Dear Saints.
It is always a deep desire for me to encourage each one with a wonderful revelation that God inspires me to share for His glory and to benefit each of us. As I was heading to work, I was thinking about the bondages many of Gods people are in today. This is comparable to the fact that the Isrealites, who were considered Gods chosen people were also in bondage to the Egyptians (who is considered the world), under the rulership of Pharoah, who we can compare to the devil himself, because he is identified as the ruler of the people of this world known as the god of this world (2 Cor 4:4). All through the chapters from Exodus 5 to Exodus 12, we see how Moses & Aaron came together as Gods Representatives to tell Pharoah to "Let My People Go" according to the will of God!! We, as Gods Representatives are compared to as Moses and Aaron (as Gods own Representative). When we compare ourselves as His Representative, just like Moses and Aaron were, we are to do the same by telling the devil (who represents Pharoah) to let go of Gods people!! Every time Pharoah hardened his heart and would continue to resist the demands given by Moses & Aaron, different plagues came against him and tormented him and often times the entire nation of Egypt. The plagues would intensify each time he hardened his heart against the commands of Moses & Aaron, being Gods Representative. When we are reminded to not live by Bread alone, but by every Word of God (Matt 4:4), then we too should do like Moses and Aaron and tell the devil to let go of Gods people and stop tormenting them. Otherwise, just like Moses and Aaron did, we too can pronounce a plague that will torment the devil and his angels as the Lord wills. Every time I feel like the devil is holding on and resisting when I speak against him, I continue with Gods authority to bind him under the curse of the Blood of Jesus that is to forever cling to him and not let go that will forever torment him. And every time he continues to harden his heart and resist, just like Pharoah did, that he will be a recipient of greater torment and a double portion of the Blood of Jesus to come against him until he is tormented to the point where he finally relents, just like Pharoah finally did.
As I take more time to ponder His Word more and more, He continues to give me revelation that what we read in His Word is for us to put to use, rather then just reading this as just some form of bedside story and just simply having knowledge of an historic event. He tells us in 2 Tim 3:16 that All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. Therefore, what we read about this event is for our profit if we will put it to use. I believe that God had Moses and Aaron continue to do this for many times in order to teach us to be persistent and continue to declare our authority as Gods Representatives. What many Christians may be in torment may relate to financial difficulties, unsaved family, friends and relatives, different types of physical illnesses, unemployment and many other possible causes. We need to be persistent to come together (just like Aaron was with Moses), we need to make our demand to the devil, just like Moses did to Pharoah and tell him to let go of our unsaved loved ones...let go from our brothers and sisters who are fighting illnesses or whatever the case may be and tell him if he resists, that with Gods authority, that he will be a recipient of receiving plagues from God and will intensify every time he resists. By being persistent, we will develop the patience that will have its perfect work completed within us so that we lack nothing (James 1:4). Let us encourage one another to be doers of His Word and not hearers only (James 1:22-25) and live by every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God because the Bible is His Word and not just know about events we read, but to live by them. May God strengthen us to be persistent and be stronger and stronger in the Lord and boldly declare His Word which is the sword of the Spirit that attacks the enemy. For God tells us that the Righteous are as bold as a lion when we have confidence in the Lord because of who He is and what He should mean to each of us, has accomplished entirely for us and gave us His authority as His Representative (Luke 10:19).
In the Matchless Name of Jesus
Richard
Associate Director
Answers2Prayer
http://sites.google.com/site/greatestbuilderforourlife
http://www.answers2prayer.org/
Monday, 22 August 2011
Our God given Vision
Good Day.
I heard a teaching recently about Gods people having a vision and the importance of keeping our vision in front of us, so we won’t lose focus.
A great scripture regarding this is found in Genesis 30:31-43 (Amplified Version) where Laban was supposed to give Jacob the spotted and speckled sheep. When Laban deceived Jacob, he received the sheep other than what he wanted. So, with the sheep he had that was one colored, he put a spotted and speckled rods in front of the sheep during conception and kept those rods in front of the sheep (vs 39). When it was time for them to give birth, they indeed gave birth to spotted and speckled sheep because they became focused on the speckled rod that was in front of them. The following verses are the Amplified Version of Gen 30:31-43.
[Laban] said, What shall I give you? And Jacob said, You shall not give me anything, if you will do this one thing for me [of which I am about to tell you], and I will again feed and take care of your flock.
Let me pass through all your flock today, removing from it every speckled and spotted animal and every black one among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and such shall be my wages.
So later when the matter of my wages is brought before you, my fair dealing will be evident and answer for me. Every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats and black among the sheep, if found with me, shall be counted as stolen.
And Laban said, Good; let it be done as you say.
But that same day [Laban] removed the he-goats that were streaked and spotted and all the she-goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had white on it, and every black lamb, and put them in charge of his sons.
And he set [a distance of] three days' journey between himself and Jacob; and Jacob was then left in care of the rest of Laban's flock.
But Jacob took fresh rods of poplar and almond and plane trees and peeled white streaks in them, exposing the white in the rods.
Then he set the rods which he had peeled in front of the flocks in the watering troughs where the flocks came to drink. And since they bred and conceived when they came to drink,
The flocks bred and conceived in sight of the rods and brought forth lambs and kids streaked, speckled, and spotted.
Jacob separated the lambs, and [as he had done with the peeled rods] he also set the faces of the flocks toward the streaked and all the dark in the [new] flock of Laban; and he put his own droves by themselves and did not let them breed with Laban's flock.
And whenever the stronger animals were breeding, Jacob laid the rods in the watering troughs before the eyes of the flock, that they might breed and conceive among the rods.
But when the sheep and goats were feeble, he omitted putting the rods there; so the feebler animals were Laban's and the stronger Jacob's.
Thus the man increased and became exceedingly rich, and had many sheep and goats, and maidservants, menservants, camels, and donkeys.
Our Mission and Vision for us to see, needs to be in front of us continually, so we can envision (in our spirit) by the Grace of God. God doesn't want us to look at our past or circumstances right now, He wants us to see and envision of what we can be and press forward to do radically through us to be a rich blessing to many many souls. Just like Abraham was told by God to get out of the tent (enclosed by looking at his own circumstances) and He told Abraham to get out of the tent and look at the stars and get this vision that he will have descendants as numerous as the stars (Gen 15:1-5). He told Abraham first to Fear Not!! Then got him to take his eyes off his circumstances (from being inside the tent) and get a vision (by looking out) so he could see what God was promising him.
I encourage you to pray and be lead of God to write a vision because He wants each of us to have a vision. For He says that My people perish for lack of vision Prov 29:18. Therefore, everyone has a God given vision, but not every Christian has taken any steps to write down and pursue their God given vision which our dear Lord wants to give.
Please feel free to visit my website below. God bless.
In the Matchless Name of Jesus
Richard
Associate Director
Answers2Prayer
http://sites.google.com/site/greatestbuilderforourlife
http://www.answers2prayer.org/
"For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment" (Luke 1:37). Amplified Version
I heard a teaching recently about Gods people having a vision and the importance of keeping our vision in front of us, so we won’t lose focus.
A great scripture regarding this is found in Genesis 30:31-43 (Amplified Version) where Laban was supposed to give Jacob the spotted and speckled sheep. When Laban deceived Jacob, he received the sheep other than what he wanted. So, with the sheep he had that was one colored, he put a spotted and speckled rods in front of the sheep during conception and kept those rods in front of the sheep (vs 39). When it was time for them to give birth, they indeed gave birth to spotted and speckled sheep because they became focused on the speckled rod that was in front of them. The following verses are the Amplified Version of Gen 30:31-43.
[Laban] said, What shall I give you? And Jacob said, You shall not give me anything, if you will do this one thing for me [of which I am about to tell you], and I will again feed and take care of your flock.
Let me pass through all your flock today, removing from it every speckled and spotted animal and every black one among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and such shall be my wages.
So later when the matter of my wages is brought before you, my fair dealing will be evident and answer for me. Every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats and black among the sheep, if found with me, shall be counted as stolen.
And Laban said, Good; let it be done as you say.
But that same day [Laban] removed the he-goats that were streaked and spotted and all the she-goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had white on it, and every black lamb, and put them in charge of his sons.
And he set [a distance of] three days' journey between himself and Jacob; and Jacob was then left in care of the rest of Laban's flock.
But Jacob took fresh rods of poplar and almond and plane trees and peeled white streaks in them, exposing the white in the rods.
Then he set the rods which he had peeled in front of the flocks in the watering troughs where the flocks came to drink. And since they bred and conceived when they came to drink,
The flocks bred and conceived in sight of the rods and brought forth lambs and kids streaked, speckled, and spotted.
Jacob separated the lambs, and [as he had done with the peeled rods] he also set the faces of the flocks toward the streaked and all the dark in the [new] flock of Laban; and he put his own droves by themselves and did not let them breed with Laban's flock.
And whenever the stronger animals were breeding, Jacob laid the rods in the watering troughs before the eyes of the flock, that they might breed and conceive among the rods.
But when the sheep and goats were feeble, he omitted putting the rods there; so the feebler animals were Laban's and the stronger Jacob's.
Thus the man increased and became exceedingly rich, and had many sheep and goats, and maidservants, menservants, camels, and donkeys.
Our Mission and Vision for us to see, needs to be in front of us continually, so we can envision (in our spirit) by the Grace of God. God doesn't want us to look at our past or circumstances right now, He wants us to see and envision of what we can be and press forward to do radically through us to be a rich blessing to many many souls. Just like Abraham was told by God to get out of the tent (enclosed by looking at his own circumstances) and He told Abraham to get out of the tent and look at the stars and get this vision that he will have descendants as numerous as the stars (Gen 15:1-5). He told Abraham first to Fear Not!! Then got him to take his eyes off his circumstances (from being inside the tent) and get a vision (by looking out) so he could see what God was promising him.
I encourage you to pray and be lead of God to write a vision because He wants each of us to have a vision. For He says that My people perish for lack of vision Prov 29:18. Therefore, everyone has a God given vision, but not every Christian has taken any steps to write down and pursue their God given vision which our dear Lord wants to give.
Please feel free to visit my website below. God bless.
In the Matchless Name of Jesus
Richard
Associate Director
Answers2Prayer
http://sites.google.com/site/greatestbuilderforourlife
http://www.answers2prayer.org/
"For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment" (Luke 1:37). Amplified Version
Blessed to be a Blessing
Dear Saints,
I think often about how God sees and cares about the little things we do. Just think of the blessings we miss out when we fail to do even the smallest things for others. In mans sight, when we simply show kindness to others, man sees this as insignificant, but in Gods sight, it is very significant. How would man even think that giving a cup of cold water in His Name would be rewarding at all? Some men would some times not even say "thank-you". Yet, God tells us that not only will we be rewarded, but will be richly rewarded when we give a cup of cold water to another in His Name. I think we often compare God to man and think that He does and sees things the same way man does. We often think that when we do great things, that is only when the Lord is really pleased, which is nothing but a lie. Every time you smile at someone or give a warm greeting, you will be blessed for all eternity. When you say a sweet simple prayer from the heart for someone, you will be blessed. When you encourage someone, you will be blessed. Or give a small portion of your time to someone who is lonely, you will be greatly rewarded. The smallest of blessings you receive from God is far greater than the greatest reward man receives from other men because they only last momentarily. The rewards God gives are eternal which no reward on earth can ever compare to. That is why we should never get discouraged when we feel we do not get the recognition or be rewarded when we feel we deserve it. If you know God to the measure of knowing how much He loves you and sees what you do, we will know without a shadow of doubt that He will reward you, unless you are trying to receive mans reward. It should cause us to just want to do the best we can and be the best we can be even when man does not reward us, because we serve a God who loves to reward His people. When we do anything to receive the applause of men, we will end up being ashamed to realize that we have forsaken being greatly rewarded for all eternity from God simply because we sought the rewards from man instead of doing good to others out of love (Matt 6:2-5). In fact, knowing this, By His Grace, I want to do and be the very best I can be for Gods Kingdom and will not trouble my spirit to ever be rewarded because we serve the One who is JUST and our labour done in love is never in vain. It is encouraging to know that we don't have to have a big ministry or do great things to be rewarded by God. Just think how many times we may have missed out being blessed and storing for us treasures in Heaven simply because we did not share a smile, did not greet our Brethren, did not make that phone call to simply say hi. When we realize that there are so many "little" things we can do for one another, we should always be finding ways to be a blessing to one another in any way, whether small or great. I don't want anyone to regret missing out on Gods blessings and His rich rewards simply because we failed to do the little things that truly can brighten someones day. By His Grace, we can be a rich blessing to someone each day and not only be rewarded in Heaven, but be rewarded even today inheriting His Joy and Peace simply because we first receive His love for us that compels us to do things out of love for others.
It is my prayer that when we are tried by fire, that we will not suffer from our works being like wood, hay or stubble that burns to ash, (because we have failed to seek to be a blessing to others), but the results of gold, silver and priceless stones as our great eternal rewards (1 Cor 3:10-15) simply because we ask Him to use us to bless others. May we allow God to compel us and be determined to see how we can be a richer blessing in little ways to many souls and be more blessed because of it.
Please feel free to visit my website below. God bless.
In the Matchless Name of Jesus
Richard
Associate Director
Answers2Prayer
http://sites.google.com/site/greatestbuilderforourlife
http://www.answers2prayer.org/
I think often about how God sees and cares about the little things we do. Just think of the blessings we miss out when we fail to do even the smallest things for others. In mans sight, when we simply show kindness to others, man sees this as insignificant, but in Gods sight, it is very significant. How would man even think that giving a cup of cold water in His Name would be rewarding at all? Some men would some times not even say "thank-you". Yet, God tells us that not only will we be rewarded, but will be richly rewarded when we give a cup of cold water to another in His Name. I think we often compare God to man and think that He does and sees things the same way man does. We often think that when we do great things, that is only when the Lord is really pleased, which is nothing but a lie. Every time you smile at someone or give a warm greeting, you will be blessed for all eternity. When you say a sweet simple prayer from the heart for someone, you will be blessed. When you encourage someone, you will be blessed. Or give a small portion of your time to someone who is lonely, you will be greatly rewarded. The smallest of blessings you receive from God is far greater than the greatest reward man receives from other men because they only last momentarily. The rewards God gives are eternal which no reward on earth can ever compare to. That is why we should never get discouraged when we feel we do not get the recognition or be rewarded when we feel we deserve it. If you know God to the measure of knowing how much He loves you and sees what you do, we will know without a shadow of doubt that He will reward you, unless you are trying to receive mans reward. It should cause us to just want to do the best we can and be the best we can be even when man does not reward us, because we serve a God who loves to reward His people. When we do anything to receive the applause of men, we will end up being ashamed to realize that we have forsaken being greatly rewarded for all eternity from God simply because we sought the rewards from man instead of doing good to others out of love (Matt 6:2-5). In fact, knowing this, By His Grace, I want to do and be the very best I can be for Gods Kingdom and will not trouble my spirit to ever be rewarded because we serve the One who is JUST and our labour done in love is never in vain. It is encouraging to know that we don't have to have a big ministry or do great things to be rewarded by God. Just think how many times we may have missed out being blessed and storing for us treasures in Heaven simply because we did not share a smile, did not greet our Brethren, did not make that phone call to simply say hi. When we realize that there are so many "little" things we can do for one another, we should always be finding ways to be a blessing to one another in any way, whether small or great. I don't want anyone to regret missing out on Gods blessings and His rich rewards simply because we failed to do the little things that truly can brighten someones day. By His Grace, we can be a rich blessing to someone each day and not only be rewarded in Heaven, but be rewarded even today inheriting His Joy and Peace simply because we first receive His love for us that compels us to do things out of love for others.
It is my prayer that when we are tried by fire, that we will not suffer from our works being like wood, hay or stubble that burns to ash, (because we have failed to seek to be a blessing to others), but the results of gold, silver and priceless stones as our great eternal rewards (1 Cor 3:10-15) simply because we ask Him to use us to bless others. May we allow God to compel us and be determined to see how we can be a richer blessing in little ways to many souls and be more blessed because of it.
Please feel free to visit my website below. God bless.
In the Matchless Name of Jesus
Richard
Associate Director
Answers2Prayer
http://sites.google.com/site/greatestbuilderforourlife
http://www.answers2prayer.org/
Sunday, 21 August 2011
Judas, The Man who never knew
Dear Saints, A friend of mine sent me this article. It's amazing how a person such as Judas could be with Christ for these several years, and yet not truly know Him. Otherwise, I believe if he really knew Jesus personally, he would not have done the dispicable. It's a very profound article I know you will find interesting.
I’ve wondered at times what kind of man this Judas was. What he looked like, how he acted, who his friends were.
I guess I’ve stereotyped him. I’ve always pictured him as a wiry, beady-eyed, sly, wormy fellow, pointed beard and all. I’ve pictured him as estranged from the other apostles.
Friendless. Distant. Undoubtedly he was a traitor and a quisling. Probably the result of a broken home. A juvenile delinquent in his youth.
Yet I wonder if that is so true. We have no evidence (save Judas’s silence) that would suggest that he was isolated. At the Last Supper, when Jesus said that his betrayer sat at the table, we don’t find the apostles immediately turning to Judas as the logical traitor.
No, I think we’ve got Judas pegged wrong. Perhaps he was just the opposite. Instead of sly and wiry, maybe he was robust and jovial. Rather than quiet and introverted, he could have been outgoing and well-meaning. I don’t know.
But for all the things we don’t know about Judas, there is one thing we know for sure: He had no relationship with the Master. He had seen Jesus, but he did not know him. He had heard Jesus, but he did not understand him. He had a religion but no relationship.
As Satan worked his way around the table in the upper room, he needed a special kind of man to betray our Lord. He needed a man who had seen Jesus but who did not know him. He needed a man who knew the actions of Jesus but had missed out on the mission of Jesus. Judas was this man. He knew the empire but had never known the Man. Judas bore the cloak of religion, but he never knew the heart of Christ.
We learn this timeless lesson from the betrayer. Satan’s best tools of destruction are not from outside the church; they are within the church. A church will never die from the immorality in Hollywood or the corruption in Washington. But it will die from corrosion within—from those who bear the name of Jesus but have never met him and from those who have religion but no relationship. Judas bore the cloak of religion, but he never knew the heart of Christ. Let’s make it our goal to know Him deeply who personally loves each of us.
Please feel free to visit my website and Blog address below. God bless.
In the Matchless Name of Jesus
Richard
Associate Director
Answers2Prayer
http://sites.google.com/site/greatestbuilderforourlife
http://www.answers2prayer.org/
I’ve wondered at times what kind of man this Judas was. What he looked like, how he acted, who his friends were.
I guess I’ve stereotyped him. I’ve always pictured him as a wiry, beady-eyed, sly, wormy fellow, pointed beard and all. I’ve pictured him as estranged from the other apostles.
Friendless. Distant. Undoubtedly he was a traitor and a quisling. Probably the result of a broken home. A juvenile delinquent in his youth.
Yet I wonder if that is so true. We have no evidence (save Judas’s silence) that would suggest that he was isolated. At the Last Supper, when Jesus said that his betrayer sat at the table, we don’t find the apostles immediately turning to Judas as the logical traitor.
No, I think we’ve got Judas pegged wrong. Perhaps he was just the opposite. Instead of sly and wiry, maybe he was robust and jovial. Rather than quiet and introverted, he could have been outgoing and well-meaning. I don’t know.
But for all the things we don’t know about Judas, there is one thing we know for sure: He had no relationship with the Master. He had seen Jesus, but he did not know him. He had heard Jesus, but he did not understand him. He had a religion but no relationship.
As Satan worked his way around the table in the upper room, he needed a special kind of man to betray our Lord. He needed a man who had seen Jesus but who did not know him. He needed a man who knew the actions of Jesus but had missed out on the mission of Jesus. Judas was this man. He knew the empire but had never known the Man. Judas bore the cloak of religion, but he never knew the heart of Christ.
We learn this timeless lesson from the betrayer. Satan’s best tools of destruction are not from outside the church; they are within the church. A church will never die from the immorality in Hollywood or the corruption in Washington. But it will die from corrosion within—from those who bear the name of Jesus but have never met him and from those who have religion but no relationship. Judas bore the cloak of religion, but he never knew the heart of Christ. Let’s make it our goal to know Him deeply who personally loves each of us.
Please feel free to visit my website and Blog address below. God bless.
In the Matchless Name of Jesus
Richard
Associate Director
Answers2Prayer
http://sites.google.com/site/greatestbuilderforourlife
http://www.answers2prayer.org/
Hidden talents?
Dearest Saints,
Did you ever think God has given you a talent that you may not know of? He doesn't look for qualified people in order to use, but He qualifies people so He can use. In other words, if God had to wait for me to be qualified to use me in any way, He would be waiting a very long time, or probably would have never come about if it meant for me to be "qualified". For someone like me who was probably one of the bottom students in our class in English, who could have thought I could have written two books? When I found myself encouraging many people throughout the weeks, months and years, I would never have thought in my dreams that I could ever qualify doing this, as I was so negative and had low self esteem in my earlier years. I hardly lived each day without saying and thinking so many negative words and thoughts about myself. It was a real revelation to realize how God could have turned my life completely around and use my past to be a blessing to so many. God uses the humble and the abase to shame the wise and prudent (1 Cor 1:20,27). For all the things I felt I would never be qualified to do, God had different plans. He has demonstrated to me many times that He can bring out wonderful talents that I never have imagined of having. I would have never known had I not made the attempt to do what I am now doing. God didn't look to choose highly educated people to be His Disciples to change the world. He purposely picked the most unlikely people that He could use, which most employers would have picked otherwise to represent them and their company.
I realized that had I not made the attempt just to do the things I now see myself doing, I would have not known this hidden talent that is most useful to other people in their distress and in their greatest time of need.
God is not waiting to see if you qualify to do anything in serving Him and serving others, He is looking for a willing heart that wants to be used. After all, He is the One who qualifies us. I wonder for each of us, could there be hidden talents in our lives we have not yet realized we may have? When we ask God to help us, to use us to be a blessing to others in the futherance of His Kingdom, He will truly make a way which may allow you to start using a gift you may have never realized you had. When I know how God has used me in an email ministry over the past decade, it almost scares me to think if I had ended up hiding that talent because I was afraid (Matt 25:25) instead of using a talent He had given me, it is an accountability I would rather not know that I would be accountable before Him, because He dealt harshly towards the Servant who was considered wicked because he hid his talent rather than making good use of it. It makes me want so much to ask God to reveal all talents in my life so I can fully utilize my life to bring the Hope of Christ to all I come in contact with. I know that when you ask Him to help use you for His good and perfect will, we can know that He can reveal to us every hidden talent that is most useful to many people in need whom we come across and are close to.
The message I want to get across is that God has given us wonderful talents that is most precious and beautiful if we would use them to glorify Him and be a blessing to others. Each of us, no matter how insignificant we may consider ourselves, has a wonderful talent that others in our midst needs. Each one of us is truly unique and there is not another in this world exactly the same as you. For we are Gods workmanship, recreated in Christ to do good works (Eph 2:10). We are a unique beautiful original copy and we should stop trying to be a cheap imitator of someone else just you may feel they are more gifted than you. You most likely have a quality they themselves want. If you are willing and obedient, God can use each of us in a very powerful way so we can each richly bless one another in their time of need. You may be the only Jesus many people may see and the only one whom God can and will use for the greatest mandate in all of history. With Your help Lord, may each of us use every wonderful talent God has given us and hear from Him like the one who received 5 talents, and the two talents and hear God say "Well done thy good and faithful Servant" (Matt 25:21,23). Just because the one servant received two talents does not mean God was not equally pleased with the Servant initially receiving 5 talents. I believe God would have been more displeased with the servant who did receive five, but only used four, rather then the one receiving two talents and using both talents. Therefore, it is not the size or the position of a ministry you hold, but whether or not we are making full use of all our talents to work to glorify God and to bless many others in their time of need. I hope this encourages you to know God has gifted each of you with a priceless talent that will make a positive difference in peoples lives.
Please feel free to visit my website below. God bless.
In the Matchless Name of Jesus
Richard
Associate Director
Answers2Prayer
http://sites.google.com/site/greatestbuilderforourlife
http://www.answers2prayer.org/
"Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." Isaiah 43:19 (NKJV)
Did you ever think God has given you a talent that you may not know of? He doesn't look for qualified people in order to use, but He qualifies people so He can use. In other words, if God had to wait for me to be qualified to use me in any way, He would be waiting a very long time, or probably would have never come about if it meant for me to be "qualified". For someone like me who was probably one of the bottom students in our class in English, who could have thought I could have written two books? When I found myself encouraging many people throughout the weeks, months and years, I would never have thought in my dreams that I could ever qualify doing this, as I was so negative and had low self esteem in my earlier years. I hardly lived each day without saying and thinking so many negative words and thoughts about myself. It was a real revelation to realize how God could have turned my life completely around and use my past to be a blessing to so many. God uses the humble and the abase to shame the wise and prudent (1 Cor 1:20,27). For all the things I felt I would never be qualified to do, God had different plans. He has demonstrated to me many times that He can bring out wonderful talents that I never have imagined of having. I would have never known had I not made the attempt to do what I am now doing. God didn't look to choose highly educated people to be His Disciples to change the world. He purposely picked the most unlikely people that He could use, which most employers would have picked otherwise to represent them and their company.
I realized that had I not made the attempt just to do the things I now see myself doing, I would have not known this hidden talent that is most useful to other people in their distress and in their greatest time of need.
God is not waiting to see if you qualify to do anything in serving Him and serving others, He is looking for a willing heart that wants to be used. After all, He is the One who qualifies us. I wonder for each of us, could there be hidden talents in our lives we have not yet realized we may have? When we ask God to help us, to use us to be a blessing to others in the futherance of His Kingdom, He will truly make a way which may allow you to start using a gift you may have never realized you had. When I know how God has used me in an email ministry over the past decade, it almost scares me to think if I had ended up hiding that talent because I was afraid (Matt 25:25) instead of using a talent He had given me, it is an accountability I would rather not know that I would be accountable before Him, because He dealt harshly towards the Servant who was considered wicked because he hid his talent rather than making good use of it. It makes me want so much to ask God to reveal all talents in my life so I can fully utilize my life to bring the Hope of Christ to all I come in contact with. I know that when you ask Him to help use you for His good and perfect will, we can know that He can reveal to us every hidden talent that is most useful to many people in need whom we come across and are close to.
The message I want to get across is that God has given us wonderful talents that is most precious and beautiful if we would use them to glorify Him and be a blessing to others. Each of us, no matter how insignificant we may consider ourselves, has a wonderful talent that others in our midst needs. Each one of us is truly unique and there is not another in this world exactly the same as you. For we are Gods workmanship, recreated in Christ to do good works (Eph 2:10). We are a unique beautiful original copy and we should stop trying to be a cheap imitator of someone else just you may feel they are more gifted than you. You most likely have a quality they themselves want. If you are willing and obedient, God can use each of us in a very powerful way so we can each richly bless one another in their time of need. You may be the only Jesus many people may see and the only one whom God can and will use for the greatest mandate in all of history. With Your help Lord, may each of us use every wonderful talent God has given us and hear from Him like the one who received 5 talents, and the two talents and hear God say "Well done thy good and faithful Servant" (Matt 25:21,23). Just because the one servant received two talents does not mean God was not equally pleased with the Servant initially receiving 5 talents. I believe God would have been more displeased with the servant who did receive five, but only used four, rather then the one receiving two talents and using both talents. Therefore, it is not the size or the position of a ministry you hold, but whether or not we are making full use of all our talents to work to glorify God and to bless many others in their time of need. I hope this encourages you to know God has gifted each of you with a priceless talent that will make a positive difference in peoples lives.
Please feel free to visit my website below. God bless.
In the Matchless Name of Jesus
Richard
Associate Director
Answers2Prayer
http://sites.google.com/site/greatestbuilderforourlife
http://www.answers2prayer.org/
"Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." Isaiah 43:19 (NKJV)
Attaining Knowledge of His Word - Part 1
Dear Saints,
When we are able to learn much about any agenda, it is because we understand the value of its purpose for ourselves. People who don't learn about an issue is simply because they don't value or see any purpose for their own benefit. Sadly, this is the case why many people are ignorant of God because they don't value Him and how our very lives are truly in His care. When we want to get the most of Gods Word to make it a vital part of our lives, we need to understand the important purpose that this is the key to benefitting our very lives here in our present existence and life eternal. We need to see the value of who God is and go back to the basics and never lose sight of His Great Character, His awesome attributes in many ways and the greatness of His Love for us.
One of the first things I find important to allow His Word to have the greatest impact in our lives is to identify how much He loves us. This begins by seeing how Great He is and how our lives are truly dependant on His care for us every second of our lives. We need to see the magnitude of His awesome love for us when we see how He left His Throne of Glory to come to earth in a form of man and not only become man, but a lowly servant. He chose to be born in a lowly village called Bethlehem and even humbled to the point in a manger, right at the beginning of birth, He chose to enter this world in the most lowly state (Micah 5:2). Can you imagine the son of the Prince of Wales choosing to live in a most humble abode in a third world country? Yet Christ Himself did this from one extreme to the other more-so that any stately habitation on earth. To think that He endured so much ridicule, opposition, rejection and punishment to willingly gave His all for us at the death on the cross on our behalf, which He bore the curse of mankind (Phil 2:8). To realize He knew that these events were to come, yet He came in obedience to the Fathers will. This should always be the center theme in our thoughts when we choose to read His Word. Knowing that when we read the Bible, He is the fulfillment of the greatest love letter in all history to which it all comes down to. When we position ourselves to be mindful of Who He is, What He has done for us and to the extent that He went to deliver us from sin, hell and the grave, should cause us to love His Word, when we realize that He is the Word (John 1:1,14). When we love to do something (a vocation of our choice), we become truly knowledgeable about it because we see the value in it. When we see the value of who Christ is in a greater way and what He has accomplished for us, His awesome attributes and how He continually sustains us, we love Him above everything else because we are mindful of the value of who He is to our very life. We need to understand that our eternal destiny is determined by how we handle His Word and how we value His instructions by living by them.
Therefore these are the first things to reflect on, and when we do, we will retain the wisdom of His Word because we will see the value He has upon our very lives and know the magnitude of His love for us. I find it very important how we can admire His awesome greatness is to study the sovereignty of God and His awesome attributes in many ways. I do this by meditating on the astronomical size of our universe, the 80+ billion galaxies, the multitude of stars (that make the sun look like a pinhead) and God is the creator of all, who fills all heavens and earth (Jer 23:24; Eph 4:10). Some of the attributes of His sovereign power I like to constantly remind myself are:
His unsearchable Knowledge that exceeds the grains of sands of this earth (Ps 139:17,18)
He has accomplished more than all the volumes of the millions of books ever written (John 21:25)
Knows every one who has ever lived, are living now and yet to live (Rom 11:2)
Knows the number of hairs on our head (Luke 12:7);
Knows every word we have uttered, or before we utter them (Psalm 139:4). Yet He chooses to forgive when we repent having uttered any profanity or unprofitable word (1 John 1:9)
Forms life in every womb (Job 31:15)
There is never a time where God was not present (Psalm 139:7-10);
His foolishness far exceeds the greatest wisdom of man (1 Cor 1:25);
His foreknowledge of all events by reading all the prophesies and realizing how Christ Himself knew many events yet to come (Jer 1:5)
There is nothing that God cannot do (Luke 1:37) ... and on and on we can go. We should be encouraged to continue making a list and reviewing His awesomeness so we don't lose that awe of Him, which is why He was angry with a particular nation who did lose that reverential fear of Him (Jer 2:19).
Comparing the greatness of His Knowledge, Power, Wisdom, Omni-presence and comparing His love equally beyond our capability in all attributes allows us to develop the truth of having reverential fear of God that we should have. When we meditate on these principles over and over in our minds, this is when we start to develop a stronghold of good and Godly qualities He tells us to have. Even though I have been a Christian for over 20 years, I find it’s good for me to go back to these principles and meditate on this. This gives me great comfort to know who He is and what He means to me in my life, how much He loves me and sustains me in the palm of His hands. When I consider all of this, He compels me to want to get to know Him more and more and being able to develop that knowledge and relationship with Him in a far greater way then ever before. Let us never lose value and purpose to the degree we need to retain by having a healthy reverential fear of our dear Lord and put this into practice rather than just reading about this and losing sight on it. Blessings to you in the Lord.
Please feel free to visit my website below. God bless.
In the Matchless Name of Jesus
Richard
Associate Director
Answers2Prayer
http://sites.google.com/site/greatestbuilderforourlife
http://www.answers2prayer.org/
When we are able to learn much about any agenda, it is because we understand the value of its purpose for ourselves. People who don't learn about an issue is simply because they don't value or see any purpose for their own benefit. Sadly, this is the case why many people are ignorant of God because they don't value Him and how our very lives are truly in His care. When we want to get the most of Gods Word to make it a vital part of our lives, we need to understand the important purpose that this is the key to benefitting our very lives here in our present existence and life eternal. We need to see the value of who God is and go back to the basics and never lose sight of His Great Character, His awesome attributes in many ways and the greatness of His Love for us.
One of the first things I find important to allow His Word to have the greatest impact in our lives is to identify how much He loves us. This begins by seeing how Great He is and how our lives are truly dependant on His care for us every second of our lives. We need to see the magnitude of His awesome love for us when we see how He left His Throne of Glory to come to earth in a form of man and not only become man, but a lowly servant. He chose to be born in a lowly village called Bethlehem and even humbled to the point in a manger, right at the beginning of birth, He chose to enter this world in the most lowly state (Micah 5:2). Can you imagine the son of the Prince of Wales choosing to live in a most humble abode in a third world country? Yet Christ Himself did this from one extreme to the other more-so that any stately habitation on earth. To think that He endured so much ridicule, opposition, rejection and punishment to willingly gave His all for us at the death on the cross on our behalf, which He bore the curse of mankind (Phil 2:8). To realize He knew that these events were to come, yet He came in obedience to the Fathers will. This should always be the center theme in our thoughts when we choose to read His Word. Knowing that when we read the Bible, He is the fulfillment of the greatest love letter in all history to which it all comes down to. When we position ourselves to be mindful of Who He is, What He has done for us and to the extent that He went to deliver us from sin, hell and the grave, should cause us to love His Word, when we realize that He is the Word (John 1:1,14). When we love to do something (a vocation of our choice), we become truly knowledgeable about it because we see the value in it. When we see the value of who Christ is in a greater way and what He has accomplished for us, His awesome attributes and how He continually sustains us, we love Him above everything else because we are mindful of the value of who He is to our very life. We need to understand that our eternal destiny is determined by how we handle His Word and how we value His instructions by living by them.
Therefore these are the first things to reflect on, and when we do, we will retain the wisdom of His Word because we will see the value He has upon our very lives and know the magnitude of His love for us. I find it very important how we can admire His awesome greatness is to study the sovereignty of God and His awesome attributes in many ways. I do this by meditating on the astronomical size of our universe, the 80+ billion galaxies, the multitude of stars (that make the sun look like a pinhead) and God is the creator of all, who fills all heavens and earth (Jer 23:24; Eph 4:10). Some of the attributes of His sovereign power I like to constantly remind myself are:
His unsearchable Knowledge that exceeds the grains of sands of this earth (Ps 139:17,18)
He has accomplished more than all the volumes of the millions of books ever written (John 21:25)
Knows every one who has ever lived, are living now and yet to live (Rom 11:2)
Knows the number of hairs on our head (Luke 12:7);
Knows every word we have uttered, or before we utter them (Psalm 139:4). Yet He chooses to forgive when we repent having uttered any profanity or unprofitable word (1 John 1:9)
Forms life in every womb (Job 31:15)
There is never a time where God was not present (Psalm 139:7-10);
His foolishness far exceeds the greatest wisdom of man (1 Cor 1:25);
His foreknowledge of all events by reading all the prophesies and realizing how Christ Himself knew many events yet to come (Jer 1:5)
There is nothing that God cannot do (Luke 1:37) ... and on and on we can go. We should be encouraged to continue making a list and reviewing His awesomeness so we don't lose that awe of Him, which is why He was angry with a particular nation who did lose that reverential fear of Him (Jer 2:19).
Comparing the greatness of His Knowledge, Power, Wisdom, Omni-presence and comparing His love equally beyond our capability in all attributes allows us to develop the truth of having reverential fear of God that we should have. When we meditate on these principles over and over in our minds, this is when we start to develop a stronghold of good and Godly qualities He tells us to have. Even though I have been a Christian for over 20 years, I find it’s good for me to go back to these principles and meditate on this. This gives me great comfort to know who He is and what He means to me in my life, how much He loves me and sustains me in the palm of His hands. When I consider all of this, He compels me to want to get to know Him more and more and being able to develop that knowledge and relationship with Him in a far greater way then ever before. Let us never lose value and purpose to the degree we need to retain by having a healthy reverential fear of our dear Lord and put this into practice rather than just reading about this and losing sight on it. Blessings to you in the Lord.
Please feel free to visit my website below. God bless.
In the Matchless Name of Jesus
Richard
Associate Director
Answers2Prayer
http://sites.google.com/site/greatestbuilderforourlife
http://www.answers2prayer.org/
Attaining Knowledge of His Word - Part 2
Dear Saints.
After meditating on the wonderful attributes of God and how He is willing and able to care for us in the most details of life, we need to know what His Word means to us in order to get the most of His Word in a most practical way. Again, when we are able to acquire and benefit ourselves by gaining richer knowledge and wisdom about anything in general, it is because we are delighted about the positive results it has upon our lives. It's not only meditating on Gods Word alone, but reflecting on the positive results that His Word and instruction brings to our lives, not only in the eternal realm, but also in our present lives. When I spend quality time thinking about where I once was, and what I have gone through, it is priceless to think how much I have learned the wisdom of His Word that have lead me to where I am today. I can honestly say that I may not be where I need to be, but thank God for His Grace and Mercy that I am not where I used to be. Regardless of where I am at, I know that He loves me, and we need to know this for each one of us in a deeper sense.
In the past, where my heart was broken and my life was a daily struggle, it was inviting Him and trusting Him to fight my battles week after week, month after month and year after year. Learning to use His Words of instruction and wisdom of being humble healed my broken heart moment by moment. I now live each day with such hope and peace that I hardly knew about. Where I was often tormented by fears, worries, depression....He has changed that for me so I can live in Peace, having that wonderful faith in Him because I know His love for me. I am no longer anxious about anything, because I know when He is at the helm of my life, I am truly content because He cares for me. When negative words were destroying my life, by His Grace and by His instructions, I am no longer under its authority. He has instructed me to live a victorious life by not allowing negative words to dominate me. Because of His Word and instructions, negative words which had dominated my life, I now have dominion over them by learning from His Word to speak the power of the truth of His Word. He has taught me as His Child to use the authority He has given us and becoming a stronger Christian because of the trials I had gone through. When people often bring discouragement to me, I know when I go to Gods Word and declare them over me and refuse to listen to the lies of the enemy who often speaks through people, I am always encouraged. This is why I know that He truly does love me because I have lived this and proven the positiveness of His Word in my life as a testimony to tell you that HIS WORD WORKS!!
To benefit, we sometimes need to reflect on where we were and where we have come. We may not see any advancement each day, but when you compare your life now as it was several years ago, I know for myself how much I have grown in the Lord. When I take my time to reflect, I see the power and the Truth of how His Word has had a very positive affect on my life. It may not be easy to say this when a person is going through trials at the present time, but I can truly say that I am better off having gone through severe trials because I have learned so much and appreciate what trials other people go through, which God has gifted me to be able to effectively counsel and bring encouragement to so many people in the past decade. I know I would never have had the compassion that I do now if I had not gone through many trials. We may not see what God is doing, but DO KNOW and SAY SO...that you believe God is doing something wonderful in your life. It is often hidden from our sight, but I would say to you...NEVER GIVE UP, because that is what the enemy wants you to do and he lies by telling you nothing is going to change. This is where we can give up and give the enemy legal access to have dominion over our lives, or this is the time where we can dig our heals in and become bold in the Lord and tell him "I BELIEVE GOD IS DOING A GREAT WORK IN ME" and this is where we are strengthened in Him is when we refuse to give up and we boldly declare our dependency on the Lord.
The only thing about this that is devastating is when people just Give Up and fail to believe that God is able to deliver you from trials that is meant to build you up and strengthen you to do greater and mightier works that He alone is able to do through you. When you know that His Word can do this for you, it will motivate you and you will be able to benefit more from His Word in order to be a rich blessing to many others who may later benefit from you. When you think of a little tree that is being planted, you will notice that the tree is not growing much at first, but it is doing something vital that is hidden because it is developing roots in order for the tree itself to become strong. Therefore, if you don't see much of a change at first, do know that He is doing something vital in your life that He can use for His glory. When I realize the trials I had to go through, it was often because He had to break the stubborn pride from my heart and give me a spirit of humility, which is when I benefitted the most. So when you are about to read His Word, KNOW and realize that His Word brings Deliverance; Healing; Restoration; Hope and Life that benefits us in every way. When we stop and see how life enhancing His Word is to each of us personally in every detail of life, this should motivate us to be able to get the most of His Word that we benefit from.
Please feel free to visit my website below. God bless.
In the Matchless Name of Jesus
Richard
Associate Director
Answers2Prayer
http://sites.google.com/site/greatestbuilderforourlife
http://www.answers2prayer.org/
After meditating on the wonderful attributes of God and how He is willing and able to care for us in the most details of life, we need to know what His Word means to us in order to get the most of His Word in a most practical way. Again, when we are able to acquire and benefit ourselves by gaining richer knowledge and wisdom about anything in general, it is because we are delighted about the positive results it has upon our lives. It's not only meditating on Gods Word alone, but reflecting on the positive results that His Word and instruction brings to our lives, not only in the eternal realm, but also in our present lives. When I spend quality time thinking about where I once was, and what I have gone through, it is priceless to think how much I have learned the wisdom of His Word that have lead me to where I am today. I can honestly say that I may not be where I need to be, but thank God for His Grace and Mercy that I am not where I used to be. Regardless of where I am at, I know that He loves me, and we need to know this for each one of us in a deeper sense.
In the past, where my heart was broken and my life was a daily struggle, it was inviting Him and trusting Him to fight my battles week after week, month after month and year after year. Learning to use His Words of instruction and wisdom of being humble healed my broken heart moment by moment. I now live each day with such hope and peace that I hardly knew about. Where I was often tormented by fears, worries, depression....He has changed that for me so I can live in Peace, having that wonderful faith in Him because I know His love for me. I am no longer anxious about anything, because I know when He is at the helm of my life, I am truly content because He cares for me. When negative words were destroying my life, by His Grace and by His instructions, I am no longer under its authority. He has instructed me to live a victorious life by not allowing negative words to dominate me. Because of His Word and instructions, negative words which had dominated my life, I now have dominion over them by learning from His Word to speak the power of the truth of His Word. He has taught me as His Child to use the authority He has given us and becoming a stronger Christian because of the trials I had gone through. When people often bring discouragement to me, I know when I go to Gods Word and declare them over me and refuse to listen to the lies of the enemy who often speaks through people, I am always encouraged. This is why I know that He truly does love me because I have lived this and proven the positiveness of His Word in my life as a testimony to tell you that HIS WORD WORKS!!
To benefit, we sometimes need to reflect on where we were and where we have come. We may not see any advancement each day, but when you compare your life now as it was several years ago, I know for myself how much I have grown in the Lord. When I take my time to reflect, I see the power and the Truth of how His Word has had a very positive affect on my life. It may not be easy to say this when a person is going through trials at the present time, but I can truly say that I am better off having gone through severe trials because I have learned so much and appreciate what trials other people go through, which God has gifted me to be able to effectively counsel and bring encouragement to so many people in the past decade. I know I would never have had the compassion that I do now if I had not gone through many trials. We may not see what God is doing, but DO KNOW and SAY SO...that you believe God is doing something wonderful in your life. It is often hidden from our sight, but I would say to you...NEVER GIVE UP, because that is what the enemy wants you to do and he lies by telling you nothing is going to change. This is where we can give up and give the enemy legal access to have dominion over our lives, or this is the time where we can dig our heals in and become bold in the Lord and tell him "I BELIEVE GOD IS DOING A GREAT WORK IN ME" and this is where we are strengthened in Him is when we refuse to give up and we boldly declare our dependency on the Lord.
The only thing about this that is devastating is when people just Give Up and fail to believe that God is able to deliver you from trials that is meant to build you up and strengthen you to do greater and mightier works that He alone is able to do through you. When you know that His Word can do this for you, it will motivate you and you will be able to benefit more from His Word in order to be a rich blessing to many others who may later benefit from you. When you think of a little tree that is being planted, you will notice that the tree is not growing much at first, but it is doing something vital that is hidden because it is developing roots in order for the tree itself to become strong. Therefore, if you don't see much of a change at first, do know that He is doing something vital in your life that He can use for His glory. When I realize the trials I had to go through, it was often because He had to break the stubborn pride from my heart and give me a spirit of humility, which is when I benefitted the most. So when you are about to read His Word, KNOW and realize that His Word brings Deliverance; Healing; Restoration; Hope and Life that benefits us in every way. When we stop and see how life enhancing His Word is to each of us personally in every detail of life, this should motivate us to be able to get the most of His Word that we benefit from.
Please feel free to visit my website below. God bless.
In the Matchless Name of Jesus
Richard
Associate Director
Answers2Prayer
http://sites.google.com/site/greatestbuilderforourlife
http://www.answers2prayer.org/
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