel. Trust that He will enable you to overcome.
1 Cor. 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it
Hebrew 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
I pray God will bless your day.
Tony
Habakkuk 3:17-19 17 Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls—Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills.
Understand that is acceptable to acknowledge the difficulty of your situation. However, like Habakkuk, focus your attention on God rather than on your circumstances. Remember that circumstances will change, but God remains the same. Put your hope in God's ability to save you; He is present with you in even the most difficult of times. Choose to rejoice in the Lord, regardless of the way you feel. Trust that He will enable you to overcome.
1 Cor. 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it
Hebrew 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
I pray God will bless your day.
Tony
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Offenses - A Major Hindrance
Proverbs 18:19 A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, And contentions are like the bars of a castle.
Offenses (unresolved bitterness, resentment, unforgiveness in broken relationships) grieve the Holy Spirit and undermine the unity and prayer vital to revival. When the Holy Spirit is grieved, the flow of His power, counsel, and comfort is stymied, and the enemy is given opportunity to accuse, torment, imprison, and ultimately defeat us. This blocks our ability to give or receive God's mercy because our relationship with Him is compromised, and the church is prevented from presenting the glory of God to a community. If we repent of our offenses to God and make things right before others (Matthew 5:23-24 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift), we can live in the power of an "ungrieved" Holy Spirit. Thus released from anger and bitterness, we can expect continual revival, abounding in the grace of His forgiveness, mercy and kindness (Mark 11:25-26 “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”)
Do you have someone that you need to forgive? Better yet, have you offended someone and need to apologize and ask forgiveness? So often we look at others and their offenses against us and forget to remove the plank out of our eyes to see how we have offended them.
May God shed His blessings on you.
P.S. Please feel free to sign up and share a comment.
Offenses (unresolved bitterness, resentment, unforgiveness in broken relationships) grieve the Holy Spirit and undermine the unity and prayer vital to revival. When the Holy Spirit is grieved, the flow of His power, counsel, and comfort is stymied, and the enemy is given opportunity to accuse, torment, imprison, and ultimately defeat us. This blocks our ability to give or receive God's mercy because our relationship with Him is compromised, and the church is prevented from presenting the glory of God to a community. If we repent of our offenses to God and make things right before others (Matthew 5:23-24 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift), we can live in the power of an "ungrieved" Holy Spirit. Thus released from anger and bitterness, we can expect continual revival, abounding in the grace of His forgiveness, mercy and kindness (Mark 11:25-26 “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”)
Do you have someone that you need to forgive? Better yet, have you offended someone and need to apologize and ask forgiveness? So often we look at others and their offenses against us and forget to remove the plank out of our eyes to see how we have offended them.
May God shed His blessings on you.
P.S. Please feel free to sign up and share a comment.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Book of Amos
Amos exemplifies God's commitment to forewarn His people of impending judgement in order to give them the opportunity to repent. God sent the prophet Amos as His spokesperson of warning to Israel. Like a trumpet blown to warn a city of attack, so God peaks through His prophets to warn His people in order to save them from destruction.
As I have been reading the Old Testament, I have come to realize how important a message it conveys in respect to our present culture. We have to understand that we are not any different than the people Amos is warning in his day.
Amos 3:67 If a trumpet is blown in a city, will not the people be afraid? If there is calamity in a city, will not the LORD have done it? Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.
Understand that, motivated by His love, God brings warning through His prophets in order to save His people from harm. God send instructions to the prophets by a direct word. We as believers should warn as the prophets have done. Like the prophets we have received a word from God. It is called The Bible.
Allow the godliness found in the Bible to be your life's standard. Ask God to show you any places in your life that deviate form His standard. By His grace, submit those areas to the Lord. Ask God to conform you to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
May God bless your life.
As I have been reading the Old Testament, I have come to realize how important a message it conveys in respect to our present culture. We have to understand that we are not any different than the people Amos is warning in his day.
Amos 3:67 If a trumpet is blown in a city, will not the people be afraid? If there is calamity in a city, will not the LORD have done it? Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.
Understand that, motivated by His love, God brings warning through His prophets in order to save His people from harm. God send instructions to the prophets by a direct word. We as believers should warn as the prophets have done. Like the prophets we have received a word from God. It is called The Bible.
Allow the godliness found in the Bible to be your life's standard. Ask God to show you any places in your life that deviate form His standard. By His grace, submit those areas to the Lord. Ask God to conform you to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
May God bless your life.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
First Blog
Dear brothers and sisters,
I just set this blog up for one purpose and that is to share the uncompromising Word of God. My intent is to convey what God says in His Word (Bible) and not what man says or understands, Proverbs 3:6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.
It is my hope and prayer that God will lead me to share what is right and correct using His Word that has been around since the beginning. John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Blessings to you all and may God be with you in your journeys.
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