Sunday 18 November 2012

The Need to Take Responsibility

Dear Saints. 

     I want to share something very valuable I learn more about just this past week.  When I mentor  people to take the necessary steps to change ones circumstances in life, I find many people remain in bondage to bad or unfortunate circumstances in life when people fail to be humble enough to see any fault of their own doing and fail to accept any Godly counsel or instruction based on His Word.  I sense in my spirit that when we remain in a bad situation, it has nothing to do with "bad luck" or any "misfortune" or as one person kept saying that God is punishing me.  We have to stop blaming God for our circumstances and ask the Lord, "What is it that I may have caused or failed to do?".  When I think of my past, and how I have often lived with negative circumstances, it wasn't because God simply allowed this to happen as if we are to put the blame on Him, but the fact that I had believed and accepted the lies of the enemy often spoken through people rather than believing what God said about myself and believing Him instead.  Even out of ignorance, I still suffered.  What I needed to do to be set free was to realize my error and ask Him for forgiveness because I failed to believe Him, even if it was only out of ignorance.  When I took that step to repent and chose to believe what He could do His work through me and desired to have that child-like relationship with Him, it was then that I started to see wonderful changes in my circumstances.  However, I had to first repent and take responsibility for accepting the error of my ways.  Those who continue to blame God, blame circumstances and fail to take responsibility by seeing their error will never grow up and never live a fulfilling life that God intends for us to have (John 10:10b).  Its just like His Grace, even though it is available to all, those who learn to be humble, develop a bold confidence in Him (Heb 4:16) and believe/accept Him for what He says are the only ones who benefit the blessings of God. 
 
     When we receive Godly counsel from others, especially those who have lived through similar circumstances who know how to help from which they themselves received and people who need counsel (2 Cor 1:3,4), is it any wonder why negative circumstances don't change for some people when they fail to accept Godly instruction from others experience in the first place?  God tells us in Prov 12:1 (New Living Translation) "To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction".  I highlight this because God uses strong language about those who refuse to accept Godly counsel that is intended to help people in their time of need, but we make up excuses why not to do it.  In Gods eyes, it is stupid when we refuse His counsel because He is the only One who is able and willing to help us.  He often can't help us because we fail to accept the error of our ways and fail to accept responsibility.  When God places a person in a given situation, I believe the circumstances can become much better when a person remains steadfast in Him and believes he/she can be used of God to be effective.  It all comes down to: Who are we going to believe and will we believe He can use us to have a postive effect on others in their need?  Or are we going to let their evil ways infect us simply because we accept their lies rather than believing who we are in Christ?

     I truly believe that when constant negative circumstances dominates our lives, it is not so much that we have been dealt with a worse hand by God, the real problem is we fail to see any fault of our own and make excuses rather than taking the necessary steps we need to take from receiving any Godly counsel.  As an example, one of the units that I was an overseer of their financial operation, were having much difficulty.  I asked this person who is new to the position if the people before her were taking steps to help them manage their paperwork more efficiently which I taught them to do just over a year ago.  She said they weren't.  I believe it is like our lives with God.  Is it any wonder why things at this particular unit did not work out when they failed to receive instruction and put it to use?  Equally, when we receive Godly counsel, how can we expect to see improvements in our lives when we refuse to take the necessary steps which He instructs us to do?  This is why we need to take responsibility and need to ask for forgiveness when we fail to seek Godly counsel and His loving instructions that are intended to help us.  I find more and more that Gods Word only works when we understand that God is always faithful while at the same time, we need to understand that we have a responsibility to study His Word, spend time in prayer and develop that love relationship with Him and with others so that we may remain strong in Him.  We cannot say that God is our God if we thought He ever made a mistake or believed He doesn't understand our situation or if we continue to question Him critically.

     When we fail to repent and seek His counsel, we are blind to see any fault of our own which I believe is the primary cause why negative circumstances remain in our lives.  It is up to us to choose to be humble, repent and receive His forgiveness who will ever help us.  Just like God gives us the responsibility to choose life or death, blessings or curses (Deut 30:19).  Lets stop kidding ourselves and realize we need to humble ourselves before God, seek and receive His forgiveness and with the help of accepting Godly counsel, believe that He is indeed our Helper in our time of need (John 14:16,26).  Otherwise, we can't expect changes to improve until we learn to do this first.  These messages that often encourage and challenge us is always done in love in order to that we may be more eternally blessed because of it.   


Will you consider buying my books in support of HelpingCopeThroughHope mission work in Zambia?  You may go to my link below to observe.In the Matchless Name of Jesus
Richard
Associate Director
Answers2Prayer
http://sites.google.com/site/greatestbuilderforourlife  
http://www.answers2prayer.org/
www.helpingcopewithhope.blogspot.com 
 
In quietness and in (trusting)confidence shall be your strength (Isa 30:15b)

Saturday 10 November 2012

Acknowledge HIM in All Our Ways

Dearest Saints

     When I think of everything in a nutshell what Christianity is about, I come up with the simplicity of having that wonderful intimate relationship with God.  It's that simple.  I believe we complicate God and Christianity or make it out to be something other than first growing towards having a deeper relationship with Him each day.  I believe the more we develop that loving relationship with Him, we become stronger in Him to fulfill His desires and instructions found in His Word.  I also believe that as David would say, that when we love His laws and consider Him more than gold or silver (because we have that wonderful relationship with Him), we detest everything else that doesn't give God the glory or we fail to have that intimate relationship He wants us to have with Him (Read Psalm 119:127,128).   

     When I asked Him in to my life to be my Lord and personal Saviour, I have to admit that I wasn't making Him Lord over my life simply because I failed to acknowledge Him and His presence continually in my life like we should.  When we really ask Him to be Lord over our life, do we just resort by inviting Him only to help us with some larger circumstances of our lives?  Do we give Him only a few moments of our time to acknowledge His sweet presence in a given day?  As He continues to teach me, I believe we serve a God who not only wants to be involved in helping us make major decisions, but also in every tiny detail of our lives.  When I think of it, if I just want to go for a drive in the countryside, I want to be conscious of His presence and invite Him to sit with me and go for a drive and even ask Him where would He like to go?  We don't say these things because we don't believe He is not already present with us, but we do this to allow our hearts to open up to Him.  When those of you who like to go shopping, He would like you to invite Him to go shopping with you and help you choose a location to pick out the best items for the best prices in any of the stores.  If/when we go play golf or any other sports, do we invite Him to tag along with us, or even ask to help us hit a better ball or just enjoy the sport?  When I go to work before I even turn on the computer, am I trying to consciously make every attempt to ask Him to govern my day and invite Him to help me get projects done and be His employee whom He can be pleased with?

     I think many times, we put God only in to some "religious activity" when really, He wants us to involve Him in every area of our lives.  When we go out to visit, or have visitors in our home, or if we happen to be having dinner alone at home, do we invite Him to dine with us so we can enjoy His sweet presence?  Especially when I type in many of these messages or when answering a prayer, I don't dare want to not acknowledge His help in any of these.  Do we invite Him everywhere we go or whatever we are doing during our spare time?  When we acknowledge Him in all our ways(Prov 3:6), He promises to lead us down the right path.  This tells me that when He directs our paths, He works out everything in our life.  I truly believe in order to be stronger in the Lord, it's really all about inviting Him and acknowledging Him in every aspect of our lives.  Even to the point of asking Him to help us brush our teeth, comb our hair, iron our cloting, etc!  He loves us so much He tells us that He knows the numbers of hairs on our head (Luke 12:7), which to me means to even ask Him to help us find the right shampoo and/or purchase the best products to look after our body, which is His temple.

     Many times, I notice people asking/praying to God to "be with Brother/Sister so and so".  I personally don't think we need to pray and ask God something He already told us, because He promises us that He never leaves us nor will ever forsake us (Heb 13:5).  Because He is so faithful to His promises, I think the better prayer for us to pray is "Lord, help me to acknowledge You in all my ways".  This puts the emphasis on knowing that He is already faithful (knowing He never leaves us), but our need to ask Him to help us acknowledge Him more and more into our daily lives.

     When it all comes down to it, He wants us to involve Him in every aspect of our lives and every detail of our lives because this is one way of knowing He loves and cares for each of us because He cares about the little details equally to the big agendas in our lives.  When you know someone who loves you so much, you will want them to be involved with you in every aspect of your daily activities.  The same thing is with God.  If we want to acknowledge our loved ones this much, shouldn't we acknowledge the One who loves us that much more?  Too many people in our nation only cry out to God and acknowledge Him when things go wrong, but fail to thank Him when things are going good.  Some only acknowledge Him just on Sundays or only a few minutes in any given day or when we have major and important decisions to make.  We need to encourage one another to acknowledge Him in every part of our day and every part of our activity in our lives because I believe He wants us to open our heart to involve Him and invite Him into every detail of our lives.  We simply deceive ourselves when we don't think we need His help in every detail of our lives in the first place.  When we know He loves us greatly, we are going to want to involve Him in every area of our life.

     In a nutshell, I believe this is the simplicity and entirety of what Christianity is all about.  To be an example of acknowledging and inviting Him to be Lord over "ALL" of our daily activities.  We wouldn't be in existence and wouldn't be enjoying every aspect of life if it weren't for His great love and mercy towards us in the first place.  I believe we are stronger in the Lord by having much more confidence in Him when we choose to have this wonderful rich deep relationship He so much wants us to have with Him.  As He wants that relationship with us, the question is, how much are we willing to acknowledge Him in our daily activities?  Religion is complicated.  Christianity is simple. Let's not complicate ourselves from having that wonderful relationship with our dear Lord first and foremost.

     If this blesses you, please share my blogs with many others whom you know could also benefit.  I believe just by sharing, you will share in the greater eternal rewards simply by being a blessing to someone else. 

Will you consider buying my books in support of HelpingCopeThroughHope mission work in Zambia?  You may go to my link below to observe.
In the Matchless Name of Jesus
Richard
Associate Director
Answers2Prayer
http://sites.google.com/site/greatestbuilderforourlife  
http://www.answers2prayer.org/

In quietness and in (trusting)confidence shall be your strength (Isa 30:15b)

Thursday 1 November 2012

Restoring Deep Soul Wounds - Part 3

Dearest Saints,
 
     In order to look at being healed from our soul wounds, which goes deep within, we need to be persistent about being in prayer and confession while not thinking that doing this once is all that is needed.  During these processes, I like to point out something vital that we need to be persistent in.  With Gods help, we need to deter any negative circumstances from having dominion in our lives.  I find it extremely important to speak positive words into our lives and refuse to allow any negative conversation to come forth, which only allows the enemy to infiltrate his ways that ends up contaminating our soul when the Lord is willing to heal and restore your wounded soul.  Our words which the Lord reveals to us can either bring forth life or death in to our situation (Prov 18:21).  When we consider that the tongue can be very powerful and poisonous venom just by the words we speak, it even enlarges the flames of hell itself (James 3:5-8).  That's why the Lord is serious about our words, because unrepentant people are going to give an account for every idle word spoken (Matt 12:36) because of the power of what we confess.  If words can be that powerful in the negative realm, don't you think that speaking positive words (according to His Word) can be equally powerful, if not moreso?  Therefore, we need to take heed how we think and speak.  If our soul wounds get healed and restored for a short time, we may cause ourselves living a "yo-yo life" by being up one day and down the next simply because we failed to discipline our thoughts and words.  I know it can be difficult at first because I was a constant complainer and often critical.  The results of my life was often negative because of it.  With Gods help, we can make changes because He tells us that we can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens us (Phil 4:13) and He has given us the Spirit of Self-Control (Gal 5:23) to help us do that. 
 
     What I have found out that helps is to not just stop speaking negatively, but to purposefully  speak positive Words that agree with Gods Word over ourselves and get used to speaking Gods Word over us which brings forth life.  Gods Word is always positive and encouraging.  Jesus tells us that He is life (John 14:6), and He is the Word (John 1:14), then we need to speak His Word which brings forth life in to our circumstances.  I know of a few people who are often just constant complainers and yet nothing right ever seems to go their way.  This has nothing to do with their circumstances being negative as much as they themselves create negative circumstances just because they speak negatively all the time and refuse to follow His instructions.  If people would submit themselves to God, and realize His love and care for them while submitting to the wisdom of His Word, we will often find ourselves living with much more Joy, Peace, Gladness of heart.  I am a testimony of just that, which I have proven His Word many times over concerning this.
 
     I would like to share a wonderful revelation to add when we want to go beyond being healed and actually be restored.  A person may wonder "What is the difference?"  When you go to Luke 17:12-19, you will read about the ten lepers and how Jesus healed all of them.  However, in vs 19, He tells about one out of all ten who came back to thank Him was in addition, made whole.  When you consider people who have leprosy, they may be healed from leprosy from a divine touch from God or by medication they take.  However, over a period of time, leprosy causes eyes to sink, noses, hands and feet become deformed.  They may be healed, but their deformities remain.  When nine of the people who had leprosy and were healed, they may have been healed, but the symptoms of sunken eyes, deformed hands and feet may have still been evident.  The one who returned back to Jesus to praise Him and thank Him, Jesus told him that he was made whole in addition compared to the other nine.  I believe this person who came back to thank Him was restored to perfect health by having every part of his body restored as opposed to the others who just been healed from this disease.  If there was not a difference, why would the Lord indicate this additional restoration to the one man?  I want to share something that I believe the Lord was showing me that shows a comparison by not having our wounded soul just healed, but totally restored.  When we plead the Blood of Jesus over ourselves, our situation, our family, health, we can believe that because of the Blood, we are healed (1 Pet 2:24).  But we often stop at that.  I like to share something significant.  Not only did Jesus shed His Blood, but He was also Resurrected by the Power of Gods Spirit, which is the Spirit of Dunamis, which is a Greek word for Power, which is where we get our strength from.  When you type in Dunamis in Google, here is what is translated: 
 
strength power, ability
  1. inherent power, power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature, or which a person or thing exerts and puts forth
  2. power for performing miracles
  3. moral power and excellence of soul
  4. the power and influence which belong to riches and wealth
  5. power and resources arising from numbers
  6. power consisting in or resting upon armies, forces, hosts
      When you notice on para c, it mentions about ones soul being excellent.  So when we plead the Blood of Jesus to heal our wounded soul, we need to pray the Resurrection Power of His Spirit to restore our soul which will result of our wounded soul not only being healed, but restored with excellence!!  Just like I mentioned about speaking positive words in line with His Word, we need to declare when we pray persistently over our soul, that not only are we healed, but by His Grace and Power, we need to declare: "My soul is restored, I now have excellence of soul."  And like the one man who was leprous who came back to Jesus to thank Him immensely, we need to do just that and give Him thanks.  We should be most thankful because He has proven His love by suffering such extreme pain on our behalf, by offering us life in abundance and to live a resurrected life.  He tells us that we have been resurrected with Him (by virtue of our being) (Eph 2:6).

     I don't want to make this sound like it is some 'magic formula' of some sort, but when you compare it to the light of His Word, we need to see how we are healed by our confession (James 5:16).  We need to repent, because Jesus told the crippled man who became healed to stop sinning or something worse may come (John 5:14).  Plead the Blood of Jesus (1 Pet 2:24) and declare by His power and authority to heal (Mark 3:15).  When I read Mark 3:15, He not only mentions (power or authority) but both.  In other words, we have His authority to use His Name and the power that is given to us is His Resurrection Power of His Spirit.  So it is not a matter of only having one or the other, but both power and authority.  When you go through this process of healing, I would like to encourage you to not only pray that you are healed by the Blood of Jesus, but also restored to divine health by the Power of His Holy Spirit (Dunamis)who is the exact expression of His Spirit.  Afterall, Jesus told His Disciples that He would send the Holy Spirit to be our Guide, Comforter, Teacher and Helper upon His departure(John 16:13).  So if the Spirit is ever present with us, and we believe we need His help, should we not acknowledge the help of His Spirit in all our requests?  I want to encourage you to continue to be persistent, continue to give Him thanks and be purposeful to speak the positive life giving Word that comes in agreement with His Word.  We need to know and be positive also that He not only wants to heal and restore us, but He wants to give us double recompense for every trouble that we have endured (Isa 61:7 and Zech 9:12).  Just like He did for Job, He restored everything back to him double-fold.  We need to have that same mindset because if God said it in His Word, we need to act like we believe Him.

I hope you are blessed and be a blessing to others by sharing my Blog Site @ www.helpingcopewithhope.blogspot.com   We are blessed (Eph 1:3) to be a blessing to one another.


In the Matchless Name of Jesus
Richard
Associate Director
Answers2Prayer
http://sites.google.com/site/greatestbuilderforourlife  
http://www.answers2prayer.org/
In quietness and in (trusting) confidence shall be your strength (Isa 30:15b).