Guilt vs. Grace (9.26.18)

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of GOD— not by works, so that no one can boast - Ephesians 2:8-9

Faith Believers,
The great hindrance to 'man’s fellowship with GOD' is guilt.

Guilt is mean and knows no end to its torture and destruction. Many suffer in hospitals from the agony of guilt. Many psychological and emotional disorders grow in a heart that has been planted with the seeds of guilt. Guilt can destroy a marriage, prompt suicide, or distort the human personality.

If we are to experience victory, guilt must be removed from our lives. There are two main types of guilt: false guilt and true guilt. Quite often the man or woman of prayer struggles with false guilt. False guilt is general in nature and has satan as its source. satan, the accuser of the brethren, accuses us in general terms. he whispers in our ears, “You are no good. How can you pray? You are not worthy.”

The one who listens to such accusations will never become mighty in prayer. 

How can one repent of being “no good”?
Only Jesus is worthy.

Our access to GOD is never based on the worthiness of man; our access is based on the blood of Jesus. It is only by grace that we can approach GOD. Therefore, we must reject all false guilt when we pray.

~ Prayer ~
Father GOD, 

So many people I know struggle with their self-worth, or are uncertain of their salvation!

Please show me how to pray for them, and then how to help them to gain victory over satan’s lies!

We are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus, but so many fall victim to bondage, or feelings of inadequacy! Your Grace allows us to approach Your Throne with confidence…indeed, we should live in the throne room, praying without ceasing!

Thank You, Father, that the risen Christ lives in us, and prays through us, even choosing to use us to fulfill Your Plans and Purposes! What better victory can there be than this?! 

Thank You Father GOD!

Amen!!

 

 

I Am..... Who God Says I Am.... (9.25.18)

I AM ...

A child of GOD
(Romans 8:16)

Redeemed from the Hand of the Enemy
(Psalms 107:2)

Forgiven
(Colossians 1:13-14)

Saved by Grace through Faith
(Ephesians 2:8)

Justified
(Romans 5:1)

Sanctified
(I Corinthians 6:11)

A New Creature
(II Corinthians 5:17)

Partaker of His Divine Nature
(II Peter 1:4)

Redeemed from the Curse of the law
(Galatians 3:13)

Delivered from the Powers of Darkness
(Colossians 1:13)

Led by the Spirit of God
(Romans 8:14)

A Son of God
(Romans 8:14)

Kept in Safety Wherever I Go
(Psalms 91:11)

Getting All My Needs Met by Jesus Christ
(Philippians 4:19)

Casting All My cares upon Jesus
(I Peter 5:7)

Strong in the Lord and in the Power of His Might
(Ephesians 6:10)

Doing All Things through Christ Who Strengthens Me
(Philippians 4:13)

An Heir with GOD and a Joint Heir with Jesus
(Romans 8:17)

Heir to the Blessings of Abraham
(Galatians 3:13-14)

Observing and Doing the Lord's Commandments
(Deuteronomy 28:12)

Blessed Coming in and Blessed Going out
(Deuteronomy 26:6)

An Heir of Eternal Life
(I John 5:11-12)

Blessed with All Spiritual Blessings
(Ephesians 1:3)

Healed by His Stripes
(I Peter 2:24)

Exercising My Authority over the Enemy
(Luke 10:19)

Above Only and Not Beneath
(Deuteronomy 28:13)

More than a Conqueror
(Romans 8:37)

Establishing GOD's Word Here on Earth
(Matthew 16:19)

An Overcomer by the Blood of the Lamb and
the Word of My Testimony
(Revelation 12:11)

Daily Overcoming the Devil
(I John 4:4)

Not Moved by What I See
(II Corinthians 4:18)

Walking by Faith and Not by Sight
(II Corinthians 5:7)

Casting Down Vain Imaginations
(II Corinthians 10:4-5)

Bringing Every Thought into Captivity
(II Corinthians 10:5)

Being Transformed by Renewing My Mind
(Romans 12:1-2)

A Laborer Together with GOD
(I Corinthians 3:9)

The Righteousness of GOD in Christ
(II Corinthians 5:21)

An Imitator of Jesus
(Ephesians 5:1)

The Light of the World
(Matthew 5:14)

Blessing the Lord at All Times and Continually
praising the Lord with My Mouth
(Psalms 34:1)

Jesus, the Paramount Pray-er & Ultimate Intercessor (9.24.18)

Faith Believers,
For Jesus prayer was a lifestyle.

It seems that He prayed at every major juncture and before every key decision in His life. He prayed in the morning (Mark 1:35). He prayed at night (Matthew 14:27), and sometimes all night (Luke 6:12). He prayed when He was alone (John 6:15), He prayed when He was with others (Matthew 11:15–26), and He prayed at public gatherings (Matthew 14:19). 

Scripture records eight actual prayers of Jesus, fourteen teachings of Jesus on prayer, eighteen references to Him praying, as well as three references to His intercessory prayer ministry after He ascended. 

Every one of His prayers was faith-filled, heartfelt, and fervent. The writer of Hebrews compacts the essence of Jesus’ prayer life into one sentence: During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission - Hebrews 5:7.

Jesus was the paramount pray-er.
Jesus Christ was also the ultimate intercessor.

Intercession was a major part of His prayer life. It’s from His intercessory prayer life and teaching that we especially want to learn.

Many passages of scripture record Jesus’ prayers for others. Matthew informs us that Jesus placed his hands on the little children that were brought to him and prayed for them (Matthew 19:13). Before raising Lazarus from the grave Jesus lets us in on the fact that He has been praying on the way there: Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me - John 11:41–42. After the Lord’s Supper Jesus reinstates Peter with the reminder, I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail - Luke 22:32.

In His final prayer with His disciples, Jesus intercedes for their protection, their joy, their sanctification, and their future place with Him in glory (John 17:9–17, 24).

In the same prayer He intercedes that future believers will be one and that they may also be in us [that is, in the Father and the Son] - John 17:20–23). On the cross Jesus asks the Father to forgive those who crucified Him (Luke 23:34). 

Finally, forty days later, as He prepares to ascend to heaven, Jesus lifts up His Hands and blesses those gathered (Luke 24:50).

Intercession ran like a thread, maybe more
     like a rope, through the fabric of Jesus’ life.

  -  Marilyn

~ Prayer ~
Precious Christ Jesus,

I am awed that You always live to intercede for me!  How blessed I am to have the example of Your prayer life laid out for me in Scripture!

Prayer was and is Your very life!

I long for the kind of intimacy You have with the Father! What a mystery that Your prayer life is living within me, and that You pray Your heart through mine; if I will yield myself to the voice of Your Spirit.

I entrust my prayer life to You now, and thank You for the promise that when I come near to You, You will come near to me! 

Light the fire of intercession within me as I continually seek Your face!

Amen

Having the "GET UP & GO" to Carry Out Our 'GOD-Given' Assignments (9.23.18)

Get up and prepare for action, Go out and tell them everything I tell you to say, Do not be afraid of them, or I will make you look foolish in front of them. - Jeremiah 1:17 (NLT)

Faith Believers,
It takes courage to obey the voice of GOD. I can imagine Jeremiah, shaking in his sandals, the moment GOD called him to be His Mouthpiece to the children of Israel. A young man with his whole life ahead of him and yet GOD asks Jeremiah to, “Get up and go tell everything that I tell you to say.”

Obedience to GOD requires faith.

Our lives can change drastically based on one word or assignment given by GOD. As we continue to read through the book of Jeremiah, we find that Jeremiah is instructed not to marry. Much like Jeremiah, many of us will find ourselves on this journey by ourselves.

Obedience oftentimes requires us to walk alone.

Not everyone is called to go where we are assigned to go. Jeremiah was a trooper as he continued walking out the assignment he had been given. There were times that he wanted to give up, cave in and quit but he could not bring himself to do it. His purpose was so deeply embedded that it seeped out.

How about you?
Are you fully invested in your assignment?
Have you made the decision to walk by faith
     and trust the plan of GOD?

Jeremiah’s faith to continue, even through tribulation, should encourage us that GOD is always with us. Remember, walking by faith means we have no clear view of what is ahead. If we are to fulfill our assignment here on earth, we will have to muster up the courage to 'get up and go' at GOD’s command.
  -  Marilyn

~ Prayer ~
Father GOD, 

Work in me Your Will, the desire to continue moving forward in obedience and the ability (and courage) to walk out my faith before You; even as Jeremiah and others did in scripture.

When my courage begins to wane, infuse me with your inner strength.

I pray this prayer in the Name of Your Son, Jesus.

Amen