Category: General Christian Living

 

 

 

 

 

 

God bless,

Mark

Happy Monday!

 

 

 

 

 

God wants to help us be free from this world and its ways.  He sets us free by showing us how to be transformed by the renewing of our minds so we can be free from this world’s pressure to conform to its ways.  We have such a mighty, loving Father.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28

(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
2 Corinthians 10:4-5

In every thing give thanks:  for (because) this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
1 Thessalonians 5:18

Ask the Holy Spirit to remind and help you renew your mind to these three great Bible scriptures and truths.  Always remember:  “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
Ephesians 6:12

God bless,

Mark

38 And he (Jesus) was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow:  and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still.  And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful?  How is it that ye have no faith?
Mark 4:38-40

God bless,

Mark

Sorry this is a little longer today.  It was so good I just had to send it out to you.

Dr. Warren Weirsbe on the question:  What Is The Purpose Of Life’s Trials?

A little boy was leading his sister up a mountain path and the way was not too easy.  “Why, this isn’t a path at all,” the little girl complained.  “It’s all rocky and bumpy.”  And her brother replied, “Sure, the bumps are what you climb on.”  That’s a remarkable piece of philosophy.  What do you do with the bumps on the path of life?

I have been a reader of biographies for many years, and I have yet to find a successful person whose life was free from problems and difficulties.  Looking at these people from a distance, you might think they had it made and that life was easy for them.  But when you get closer, you discover that their climb to the top of the mountain was not an easy one.  The road was rocky and bumpy, but the bumps were what they climbed on to get to the top.

We don’t have to read too far in the Bible before we discover the truth.  Abraham certainly didn’t become a great man of faith overnight.  He had to go through some difficult tests on the road of life before he reached the top of the mountain.  No sooner did Abraham arrive in Canaan than a famine came to the land.  Imagine facing a famine in the land God has promised you!  Then Abraham had problems with his nephew, Lot; and then war came to the land, and Abraham had to go out and fight.  His wife led him astray with bad counsel and the result was the birth of Ishmael, a boy who brought sorrow to Abraham’s heart.  Finally, Isaac, the promised son, was born, bringing great joy to Abraham and Sarah.  Then God asked Abraham to put Isaac on the altar, a sacrifice that would be difficult for any father or mother.  Yes, there were many bumps on that road, but Abraham used the bumps to climb higher.

If anybody walked a rocky road, Joseph did.  His father pampered him, hated by his brothers, sold for a slave, falsely accused, put into prison, forgotten, and apparently forsaken.  But the bumps on the road helped him to climb higher, and one day Joseph became the second in command of all Egypt.  Moses had a similar experience, and so did David, Daniel, and Paul.  Here were people who did not complain about the road; they accepted the difficulties of life and used them as stepping-stones to the top of the mountain.

I don’t know what difficulties you are going through just now, but I know some of the feelings you have, because I have been on this bumpy road myself.  You feel like quitting, like giving up.  You can’t understand why the road doesn’t get easier, why God doesn’t remove the stones and straighten the path.  If God did that, you might never get to the top, because the bumps are what you can climb on.

Psalm 91 says, “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”  It is a psalm that magnifies the care that God exercises over His children.  Eleven different kinds of dangers are named in this psalm – war, snares, sickness, terrors by night, arrows by day, and others – yet God says that He can protect us from them all.  This doesn’t mean that we will never experience accidents or injuries; but it does mean that no matter what happens in the will of God, all things will work together for good.

One of the greatest promises found in Psalm 91 has to do with the stones on the path.  “For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.  They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.”  God doesn’t promise to remove the stones from the path, but He does promise to make them stepping-stones and not stumbling blocks.  He promises to help us climb higher because of the difficulties of life.

Most of us respond in a predictable way to the rocks in the path.  We complain about them; we kick against them and only hurt ourselves.  We try to pick them up and get rid of them, only to discover they are too heavy for us.  We can’t always get around them, and we wonder if we can get over them. Some people just stop and go no further.  Others give up and turn back.  But the child of God does not have to stop or go back; he can use the rocky places in life as stepping-stones to climb higher.

The trouble with most of us is that we are accustomed to paved roads and level sidewalks.  But life is not made that way.  Sometimes the road is level and easy, and the birds are singing and the way is wonderful.  But sometimes the road is rocky and bumpy, and we hear no music and feel no helping hand.  Then what? Complain? Give up? No, that’s the time to remember God’s promise:  “For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.”  God’s invisible army is at your service, and God can see you through.

Charlie Brown in the “Peanuts” comic strip is one of my favorite characters.  In one particular strip, he is complaining because his team always loses their games.  Lucy tries to console him by saying, “Remember, Charlie Brown, you learn more from your defeats than you do from your victories.”  And Charlie Brown replies, “That makes me the smartest man in the world!”

If life were nothing but a series of defeats, all of us would get discouraged.  God knows how to balance our lives so that we have sunshine and rain, calm and storm, laughter and tears.  On the road of life there are level places that delight us, and there are difficult places that challenge us.  If we get off the path of God’s will and go on a detour, the way will be rough from start to finish.  The detour is always rougher than the main road.  But there are rocks and bumps even on the paths of God’s choosing, and we have to learn to accept them and benefit from them.  The bumps are what you climb on.

But this takes faith.  It is much easier to kick the rock and turn around and go back.  The secret to climbing higher is to look away from yourself and your difficulties, and look by faith to Jesus Christ.  He knows where you are, how you feel, and what you can do.  Turn it all over to Him and start walking by faith.  The very rocks that seem like barriers to human eyes will, to the eyes of faith, become blessings.  Listen to the promises of Psalm 91:15:  “He shall call upon me, and I will answer him:  I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him.”

If anybody faced obstacles on the road of life, it was our Lord Jesus Christ.  He was born into a poor family, a member of a rejected minority race.  He grew up in obscurity in a little town that’s mentioned only in scorn—“Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” He gathered about Him a small group of nondescript men, and one of them became a traitor and sold Him for the price of a slave.  He was called a liar, a glutton, a drunkard, and a man in league with the devil.  Men twisted His words and questioned His motives, yet Jesus Christ continued to do the will of God.  Finally, He came to that greatest stone of all—being crucified like a common thief.  But He continued to climb that mountain, and God gave Him the victory.

This is why the writer of the Book of Hebrews urges us to look to Jesus Christ and keep on trusting.  “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (12:2).  We are to look not at ourselves, our circumstances, our troubles, or the bumps in the road, but unto Jesus.

Yes, the bumps are what you climb on!

God bless,

Mark

 

 

 

 

O taste and see that the LORD is good:  blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
Psalm 34:8

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6

Because God is good, He’s constantly producing more of His “goodness” in our minds, emotions and spirits.

God’s asking me to follow Him into some new territory and experiences.  Maybe He’s asking you to do the same right now.  While His directives for our lives can seem scary at first glance, God’s always leading us into more liberty, trust, and Godly character.  Always.  It’s His nature to do so.

It’s always been interesting and inspiring to me that God asked us to trust and obey Him regardless of what He asks of us.  A lot of things in life have seemed like giants (challenges to my faith) to me, obstacles God wanted me to face just like the giants (satan’s attempts to keep us from inheriting God’s promises and character) the children of Israel faced on their way to occupy the promised land God had promised them.  I found out that if I faced the giants, God was always faithful to bring me through and produced more of His rich character in my life.

Facing some “giants?”  God’s merely asking us to follow Him into obtaining more of His incredible character.  See giants as mere acts of obedience leading to blessings because that’s how God sees them.  Giants are nothing from His perspective.  Soon, you’ll have more of His perspective and enjoy following where He leads.  There’s simply nothing like experiencing God’s faithfulness.  Learn to love “giant” opportunities, to experience God’s deliverance, power, mercy, peace, rest, and joy.

 

 

 

 

 

I can do all things (anything He’s asking me to do or face) through Christ (not in my own strength, but in Christ’s strength) which strengtheneth me.
Philippians 4:13

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28

Onward and upwards!

God bless,
Mark – ChoosingJesusEveryDay.com
How to ask Jesus into your heart to be your Savior:
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son (Jesus), that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For (Because) God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
John 3:16-17

That if thou (anyone) shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Romans 10:9-10

Pray this prayer to become a child of God:
“Lord Jesus, for too long I’ve kept you out of my life.  I know that I am a sinner and that I cannot save myself.  No longer will I close the door when I hear you knocking.  By faith I gratefully receive your gift of salvation.  I am ready to trust you as my Lord and Savior.  Thank you, Lord Jesus, for coming to earth.  I believe you are the Son of God who died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead on the third day.  Thank you for bearing my sins and giving me the gift of eternal life.  I believe your words are true.  Come into my heart, Lord Jesus, and be my Savior.  Amen.”

Happy Monday, Everyone!

The following is taken from Joyce Meyer’s “Closer To God Each Day Devotional” for July 30.

Open-Book Tests

Sometimes teachers let students take open-book tests.  They are allowed to have their textbook open while answering the questions.  We are all going to go through tests.  There are no exceptions – everybody is tested at different times in life.  But they are all open-book tests; the answers are found in the Book.  No matter what we are going through, God has provided the answers in His Word.

Drawing close to God through His Word during difficulty gives us strength and answers that we need.  God often allows us to go through a difficult place because He is testing, stretching, and strengthening us.  During such times Satan attacks us in our minds telling us lies such as, “God doesn’t love you, and if He was going to help you, He would have already done it.  You might as well give up on trusting God and develop your own plan of escape.”  This is a time to hold on, not to give up!

Life isn’t always easy.  There are going to be some days and seasons when we are faced with challenges.  But if you choose to lean on the Lord in those times, you’ll realize that you can still have joy even on trying days.  Godly strength, wisdom and knowledge, spiritual maturity, and character are developed in us as we go through tests.

In order to grow in God and do what He has called you to do, choose to be faithful.  His character will be revealed in your life over time.

God bless,

Mark

Below are a couple of quotes from the first few pages of “The Bondage Breaker” book by Dr. Neil T. Anderson.  Neil is the founder of Freedom In Christ Ministries.  Here’s his site link:

Home

“Before we received Christ, we were slaves to sin.  Now, because of Christ’s work on the cross, sin’s power over us has been broken.  Satan has no right of ownership or authority over us.  He is a defeated foe, but he is committed to keeping us from realizing that.  The father of lies can block your effectiveness as a Christian if he can deceive you into believing that you are nothing but a product of your past – subject to sin, prone to failure, and controlled by your habits.”

“Nor can Satan do anything about your position in Christ, but if he can deceive you into believing what the Scripture says isn’t true, you will live as thought it isn’t.  People are in bondage to the lies they believe.  That is why Jesus said, “You will know the truth (Jesus’ truth as opposed to Satan’s lies), and the truth (Jesus) will make you free” (John 8:32).”

32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

33 They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man:  how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?

34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever:  but the Son abideth ever.

36 If the Son (Jesus) therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
John 8:32-36

Wow, it’s amazing how many lies we can believe during any given day, week, month…lifetime.  I’m reading “The Bondage Breaker” by Dr. Neil T. Anderson.  In the book, Neil discusses how the enemy’s deception and lies (darkness) bring us into bondage and how Jesus’ truth (The light) sets us free.  I’ve only read the first few pages of the book and was reading some of it to my wife this morning when she said, “Wow, that’s so good that we need to order some copies for friends.”  Yep, Neil’s book is that good – gets right to the point and makes you want to “do” what he points out.  He also offers a DVD and workbook with his “The Bondage Breaker” series.  Ann and I have already gone through a lot of The Bondage Breaker DVD and workbook (Pricing is good, too).  I can honestly tell you, at first, I didn’t think going through the workbook would change anything in my life.  After listing a number of things in one section and praying the prayer Neil includes, I woke up the next morning completely free from any oppression in a specific area.  No kidding.  I was really surprised and grateful.

God bless,

Mark

I heard someone today say there’s really no peace outside of having a vital relationship with Christ.  Right then, the Holy Spirit confirmed this in my soul.  I’ve used a lot of other things to try to have peace, but none of them ever brought me the kind of peace I experience in Jesus.  Not even close.  Getting to know Jesus brings me a deep, abiding peace that doesn’t require my understanding.  It’s just there whenever I seek Him and His ways.  The following verses describe His peace that’s available to anyone who learns to “trust” in the Lord instead of leaning on their own understanding.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering (how we act while waiting), gentleness (kindness), goodness, faith, meekness (An attitude of humble, submissive and expectant trust in God, and a loving, patient and gentle attitude towards others.), temperance (self-control):
Galatians 5:22-23a

Cast all your anxiety (cares) on him (Jesus) because he cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7

Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
Romans 14:19

Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult.  On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.  For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech.  They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it.
1 Peter 3:9-11

Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.
Isaiah 54:10

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30

You (God) will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.
Isaiah 26:3

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.  The Lord be with all of you.
2 Thessalonians 3:16

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7

I will listen to what God the LORD says; he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants— but let them not turn to folly.
Psalm 85:8

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John 14:27

There’s no peace like the peace that’s ours when we get our minds back on Jesus…

 

 

 

 

 

 

God bless,

Mark

Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.  For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.
Proverbs 3:25-26

 

 

 

 

 

God bless,

Mark

And this is the condemnation, that light (Jesus) is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
John 3:19

Darkness – Worldliness, no victory over circumstances, unforgiveness, unhealthy oaths and vows, resentment, bitterness, fear, alcohol and drug addiction, torment and oppression, competition, worry, anxiety, lust, coveting, jealousy, tension, strife, hate, anger, carrying all your burdens by yourself, financial stress, marital tension, uncertainty about the future, treating those outside your immediate family better than those in your own household.

Light – Peace (letting the peace of God rule in my heart), rest, God’s love in my heart, loving my neighbor as myself, quickly forgiving others, discernment, recognizing cause and effects of sin, mercy, grace, discovering that you can cast all your burdens on Christ, joy, God is working all things together for your good (this is the victory over the world and its circumstances), being able to renew your mind to God’s Word, being able to discern the spirits behind thoughts, taking thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ, knowing Jesus will never leave you nor forsake you.

How do we break away from evil, from the darkness all around us?

They loved the darkness more than the light.  Wow, I was living in a lot of darkness even though I was a “Christian” going to church.  In fact, I’d have to say that because I was not willing to escape darkness that I loved it more than the light.  Peer pressure and the fear of man kept me from ever straying too far from the darkness.

I have to say that I did not know how to escape darkness.  I mean so many of my friends and fellow Christians were practicing darkness with their speech and thought life that I didn’t even know anyone could truly escape the darkness.  And because I wanted to be accepted by them I wasn’t going to do anything that would make me appear different from them.  Even my Christian parents (and most of my relatives) talked about the Bible and Jesus, but so much of their everyday life was full of worry, and other darkness traits that I thought it must be okay to be a Christian and to not be set free in Jesus at the same time.  I was really confused…

but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,
1 Peter 3:15

What’s the hope in me?  Not religion, but Jesus Christ, Himself.  He’s teaching me how to escape the darkness and leading me from glory to glory (from light to more light) into His marvelous light so I can live free from every burden.

I (Jesus) have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.
John 12:46

No longer do we need to live in the darkness.

“Jesus, show me the way out of the darkness.  I want You more than anything else.  Thank You, Jesus.”

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for (Because), behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour (Jesus), which is Christ the Lord.
Luke 2:10-11

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved (Saved from the darkness and into His marvelous light).
John 3:16-17

Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy – Freedom from the darkness and the pure heavenly joy of living in the light of the world, Jesus.

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.
Ephesians 6:10

Jesus calls to us, “Come, follow Me for My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

The only question that remains is, “Do I love the darkness more than the light? Will I say “No” to Jesus and stay trapped in the darkness?”

God bless,

Mark

Jesus, All For Jesus
By Robin Marks

Jesus, all for Jesus
All I am and have and ever hope to be
Jesus, all for Jesus
All I am and have and ever hope to be

All of my ambitions, hopes and plans
I surrender these into Your hands
All of my ambitions, hopes and plans
I surrender these into Your hands

For it’s only in Your will that I am free
For it’s only in Your will that I am free
Jesus, all for Jesus
All I am and have and ever hope to be

Jesus, all for Jesus
All I am and have and ever hope to be
Jesus, all for Jesus
All I am and have and ever hope to be

All of my ambitions, hopes and plans
I surrender these into Your hands
All of my ambitions, hopes and plans
I surrender these into Your hands

For it’s only in Your will that I am free
For it’s only in Your will that I am free
Jesus, all for Jesus
All I am and have and ever hope to be

Not my will, but Yours be done, Jesus.  Lord, have Your way with my life.  Lead me into Your joy-filled will.  Let me live there with You, My Prince of Peace.  For in my heart I know that it’s only in Your will, Jesus, that I’ll be free.

God bless,

Mark

But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice:  let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them:  let them also that  love thy name be joyful in thee.  For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.
Psalm 5:11-12

God bless,

Mark

In our human nature (and pride), without even being aware of it, we can often “play hard to get” with God.

Come to me (Jesus), all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For (Because) my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30

Ever feel like you need to trust in your own abilities (mental, emotional, physical capabilities) and resources.  Sure.  Everywhere we look, this world teaches us to do so.

Boy, I’ve really spent myself, I’ve exhausted by strength trying to live this life in my strength with my own understanding.  I’ve been so afraid of not having enough of my own strength to rely on to see me through, to get me by, and to overcome so I don’t cave in.

There are times when I’m tempted to believe that God has stopped “directing my paths.”  And, Satan loves to steal, kill and destroy my trust in God.  The devil’s still using that old lie, “Hath God surely said?” (Genesis 3)

I’ve lived many years on the merry-go-round of giving problems to God and then taking them back again.

Going through a trial?  While growing up, I was taught to panic, to get upset and even mad at God if things weren’t going my way, if things in life weren’t exactly running smoothly.  It’s taken time (Good thing God’s so persistent with me), but I’m learning not to get mad at God, but instead to surrender my anger and fears to Him, to His Lordship, and to let Him work within the situation.  I’ve learned that’s it’s best to stay close to Him and to let His peace reign in my heart.  He wants me to know that He’s in control, yes, even now when I’m hurting and don’t know how to get out of the situation.  Often, God does His best work in my life when the only way out is through trusting Him.  He keeps using these types of teaching scenarios to keep building and fortifying my trust in His faithful, loving care.

Until I surrender to Him, I can struggle, struggle, struggle.  When I give “it” to Him, I calm down in His arms…

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6

That’s what our loving Heavenly Father is after in our lives – Complete trust in Him at all times and the peace of mind that letting Him direct our paths brings.  That’s when we enter His rest.  He’s so faithful.

Learning from Jesus and finding rest for my soul…Mmmm.

God bless,

Mark

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
2 Corinthians 3:18

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Hebrews 12:1

Finally, brothers, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus to live in a way that is pleasing to God, as you have received from us.  This is how you already live, so you should do so all the more.
1 Thessalonians 4:1

As Christians, one of God’s goals for us is to help us be more free from our ways (the sin that so easily besets (entangles) us – Hebrews 12:1), to be less conformed to this world.  God wants to set us free, indeed, by learning to live His way, by becoming Holy (safe from sin), peaceful, trusting in Him, resting, joyful, and full of love like He is.

Many people talk about Christians saying that churches are full of hypocrites – It’s sad that many of those same people use that line of reasoning as an excuse for not coming to Jesus in their own lives because they’re really loving the darkness (the world and its ways) more than the light (God’s ways to live this life) – We can all wrestle with loving the darkness more than the light at times as we shed this world and our sin nature while being changed into Christ’s image.

While many of today’s churches are becoming more and more worldly, there are sincere Christians who desire to renew their minds to the Word of God (the Bible) in order to be free from the impact sin is having on their lives.  Those who let the Holy Spirit work in their lives can also appear to be hypocritical at times by those in the world.  But, the truth is, the Christians trying to grow in Jesus are merely repenting (changing), and change can take time just like the saying “old habits die hard.”

We need to remember to be gracious with each other as we let the Holy Spirit do His work in us as He changes us from glory to glory, as He sets us more and more free from “our ways.”  Am I a hypocrite because repentance is taking longer than I want it to?  No, I’m merely learning to wait on the Lord and to be patient with the growth (His liberty) He’s producing in my life as I cooperate with His work in me.  And, I need to extend that same grace to others who desire to renew their minds to Christ.

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity.  Amen.
2 Peter 3:18

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Ephesians 4:32

And this is my prayer:  that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and profound insight,
Philippians 1:9

And may the Lord cause you to increase and overflow with love for one another and for everyone else, just as our love for you overflows, so that He may establish your hearts in blamelessness and holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.  Amen
1 Thessalonians 3:12-13

 

 

 

 

 

God bless,

Mark

Wow, Jonathan’s talk “The Way Of The Lord” is really good.  I was sitting here before listening to Jonathan’s talk, and I was thinking about doing something else with my time.  Then, a calm, peaceful love and desire for God came on me in a really gentle way.  I felt like nothing in this life compares with being with Him, spending time with Him, gleaning more of Him.  My life hasn’t always been that way.  I wanted other things more than Him and let other things keep me from knowing Him more.  It’s like I’m realizing deep in my heart that, truly, nothing else can satisfy like Him.  Nothing’s as sweet or endearing as His Presence…Nothing.  While none of us will ever be perfect in this life, we can learn to let the things of earth grow strangely dim by getting to know Him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhkLkFCoMUk&t=1584s

Here are just a couple of the precious statements Jonathan makes in the above video:  “In the present tense (at the time), it was a rotten experience (any wilderness experience we encounter), but after it was over, we said, “Hey, we did it.”  And often what happens, you see, you’re dealing with a hard thing in your life and you’re dealing with the wilderness, but after it’s over, it’s a different story because you’re not focusing so much on all that other stuff.  Now, you’re focusing on what God did through it.  And God fulfilled something in your life.  It may not be easy, but it was what was needed.  And when you look back you say, “I was glad, I’m glad cause look at all You (God) did from that.”  That’s the truth in your life.  The wilderness ends up enriching your life…

…God wants us to come to the wilderness to be with Him so He can give us something we don’t have right now.”

Jonathan goes on to say that wilderness times aren’t mistakes.  They’re planned by God.  He’s pursuing and wooing us.  He’s using wilderness times to bring us closer to Him so we can learn the wonderful blessing of learning to lean on Him (Song of Solomon 8:5).

God bless,

Mark

It doesn’t matter what you’re facing or doing, God’s in it somehow.  He’ll work through all situations to show us He’s in control, that He’s never left us nor forsaken us, and that He’s working all things together for our good.  Honestly, God’s better to us than we are to ourselves (2 Timothy 2:13).  It’s true, and staying in relationship with God as we walk with Him in this life will always bear that out.

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:10

For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways
Psalm 91:11

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Jeremiah 29:11

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Psalm 16:11

If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.
2 Timothy 2:13

Happy Monday, everyone!

God bless,

Mark

behold, I (The angel of the Lord) bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to “all” people.

And, that wonderful proclamation was made to shepherds, “regular, everyday” people just like you and me…

7 And she (Mary) brought forth her firstborn son (Jesus), and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

8 And there were in the same country shepherds (regular folks like you and me) abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night (just going about their business like you and I do).

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them:  and they were sore afraid.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not:  for (because), behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to “all” people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour (to save us from everything the devil had planned for us since the fall like your past, discouragement, disappointment, depression, hopelessness, emptiness, pride, hate, greed, lust, anger, fear, you name it), which is Christ the Lord.
Luke 2:7-11

Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.  Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.
1 Chronicles 16:10-11

Jesus, the Saviour, is for everyone.  He can redeem anyone from the plans of the evil one.  Jesus is not just for those who go to church, who appear to be religious, who wear long robes and seem kind of other-worldly or mysterious.  No, He came to set the captives free – That’s you and me.  We’re like the shepherds in the story above – we’re regular people just like they were.

And, we’re all captives.  We became captives as a result of the fall of man in the Garden of Eden.  We’re all captive to sin (Romans 3:23), to seeking our own way, to living familiar, marginalized, compromised lives (having some of the world’s ways and some of God’s ways operating in our lives), to living apart from God’s ways.  Jesus came to bring us all back into the close relationship with God Adam and Eve enjoyed and thrived in before the fall.  Jesus came to deliver us from evil, from fear, stress, distrust, unforgiveness, bitterness, anger, insecurity and all of the other “ashes.”  He came to take our ashes and replace them with His beautiful, delivering love.  He came to show us the power of His might.

To all who mourn in Israel (or anywhere else you happen to be), he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair.  In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the LORD has planted for his own glory.
Isaiah 61:3

God bless,

Mark

And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ;
Philippians 1:9-10

Teach me good discernment and knowledge, For I believe in Your commandments.
Psalm 119:66

Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; Whoever is discerning, let him know them For the ways of the LORD are right, And the righteous will walk in them, But transgressors will stumble in them.
Hosea 14:9

Once Jesus begins to show you His liberty, you want more and more of it.

Boy, I want to be as free as possible while on earth.  I want the Lord to show me where I’m deceived, where I might be limited in my understanding of His ways, areas of my life where I’m still bound in some way.  I want to live free and tell others about the possibilities the Lord can present us with in this life.  Settle for nothing less, folks.  God is good and He’s still showing His great power to those who seek Him and all that He has for them.

so that you may approve the things that are excellent…☺

God bless,

Mark

The battle for our minds is super intense and we must do all we can to follow Jesus into the victory for our minds.  Maintaining joy in the fray is such a valuable part of the moving forward in securing the liberty Christ has for us in our thought life.

Joy as a verb, an action we can and should choose to take.  Wow, that’s really powerful.  Joy is such an important, offensive weapon in the Christian’s arsenal in the battle for the mind.  In my own life, I started to see joy as a defensive mechanism I could use when the enemy attacked me.  Then, I began to see joy as an offensive weapon to keep the enemy at bay and to move into his territory and to chase him out.  Instead of using joy as a defensive mechanism like a wall, I was beginning to see it as an offensive weapon like a tank or fighter jet.  Really.  God was showing me how to attack the enemy and his victims with joy to help captives be free.  Then, they would do the same for others, and so on, and so on.

I hope you’ll give the following your full attention.  In my own life I’ve found it to be true and it has saved me from enemy lies and traps time and time again.

*******
The Radical Secret Of Joy
By Messianic Rabbi Jonathan Cahn

Everyone seeks fulfillment, happiness, or joy.  But how do we find a life of joy?  First, we must be saved.  Without salvation, there’s no real basis for a joyful life.  But after that, how do we need to live as believers to find a life of joy?

In English, when we speak of joy or happiness, we are almost always centering on a “noun.”  We view joy as a “thing.”  And in modern culture, we see it as a commodity – something we either have or do not have.  And if we do not have it, we have to get it, or somehow procure it.

Further, in order to get joy we believe we have to get something else that will allow us to have it.  In order to get joy, we have to get married, or success, or a house, or a car, or a thing.  We have to get joy indirectly by getting something else.

But the way of joy as given in God’s Word is radically different.

Fits, in order to live a life of joy, we have to not spend our lives pursuing it.  We are to live pursuing something else – The Kingdom of God and His righteousness.  And then all these other things will be added to us.

Second, we are not to find joy by seeking to acquire something else that will then give us joy – We are to get joy directly.

Third, the key doesn’t lie in joy as a thing or commodity.  The key is not in relating to joy primarily as a noun – but relating to it, as it often appears in the original Hebrew of the Bible – as a verb.

In other words, if joy is simply a noun, something you have or have not, then if you don’t have it, you’re pretty much stuck.  But if joy is a verb, then it doesn’t matter what you have in this world or don’t have – it’s something you do.

So the Word of God does not instruct us to have or get joy – but rather to rejoice.  In fact, it tells us to rejoice always.  In order to rejoice always, your joy has to be unconditional and not based on anything in this world.  The only way to rejoice always is to rejoice in that which is not of this world – to rejoice in the Lord.

It is that unconditional joy by which Paul and Silas could praise and worship God in the midst of a prison cell.  In fact, it was in a prison cell that Paul wrote the words “Rejoice in the Lord always!”  For the child of God, joy is a choice, a choice that must be made at all times and in all circumstances.  But it is a joy that overcomes the world.  For the way of the Lord is the way of joy, a joy that comes not by running after it, but by choosing it in light of the unconditionally present reason of the Good News of great joy!

Choose to rejoice this month no matter what.  And may God greatly bless you as you do!

“But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God:  yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.”
Psalm 68:3

Your brother and co-laborer in His love and service,

Jonathan

*******

I’ve found that the more joy I use in my thought life, the more free I’m becoming.  It takes an effort to use joy in all circumstances like the Apostle Paul did, but when you get used to using it no matter what you’re going through, you begin to be really set free in Jesus.  When circumstances no longer matter, you’re well on your way to being free, indeed.  John 8:36

God bless,

Mark