God is our helper today

God’s Word reveals His nature and character, and one important characteristic of God is His willingness and ability to help you right now! Let nothing stand between you and your Helper.

I once read about a certain region of the world, where hot springs and cold springs are found side by side. Because of the convenience of this natural phenomenon, the women of the area bring their laundry to these waters, washing the clothes in the hot springs and then rinsing them in the cold ones.

A thoughtful tourist once commented to a guide, “The people who live here must be thankful that Mother Nature has so generously supplied them with hot and cold water.”

The guide answered, “No, they’re not. They’re too busy complaining because she didn’t give them soap.”

Have you ever noticed that a lack of gratitude causes people to be negative? I’m not a pessimist, but it seems that as the end times draw closer and closer, we are seeing more negativity than ever before. And some of that negative thinking has crept into the Church. Even among those who’ve been taught the message of faith, we see people complaining about what they don’t have, about who has done them wrong, and about how unfair life is. Such people focus only on their problems, and rarely on the solution

Yet God—the Source of every solution—has not changed! The One Who loves them with an everlasting love and who drew them into His Kingdom stands ready to bless and help them more than they could imagine. God stands ready to help every Christian—including you and me!

A Spiritual Epidemic

So, what has happened? I call it an epidemic of a dreaded disease called discontent. Those afflicted are dissatisfied with the things they have. A major symptom of this disease may be complaining, but the cause of the disease is a lack of gratitude. Unfortunately, an unthankful heart prevents us from appreciating the blessings we already have.

For example, you may have a job that you don’t like all that much. But it probably pays the bills. Many people who are unemployed right now would love to be in your shoes simply because you have a job. So, remember the One Who gave you the breath and strength to become employed to begin with. Thank God for your ability to earn income—and thank Him for your income, even if it’s small. Your thanks to God will allow Him to take you higher in life.

Many times, we are waiting for God to do something for us, and while we are waiting, we’re complaining. But if that’s our attitude, then we’re going to be waiting a long time! Why? Because we have failed to realize that God is the One Who has helped us and gotten us this far. We have forgotten that He is our Helper, and He will not forsake us! Look at Hebrews chapter 13:

HEBREWS 13:5–6,8

5  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I WILL NEVER LEAVE THEE, NOR FORSAKE THEE.

6  SO THAT WE MAY BOLDLY SAY, THE LORD IS MY HELPER, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. . . .

8  Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

Many believers have no confidence in God because they don’t understand that God is with them. Hebrews 13:5 says that God will never leave us or forsake us. The next verse begins, “SO THAT we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper, and I will not fear . . . ”! In other words, since it is true that God will never leave or forsake us, that means God is with us. He’s on our side, and He’s with us to help us! We can have confidence in that!

The truth is that as believers, none of us who has enjoyed success in life would be where we are today without God’s help. The assistance we have received in life may have come through another person, but, ultimately, God is responsible for helping us. We should be ever mindful of that fact—and if we are, we’ll have a continual attitude of thankfulness.

Alex Haley, the author of Roots, had an unusual picture hanging on his office wall. In the picture, a turtle sits atop a fence post. One visitor noticed the odd depiction and said, “Why do you have this picture?”

Mr. Haley replied, in effect: “Every time I write something significant—every time I read the words that I have penned and feel proud at how wonderful they are—I remember this turtle. It didn’t get on that fence post on its own. It had some help along the way!”

No matter where we are in life, we should be faithful to give thanks to the Lord, because He is our Helper. If we’re facing a need or a problem today, we can thank God that He delivers us out of trouble. If we are enjoying abundance today, let us remember that we had His help getting to that place in life. And let us hold in our hearts an attitude of deep appreciation and praise to God, Who has blessed us all.

Hindrances I See Today

We are hindered in our faith and spiritual growth today by a lack of gratitude, and it seems that this condition is growing more and more prevalent. I see three things happening in our time that hinder our praise and worship of God. These things keep us from acknowledging Him for who He is and giving Him our adoration and gratitude.

Number one, people have become too busy for God. Now, certainly, we live in a busy, busy world. We’ve often heard it said, and maybe we’ve said it ourselves, that it would be good to go back to a time when life’s pace wasn’t so hectic.

But, even in this busy era, we can and will make time for the things we want to make time for. Today’s technology has certainly given us more to choose from in the way of entertainment, and we have more to distract us. Yet we should never be so busy that we shut God out of our lives. He is the Source of our life, and He is our Helper. If we shut God out, we shut out our ability to thrive, and we shut out the very essence of what makes life meaningful.

Number two, many Christians have lost their vision of God’s majesty and greatness. They have allowed too many other things to cloud their view of God, and they have ceased to recognize or acknowledge Him for who He is. But that shouldn’t be! We all have reason to give thanks to the Creator, to Jesus Christ our Redeemer—to the God Who is a present help in time of trouble this very day (Ps. 46:1; Heb. 4:16).

Number three, many of us allow our own pride to keep us from expressing thanks to God. Many people are so concerned about the opinions of others that they will not even give thanks for their food in public. As far back as grade school, I remember bowing my head in the school cafeteria to give thanks to God for my food. I did the same thing throughout school, even in college, and in the military too. I still do! When I’m out at a restaurant, I give thanks to God for my meal. And when I eat at home, I give Him my thanks.

Do you have food today on your table? Those of us who do are blessed! In some parts of the world, there are many who do not have sufficient food to eat. Of course, it is not God Who has withheld food from them. But their struggles remind us that we have much in our lives to be thankful for.

Give Him Thanks Forever

The Psalmist David had something to say about voicing our gratitude to God. We see a hint of it in verse 12 of Psalm 30, in which David says, “. . . that my heart may sing to you and not be silent” (NIV).

PSALMS 30:10–12 (NIV)

10 “Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me; O Lord, be my help.”

11 You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,

12 that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever.

In this psalm, David was recalling the great wonders God had performed for him. David had cried to the Lord, “Be my help” (v. 11). And God did it! He turned David’s mourning into joy. What did David do then? David said, “I will give you thanks forever” (v. 12).

In the tests and trials of life, we can either wring our hands in worry and fear, or we can lift our hands with thanksgiving to God, saying, “Lord, You are my Helper. Thank You!” It’s all a matter of how we approach things. God is the same today as He was when David called upon Him. And you can say, as David said, “God, You’ve turned my mourning into dancing. You’ve turned my bondage into deliverance, and my confusion into peace. You’ve made the crooked places into a highway, and I will give You thanks forever!”

Throughout the Word of God, we continually see God helping His people. I challenge you today to meditate on the fact that He is your Helper and to “give Him thanks forever.”

Many times, God has helped us when we didn’t even realize it. I am certain He has helped you at times before you ever turned your life over to Him. Did you thank Him, or did you just walk away, as so many people do?

Perhaps you’ve missed it and sinned. Maybe you’re in a mess right now, and you’ve given up hope that God will help you; you’ve lost sight of Him as your Helper. Just remember that failure doesn’t have to be final! God can turn any situation around if you will turn to Him with your whole heart and claim Him as your Helper.

When a child falls, a parent or caregiver will usually pick him up and say, “You’ll be all right. Now, let’s go on.” Similarly, when we as God’s children miss it and fall, He is right there to pick us up. He does this because He’s our Father and our Helper.

Yes, we live in uncertain times. But God’s Word is not an uncertainty. He said that He would be there to help us, and He will do it! So let us resist the world’s tendencies of thanklessness, complaining, blame-shifting, and excuse-making.

Instead, let us think about the good things God has done in our lives, beginning with our salvation—with our being translated from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of light (Col. 1:13)! And let us think about everything He said in His Word that He will do for us. Remember—no matter where you are in life today, this is not your stopping-place! God has more in store for you, and He is your Helper!

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Watching the Words We Speak

Every day we speak countless words, often paying very little attention to the words themselves. However, it is important to realize that we are creating our world by the words that we speak. Proverbs 18:21 in The Amplified Bible says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life].

I would like you to reflect on the kind of words you have been speaking. Are they negative words or positive words? Are they uplifting words or harsh words?

You may be wondering why things are not going well for you. Perhaps you need to put a watch over your lips. Perhaps you have created your situation by the words of your mouth. Proverbs 6:2 says, “Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.”

I have always endeavored to look on the positive side of things. Often when I am facing a challenging situation, my head wants to say, This can’t be done. However, I always allow my heart to speak a confession of faith, saying, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Phil. 4:13).

We need to be careful of the words we speak to our spouse, children, and loved ones. Our words can either hurt or heal. They can inspire or destroy. Too many times, we speak kindly to strangers, coworkers, or friends, but we speak harshly to our family.

Wives, it is very important to speak uplifting words to your husband as he leaves for work. He will meditate on those words for the rest of the day. The words you speak to him may determine whether he makes right or wrong decisions that day.

Many years ago, my husband was preparing to leave for an extended missionary trip. I knew he would face challenging conditions where he was going. The children were young at the time, and I knew he would miss his family. So as I was packing his suitcases, I placed encouraging notes among the clothes. I knew my husband would not unpack all his clothes at the same time, so I knew he would randomly discover the notes throughout his trip. When he returned home, he told me that at the exact time he was homesick, he would discover one of the uplifting notes of encouragement.

We should make it a practice to only allow faith-building, positive words to come forth from our mouth. I encourage you this day to put a watch over your words.

I fondly remember the story I read as a child about the train that fought its way up a steep hill, saying, “I think I can, I think I can.” As the “little engine that could” was about to accomplish his mission, he began to exclaim, “I know I can, I know I can.” We need to take that same attitude when adverse circumstances come our way.

Your head—your thoughts—may give you a problem. Your head will scream in your ears, You’re going to fail this time! Your head will say, You’re going under this time! When sickness and disease are devouring your body, your head will say, You’re not going to make it this time!

When the devil fiercely attacks your mind, that is when you must allow the written Word of God to flow forth from your mouth. Don’t ever face the attacks of the devil with your mouth shut. Your mouth is your most powerful weapon. In the midst of adverse circumstances, boldly declare, “None of these things move me!” In Acts 20:24, the Apostle Paul boldly declared, “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.”

Perhaps you have been moved by circumstances in your life. The enemy may be trying his best to deter you from accomplishing the will of God for your life. He may have already caused you to lose your joy. You may have even allowed thoughts such as Life is not worth living anymore to enter your mind. I admonish you to kick the devil out of your life with the words of your mouth. Know that “. . . greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

With the Greater One living on the inside of you, you cannot be defeated if you will not quit!

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Run to God..

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9

It's wonderful to know you've been set free from the law of sin and death. It's glorious to know you never again have to submit to the slavery of sin. But what do you do when, in spite of those wonderful, glorious truths, you still miss the mark? What do you do when you stumble and fall into sin?

Run to your Father and repent!

That sounds simple. But oddly enough we often do just the opposite. Instead of running to God, we let fear and guilt drive us further and further from Him. We start thinking things like, Well, I've missed it now. I might as well forget the rest of it and live like the devil.

Don't make that mistake. Don't let Satan talk you into sinning in one area of your life just because you missed it in another. When you get off track with God, just confess it and get right back on.

"But, Brother Copeland, I feel so guilty when I tell God what I've done that it's hard for me to make myself do it."

I know. I used to feel that way too. Then, one day, God said to me, Kenneth, when you confessed that sin wasn't when I found out about it. I knew about it all the time! When you confessed it is when you got rid of it, when you were cleansed of its effects in your life.

When you make a mistake, when you miss the mark, remember, you have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous (1 John 2:1). Run to Him! He knows what you are going through. You don't need to be afraid. He didn't tear you apart for the sins you committed before you made Him Lord of your life, did He? Then how much more merciful and loving do you think He'll be now that you're His own? Now that you're reaching out for Him and have a heart for Him?

Don't run from God. Run to Him. Receive His forgiveness. Receive His cleansing. No matter how badly you've sinned, He's eager to forgive and to cleanse you of all unrighteousness.

Scripture Reading:

2 Samuel 11:1-5, 12:1-13

Question of the day...

Isn’t the love of money the root of all evil?

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Covetous thinking is what turns people into money lovers. First Timothy 6:9-10 says it this way: "But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows."

The love of money is rooted in covetousness. You may think covetousness is wanting to take for yourself something that belongs to someone else. You may equate it with the command in Exodus 20:17 which says, "You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife…or anything else that belongs to your neighbor."

But actually, coveting and covetousness are two different things. Covetousness is a way of thinking that eventually leads to coveting. It's a natural, carnal mindset that doesn't include God.

Most of us were trained in it by our parents' generation. We were raised to believe as the world does—that we are responsible for meeting our own material needs and wants. We were brought up to think we have to go out and gather up money for ourselves—that we have to make our own living.

We grew up hearing Mom and Dad and Grandma say things like, "Now listen to me, child. You'd better make good grades in school because if you don't, you won't get into college, and if you don't go to college, you'll never be able to get a good job. You'll be poor your whole life."

It never occurs to most Christians that there's anything wrong with that perspective. They don't realize it's based on the logic of the world and doesn't include an ounce of faith in God. They just accept it and start making their financial decisions accordingly.

Instead of asking, "What does God want me to do? What does He have planned for me?" they ask, "How can I make enough money to meet my needs?" Then they come up with a way that seems right to them but ends up in death.

That kind of thinking—not the world's economy—is what's crippling believers financially these days. It's a covetous mindset and it is cutting them off from THE BLESSING of God. Even worse, it's a deadly way of thinking that eventually leads to financial manipulation, cheating, theft and all other kinds of evil.

The passage in 2 Timothy above refers to "people who long to be rich." It's not talking about people who trust THE BLESSING of the Lord to make them rich and add no sorrow with it (Proverbs 10:22). It's talking about people who are trying to get rich by their own willpower and human ingenuity. It's talking about "the ungodly, who prosper in the world" (Psalm 73:12) by gathering up finances for themselves, and God isn't any part of it.

That's covetousness, and it leads to the love of money and all kinds of sorrowful, evil things. It leads people to make decisions that seem right but turn out to be deadly.

Dare to Decide

Be it according to thy word.

Exodus 8:10

I used to worry about making decisions for God. I used to be afraid to step out on faith and declare I was going to do something new that He’d shown me to do. I’d think, What if I fail? I was so scared of failing, I’d muddle around in indecision for weeks. Then one day I found out it wasn’t my power that was going to carry it out anyway. But it took my decision to move God in on the scene. Once I decided what I was going to do, and committed myself totally to it, God backed me!

What I learned is a truth from the Word of God that, if you’ll pay attention to it, will revolutionize your life. It’s truth that carries an awesome responsibility with it, but it’s a fabulous thing to realize.

Here it is: The right, the privilege and the power to decide has been left by God in the hands of men.

You have the right, for example, to decide where you’re going to spend eternity. You have a right to make that decision, and God will back your decision.

God can do everything for you but decide. He’s provided the power. He’s provided His Name. He’s provided the blood of Jesus. He’s provided the kingdom of God. He’s even made us partakers of it (Colossians 1:12).

But He’s not going to stuff that inheritance down our throats. Somewhere down the line we each have to make the decision to receive it.

Now the beautiful part is this: When you make that decision, God will back you to the hilt with His power. Once you make a decision to be born again, there’s no devil in hell big enough to stop you. All you have to do is decide.

Decide now. Declare your decision. Let it be done unto you according to your words.

Is God leading you in some new direction? Is He leading you to step out in faith for healing or prosperity or to take a whole new step of ministry? Don’t let fear hold you back.

Scripture Reading:

Romans 4:13-21

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Question of the day.

How can I expect to “live like Jesus”?

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As Brother Copeland has studied the words and life of Jesus, he has seen again and again that when Jesus was on earth, hearing and obeying the Father was essential to His success.

It's essential to ours, too. If we want to live the kind of supernatural life that Jesus lived, we must slow down enough to listen for and to our Father's voice.

As Jesus’ disciples, we CAN do it!

According to Jesus we really can. He said, "I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father" (John 14:12). He also said, "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:31-32).

The word disciple means, "to follow a teacher in order to become like him." As you begin to learn any significant new skill, just like Brother Copeland did when he began learning to fly airplanes, you become a "disciple" of the instructor. Brother Copeland didn't say, "I could never fly like he does." On the contrary, he fully expected to learn how to duplicate his instructor's expertise in the cockpit.

That is the whole idea! If we don’t duplicate the actions of the instructor, we will end up “flying the plane into the ground.” Nobody wants to fail, so we make up our mind right away to follow our instructor's example.

We can apply the same principle to following Jesus. If we'll say what He said and do what He did, we'll get the same results He got.

That idea may upset religious folks. They may think it's blasphemous. "How dare you try to act like Jesus!" they say. "He's God!"

Certainly He is. But He didn't operate as God when He was on earth. As Philippians 2:7 says, He laid aside all the divine power that belonged to Him as a member of the Trinity and operated as a man. In other words, Jesus was as dependent on the power of His heavenly Father for His success in life and ministry as you and I are today. He said, "I do nothing on my own but say only what the Father taught me. And the one who sent me is with me—he has not deserted me. For I always do what pleases him.... The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me" (John 8:28-29, 14:10).

This is how Jesus lived: He said only what He heard His Father say. He did what His Father taught Him to do. Then, His Father supplied the power and did the miraculous works everyone marveled over.

That process brought Jesus 100 percent success all the time in every area of His life. If you'll duplicate it, it will do the same for you

Time to get serious.. (Kenneth Copeland)

O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee.... I [will] remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.

Psalm 63:1,6

If you’re going to live in divine health, there are going to be times when you’ll have to be downright extreme about the Word of God. Times when you may be facing a sickness so severe that you need more than just a few moments in the Word and a quick prayer to receive your healing.

I want to tell you, in very practical terms, what I would do in a situation like that.

The moment I woke up in the morning, before I did anything else, I’d take Communion. I’d say, “Lord, I dedicate my body all day today to the service of my Lord Jesus Christ. I take Jesus’ pure blood shed for me.”

Then I’d put the devil in his place. I’d say, “I rebuke you, Satan. You’re not going to put any sickness and disease on me today. Regardless of the symptoms, regardless of what my body thinks about it, by the power of Jesus through His Spirit, I have overcome this sickness because He who is within me is greater than he who is in the world.”

Then, all day long, I’d thank God for my healing. I’d choose some teaching tapes that would fill my mind and my spirit with the anointed Word of God, and I’d listen to them throughout the day. In the afternoon, I’d praise God and receive Communion again to remind myself that the blood of Jesus is in my veins, that I’m part of God’s family.

You don’t have to wait until the second Sunday of each month or whatever to receive Communion. Jesus just said, “This do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me” (1 Corinthians 11:25). And if you’re facing a serious attack of the devil, you need to remember Jesus all day and all night. You need to consider Jesus until thoughts of Him push the thoughts of that sickness right out of your mind.

That night before bed I’d receive Communion again, then I’d praise myself to sleep. If I woke up in the night, I’d reach over and get my Bible and read all the healing scriptures and make the devil sorry he woke me.

When the devil launches a serious attack against your body, don’t mess around. Get serious about the Word. Put yourself under its constant care and it will take good care of you.

Scripture Reading:

Hebrews 4:9-16

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What are angels?

For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

Psalm 91:11

It’s time to set the record straight. Angels are not kid stuff. They’re not little fat babies with long blonde hair and bows and arrows in their hands. Angels are big, strong warriors. They are real. They are powerful. And if you are a believer, they are a vital part of your life.

We see examples of what angels can do all through the Bible. For instance, when the children of Israel were fleeing from Egypt with Pharaoh’s army hot on their heels, the Bible tells us that suddenly the wheels on the Egyptians’ chariots got fouled up. They just quit rolling!

Who do you think caused that? The angels, of course!

They haven’t retired since then either. Angels are at work today just as they’ve always been.

A few years ago in one of Israel’s major wars, the enemy had their guns trained on Israeli cities. Those guns were the finest military equipment money could buy. They had a range of at least 20 miles and were equipped with electronic gun sights for accuracy.

But something very odd happened. Every time they fired those guns at the Israelis, they either overshot or fell far short of their targets. We know there was nothing wrong with the guns because later the Israelis captured them and fired them back at the enemy with perfect success.

What happened? Angels, that’s what!

My friend, that isn’t just a fairy tale. That’s a real-life example of the involvement of angels in the lives of God’s people today. And, if you’re a child of God, you have a right to expect God’s angels to do the same kind of things for you.

So, start expecting! Say, “Thank You, heavenly Father, for giving Your angels charge over me to keep me in all my ways.” Once you’ve spoken that word of faith, stand fast. Don’t fear. Don’t waver. Just be patient and keep believing, and you will surely see the salvation of the Lord.

Scripture Reading:

Acts 12:1-17

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Question of the Day

What does it mean to lay down my life for others?

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ANSWER
The Bible says in John 15:13, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

Jesus was telling His disciples to give up the things they wanted to do and to give of themselves to others. He said that there is no greater love than this. We can give of ourselves with prayer. We can give of ourselves with time. We can give of ourselves with love and understanding.

We are working together with Him, ambassadors of Christ sent to represent Him. It is not necessary to be an evangelist, pastor or teacher to be able to speak the Word of God. You can speak God’s Word to the person riding next to you on the bus. You can pray for those from whom Satan has hidden the light of God’s Word. You can give time to those who seem to have run out of time. There are people who need to hear the same message that God used to set you free. What an honor to be a mouthpiece for the kingdom of God! We are channels of the love of God!

Romans 15:1 says, “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” We live to please God. Jesus did not live to please Himself. He lived to please the Father. We are to be followers of the example that Jesus set for us. We are to follow after love (1 Corinthians 14:1).

If love leads us to the person next door, then we should follow. When love calls us to intercede for someone in need, then we should yield. We lay down our plans for Love’s plan. Praise God!

The following is a confession of faith for giving of yourself for others.

“Father, in Jesus’ Name, I see from Your Word that You were willing to give of Yourself, in the person of Your Son, for all men.

“I understand that because Jesus is Lord of my life, I too can give of myself to share the good news of the gospel with others.

“It was that same gospel that set me free and I believe that as I share it with those around me, they too will come to know You in a personal way.

“I’ll give of my time, Father. I’ll give of Your love in me. I’ll be strong and lift up those who are weak. I’m willing to be available to be used of You so that others might experience the abundant life You have provided.

“In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”

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Question of the Day

What does it mean to lay down my life for others?

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ANSWER
The Bible says in John 15:13, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

Jesus was telling His disciples to give up the things they wanted to do and to give of themselves to others. He said that there is no greater love than this. We can give of ourselves with prayer. We can give of ourselves with time. We can give of ourselves with love and understanding.

We are working together with Him, ambassadors of Christ sent to represent Him. It is not necessary to be an evangelist, pastor or teacher to be able to speak the Word of God. You can speak God’s Word to the person riding next to you on the bus. You can pray for those from whom Satan has hidden the light of God’s Word. You can give time to those who seem to have run out of time. There are people who need to hear the same message that God used to set you free. What an honor to be a mouthpiece for the kingdom of God! We are channels of the love of God!

Romans 15:1 says, “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” We live to please God. Jesus did not live to please Himself. He lived to please the Father. We are to be followers of the example that Jesus set for us. We are to follow after love (1 Corinthians 14:1).

If love leads us to the person next door, then we should follow. When love calls us to intercede for someone in need, then we should yield. We lay down our plans for Love’s plan. Praise God!

The following is a confession of faith for giving of yourself for others.

“Father, in Jesus’ Name, I see from Your Word that You were willing to give of Yourself, in the person of Your Son, for all men.

“I understand that because Jesus is Lord of my life, I too can give of myself to share the good news of the gospel with others.

“It was that same gospel that set me free and I believe that as I share it with those around me, they too will come to know You in a personal way.

“I’ll give of my time, Father. I’ll give of Your love in me. I’ll be strong and lift up those who are weak. I’m willing to be available to be used of You so that others might experience the abundant life You have provided.

“In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”

SOURCE

Question of the Day

What does it mean to lay down my life for others?

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ANSWER
The Bible says in John 15:13, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

Jesus was telling His disciples to give up the things they wanted to do and to give of themselves to others. He said that there is no greater love than this. We can give of ourselves with prayer. We can give of ourselves with time. We can give of ourselves with love and understanding.

We are working together with Him, ambassadors of Christ sent to represent Him. It is not necessary to be an evangelist, pastor or teacher to be able to speak the Word of God. You can speak God’s Word to the person riding next to you on the bus. You can pray for those from whom Satan has hidden the light of God’s Word. You can give time to those who seem to have run out of time. There are people who need to hear the same message that God used to set you free. What an honor to be a mouthpiece for the kingdom of God! We are channels of the love of God!

Romans 15:1 says, “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” We live to please God. Jesus did not live to please Himself. He lived to please the Father. We are to be followers of the example that Jesus set for us. We are to follow after love (1 Corinthians 14:1).

If love leads us to the person next door, then we should follow. When love calls us to intercede for someone in need, then we should yield. We lay down our plans for Love’s plan. Praise God!

The following is a confession of faith for giving of yourself for others.

“Father, in Jesus’ Name, I see from Your Word that You were willing to give of Yourself, in the person of Your Son, for all men.

“I understand that because Jesus is Lord of my life, I too can give of myself to share the good news of the gospel with others.

“It was that same gospel that set me free and I believe that as I share it with those around me, they too will come to know You in a personal way.

“I’ll give of my time, Father. I’ll give of Your love in me. I’ll be strong and lift up those who are weak. I’m willing to be available to be used of You so that others might experience the abundant life You have provided.

“In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”

SOURCE

Why did God create you?

Man is something really special. He is made in the image of God. He is made to have fellowship with God.

Some people get the idea that God made man so He’d have someone to dominate. But God is not a dominator. God is love and love needs to have someone to give to. Neither did God made man to be dominated by something else. Rather, God made man to dominate the earth and his circumstances. That’s why God made man. He made him, so He could give him His love.

God could have given His love to the angels, and He did that. But giving to angels didn’t provide total fulfillment. Why? Because angels aren’t made in His image.

You’re the same way. Let’s say, for example, you have a puppy as a pet. You can fellowship with that little pet just so much, but then there comes a time when you need someone to talk to. There comes a time when you need to have communication on your own level.

The reason you’re like that is because you’re created in the image of God. That’s how He is. He has a desire to fellowship with someone like Himself.

Dare to believe you’re something really special today—a one-of-a-kind creation made by God in His very own image. Dare to receive His love and dare to love Him back!

Scripture Reading:

Genesis 1:26-31

SOURCE

Question of the Day

Question: Can I live in consistent victory?

Answer:

Wouldn’t it be great if we could spend all our time in wonderful, spiritual meetings where the power of God shows up and we never have to think about anything else?

Yes, it would be great. But it is not reality. The Word of God tells us that although we are not of the world, we are in the world (see John 17:11-20). Each of us has our everyday life to live and must continually deal with “everyday” things. But though we are in the world, we’re not like those who are without Christ—“strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12). We are “in Christ” in the world, and that makes all the difference in the world!

The devil is roaming around this earth seeking to kill, steal and destroy (John 10:10), and you will have to deal with him. Don’t fret over it. Just be ready. The good news is, Jesus, our Champion and Savior, said, “I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Learn where the point of attack is. Jesus said in Mark 4:19 that “all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced.” If we want our lives to bear good fruit, it’s clear that we have to learn how to overcome the things that try to get us off the Word. Satan’s main strategy is to get the Word out of your heart. He puts pressure on you to quit believing and acting on the promises of God. That is his only chance for success in your life. He wants you to give up so he can take over. Don’t do it!

Instead of giving up—double up. Spend more time with God in His Word. With the wisdom (answers) you receive from Him and His Word, you’ll be able to “run with patience the race that is set before [you]” (Hebrews 12:1). By letting God be God in your life, by making Him No. 1, and by spending time with Him and His Word first, you will be able to walk in victory!



Source:kcm.or

Get one Over Trouble Thoughts ( Ramson Mumba)

 John 14:1

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.”

I don’t know about you, but the last time I caught myself feeling troubled, I don’t recall giving myself permission! I just found myself feeling that way. I certainly didn’t wake up in the morning saying, “Watch out everyone, today I am about to be troubled.”

Jesus’ command in this verse gives us a problem because the functionality of our brain means that we worry without meaning to. We sink into anxiety without even realizing that we are doing it! Yet Jesus clearly said, “LET NOT”, meaning that, even though we really don’t feel like it, we are still in control.

Sometimes it is as simple as knowing what gets your mind upset. If you can’t tolerate that type of movie, don’t watch it, because if you do, later on you won’t be able to sleep. If you can’t handle the roller coaster, don’t ride it, or you will spoil your whole day out. Knowing yourself and managing your soul is wisdom.

But more than that, there is a shield that we can employ which keeps troubled thoughts at bay, and it is this, BELIEVE GOD. Before those thoughts invade our mind and heart, the Word that we have believed repels them.

If you have no Word you have no shield of faith. Discouraging and threatening circumstances barge right on in and trouble you. But if you have a Word before you hit trouble, that sense of fear and intimidation can’t touch you. It can’t get past your Word shield.

Make a decision to believe God again today. According to Romans 10: 14-17, fresh faith comes as we hear the preached Word. Take a moment to look it up and remind yourself of the necessity of hearing the Word preached to us. It’s not just about reading the Word in our personal time with God. Those times are vital to connect with God and to fill us up with the “logos” Word, but it is the “rhema” Word, or the Word that is quickened as it preached under the anointing, that gets the job done in our lives.

Don’t let your heart be empty of Word today. You are in control, so take charge, get your shield in place and kick troubled thoughts out of your soul.

Pray

Heavenly Father, thank you that I am empowered to take control over troubled thoughts. I am so glad that I am not at the mercy of anxieties and fears, but I can put up a shield of faith and repel those things.

Today I make a decision to listen to the Word of God being preached under the anointing, so that faith can come into my heart afresh. As I listen, I trust you to speak to me, and I am excited to gain the upper hand over troubled thoughts. I bind every tormenting thought right now and I pick up my shield of faith again, and I declare, “I believe God!”



Source: ramsonmumbaministries

Four Decisions that Determine Your Destiny (Rick Warren)

"If you are . . . unable to make up your mind and undecided in all you do, you must not think that you will receive anything from the Lord” (James 1:7-8 GNT).

In Dr. Seuss’ poem “The Zode in the Road,” a young Zode comes to a fork in the road and spends quite some time trying to decide which direction to go. He thinks about the possibility that one place may be too hot and the other too cool or one too high and the other too low. After scratching his head in indecision, the Zode finally decides to play it safe and “start out for both places at once!”

And that meant the Zode got nowhere.

What decision do you need to make? I urge you to do something great with your life for Jesus’ sake. Don’t be a Zode. Don’t waste your life. Don’t live in mediocrity. Don’t just exist! Make the decisions that will determine your destiny.

There are four life-changing decisions that every person has to make:

1. To commit your life to Christ and become a part of his family. If you haven’t done that, what are you waiting on? Not to decide is to decide.

2. To commit to the habits that will help you grow spiritually. Don’t be a wishy-washy, lukewarm, shallow Christian. Go head-on. Be all that God wants you to be.

3. To use your talents, gifts, abilities, and experiences to serve God and others. If you’ve been sitting on the bench, it’s time to get in the game.

4. To share Jesus Christ with others. Once you know the Good News, you’re to become a messenger so that others may hear it, too.

“If you are . . . unable to make up your mind and undecided in all you do, you must not think that you will receive anything from the Lord” (James 1:7-8 GNT).

The decision is yours!



Source: pastortick.com

Question of the Day

Question: What is the importance of ministering to the poor?

Answer:

When Jesus quoted from Isaiah 61 concerning the anointing that was on His ministry, He read, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised” (Luke 4:16-18).

Jesus was declaring His Anointing to meet specific needs for specific groups of people. If He preached to the blind, they didn’t have to be blind anymore; to the brokenhearted, they didn’t have to have broken hearts anymore; and to the captives, they didn’t have to be bound anymore, what did He preach to the poor? Not just the new birth. It seems obvious that He preached they didn’t have to be poor anymore.

When we give to the poor, we enter into the anointing that was on Jesus to fulfill the covenant promises of prosperity that God gave to Abraham and expanded on in His promises through Moses in Deuteronomy 8:6-18 and 28:1-13.

When you give directly to the poor, or to those who minister to their needs and get the gospel to them, you are sowing into good soil. Psalm 41:1-2 says, “Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor! The Lord rescues them when they are in trouble. The Lord protects them and keeps them alive. He gives them prosperity in the land and rescues them from their enemies.”

Don't Fear in God's Delays (Pastor Rick Warren)

“Do you remember how the Lord led you through the wilderness for all those forty years, humbling you and testing you to find out how you would respond, and whether or not you would really obey him?” (Deuteronomy 8:2 TLB).

Dreams are never fulfilled immediately. There’s always a waiting period. The Israelites were brought out of Egypt and then wandered around for 40 years before they went into the Promised Land, even though the trip shouldn’t have taken more than a few weeks.

Just like the Israelites, sometimes we are delayed by design. Every dream has difficulties. God uses delays to get us ready for those difficulties.

God also uses delays to test us. The Bible says in Deuteronomy 8:2, “Do you remember how the Lord led you through the wilderness for all those forty years, humbling you and testing you to find out how you would respond, and whether or not you would really obey him?” (TLB).

So when your dream is delayed, how should you respond?

Don’t fear!

Embracing fear is the first mistake the Israelites made. Deuteronomy 1:28a says, “Why should we go there? We are afraid. The men we sent tell us that the people there are stronger and taller than we are” (GNT). The Israelites had enough faith to move out of Egypt, but they didn’t have enough faith to move into the Promised Land. They were afraid.

The problem with fear is that it keeps you in the wilderness. It prolongs the delay. Many of your dreams have never been fulfilled, not because of God but because of you, because you wouldn’t step out in faith.

The antidote to fear is faith, focusing on God’s presence. Realize that God is with you. He says, “Fear not, for I am with you” (Isaiah 41:10a TLB). He’s with you now, he always has been, and he always will be.

Maybe you’re in the delay phase right now. You’ve been praying about something, and it hasn’t happened yet. You may start to think that God has forgotten you.

God has not forgotten you! It is a delay by design. God knows what you’re going through. He wants to build your character, and he wants you to learn to trust in him. You can count on him for his help. Don’t fear.



Source: pastorrick.com

Stand Up and Be Counted (Kenneth Copeland)

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

1 Timothy 2:1-2

We are commanded to pray for our country and our leaders. But having prayed, God expects us to act. The elections in the United States are vital to the future of this nation. Our country is in the midst of a spiritual outpouring, and it’s vitally important that the right people be elected. We must see to it.

Don’t wait until election time is upon us before you start seeking God for whom to vote. Begin to pray now so that the news media and other voices from every corner cannot influence you and cannot draw you in a direction away from the Spirit of God. Pray so that you won’t be influenced by natural reactions and natural responses to cleverly designed commercials and ideas.

Start praying now about the coming elections. Whether they are small local elections or major national elections, make them a part of every prayer you pray. Then thank the Spirit of God for His wisdom concerning for whom to vote. Thank Him for giving you His wisdom about what to say and when to say it to others. Thank Him for giving you wisdom to declare the Name of Jesus and declare that this shall be a God-indwelt, God-ordained, God-overseen administration.

So register. Pray. Vote. Then stand up and be counted by the power of the living God.
Scripture Reading:

1 Timothy 2:1-8




Source:kcm.org