Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Made Right. Living Right. Receiving the Blessing.

For the LORD God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right. (Psalm 84:11 NLT)

Our Father longs to bless us. He chooses to give us what is good. He will not withhold any good thing as we walk uprightly. We are able to do what is right because Christ has made us righteous through his death and resurrection. Righteousness is a free gift to all who will receive it. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Positionally, we are in Christ, and we are righteous. As we grow in our relationship with God, we take on more of his character. We begin to do what is right. This does not mean we are perfect in the way we live. However, we have been perfected in our spirits – we have been made blameless in the innermost part of us.

As we yield to the Holy Spirit and to the word of God, we will grow in practical obedience to God. We are in process. We haven't arrived but if we are truly born again, we have started on the journey towards holiness. Christ has forgiven our sins completely. When we fall, we can look to him. When we confess our sins to him, he is faithful to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

While we walk with the Lord in this way, he blesses us with good things – those things that he has promised us in his word. Things like health, healing, deliverance, protection, provision, as well the desires of our hearts that line up with his will for our lives. God is forever good and he blesses his children with good things. We have all of these things because of his grace, and when he blesses us, our natural response is to give him glory. Let's remember that God has made us righteous. Let's make it our ambition to live out that righteousness in practical ways through obeying God's word. And finally, let's embrace the blessings that God desires to freely give us.

Dear Heavenly Father,

We praise you for your awesome love for us. Help us to understand that we are righteous in your eyes because of the finished work that Jesus performed on the cross. Thank you for helping us to live out this righteousness practically. Give us the wisdom and ability to do what is right. Thank you for reminding us that we are engaged in the process of becoming like Jesus. Thank you Lord also for blessing us with every spiritual blessing in Christ and for giving us the desires of our heart as we delight ourselves in you. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen.

Sunday, April 19, 2015

New Beginnings

She carries the infant to full term
Now she lies in the delivery room
The baby bursts forth with the first cries of life
The mother holds her brand new child

New beginnings are here for you and me
Springing forth into great victory
Abundant blessings
Now to behold
New beginnings for young and for old

There's a path that He wants us on
We use our gifts to sing salvation's song
He is leading us to effective use
Open doors to share the gospel truth

There's a new beginning for your life today
Open up, give your life away
He will fill you with His love and purpose true
The Light of the world wants to shine through you

New beginnings wondrous to behold
New beginnings worth more than the finest gold

Let's embrace all that comes our way
From the Father, who's with us every day
Let's embrace this new path that we see
Lead us now Lord and unto eternity

Sunday, April 12, 2015

A Prophetic Word on the Holy Spirit

Given at FaithBridge Church in West Chicago, IL on April 12th, 2015

Like a warm blanket in the coolness of night, I am your covering.  I am the Comforter, the Holy Spirit who speaks to you in the night.  I am inside you to give you direction, to give you peace.  I am your Advocate.  I will fight your case.  I am with you.  I cause you to conquer.  I will cause you to win the race.  So let me comfort you.  Let me give you My firm direction.  I am with you.  I am with you always.

Sunday, April 5, 2015

I Want to Know Him


Paul the Apostle said in Philippians chapter 3:10, “…that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings.”  The power of His resurrection enables us to overcome temptations, tests, and trials. He gives us his ability to triumph over our circumstances and over the enemy of our souls.  This is in the context of getting to know Him.  We can only have victory in Christ if we are in a growing relationship with Him.



When we experience the fellowship of His suffering, we are refreshed by the Holy Spirit's presence and intimacy with the Father and the Son. If our suffering is prolonged, our Lord promises to never leave nor forsake us. Eventually he will raise us up from our difficulty - either in this life or in heaven.



This Easter let's celebrate the resurrection while we remember Christ's agony at the cross.  He died so we could live.  Although we may suffer at times in our lives, God is faithful. He will not give us more than we can handle, and He will eventually allow us to drink from His sweet cup of victory.



Come and Pray:



Lord, I thank You for dying for me on Calvary's tree. I surrender my life to you afresh. Jesus come and live in me. Let me know you more and more.  Let me also experience the power of your resurrection and the fellowship of your suffering. In Jesus name I pray, amen.