Of late I have had feelings of a lack of purpose and emptiness. However, God has touched me anew with a vision and purpose.
The thing is, it's the same vision & purpose He gave me years ago.
One of the difficulties we have as Christians is this desire to constantly look for a "Word from God." We will go from ministry to ministry, Pastor to Bishop, seminar to seminar, conference to conference TeeVee show to website looking for that "new word."
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I am sure that God has already given most of us THE WORD we need to fulfill His purpose in our lives. I feel that God is greived when we ignore His guidance in favor of our own desires.
The next time you look for that "Word" ask yourself; "what did I do with that last Word I was given?"
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Thursday, January 18, 2007
CONSIDER
"The Bible tells us very clearly that to "know" God is not an affair of the mind only, but an act in which our whole being -- heart, mind, and will -- is vitally engaged; so that sheer intellectual speculation would enable us to form certain ideas about God but never to know Him. To be grasped, God's will must be met with a readiness to obey." Suzanne de Diétrich (1891-1981), Discovering the Bible
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
BE STRONG IN THE LORD
"Finally my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might" (Eph. 6:10).
Continuing my study of Ephesians we find that Paul is talking to the Ephesian brothers and exhorting them to ever be empowered in the might of His strength (Eph. 6:10). Most translations use the word strong, which might even be viewed as a noun. The word strong in the Greek text is the verb endunamousthe, which means in+powered ? hence, empowered. The verb is in the present tense, which means it is ever happening with continuous action. Also, the verb is in the passive voice, which means the subject (we) only receives action, but does not produce it. This declares that the empowerment ever comes from and is ever produced from the Lord Himself. Again, Paul is clearly speaking to brothers, who are in the body of believers.
You will never be able to fully handle the devil, the world, or circumstances and situations that you face with physical or fleshly means. Our Father never intended that it would be that way. Our Father placed Christ in you when you accepted Him into your life, so that He would be our life, righteousness, strength and empowerment for every thing that we face in life. Paul was clear in his declaration that, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Phil. 4:13). Christ is the divine source and expression of Spiritual strength and empowerment in us. If we really understood the reality of that truth, we would never attempt to do anything without the Christ within us. Our Father raised Christ up as our justification and savior. Our Father has put the Person and Spirit of Christ in us to be our eternal life and expression in this world. Paul declares, "It is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me" (Gal. 2:20). This statement of revealed and liberating truth also declares, that it is no longer by my strength or power that I live, but by Christ who is my power and strength lives through me as me. That is the reality of the Christ-life.
When we have the source of the empowerment of Christ flowing in us, we will have the might or the manifested power of His strength expressed through us. This is His continuous Spiritual life and expression in us because of the finished work of the cross. The revelation truth of the cross in a renewed mind speaks that Adam and everything about flesh was dealt with on the cross. Now Christ lives in us to be the dynamo, reservoir, and the Spirit energy-producing source within me for doing the Father's will. Christ in us will manifest dominion, strength, and power to meet every circumstance and situation that we face. We just need to focus and know to be strong in the Lord!!
Continuing my study of Ephesians we find that Paul is talking to the Ephesian brothers and exhorting them to ever be empowered in the might of His strength (Eph. 6:10). Most translations use the word strong, which might even be viewed as a noun. The word strong in the Greek text is the verb endunamousthe, which means in+powered ? hence, empowered. The verb is in the present tense, which means it is ever happening with continuous action. Also, the verb is in the passive voice, which means the subject (we) only receives action, but does not produce it. This declares that the empowerment ever comes from and is ever produced from the Lord Himself. Again, Paul is clearly speaking to brothers, who are in the body of believers.
You will never be able to fully handle the devil, the world, or circumstances and situations that you face with physical or fleshly means. Our Father never intended that it would be that way. Our Father placed Christ in you when you accepted Him into your life, so that He would be our life, righteousness, strength and empowerment for every thing that we face in life. Paul was clear in his declaration that, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Phil. 4:13). Christ is the divine source and expression of Spiritual strength and empowerment in us. If we really understood the reality of that truth, we would never attempt to do anything without the Christ within us. Our Father raised Christ up as our justification and savior. Our Father has put the Person and Spirit of Christ in us to be our eternal life and expression in this world. Paul declares, "It is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me" (Gal. 2:20). This statement of revealed and liberating truth also declares, that it is no longer by my strength or power that I live, but by Christ who is my power and strength lives through me as me. That is the reality of the Christ-life.
When we have the source of the empowerment of Christ flowing in us, we will have the might or the manifested power of His strength expressed through us. This is His continuous Spiritual life and expression in us because of the finished work of the cross. The revelation truth of the cross in a renewed mind speaks that Adam and everything about flesh was dealt with on the cross. Now Christ lives in us to be the dynamo, reservoir, and the Spirit energy-producing source within me for doing the Father's will. Christ in us will manifest dominion, strength, and power to meet every circumstance and situation that we face. We just need to focus and know to be strong in the Lord!!
Friday, January 12, 2007
VERSE TO PONDER
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Ephesians 6:10-11 (KJV)
In the previous verses Paul gave instructions to the Church at Ephesus that could be accomplished through their own strength. Verses 10 and 11 begin the transition from doing things in our strength to what we can do "in the Lord." Putting on the whole armor of God presupposes that we have that armor in the first place. Vs. 13 says we already have our armor and to "take it" into battle. As we read, we find that soldiers don't wait until the battle starts to assemble their armor; it's available to them through use and in prayer and supplication. Paul is giving us the warfare strategy of each item of the armor we should already have as believers. We are to trust in God to perform the work because we have already prepared to withstand and to stand.
Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Ephesians 6:10-11 (KJV)
In the previous verses Paul gave instructions to the Church at Ephesus that could be accomplished through their own strength. Verses 10 and 11 begin the transition from doing things in our strength to what we can do "in the Lord." Putting on the whole armor of God presupposes that we have that armor in the first place. Vs. 13 says we already have our armor and to "take it" into battle. As we read, we find that soldiers don't wait until the battle starts to assemble their armor; it's available to them through use and in prayer and supplication. Paul is giving us the warfare strategy of each item of the armor we should already have as believers. We are to trust in God to perform the work because we have already prepared to withstand and to stand.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
FORGIVE
"I'm convinced that we can't go through life harboring grudges against people; it's pointless. The Lord's Prayer, which is the prayer that Jesus taught his followers, says, "Forgive us our sins" -- and this is from the Greek -- "as we have already forgiven those who sin against us." Not "as we forgive those who sin against us," but "as we have already forgiven them." So we can't go to God until we have forgiven those who sin against us. I remember the night when I could finally pray, "Lord Jesus, I forgive them for what they did to me." Then I started saying, "In the name of Jesus, please forgive me for harboring murderous thoughts against them." When I did that, I started to feel free from the hatred I was carrying towards them. It didn't have a hold over me anymore." Graham Taylor, (Sin, Salvation and Shadowmancer)
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
CONSIDER
"It is no longer the fashion to suffer for the sake of God, and to bear the Cross for Him; for the diligence and real earnestness, that perchance were found in man, have been extinguished and have grown cold; and now no one is willing any longer to suffer distress for the sake of God." Johannes Tauler (ca. 1300-1361)
Saturday, January 06, 2007
VERSE TO PONDER
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9 (NIV)
I just wanted to drop a line letting you guys know that I appreciate this forum.
I was reflecting this morning and thought about relationships in the church.
I tried to start a message board at my church with no success. Partly because there is a low number of members online and partly because many relationships seem to be on the surface instead of deep.
I wondered if there is a lack of trust in sharing.
As I write this I think I have a partial explanation; there is a level of anonymity in a message board with members that only know each other online vs. seeing people face to face on a weekly, almost daily basis.
No matter how much time you spend with some folk, there seems to be a mask that we wear to protect ourselves (o how I pray the masks be removed!).
I want to be transparent in my relationships and when you encounter masks, phoniness, etc. it is hard to resist throwing up a mask yourself.
I am praying that 2007 become a year of openness; a year of fellowship; a year of selfless devotion to our family, friends and God's people in general.
Thank you for the ear.
Rev. Frank
I was reflecting this morning and thought about relationships in the church.
I tried to start a message board at my church with no success. Partly because there is a low number of members online and partly because many relationships seem to be on the surface instead of deep.
I wondered if there is a lack of trust in sharing.
As I write this I think I have a partial explanation; there is a level of anonymity in a message board with members that only know each other online vs. seeing people face to face on a weekly, almost daily basis.
No matter how much time you spend with some folk, there seems to be a mask that we wear to protect ourselves (o how I pray the masks be removed!).
I want to be transparent in my relationships and when you encounter masks, phoniness, etc. it is hard to resist throwing up a mask yourself.
I am praying that 2007 become a year of openness; a year of fellowship; a year of selfless devotion to our family, friends and God's people in general.
Thank you for the ear.
Rev. Frank
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