SEEMS RIGHT (T.D. JAKES)

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end 

is the way of death (Proverbs 14:12).

Have you ever noticed the way zoo caretakers handle an injured animal? Even though the caretaker is only interested in helping, the animal does not understand. It only focuses on the pain, and because of this it will strike or even kill the very person sent to help it.

     Some of you may be in this very state. People who have called themselves Christians have done hurtful things to you. You did not expect them to be the ones inflicting the pain. It seemed to hurt far worse because these people professed to love the Lord.

     You may have been hurt to such an extent that you no longer trust anybody, not even God. You may not have actually said, "Lord, I don't trust You," but your actions speak louder than words. Maybe you avoid reading God's Word or refuse to allow anyone to pray for you. Do you look for other ways to help alleviate and drown the pain?

     God wants to deliver you! He wants to arrest every stronghold and every demonic spirit in your life--every demonic power, every type of sorcery, every hex, every spirit of unbelief, every spirit of doubt, every spirit of pride. God wants you set free now!

MY UNDERSTANDING RETURNED (T.D. JAKES)

And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to Heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever. . . . At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of Heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down (Daniel 4:34, 36-37).

Repentance was the key to Nebuchadnezzar's healing and deliverance.

     To fall is bad enough, but to fall and not cry out for help, refusing to repent for your sin, is worse than the fall itself. Some people are so full of pride and consumed with their own self-sufficiency that they think, "If I can't get up myself, I won't let anyone help me."

     Maybe you are ashamed to let anyone know that you have fallen because you don't want them to think less of you. Is your image so important that you're willing to continue in your pitiful fallen state? Are you so deceived that you will not acknowledge that you have sinned? Stop being so proud. After all, isn't that what caused you to fall in the first place?

     Pride is dangerous because it forces you to lie needlessly in a helpless state for days--and sometimes years. If you had asked for help immediately, you could have gotten up and gone on with your life.

Do you celebrate those things you are blessed with or only focus on what you wish you had?

Ephesians 1:3

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

Blessed by Forgiveness

Is there any greater blessing than to have our sins covered and forgiven (Rom. 4:7)? If there is, I can’t think of one. What an amazing thing that Jesus did for us, dying while still His archenemy (Rom. 5:10) and a wicked sinner at that (Rom. 5:8). Wouldn’t you call that a blessing? The psalmist declared that the one whose sins are covered and forgiven completely is a blessed man or woman (Psalm 32:1), whose sins will not ever be held against him or her again (Rom. 4:8). The person who has been cleared of all guilt and had his or her sins taken away forever has perhaps the greatest blessing of all.

Blessed by Persecution

Peter describes a special blessing that abides on those who are insulted for the sake of their faith in Christ (1 Pet. 4:14). Jesus pronounces a blessing on those who are persecuted for righteousness (Matt. 5:10), even when others revile us and speak all sorts of evil lies about us on account of Him (Matt. 5:11). If you asked someone on the street whether they thought they were blessed if someone insulted them, lied about them, or persecuted them, they would not likely call that a blessing but a curse. However, the way God sees it is if we are hated for His sake, we are blessed by God. Don’t you want that? Do you celebrate those kinds of blessings or only focus on temporal things in this life that you wish you had?

Blessed by Obedience

We have been blessed by the forgiveness of our sins. We’ve been blessed if we’ve ever been despised or persecuted for our faith, but we’re also blessed by our obedience to God when we not only hear the words of God but do them (Luke 11:28). The man or woman who doesn’t associate or run with the wicked will also be blessed (Psalm 1:1) because we are commanded to not be associated with the wicked (2 Cor. 6:14). Even in the Old Testament, God promised a multitude of blessings if they obeyed Him, and these blessings include our homes, family, and financial standing (Deut. 28:2-4). God has not changed. We can still be blessed by obeying God, by being persecuted for our faith, and by the fact that we have been forgiven. So do you celebrate those kinds of blessings or only focus on temporal things in this life that you wish you had? Instead of focusing on what you don’t have, just think about all you do have, for if you are Christ’s, then you are blessed beyond infinite measure.

A Closing Prayer

Father, You are so good to me, blessing me with the forgiveness of my sins, for the times when I live in obedience to You, and even for those times when I am persecuted for believing in You, and in Jesus’ great name I thank You and pray.

Amen

Is it ever right to steal, lie, or cheat? What if these things were necessary to advance the Gospel message?

Acts 5:29

But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.

Obeying God No Matter What

I don’t think there is ever any reason to lie, steal, or cheat to advance the Gospel message. Peter and the apostles were disobeying those who were in authority (Acts 5:29), but the higher authority is God, and when man’s laws and God’s laws conflict with one another, we must obey God over men and women. God will not ever place us in a situation where we have to cheat, lie, or steal in order to advance His kingdom because God alone is the One Who saves (Eph. 2:8-9).

Who Is Right?

Peter and John once asked which is better: to listen to those who are in authority or to God (Acts 4:19)? Peter told them, “You be the judges!” They had warned them to not ever speak about Jesus again or teach His teachings, but they could not obey the Sanhedrin while disobeying God (Acts 4:17-18). They had no choice because Jesus commanded them to make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 1:8). So to them it was clear that their loyalty and obedience lay with God and not mankind, even if it was the Jewish courts they were disobeying. God is the One Who adds to the church anyway (Acts 2:47), so He surely doesn’t need us to lie, steal, or cheat to reach the lost.

What Seems Right to Us

Saul was a good example, or really a bad example, of doing what he thought was right but ended up disobeying God in the process (1 Sam. 15:9). We might think that what we’re doing is right, even for God, but there is a way we think that is contrary to the way that God thinks, and the way mankind thinks only leads to death (Prov. 14:12, 16:25). Jesus said that some would believe that by killing Christians, they would be doing God a service, but we surely know that would not be right (John 16:12). We must always speak the truth to our neighbor (Eph. 4:25) and do it in love (Eph. 4:15) because we have been taught to always tell the truth by Christ Himself (Eph. 4:21). Is it right to ever steal, lie, or cheat if it advances the Gospel message? If it is, I couldn’t find an example of this in Scripture. Therefore, I would say no, it’s never right to cheat, lie, or steal in order to advance the Gospel. Besides, God would never condone sin, and He surely doesn’t need us to make sinful choices to advance the kingdom of God.

A Closing Prayer

Great God, You are righteous, and I know You want me to always speak the truth, even in the hard places in life in which I find myself. Thank You for Your truth; Your Son is truth. Let me always depend on obedience to You and leave the consequences up to You, and in Jesus’ name I pray.

Amen

Why let the pressures of this life bother you when I have said I have overcome the world?

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

John 16:33

Overcoming the World

How often have you ever doubted whether you were actually saved or not? I know of several people who have done just that. It is sometimes from a lack of time in prayer, a lack of time spent in the Word of God, an ongoing sin, or maybe all three. Jesus said to the disciples to not be troubled about the things of the world because He has overcome the world (John 16:33). The disciples were anxious because Jesus had just told them that He was going away and they didn’t know what they were going to do without Him. They focused on that more than on Jesus’ promise that He would come again for them and take them to where He was going (John 14:3). It seems that the pressure of this world can give us amnesia over the promises of God, and I am certainly not immune to that.

Jesus’ Peace

Jesus had earlier said that He would leave them His peace but not the same kind of peace that the world gives (John 14:27), which is really no permanent peace at all. Jesus’ peace would remain with them through all of their upcoming trials and tribulations, and Jesus wanted them to focus on His promises and not on the pressures of life that would surely come their way. It’s a very interesting fact of nature that one of the most precious gems in the world is formed under great pressure, and if not for that enormous pressure, we’d have no diamonds. The pressures of the world are constantly trying to conform us into its own image, but we have to choose to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Rom. 12:2). To be renewed in our minds is to choose to have our minds renewed. God never forces His will upon anybody. We are free moral agents and must choose good over evil, so we cannot let the pressures of this world trouble us to the point that we forget the promises of God.

Grief Now, Joy Later

Jesus didn’t ignore the grief that the disciples felt knowing that He was about to go away, but He acknowledged their grief by telling them that He was about to go away (John 16:6). However, He reminded them that their grief would soon be turned into joy (John 16:22). Paul didn’t try to cover up the present sufferings that believers were going through, but he wanted them to compare what they were going through then to the glory that was coming someday (Rom. 8:18) and that even in our suffering, it would turn out to our advantage (Rom. 8:28). Paul was not a pessimist. He thought ahead of those things that were coming, and it helped him endure his present hardships. So why let the pressures of this life bother you when Jesus has said that He has overcome the world?

A Closing Prayer

Father, please help me to put into perspective the present times of being hard-pressed against that of an unspeakable future of eternal joy and bliss in Your presence someday. Let me dwell on the eternal things while still living in the present, and in Jesus’ most precious name I pray.

Amen

God's Help in Tough Times 10-24-17

Please forgive me when I complain, Lord. I don't mean to ignore the things that are good in my life--and there are many. But pain and struggle and weariness shout so loudly that sometimes they're all I hear. When I need to cry, let me cry on your shoulder where I know I'll be heard and understood, consoled and encouraged. Other people might minimize what I'm going through or rant about things I can't control. Neither is helpful in moving me toward a better place. But when I pour out my discouragement to you, I know that you'll listen and then gently turn my heart back toward what brings strength and grace to carry on. You even make me able to give thanks and rejoice in you. Thank you for lifting me up.

 

JESUS CALLING 10-24-17

LIE DOWN IN GREEN PASTURES of Peace. Learn to unwind whenever possible,. resting in the Presence of your Shepherd. This electronic age keeps My children "wired" much of the time, too tense to find Me in the midst of their moments. I built into your very being the need for rest. How twisted the world has become when people feel guilty about meeting this basic need! How much time and energy they waste bt being always on the go rather than taking time to seek My direction for their lives.

I have called you to walk with Me down paths of Peace. I want you to blaze a trail for others who desire to live in My peaceful Presence. I have chosen you less for your strengths than for your weaknesses, which amplify your need for Me. Depend on Me more and more, and I will shower Peace on all your paths.

PSALM 23:1-3; GENESIS 2:2-3; LUKE 1:79

Why accept being discontent when you (like Paul) can learn to be content in all things?

Philippians 4:11

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.

Contentment Is a State of Mind

I believe that contentment is almost 100% in the mind. Just look at Paul’s life to see why I say that. He learned the secret to being content in hunger and in need (Phil. 4:12). Notice that it was something he had to learn and that it didn’t come naturally, so it won’t likely come naturally to us either. Twice in Philippians chapter four, Paul says that he had to learn to be contented. To live in contentment or discontentment is a choice and is not really dependent upon circumstances; we just tend to think it is. If it were, Paul could have never endured all that he went through and still lived a contented life.

Contentment Is a Choice

Just as we can choose eternal life or death (John 3:16-18), so too can we choose to be contented or not. God gave Israel the freedom to choose either life or death (Deut. 11:26). He never forced them to choose, and neither will He force us to choose to either to be in a state of contentment or live in a state of discontentment. I know a few people who choose to live a life of discontentment, and they are not a lot of fun to be around. The strange thing is that two people in particular I know who are doing well financially are not very contented at all, proving the fact that money doesn’t buy happiness or contentment. Like contentment, happiness is a choice of the will and isn’t dependent upon our circumstances in life. If contentment or happiness depended on the possessions of life, then most in the world would be in a perpetual state of discontentment because they don’t have as much as those of us who live in the West.

Godliness Is Contentment

It is better to have a dry crust of bread in a peaceful house than to have a feast in one where there’s strife (Prov. 17:1). If you live in a home that is full of hate, a side of beef couldn’t even make it better (Prov. 15:17). That might explain why Paul told Timothy that godliness with contentment is great gain (1 Tim. 6:6). Money and possessions will all be gone someday, but those who do the will of the Father will have everlasting life. If we have food and clothing, shouldn’t that be enough (1 Tim. 6:8)? Pursing riches only leads to heartache and destruction (1 Tim. 6:9-10), but if we are satisfied with seeking first the kingdom–and that means seeking first the King of the kingdom–God will meet every one of our needs, anyway (Matt. 6:33). Isn’t that good enough? Why accept living in discontentment when you can learn to be content in whatever situation you find yourself in?

A Closing Prayer

God, You always provide for my every need, so forgive me for the times when I show discontentment with my life. It shows You just how ungrateful I am. Help me to live a life of contentment because You are always better to me than I truly deserve, and in Jesus’ name I pray.

Amen

Why should you ever feel alone when I said I am with you always?

Matthew 28:20

Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Never Will I Leave You

The Book of Hebrews tells us that God will never leave us, nor will He ever forsake us (Heb. 13:5). The author of Hebrews is apparently quoting Deuteronomy 31:6, which says something very similar but adds something more in speaking to Joshua. God tells him to be courageous and have no fear or dread of the enemy because God is not going to leave him or Israel. The word “never” is very easy to understand, but so is the fact that God promises to never forsake us either. The word forsake means “to abandon” or “to desert.” That’s a very strong promise of God, and since we know that God cannot lie (Num. 23:19; Heb. 6:18), we can pillow our head tonight with this assurance. So my question to you is, why should you ever feel alone?

Christ Is in You

Every one who has been born again has Christ in them, and the Holy Spirit has given us life because we’ve been made right with God (Rom. 8:10). With Christ in us, we have the coming hope of glory, even after death (Col. 1:27), so even in death Christ will still be with us. It’s not just us anymore who lives but Jesus Christ Who lives in us (Gal. 2:20) and dwells in our hearts through faith (Eph. 3:17). These beliefs make us realize that Christ cannot deny Himself, and since we know He is in us, we should never feel alone.

God Is Ever-Present

God never promises to keep us away from the storms of life. He never promises to take us around them. He never promises to take us up and over them. What He does promise is to go through them with us, as He is an ever-present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:10). He will go with us through the valleys of the shadows of death and promises He will be with us in them, which is why we should have no fear of evil at all (Psalm 23:4). He does not say that He will leave us during these times in the valleys. So why should you ever feel alone when Jesus has said that He is with us always, even to the very end of this present age (Matt. 28:20)?

A Closing Prayer

Father, thank You for always being there for me and promising to never leave me or forsake me, even in the times when I forsake You. Thank You for Your promise to take me through the storms in this life, and for that I praise You. In the name above all names, Jesus Christ, I pray.

Amen

God's Help in Tough Times

I'm convinced that my life is not a series of random events. I believe, Father, that you are working all things together for good purposes in my life as I trust in you. And I know that includes the long, dark valleys as well as the mountaintop experiences. Of course I can always see that more clearly in retrospect, but I have learned, too, to trust that this is the case even when I am in the middle of something painful and distressing.

God is a great listener and encourager. David

and Job complained to God in their misery, but

they always "landed on their feet" when they were 

done, finding God to be the comfort they needed.