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Love is the Path

“When in doubt, walk in love.”

 Ephesians 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour.
1 Peter 3:8-9 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
1 John 3:11 (MSG) For this is the original message we heard: We should love each other.

You can’t please everyone, but you can walk in love. To walk in love is a choice. It gives precedence to God and His Word regardless of the circumstance. In the face of the most brutal assault from the people around Him, Jesus choose to go to the cross and redeem us back to God. That was truly walking in love and not in the flesh.

Victory Confession

I believe that when I sow love I will reap love. In all situations, I will respond with love. I will not be moved by the actions or words of people. I trust you God that as I am obedient to your Word and walk in love I will reap a harvest of victory.

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It is Finished

“On my way to becoming perfect, He sees me as perfect through the finished work of Calvary.”

10That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;  11If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.  12Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 13Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,  14I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.  15Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

Philippians 3:10-15

 22For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:  23But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.  24O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?  25I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Romans 7:22-25

1There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.  3For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:  4That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Romans 8:1-4

We are all a work in progress when it comes to our flesh. Thankfully God has a plan for that and has made a way for us to grow in Him. Becoming a mature Christian isn’t related to our natural age. It is the process we go through to grow up in Christ. To grow spiritually we do things like attending church regularly. We read the Word of God daily. We spend time in the presence of God and in prayer daily. These will all contribute to our spiritual growth. In the realm of the Spirit, God sees us through His eyes of love and sees us perfected through the blood of Jesus. That is why we can always approach Him without condemnation. We are not going to be any more righteous than we are when we receive Jesus into our heart. That is where we stand spiritually. A joint heir with Jesus. But we still need to renew our mind! We still need to discipline our flesh so that we receive the full benefit of Jesus has done for us. It is a process. Don’t quit when you blow it! Go to God and received forgiveness and restoration. It is time to grow up!

Victory Confession

Growing up spiritually is a process that takes time.  I will be patient with myself as I press on toward the mark. I will yield daily to the work of God in my life. I will do what I need to grow and change!

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Back to Basics

“When you get in trouble, go back to basics.”

1 Corinthian 2:1-5

1And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.  2For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.  3And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.  4And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:  5That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

Proverbs 4:20-22The Message

20-22 Dear friend, listen well to my words; tune your ears to my voice. Keep my message in plain view at all times. Concentrate! Learn it by heart! Those who discover these words live, really live; body and soul, they’re bursting with health.

Ephesians 4:14 Amplified Bible Classic Edition

So then, we may no longer be children, tossed [like ships] to and fro between chance gusts of teaching and wavering with every changing wind of doctrine, [the prey of] the cunning and cleverness of unscrupulous men, [gamblers engaged] in every shifting form of trickery in inventing errors to mislead.

The Word of God should be the foundation of our Christian walk. However, there are times that we may become distracted and start listening to voices other than God. That is when we usually get into trouble. We find ourselves somewhere we weren’t planning on going and doing things we don’t really want to do. Things get complicated. That is when it time to go back to basics. It is time to go back to the presence and Word of God for direction. It is time to let go of our own plans and follow the plan of God.

Victory Action

When times are tough, I will go back to what Jesus did through His shed blood on the cross and the power of His resurrection.

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Be Specific

“Definite requests bring definite results.”

1 Samuel 1:11, 20

 11And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.   20Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.

Matthew 6:7-8 New Living Translation

7 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. 8 Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!

James 1:5 Good News Translation

“But if any of you lack wisdom, you should pray to God, who will give it to you; because God gives generously and graciously to all.”

A friend once told me that when I prayed I should be specific. He said to write down what I was believing God for and be specific. He said if it has a color, a size or specific features then write that. Then put the paper away and don’t tell anyone else. The point was when I received what I was praying for I would know that it truly was God that provided because it was specifically what I asked for. It worked! I received EXACTLY what I asked from God. Now, remember we have to ask according to the Word of God. We do not use this prayer to manipulate people to do what we want. God wants to provide for us. Trust God with your needs and desires because He has your best interests at heart.

Victory Action

I will pray specifically for my needs and desires in order to get the definite results God wants me to have.

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Church History

William Carey (1761-1824)

As a newly ordained minister, William Carey stood up among his Baptist counterparts and made a case for the necessity of overseas missions. An older man immediately shut him down, saying that if God wanted to save the heathen, He could do it alone. Fortunately, William Carey did not listen.

Carey believed that the Great Commission of Matthew 28:18–20 was a binding command on every generation of Christians. Eventually, he took his family from England to India. There he began to evangelize the nation. Over time Carey translated the Bible into dozens of languages for the people of India. He and his colleagues founded a college whose primary goal was to train indigenous ministers. William Carey is widely hailed to be the father of modern missions.

Why is it essential to know church history? Because God has often used obscure people to do great things in His kingdom. These people often lacked connections, finances, and education, but God was able to use them to change lives. How will you let God use you?

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Take God at His Word

“Faith is believing that God means what He said.”

 7If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

John 15:7

 3Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

Jeremiah 33:3

 Victory Action

I choose to act according to my belief that God’s Word lives in me and that He meant what He said.

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Lacking Nothing

When I first started my church here in Fort Worth, I had an older couple in our church. The husband was known to be stingy and didn’t want to tithe. His wife secretly gave the tithe out of her grocery money and would always try and give something in the offering. In the early years of our church, offerings like hers sustained us because we didn’t have a large attendance and were needing to make payments for upgrading the structure we were in at the time.

Eventually the husband’s job took them over to Midland, Texas and so they left. Soon after we had a large need for lumber and supplies. I purchased the lumber and sheetrock on short term credit, trusting God would supply. It wasn’t but a couple days that a check came in from this lady with the exact amount we needed! It turns out that she had heard God tell her to sell her old used car and give the money to the church. You know, it wasn’t but a few days later that she received a call from a friend who wanted to gift her with a brand new car! This woman gave a significant seed out of obedience, and look what God provided for her!

Years later her daughter came to talk to me after her parents died. She was like her father, someone who complained about giving, but she made a comment to me that was profound. She said, “You know I would always tell mom that she was giving too much money away, but she never had any lack. I don’t know how it came in, but she always had enough.” Praise God! A seed planted in faith can produce a multiplied harvest that will leave you lacking nothing!

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Draw Close to God

“Our actions reflect our relationship with God.”

1Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. 2By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 3For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

1 John 5:1-3

 3 Here’s how we can be sure that we’ve truly come to know God: if we keep his commands.4 If someone claims, “I have come to know God by experience,” yet doesn’t keep God’s commands, he is a phony and the truth finds no place in him. 5 But the love of God will be perfected within the one who obeys God’s Word.

1 John 2:3-5 (TPT)

Therefore become imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father]; 2 and walk continually in love [that is, value one another—practice empathy and compassion, unselfishly seeking the best for others], just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God [slain for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance.

Ephesians 5:1-2 (AMP)

We become like those we spend time with. We can pick up mannerisms, habits and attitudes from people just by being with them over time. That is why our relationship with God is so important. When we spend time with Him we will start to display His character. Our faith will grow. Our words will change. Our lives will become a mirror image of Him and others will see Him in us. Who do people see when they look at you?

 Victory Decision

I will grow my relationship with God by spending time with Him today. As I do I I believe my actions will reflect His love to those around me.

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The Good Fight of Faith

(The following is an excerpt from Bob Nichol’s book, “How To Chart Your Course Of New Beginnings.”)

As we study the life of Abraham, we realize we all need new beginnings.  We all desire them, but how do you navigate the unknown?  Charting your course is a 100% faith deal that is based on the Word of God.  This is not hype, positive thinking, or mind over matter.  It is simply getting a promise of God and remembering that the Bible said, “Therefore it is of faith . . .” (Romans 4:16).  I have been a pastor many years, and have experienced many things.  I have been in the trenches with people that were hurting.  I have been with precious people that felt that their world was being challenged.  People face a lot of challenges, but I believe with every fiber of my being that God has a new beginning for them.

In Acts 27 Paul faced shipwreck and possible death. In the midst of the storm God sent an angel with a message for Paul that he would survive the trip.  Eventually the ship would run aground and he would be forced to swim to an island to survive.   I believe even as it was with Paul, if your ship goes down, you are still going over.  You have to lock into that kind of faith mentality.  Not all ships make it.  I wish I could tell you that everybody’s ship makes it, but I cannot.  I will tell you this, even after the ship went down, Paul was able to safely make it to the shore.  As a result, Paul had an island-wide salvation, healing, and Holy Ghost revival.  He did not need the ship to do it.   You see, the storm destroyed the ship but it did not take Paul’s faith.  He refused to let the storm steal his faith in God’s Word.  He refused to let the shipwreck ruin the rest of his life.  Even when he was washed ashore, the challenge to his faith was not over.  In an attempt to keep warm the survivors started a fire.  When Paul laid the sticks he had gathered on the fire, a poisonous viper came out and attached itself to his hand.  Immediately he shook off the snake into the fire without suffering any harm.  No matter how greatly blessed we are, our faith will continually be challenged.  But the bottom line is, if we do not quit, we win.