Spirit and Truth

God is seeking people to worship Him on His terms- in spirit and in truth. “In spirit” means with all of your heart. “In truth” means according to God’s revelations of Himself in His Word.

A time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth,  for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth. -John 4:23-24John 4:23-24
English: World English Bible - WEB
23 But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to be his worshippers. ²⁴ God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

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Prayer: Father, worship is not limited to one hour on Sunday. Teach me to worship You through the reading of  Your Word, through solitude and meditation, through scripture memory, through singing songs of praise to Your holy name, and through all the many other ways that You reveal Yourself to me. In Jesus’ name, amen.

-Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges

The Wheel

You know in a wheel there is one portion that never turns round, that stands steadfast, and that is the axle. So, in God’s Providence there is an axle which never moves. Christian, here is a sweet thought for thee! Thy state is ever changing: sometimes thou art exalted, and sometimes depressed; yet there is an unmoving point in thy state. What is that axle? What is the pivot upon which all the machinery revolves? It is the axle of God’s everlasting love towards his covenant people. The exterior of the wheel is changing; but the centre stands forever fixed. Other things may move; but God’s love never moves; it is the axle of the wheel, and will endure.

Charles Spurgeon

A Prison of Words

Few of us realize that our confession imprisons us. The right kind of confession will set us free. It is not only in our thinking; it is our words, our conversation that builds power or weakness into us. Our words are coins in the Kingdom of Faith. Our words snare us and hold us in captivity or they set us free and become powerful in the lives of others. It is what we confess with our lips that really dominate our inner being. We unconsciously confess what we believe. If we talk sickness, it is because we believe in sickness. If we talk weakness and failure, it is because we believe in weakness and failure. It is surprising what faith people have in wrong things. -E.W. Kenyon

I find myself as an generally optimistic person to say many negative things during the day. I talk about customers, government, church policies ect.. And I don’t realize what harm I am doing to myself and to the people or organizations I am speaking against. We trap ourselves with our words sometimes. We give our tongue free reign to bless and curse, build up or break down, to give life or death. It says in Proverbs 18:21Proverbs 18:21
English: World English Bible - WEB
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue; Those who love it will eat its fruit.

WP-Bible plugin- Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eats its fruit. I encourage you to speak life, speak blessing, and build up the ones who are around you. It can make such a great impact on someones life by just saying something nice to them. And when you build up others and speak positive you will open up the door for favor. Just the other day I was in a fast food chain to grab some rolls and sweet tea and I noticed the guy behind the counter just looked wore out and a little down. So I complimented his store for always have great service and smiling faces just encouraged him and took the time to engage in a conversation for a minute or two. By the end of the conversation the guy looked like he had just got his batteries recharged and was sporting a big smile, it made his day. Just a couple of kind words and a minute of my time. As I was going to pay he said it was on the house and not to worry about it. When you bless others and speak into their lives except favor to follow. God honors us when we honor others so choose life and turn your tongue into and instrument of blessing.

Another Source of Wisdom

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.” -Proverbs 3:5Proverbs 3:5
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5 Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, And don’t lean on your own understanding.

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Our immediate and natural instinct is to trust what we can see, touch, and feel and to rely on our ability to figure out solutions to any problem. When the chips are down, we “lean” on our ability to analyze situations and figure out what to do next.   In fact, many of us become obsessed with figuring out what to do when times are tough. We call it ” worry”. We can’t concentrate on the job in front of us because we’re still thinking about the problem, situation, or comment that absorbs our minds. We can’t sleep becasue we go over fears and our plans again and again. We create scenarios and weigh options. We try to imagine other’s responses, and our fears compound. Leaning on our own understanding may not sound like such a bad thing ( after all, God gave us our minds) but hours, days, and weeks of endless analysis, confusion, and self-doubt can dominate our lives.   Our instinct, though is flawed and limited. Another source of wisdom is far superior to our ability to figure things out. We are connected with God of the universe, the One who knows all, sees all, and is powerfully able to accomplish anything He desires. The more we grasp this fundamental fact of the Christian faith, the more we will learn to overcome our instincts and trust in an unseen but all-seeing God.                     

-Zig Ziglar

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A Servants Heart

For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of this service to the saints. And they did not do as we we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will.  -2 Corinthians 8:3-52 Corinthians 8:3-5
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3 For according to their power, I testify, yes and beyond their power, they gave of their own accord, ⁴ begging us with much entreaty to receive this grace and the fellowship in the service to the saints. ⁵ This was not as we had hoped, but first they gave their own selves to the Lord, and to us through the will of God.

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The journey of the Christian life is one that seeks to transform a self-serving heart into a serving heart. It is about realizing that life is about what you give rather than what you get.  -Ken Blanchard & Phil Hodges

A servants heart is truly more about giving than getting.  Sometimes with our consumer like mentality we come to church or a fellowship with a couple things in mind. “What can I get out of it, and what will it cost me.” Though these may be valid questions that you should ask yourself, they go against everything Christ has taught us. Jesus said in Matthew 20:26-28Matthew 20:26-28
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26 It shall not be so among you, but whoever desires to become great among you shall be TR reads “let him be” instead of “shall be” your servant. ²⁷ Whoever desires to be first among you shall be your bondservant, ²⁸ even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

WP-Bible plugin- Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and give his life as a ransom for many.  Our whole mindset about church, work, and our families change when we figure out that we are here to serve. So many people wander from church to church, job to job, and from spouse to spouse. All because they believe life is about getting the best, not about serving the best. I you want be a leader, learn to serve. If you want to be great in business and marketing, learn to serve. If you want to be a great father or husband, learn to serve. 

A selfish or self-serving person with a consumer mentality will ask “what can I get out of it, and what will it cost me.” A servant leader with a kingdom mentality will say “how can I serve, and I don’t care about the cost.”

Blessed to Bless

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.”   Numbers 6:24-26Numbers 6:24-26
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24 ‘Yahweh bless you, and keep you. ²⁵ Yahweh make his face to shine on you, And be gracious to you. ²⁶ Yahweh lift up his face toward you, And give you peace.’

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To bless is to grant favor, and we trust God to give us His favor. We don’t just roll through our lives with no thought of God. Instead we look to Him to give us wisdom in all we do, to guide us, and to give us success in our relationships and our work. This prayer for blessing, though, doesn’t guarantee a worry free life. Problems show us again that God is faithful to provide for us.  He is present with us every second of every day, and we can experience His peace because He understands our situations-even when we don’t. When we trust God this way, we shine light on everyone around us. As we experience God’s blessing, we bless others. -Zig Ziglar

When I read this devotional I thought I should share it you, and give you a challenge.  Today, and all throughout the week pray this prayer (Numbers 6:24-26Numbers 6:24-26
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24 ‘Yahweh bless you, and keep you. ²⁵ Yahweh make his face to shine on you, And be gracious to you. ²⁶ Yahweh lift up his face toward you, And give you peace.’

WP-Bible plugin) over your spouse, children, family, friends, and yourself. Pray it out loud and make these words come alive in your spirit. I believe you will see a change in your week if you do so. Be blessed and let God’s light shine through you today.

Jesus, God or a Lunatic?

“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic- on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg- or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronising nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”

                                                                                                               -C.S. Lewis

Win with Love

John 13:34-35John 13:34-35
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34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, just like I have loved you; that you also love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

WP-Bible plugin  “ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Love is the greatest gift we can give. It is greater than any other gift God has given us. Without it the Father would have never sent His Son, His Son [Jesus] would not have died for our sins and we would live in different world condemned by the law.  All the miracles that Jesus done, everything He said, even the way He Died was all an act of Love for us.  It is so easy for us to get caught up in our everyday lives and forget about showing Christ’s love for one another. Whether it is at work, church, school, or home try to show Christ’s love all around you.  People will know that we are Christ’s disciples when we show His example of love. People today are turned off by religion but turned to Christ with love. Not just fake smiles or gestures, but meaningful deep hearted love.  Love that goes out if its way to lend a helping hand, love that forgives those who have hurt them. A love that cannot be bought or shaken. Christ’s love.

I Corinthians 13:4-7   “Love is patient and kind.  Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.                   Love Never Fails.

“The hardness of God is kinder than the softness of men” -C.S. Lewis

A Great Work

Nehemiah 6:2-3Nehemiah 6:2-3
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2 that Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, Come, let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief. ³ I sent messengers to them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I can’t come down: why should the work cease, while I leave it, and come down to you?

WP-Bible plugin   They sent to me saying, “Come, let us meet together among the villages in the plain of Ono.” But they thought to do me harm. So I sent messengers to them, saying, ” I am doing a “Great Work”, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?

When Nehemiah’s enemy’s heard he was rebuilding the wall they had a plan to harm him and stop the great work that God had started. Just as Israel’s enemies feared Nehemiah’s great work (rebuilding the wall).  The Devil fears “true”church and personal growth. Wherever the enemy is faced with the threat of a growing church, ministry or person, he will release his most insidious strategies in order to stop it. One of Satan’s primary strategies is to torment the people who are accomplishing the most for God’s kingdom. He will do whatever it takes to keep the people of God from bearing fruit. Just like in Nehemiah the enemy will try to distract you and send a plan of harm your way to keep you from finishing the great work. And when you face an attack of the enemy that is the time that you should work even harder at God’s purpose for you. An attack means that your doing exactly what God wants you to do and it is a threat to the enemy. Just as Nehemiah spoke “I am carrying on a great work and cannot go down.” We cannot back down from the great work that God has called us to do.

Nehemiah 6:15-16Nehemiah 6:15-16
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15 So the wall was finished in the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. ¹⁶ It happened, when all our enemies heard of it, that all the nations that were about us feared, and were much cast down in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was worked of our God.

WP-Bible plugin So the wall was finished in 52 days.  And it happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for the perceived that this work was done by our God.