Sunday, 12 December 2010
Thursday, 25 November 2010
Partner Letter - March 2008 by Gary Carpenter
Whose report will you believe? This is the question asked by the prophet Isaiah in the Old Testament. Will you believe the news reports of the world or will you believe the report of the Lord? I have never seen so much negative news being reported in all my life. On television news programs, the Internet, the newspapers … every single form of media seems to be proclaiming "doom and gloom." Don't misunderstand me, we cannot deny the facts and we have to make appropriate decisions. But at the same time … we have an information media stream that the world has no access to. We have the Word of God. Has God's Word changed? What does He say to us in His Word?
Psa 34:9-10 O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want [lack] to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want [lack] any good thing.
Mat 6:31-34 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Phil 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
We are in the world, but we are not of the world. Being in the world means that the storms of life come upon us just like they come upon non-believers. But our lives do not have to crumble when the storms rage upon us. We can escape the devastation of the storms of life by being doers of Jesus' sayings:
Luke 6:47-49 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.
What was Jesus saying in the passage from Matthew Chapter Six shown above? He was saying, "Don't WORRY!" He was telling us to trust our heavenly Father to make a way for us to prosper no matter what is going on in the world. Do you remember the Manna that Israel ate during their sojourn in the wilderness? There were no crops to harvest in the desert. There was no food to eat. There was no way to survive without God's intervention. So what did God do? He made a way where there was no way. He fed His people with Manna from heaven. He did something unique that had never before happened in all of history. God is your Father. He has not changed. He can still make a way for you to prosper even in the midst of all of these reports of doom and gloom. He only asks one thing of you … Don't worry! Fear is the opposite of faith. The New Testament defines what faith is:
Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Based on that definition, fear could be defined this way:
"Fear is the substance of the things you do not want to happen. Worry is the evidence of things that may or may not even happen in the future."
Worry is the product of fear. Worry is the "evidence" that fear produces. It is the opposite of faith and it literally stops the power of God from flowing in your life. Over these many years of practice, I have developed trust in God to the point I seldom worry about anything. In fact, when circumstances are dire and I am not worrying, people could almost develop an accusing attitude toward me like, "What? You're not worried? Don't you even care?" In other words, if I am not worried about the negative situation, I am not being a responsible person. The truth is, I care enough about the situation NOT to worry about it. By standing in faith rather than worrying, I am releasing God's power to move in and change the circumstances.
Let me counsel you to be sure and load up on the "Report of the Lord" during these challenging times. Don't allow your soul to be constantly bombarded with negative news reports without also feeding the "Good Report of God's Word" into your soul as well. Fight the tendency to worry like you would fight a rattlesnake that crawled into your house. You wouldn't put up with that rattlesnake for a minute. You would kill it instantly. Fight worry the same way. Take God's Word and kill worry with it. Get it in your heart and in your mouth. Trust your Father to make a way where there is no way. Say, "I will believe the report of the Lord!"
Tuesday, 12 October 2010
JESUS At A FUNERAL by Paul White
Luke 7:11-18
Only Luke shares this remarkable story of the day that Jesus attended a funeral procession. This event takes place just outside the city gate of the little village of Nain, some 21 miles south of Capernaum. We do not know what other things that Jesus did in this village, or even whether He made it into the village, but this was a miracle that shook the countryside and caused stories to be told of Jesus that would carry all the way to John the Baptist in prison (Luke 7:18-19).
A widow woman had lost her only son, meaning that not only was the love of her life gone, but her entire means of income had died with him. It was not the dead boy that moved our Savior to perform a miracle, but rather it was the pain that He saw in the heart of the mother. When He saw her he said to her, “Weep not” (Luke 7:13).This seems like a bizarre thing to say to a mother who is attending the funeral of her son. Would you dare say this to someone who has lost a loved one at a funeral? Coming from Jesus, we know that it was not a reprimand against showing emotion, for Jesus shows as much Himself at the tomb of Lazarus (John 11:35). His instruction to the mother is a foreshadow that something awesome is about to happen. “Weep not” is Jesus’ way of introducing hope into a hopeless situation.
Jesus approached the “bier”, which was a funeral couch upon which Jews would carry their dead for burial. When Jesus touched the bier, the procession stopped. Touching a casket as it goes by in a funeral procession seems like a momentous gesture to us in the Western world but for a Jew, it represented something horrific. By touching the bier you were touching a dead person, thus you were ceremonially unclean. The party stopped because they were stunned that anyone would dare breach the laws of God’s cleanliness by such an act.
We know that Jesus completely fulfilled the law without ever sinning, so how could He commit such an act at the funeral in Nain without being considered ceremonially unclean? When Jesus touched the bier, it was Life touching Death. When the Life of God touched Death, Death cannot win, for the Life of Jesus Christ ensures that there can be no Death while He is around. The moment that Jesus made contact with the bier there was life that entered into the boy. The fact that he was now alive meant that Jesus had not touched a dead body at all, for no one could prove that there was anything that was dead!
No one ever died in the presence of Jesus. In fact, the criminals on the cross could not die until Jesus had given up His life first, for death has no place when Jesus is near. You cannot dwell for long in your dead ways when you look to Jesus as your hope and your life. His great hand touches the various areas of our life and we spring to life. He is the calmer of the storm and the bringer of streams in the desert. If He could visit a funeral in Nain and bring the boy to life, He can visit your life and bring you a life more abundant. Hallelujah!
Source : http://paulwhiteministries.com/site/
Only Luke shares this remarkable story of the day that Jesus attended a funeral procession. This event takes place just outside the city gate of the little village of Nain, some 21 miles south of Capernaum. We do not know what other things that Jesus did in this village, or even whether He made it into the village, but this was a miracle that shook the countryside and caused stories to be told of Jesus that would carry all the way to John the Baptist in prison (Luke 7:18-19).
A widow woman had lost her only son, meaning that not only was the love of her life gone, but her entire means of income had died with him. It was not the dead boy that moved our Savior to perform a miracle, but rather it was the pain that He saw in the heart of the mother. When He saw her he said to her, “Weep not” (Luke 7:13).This seems like a bizarre thing to say to a mother who is attending the funeral of her son. Would you dare say this to someone who has lost a loved one at a funeral? Coming from Jesus, we know that it was not a reprimand against showing emotion, for Jesus shows as much Himself at the tomb of Lazarus (John 11:35). His instruction to the mother is a foreshadow that something awesome is about to happen. “Weep not” is Jesus’ way of introducing hope into a hopeless situation.
Jesus approached the “bier”, which was a funeral couch upon which Jews would carry their dead for burial. When Jesus touched the bier, the procession stopped. Touching a casket as it goes by in a funeral procession seems like a momentous gesture to us in the Western world but for a Jew, it represented something horrific. By touching the bier you were touching a dead person, thus you were ceremonially unclean. The party stopped because they were stunned that anyone would dare breach the laws of God’s cleanliness by such an act.
We know that Jesus completely fulfilled the law without ever sinning, so how could He commit such an act at the funeral in Nain without being considered ceremonially unclean? When Jesus touched the bier, it was Life touching Death. When the Life of God touched Death, Death cannot win, for the Life of Jesus Christ ensures that there can be no Death while He is around. The moment that Jesus made contact with the bier there was life that entered into the boy. The fact that he was now alive meant that Jesus had not touched a dead body at all, for no one could prove that there was anything that was dead!
No one ever died in the presence of Jesus. In fact, the criminals on the cross could not die until Jesus had given up His life first, for death has no place when Jesus is near. You cannot dwell for long in your dead ways when you look to Jesus as your hope and your life. His great hand touches the various areas of our life and we spring to life. He is the calmer of the storm and the bringer of streams in the desert. If He could visit a funeral in Nain and bring the boy to life, He can visit your life and bring you a life more abundant. Hallelujah!
Source : http://paulwhiteministries.com/site/
Thursday, 30 September 2010
In Loving Memory of my dear friend, Ginger Pearce
My dear friend and sister, Ginger, has gone home to be with her Beloved. I miss her uplifting and faith filled posts, her touching messages to me and most of all, her beautiful spirit. She was such a wonderful sister, filled with love for the Lord and for the Body of Christ. Even in her pain and sickness, she touched so many people on Facebook and left grace filled imprints on our lives. Ginger dear, you will continue to live on in our hearts forever. Till we meet again, we love you ♥
Here is one of Ginger's beautiful notes which she shared on Facebook :
Stop it! You are loved beyond any thing you can imagine.
by Ginger Pearce on Tuesday, August 3, 2010 at 10:41am
some times we get this thought that we are not important
well i use to be like
i was picked up by God at the good will
i wasn't good enough to the world to keep
but God in HIS mercy would have me
oh forget it
HE took the cross
He took the cross
i wonder why we think that God would take the cross and then get disgusted with us
i think it is because we don't get how insanely impossible it was
He sweat great drops of blood just thinking about it
He had to stop thinking about it or HE would have died
but HE went...
gladly, for joy...
YOU were that joy
yes HE was love sick
He was like if i cant have you then i don't want nobody
you know that is true
because HE gave up all HE had
HE had you in HIS mind
He thinks of you more in one day than all the grains of sand
because of Hubble we know HE is still making universes
but YOU are HIS thought
YOU are what fills HIS mind
and He knew when He cried out
IT IS FINISHED!
He knew you were HIS signed sealed delivered for eternity
and now He can live in you
and that rested HIM
and that is the only place HE dwells
in YOU HIS body
and that is just how HE likes it
the God of the Universe
having the time of HIS life in YOU!!!
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
WILL GOD SHOW UP TO HELP ME by Joyce Meyer
Can you be in God’s will and be miserable?
Well, yes. But you can also be in tremendous peace.
For people who are saying, “I’m in a tough situation right now because I believe it’s where God wants me, but I’m miserable, frustrated and unhappy,” there’s good news.
When God asks us to stay in a difficult situation, He provides a special grace for us to get through it. It’s the kind of grace that leads others to look at us and think: Wow! I can’t believe they’re dealing with this and still have such peace! That’s faith.
When we say things like, “I just don’t think I can make it,” we’re essentially giving up, when we could just as easily trust God to help and sustain us.
Learning to trust God for His grace on a daily basis will help you keep your thoughts and words in line with His Word.
What Trusting God Can Do for You
Faith Isn’t Just for the Finish Line
To learn how to trust God for His grace, I used to put up signs around my house that said things like, “Works of the flesh equal frustration.”
Every time I became frustrated, the signs helped me to remember God was with me.
One thing I learned is that His grace isn’t just for last minute miracles. God doesn’t just throw you a Hail Mary pass at the last minute when you’re all worn out and ready to give up, and then say, “Okay, now go make the touchdown.”
God’s grace is something on which you can constantly rely.
How to Have Peace in the Now
Because grace is available to you right now, there’s no reason to struggle with your circumstances, trying to figure them out—or even fight your way out.
Galatians 5:16 tells us to …walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit…then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh.
Notice how it doesn’t say “conquer the flesh so you can walk in the Spirit.”
When we concentrate on the Spirit, we won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh because we will be focused on our relationship with God and His love for us.
The same way we receive Christ is the same way we are supposed to live each day of our life—in total, complete dependence on Him.
Your circumstances don’t have to control you, because you have the power of God’s grace in your life. And it’s available to you in whatever amount you need, right now.
Source : http://www.joycemeyer.org/default.htm
Well, yes. But you can also be in tremendous peace.
For people who are saying, “I’m in a tough situation right now because I believe it’s where God wants me, but I’m miserable, frustrated and unhappy,” there’s good news.
When God asks us to stay in a difficult situation, He provides a special grace for us to get through it. It’s the kind of grace that leads others to look at us and think: Wow! I can’t believe they’re dealing with this and still have such peace! That’s faith.
When we say things like, “I just don’t think I can make it,” we’re essentially giving up, when we could just as easily trust God to help and sustain us.
Learning to trust God for His grace on a daily basis will help you keep your thoughts and words in line with His Word.
What Trusting God Can Do for You
I’ve heard grace defined as God’s riches at Christ’s expense, and that’s a good definition. But to be honest, it’s just a little bit too spiritual for me.
I like to define grace as God’s power to help us do whatever we need to do.
Grace is power. And it all comes to us through faith, which God also gives us. In fact, Romans 12:3 warns us not to think too highly of ourselves, because God is the one who gives us our faith.
You need to ask yourself: What am I doing with my faith?
Are you trying to change things that you have no ability to change? Are you trying to get yourself promoted instead of just doing your best to please God? If so, you’re probably burning out because you’re focusing on works.
When we simply do what God asks us to do, His grace flows through.
I like to define grace as God’s power to help us do whatever we need to do.
Grace is power. And it all comes to us through faith, which God also gives us. In fact, Romans 12:3 warns us not to think too highly of ourselves, because God is the one who gives us our faith.
You need to ask yourself: What am I doing with my faith?
Are you trying to change things that you have no ability to change? Are you trying to get yourself promoted instead of just doing your best to please God? If so, you’re probably burning out because you’re focusing on works.
When we simply do what God asks us to do, His grace flows through.
Faith Isn’t Just for the Finish Line
To learn how to trust God for His grace, I used to put up signs around my house that said things like, “Works of the flesh equal frustration.”
Every time I became frustrated, the signs helped me to remember God was with me.
One thing I learned is that His grace isn’t just for last minute miracles. God doesn’t just throw you a Hail Mary pass at the last minute when you’re all worn out and ready to give up, and then say, “Okay, now go make the touchdown.”
God’s grace is something on which you can constantly rely.
How to Have Peace in the Now
Because grace is available to you right now, there’s no reason to struggle with your circumstances, trying to figure them out—or even fight your way out.
Galatians 5:16 tells us to …walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit…then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh.
Notice how it doesn’t say “conquer the flesh so you can walk in the Spirit.”
When we concentrate on the Spirit, we won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh because we will be focused on our relationship with God and His love for us.
The same way we receive Christ is the same way we are supposed to live each day of our life—in total, complete dependence on Him.
Your circumstances don’t have to control you, because you have the power of God’s grace in your life. And it’s available to you in whatever amount you need, right now.
Source : http://www.joycemeyer.org/default.htm
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