THE LIGHT OF LIFE

THE PROMISE OF THE FATHER

Acts 1:8 – But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Before Jesus went back to heaven, He told His disciples to “wait for the Promise of the Father”. (Acts 1:4) There are thousands of promises in the Bible, so which promise was He referring to?

The early church knew which promise Jesus was referring to because He had told His disciples, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the Promise of the Father, which you have heard Me speak about. For John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (Acts 1:4–5) Jesus was referring to the baptism in the Holy Spirit with speaking in tongues. (Acts 2:1–4)

Jesus wants you to know the value of the Promise of the Father because He said, “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me…” He did not say, “You shall do witnessing,” but “You shall be witnesses”. In other words, your very person will be a witness to Him!

This is because the power you receive when you are baptized in the Holy Spirit is the same power that so anointed Peter that the sick were laid on the streets for his shadow to fall on them and heal them. (Acts 5:15) Even handkerchiefs and aprons from Paul’s body were so saturated with the anointing of the Spirit that when they touched the sick, people witnessed diseases and evil spirits leaving the sick! (Acts 19:12)

That same power caused a Holy Spirit-baptized church member, who prayed in tongues, to experience God’s healing power when he laid hands on his mother who was in an advanced stage of cancer. And because she was healed, she became a witness of the love and power of God to her friends and unbelieving relatives.

Beloved, when you are baptized in the Holy Spirit, you will be a witness to others that no problem, trial, disease or sickness is a match for the power of the Spirit in you!

SEE YOURSELF IN CHRIST

Ephesians 1:3 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

I remember going through a terrible time of depression when I was 18 years old. Believing that I was demon-possessed, I sought out a great man of God to have him cast the devil out of me. But when this man of God laid hands on me, he began to prophesy over me. He said, “Joe, I see you preaching to thousands and used by God to impact thousands of lives. Joe, you are called by God and the devil is attempting to stop you.”

“What? I came here for deliverance! I am only interested in saving my own life, not preaching nor impacting lives,” I thought to myself then.

You see, what happened was that at that moment, God allowed this man to step into the timeless zone He exists in to bring my future before me. As far as God was concerned, my future had already happened, though I was only 18 years old then. Today, I am a pastor of a church which has more than 30,000 members. Today, I am seeing what was told to me long ago.

God does not see as we see. Abraham was a childless, 100-year-old man. His wife, Sarah, at 90 years old, was doubly dead in her womb. (Genesis 17:17) Yet, God saw him and talked to him as if he were already the father of many nations.

My friend, God wants you to see the way He sees. Right now, you may see yourself going through a trial in your marriage, work, finances or health. But God sees a blessed marriage, success at work, supernatural provision and a healed body because He tells you that you are already blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.

You see, God sees you in Christ. So when you see yourself in Christ, who is outside time, you step into the timeless zone. In that timeless zone in Christ, whatever needs and trials of yours are already removed, repaired, restored or resurrected! In that timeless zone in Christ, you are already blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places!

FOR THIS I HAVE JESUS

The Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones. —Isaiah 49:13

There is rarely a problem-free season in our lives, but sometimes the onslaught is terrifying.

Rose saw her entire family, except for her two little daughters, slaughtered in the Rwandan Genocide of 1994. Now she is a widow among many widows with little money. But she refuses to be defeated. She has adopted two orphans and simply trusts God to provide for the food and school fees for her family of five. She translates Christian literature into the local language and organizes an annual conference for other widows. Rose wept as she told me her story. But for every problem in her life she has one simple remedy. “For this,” she said, “I have Jesus.”

God knows exactly what you are facing today. Isaiah reminds us that God’s knowledge of us is so intimate that it is as if our names were written on the palms of His hands (Isa. 49:16). We may sometimes neglect the needs of others, even those who are closest to us, but God is aware of every detail of our lives. And He has given us His Spirit to guide, to comfort, and to strengthen us.

Think of the challenges you face at this moment, and then write these words beside each one as a reminder of His faithfulness and care: “For this, I have Jesus.”

Thank You, Jesus, for being near to me right now. I’m grateful for Your faithfulness.

Life takes on perspective in the light of Christ.

GOD IS OUR COMFORT

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; – John 14:16-17

Remember that Jesus was saying these things to His disciples so that they would not be offended. Jesus is speaking to His disciples about the Holy Spirit, who is the Comforter. The ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer is the front line of defense against the devil and his devices of defeat. The phrase, “The God of all comfort” carries the idea of a divine comforter who encourages, refreshes, strengthens, aids, assists, and is an ever present help in the time of need. The ways that God chooses to comfort are not always the same. He may deliver you or remove the cause of the affliction, or He may comfort you with words giving you a hope for the future.

He also uses people to share their faith with you by prophesying. He sends fellow-laborers to serve and strengthen you by the ministry of the Word, and uses the body of Christ as a channel to comfort you, using prayer.

The point is that the source of all comfort is God, no matter what channel He chooses to use.

In 2 Corinthians 12:9, God revealed to Paul that His strength is made perfect in our weakness. Paul, who had experienced God’s comfort in a way that perhaps no other man has, now reveals how the Lord accomplished this. It was through the power of the Holy Spirit. True Christianity is not the absence of trials, but the strength and comfort of Jesus through the Holy Spirit, that will bring us through to the other side.

Even a strong metal container with a vacuum inside will be crushed just by normal atmospheric pressure. But that same container, with an equal or greater amount of pressure inside, will be just fine. Likewise, an individual who is void of God’s comfort inside will be crushed by the pressures of this life. But a believer who takes advantage of the comfort available to him through the Holy Spirit, can withstand anything. Victory is not dependent on the pressures without, but rather on the comfort within.

JESUS IN THE FLESH

Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I. – John 14:28

Jesus stated His union with the Father so clearly that He was accused of blasphemy more than once. This statement about the Father being greater than Jesus must harmonize, not contradict other claims.

A key to understanding this is given in Philippians 2:6-8, where Paul states that Jesus didn’t think it was robbery to be equal with God, but humbled Himself, taking on the form of a servant (speaking of His humanity). Jesus was equal to God in His divine nature but He made Himself inferior to the Father in regard to His humanity. Jesus didn’t lose any of His deity when He became a man, but He did clothe it in flesh and submit it to the consequent limitations. In this sense, the Father was greater than Jesus.

Jesus is the pre-existent God who chose to become a man so he could redeem us by His own blood sacrifice. When He became a man, He was still one hundred percent God in His spirit, but His physical body was one hundred percent human. His body was sinless, but it was still flesh and subject to the natural things we all experience. The physical Jesus had to grow in wisdom and in stature.

When Jesus was born, His physical mind did not know all things. He had to be taught how to talk, walk, eat, and so forth. He had to learn that He was God in the flesh and accept that by faith. His physical mind grew in awareness of who He was. He had the witness in His spirit, but His physical mind had to “take it by faith”-the same way that we do when we believe who we are in the spiritual realm. Jesus’ mental comprehension of His deity was something He learned and accepted by faith. Jesus had to become aware of His true identity through revelation and knowledge.We must do the same.

PERFECT LOVE …

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear… – 1 John 4:18

The Scripture tells us that God is love. He is perfect and His love for us is perfect. There is nothing you can ever do to make God love you more, and nothing you can do to make Him love you less. His love toward you is steadfast, it’s unchanging. His arms are always stretched out toward you.

Sometimes people aren’t sure how God feels about them. They think He might be mad at them, but Scripture tells us just the opposite. God’s not mad at you; He’s madly in love with you! It doesn’t matter what you’ve done or where you’ve come from, God’s arms are open to you. He’s longing to show you His goodness and grace. It’s His kindness that leads us to repent and change our ways.

Today, open your heart to receive His perfect love. Let love drive fear out of your life and make you new!

LET NOT YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED

John 14:27 – Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you…Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

The night before Jesus died, He gave His peace to His disciples—“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you…” This peace was not just for His disciples, but also for us today. We have His peace.

The moment you believe in Jesus Christ, He who is the Prince of Peace comes to live inside you. And when the Prince of Peace resides in you, every blessing that you will ever need pertaining to your soundness and wholeness is already inside you.

“Pastor, if this is true, then why do I still see problems in my health, finances, family and relationships?”

The answer is a troubled heart. That is why after Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you,” He said, “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

A troubled and fearful heart works like fingers that clamp down hard on a water hose. The supply of water is flowing from the tap, but little or nothing is coming out at the other end of the hose. God’s ever-present supply of blessings toward you is like the water flowing freely from the tap. But you don’t see the blessings when you allow your heart to be gripped by worry or fear.

So when fearful, anxious thoughts come, remind yourself of Jesus’ words: “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” Even when things appear to get worse, say, “Lord, I refuse to worry about this. In the midst of all this, I see the finished work of Christ. He said, ‘It is finished!’ So my child’s healing is accomplished. My marriage is blessed. My debts are cleared. I will let not my heart be troubled by these things.”

Beloved, I cannot “let not” for you. Your family and friends cannot “let not” for you. Only you can “let not your heart be troubled”. So guard your heart from being troubled. You don’t have to guard your career, reputation, children or even health. When you guard your heart, God will guard everything else for you!

THE JOY OF YOUR PRESENCE

Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. —Psalm 96:4

“Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever,” says the Westminster Catechism. Much of Scripture calls for joyful gratitude and adoration of the living God. When we honor God, we celebrate Him as the Source from which all goodness flows.

When we praise God from our heart we find ourselves in that joyful state for which we were created. Just as a beautiful sunset or a peaceful pastoral scene points to the majesty of the Creator, so worship draws us into a close spiritual union with Him. The psalmist says, “Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise . . . . The Lord is near to all who call on him” (Ps. 145:3,18).

God does not need our praise, but we need to praise God. By basking in His presence we drink in the joy of His infinite love and rejoice in the One who came to redeem and restore us. “In your presence there is fullness of joy,” the psalmist says. “At your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Ps. 16:11 esv).

Dear Lord, You are the great and mighty God, the Creator of the universe. I will praise Your name always. There is no God besides You.

Worship is a heart overflowing with praise to God.

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Slain in the Spirit

CONCERNING Sacrificing Sacred Pentecostal Cows – Slain in the Spirit
http://www.828ministries.com/articles/Joel-Osteen-Blasphemes-I-by-Anthony-Wade-Faith_God_Spirit-150917-530.html

IT IS TO BE NOTED FOR THE RECORD THE MISUSE AND ABUSE OF THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT DOESN’T INVALIDATE THEM

First of all, I want to make it clear that “falling under the power of the Holy Spirit” often called “being slain under the power of the Holy Spirit” is a legitimate work of the Holy Spirit.  However, all of the examples that you share are demonstrations of the misuse of this particular work of the Holy Spirit.  These foolish people are mis-using the Gift of the Holy Spirit which is called, “The Gift of Miracles”.  They have turned it into “entertainment” when is was supposed to be used for individual ministry.  I made this mistake only once and Jesus severely disciplined me.   At a meeting at a Conference, of which I was told there was over 30,000 people, when I gave the altar call, invitation for prayer, I was told that about 5,000 people came for prayer, I was surprised to say the least.  How does one evangelist prayer for all of these people.  So, similar to what is shown Benny Hinn, I ran through the people and saw many people than I could count falling down as I ran through the crowd touching them and waving my coat.  When I arrived back in my hotel room, I was thanking Jesus for the great ministry that night.  He said, “There was no ministry tonight.  All that you did was put on a great show.  My ministry is not entertainment. No one received Salvation, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, healing or deliverance.  From now on, when I send people to the altar, you will pray with each one of them for their needs regardless of how many people, even if it takes you all night.”  And, at many of our meetings it takes many hours to pray with people individually and I experience “the Joy of the Lord which is our strength (Neh. 8: 10).

This is an example of ministry gone bad in order to feed one’s ego.  It does not give glory to God.  Also, in the midst of this kind of entertainment, people will get possessed and harassed by demons. This is the sign of a “counterfeit gift of the Spirit”.    We can see this demonstrated when people start shaking uncontrollably and start making animal noises all in an attempt to imitate the necessary speaking in tongues which is supposed to be legitimate languages spoken in the world today or in the past.  The Holy Spirit gives us “self-control” and the other “fruit of the Spirit.  This is especially a breaking of the rules that Paul say must be followed.  There should only be three messages given with interpretations by people who have the ‘’Gift of Interpretation of Tongues” (Gal. 5: 22 – 23).  When people fall down under the power of the Holy Spirit, it is the “Gift of Miracles” that causes them to fall.  It allows people to experience legitimate  Salvation, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other languages they have never learned called tongues,  Healing, deliverance.  A pastor, who is a friend of mine, didn’t like this until she was caused to fall down in a meeting under the power of the Holy Spirit.  She said, “The Holy Spirit puts us in a position so that Jesus can  minister to us when otherwise we wouldn’t listen to Him”.  It is not necessary for all people to fall down, only those who need a miracle as the Lord decides and so they can be equipped with the “Signs” Following which identify people as authentic believers (Mk. 16: 17 – 20).  Often, when I am praying with people, I can tell when somebody wants the experience of falling down thinking that it will make them feel like better Christians.  When I see this, I put one of my hands at the back of their neck so they can’t fall down.  And, I explain that it is not necessary to fall down in order to have your needs met by Jesus.  And, they do!

These people who cause people to fall down, most often, it is not the Holy Spirit but evil spirits who are working with them and like the Scribes and Pharisees, they cannot discern or know the difference, because like them, it can be said, as Jesus said, “You are wrong because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God” (Matt. 22: 29).  We can also see by these would-be pastors, evangelist, apostles, self-appointed teachers life style and misused offerings which are spent on their own luxurious living, mansions, boats, jet planes and greed.  They are using money given for ministry on themselves instead of ministry.  They condemn themselves and encourage people to have “the love of money….which is the root of all evil” (1 Tim. 6: 10).  We have to separate the legitimate gifts of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 12: 6 – 8; 1 Cor. 12: 8 – 10) from the Counterfeit gifts which are based on sin.  The “Gift of Miracles” provide a wonderful healing of the body.  The counterfeit gift provides an attractive religious experience that leaves people with a false hope and who will die rather than receive healing.  Remember what the Apostle Paul said: “And my God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philip. 4: 19).  Remember:  it’s about needs, not greeds.

Yours in Jesus Christ, Gordon Williams

Gordon Williams  holds a  Bachelor of Arts Degree? (B.A.) from Wilfred Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada and a ?Master of Divinity Degree  (M. Div) from Princeton Theological Seminary.
He is a Spirit-filled evangelist, pastor, teacher & writer who preaches the full Gospel and who operates in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. He has witnessed to many people leading them to accept Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Lord, receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and to receive physical, mental, and emotional healing. He also has a deliverance ministry.
He has preached and ministered in churches of all denominations, conducted Camp Meetings and Crusades, preaching Missions, teaching Seminars, and Retreats, and has spoken at Seminaries and Bible Colleges. He has spoken and ministered at many Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International (F.G.B.M.F.I.) local chapter meetings, conventions, advances, rallies, and other functions. He has also ministered at many  Christian Business Men’s Fellowship  meetings and retreats.

NOTE: 1 CORINTHIANS 12:7    But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8    for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9    to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10    to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
ANTI CHARISMATIC CHRISTIANS DON’T BELIEVE OR USE THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT INCLUDING WISDOM AND FAITH! OBVIOUSLY IF YOU DON’T HAVE THE BAPTISM OF THE SPIRIT AND DON’T OPERATE IN THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT INCLUDING FAITH, WISDOM, KNOWLEDGE, HEALING AND MIRACLES YOU WILL NOT GET HEALED BUT WILL DIE FROM YOUR TERMINAL SICKNESS.

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WHO HEALS YOU

GOD WANTS YOU HEALED AND WELL

My Bible tells me clearly that God is a God of love and that He is a good God (1 Chronicles 16:34; 1 John 4:16). This means that if you are sick, God’s heart is and will always be to heal and restore health and life to you. He so desires for you to walk in health and life that He gave you His beloved Son, Jesus, so that you might have life and have it more abundantly (John 10:10).

God is for you to walk in abundant health and life. He does not want your body and life sapped, incapacitated or debilitated by pain, sickness and disease, and He will never withhold healing from you. How important is your healing and health to the Lord? So important that He Himself paid the heaviest and most terrible price for your wholeness!

At the cross, Jesus was judged, burnt, smitten and crushed. He paid the full price for your healing, health and wholeness so you could experience His abundant life. Today, there is no symptom in your body that is too insignificant for Him to care about, and no condition that is greater than what His finished work has accomplished. Beloved, if you’re facing challenges in your body today, I encourage you to meditate on the love and finished work of our Lord Jesus through the healing scriptures below. These Bible verses pertain specifically to your healing. In them, you will see the Lord’s heart to heal you and your loved ones, and how your healing has already been paid for at the cross. When you see also how willingly and compassionately Jesus simply healed all who came to Him, as long as they had a physical need, faith will rise in your heart to know that He wants to, and can do the same for you.

You may find some of the verses familiar, but I pray this will not stop you from soaking yourself in these healing scriptures, chewing on them and trusting the powerful and living Word of God to bring healing and life to your body. The Bible tells us that God’s Word is “life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh” (Proverbs 4:22). So as you immerse yourself in God’s healing promises and speak them over your body, expect to receive an abundance of His divine healing and resurrection life! Apart from these healing scriptures, you will also find a prayer at the end of the verses that you can pray or speak over yourself or your loved ones. I pray that through these avenues, you will keep receiving the healing and wholeness you are trusting Jesus for, and keep walking in an increasingly greater measure of His health and life!

Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses, weaknesses, and distresses) and carried our sorrows and pains [of punishment], yet we [ignorantly] considered Him stricken, smitten, and afflicted by God [as if with leprosy]. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole. — Isaiah 53:4–5 (AMP)
But He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. — Isaiah 53:5 (NLT)
… who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. — 1 Peter 2:24
But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. — Romans 8:11
He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? — Romans 8:32
Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached Him and knelt before Him. “Lord,” the man said, “if You are willing, You can heal me and make me clean.” Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” He said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared. — Matthew 8:2–3 (NLT)
“Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress. He sent out His word and healed them, snatching them from the door of death. — Psalm 107:19–20 (NLT)
For He will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. — Psalm 91:3 (NLT) He also brought them out with silver and gold, and there was none feeble among His tribes. — Psalm 105:37
Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. — 3 John 1:2 (NASB)
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have [it] more abundantly.” — John 10:10
Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday. Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you. — Psalm 91:5–7 (NLT)
With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation. — Psalm 91:16
“…I am the Lord who heals you.” — Exodus 15:26
“I will give you back your health and heal your wounds,” says the Lord. — Jeremiah 30:17 (NLT)
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases. — Psalm 103:2–3
My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they [are] life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh. — Proverbs 4:20-22
Everyone Who Came To Jesus Was Healed
And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. — Matthew 4:23
News about Him spread as far as Syria, and people soon began bringing to Him all who were sick. And whatever their sickness or disease, or if they were demon-possessed or epileptic or paralyzed—He healed them all. — Matthew 4:24
(NLT) When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering.” Jesus said to him, “I will go and heal him.” — Matthew 8: 5–7 (NIV)
When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “He Himself took our infirmities and bore [our] sicknesses.” — Matthew 8:16–17
…Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!” And the man jumped up and went home! — Matthew 9:6–7 (NLT)
Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them [the] lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus’ feet, and He healed them. — Matthew 15:30
Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed Him. — Matthew 20:34 (NIV)
And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. And He said to the man who had the withered hand, “Step forward.” Then He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they kept silent. And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched [it] out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. — Mark 3:1–5
A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding. She had suffered a great deal from many doctors, and over the years she had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better. In fact, she had gotten worse. She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind Him through the crowd and touched His robe. For she thought to herself, “If I can just touch His robe, I will be healed.” Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition. — Mark 5:25–29 (NLT)
Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. “What do you want Me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road. — Mark 10:49–52 (NIV)
When the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them. — Luke 4:40
And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed [them] all. — Luke 6:19
A funeral procession was coming out as He approached the village gate. The young man who had died was a widow’s only son, and a large crowd from the village was with her. When the Lord saw her, His heart overflowed with compassion. “Don’t cry!” He said. Then He walked over to the coffin and touched it, and the bearers stopped. “Young man,” He said, “I tell you, get up.” Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk! And Jesus gave him back to his mother. — Luke 7:12–15 (NLT)
And a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, He called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” Then He put His hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God. — Luke 13:11–13 (NIV)
One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, He asked him, “Would you like to get well?” “I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.” Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!” Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! — John 5:5–9 (NLT)
“…how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” — Acts 10:38

Prayer For Healing And Wholeness
“Lord Jesus, I thank You that You love me and that You are both able and willing to heal me. At the cross, You took all my sicknesses and pains in Your own body, and by Your stripes, I am healed! Your body was scourged and broken so that mine can be made whole. I receive all that You have done for me and I rest in Your finished work. There is nothing more for me to do. As I wait on You for the complete manifestation of my healing, I choose to focus on and give praise for Your great love for me. Amen!”

ITCHING EARS

They Will Not Endure Sound Doctrine

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. Matthew 23:23

I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;  and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 2 Timothy 4:1-4

The whole Christian world is in the grip of false doctrines, apostasy, confusion and dissention and the Body of Christ lacks unity amongst the different members  due importance not being given to the apostles and prophets who are the foundation of the Church. Today we have in our midst apostles and prophets like Paul, Peter, John, Isaiah, Jeremiah, John the Baptist, etc.  but we do not recognize them.  The Word of God tells us:

Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,  having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,  in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Ephesians 2:19-22

Yes, we are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone” just the the saints at Ephesus were!  Being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets is not an one-time affair but a continuous affair. We need apostles and prophets who would take the Church in the right direction by dealing with false doctrines and apostasies which are more prevalent today than during the New Testament period. Paul in his epistles dealt with the doctrines of Judaism and taught the new converts on the doctrines of salvation by faith. John in the book of Revelation revealed the spiritual condition of the seven churches in Asia.  But we will not accept the apostles and prophets today who would expose the plethora of false doctrines, which have surreptitiously crept in the churches, and to guide the children of God? We have many false teachers in the body of Christ. But we need teachers who teach the right doctrines and who rightly divide the word of truth. We attach less importance to the Bible Study.  In the Bible Colleges, we need anointed teachers and not people with merely doctorate degrees in theology. Of course, we need teachers who have a thorough knowledge about other religions also and who are filled with the wisdom of God and not merely Biblical knowledge.

It’s a sad state of affairs in our churches when we do not go in search of the apostles and prophets. But we go in search of the evangelists who perform miracles or healing ministries. If at all a prophet is perhaps recognized, people flock to him to know their future and pester him to find out God’s will concerning their marriages, businesses or careers. Hardly do they seek him to know the call of God in their lives for His ministry. Christians today  don’t want prophets to tell them the truth lest they will have to change their ways and repent.  But Jesus as Prophet did not spare the Scribes and the Pharisees of His time.  He exposed their deeds and unmasked them before the very people who were the victims of these religious leaders.  He did not give any message palatable to their taste.  Jesus could not tolerate “Phariseeism”, while forgiving sinners. He rebuked them on their face, saying seven times, “Woe unto you!”  He even called them, “Blind guides”, “Blind Pharisee”, “Whitewashed tombs” Hypocrites”, “Serpents, brood of vipers”.

The Scribes and the Pharisees had the misconception that they were upholding the Law of Moses.  They in fact followed the Law of Moses in letter but not in spirit.  They preached something, which they could not practice.  And the modern Scribes and Pharisees in our churches are no different. They preach what they do not practice. They bind heavy burden, hard to bear and lay on men’s shoulders but they themselves would not move them with one of their fingers.  They quote the Bible verses and ask the members  to follow these commandments.  They go on adding a list of dos’ and don’ts to the existing list of Old Testament commandments.  But they will not help their members in obeying the so-called commandments because they or their own children do not follow such commandments (Matthew 23:4-5).

On Sundays, they long to make long sermons and love to preach, and not to intercede in their closets before God for their sheep. They do not allow others or the budding ministers to give sermons on Sundays.  They make their debut only in the pulpits on Sundays and are missing either in their churches or in their houses the other days.  They are thus not available to the parishioners who are in need of their prayers or counsels. They do not visit the houses of the poor parishioners nor do they visit the sick. They want their works to be seen by others.  They wear special dresses on the dais or in the pulpit but in their secret life they do not practice righteousness and holiness.  They love the best places on the dais or in the churches. They love greetings in public places and in churches and to be called with suffixes or affixes to their names . They do not want to serve their congregations but want to be served by their congregations by tithes and offerings. He who is greatest among you shall be your servant (Matthew 23:6-11).

They shut up the kingdom of heaven against men.  They neither go nor do they allow others to enter to go in.  By falsifying the truth of the Bible, they present another gospel to the people. They preach that there is neither hell nor the Devil. They justify divorce and adultery. They do not condemn sin. They question the authenticity of the Bible and its translation. For pretence, they make long prayers in prayer meetings and in churches. But they oppress the weak people and covet their money.   If a single soul is converted, they make his new life in Christ miserable by binding a heavy burden on his shoulder (Matthew 23:14-15).

Yes, they are hypocrites, as their inner life does not reveal their so-called righteousness and holiness, which they pretend to possess. They demand and prefer outward sanctification to inward sanctification. They condemn and persecute the true and humble servants of God who do not dance to their tune. But God’s word is unchanging:

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.  “Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous,  “and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’ “Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. “Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers’ guilt.  “Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell? Matthew 23:27-33

For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain.  One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,  not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth. To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled.  They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work. Titus 1:10-16

The Word of God tells us that there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, Yes  we must raise our voice against the modern Scribes and Pharisees in our churches, and to unmask them.  If we allow them to practice Phariseeism, we will be partakers of their sin.

We, the members of Christ’s body, do constitute the spiritual Jerusalem.  We are the children of the promise. But Jesus weeps over our Jerusalem.  The Church, which is ordained of God as “the light of the world”, is not shining brightly and steadily but flickeringly.  If the Church, the salt of the earth, loses its taste, how can its saltiness be restored?   It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and to be trodden under foot of men (Matthew 5: 13-14).  The Church of today is a divided house and has backslidden.  It is laden with lukewarmness, worldliness, prayerlessness, unfaithfulness, heresy, rivalry, hatred, etc.  To rub salt into the injury, the false prophets and false teachers are throttling the Church from within.  Though it has a name that it lives, it is indeed dead (Revelation 3:1).  Although  Christ, the Head of the church is not divided? (1 Corinthians 1: 13) but, the Church, the body of Christ is divided by man – divided mainly on account of some doctrines, some of which are but minor.  “There is one body, and one Spirit….” (Eph.4: 4).  “By one Spirit are we all baptized into one body…” (1 Corintiahs 12:13).  God is not to blame for the division of the Church because He has never intended any such division.  But it’s a fact that many of those belonging to one denominational church look down upon or even hate those belonging to another denominational church.  “He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now”. Darkness hath blinded his eyes (I Jn.2: 9-11).  “He that loveth not his brother abideth in death” (I Jn.3: 14).  Nobody can claim salvation through the Blood of Jesus if he hates his brother and thus abides in death.  Whosoever hates his brother is a murderer and no murderer has eternal life abiding in him (I John.3: 15).

But in our present day Christianity the disciples of Christ Jesus write or preach in a derogatory manner against one another, thereby persecuting the very body of Christ, of which they are themselves, members.  “For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Church: For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones” (Ephesians 5: 29-30).  The Church has thus become a divided house.  And then the demons of drugs and alcohol, divorce and adultery, homo-sexuality, abortion, lustful pleasures are spreading their tentacles on God’s spiritual children, our brothers and our sisters. We must confess our sins and iniquities, repent of our backslidings, humble ourselves before the glory of His Cross and turn to God so that God may not send “His armies of Babylonians” to destroy these spiritual children in the body of Christ.

Yes, it’s  a   wake-up  call for us  to fast and pray on behalf of all those in Christendom. And we should not persecute the prophets that the Lord sends to our churches!  In many churches, the pastors stone these prophets who are appointed in the second place in the body of Christ by God. These prophets give warning and prophetic messages to the churches.  We need to accept them in our churches and heed to their messages. They function like the white corpuscles in the body of Christ.  When some foreign bodies (false prophets/false teachers) enter the body of Christ, these prophets fight the false prophets with the two-edged Sword of the Spirit.  They are inbuilt members of the body of Christ. When a human body is short of white corpuscles, it becomes prone to deadly diseases like AIDS. We must heed God’s word”

Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:  ‘The stone which the builders rejected  Has become the chief cornerstone.  This was the LORD’S doing,  And it is marvelous in our eyes’?  “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. “And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”  Mathew 21:42-44.

Yes, there are chief priests and Pharisees in our midst.  They claim through their mouth that they have accepted Christ as their Savior but deny Him through their life.  The Lord has blessed them with all resources including abundant finances so that they might bring forth the fruits. They have built their own empires and not the Kingdom of God.  They evangelize the same people who have already heard the gospel.  They have not used their resources for preaching the gospel to those who have not heard the gospel even once in their lifetime. They may prophesy in Jesus’ Name.  They may cast out demons and do many wonders in His Name. If they have not done the will of the Father, Jesus will declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me, ye who work iniquity” (Matthew 7: 21-23). The ministries given to these people will be taken away from them and given to those who will do the will of the Father and who will bring forth the fruits thereof.

Whoever falls on this stone will be broken.  Jesus is the Chief Corner Stone of the Church or the household of God, which is being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets (Ephesians 2: 19-20).  Those people who do not do the will of the Father may fall on this Stone in the household of God and will be broken.  It may be an anointed servant of God, a Christian ruler or a Christian businessman.  If he or she does not do the will of the Father, he or she will stumble on this Stone and will be broken. On whomsoever this Stone shall fall, it will grind him to powder. This Stone will fall on those who persecute the body of Christ and will grind them to power. The Son of God is angry and His wrath is kindled but a little.  They will perish in the way unless they repent and turn to the Son (Psalm 2:10-12).

God who has done something before can and will do it again. God chose Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylonians to judge and destroy His own people of Israel (Hab.1: 6) The armies of Babylonians or Chaldeans became the armies of God. And even today the King of kings and the Lord of lords will become furious.  He will send out His armies, destroy these murderers and burn up their city . Gods word is unchanging:

But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Matthew 22:7

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SATISFIED

Head Not Tail

Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come near now and kiss me, my son.”  And he came near and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his clothing, and blessed him and said:  “Surely, the smell of my son Is like the smell of a field Which the LORD has blessed.  Therefore may God give you  Of the dew of heaven,  Of the fatness of the earth,  And plenty of grain and wine.  Let peoples serve you,  And nations bow down to you.  Be master over your brethren, And let your mother’s sons bow down to you.  Cursed be everyone who curses you,  And blessed be those who bless you!” Genesis 27:29

“And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them.” Deuteronomy 28:13

When Isaac, the son of Abraham, the father of faith, blessed Jacob, he expressed the will of God for His chosen ones of prosperity, protection and prominence. If God didn’t want His people to have the best in everything, He would not have given them the best His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, and His wonderful Counselor, the Holy Spirit. Everything else that God gives His people is only gravy on the table of abundance. If poverty was God’s will for His people He would not delivered and blessed and made head, not tail Naomi and Ruth and He would not have healed Job and restored to him double all his losses! But God’s word is unchanging:

So she fell on her face, bowed down to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?”

And Boaz answered and said to her, “It has been fully reported to me, all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before. “The LORD repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.” Ruth 2:10-12

Then she said, “Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out; for the man will not rest until he has concluded the matter this day.” Ruth 3:18

The story of Ruth in the bible is not just the story of two desolate and poverty stricken widows who God Himself gave full rest, refuge, redemption, reward and renown, but a testimony of what God wants to do for each one of His children.  God wants to make each one of His children rich and to bless them mightily in all things. For His word is unchanging:

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9

Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16

God loves His own very deeply. He is not concerned for the future because He knows the future. It is bright and beautiful for those who are His. He is not going to allow anything to come between them and their promised future. He is not fickle or unreliable. He doesn’t change. What He has promised is written in Gold. They are pure like the Ten Commandments He has given to men on tablets of stone. They are unchangeable.  The road of life might be rocky and full of pitfalls but God Himself is on the road with them. His word is unchanging:

“Behold, I send an Angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. “Beware of Him and obey His voice; do not provoke Him, for He will not pardon your transgressions; for My name is in Him.  “But if you indeed obey His voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.

“For My Angel will go before you and bring you in to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites and the Hivites and the Jebusites; and I will cut them off. “You shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their works; but you shall utterly overthrow them and completely break down their sacred pillars.

“So you shall serve the LORD your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you. “No one shall suffer miscarriage or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days.

“I will send My fear before you, I will cause confusion among all the people to whom you come, and will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. “And I will send hornets before you, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite from before you. Exodus 23:20-28

God has made a covenant with His people to be their God and a God to them. He has made a covenant to be their provider, defender, helper and everything they need. He has promised to abundantly bless and prosper them if they will listen to and obey His voice and walk in His ways. For His word is true:

“Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.  “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:  “of sin, because they do not believe in Me;  “of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; “of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.  “He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.  “All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. John 16:7-15

The Helper, the other One, whom Jesus sent in His name will guide them into all truth. He will speak to them what He hears from the Father. He will tell them of things to come. He will glorify Jesus by taking of what belongs to Jesus and sharing it with and giving it God’s true ones. For all that belongs to Father now belong to Jesus and hence they belong to God’s true children.

All of heaven riches and resources are theirs because God, Himself, is their shield, rock, refuge, strength, friend and their exceeding great reward. They are to be of good cheer. For in the world they have tribulation but their brother and friend Jesus Christ has overcome the world. For God’s word is true:

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Jesus Christ overcame the worst that the world, the flesh and the devil had thrown at Him. He is literally the Victor and the “more than a conqueror.” As a result all authority has been given to Him in heaven and on earth including the power and the glory, the victory and the majesty.  For all that is in heaven and in earth is the Lord’s including the kingdom of God and He is exalted as head over all. As God’s word is true:

For His dominion is an everlasting dominion,  And His kingdom is from generation to generation.  All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing;  He does according to His will in the army of heaven  And among the inhabitants of the earth.  No one can restrain His hand  Or say to Him, “What have You done?” Daniel 4:34-35

Yours, O LORD, is the greatness,  The power and the glory,  The victory and the majesty;  For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours;  Yours is the kingdom, O LORD,  And You are exalted as head over all.  Both riches and honor come from You,  And You reign over all.  In Your hand is power and might;  In Your hand it is to make great  And to give strength to all.  1 Chronicles 29:11-12

Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,  and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Revelation 1:4-6

Jesus Christ is the ruler over the kings of the earth and He has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation.  All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing and He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth.

To Jesus Christ belong the greatness, the power and the glory, the victory and the majesty; as all that is in heaven and in earth is His. Both riches and honor come from Him and in His hand is power and might; to heal, deliver, make great and to give strength to all.  Hence He desires and wills and works to make His trusting ones also the victory and more than the conquerors in all things.

As a result, God’s true ones are not to be concerned about the obstacles in their path. They are to take each one as it comes and do what they do best—stand! They are to take authority over it and persevere until it is out of their path by the Spirit of the Living God. For God’s word is true:

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,  and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints- Ephesians 6:10-18

The answers of life are not in men’s wisdom or the world’s system. It is not in the abundance of what one possesses. It is in Jesus Christ, His truth and His wisdom and person in one’s spirit. This closer walk with God and His person brings a person into a position of unity with Heaven that is yet untapped and totally miss-understood.

God doesn’t want His teachers and preachers to point to themselves but to God. He wants His sheep to turn to Him and He will give them their marching orders. Then, they will find victory in battle and they will do the right kind of service to Him. They all have a part in His great plan and purposes. Yet, God is left with a weak and hurt people. This will not be forever. He is coming through to strength His people and unite them in a way unprecedented in the history of the church. He has ordained it from the beginning. The church, His body, will learn to learn and hear His voice and follow their true shepherd. This day is coming and all will see it.

But His true ones are not to be shy. They are to ask God what they will and He will do it because He loves them so much. He has promised to do whatsoever they ask in Jesus name. They can come to His throne boldly and He will hear their prayers and He will deal with their concerns. For they have His promises, His person and Him.  Hence they can walk in the assurance of God’s Presence in their life. For as God walked with Noah, Joseph, Moses, Daniel, Elijah, and Jesus so now He walks with them.  God in Christ Jesus has given to us His P’s. The P’s of His presence, promises, person, power, protection, provision, prosperity, providence and promotion:

His Presence – God is always with His own. He has commanded them to be strong and of good courage and not to be afraid, nor be dismayed. For the LORD their God is with them wherever they go and His presence goes with them to give them rest and victory.

His Promises – Every promise and every line in the bible is theirs including that no weapon which is formed against them shall prosper and those who rise against them shall become a nonexistent thing.

His Person – God is a Good God who is for them, with them and not against them. He is on their side no matter what they are facing. There is no searching of His understanding. His ears are open to their prayers and His eyes are upon the righteous to bless them.

His Power – When God’s true ones have His presence, promises and power they can trust Him to use His power for their good in all kinds of circumstances and situations. Just like God did for Jesus on Calvary when He raised Him from the dead, gave Him victory over all His enemies and seated Him at His right hand.

His Protection – God is the shield and exceeding great reward of His true ones, as well as He is their rock, refuge, strength, tower security and inheritance. He will bless and promote His own and He will deliver and honor them.

His Provision – God has promised to meet and supply all their need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus and He unlike others is able to keep His word.

His Prosperity – God is not poor or stupid and neither should His children be. He is their security and inheritance and provision in the deserts of life. He is their hiding place! He will move out every mountain and deal with every enemy and dispel every lack in their life. Their prosperity will come upon them as the dawning of a bright and new day. They will not be able to contain their joy and ecstasy at the provision and security He is providing. He will multiply back to them a hundred fold all they have done for Him.

His Providence – The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and though he fall God will not allow him to stay down but will lift him up.

His Promotion – God has promised that for those who set their love upon Him He will deliver them and set them on high because they have known His name. He has promised to make them head and not tail and above and not beneath. They shall call upon Him and He will answer them. He will be with them in trouble and deliver and honor them. With long life He will satisfy His true ones and show them His salvation.

As a result, the psalmist stated it very well about those who put their trust in God alone and not others for their deliverance:

Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, Whose hope is in the LORD his God, Who made heaven and earth, The sea, and all that is in them; Who keeps truth forever, Who executes justice for the oppressed, Who gives food to the hungry.  The LORD gives freedom to the prisoners.  The LORD opens the eyes of the blind; The LORD raises those who are bowed down; The LORD loves the righteous.  The LORD watches over the strangers; He relieves the fatherless and widow; But the way of the wicked He turns upside down.  The LORD shall reign forever- Your God, O Zion, to all generations.  Praise the LORD! Psalm 146:5-10

For after all is said and done God has not changed. He still is a miracle working God who gives the best to those who ask Him for the best. He gives His all to those who give Him their all and believe Him for His all. His word does not change to His true ones:

“Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them-the children of Israel. “Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses.  “From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory.

“No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. “Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.

“Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:2-9

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

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DECEIVER

Rick Warren False Prophet

In that day the LORD of hosts will be  For a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty  To the remnant of His people,  For a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, And for strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate. Isaiah 28:5-6

This also comes from the LORD of hosts, Who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance. Isaiah 28:29

Julia Duin, a newspaper columnist, in her Stairway to Heaven[xv] column  wrote in the Washington Times:

Atheist sees global faith revival

… Which is why I was glad to see two editors from the Economist magazine release “God is Back: How the Global Revival of Faith is Changing the World” earlier this year. Co-author Adrian Wooldridge said he and John Micklethwait got the idea while compiling their 2004 book “The Right Nation,” about America’s conservatives. It struck them that religious observance is increasing worldwide and that irreligious Europe, not America, is the exception.

“Religion now goes hand in hand with modernity,” he said. “Something happened from the 1970s onward that put that [into action] and now the world is going in the American direction.”

…Like 21st-century versions of Alexis de Tocqueville, the French historian whose travels about America in the early 1830s revealed how the country’s religious character worked hand in hand with its fledgling democracy, the two men traveled the world to see how religion is affecting the globe. China, Guatemala, Nigeria, Kenya and various Latin American countries were the biggest hot spots.

Pentecostal, he concluded, will be the major form of 21st century Christianity.

“The sort of religion that is on the rise is the emotive, assertive charismatic religion,” he said. “It’s compelling Catholicism in Latin America to change. There’s a physical surprise when you go to Guatemala and see how vibrant the charismatic and Pentecostal movements are. Same thing for Lagos and Nairobi. I went into that book underestimating the power and vitality of religion.”

My friend Dr Pat Holiday and I are very intellectual Christians and not just emotional Pentecostals. And in her article New Age Pastor to the World -Rick Warren[xvi], Pat writes:

Signs are exploding everywhere that Jesus Christ is coming back soon. Apostasy and the great falling away is a key sign. The Seeker Friendly Church Model promoted through the New Age Internationalist Pastor, Rick Warren of the Saddleback Church, is a system that no longer holds to the Biblical principles or the fact that Jesus is the ONLY way back to God the Father!

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me,” (Jn. 14:6). Dr. Pat Holiday http://www.miracleinternetchurch.com/

Rev. Warren has become one of America’s leading Christian leaders. Sadly more than 400,000 pastors attend his “purpose-driven” church seminars; his books, including “The Purpose Driven Life,” have become international best-sellers.

In the premier issue of Purpose Driven Connection, Rick Warren has once again brought in New Age influences, which are given as tools to build Purpose Driven connections. America’s most popular evangelical pastor, who few Christian leaders have dared to challenge on his beliefs and actions, is moving swiftly toward a global spirituality that will ultimately reject the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. The Purpose Driven Connection is a step toward this reality.

In a section of the magazine[xvii] called “The Scene,” one page is devoted to popular “Christian” books. Warren has included books that have contemplative and or emerging slants, such as Brennan Manning’s Ragamuffin Gospel, Bill Isley, MD says, “A man-centered gospel will always exalt man by downplaying his true sin nature. It will then reconstruct any and all elements of its theology to be consistent with that man-centeredness. Manning has clearly accomplished that objective in this, and presumably, other works. Man desires an egalitarian God Who is not sovereign and Who would never judge a person. [xviii]

Also listing The Shack as a “notable best-selling Christian” book (no disclaimer or warning provided, which gives the indication to readers that this is a good trustworthy book, and yet within its pages is the message of the Black Madonna, [xix]that God is in all things.

YOU WERE CREATED FOR CONNECTIONS WITH HUMANS?

An emphasis in Rick Warren’s new magazine is “Connection.” In the “Editor’s Letter,” Rick Warren says: “YOU WERE CREATED FOR CONNECTIONS…. Life is all about connecting. A disconnected life merely exists” (p.2-3). Warren promises that the Purpose Driven Connection will give the “power” and the tools for this connection. “Power flows through connections…. When you’re a member of the Purpose Driven Connection, we’ll help you develop the four kinds of relationships you need in order to grow: mentors, models, partners, and friends” [xx]

False prophet and false gospel . . . absolutely not! You were born to fellowship with God and He’s made the provisions to do so!

Well I know my bible well enough to know that intellectualism and perspiration didn’t produce the church of Jesus Christ  or Christians in the book of Acts? The bible says

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.  Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:1-4

So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,  praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:46-47

In my opinion Rick Warren is your typical Baptist pastor of the flesh and I used to be a Baptist for a number of years. And it’s a fact according to Billy Graham’s own statistic that 85% of their converts fall away and who is to say that the other 15 % are Christians since they deny the Baptism of the Spirit and the Gifts of the Spirit.  You cannot say that you are a believer and ignore 1 Corinthians 12 and 14 and say that you believe only in love and 1 Corinthians 13. No, you  must accept all of the New Testament scriptures or reject them all. You cannot pick and choose what you want

The word of God is unchanged concerning believers of which Rick Warren and his bunch are not and have not accompanying signs:

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.  “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;  “they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”   So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.  And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen. Mark 16:15-20

And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.  And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,  that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

It’s a fact that the church of the flesh including Rick Warren’s church preaches with persuasive words of human wisdom and not in demonstration of the spirit and power so that our faith might not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.  And for that reason alone, Warren is a false prophet. And the bible tells us:

But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.  But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.  For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:10-16

Seriously Rick Warren cannot say “For who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.” And I know and do many things by the Spirit of the Lord and the mind of Christ. And that is not a lie but a fact!

For the record I have fought with B.G.E.A. organization who told me they were going to sue me because of my article ECFA IS A JOKE http://walthope.tripod.com/ecfa.htm  and I told them go ahead and they ran away.

I also fought with many professors of the Southern Baptist Convention  seminaries for many years about their rejection of the Baptism of the Spirit. I also I fought directly with Jerry Falwell who was a Southern Baptist and a liar who didn’t tell people the truth about many things!

It’s my opinion that a denomination which was born out of a desire to have slaves such as SBC can produce anything good!  And the “Fundamentalist” are very divisive that even Billy Graham didn’t like them and embraced the term Evangelical

For the record “Tongues: is the least of all gifts but it leads into all the gifts of the Spirit and Apostle Paul still stated in 1 Corinthians 14:5, “I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied;” And Billy Graham  said he didn’t like tongues because he didn’t like anything controversial! Hogwash! God’s word is unchanging:

If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord.  But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant.  Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues.  Let all things be done decently and in order. 1 Corinthians 14:37-40

AS MANY AS I LOVE, I (JESUS) REBUKE AND CHASTEN

Revelation 3
14 “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God:
15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.
16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’ — and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked —
18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.
20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
22 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

1 Timothy 5:20 Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear.

2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

Titus 1:13 This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,

Titus 2:15 Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.

YES TODAY’S FALSE PREACHERS OF MEGA CHURCHES DON’T KNOW THE WORD REBUKE AND THEY REBUKE NO ONE AS THEY ARE JUST ENTERTAINERS WITH A MISSION TO MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD AND SAY FALSELY THAT YOU CAN LIVE IN YOUR SIN AND GO TO HEAVEN!

EXTRACT FROM Be Not Ignorant
http://walthope.tripod.com/ignorant.htm
https://walthope.wordpress.com
https://plus.google.com/u/0/100302133262254344211/posts

THE POWER

Jesus is the miracle maker, miracles still happen. GOD is looking for the one’s who are ready to lift his name up high. He is ready to do miracles through you. Are you ready ??

In a true Christian church or meeting when leaders or coordinators lead a church or community service, they will have not only led people to salvation and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and they will pray and have others pray for the different needs of the people. Like the Apostle Paul who said, “For I long to see you, that I might impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you, that is, that we may be mutually encouraged, both yours and mine” (Rom. 1: 11).

 

 

GRACE

The Philosophy of Grace

Everyone has a philosophy, and each philosophy brings forth fruit, whether good or bad. Because we live in the world, it is impossible to avoid contact with the many philosophies that are popular today. However, we must examine the origins of each of these ideas and values, and pay attention to where these beliefs came from. The values and beliefs we accept will ultimately control how we respond to situations, whether it is a right or wrong response. As Christians, we need a philosophy modeled after Jesus.
It is important to be aware of the thoughts that enter into our mind, and the conclusions we draw from them.
We should not let the world’s philosophies confuse or mislead us. Spiritually, we should be at war with worldly beliefs and values (Colossians 2:8, AMP).
We must be on guard not to the let the devil steal what Jesus has already given us through the shedding of His blood.
The philosophy that says we must work to earn God’s blessing is widespread today.
In God’s eyes, the world’s philosophies are idle fancies, nonsense, and vain deceit.
How we think determines what is in our heart (Proverbs 23:7).
Our thoughts affect who we are, what we do, and how we live.
In the book of Genesis, God created Adam like Himself, complete with His philosophy. The devil introduced his own philosophy, causing Adam and Eve to see themselves through another lens that stripped away what God gave them.
We must be careful what we let into our heart, because what we allow to take root and grow in it impacts our entire life (Proverbs 4:23).
Physically, we should make sure that everything we do is for the glory of God. Mentally, we must let the Word transform and renew our minds (Romans 12:1,2).
In other words, we should change our mind and embrace the philosophy of Grace.
Scripture References

Colossians 2:8, AMP
Proverbs 23:7
Proverbs 4:23
Romans 12:1, 2

Now, more than any other time in history, it is important to understand why things are happening the way they are in today’s society. We are not to judge what is occurring in the world, but rather we should continually refer to God’s Word to put current events into context. The word “philosophy” means more than just a class we take in college—it refers to our entire value system through which we view the world and everything taking place in it. Our philosophy is simply the lens though which we filter all that we experience, but if we use the wrong lens, what we see will be distorted. If the lens is not from the Word, it is wrong.
What we think determines not only our spiritual health, but also our earthly life.
We are warned against letting ourselves be swayed by worldly philosophy and vanity, as opposed to standing according to God’s philosophy (Colossians 2:8, AMP).
Just like in physical warfare, we should be at war and on guard against the world’s point of view.
The devil will use the world’s philosophies to steal from us what God has already given us.
The world’s ways of thinking are based on human tradition rather than on the spiritual realm. They disregard God’s Word.
In the Garden of Eden, the serpent was sneaky and distorted God’s Word when he encountered Eve. He questioned what God said and introduced the element of doubt (Genesis 3:1-5).
The devil slipped in his own philosophy, designed to rob Adam and Eve of what they already had.
What we think in our mind filters into our heart, and influences how we are (Proverbs 23:7).
We must guard our heart against the invasion of worldly philosophies. What enters into it affects the quality of our life (Proverbs 4:23).
When we use God’s Word to filter how we view life, we can handle trouble without distress, face challenges without falling into despair, and handle persecution without being destroyed (2 Corinthians 4:8, 9).
Anything that happens in our life will turn out right.
The battle we fight is not in the flesh, but in the spirit. The Word helps us overthrow and defeat the world’s philosophies (2 Corinthians 10:4).

Scripture References
Colossians 2:8, AMP
Proverbs 4:23
Genesis 3:1-5
2 Corinthians 4:8, 9
Proverbs 23:7
2 Corinthians 10:4

Everyone has a philosophy, which is simply a set of values and beliefs through which we view the world. With that in mind, when we examine how philosophies are formed, we must ask ourselves how and where these ideas came from. As Believers, how we look at an issue is based on God’s Word, which we see as the final authority. Every philosophy produces fruit, and if that philosophy is not derived from the Word, it is a wrong philosophy which will lead to wrong conclusions.
What goes on in our head is important.
We must beware of the way the world’s philosophy affects our way of thinking (Colossians 2:8).
We should not let the devil steal what we already have.
God has already given us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).
We already have prosperity, healing, and deliverance.
The Scriptures warn us against letting ourselves be carried off as spoil by accepting philosophies contrary to Christ’s teachings (Colossians 2:8, AMP).
In the Old Testament, we see the devil getting an early start to try and set himself up against God.
In the beginning, God took man and put him into the Garden of Eden. He told Adam to eat from every tree in the garden except the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, or else he would die (Genesis 2:15-17).
At this time, man still had his coat of glory because he was like God.
The serpent came to Eve and introduced doubt into her mind as to whether or not God spoke the truth (Genesis 3:1-5).
Because Eve wasn’t present when Adam received his instructions firsthand from God, she was more vulnerable to the devil’s philosophies.
She added on to God’s warning, and spoke something that God did not originally say. The serpent took that opportunity to add his own twist to what God had commanded.

Scripture References
Colossians 2:8
Genesis 2:15-17
Colossians 2:8 , AMP
Genesis 3:1-5
2 Peter 1:3

When we study the word “philosophy” and put it into a biblical context, remember that the ideas and values from the world, which is ruled by the devil, diametrically oppose God’s values. We should guard against letting the devil rob us of what God has already given us, namely, all the things we need to live a godly life. The enemy commits that robbery by using his philosophy as a weapon to infect our thoughts, causing us to change our mind about God’s Word. He convinces us to put worldly traditions over God’s truths, and twists what the Scriptures actually say into a completely different message. He also tries to infect the entire concept of repentance.
The philosophy we accept has everything to do with what enters our mind, and what is in our mind eventually enters into our heart.
We must beware of the influence the world’s philosophy and vain deceit can have on us. We should seek Christ over the world (Colossians 2:8).
After John was put in jail, Jesus preached the Word, warning the people to repent and believe (Mark 1:14, 15, AMP).
Real repentance is not just a change in behavior. It comes from inside of us, and it is triggered by a change of heart. Changed behavior is actually the fruit of repentance.
Repentance and belief are linked. They go together.
In order to have a change of heart, we must have a change of mind first.
We believe with our heart, and then verbally confess what is in our heart (Romans 10:10).
The thoughts we have in our mind determines what is in our heart. This, in turn, determines our actions and who we are (Proverbs 23:7).
What is in our heart affects our entire life. Therefore, we must be careful what we let enter into it (Proverbs 4:23).
  God’s goodness leads to true repentance (Romans 2:4, AMP).
To repent is to change our mind and our inner person, so as to agree with His will.
We must give our mind and heart to God.
The devil has blinded the minds of those who do not believe the Gospel, so that they cannot transform or renew the way the Scriptures instruct us (2 Corinthians 4:4).
To serve God and be pleasing to Him, we must first change our mind, which is the first step to seeking true repentance (Romans 12:1, 2, AMP).
We can let God renew our mind and lift us above the world’s external, superficial customs. We must adopt a new attitude.
Real repentance involves changing the philosophy of our mind, aligning it with the Word.
Renewing the mind is a continuous lifetime process. It is constant, not static.
When we get born again, Christ Himself moves into us. Jesus is the One Who perfects us (Colossians 1:27, 28).
This makes us more than just an ordinary human being, although the devil will try to get us to think otherwise.
God’s will is for us to live in perpetual thanksgiving (1 Thessalonians 5:18, AMP).
Regardless of the circumstances, we are to give thanks, because we are now in Jesus and He is in us.
As Christians, we are partakers of the inheritance God has reserved for His children (Colossians 1:12, AMP).
We can give thanks that God has qualified us and made us worthy to share in the inheritance He has for His people.
We communicate our faith when we acknowledge all the good things in us because Jesus lives in us (Philemon 1:6, AMP).
Sharing our faith with others promotes a greater understanding of the good things Jesus establishes in us.

Scripture References
Colossians 2:8
2 Corinthians 4:4
Mark 1:14, 15, AMP
Romans 12:1, 2, AMP
Romans 10:10
Colossians 1: 27, 28
Proverbs 23:7
1 Thessalonians 5:18, AMP
Proverbs 4:23
Colossians 1:12, AMP
Romans 2:4, AMP
Philemon 1:6, AMP

The philosophies that we hold are basically a set of opinions and values affecting how we view everything in life. Because we live in the world, we are constantly being bombarded with the world’s philosophies. However, as Christians, our philosophy should come from God’s Word. If not, we are at risk of constantly being swayed in one direction or another, according to popular opinion. We must get our information directly from the Bible, not the world.

The world’s philosophies will poison our mind, and there is a connection between our mind and our heart.
We are to beware and guard against the world’s philosophy (Colossians 2:8).
Following the world’s traditions nullifies the Word of God in our lives (Mark 7:13).
Whatever thoughts we harbor in our mind determines the way we become in our heart. Our heart is the sum total of what we think (Proverbs 23:7).
We change our life by first changing the way we think.
We must guard our heart carefully, because it determines our entire life (Proverbs 4:23).
The lost will not understand the Word. The devil has blinded the minds of those who do not believe the Truth (2 Corinthians 4:3, 4).
The enemy does not want people to see the light of the Gospel.
The Gospel is the actual power of God leading to salvation for all who believe, no matter who they are (Romans 1:16).
Power is the ability to get results over the devil.
We find grace and unchanging truth in God’s philosophy.
Paul wrote that nothing—not even his own life—was as important to him as finishing the course God had laid out for him, and preaching the Gospel of grace (Acts 20:24).
The gospel is the good news of His unmerited, unearned, undeserved favor.
Paul also wrote to the Galatians that he was amazed that some of them fell away from the Gospel of grace so quickly. They succumbed to the influence of worldly philosophy, which was a perversion of the truth (Galatians 1:6, 7).
We are prosperous, healed, saved, and delivered by grace.
God extends grace to us. We must keep uppermost in our mind that this gift is given to us because of Who He is, not because of anything we have done.
If something is received by grace, it is not of works anymore. Conversely, whatever is gained or earned through works is not by grace (Romans 11:6).
Grace operates under the concept of receiving something for nothing.
We need to protect our mind, and we must not lose hope. Jesus brings us grace. We must stay sober-minded and not let the world’s philosophies infect our mind (1 Peter 1:13, AMP).
We are instructed to be morally alert, and set our mind on God’s divine favor.
We are to present our body as a sacrifice to God by letting the Gospel transform our mind. We are again reminded to think soberly, and not let the world conform our mind to its way of thinking (Romans 12:1-3, AMP).
We should not let our mind be fashioned after the world’s external, superficial customs, but instead pattern our ideals and attitudes after God’s Word.
We are warned not to have an exaggerated opinion of our own importance. We should rate our abilities soberly, according to the faith God has given us.
The Scriptures tell us to be renewed in the spirit of our mind (Ephesians 4:23).
When we meditate long enough on the Word, our response to God is automatic. We do not even have to think consciously about how to respond.

Scripture References
Colossians 2:8
Acts 20:24
Mark 7:13
Galatians 1:6, 7
Proverbs 23:7
Romans 11:6
Proverbs 4:23
1 Peter 1:13, AMP
2 Corinthians 4:3, 4
Romans 12:1-3, AMP
Romans 1:16
Ephesians 4:23

A PROMISE

Greater Works He Will Do

“Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.  “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.  “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. John 14:10-14

The church of Jesus Christ has lost this beautiful promise by Jesus, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” Many preachers today made the  promises of God of no effect because they have based  their teachings upon the things that they have observed around them, rather than upon the Word of God. But faith can only be built upon the power and success of the Word of God — never upon our own or another’s weaknesses and failures. It is a fact that during His earthly ministry, Jesus healed “all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people” (Matthew. 4:23.)  And the glorious ministry of deliverance begun by Jesus was to continue through His disciples, His followers, and His believers.

It is a fact that the early church was a powerful church because its members believed God. They believed in holy living because God said, “Be ye holy.” (1 Peter 1:16). They feared sin because they had seen sin revealed through the gift of discernment, and had seen liars stricken dead for their sin. (Acts 5). They believed that they could do miracles in the name of Jesus because He had said, “The works that I do he shall  do also;” (John 14:12). And because they believed God, God worked with them, confirming the word with signs and wonders.

God has not changed. He has given those who believe, AUTHORITY over all devils and to cure diseases. (Luke 9:1). Believers have the right to use the name of Jesus in making requests to God and in giving commands to demons and to disease. God’s word is unchanging:

“Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.” Luke 24:49

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8.

The great miracle of Pentecost was not the tongues but the transformed lives of believers, although they did speak in tongues as the Spirit gave utterance. They were clothed with supernatural power. Gifts of the Spirit were given to them but those supernatural gifts did not indicate that the possessor necessarily had spiritual maturity of character or holiness of life to the extent that they had no faults. But today the church is vastly ignorant of these gifts of the Spirit and the way the Lord works. They are for us today.

In the Old Testament they experienced divine power as the Spirit of God came upon them; in the new dispensation of grace they receive power; the Holy Ghost comes into the believer. But many have died prematurely due to sickness and disease or have lived in poverty because they were ignorant of what the Word of God said about divine health, divine wealth and divine prosperity including:

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.3 John 1:2

A simple perusal of scripture shows us that it is not God’s will that any person should be sick, any more than it is His will that any soul should be lost. Yet not all people are well and prosperous, any more than all people are righteous.   The scriptures also show that whatever we receive from God is received by, through, or because of FAITH God’s word is unchanging:

“Now the parable is this: The seed is the Word of God.  “Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.  “But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.  “Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.  “But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience. Luke 8:11-15

Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,  having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the Word of God which lives and abides forever, 1 Peter 1:22-23

Many of God’s people are not successful and prosperous because they have not understood that God’s Word is a seed that will produce great harvest for them and they have allowed the devil to steal the word that is planted in their hearts. Most people expect God’s Word to work like a stick of dynamite — but God’s Word is like a seed full of unseen life for a seed is alive: it contains life. Our physical senses are incapable of judging whether a seed is alive or not. We cannot see, feel, hear, smell, or taste the life in a seed. But we see that a seed is alive by planting it for a seed does nothing until it is planted and then in due season as it’s watered and cultivated it produces an abundant harvest. It has no value just sitting in a storage room but must be planted in a fertile soil like our hearts and lives. And one way to plant the seed of the Word of God in our life is to speak the Word. As we speak God’s Word we are planting the seed in our heart for the harvest of results we desire.  God’s word is true:

For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation.  Romans 10:10

In every negative situation we encounter, we must respond with an appropriate scriptural confession in order to invoke on our behalf the continuing ministry of Jesus as our High Priest. In most situations we have three possibilities: to make a positive, scriptural confession; to make no confession; to make a negative unscriptural confession.  If we make a positive confession, we release the ministry of Jesus to help us and to meet our need.  If we make no confession, we are left at the mercy of our circumstances. If we make a negative confession, we expose ourselves to evil, demonic forces.

It’s to be noted that there is great power in our confession of the Word of God. There is no way we can over come the enemy without saying out the promises of God. The mountains are not removed until we say them out. Jesus is High Priest of our confession and what we say is what He creates. And in our authority over the enemy it is more of the power of the spoken words that we speak out that will result in putting aside and tearing apart of the enemy. Jesus’ key was His spoken word. If we want our ministry to take off and grow into things, whatever God gives in our heart and established in our heart we need to speak them out, continually confess them, declare them over our life, declare them over our children, and declare them over our ministry. We confess it and we declare it because unless we declare and confess it the devil will not budge. It’s the power of the spoken word that is the key to tearing apart the enemy.  A lot of God’s people don’t know the word or not dead to the world and they tried to confess the word and it doesn’t work.  Our hearts and attitudes must be right and we must be filled with the Spirit of God in order for our confession to be powerful to literally rout the enemy and cause our mountains to move into the sea.

Whatever we need to be saved or delivered from, is what we say or confess until the need is met and the mountain is moved into the sea. Just like a seed is much smaller than the plant it produces, the problems we face may seem huge but when planted, the scripture, the Word will grow in us and will overcome the problem for a seed is powerful.  As a seed begins to grow, it will push up dirt, rocks, etc. Whatever the obstacles are, God’s Word planted in our heart will push them out of the way. But it takes faith to plant a seed and to know that a seed begins its growth in secret (underground).  The only way to tell if a seed is growing is to dig it up, or wait for a plant to appear. If we dig up a seed, we may kill it for seed takes time to produce.  No one expects a seed to produce a harvest the same day that seed is planted.  Although sometimes the Word of God seems to spring up and bear fruit immediately,  if we knew the details, we would understand that the fruit of the Word grew in that person’s life over time.

It is to be noted that a seed is persistent.  A seed never gives up, but works day and night. Even when we are sleeping, the seed we have planted is working to grow and express itself in a fruitful harvest.  A seed also is not affected by other seeds.  Whatever happens to other seeds does not make any difference to a specific seed. Each seed sticks to its own task. One wheat seed planted in a corn field will still produce wheat. Seed does not become discouraged, or quit, even if other seeds die. But a seed will stop growing without nourishment.

Planting a seed is not enough to assure a harvest. Seed must be protected and taken care of until harvest time. A seed which is dug up, or not watered, will not produce.  And the more seeds planted produce a larger harvest. God’s word is unchanging:

But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 2 Corinthians 9:6

God’s divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these we may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust – promises that have to be sown in our hearts and lives to bear fruit.

God  has also given us His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, His wonderful Counselor, the Holy Spirit, and the written Word of God, the Bible, so that we can live victoriously in a crooked and perverse generation, among whom we shine as lights in the world.  But the problem is the many of God’s people ignore not only their guide and spirit of truth, the Holy Spirit, who has been given to them but they ignore and are ignorant of the Word of God and its statues and judgments  which causes them to do some stupid things and be judged by God for it. Sincerity and presumption are not a guarantee of anything including salvation or avoiding judgments. God has commanded all men to repent and to walk and live in Spirit and in truth. God’s word is unchanging:

However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory,  which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written:  “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,  Nor have entered into the heart of man  The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.  For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 1 Corinthians 2:6-11

Yes, those who are filled with the fullness of God speak wisdom among those who are mature. They speak of the things that God has prepared for those who love Him and have been freely given to them by God. Things that have been revealed them to them through the Holy Spirit, not by men. Things that come not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches. Mind you the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.  But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.  Yet God’s word is unchanging:

And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.  I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able;  for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?  For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?   Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one?  I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.  So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.  Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 1 Corinthians 3:1-8

Those who are babes in Christ or carnal ones are not spiritual people have to be fed with milk and not with solid food for they are not able to receive it.  They cannot leave the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ but must lay again and again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment and go onto maturity for they are babes or carnal ones even though they might have been Christians for fifty years! They are continually spinning their wheels going nowhere. They cannot accept rebuke, correction or instruction in righteousness for they think that they know all things and have arrived. When they truth is that they are nothing but foolish little children who have to be constantly watched and cared for.  They are like your typical teenagers who think that they know everything and are more the able to tell everybody how to live, walk and talk.  Then they wonder why God is constantly chastening and correcting them. Yet God’s word is unchanging:

Do not be wise in your own eyes;  Fear the LORD and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.  Honor the LORD with your possessions,  And with the firstfruits of all your increase;  So your barns will be filled with plenty,  And your vats will overflow with new wine.  My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD,  Nor detest His correction; For whom the LORD loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.

Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding; For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, And her gain than fine gold.  She is more precious than rubies, And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.  Length of days is in her right hand, In her left hand riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness,  And all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who retain her. Proverbs 3:7-18

Just because a person has a great secular education or has graduated from the school of cemetery doesn’t make him a great man of God for it’s the Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of Wisdom, which makes a great man or woman of God. God’s word is true:

There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots.  The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,  The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.  His delight is in the fear of the LORD,  And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes,  Nor decide by the hearing of His ears;  But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, And decide with equity for the meek of the earth;  He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the   wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins,  And faithfulness the belt of His waist. Isaiah 11:1-5

And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. Luke 2:52

EXTRACT FROM Be Not Ignorant
http://walthope.tripod.com/ignorant.htm
https://walthope.wordpress.com
https://plus.google.com/u/0/100302133262254344211/posts

AWESOME

WE NEED TO GET BACK TO REAL CHRISTIANITY

ACTS 5:12  And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch.
13 Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly.
14 And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,
15 so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them.
16 Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

Apostle Keith Barr

God is so awesome. He has been performing so many miracles through my ministry down in Mexico at the crowds are swelling. More and more people are coming all the time and they have been seeing miracles they can hardly believe, causing many to come to repentance . Revival is breaking out here in Mexico.
https://www.facebook.com/apostlekeith.barr/posts/10206969945428277?fref=nf

I have preached and minister and prayed in five services in less than 2 days in 108 degree weather and going to my 6th service in a couple of hours. I feel great. Hundreds have been healed, saved and filled with the Holy Spirit. one man’s leg was about 3 inches shorter than the other and he walked with a big limp but God instantly healed him while I prayed and he immediately began to walk straight. My interpreter said wow that’s amazing. This 82 year old woman was healed of many things including pain in the knees and other places. God healed her cataracts so she can see clearly after prayer.
https://www.facebook.com/apostlekeith.barr?fref=nf

The movie The Green Mile was on TV last night. It is a good movie with Tom Hanks from the late Michael Duncan Smith as John Coffey a innocent man with a gift of healing wrongly convicted and sentenced to the electric chair.

As I was watching it, I realize that I had just as great and many more miracles in each of my three services yesterday then they showed in this wonderful movie. Cancers were healed, tumors disappeared, cataracts disappeared, many were healed of various knee and back pains. Its too bad the world doesn’t understand or believe the power of God available to His servants today through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Over the past couple of months I have seen an incredible amount of people who were sick and suffering, their bodies wracked with pain and disease and sometimes twisted horribly by them. It is mind blowing and I’m seeing things I never thought of as people come to me desperate for a miracle. My heart goes out to them. Thankfully almost all of them are healed if not instantly or after a few minutes of continued prayer. One night while looking at so many desperate people looking for God to heal them I was reminded of something A.A Allen wrote in his autobiography. It was an exaggeration but he said he had seen so many terribly sick people who were suffering incredibly that it would be enough to make Satan aghast at his own handiwork.

https://www.facebook.com/apostlekeith.barr?fref=nf

http://wp.me/p2M7AJ-2pz