The Tree of Knowledge

Posted on janLeave a commentPosted in Challenge, Choice, Trust

                                            … of good and evil!

 
You are probably familiar with the following scripture,
      The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden,
      and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
      Gen. 2 9

and that God said to man …
      of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat
      Gen. 2 17

Why did God say that?
Did God want to limit us or control us?
Neither!
      God created us special in a unique place and position,
      … in control over our own destiny,
      by giving us the right to decide for ourselves,
      … and the ability to choose our future for ourselves!
      A choice with life changing results.

However God did tell us which is the right choice,
… and which is the wrong choice,
as well as the consequences of the wrong choice,
saying …
      I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you,
      that I have set before you life and death,
      blessing and cursing; therefore choose life,
      Deut 30 19

Making it easy to know what the right choice is…
His choice – Life!

 

How does God see you?

Posted on janLeave a commentPosted in Relationship, Value

                                      … through the eyes of Love!

God is not looking at you,
… at what you did wrong
… or where you have missed it.
Never …

But…

      God is looking at the person He created
      … in His image and likeness!

      God is looking at what Christ did,
      … at who you are in Jesus!


      God is looking at you through the eyes of Love,
      … and the image of love that you are!

So…

      Start seeing yourself
      … through the eyes of Love,
      … in the likeness of Love.

For…

      God so loved the world
      that He gave His only begotten Son,
      that whoever believes in Him should not perish
      but have everlasting life.
      John 3 16

 

Honoring God…

Posted on janLeave a commentPosted in Commitment, Trust

                                                … in what you do!

      Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible,
      to God who alone is wise,
      be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
      1 Tim 1 17

What is it that God expects of us?
… that we honor Him!
But how do we honor God?
… by doing what Jesus did!

      Jesus answered, “If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing.
      It is My Father who honors Me,
      of whom you say that He is your God.
      John 8 54

What did Jesus do?
How did Jesus honor God?

      Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself,
      but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does,
      the Son also does in like manner.
      John 5 19

Jesus did the works of the Father!
In other words,
… Jesus did what the Father did!

So how do we honor God?
Not by the result of our works, like Cain did.
But like Abel, bringing to God the best he had,
… a lamb in thanksgiving for God’s goodness and love!

      By this My Father is glorified,
      that you bear much fruit;
      so you will be My disciples.
      John 15 8
 

When you pray…

Posted on janLeave a commentPosted in Commitment, Trust

                                                            … listen!

 
When you pray, listen,
… not for what you think God will say,
… not what you want Him to say,
but whatever He wants to say to you,
… hear that!
It may NOT seem to be what you expect,
… but listen and then do what He said
and if you are not sure, ASK!

      Call to Me, and I will answer you,
      and show you great and mighty things,
      which you do not know.
      Jer 33:3

God is faithful.
and as you get into the habit of listening to Him,
… the easier it will become to hear Him!

However, at all times be vigilant, as Jesus said…

      Therefore take heed how you hear.
      For whoever has, to him more will be given;
      and whoever does not have,
      even what he seems to have will be taken from him.
      Luke 8 18

So, listen…
for as you act on the little that you hear,
… God will not only say more,
… but also give you more direction in your life,
because you have heard
… and acted on what He said!
 

How important are you…

Posted on janLeave a commentPosted in Potential, Value

                                                … to God!

God created everything we can see,
      – the visible and the invisible –
in its most intricate detail and beauty,
But when God created man He went even further,
– He made man in His image and likeness –
Why?
Because God is life
… and He wants us to share in that life.

      I am the resurrection and the life.
      He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.
      John 11 25

Yes, we are all important to God,
as David wrote …

      What is man that You are mindful of him,
      And the son of man that You visit him?
      For You have made him a little lower than the angels,
      And You have crowned him with glory and honor.
      You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;
      You have put all things under his feet,
      Psalm 8 4-7

What does that mean in our lives?

God wants to be part of our lives,
… in fact He wants to live life through us.
And as I allow Him into my life,
… and as I open myself up to Him,
His life becomes real in me.
And …

      I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
      Phil 4 13
 

A wilderness experience

Posted on janLeave a commentPosted in Covenant, Relationship

                                            the place of power!

What is the wilderness experience all about?

Jesus, when He started His ministry,
… His walk with the Holy Spirit, with the Father,
went through a wilderness experience…

What happened there?

      Why a separation from the world?
      … to learn how to get close to the Father,
      … to get to know the Father and His voice,
      … to get to know the Father’s will for your life
      and to get to know yourself!

When satan confronted Jesus with those 3 temptations,
… he was not sure if Jesus was actually the Christ
… so he tried to get Jesus to prove who He is!
But Jesus knew who He was, and how to deal with satan,

      The same also happens with us,
      … for until the time that we decided to follow Jesus,
      … satan never really bothered us,
      but the minute we do, satan is all over us.
      That is why it is so important,
      … that you get to know who YOU are in Christ!

Does the wilderness experience end there?
No!
Even in a crowd, we are spiritually on our own
… so it is vitally important to stay connected
as Jesus did throughout His ministry on earth.

      Most assuredly, I say to you,
      the Son can do nothing of Himself,
      but what He sees the Father do;
      for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.
      John 5 19
 

Ask what you believe

Posted on janLeave a commentPosted in Faith, Trust

                                            … not just what you need!

You can ask – for what you have heard or read,
… and you can ask – for what you want or what you need,
BUT
… what YOU will receive,
… is what YOU yourself – believe!

      Now we believe, not because of what you said,
      for we ourselves have heard Him …
      John 4:42

      What are you seeking and asking for,
      … what you want or need,
      … what you heard or read that God has said?
      OR…
      are you seeking what you actually really believe,
      … not just because God said so,
      … not just because you need it,
      but because YOU actually believe it.

For …
      If you can believe,
      all things are possible to him who believes.
      Mark 9:23

Therefore…
Say and pray what YOU believe
because – what you believe is what God will do!

Don’t just believe in God,
… believe God!
Don’t just believe God heals,
… believe you are healed!
 

Everything you need… is

Posted on janLeave a commentPosted in Covenant, Relationship, Trust

                                                          … in Him!

 
In Christ I live and move …

In Christ …
      I am a new creation;
      old things have passed away!
      2 Cor 5 17

In Christ …
      I am His Workmanship,
      created in Christ Jesus for good works!
      Eph. 2 10

In Christ …
      If I abide in Him
      and His words (rhema) abide in me
      I can ask whatever I desire
      and it will be given to me!
      John 15 7

In Christ …
      I can do all things through Christ
      who strengthens me!
      Phil 4 13

Because … Christ came
      that I may have life,
      and have life more abundantly.
      John 10 10

And therefore …
In Him
      I live and move and have my being!
      Acts 17 28
 

What can you Gain…

Posted on janLeave a commentPosted in Grace, Potential

                                                          … by losing?

 
If you were asked
… what you have gained
through spending much time in prayer…
What would your answer be?

I however think the question should be about
… what I have lost because of prayer,
as this I believe is much more to the point!

      I have lost anger!
      I have lost bitterness!
      I have lost frustration!
      I have lost my temper 🙂
      I have lost fear … and,
      I have lost the fear of death!

But why is this more important?

Simply because
… through those things that I’ve lost,
… that hindered me from receiving,
I have become free and able to gain
… all that God has promised us.
Love, Joy, Health, Peace, Prosperity and more!

      And everyone who has left houses
      or brothers or sisters or father or mother
      or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake,
      shall receive a hundredfold,
      and inherit eternal life.
      Matt. 19 29
 

Looking for the positive…

Posted on jan1 CommentPosted in Covenant, Grace

                                                           Nothing negative here!
life

      Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
      Luke 11 2

What is God’s will for mankind?
What does He want us to do or not to do?
Why did He give us the Law?

      Sure, the Law tells us what is wrong,
      … tells us what is negative,
      and the Law was given to show up sin!

But is that how God deals with His children?
Is that how God judges us when we do wrong?
NO!
God does not want to lead us by DON’Ts.
… DON’T do this, DON’T do that.
God always shows us the right way out!

      Remember, there is no negative force in heaven,
      … therefore God cannot use anything negative,
      … neither to teach us nor to correct us.

So what does God do?
God always shows us the positive way to go,
… the right way to speak,
… the right way to act and the right way to live!

God wants to bless us!
Let Him!

      I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
      I will counsel you and watch over you.
      Psalm 32 8