Tuesday, October 25, 2011

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS!


By John Mason
DO YOU COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS OR THINK YOUR BLESSINGS DON’T COUNT?


If the only prayer you say in your whole life is “Thank you” that would suffice” (Miester Eckhart).  Do you have an attitude of gratitude?  If we stop to think more, we would stop to thank more.  Of all the human feelings, gratitude has the shortest memory.

Cicero said, “A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all other virtues.”  The degree that you are thankful is a sure index of your spiritual health. 

Max Lucado wrote, “The devil doesn’t have to steal anything from you, all he has to do is make you take it for granted.” When you count all of your blessings, you will always show a profit.
Replace regret with gratitude.  Be grateful for what you have, not regretful for what you have not. If you can’t be thankful for what you have, be thankful for what you have escaped. 

Henry Ward Beecher said, “The unthankful … discovers no mercies; but the thankful heart … will find in every hour, some heavenly blessings.”  The more you complain, the less you’ll obtain.

Vernon Luchies said, “If we get everything we want, we will soon want nothing that we get.”  If you don’t enjoy what you have, how could you be happier with more? 

Francis Schaeffer stated, “The beginning of men’s rebellion against God was, and is, the lack of a thankful heart.” The seeds of discouragement will not grow in a thankful heart

Erich Fromm remarked, “Greed is a bottomless pit which exhausts the person in an endless effort to satisfy the need without ever reaching satisfaction.”

Epicurus reflected, “Nothing is enough for the man to whom enough is too little.”  It’s a sure sign of mediocrity to be moderate with our thanks.  Don’t find yourself so busy asking God for favors that you have no time to thank Him. I relate to what Joel Budd said: “I feel like I’m the one who wrote Amazing Grace.”

Maxim Gorky said, “Happiness always looks small while your hold it in your hands, but let it go, and you learn at once how big and precious it is.”  I believe we should have the attitude of 

George Hubert, when he said, “Thou O Lord has given so much to me, give me one more things – a grateful heart.” 
The bible says in Psalms, “Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving.”  Our thanks to God should always precede our requests of Him.   The Bible challenges us in I Thessalonians 5:17-18, “Pray without ceasing.  In everything give thanks.”

Robert Woods once commented, “We don’t thank God for much he has given us. Our prayers are too often the beggar’s prayer, the prayer that asks for something.  We offer too few prayers of thanksgiving and of praise.”  Don’t find yourself at the end of your life saying, “What a wonderful life I’ve had!  I only wish I’d appreciated and realized it sooner.”


Saturday, October 22, 2011

MANY 'GRACE' BENEDICTIONS

MANY ‘GRACE’ BENEDICTIONS FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

The last benediction of the bible goes like this “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen. (Revelation 22:21) Paul wrote many grace benedictions in the New Testament. This benediction contains grace and we know is not a doctrine. 

The verse above is a benediction.  Benediction means “to speak a good word concerning somebody” or “to wish another well.” We wish that God might be gracious to or bless another person.”  These benedictions are actually promises telling us what God will do. Paul greatest desire is that grace of the Lord Jesus might be with God’s people literally.  In Galatians says beautifully and is the only exceptional verse “the grace of the Lord Jesus be with your spirit.”  Just imagine the spirit of grace in our spirit.  Grace upon grace. Grace is not in our mind or books or lessons but in our spirit.
Below here are many of Paul’s splendid benedictions which I took time to type it out.  Just read it out loud: 

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. – Roman 1:7

Roman  16:20 - And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly . The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

I Corinthians 1:3 – Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I Corinthians 16:23 - The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

2 Corinthians 1:2  - Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 13:14 - The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.

Galatians 6:18 - Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen

Ephesians 1:2 - Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 6:24 - Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen

Philippians   1:2 - Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philippians 4:23 - The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Colossians 1:2- To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colossea:  Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Colossians 4:18 -  The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds.  Grace be with you. Amen.

I Thessalonians 1:1 –   Grace and peace to you.
I Thessalonians 5:28 – The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
2 Thessalonians 1:2 - Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Thessalonians 3:18 - The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

1 Timothy 1:2 – Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.
I Timothy 6:21 -  Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.
2 Timothy 1:2 - To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
2 Timothy 4:22 - The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen

Titus 1: 4 – To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Titus 3:15 - All that are with me salute thee. Greet them that love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.

Philemon 25 - The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen

Hebrews 13:25  – Grace be with you all.

I Peter 1:2 – Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
2 Peter 1:2 – Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

Revelation 1:4 – Grace and peace to you from Him who is, and who was and who is to come.
Revelation 22:21 – The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.
Grace Be With You All! 

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

WHEN THINGS LOOK BAD...

When things look bad LOOK UP

'Happy is he...whose hope is in the Lord.' Psalm 146:5

FB Meyer says: 'The education of our faith is incomplete [till] we learn that God's providence works through loss...that there's a ministry to us through the failure and fading of things. The dwindling brook where Elijah sat is a picture of our lives! 'Some time later the brook dried up...' (1Kings 17:7 NIV) is the history of our yesterdays and a prophecy of our tomorrows...learn the difference between trusting in the gift and trusting in the Giver. The gift may last for a season but the Giver is eternal.

 If the Lord had led Elijah directly to the widow at Zarephath, he'd have missed something that helped make him a better man - living by faith. Whenever our earthly resources dry up it's so we may learn that our hope and help are in God.' One author writes: 'Sometimes there's not enough money to make ends meet; people tell us to budget and we chuckle. We look at the situation and say 'No way.' That's the time to trust God. Your possibilities are not limited by past or present circumstances.

 If there's not enough to pay legitimate expenses, do your best then let go. Trust God to supply your need,  then look beyond your wallet. Look to your Source.  Claim a divine...unlimited supply...Do your part.  Strive for financial responsibility in thought and action. Ask for wisdom and listen to God's leading. Then let go of your fears and your need to control. 'Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding' (Proverbs 3:5 NLT). We all know money is a necessary part of living - and so does God.'  


ANONYMOUS

"The Blood Will Never Lose It's Power" by Clay Aiken

Saturday, October 15, 2011

COMMANDING THE DAY TO DELIVER


COMMANDING THE DAY TO DELIVER AND BRING FORTH!
Almighty God, I thank and praise YOU for the Precious Gift of today. I declare and decree that THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HAS MADE SPECIALLY FOR ME. I will rejoice greatly and be exceeding glad in the Lord today for I know that the Lord Rejoices to do me good with all His heart and soul.
Today I honor and acknowledge the Presence and Power of God’s Three-Fold Witnesses on earth concerning my life – The Life-Giving Spirit of God, The Unfailing Word of His Power, and the Life Transforming Blood of the Lamb. (I John 5:8)

I declare and decree that I WILL INCREASE IN SPIRITUAL STATURE, IN DIVINE WISDOM, IN FAVOR WITH GOD AND ALL MEN TODAY! I declare and decree that I WILL BE EXCEEDINGLY FRUITFUL, MULTIPLY AND BREAK FORTH ON EVERY SIDE TODAY because the Lord has Great Pleasure in my Prosperity.  I declare and decree that THIS DAY, (mention the date), will not pass away or expire until IT HAS FULLY DELIVERED UNTO ME WHAT ALMIGHTY GOD HAS ORDAINED FOR ME.
TODAY IS A VERY WONDERFUL, GLORIOUS AND AWESOME DAY WHICH IS PURPOSED UNTO ME BY THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF THE LAMB.  TODAY IS PREGNANT WITH MY BLESSINGS, BENEFITS AND BREAKTHROUGHS!  TODAY, I EXPECT MANY GREAT AND WONDERFUL THINGS TO HAPPEN IN MY LIFE BECAUSE MY EXPECTATION IS OF THE LORD AND IT SHALL NOT BE CUT OFF.
I declare and decree that TODAY IS THE DAY OF MY SALVATION!   TODAY IS THE DAY FOR MY MIRACLE! TODAY IS THE DAY OF MY BLESSINGS AND BREAKTHROUGHS!  TODAY, my voice is heard on high! TODAY, my prayer is answered! TODAY, my desire is granted! TODAY, my dream is coming true! TODAY, this is very moment, RIGHT HERE AND RIGHT NOW, is the HOUR OF MY MANIFESTATION and the HOUR OF MY REVELATION! 

This morning when I awake, the Lord has met me with THE BLESSING OF HIS GOODNESS!
TODAY IS THE DAY THAT IS BLESSED BY THE BLOOD OF HIS GOODNESS! I EMBRACE WHOLE-HEARTEDLY THE OVERWHELMING GOODNESS OF THE LORD! I AM FULL AND OVERFLOWING WITH HIS GOODNESS – I AM BRIMMING AND OOZING WITH THE GOODNESS OF THE LORD! TODAY, I AM BOUNTIFULLY BLESSED TO BE A GREAT BLESSING TO OTHERS!

THE BLOOD OF HIS FAVOR IS LIKE A SHIELD SURROUNDING MY LIFE.  TODAY, I CHOOSE LIFE AND LIFE MORE ABUNDANTLY WHICH THE LORD HAS GIVEN ME! TODAY I CHOOSE TO LIVE THE OVERFLOWING, OVERCOMING, OVERWHELMING AND OVERTAKING ABUNDANT LIFE OF ALMIGHTY GOD! TODAY I CHOOSE THE BLESSING OF GOD THAT MAKES ME RICH WITH NO ADDED SORROW!
Edited from  Judah Giam’s book “The Answer is in the Blood of the Lamb”

Thursday, October 13, 2011

HOW TO EAT THE FLESH OF THE SON OF MAN?


Just as Prophet Elijah ate one mean cooked by the angel and then he went in the strength of that meal for forty days, likewise God’s people who faithfully feed on His meal that He is preparing for them would receive supernatural strength.  God want us to feast and dine with Him on a daily basis for there is abundance in the Father’s House. 

Many believers in the churches today are under nourish and sick in their spirits because they have spent their entire spiritual lives just listening to spiritual message but THEY HAVE NOT LEARN HOW TO EAT THE WORD OF GOD! Many have been taught how to use the Blood of Jesus to cleanse them of their sins when they commit one but few indeed know THE IMPORTANCE OF DAILY DRINKING THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB!  

Our heavenly life that we have inherited from the Lord Jesus Christ must be maintained and sustained by Heavenly Food and Drink!  The Lord told His disciples, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you have no life in you.  Whoever eat My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.  For My flesh is food indeed and My blood is drink indeed.  He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in Him.  As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.” – John 6:53-57

Eternal life comes by eat His Flesh and drinking His blood.  How do we abide in Him? By eating His flesh and drinking His blood! How do we partake of His nature?  The same by eating His flesh and drinking His blood. 
If we do not feed upon Jesus as the Life-Giving Word of God and fully appropriate the Life-Transforming Blood which He gives us, we do not have His life in us. To fully understand how to eat His flesh and drink His blood, we really need the Holy Spirit to teach and help us.

Dearly beloved, you will know that merely listening to a spiritual message preached in the church today is not the same as the literal FEASTING UPON THE LIFE-GIVING WORD OF GOD! Apostle Paul tells us the letter kills but it is the spirit that gives life. And the Lord Himself told the disciples that THE FLESH PROFITS NOTHING; IT IS THE SPIRIT THAT GIVES LIFE AND THE WORDS THAT HE SPEAKS ARE SPIRIT AND LIFE! 

During Jesus temptation, He reminded the devil that MAN DO NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE BUT BY EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD.
The letter of the Word kills us.  It ministers death to us.  But when God speaks to us He is not interested just to pass some information or knowledge to us, but He is seeking to impart His very Spirit and life into us.  The Words that God speaks are LIVING, ACTIVE, POWERFUL  AND IMPACT.  It is FRESH, FERVENT AND FIERY!.  It is LIVING, BREATHING AND PULSATING  with the nature of God Himself.  That is the QUICKENED WORD OF GOD. It will bring instant change in our character and circumstances.  The word of God that minister LIFE and  INCREASE  to us. The word will SATISFY AND PROSPER US. The word  will  HEAL US AND DELIVER US, RESTORE US, FEED US. That is the very Flesh of the Son of Man as we eat.

This is the very Spiritual Meat that Jesus Christ fed upon when He told His disciples, “I HAVE MEAT TO EAT THAT YOU DO NOT  KNOW OF.  MY MEAT IS TO DO THE WILL OF HIM WHO SENT ME AND TO FINISH HIS WORK.”
Jesus said, “My flesh is food indeed and my blood is drink indeed” - John 6:53.   This is the Spiritual Meat that Christ now offers to us. If we feast on it daily then supernatural strength and miracles would manifest to do His will and work His works.

So, the way to EAT the flesh of the Son of Man, or to receive his spirit words into our innermost being, we must first call upon the name of the Lord and then actively receive His Quickened Word.  This is a Spiritual Exercise called  “Prayer-Eating”.  When we call upon the Lord our spiritual heart or mouth is opened to receive the Spiritual Meat that He is offering us.

Like David, we can say to others, “O taste and see that the Lord is good”.  In the book of Psalms 107:20 it says, “He sends His Word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.”

Finally, the Lord wants us to come to Him and feast upon Him.  He wants us to come to Him and drink from Him.  He wants to be the SOURCE, THE STRENGTH, THE  SUSTENANCE AND THE SATISFACTION OF OUR LIVES!!

Edited from Judah Giam’s book entitled - “The Answer is in the Blood of the Lamb”.