Fearfully and Wonderfully Made…

Young man of God Rafael Mark

I come before you and praise you this day and every day, because I am fearfully and wonderfully made, Lord.  It was You that carefully designed every system, organ and gland in my body, and gave each one their tasks.  I ask that you remind each one of the task it is given, and help them all to perform them perfectly.
Father God, you have said that I have the keys to the kingdom of heaven,  and that whatever I bind on earth is bound and whatever I loose on earth is loosed!  So, with that power, this day, in the mighty name of Jesus, I declare that my body is Your temple and I choose to glorify You with it. I bind any sickness or disease that has been trying to attack my body.  I command it to flee in the name of Jesus so that I can present a healthy body to my Lord as a living sacrifice unto Him.  
Lord, you have said that, through Jesus Christ, I am redeemed from the curse of the law.  So, I receive that redemption right now in Jesus name.  No weapon of sickness or disease formed against me shall prosper any longer! 
In Your Word, you have promised that You will restore me to health and heal my wounds.  Because I serve You, You said You would bless my food and take sickness away from me.  Because I listen closely to every Word that You speak, and I keep them in my heart, You promised that they would be life and health to my whole body.
I choose to believe those promises Father.  Help me to believe them more than I believe the doctors that visit me or the symptoms I feel. Help me to stand on Your holy Word today and everyday.
Right now, today, I confess that Jesus Himself bore my pains and carried my sicknesses. He was pierced for my transgressions and crushed for my iniquities. The punishment that brought me peace fell on Him, and by His stripes I am healed and made whole!
Anything that was out of balance in my body, through Jesus’ sacrifice, is now put back into balance.  Anything trying to work death in my body is itself withering and dying, because You Father have promised that I will live and not die!
Thank You, Father, that my light breaks forth as the morning and that my health springs forth speedily!

In Jesus Holy Name I Pray – Amen

Grace and Peace

Handpicked by God…

What we know about Joseph, the earthly and legal Father of Jesus, is found in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.

Joseph’s complete genealogy is given in Matthew 1:1-18.  Though it might be a bit tedious (as Pastor Ken pointed out at last Sunday’s worship exprience), genealogies were very important to the Jewish people and these verses demonstrate the lineage of Jesus Christ back to Abraham (showing fullfillment of many prophecies about the Messiah).

A gracious man, Joseph kept the laws of Judaism and was a well  respected and skilled carpenter.  He was a man of meager means but none the less, an honorable and faithful man.

Joseph was obedient to God, even in the face of the shame of his bethrowed being pregnant out of wedlock (a grave social stigma). Even though Joseph’s initial reaction was to break the engagement with Mary (the appropriate thing for a righteous man of the time), he decided to be merciful and treat her with extreme kindness.

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  (Matthew 1:20 NIV)

God honored Joseph’s integrity by entrusting him with a great responsibility. It’s never easy entrusting your children to someone else. Imagine the God of all the universe looking down and having to choose one man to raise His only son?

Joseph definitely had God’s trust.

His faith was astounding. God asks us to be faithful in His Son after Jesus has performed miracles, died for our sins and rose from the dead. Yet Joseph is asked to have faith in a baby who had done nothing but brought him hardship and trials.

When Jesus spoke of God as being like a loving Father, he could draw from his youth the kind of love he had from Joseph.

When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong; He was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon Him. (Luke 2:39-40 NIV)

Joseph stands as a testimony to the virtue of integrity, obedience, faithfulness, and to the value of honoring the entrusted role of “fatherhood.”

Grace and Peace

Second Chances…

We serve a God of second chances.

There is no sin we could ever commit that God’s grace cannot cover.

There is no place we could go that God is not there.

Our God is a God of second chances.

Never ever think that we’ve gone too far from His will or strayed so far from His path that He cannot still bring us into that place He has called us to be… our place of promise.

In Deuteronomy 31, after 40 years in the wilderness of doubt and disobedience, after decades of one bad choice after another,  God was finally bringing  His people into the promised land.

“Then the Lord commissioned Joshua son of Nun with these words: “Be strong and courageous, for you must bring the people of Israel into the land I swore to give them. I will be with you.” (Deut 31:23)

Even after those 40 years of not walking in His perfect will, God was still holding on to the Isrealites. His love for them, His blessings for them, had not diminished. His plans for them, His promise to them, had not changed.

Have poor judgement and wrong decisions caused you to stray from the path? Have you been lost in a wilderness of failure and regret?

His words say it all and His message is for you, for me…. be strong, take courage, all is not lost. Don’t be intimidated because He is striding ahead of us, clearing the way.

Thank you God for being the God of second (third, fourth… many) chances.

Thank you for never giving up on me.

Grace and Peace

God Expects Consistency…

Maybe you’ve heard or read about Situation Ethics.

It refers to people doing whatever they perceive is “the right thing to do” according to the situation they are in at the time.

Those who practice situation ethics generally believe that there are no absolute rules concerning right or wrong — that you just have to kind of go with the flow of the times and determine what you do based upon those with whom you are with and the situation in which you find yourself.

This seems to be a growing trend in our society. It is also beginning to creep into our churches and the lives of those who claim to be Christians.

This is especially evident in the lives of our children and young people because of their tendency to emulate the adults around them.

What kind of example is this setting?

How consistent is our daily life with what the Word teaches?

Do we ever find it necessary to act differently around different people so as to be accepted?

Could it be that we are practicing “Situational Religion”?

That is trying to be as much of a Christian as we need to be so we are acceptable to whomever we happen to be with at the time?

God expects consistency in our lives as Christians. We are supposed to live changed lives and concentrate on pleasing God, not people.

“Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:9-11(NIV)

Some people believe that there are different rules for different places — one set of rules for home, one set for work, one set for our associations with friends and yet another for when we are with other Christians. Those folks are practicing situational religion and that is not acceptable to God. God expects us to live for him all of the time in every situation. If we are not doing that, then we are not serving him the way he wants.

Grace and Peace

Celebrate the Lord…

This week I celebrated the birthdays of three of the most important people in my life – my wife, my middle daughter and my handsome grandson.

It made me appreciate the love of God in my life.

As far as I understand when reading the Word, we are to celebrate, not just special occasions like birthdays, marriages and graduations, but  everyday.

This is the day the LORD has made;  let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 NIV

We are to celebrate continually in God’s love, His healing  and His provision every day.

In that day the people will proclaim, “This is our God! We trusted in him, and he saved us! This is the Lord, in whom we trusted. Let us rejoice in the salvation he brings!” Isaiah 25:9 NLT

Every day that God gives us is a  day of  life, of grace and of  forgiveness!

We don’t have to wait until we get to heaven to be joyous.

Grace and Peace

Jesus, remember me…

With all the news of Michael Jackson’s death being broadcasted on every stem of the media tree, it’s easy to get caught up in the world and it’s concerns – “was he in debt?”, “was he sick”, “did his doctor have something to do with MJ’s early demise?”

Here’s the question I propose – did he get a chance to repent of his sins and ask Jesus to be his Savior?

Who among us is privy to a person’s final thoughts?

Who knows what transpires in those last moments?

Are we sure that no prayer was offered?

Eternity can bend the proudest knees.

Could anyone really stare into the wide canyon of death without whispering a plea for mercy?

And could our God, who is partial to the humble, resist it?

He couldn’t on Calvary.

But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

 Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:40-43

The confession of the thief on the cross was both a first and final one.

But Christ heard it. Christ received it.

We don’t know if Michael cried out to God because we didn’t hear him.

But maybe Jesus heard him.

Grace and Peace

Yet Will I Trust Him…

God is good… all the time.

Easier said than done.

Do we really mean what we say when we say that God is good? Can we say that God is good all the time?
What about those times when the flaming arrows of the enemy come against you from all angles?
Remember Jesus said we would suffer for His name’s sake. So don’t act surprised when you encounter difficulty. He never said it would be easy to be His follower, but He did promise to hold our hand.
When the attacks come keep declaring the goodness of God. It won’t be easy, but you can do it.

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him in song. Psalm 28:7 (NIV)

Pray for strength to do so and the Holy Spirit will empower you. With all of your wounds–grief, disappointment and bad luck–you will be able to say (like Job), “though He slay me, yet will I trust Him”.
During your darkest hour, you will still be able to proclaim:
Even though I’m being laid off from my job and God knows I have four mouths to feed, a mortgage, and a car lien to pay… God is still good.
Even though I fasted and prayed for seven days about my son’s case, yet he was convicted and sent to prison for a crime he did not commit… God is still good.
Even though I thought I had dental insurance and my daughter needs to have a root canal… God is still good.
Even though I begged God for justice while I was being lied about and mistreated on my job, yet, in the end, I was unjustly fired… God is still good.
Even though I don’t have any children and probably will never be able to have children… God is still good.
Even though I have been diagnosed with cancer and was told I have six months to live… God is still good.
Even though I lost my arm in a car accident… God is still good.
Even though my car won’t start and my bank account is in overdraft… God is still good.
Even if I never get married… God is still good
Even though I studied and studied, and took the exam twice and still failed… God is still good.
Even though the Bank finally foreclosed on my home and I am now a topic of discussion among my friends and neighbors… God is still good.
Even though God does not make sense to me… God is still good.
Be strong and mean every word as you proclaim God’s goodness in your time of distress.

Do all you can do to stand and remain standing.

Make it known to satan that you are not an easy target.
When you declare the goodness of God during your trials, you defeat the enemy and, in due course, the enemy will fear you.
 

The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him. Nahum 1:7

God is still good from the beginning of time, and He will still be good to the end of time. Regardless of the difficult challenges, hindrances, disappointments and hurt we experience in life, God is always good. We must believe that. We must learn to trust God.

Grace and Peace

Name above all Names…

EL… strength, might and power.

That’s one of the many names of our God.

It may not be neccessary for our salvation to know all the names of God but in His infinite wisdom,  Adonai El Elyon, The Lord Most High God (Genesis 14:22, Psalm 7:17, Psalm 47:2)  tells us who He is in His Word.

All His names describe who He is; speaks of His character and proclaim His power.

Adonai Elohim, The Lord God (Genesis 2:4) invites us to call upon His name.

Not because He is unaware of who He is. Not because He needs our accolades. Not because He needs us to acknowledge Him in order to be.

But because when we know who Ha-El Hakkadosh, The Holy God (Isaiah 5:16) is, when we utter  His mighty  identity, our spirit is quickened.

His “strength, might and power” enriches our prayer and our faith in Elah Elahin, The God Of Gods (Daniel 2:47)  is bolstered.  

 

Regardless what name you call Jehovah, He is faithful to answer.

Grace and Peace

Pressing Toward the Prize…

On Sunday morning ask 10 people what they think spiritual maturity is and you’ll most likely get 10 differant answers.

I was recently confronted by a respected friend to examine the question of spiritual maturity in the church today. Furthermore he challenged that there is a significant decline in mature churchgoers.

Does participating in a lot of programs, ministries and or church activities equal spiritual maturity?

I think not.

It doesn’t happen automatically  when we become believers.

It doesn’t happen  after we are baptized. 

It will happen because we pursue  after Christ and allow  God’s Holy Spirit to work in us.

“…until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” Ephesians 4:13 (NIV)

If we are indeed to mature in Christ,  it needs to be an intentional effort.

It is not the amount of knowledge or wisdom we obtain but the extent to which we allow the Holy Spirit to use whatever we’ve  been given. 

Spiritual maturity is the differance between surviving and  thriving; mediocrity and victory; how we see ourselves  and how God sees us.

Spiritual maturity is a life long pursuit  and cannot be obtained lightly. 

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12-14 NIV).

Even the Apostle Paul had not arrived, yet he continually pressed toward the prize.

 Grace and Peace

Thank God for Mothers…

Holy Father, I want to thank you for godly mothers today.

I thank you for the way they sacrifice to give life to their children along with the gifts of blessing, hope, and faith.

I ask you to bless each of them now and for all eternity with your love, grace, and reward.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Grace and Peace