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Archive for the ‘Jesus’ Category

Identity Crisis

Posted in Jesus, Knowing God, Salvation, The Father, The Holy Spirit, The Righteous on October 11, 2011| Leave a Comment »

14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.  Romans 8:14-17

As a Christian I constantly struggle with my identity in Christ.  I grew up in a church that taught you had to be good to go to heaven.  I was told by some as a child that I would not amount to anything.  At one time I defined myself by my career.  Currently, I am a wife, mother, and pastor.  However, we are told in the bible we are sons of God; we have been adopted and are fellow heirs with Christ.  This is where, at times, I have confused my identity.

Sometimes I struggle to see myself the way God sees me.  I don’t always act like a child of God’s.  There are times I walk in accordance to my flesh and not by the spirit.  Many times I have walked by sight and not by faith.  In the times I have fallen or made mistakes I often ask myself “who am I?”  It’s very easy to fall into the old patterns of my thinking that I am not good enough or what I do is not good enough.  Honestly, I wish I could always see myself the way God sees me.

There are times I try to impress God with my “good” deeds.  I seek His acceptance instead of receiving His love.  I struggle with my faith when I don’t understand my identity.  Things are much more difficult when I look at my own weaknesses instead of keeping my eyes on Jesus.  When God looks at me He sees His child; not a slave nor a servant.  There are times I act like a slave full of fear and doubt lacking faith in God.

God created us in His image and in His likeness.  Jesus knew and understood His identity; He only did what He saw the Father doing.  Jesus didn’t struggle with sin; sin was not a part of Him because sin was not in the Father.  God hates sin; Jesus hates sin.  Jesus healed because the Father is a life giver.  Jesus raised the dead because death has no place in the Father.  What fellowship does light have with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14)  Jesus saved us so that we would be reconciled with the Father.  So through Jesus we are made righteous and are now considered the children of God.  Even the Holy Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 

Each day I have to make a conscious decision to know that I am a child of God’s.  I am no longer to walk according to my flesh or what others say that I am.  I should not hold the opinion of others or of myself above what God says about me – He is perfecting me in the image of Jesus.

So I will no longer live based on my past identity but I will press forward in understanding and knowing my true identity in Jesus.   Do you know your identity?

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The Good Shepherd

Posted in Jesus, Love, Salvation, The Righteous on June 13, 2011| Leave a Comment »

11 “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, 15 even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. John 10:11-15

Jesus is the good shepherd.  He knows us and we know Him.  He laid down His life for us – His sheep.  He is not like other gods or men that leave the sheep to the wolves, Jesus protects us.  Many others are trying to find ways to appease their gods or make themselves worthy.  Christianity is not like that because we have a Savior, a good shepherd who watches over us and protects us.  If we stray away from Him, He does not require us to find our way back to the flock; He will come, find us, and bring us back to Himself.

Jesus knows us by name, he knows our thoughts, and He even knows the number of hairs on our head.  We know our Shepherd; we know His voice.  When He calls for us we come because we are His sheep.

We can take comfort in knowing that our Shepherd will tend to us and care for us.  He loved us so much that He laid down His life for us.

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May 21, 2011 – A Dangerous Prediction

Posted in Heaven, Jesus, Salvation on May 20, 2011| 1 Comment »

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 3:2

“This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.  Matthew 25:14

Harold Camping, Family Radio, has predicted and prophesied that the rapture will take place on May 21, 2011 and five months from then the world will end on October 21, 2011.  Camping has convinced some people that they will be raptured by Jesus on May 21st and the rest will be left to face God’s judgment.  This is not the first time someone has set a date for the rapture or the end of the world.  However, my criticism is not concerning Camping’s prediction but what really should concern us is the foundation of people’s faith.

In 2000 I was very involved in the teaching and timing of the rapture.  I remember how there were some of us who believed that the rapture would take place that year based on some events happening in the world and the timing of the earth.  One of the dates came and went and we learned that someone in our group actually committed suicide because the rapture did not happen.  We realized how dangerous it is to prophesy a specific date for the rapture or the end of the world.

As I have watched the news about this current prediction I remembered my own disappointment in 2000 and the craziness I was involved in.  It did nothing to increase or benefit my faith, nor was I effective in leading others to Jesus. I believed what I wanted to believe even though it wasn’t based on truth or God’s word.  My fascination with predicting the rapture almost became a detriment to my faith.  Since then I have grown in my relationship with Jesus and have accepted that it really is not for me to know the dates and times that have been set by God.  Instead I am learning how to live heaven on earth.  Our prayer should be that God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

After the resurrection Jesus instructed the disciples to preach the gospel to all the nations of the world.  Jesus left but He did not take the Kingdom with Him, instead He told us to occupy while we wait for His return.  Our message is to teach the world about the gospel and the Kingdom.  We are to bring heaven to earth.  Jesus said the world would know us because of the love we have for one another.

There are many that believe tomorrow the rapture will take place.  Some have even emptied out their savings and have given stuff away, awaiting for tomorrow.  If the rapture fails to take place what will they do?  What will happen to their faith?  What price have they paid listening to Camping?  I pray that they will come to know Jesus in a more intimate way and just understand how much the Father loves them.  The very things they desire they can have in Jesus today.  They will remember that Jesus abides in us and we abide in Him. 

Our hope and faith must be based on the foundation of Jesus, not on another person, event or some date.  We know that one day Jesus will return and we all hope it will take place in our lifetime.  However, let us not forget the bigger picture and that is that God desires that all will come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ.  God takes no pleasure in the destruction of people; neither should we.

John preached that the Kingdom of God was at hand and told the people to repent.  Jesus came and preached the gospel and the kingdom of God; and we as believers must continue to take the gospel to the entire world. 

Jesus tells us in Matthew 25 the signs of His coming.  Many of the signs are just the beginning of the end.  Jesus said the end would come when the gospel of the kingdom was preached to the whole earth.  So each day Jesus tarries we must continue preaching the gospel of the kingdom – the hope that we have in Jesus.  Most of all let us share the gospel in the spirit of love and compassion; and not with fear and judgment.

Tomorrow is never promised to us.  So when May 21st does come let us rejoice and be glad in the day that the Lord has made.  “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34

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These Signs Shall Follow

Posted in Crucified, God's Glory, Healing, Jesus, Prayer, Salvation, Satan, Sin, Teaching, The Father, The Holy Spirit, The Righteous, The Word on April 22, 2011| Leave a Comment »

19So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.

 20And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed. Mark 16: 19-20

 3how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard,

 4God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.  Hebrews 2: 3-4

Today is Good Friday and Sunday is Easter.  As Christians we celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ during this time.  Usually on Easter weekend, churches have the largest attendance of the year.  So many churches preach the gospel message hoping that many will give their life to Christ.

When Jesus commissioned the disciples after His resurrection, He told them that when they went out to preach the gospel, signs and wonders would follow them.  They would be able to cast out demons, lay hands on the sick and they would be healed.  We are also told in the above scriptures that God confirms the message of salvation by both signs and wonders and various miracles.  We cannot have the gospel preached without evidence of signs, wonders and miracles.  Otherwise we are simply preaching a message with no power behind it.

We should not only anticipate a great soul harvest this weekend, but we should expect to see it all including signs, wonders and miracles.  Their purpose is to confirm the gospel message and point people to Jesus.  So we should expect to see miracles, healings take place, deliverance from demons, etc.  Of course the greatest miracle of all is when a person is saved – that person was once dead in their sin and is made alive in Christ.

So let’s invite the lost, the sick and shut in, the hopeless, the downtrodden, those bound, etc.; and expect God to show up and deliver them all.  Let our prayer be that God will confirm His covenant, made through the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, by the miracles, signs and wonders that will point all men to Jesus.

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And When You Pray

Posted in Healing, Jesus, Knowing God, Love, Prayer, Salvation, The Father, The Word on April 8, 2011| Leave a Comment »

 9“Pray, then, in this way:
  ‘Our Father, who is in heaven,
   Hallowed be Your name.
10’Your kingdom come
   Your will be done,
   On earth as it is in heaven.
 11‘Give us this day our daily bread.
 12‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
 13‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]’  Matthew 6:9-13

Jesus taught the disciples how to pray.  We often pray the Lord’s prayer in church and in our private time.  This prayer is usually memorized by most Christians.  But do we really pray the way Jesus taught us to pray?

Many times when we pray we put a caveat in our prayer “If it be your will…”  But Jesus told us to pray “Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”  So when we pray we are to pray that the Father’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  We do not have to guess what the Father wants to do.  So when we pray we should ask ourselves what heaven says.  Then we know what to pray.

When we pray for the salvation of a loved one, we know that everyone in Heaven is saved, so when we pray we pray for God’s will on earth as it is in heaven.  We know it is God’s will to save the lost.  There is no sickness in heaven, so we know we can pray God’s will for healing to be done on earth as it is in heaven.  The bible even says that if we delight ourselves in Him, He will give us the desires of our heart (Psalm 37:4).  So we can pray with confidence that God’s will be done when it comes to our desires.

When we start off a prayer saying “If it be your will…” we put the responsibility on God and remove our responsibility to have faith that God will answer our prayer.  Because if our prayer is not answered, then we can say it was not God’s will.  Instead, we should have enough faith to believe God for the answered prayer; have confidence enough that if it is not in line with His will then He will tell us; and direct us in what His will is in the situation.

It is important to remember that we pray from Heaven to earth.  We are to pray that which is loose in heaven be loosed on earth.  So it is always in line with God’s will to pray for peace, salvation, healing, restoration, joy, love, etc. because all these things are found in heaven.  We never have to worry that God desires anything that is contrary to heaven. 

So the next time you pray know that the will of God will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Pray in faith and with confidence.

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The World is Waiting

Posted in Healing, Jesus, Love, Salvation, The Righteous on March 15, 2011| Leave a Comment »

18For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

 19For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.

 20For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope

 21that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.  Romans 8:18-21

There are uprisings in the Middle East, the global economy is being threatened, and some countries, like Japan, are enduring huge natural disasters.  The world is groaning and looking for answers; they are looking for hope.

As God’s children we hold the answers to the world’s woes.  The creation longs for the children of God to be revealed.  It is not time for us to sit back and judge but to continue the gospel message and preach it to all creation.

When Jesus came and died for us He took back what Adam lost.  Jesus took back the authority that the devil stole.  He has given us that authority – to take dominion over the earth.  What does it look like?

It’s simple – we do what Jesus called us to do:

 15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”  Mark 16:15-18

Now imagine a world where every Christian answered Jesus’ call.  That is what the creation is waiting for – the children of God to be revealed and to take dominion.

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Healing is Guaranteed!

Posted in Healing, Jesus, Knowing God, Love, Sin, The Father, The Righteous on March 4, 2011| Leave a Comment »

 19Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.

 20“For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel.

 21“For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life; even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. John 5:19-21

I recently came across some articles that said healing was not guaranteed in the atonement of Jesus Christ.  It is argued that we will suffer and have trouble in this life so we can’t be always guaranteed healing in our life on earth.  So for a few days I pondered this thought “Does God always heal?”  I then began to study the scriptures of what Jesus did while on earth.  Every person that came to Jesus for healing was healed.  The only time Jesus could not heal was where there was unbelief.

Jesus said He only did what He saw His Father doing.  Jesus healed everyone that came to Him.  There is no record in scripture of Jesus refusing to heal someone.  Jesus healed and He forgave people’s sins.  Think about this – we have hope in Jesus; we know that salvation is found in Jesus.  His death and resurrection has made a way for us who believe to have eternal life.  Salvation is the ultimate miracle – someone whose soul is dead is made alive when they accept Jesus.  Salvation is a gift from God.  Salvation cannot be earned.  If we call upon the name of the Lord we shall be saved.

So why does this not pertain to healing?  If God healed then doesn’t He heal today?  Jesus said that “the Father raises the dead and gives them life.”  God is our creator; we live and have our being because of Him.  God is a life giver.  Death cannot exist in the presence of God.  Everything that God touches comes to life, and when God speaks, He speaks life. 

Healing is guaranteed because of the very nature of God is life.  Sickness and death do not exist in God, life does.  This is why we know that God is the Healer, why everyone who came in contact with Jesus was healed.  Yes God always heals for those that ask and believe.  We receive healing by faith just like we receive salvation by faith.

Yes we will have trials and tribulations in this world, and many troubles.  Even Jesus was hated and despised by men, persecuted and killed.  However, every believer has the promise of eternal life in Jesus, sickness and death has no power for those in Christ.

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If It Be Your Will

Posted in Healing, Jesus, Love, Prayer, Salvation, The Righteous on February 24, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.  Matthew 4:23

“These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”  Mark 16: 17-18

Many times when we pray for the sick we usually begin by saying “God if it be your will…”  What we are really asking “is it God’s will to heal the sick everytime?”

When Jesus was on the earth He only did what He saw the Father in Heaven do.  We know that Jesus healed everyone who came to Him that needed healing.  He healed every kind of disease and sickness.

Jesus died for our sins and through Him we have salvation and the redemption of our sins. But Jesus also came to heal the sick and commissioned us to continue the work of healing to sick.

Jesus demonstrated God’s perfect will.  It was the Father’s will to heal the sick then and it is still His will today.  That is why He sent His Son Jesus to die for our sins – for eternal life; to bless us and live life to its fullness.

It is not only God’s will to heal but it is our mandate as believers to heal the sick.  God is no respecter of persons.  He wants to heal both believers and unbelievers.  It is the kindness of God that brings about repentance, and it is through that kindness and love that healing comes.

We should be confident when we pray for the sick that it is God’s will to heal.  God is able and willing to heal all those who come to Him.  The real question is “are we willing to accept His healing?”

To be continued…

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White as Snow

Posted in Crucified, Grace, Jesus, Knowing God, Love, Salvation, Sin, The Righteous on February 1, 2011| Leave a Comment »

“Come now, and let us reason together,” says the LORD, “Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool.”  Isaiah 1:18

Here in New England we have had several snow storms and there is snow everywhere.  Before the snow could melt from one storm another storm came bringing more snow.  There are piles of snow all over the place and many people are tired of all this snow. So today I began to reflect on the meaning of snow and its relevance in the bible.

Snow represents purity.  Snow is very bright and brings a cleansing to the environment.  When snow falls it is so pretty and makes everything it touches look beautiful and new.  A tree without its leaves that is dormant in the winter seems to come alive when there is snow piled on its branches and trunk.  However, once the snow plows and salt trucks come and plow the snow it becomes very dirty and almost looks like dirt on the sides of the road.  It doesn’t take much to ruin the whiteness and brightness of snow.  But in the Kingdom the opposite happens.

When we were sinners our sins were red as crimson.  Red is a very strong color.  It is a primary color.  If you have a red stain on a white shirt it is very hard to remove that red stain.  Even if most of the stain is gone your eye is still drawn to that spot.  But in the Kingdom when a sinner accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior their sins become white as snow.  They become pure just like the snow when it falls from the sky and covers the area.  Think about it – once our sins were so evident and red; however, since the death and resurrection of Jesus they are now like wool, white as snow.

So the next  time you see the snow fall or you are looking out your window at all the snow covering your neighborhood, think of Jesus and what His death on the cross did for us – we all became white as snow.  This is how God sees His children as pure as the new fallen snow.

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Clean Bill of Health

Posted in Healing, Jesus, The Father on January 27, 2011| Leave a Comment »

9“Pray, then, in this way:
‘Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10‘Your kingdom come
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:9-10

In the summer of 2009,  I was diagnosed with a rare tumor that had to be treated with chemotherapy.  I have been under the care of an oncologist since that time.  Finally, I received news from my oncologist that I had a clean bill of health and was being discharged.  I praise God for my healing.

I learned a lot during my sickness about healing and God.  I grew up believing that God did allow sickness in our life to either build our faith or correct us.  I now know that Healing is for today and God wants to heal us.  It is God’s will for us to be healed and walk in wholeness.

Sickness does not exist in heaven.  God does not give us what He does not have.  God did not cause my sickness.  Based on the disease I had (a growing tumor that could have killed me) I knew it was not from God.  I learned to pray God’s will as Jesus taught us to pray.  Once I understood that healing is God’s will I prayed that His will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.

We should never think that God does not want to heal.  It is His will to heal the sick.  So whenever we pray for healing either for ourselves or others we should know that God can heal and will heal. Remember God is moved by faith and not by need.

I completed my treatment at the end of the summer of 2009.  I was healed then, but continued being monitored by doctors to ensure the tumor did not return.  Every blood test and exam just confirmed what heaven had already declared – I was healed.

When we pray we pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven.  So the next time you pray think about heaven and pray from heaven to earth; this is how Jesus taught us to pray.

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