Heb 10:23
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
NKJV
2 Cor 1:20
20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.
NKJV
2 Tim 2:13
13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.
NKJV
James 1:6
6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
NKJV
My Comments:
In continuing our discussion on faith; and the confession of our faith in relation to God's promises, we must remember that God is a faithful God. His very Nature is that of being faithful to His Word.
Paul writes that all the promises of God are Yes, and Amen in the Bible. His Word stands true no matter the circumstances! Times may change, seasons may changes, we go through ups and downs in our lives, but God's Word stands eternal!
Even though at times we may lose faith, be discouraged and feel that God isn't faithful to His promises that we hold on to, it does not change the truth that He is faithful. He cannot deny His very Nature!
If you have promises that you hold on to regarding your life, your circumstances, keep holding them up to God as true! Don't give up! God is faithful to perform what He has promised to do in your lives!
Friday, January 11, 2013
Thursday, January 10, 2013
The Faith That Takes What God Gave
Mark 11:24
24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
NKJV
Matt 21:22
22 And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."
NKJV
My Comments:
In Mark 11:24, many of us seem to think that receiving from God is a passive thing, that when we pray, all we have to do is just wait for the answer to our prayers to just fall into our laps like ripe cherries (or durian, depending on where you are) off a tree. Some people spend years just waiting and wondering why their breakthrough or miracle seem to be taking so long. Others give up and say 'Maybe it's just not God's will that I get my breakthrough [whether it be healing, financial provision, reconciliation]'
Many translations translate the word 'receive' as 'receive', when in reality, if we were to look at it in Greek, it gives an entirely different definition altogether.
In Greek, the word 'receive' is the word 'lambano', and its meanings are as follows:
I. to take,
II. to receive (what is given); to gain, get, obtain:
If we were to rephrase Mark 11:24 according to the primary meaning of the word 'lambano'; that is 'to take', it gives the Christian a more active role in the appropriation of their blessings, rather than being passive and waiting for it to come. We would not be doing a great injustice if we worded it as 'believe that you take them, and you will have them'.
It is similar to our salvation experience, where we experience being born again. It didn't come to us like ripe cherries off a tree. We made an active decision to declare by faith that we were redeemed from sin through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. We believed that we 'took' our salvation, and we received it by faith!
To provide a balance to it, as we have seen excesses in this teaching, I want to clarify that we should have faith to take what God has so graciously provided to start with.
Eph 2:8-9
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
NKJV
We cannot boast that we managed to 'earn' our blessings because we 'took' them by faith. We can't take by force something that hasn't been provided for us to start with. For us to take, Someone had to offer it first!
God, in His mercy, has extended out His hand towards us, and given us promises in the Bible regarding His faithfulness to meet our need in all areas of our life. He made the first move, and we have to make an active decision to respond to His faithfulness and appropriate; or lay hold of His promises by faith.
24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
NKJV
Matt 21:22
22 And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."
NKJV
My Comments:
In Mark 11:24, many of us seem to think that receiving from God is a passive thing, that when we pray, all we have to do is just wait for the answer to our prayers to just fall into our laps like ripe cherries (or durian, depending on where you are) off a tree. Some people spend years just waiting and wondering why their breakthrough or miracle seem to be taking so long. Others give up and say 'Maybe it's just not God's will that I get my breakthrough [whether it be healing, financial provision, reconciliation]'
Many translations translate the word 'receive' as 'receive', when in reality, if we were to look at it in Greek, it gives an entirely different definition altogether.
In Greek, the word 'receive' is the word 'lambano', and its meanings are as follows:
I. to take,
II. to receive (what is given); to gain, get, obtain:
If we were to rephrase Mark 11:24 according to the primary meaning of the word 'lambano'; that is 'to take', it gives the Christian a more active role in the appropriation of their blessings, rather than being passive and waiting for it to come. We would not be doing a great injustice if we worded it as 'believe that you take them, and you will have them'.
It is similar to our salvation experience, where we experience being born again. It didn't come to us like ripe cherries off a tree. We made an active decision to declare by faith that we were redeemed from sin through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. We believed that we 'took' our salvation, and we received it by faith!
To provide a balance to it, as we have seen excesses in this teaching, I want to clarify that we should have faith to take what God has so graciously provided to start with.
Eph 2:8-9
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
NKJV
We cannot boast that we managed to 'earn' our blessings because we 'took' them by faith. We can't take by force something that hasn't been provided for us to start with. For us to take, Someone had to offer it first!
God, in His mercy, has extended out His hand towards us, and given us promises in the Bible regarding His faithfulness to meet our need in all areas of our life. He made the first move, and we have to make an active decision to respond to His faithfulness and appropriate; or lay hold of His promises by faith.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Caught And Bound By What You Said!
Prov 6:2
2 You are snared with the words of your lips, you are caught by the speech of your mouth.
AMP
Matt 12:34-37
34 You offspring of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil (wicked)? For out of the fullness (the overflow, the superabundance) of the heart the mouth speaks.
35 The good man from his inner good treasure flings forth good things, and the evil man out of his inner evil storehouse flings forth evil things.
36 But I tell you, on the day of judgment men will have to give account for every idle (inoperative, nonworking) word they speak.
37 For by your words you will be justified and acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned and sentenced.
AMP
Luke 19:20-22
20 "Then another [servant] came, saying, 'Master, here is your mina, which I have kept put away in a handkerchief.
21 For I feared you, because you are an austere man. You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.'
22 And he said to him,'Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow.
NKJV
Mark 11:23
23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
NKJV
My Comments:
F.F Bosworth (1877-1958), a great healing evangelist in the days of the early Pentecostal Movement till the Healing Revivals in the 1950s said once that "You will never rise above the level of your confession".
Have you ever noticed that you're always bound to what you said, in one way or another? The Bible states clearly both in the Old and New Testaments that we're bound by what we said!
The writer of Proverbs 6:2 stated clearly that we're caught by what we said. If we said something, or promised to do something, we're bound to perform according to what we said. Are you familiar with the phrase "Your word is your bond."? People will always remember what you are according to what you said.
Notice that Jesus, in talking to the Pharisees, gave further depth to what was written in Proverbs 6:2 by declaring that we would be either justified or condemned by what we said. Try looking back over the years and examine the words you spoke. You'd find that in some way or another, the words you spoke had an impact in molding you into the person you are today.
The parable of the Minas (Luke 19:11-27) shows a literal application on how we're bound by what we say. Note what the 3rd servant said to his master in v21, and the master's response in the following verse:
21 For I feared you, because you are an austere man. You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.'
22 And he said to him,'Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow.
The master said clearly, "Out of your own mouth I will judge you". That servant confessed that his master was an austere [stern, hard, severe] man, and he was judged based on how he saw his master!
Tying this back to Mark 11:23, Jesus said that we would have whatever we said. How much more we should examine the words that we speak, that we speak life and not death into our situations, knowing that our words have a material impact on how we live!
2 You are snared with the words of your lips, you are caught by the speech of your mouth.
AMP
Matt 12:34-37
34 You offspring of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil (wicked)? For out of the fullness (the overflow, the superabundance) of the heart the mouth speaks.
35 The good man from his inner good treasure flings forth good things, and the evil man out of his inner evil storehouse flings forth evil things.
36 But I tell you, on the day of judgment men will have to give account for every idle (inoperative, nonworking) word they speak.
37 For by your words you will be justified and acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned and sentenced.
AMP
Luke 19:20-22
20 "Then another [servant] came, saying, 'Master, here is your mina, which I have kept put away in a handkerchief.
21 For I feared you, because you are an austere man. You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.'
22 And he said to him,'Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow.
NKJV
Mark 11:23
23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
NKJV
My Comments:
F.F Bosworth (1877-1958), a great healing evangelist in the days of the early Pentecostal Movement till the Healing Revivals in the 1950s said once that "You will never rise above the level of your confession".
Have you ever noticed that you're always bound to what you said, in one way or another? The Bible states clearly both in the Old and New Testaments that we're bound by what we said!
The writer of Proverbs 6:2 stated clearly that we're caught by what we said. If we said something, or promised to do something, we're bound to perform according to what we said. Are you familiar with the phrase "Your word is your bond."? People will always remember what you are according to what you said.
Notice that Jesus, in talking to the Pharisees, gave further depth to what was written in Proverbs 6:2 by declaring that we would be either justified or condemned by what we said. Try looking back over the years and examine the words you spoke. You'd find that in some way or another, the words you spoke had an impact in molding you into the person you are today.
The parable of the Minas (Luke 19:11-27) shows a literal application on how we're bound by what we say. Note what the 3rd servant said to his master in v21, and the master's response in the following verse:
21 For I feared you, because you are an austere man. You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.'
22 And he said to him,'Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow.
The master said clearly, "Out of your own mouth I will judge you". That servant confessed that his master was an austere [stern, hard, severe] man, and he was judged based on how he saw his master!
Tying this back to Mark 11:23, Jesus said that we would have whatever we said. How much more we should examine the words that we speak, that we speak life and not death into our situations, knowing that our words have a material impact on how we live!
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Faith Is What You Speak, Not What You Think!
Mark 11:22-24
22 So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God.
23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
NKJV
2 Cor 4:13
13 And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke," we also believe and therefore speak
NKJV
Rom 10:10
10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
NKJV
My Comments:
A lot of times I find that when we're believing for a breakthrough in our lives, we seem to think that the breakthrough will come just because we think about it.
Note that in Jesus' lesson on faith (Mk 11:23), He emphasized the speaking part of faith 3 times more than the believing! It's strange that we seem to have reversed the order and done 3 times as much believing compared to speaking!
Even in Paul's writings to the churches at Corinth, and Rome, he emphasized that one's belief was almost always accompanied by speaking!
Faith is not mental assent! We don't exercise our faith by just thinking about it, we boldly confess it with our mouths!
F.F Bosworth, a great man of God; said this, that "You will never rise above the level of your confession". We can do all the thinking we want to, but until we confess it, we won't have it!
22 So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God.
23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
NKJV
2 Cor 4:13
13 And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke," we also believe and therefore speak
NKJV
Rom 10:10
10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
NKJV
My Comments:
A lot of times I find that when we're believing for a breakthrough in our lives, we seem to think that the breakthrough will come just because we think about it.
Note that in Jesus' lesson on faith (Mk 11:23), He emphasized the speaking part of faith 3 times more than the believing! It's strange that we seem to have reversed the order and done 3 times as much believing compared to speaking!
Even in Paul's writings to the churches at Corinth, and Rome, he emphasized that one's belief was almost always accompanied by speaking!
Faith is not mental assent! We don't exercise our faith by just thinking about it, we boldly confess it with our mouths!
F.F Bosworth, a great man of God; said this, that "You will never rise above the level of your confession". We can do all the thinking we want to, but until we confess it, we won't have it!
Monday, January 7, 2013
That Same Faith
2 Cor 4:13
13 And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke," we also believe and therefore speak,
NKJV
Mark 11:23
23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
NKJV
My Comments:
Paul was not one of the original apostles who walked with Jesus at the time when He cursed the fig tree and taught them that they could do the same. But note that in his letter to the church at Corinth, he wrote to them, saying that they had the 'same spirit of faith', which was demonstrated through their believing and speaking!
Likewise, we also have the same spirit of faith that they did! We don't have to look at other anointed men and women of God, benchmark ourselves against them, and feel sorry for ourselves because we don't seem to match up to their level of faith! God gives us the faith we need to fulfill the calling that He has for us!
It's not the amount of faith you have that matters; what matters is that you have the same spirit of faith that they have, because you have the exact same source of faith, Jesus!
I like what a minister by the name of Ed Dufresne had to say, and I'll just quote him directly: "God never gives a minister a bigger job than His gift of faith. He gives you the measure of faith needed to believe for what you need in that office"
Amen!
13 And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke," we also believe and therefore speak,
NKJV
Mark 11:23
23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
NKJV
My Comments:
Paul was not one of the original apostles who walked with Jesus at the time when He cursed the fig tree and taught them that they could do the same. But note that in his letter to the church at Corinth, he wrote to them, saying that they had the 'same spirit of faith', which was demonstrated through their believing and speaking!
Likewise, we also have the same spirit of faith that they did! We don't have to look at other anointed men and women of God, benchmark ourselves against them, and feel sorry for ourselves because we don't seem to match up to their level of faith! God gives us the faith we need to fulfill the calling that He has for us!
It's not the amount of faith you have that matters; what matters is that you have the same spirit of faith that they have, because you have the exact same source of faith, Jesus!
I like what a minister by the name of Ed Dufresne had to say, and I'll just quote him directly: "God never gives a minister a bigger job than His gift of faith. He gives you the measure of faith needed to believe for what you need in that office"
Amen!
Friday, January 4, 2013
Looking To Faith's Source
Heb 11:6
6 But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out].
AMP
Heb 12:2
2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
NKJV
Rom 12:3
For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
NKJV
My Comments:
The life of the Christian should be a life of faith, putting our trust solely in the One who is more than able to meet our shortcomings in any area of our lives.
At times, we may argue, "But I have no faith!" My answer is, just look to Jesus! He is the Author and the Finisher of our faith! What that means is that what He started in us, He will complete! The Amplified version of Heb 12:2 brings further light into His role as the Source of our faith. He is the Source of everything good in our lives!
Not only that, the Word also states that God has dealt to each of us a measure of faith! Therefore we already have faith, whether we're aware of it or not!
At any time, if we feel like we're lacking faith, just look to Jesus our Source, and be assured that He will complete what He has started in us!
6 But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out].
AMP
Heb 12:2
2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
NKJV
Rom 12:3
For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
NKJV
My Comments:
The life of the Christian should be a life of faith, putting our trust solely in the One who is more than able to meet our shortcomings in any area of our lives.
At times, we may argue, "But I have no faith!" My answer is, just look to Jesus! He is the Author and the Finisher of our faith! What that means is that what He started in us, He will complete! The Amplified version of Heb 12:2 brings further light into His role as the Source of our faith. He is the Source of everything good in our lives!
Not only that, the Word also states that God has dealt to each of us a measure of faith! Therefore we already have faith, whether we're aware of it or not!
At any time, if we feel like we're lacking faith, just look to Jesus our Source, and be assured that He will complete what He has started in us!
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
What Do You See For 2013?
Gen 13:14-17
14 And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: "Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are -- northward, southward, eastward, and westward;
15 for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever.
16 And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered.
17 Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you."
NKJV
Isa 54:2-3
2 "Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; do not spare; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes.
3 For you shall expand to the right and to the left, and your descendants will inherit the nations, and make the desolate cities inhabited.
NKJV
My Comments:
I was in a prayer meeting Jan 1st, and the pastor shared Gen 13:14-17 that was on his heart. In the light of that, Isa 54:2-3 rose up in my spirit this morning, and a word from the Lord came forth regarding 2013. Believing that it will be a blessing to you! I will continue my studies on faith tomorrow.
2012 has come and gone
2013 is like a brand new born
Some may ask "What does it hold?"
I say "The Best that will be told!"
It's a year of increase, a year of growth
A year of stepping into an overflow
Others may say "How can this be?"
It's not up to you, it's up to Me!
So lift up your hands and raise a shout
As you see your problems on the way out
Yes, lift up your eyes to see
As I show Myself strong on behalf of thee
Yes, 2013 will be a year of glory
As for you it will be the best story!
14 And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: "Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are -- northward, southward, eastward, and westward;
15 for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever.
16 And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered.
17 Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you."
NKJV
Isa 54:2-3
2 "Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; do not spare; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes.
3 For you shall expand to the right and to the left, and your descendants will inherit the nations, and make the desolate cities inhabited.
NKJV
My Comments:
I was in a prayer meeting Jan 1st, and the pastor shared Gen 13:14-17 that was on his heart. In the light of that, Isa 54:2-3 rose up in my spirit this morning, and a word from the Lord came forth regarding 2013. Believing that it will be a blessing to you! I will continue my studies on faith tomorrow.
2012 has come and gone
2013 is like a brand new born
Some may ask "What does it hold?"
I say "The Best that will be told!"
It's a year of increase, a year of growth
A year of stepping into an overflow
Others may say "How can this be?"
It's not up to you, it's up to Me!
So lift up your hands and raise a shout
As you see your problems on the way out
Yes, lift up your eyes to see
As I show Myself strong on behalf of thee
Yes, 2013 will be a year of glory
As for you it will be the best story!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)