Claiming what God has promised!

Matthew 9: 23 ESV “Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.”  And instantly the woman was made well.”

When reading this passage in Matthew 9 we see that the woman had been suffering from this blood flow sickness for many years.  When the crowds were all around Jesus she risked everything.  Keep in mind she was supposed to stay out of the vicinity of people because she was deemed unclean.

Still, she made up her mind to get around the Lord Jesus Christ, she believed that if she was able to touch the hem of Jesus’s cloak she would receive her healing.

In trusting God for something you truly want you actually have to believe and trust God for the outcome.  We are to believe God is able to do whatever we believe in and receive it by faith.  The woman in Matthew 9 was of the opinion that if she could just touch Jesus’s hem of His cloak she would receive her healing.

We have received all authority from the Lord when we have faith and believe that God is able to do it for us.  Receive what you are trusting God for in your own life.

Prayer

Lord God, in humility I pray for open doors in my own life as well as in the lives of the people reading this page.  Lord bless each one of us as we believe for specific things in our own life.  Supernatural favor and blessing out of the Lord God’s hands in our lives in the Holy Name of Christ Jesus of Nazareth.  Amen

What are you thinking about?

Philippians 4: 9 ESV “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

When you wake up in the morning there are more than enough thoughts going through your mind.  My question to you is what are you thinking about?  Do you think about finances two to three times a day?  Do you think about a job you don’t have three to four times a day?

The thought you keep bringing into your mind is what you are focussing on and that is what is occupying your mind.  The Apostel Paul reminds us in Philippians chapter 4 verse 9 to think of something pure, lovely and something commendable.  Something excellent and worthy of praise.

Being someone that struggles with negative thoughts it takes me a couple of hours to get my thoughts in order.  I need to stay focused and practice thinking of things that are pure, focusing on what is good and not taking note of any bad or ugly thoughts.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, Lord please help me to stay focused and concentrate on thoughts that are pure, thinking on whatever is good and whatever is excellent.  I pray asking for help in Jesus Christ name.  Amen

Turn your life around

Deuteronomy 5: 29 DARBY “Oh that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments continually, that it might be well with them and with their sons forever!”

Are you paying attention?  God wants each of us to turn back to Him, that our hearts will be focused on Him, that we would fear Him and keep His commandments all the time.  Why? So that it might be well with us and our children forever.

I am in the process of drawing closer to God, it is my heart’s desire to become more and more like Jesus.  The problem is that the carnal me is always standing up for itself.  Never really allowing me to become what I believe God wants me to be.  How on earth will I in my carnality be able to change?  Honestly, I doubt that I truly have the ability to do that.  I do believe that I must surrender the entire me to the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth to really change.

Now the Holy Spirit is creating a hunger and thirst within me, this is drawing me closer to the Lord God.  Now I am thinking about the Lord, more and more, willing myself to learn and surrendering myself into His hands.

Prayer

Abba Father, LORD, You know that I am incapable of change and that I can only change if You bring the change about.  In humility LORD God it is my desire to keep You in my heart.  I do fear You and I want to always keep Your commandments, please Holy Spirit ignite me to truly follow and seek after the LORD God, in the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Amen.

Flowers or Weeds?

The Fall of Man:  Genesis 3: 2-3 NIV “The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, “You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.”

God said: “You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.”  Think on this for just a minute.  When you tell your children “do not touch that or stay away from that.”  What do they do?  It is human nature to actually see what will happen if you are prohibited to go and do something you are not allowed to.  Satan sows a seed, by saying “you will not surely die.”

When I was watching the movie “The Shack” God showed Mack his personal garden.  It was a bit of a mess if you recall there were all kinds of flowers growing in his garden.  I believe that “Macks” garden actually represented his mind.  What thoughts he allowed to grow in his mind.  So what am I saying here?  Satan is wise and he knows each one of us, all he does is walk past you and sows a seed of doubt, jealousy or something malicious.  It’s normally just a word.

The thing with words is we can meditate on them all day long, I mean looking at someone you would never know what is on their minds.  You cannot see them plotting and planning, they look happy and friendly.

Are you allowing “Weeds” to grow rampant in your garden and watering them all day long?  Or are you plucking them out the minute something pops up that has the ability to take you away from becoming what God intended you to be?

Like I said we need to stop dismantling every good thought God has placed in our mind and get rid of the rubbish we allow to grow.  This can only take place when we renew our minds. We stay focused on learning to become more and more like Jesus.  Meditating on what is pure, what is good, what is edifying and what bring joy to others.  Moving away from being angry and bitter.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, it is my desire that You will send the Holy Spirit to touch each and every person’s heart today.  As they read this page, Lord I pray that Your will be done in their lives.  I pray for removals of strongholds that are in our lives, bitterness, hatred and jealousy to name but a few.  Lord send Your Spirit like a fire and burn all the “weeds” that are in our lives.  Replacing them with love, peace, joy and friendliness and longsuffering.  In Your Holy Name, Jesus Christ, Amen

You are precious

Exodus 39: 14 NIV “There were twelve stone, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.:

Hebrews 4: 14 NIV “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.”

Struggling to accept that I am precious in God’s eyes and this morning in my quiet time I was reading Exodus 39.  “The Breastpiece,” I noticed that God appointed a skilled craftsman to work on the “breast piece.”  The material used was the following:  gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen.  You know the shape would be square and then the mounting of precious stones such as a ruby, topaz, beryl, turquoise, sapphire and emerald, jacinth, agate and amethyst, chrysolite, onyx, and jasper.  These are all precious stones, which meant they were not your common little pebbles laying around the yard.  Now focusing my attention on the word “precious” I wanted to see what God says.  In Isaiah Chapter 43 verse 4 in the TLB “Others died that you might live; I traded their lives for yours because you are precious to me and honored, and I love you.”  This is it, “I am precious to God and He loves me.”

Thinking about this if something is precious what does that really mean?  How much are you prepared to pay for the item?  What’s the value of the item?  God gave His only begotten Son Jesus Christ to pay for our sins.  1 Peter Chapter 1 Verse 19 TLB “But he paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.”  I was bought with the precious lifeblood of Christ, so were you.  When God looks at me the lifeblood of Christ covers me.  He see’s me through Christ.

Back to the “breast piece” we know that the high priest wore it over his chest.  You say and?  What is the significants thereof?  Well, this was over his heart or close to his heart.  The Pries would enter the Holiest of Holie to bring a sacrifice for each of the twelve tribes.  These sacrifices were to ask for the forgiveness of sins.  Each of the twelve tribes names was also engraved on the precious stone like a seal.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You, Lord, for today, as I start my day I dedicate my life back into Your hands.  Your word said that You will never, never fail nor forsake me.  I pray the lifeblood of Jesus Christ encircles my life as well as the person reading this devotion today.  Amen

#Mustard #Seed #Faith

Matthew 17: 20 NIV “He replied, “Because you have so little faith, I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, “move from here to there” and it will move.  Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Have you actually seen how small a mustard seed is?  Seriously, it is rather small but that same seed yields the most beautiful huge tree.  I have a question I want to ask you, please think about it seriously and see if you agree with me.  If you and I have faith as small as a mustard seed, why then aren’t all our prayers heard?

Do you think it is because our faith does not align with that of God and that we don’t really believe God is able to do what He says He can do? Or are we trying to make things happen on our own ability, you know praying God do this and then going through a lot of trouble to see what we can do in the meantime?

Where is our confidence?  In ourselves and our ability or that of God and His ability?  I wonder whether I am really and truly surrendered to the Lord God in such a way that He is able to take over and do what needs to be done.  Have I truly surrender every thought and deed into the Lords Hands?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, Luke Chapter One verse thirty-seven says “For nothing is impossible with God.” Lord as a Christian I come into Your presence today, I pray Lord for the needy and I pray for the sick.  I also pray for each and every one of us seeking You.  Lord in our unbelieve we draw near to You.  My prayer today is that I truly will draw near to You and that I will actually have faith as small as a mustard seed and I ask that You Holy Spirit will ignite the growing power in my soul and heart and mind.  This I pray in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.  Amen

Look for the Lord Jesus

Psalm 34: 10 NIV “The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.”

In order to reap an abundant harvest, it is important to stay in the field the Lord has placed you to reap a bountiful harvest.  You also have to ensure that you are in the will of God.  But what if you have moved away from the shelter of the Lord?  You find that you are on the outskirts of the field and it seems almost impossible to move back into the field.

Fasting and prayer is a possibility and you do this on a regular basis, you are still seeking the Lord your God with all your heart.  I believe that God is a fair and just God and that He will give both you and me a second chance.  All we have to do is call out to Him and He will rescue each one of us.

There was this lady she was a Moabite and her mother-in-law was Naomi, they both returned to Naomi’s hometown.  Ruth the Moabite lady went out to work in the fields collecting barley for the mother-in-law and herself so that they could eat.  Boaz was the owner of the farm and when he saw Ruth he likes her instantly.

She was able to collect as much as she could for both herself and her mother-in-law.  God provide for both Naomi and Ruth and blessed them.

Prayer

O Lord my God, in all humility I stand before You today, I am in need of a miracle and I feel that I cannot move forward without You by my side.  I am seeking You with my heart, soul, and mind today.  I come before You just as I am and it is my desire to draw near to You.  Lord God please help me.  I need a touch in my life from You.  In the name of Jesus Christ amen.

Refuge

Ruth 2: 12 NIV “May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”

Psalm 57: 1 NIV “Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you, my soul takes refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.”

I feel that I am under the protection of the Almighty God and I believe that God covers me with His strength and that I am encircled by His mercy and love.  Many times I do not understand why things happen the way they are and what the purpose of it may be but today it is clear that I am under God’s protective hand.

I feel hurt and to be honest it isn’t easy for me to understand what to do next.  I am pressing into the LORD my God, Elohei Ma’uzzi the God of my strength.  Elohei Ma’uzzi I take refuge with You and I draw near to You today.  I declare and encircle my entire life with the blood of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.  I press into You Elohei Ma’uzzi.

Prayer

Elohei Ma’uzzi the God of my strength, today humbly Lord I come to You in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth and I pray please Lord God hold me close and never let me go.  I press into You today give me the strength to face today and guide me, show me the purpose of my life.  I encircle my life with the precious blood of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.  Amen

Dealing with doubt

Ephesians 6: 17 NIV “Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

As a Christian, it is imperative that we trust and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ with all our hearts, soul and mind.  The funny thing is that when you are feeling a little sick, or discouraged it becomes difficult.  Then doubt comes into play, the devil will place a thought into your mind and you either accept it or reject is.  This is where the full armor of the Lord God is important.  Be honest we don’t always put the full armor of God on do we?  The past couple of days has been grueling for me personally.  Self-doubt has been plaguing my mind.  To top it off, I actually entertained the devil.  As I meditate and think on the word of God I have come to realize that I am my worst enemy.

You see I have been ill for a couple of days, feeling miserable and not myself.  I am not perky and definitely not a pleasure to be around.  Then I also feel disappointed by a couple of people that I have met in the past year.  But nevertheless, let them be.  The antidote to being so doubtful is actually very simple.  I have to put on the full armor of God.  You see as a person our minds are the battlefield.  You can look at me and not see what I really am going through.  Smoke and mirrors hey.

Well, the devil, today I am coming up against you in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and I bind your works.  I place the helmet of salvation over my head and I take the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.  I stand up against you in Jesus Christ of Nazareth name.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, O Lord, just as I am today with all of my fears and doubts please forgive me.  I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth has died and risen again for me.  I declare the blood of Jesus Christ over my life today.  I accept that I am more than a conquer and that I can do all things through Christ Jesus.  I put the whole armor of God on.  I put on the belt of truth around my waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place and with my feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, I take up the shield of faith, with which I can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Taking the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.  In the name of Jesus Christ, I am armored.  Amen

Turning my boring life into an Adventure

Proverbs 3: 5-6 NIV “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

If you only knew what a boring life I am living right this very minute.  You would laugh at me.  I don’t risk anything, I am the person who always plays it safe.  Living on the spur of the moment isn’t something I ever do.  My life is sort of planned out exactly the way I feel it should be.  So, to be honest, I don’t take big risks, and I calculate every move I make.

If you looked at my life from your point of view you would see that my life is very predictable.  I am always where said I would be and doing what I said I would be doing.

So then how on earth am I going to get some adventure into my life?  You may ask.  I too am looking at that question and it is plain to see for my life to take a drastic turn on the “wild side of life” I really would have to take some kind of risk and make interesting choices.

Because I lack an adventures spirit I would have to turn to the Lord Jesus so that He can move me up a notch.  My soul needs the adventure and I need the Lord Jesus to bring me into a fuller life so that I can learn to live my life to the fullest.

Prayer

O Lord Jesus, You are the most wonderful and exciting person in my entire life, I believe that with You in my own life I will live my life to the fullest.  Today as I sit here in my study I pray guide me, teach me and help me to stay tuned in with You.  I need Your hand in my life, I am so predictable.  Help me Lord Jesus Amen.