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Inspirations
"Live Life to the Fullest"
Death is not the end it’s merely a new beginning. Fear of the unknown, unexplained or separation is what grips our hearts as we watch our friends, loved ones, or we our self cross those bridges into unchartered territory.
I was recently told the story of a gentleman in my home town who’d been given four weeks to live in this world as we know it. As recount was being told of the last steps of his journey I was amazed at the passion he has as he lives. His flesh is dying, but his spirit is more alive than ever. He chooses to live with more passion as the clock ticks than those who have hope for a future.
He’s no longer living in this world, his purpose is complete and he has embraced death, and is actually looking forward to his crossing. He has vision and plans for the other side and he eagerly awaits his appointment with the death of his flesh and the homecoming of his Spirit. But as he remains here on earth he’s also is embracing each moment living life to the fullest.
John 17: 2 – 4
As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou has given him.
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
Having a revelation of the truth of God’s word can allow us to embrace whatever circumstances are placed before us. For Christ finished the work over two thousand years ago and the plan of God is in place. We can have eternal life, but the choice is up to us. Not only can we secure eternal salvation through the Blood of Jesus Christ, we can live an abundant life while dwelling in these fleshly temples.
Do you serve your flesh or are you lead by his Spirit. Are you Living?
"What's In Your Hands"
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
The other day while Christmas shopping with my niece I got a glimpse of the True Spirit of Christmas that’s often hidden in the hustle and bustle of the season. She and I were walking hand in hand fully equipped with purses, lists and smiles in tow as she spotted a man standing in the cold holding a red bucket and ringing a bell. Of course with the curiosity of a five year old she couldn’t resist asking who he was and what his purpose was. In passing I told her that he was collecting money for children who weren’t going to get anything for Christmas. Then without hesitation she stopped and proceeded to open her purse which held all her worldly treasures, for that day at least. Included was a sandwich bag with five quarters, meant for gum ball machines and hobby horse rides within the mall. Without one single hesitation she marched over and gave of what she had not giving a second thought to her needs or wants being met. As we went on about our shopping trip she didn’t stop to tell everyone alone the way she had gave, she didn’t look back and try to recover what she’d given. Once the moment was over it was over for her. But for me it just began.
I couldn’t help but be reminded of the Widow in the bible whose notorious for the two mites she gave with a pure heart. Though Jesus didn’t find it necessary to tell us her name her act of giving certainly got his attention and has held its place in history. Jesus said in Luke 21:3 “Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all. For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God; but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.
I challenge you to stir up the true spirit of giving within yourself. I know I plan to. So many times what we have isn’t enough to meet our needs anyways, why not learn to give it away. Whether it’s your money, your time, look at your hands and ask yourself what do they possess? What has God given you to hand out? It’s easy to give your money, what else do you have to give.
To anyone reading this who finds them self dreading the season, because of a loss or tragedy that’s left you feeling alone or hopeless. To you I say HOLD ON and DON’T GIVE UP. Tomorrow is a new day and with it brings hope for newness in your life. Isaiah 43:18-19 tells us to “Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. 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.” Now there’s a God who’s got your back! He will never leave you or fail you and he loves you with an everlasting love!
Have A Very Merry Christmas!!
"Soar Like An Eagle"
Psalms 30:5 Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
God has heard your cries. He has heard your prayers (Isaiah 38:5.) He sees your tears. Did you know that God has count of every tear you’ve ever shed. (Psalms 56:8) From the skinned knee when you were six to the broken heart at sixteen to the disappointments and regrets of life at fifty. How awesome to know that there is a Living God who not only knows your name, but he feels your pain. He is a God who desires to give hope to the hopeless and help to the helpless.
We can allow the storms of life to toss us to and fro or we can use these trials to elevate us to a higher level in Christ. When an eagle comes upon a storm he doesn’t struggle with the adverse winds, rather he uses the opportunity for the winds of change to act as an undercurrent and lift him up. The eagle soars above the storm. He doesn’t wear himself out flapping in the wind. He simply spreads his wings, rests and learns to ride out the storm. We as God’s children need to apply this same concept to our lives. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up as wings of eagles they shall run and not grow weary they shall walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:31)…….. Teach us Lord to Wait.
“Faith sees the Invisible, Believes the Unbelievable, and Receives the Impossible.” Corrie Ten Boom
"Whose Your Daddy?"
Romans 4:18
Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoke, So shall thy seed be.
During the past week I crossed paths with a couple individuals of another “religious faith.” In the course of our conversation we exchanged personal beliefs or faith declarations. Prior to ending our conversation one of the individuals verbally challenged me to reconsider the foundation of everything I believe and hold as the truth in my heart.
I have to admit that it was all I could do not to laugh out loud. Had they not heard anything I said. As graciously as I possible could at the moment, I picked up my jaw from the ground, and went on to let them know it was a little to late in life to try and change my mind for I’ve seen the goodness and mercy of God in action to many times to doubt God Almighty. He reigns Three in One and I serve a Living God!
I had to commend this person for their desire and drive to “recruit” me so passionately yet at the same time I felt such empathy for the deep rooted deception in a false belief.
As we parted and went our separate ways, I began to think about the righteousness of God. Because, of My Living God.
Romans 4:13 says “For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteous of faith.” What is so simple mankind can’t help but wrestle with. When will we learn it’s not about us or our deeds and works it’s all about our faith in Jesus Christ. Romans 12:3 tells us that “God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”
In Romans chapter 4 we find Abraham as a perfect example of standing for what you believe in. He was a man who God had told that he would be the father of many nations. Yet despite his circumstances he chose to believe God. “Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, so shall thy seed be.” Because of his faith in God we see in verse 22 “it was imputed to him for righteousness.” We also know that Abraham staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but he was strong in his faith giving Glory to God. I happened to look up the Greek word staggered (diakrino) it means to judge or to be divided in ones mind. What an example Abraham was to us. Do we stagger at the word of God? Are we divided in our minds?
God’s word is full of promises for all those who chose to believe. He desires a peaceful abundant life for each of his children (that’s you and me) but we must chose to believe him and walk a path that will be counted as righteousness of faith, one step at a time, as he holds tightly to our hands.
On, whom do you believe? In other words...Whose your Daddy?
Because Emanuel Lives I Expect Victory Every time
"Prevailing Faith"
I recently read an article by Smith Wigglesworth titled “Faith That Prevails.” Wiggleworth had the privilege of leading thousands to the revelation knowledge of Jesus Christ and multitudes received their manifested healings as a result of his prayers and teachings.
Wigglesworth told the story of a young mother he encountered on one of his trips who had been extremely ill for an extended period of time. So much so that she was consumed with spirits much like that of a lunatic. Her illness had not only worn her out but her family and those around her as well. When Wigglesworth approached them desiring to pray for her their hearts had grown cold and bitter towards God. They were full of doubt and unbelief.
In the article Wigglesworth responded by saying:
“If you get anything from God, you will have to pray into heaven; it’s all there. If you are living in the earth realm and expect things from heaven, they will never come. And as I saw, in the presence of God, the limitations of my faith, there came another faith, a faith that could not be denied, a faith that took the promise, and a faith that believed God’s word. And from that presence, I came back again to earth, but not the same man. God gave a faith that could shake hell and anything else.”
Sounds to me like when we learn to kill our flesh, our will, and submit to God’s will on earth as he wills from heaven only then will we be free to walk in the fullness of his plan(s). In Matthew 6:10 Jesus plainly instructs us to pray for heavens will on earth. Sometimes we make God much more complicated looking for “the right combination” in matters of faith and prayer.
Wigglesworth prayed for the young mother, she fell into a deep sleep that lasted fourteen hours and when she awoke she had been divinely healed!
I believe that a key factor in this story was the fact that after he prayed, she went to sleep and rested. Do you suppose that is what is meant in Is. 40:31 when it says to wait upon the Lord and you’ll renew your strength, only then will we mount up with wings as eagles and begin to soar.
Whether we’re like the manic mother or the bystanders, we can all relate to being in situations that have looked hopeless. The good news is that God is no respecter of persons, what he did for the young mother in this story he longs to do for each of us. It’s key that we learn to channel past earthly realities and facts and have the mind of Christ in all matters. (Romans 8:27)
"Looking for Life Among the Dead"
Isaiah 60:5
Then you shall see and be radiant, and your heart shall thrill and tremble with joy (at the glorious deliverance) and be enlarged; because the abundant wealth of the (Dead) Sea shall be turned to you; unto you shall the nations come with their treasures.
(Amplified Bible)
Now that's the power of prophesy! I dare to think that when the Prophet Isaiah declared that the wealth of the Dead Sea shall be turned back to Jerusalem that he foresaw the reality of his words, as we have the privilege of in this present day and time.
The Dead Sea tempts much of today's society with it's promises of rich mud baths, hot springs and healing recreational activities, just to name a few. When the Lord spoke through Isaiah and promised Jerusalem the wealth of the Dead Sea, he wasn't only referring to its mineral rich contents that did not appear to the naked eye at that time.
In 1935 it was discovered that the waters of the Dead Sea contained important chemicals, salts to be exact. G. T. B. Davis wrote, "One is almost staggered by the computed wealth of the chemical salts of the Dead Sea. It is estimated that the potential value of the potash, bromine, and other chemical salts of it's waters is ...four times the wealth of the United States." (Amplified Bible)
WOW, think about that! Something that man had cast aside and esteemed of no worth upon closer look revealed itself to be of great value. When the Prophet Isaiah spoke that the wealth of the Dead Sea belonged to Jerusalem he was speaking to the church of today. There is such a vast amount of wealth within arms reach that looks dead to the human eye, but within each individual there contains the salt of the earth that makes up the wealth of Christ Kingdom. I think it not strange that my God said we are the salt of his earth. (Matthew 5:13) Ye are the salt of the earth.
The church is incomplete, because we are lacking the wealth Isaiah prophesied of. This wealth is currently hidden behind the faces of many hurting and confused people. There are many gifts, talents and dreams that have yet to come forth, because they lie behind the mask of death. Whether death represents itself through drugs, alcohol, hate, loneliness, lust, arrogance, or just an absence of God in ones life the reality is Jesus Christ came with good news.
He came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. (John 10:10) He wishes about all things that we prosper and be in health. (3 John 1:2) Death was defeated after the cross when Christ went to hell and took the keys to death, hell and the grave. (Revelations 1:18) I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and death. Death where is your sting and grave where is your victory. (I Corinthians 15:55)
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