Lord or Savior?

 

            Seeking his hand or seeking his face? 

 "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. "
                (Matt 7:21-23)
             
            My friends, in this  short devotional, you need to ask yourself ---Where are you in your walk with the Lord? Yes, Salvation is free and available to all but is Jesus your Lord? Paul said that he travailed  in birth again until Christ be formed in you. (Gal 4:19) This letter was written to Christians then and it speaks to us now. Paul had a Pastor’s heart. He was concerned over the state of their souls. He wanted to see Christ formed in them.
       There is a molding process of Christ being formed in us. Some will yield different levels of growth but in order to grow, we need to get past Salvation and unto Lordship. Don’t look at God like a magic genie or just seek his hand. Yes, God is merciful and he does answer prayers but what are you doing to grow? 
           What are you doing to have Christ formed in you? Remember Matt 7:21-23--These people were saved and had a right to his power but never made him Lord over their lives. As you read the end of this account, you find out where they ended up. I am not trying to put fear or a guilt trip on anyone but what I am saying is scripture. The apostle Paul with all his great works and miracles said that I may know him and the power of his resurrection. 
          So, in this day, put aside your wants and needs in second place. Ask--What is my calling for my life and my assignment? That is the starting point of putting Jesus Lord of your life. Seek his face and not his hand only and you will enter a dimension in prayer that will be second to none. God bless you.


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Fasting---A few thoughts to ponder ( Part 2)

Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? (Isa 58:6)

                              In our last study of fasting, we saw four major points in this verse. We covered step one and saw how it helped save a nation during the time of Esther,the queen. If you missed our last study, check out the link provided below(1). Today, God willing, we will analyze the rest of the major steps. Let's review the other remaining major steps----                          

                          1- To loose the band of wickedness
                          2- To undo the heavy burdens
                          3- To let the oppressed go free                        
                          4- To break every evil yoke

                         In step 2, Fasting will undo the heavy burdens. What is a burden? A burden is a weight. It can be stress, anxiety, worries, cares, etc. It, also, implies a crushing. We, all, know what stress and worry can do for you. It's consequences on  health can be damaging, so the meaning of crushing is implied in a negative sense. Are you stressed out or worried? Fasting is a way for you to focus on the Lord and undo those burdens. The word says to cast your care upon him (Jesus), for he careth for you. It, can, also be a burden to pray for a nation or a loved one When we obey the leading of the Lord and undo these burdens upon him, miracles start to happen and you sense a peace within.
                        Step 3 is speaking of deliverance for the oppressed. Oppression is an annoying or constant attack from an enemy. It can be a nervous breakdown, constant mental harassment or a foothold that the enemy can have on a believer's life. It is a sad state of affairs when Pastors and leaders from the church are bound and oppressed by pornography but there is hope. Scripture teaches us that we have the mind of Christ. When we put on Christ, his mind and thoughts, we can have victory over oppression. Fasting is a strong tool to break those strongholds.

                           

                                                       Example of a Wooden Yoke              

                                 Finally, step 4--Every evil yoke. What is a yoke? A yoke is a wooden or metal object (Picture above) in which two oxen were side by side plowing. They were forced to work the land for its master. The Christian was under the yoke of Satan but, now, through Christ, we have a different yoke. (Matt 11:28-30) A yoke can symbolize bondage, soul-ties or attachment. It can be sickness, debt or carnality. When you fast in faith, knowing what belongs to you,it can be a powerful tool for deliverance. It can destroy any yoke no matter how hard it can be! (Isa 10:27) Whether it be of wood(Carnality) or Iron (Satanic bondage, his unction(Power) can break any attachment to the enemies of our soul. (Jer 28:13)
                                 So, having this in mind--Fasting can be fun! Healing, peace and financial provision is yours but the most important of all, having the mind of Christ. When you have the mind of Christ and take upon his desires, you can rise up to be the victor God meant for you to be! God bless.

(1) http://wordandgrace.blogspot.com/2016/02/fasting-few-thoughts-to-ponder.html
 Bible verses courtesy of www.biblegateway.com



                         

                     

A great way to further your ministry.

                  Greetings. Do you feel the call of God in your life? From time to time, I recognize some great ministries in the body of Christ. In the Christian walk, it is important to be yoked to a good ministry especially in the teaching ministry. Pastor Bob Yandian is a great and anointed teacher. God has used him in the past to help me gain a deeper understanding of the word. He is, not, afraid to tackle hard questions but God uses him to, skillfully, teach the word. I am enclosing a study of the Greek in the New Testament. This teaching tool is a must have for every Christian. It is free and his teaching is a good one especially if you want to gain  further understanding of the word. So, do yourself a favor and sit back. Take some time to listen to Pastor Bob. You will be glad you did. God bless.

                          http://club.bobyandian.com/index.php/nt-greek-for-beginners-1-of-16/