Beloved of God - "Be Loved" of God today!

I wanted to share a nugget of Truth with you, that God gave me this past Sunday Night during our Granbury service. Darryl has been teaching an excellent series on "Now abide: Faith, Hope & Love." He was speaking on "love" out of 1Cor. 13:4-8, he was not focusing on us loving others according to these verses (although we are suppose to), but on the fact that that is how God loves us!

While he was speaking the Holy Spirit reminded me of Matt. 3:17..."And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." Jesus had just been water baptized and the Holy Spirit had descended upon Him like a dove. Right after that, in chapter 4, Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit, to be tempted by the devil. After fasting for 40 days & nights, Jesus heard these words, not from His loving Father but from the tempter..."If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." But He answered and said, "It is written..." Notice Satan left off the "Beloved" part?? 

I believe the main temptation of Satan was not to get Jesus to turn stones into bread, but I believe he wanted to tempt Him to doubt His position in God, His sonship, that He was God's beloved! In many scriptures in the New Testament we are now referred to as God's "Beloved" also. Have you ever noticed Satan doing that with you after you have received a "word", or had a revelation, come to you from the Father?? Satan is the same tempter today as he was then, he will try to do the same to us as he tried to do with Jesus! Notice also that Jesus did not answer him with His own words but with the Father's ...."It is written!"

(The word "Beloved" is defined as: Adored, much loved, cherished, treasured, prized highly, regarded, admired, esteemed. That is how God sees His Son Jesus and that is also how He sees us who have put our trust in Jesus as our Savior & Lord!)

This seems to be Satan's No. 1 temptation to the believer as well, if he can get us to doubt the Father's love for us and our sonship, he will steal our "roar" and our confidence to stand up and declare God's Word right in Satan's face like Jesus did!! 

Remember, you are the Father's beloved, let Him love on you today and you return that love to Him and others! 1John 4:7&8,11 - "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love."...Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." 

Until next time, may the Lord Bless you & Keep you!

Your Sister in Christ - Kathy

  

"Gracious Living"

Have you ever heard the phrase "gracious living?" When I hear that phrase, I immediately picture an elegant woman, on a wealthy estate, walking through her gardens sipping tea! Haha!! To you that phrase may bring something totally different to mind. The meaning of "gracious living" is: fortunate, prosperous or happy. The Holy Spirit, however, has given me a totally new picture of what "gracious living" should be to the believer! The word "gracious" means: to be kind, courteous, pleasant, esp. towards those of lower social status.

We live in a world where the majority of people are only looking out for themselves, their dreams and what makes them happy. The words courteous & pleasant don't seem to be words that describe the majority of people we encounter on a day to day bases. However, we as believer's, should be examples of Biblical "gracious living!" Each day we will encounter situations where we can show grace to someone, be kind & courteous to them, even when we aren't receiving that same treatment in return. We also have the choice to "return evil for evil", but if we are going to live by the Bible, like all believer's should, we must obey Luke 6:31 that tells us: "Treat others the same way you want to be treated." Aka/the Golden Rule! No matter what your social status may be or not be, you treat everyone the same. It's amazing how one act of kindness or "graciousness" can cause a chain of events that brings peace & pleasantness to your surroundings. I've also seen the complete opposite and seen a chain of destructive behavior.

My encouragement to you is to be known for Biblical "gracious living." No, that may not mean you'll spend your afternoons strolling through a garden sipping tea, but that you are known as one who shows "grace" to others and changes your surroundings by living in a "gracious" manner.


Until next time, may the Lord bless you & keep you,

Your Sister in Christ,

Kathy

Are You the One?

1 Cor. 9:24 - "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but ONE receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it."

The word "win" means: To lay hold of, so as to make ones own, prize of victory.

We should live with this mindset, it should be our motivation everyday, to be the "ONE"! In many more scriptures, Paul refers to his walk with God as a race.

In Hebrews 12:1, he says..."Therefore, we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us."

I know, we don't know for sure who wrote the book of Hebrews, but it sure sounds like Paul to me! Chapter 11 had just spoke of the great men & women of faith who have gone before us! Therefore, he says, or because of this, we should lay aside every weight & sin that would ensnare us! These great men & women of faith kept their eye on the reward, or the prize. They didn't let circumstances, family, persecution, even lions, keep them from staying focused on what God had promised them. They were running their race with focus & purpose. In the same way, we should run with endurance (steadfastness) the race that is set before us!

Gal. 5:7 says..."You ran well, WHO hindered you from obeying the Truth? Many people start out their race well, but they let people (who's) hinder them or divert them from the racecourse.  Have you ever noticed in a race, you have to stay on the course. If you leave the course, try to take a shortcut or get to the finish line some other way, you are disqualified! So it is with our race, or walk with God on this earth, we MUST stay on course, or the narrow path. Jesus, Himself, said in Matt. 24:13...."he who endures to the end shall be saved." Not, he who started well but then did his own thing, but he who endures to the end, stays with the course that the Word of God has set before us, he shall be saved!!

Paul says in 2 Tim. 4:7...."I have fought the good fight, I have FINISHED the race, I have kept the faith." Paul was about to leave this earth, he was about to receive his reward, or prize, for his time here on earth. He kept with the plan of God for his life, he didn't let anyone divert him, he "finished" his race. He didn't let all the afflictions he went through on earth keep him from looking to that prize that was set before him at the finish line, he ran his race in such a way to win it!!

We should do the same!! Are you living your life so you can be that ONE to win?? If not, it's not too late to make the adjustments necessary to run your race and win. Follow the racecourse the Word of God has laid out for us. Stay on the narrow path that leads to life, don't let a "who" lead you down the wide path that leads to destruction! Keep that "prize"...Heaven...set before you...and hear "Well done, good and faithful servant, when you reach that finish line!

Until next time, may the Lord bless & keep you,

Your Sister in Christ,

Kathy

How to Bring in the New Year - It's not too late

Happy 2013 to you all!! What kind of year are you planning on having?? You might ask..."Well how can I know? Do I really have anything to do with it or do I just wait and see what happens?"

You have everything to do with what kind of year you are going to have, even though you don't know what all this year may hold for you! You can choose to respond to each challenge according to the Word of God and get biblical results. You can also start the year out right by evaluating your life and choosing to take a good look at yourself and where you stand on these important issues in your life.

Here is an excellent list of things to examine about yourself, so you can go into this new year with a clear conscience and confidence that you are setting yourself up to reap "good" in this year.

1.) Examine your walk with God. - Psalms 27:8 - Are you seeking God's face (who He is) or His hands (what He can do for you?)

2.) Examine your money. - Matthew 6:19&33 - Are you building your kingdom or God's Kingdom? You can tell by looking at where your money is going. Are you laying up treasure in Heaven or on earth?

3.) Examine your heart towards others. - Mark 11:25&26 - God is just, He can not forgive you, if you are not forgiving others. Read the story of the "Unjust" servant in Matt. 18:21-35. A real eye-opener,  and can help explain why some people live tormented lives.

4.) Examine what you see, hear and do. - Proverbs 4:20-27 - It makes all the difference in the world in what you reap in your life. See, hear and do "good" and you will reap "good", if you don't give up!

5.) Leave the past behind. - Philippians 3:13&14 - Learn from Paul, if anyone had a challenge with forgetting their past, it was Paul. He had actually been persecuting christians, but that was before his encounter with Jesus. He was not the same man, and neither are you if you've encountered Jesus in your life. Even things you've done after receiving Jesus. If we repent, and turn from our sins, He is faithful and "just" to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).


I hope this helps you, and it is something you look to through out the year to make sure you are keeping your life in line with God's Word. Only by obedience to God's Word can we assure ourselves a year of inward peace, no matter what circumstances come against you or what is going on in this world. Remember, as a born again believer, you are not of this world, you are of God!

Until next time, may the Lord bless you and keep you!

Your Sister in Christ,
Kathy

The Tithe - The Gift We Return

What is the Tithe, you might ask, is it just me writing a check to my church for 10% of what I make each week? No, it is much more and much more meaningful when you understand it with your heart!

With it being the Christmas Season, I was reminded of when I was a little girl and wanted to give my Momma a Christmas gift, from me, that she could unwrap. Being only a child, of course, I had no money to go buy her something so I would go to my room and search to find something I thought she would like.  After going through my baby dolls and stuff animals, I would always end up going through my little box of "valuables", which consisted of my little necklaces and Avon perfumes my Momma had given me. I would take one of the little perfumes and wrap it up, the one with the most left in it, and put it under the tree with her name on it. I was always so excited when it came time to open presents and she would find mine to her. Of course after the first year of me doing this, she always knew what she would be unwrapping. She always acted so excited over my gift anyway and it made me feel so big inside!

One Sunday morning during our teaching on the Tithe & Offerings out of Malachi 3:6-12 the word "return" jumped out at me! God was telling His people to return to Him, and they asked..."In what way shall we return?" The next verse talks about man robbing from God in tithes & offerings and they needed to return to Him that which was already His. He showed me that the tithe is just like what I did each Christmas for my Momma, I was only returning to her what she had already given to me. He said...."The tithe is My gift to you, that you return to Me, just like you did as a child."  That thought brought tears to my eyes, the tithe is God's gift to us so we have something to "return" to Him!!

I hope this blessed you and if you are having a hard time tithing, that you will see it in a new light. To me it is even more precious now that I know it is His gift to me and I GET to return it to Him!

Until next time...God bless & keep you!!

Your Sister in Christ - Kathy

Holiness - Who are you pleasing, God or yourself?

1 Peter 1:15 - "But as the One Who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all your conduct and manner of living."

Those are powerful words, did you noticed Peter didn't give us an option? He didn't say "if you want to" or "if it's convenient" or "if it's the popular "Word" being preached in your day." Some modern day preachers will tell you "It's okay to live like the world, God will still love you and bless you." That is a true statement to some extent, but like I've always said, "Hell is full of people God loves." God loving you will not keep you out of hell someday or keep you from living a "hell on earth" lifestyle. You make the choice where you will spend eternity and how you will live on this earth.

Romans 12:1 (Amp.) - "I appeal to you therefore brethren and beg of you in view of all the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies (presenting all your members) as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service and spiritual worship."

Holy means to be "set apart", if you are going to be "set apart" then there are somethings you cannot be "a part of." You have to learn what the Bible says is "pleasing to God", not what pleases your flesh! Paul is begging them in this passage of scripture, I believe, because he had seen the hypocrisy of the Pharisee's. Jesus called them, in Matt. 23:27, "whitewashed sepulchres, full of dead men's bones." We can't claim to be one thing and live another. We are followers of Jesus or we're not, it's just that plain and simple, and He said, "if you love Me, you will keep my commandments."

To live holy is a decision you make, then, you live out that decision by the choices you make everyday. Did you notice, Paul said a "decisive dedication" of your bodies? Not just on Sunday and live like the world the rest of the week. No, it's a line in the sand that we have to draw and stick to it. Will you miss it along the way? Sure you will, but if your heart is truly to serve God, you will repent, receive His cleansing and move on! God is a merciful and gracious God, but He is also just. He cannot reward bad behavior, just like we don't expect a earthly judge to let a criminal go free. The Good News is, Jesus has already stood before God for you and taken your punishment, knowing that, why would you want to live in such a way that doesn't honor and appreciate the sacrifice He has made for us?

If you are a born again child of God you have the power, on the inside of you, to live holy. His name is "The Holy Spirit", not the "Unholy Spirit", yield to Him and ask Him to help you live a holy life and He will. If you are not born again, repent of your sin of not believing or trusting your life to Jesus and you will be forgiven and this same "Holy Spirit" will take up residence in your new, reborn spirit and you too will have the power to live holy. Jesus has already done everything needed for us to live a holy life, we just have to make the choice, it will be the best decision you will ever make. What will you have to give up? Heartache, headaches, and a bunch of drama...lol...God's way of living brings peace and joy to your life, it's the best way to live!

Until next time, may the Lord keep you and guard you, and may His face shine upon you and give you peace!

Prayer - Connecting with God Daily

Gen. 26:18 says that Isaac dug "again" the wells of his father Abraham, which the Philistines had stopped up with earth (dirt). Unfortunately, we have that same problem today, spiritually! Many of the "wells" that our forefathers in the faith have dug, have been filled with dirt by, wrong teaching and loose living preachers, who don't want to teach or live the "whole" counsel of God.

As the next generation of preachers, teachers and believers, we must dig again these wells, so these Bible Truth's won't be lost. Each generation has a responsibility to pass down the truth's we've been taught.

The 1st Well, God spoke to me about, was: Prayer - Connecting with God daily. Ps.5:3 says..."In the morning You hear my voice, O Lord; in the morning I prepare [a prayer, a sacrifice] for You and watch and wait [for You to speak to my heart.] There are many kinds of prayer, prayers of request, petition, dedication and so on, but this kind, I believe is the most important! We need to daily connect with our Father, He is our source for everything we need. He is the one we should be getting our information from, not the world. He has already planned a "good life" for you but you won't find it until you learn how to connect with Him, and hear with your heart what that plan is.

Many of our Spiritual Fathers knew how to commune with God like that. I love one of the stories my Grandpa told me about when he was a young pastor and in prayer with God one day. God told him to get in his car drive across the state to minister for a pastor friend of his. He did what he heard God tell him to do, when he reached the church of his friend it was already dark out, he had been driving all day, but he saw a light on in the church. He went in and there was the pastor, at the altar praying. He turned and looked and said..."Brother Williams, I was just praying for God to send you to us, to preach to my congregation!" We can all learn to hear God that accurately, if we will develop a personal, intimate time with Him each day.

Two of my favorite men of the Bible are Noah & Enoch. Most have heard of Noah but not everyone has heard of Enoch. Gen.5:24 says..."And Enoch walked [in habitual fellowship] with God; and he was not, for God took him [home with Him.] (Amp.translation.) Also, in Gen. 6:9 it says about Noah..."Noah was a just and righteous man, blameless in his [evil] generation; Noah walked [in habitual fellowship] with God." Wow, Enoch got his own personal rapture!! How cool is that?!?! I can't promise you that but what a great testimony to have! Both of these men walked in "habitual fellowship" with God. Enoch was translated and Noah got specific instructions on how to save his family, and anyone else who would heed his words, from  the devastation of the flood.

Many preachers today, don't teach you need a intimate relationship with God, but without it, it could mean the difference between life and death! I encourage you today to start, if you haven't already, having time when you fellowship with God. Not asking Him for anything or telling Him your problems, just speaking to Him like you would your spouse or closest friend. He loves you, and longs for those times with you. One of the best ways is through communion. Yes, you can take communion at home, you don't have to be in church or have a pastor present. It's the most intimate, I believe, you can get with God. Jesus said..."this is my body (speaking of the bread), and this is my blood (speaking of the cup of juice)." He is giving us Himself!! You become one together, just think how much easier it is to hear from Him then!!

I hope this has helped you, the next "Wells" will be: Right Living/Holiness...Oh boy, you may say! Believe me it's worth any sacrifice you make in the natural, we'll talk about that next time. Until then, God Bless and Keep you, and cause His face to shine upon you, and give you peace!!