Recently I was in the dentist’s chair having my teeth cleaned by the dental hygienist. As I lay there, I began to read the “sayings” tacked to her ceiling, such as “brush at least 2 times a day” or “see your dentist 2 times per year”. My thoughts focused on this 2nd phrase, and I wondered what it must be like to clean the teeth of someone who only comes 1 time per year. So when I had the chance to talk, I commented that she must have a difficult time trying to clean someone’s teeth if they only see the dentist 1 time per year. The hygienist surprised me when she said that it really depended on their “home care”, or how well they take care of their teeth at home. She has some patients who come every 3 months, but the condition of their teeth requires her to spend more time scraping and cleaning than someone who comes 2 times per year. Again she stated that it depended on their “home care”.
God kept the words “home care” embedded in my mind. When it comes to our teeth, “home care” means to brush at least 2 times per day and floss 1 time per day. Per day means every day, and I’ll admit that I had not been very persistent in flossing every day. But if we spend just a few minutes carrying out these tasks, our teeth & gums will be healthy, clean, and will last longer, which means no “false teeth”!
Likewise our minds need daily “home care” in the Word. Romans 12:2 states “Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind”. The word “renew” means regenerate, to make new spiritually, to restore to existence, or the adjustment of the moral and spiritual vision and thinking to the mind of God. When we spend time in God’s Word every day, we will come to understand the meaning of the truth of the scriptures and who we are in Christ as well as who He is in us. We will be able to “adjust” our minds to the “mind of God”, and they will be “healthy, clean, and will last longer”.
It is fascinating to read scripture, look up the Hebrew and Greek meanings in a good concordance and Bible dictionary, and begin to unveil the truth of these words written and inspired by God so long ago. God will challenge us in this endeavor, and Satan will distract us from this endeavor, but we must press on with good, consistent “home care”. You know, they say that a habit can be formed by practicing a skill for 21 or 28 days. This is how I changed my bad habit of not flossing to a good habit of regular flossing. I had to step up my “home care” on a daily basis, and it has now become a healthy habit. What is your “home care” like when it comes to “renewing your mind" to the mind of God? Are you ready to step it up?
- Rachel West
Monday, February 28, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
More of God's Definitions
Good Morning! I would like to share some more definitions with you.
As we apply these definitions of God's language to our study, we can acquire a better understanding of the scriptures from a spiritual point of view.
Let's look at the words "Sea" and "Water." Webster defines sea as the "body of salt water which covers much of the earth; or a large body of salt water". Water is defined as the "clear liquid making up oceans, lakes, and streams; the body fluids as tears or urine". These definitions are true.
But we are going to move from the natural aspect of them and take their meaning into the spirit. These words spiritually symbolize nations, peoples, multitudes, and tongues. There is so much I could define in Genesis about the waters, but I want to keep it as brief as possible and with clarity.
Genesis 1:10 "God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas". Referring back to verses 2-3: "the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light". Not daylight but the light of His glory, and His knowledge! God was talking about His people (Seas and waters). Revelation 17:15 "The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.!"
In Revelation 1:10-15 John was in the spirit and heard a great voice and when he turned to see the voice, he saw seven golden candlesticks and in the midst "one like unto the Son of man and his voice was "as the sound of many waters!"
Many peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues saying the same thing Jesus was saying, "I am Alpha!" Those that have come into the same place He is in of dominion, authority and power!! Glory to GOD!!
I'll share more later! Stay blessed!
-Pastor Gracie Perry
As we apply these definitions of God's language to our study, we can acquire a better understanding of the scriptures from a spiritual point of view.
Let's look at the words "Sea" and "Water." Webster defines sea as the "body of salt water which covers much of the earth; or a large body of salt water". Water is defined as the "clear liquid making up oceans, lakes, and streams; the body fluids as tears or urine". These definitions are true.
But we are going to move from the natural aspect of them and take their meaning into the spirit. These words spiritually symbolize nations, peoples, multitudes, and tongues. There is so much I could define in Genesis about the waters, but I want to keep it as brief as possible and with clarity.
Genesis 1:10 "God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas". Referring back to verses 2-3: "the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light". Not daylight but the light of His glory, and His knowledge! God was talking about His people (Seas and waters). Revelation 17:15 "The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.!"
In Revelation 1:10-15 John was in the spirit and heard a great voice and when he turned to see the voice, he saw seven golden candlesticks and in the midst "one like unto the Son of man and his voice was "as the sound of many waters!"
Many peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues saying the same thing Jesus was saying, "I am Alpha!" Those that have come into the same place He is in of dominion, authority and power!! Glory to GOD!!
I'll share more later! Stay blessed!
-Pastor Gracie Perry
Monday, February 14, 2011
MISSING IN ACTION
M.I.A. (Missing In Action): a casualty category assigned to armed service personnel who are reported missing during active service due to being wounded, killed, prisoner of war, or desertion.
It is important to know what God's Word says but much more important to obey (do as told, perform as told). James 1:22: "But be ye doers (Greek word - poietes - pronounced
poy ay tace' - meaning performer, carry out, execute, without any delay) of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."
When Jesus called the 12 Apostles in Matthew Chapter 10, He didn't draft them, force them, or ask them to volunteer. They chose to serve Him in a special way!
As believers, we are called to active service - to perform, to carry out, and to execute - without any delay in whatever the Word commands us to do.
II Corinthians 10:3 "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh." There is no excuse for anyone to be (M.I.A) missing in action. God's mighty weapons (prayer, faith, hope, His Word, Holy Spirit) are available to us to fight against satan.
For those who go to church meetings and listen to the reading and expounding of the Word and think that "listening" has made them Christians, they deceive themselves. They are simply "missing in action"! They have shut their mind's eye to the fact that what is read and heard must be lived! Church attendance and Bible reading only take us half way, but 99.5% just won't do; you've got to live 100%! We must turn that which we have listened to into action. Listening reveals to us who we are and what we ought to be! It allows us to see what is wrong and what must be done to make it right.
Obedience to God's Word brings about the work of God. St.John 14:12 "I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do."
Do not allow yourself to be "missing in action!" James reminds us that what we hear in the holy place must be lived in the market place or there is no point in hearing at all!
- Evangelist Brenda Hansley
It is important to know what God's Word says but much more important to obey (do as told, perform as told). James 1:22: "But be ye doers (Greek word - poietes - pronounced
poy ay tace' - meaning performer, carry out, execute, without any delay) of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."
When Jesus called the 12 Apostles in Matthew Chapter 10, He didn't draft them, force them, or ask them to volunteer. They chose to serve Him in a special way!
As believers, we are called to active service - to perform, to carry out, and to execute - without any delay in whatever the Word commands us to do.
II Corinthians 10:3 "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh." There is no excuse for anyone to be (M.I.A) missing in action. God's mighty weapons (prayer, faith, hope, His Word, Holy Spirit) are available to us to fight against satan.
For those who go to church meetings and listen to the reading and expounding of the Word and think that "listening" has made them Christians, they deceive themselves. They are simply "missing in action"! They have shut their mind's eye to the fact that what is read and heard must be lived! Church attendance and Bible reading only take us half way, but 99.5% just won't do; you've got to live 100%! We must turn that which we have listened to into action. Listening reveals to us who we are and what we ought to be! It allows us to see what is wrong and what must be done to make it right.
Obedience to God's Word brings about the work of God. St.John 14:12 "I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do."
Do not allow yourself to be "missing in action!" James reminds us that what we hear in the holy place must be lived in the market place or there is no point in hearing at all!
- Evangelist Brenda Hansley
Monday, February 7, 2011
Who Am I?
I am a born-again believer in Christ Jesus – “a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new”. (II Cor 5:17)
How many times does the devil tell you that you’re a “nobody”, and you’re not going anywhere in life? How many times do you begin to think upon these things, and agreement begins to take place in your heart? Then you begin to confess it out of your mouth, after which comes the manifestation, and you begin to enter back into sin.
What happens here is that the devil has subtly gotten you to come into agreement with him. Why? Because you do not believe in your heart as you say. Your confession has become tested as the devil tested Jesus. (Luke 4:1-3) Jesus was tested by the devil, and because Jesus knew who He was, He had no need to prove who He was to Satan. Nevertheless, that didn’t stop the tempter from attacking Jesus. Jesus was wise. He fought His enemy with the Word of God. Jesus said unto the devil, “It is written, that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Luke 4:4)
See, the Word of God is the ammunition that puts the devil in flight. Hebrews 4:12 says “the word is quick, powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword”, and the Word even divides the truth from the lies of the enemy.
Jesus is the Word! What are you using when the enemy attacks your mind and tells you that you’re not a new creature, that the pleasures of life which you so enjoy are only part of your livelihood, and that God understands?
The devil uses the pleasures of life to hide certain things that a born-again believer, new creature in Christ Jesus, has no business doing. What is it that you’re doing that you have no business doing? Only you can answer this.
Wake up and receive the truth for “the truth shall make you free”. (John 8:32)
As the lies of the devil come to your mind, let them not be true. You have the right to “cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God”.
(II Corinthians 10:5) Remind the devil it is written.
I encourage you, Jesus’s people, to renew your mind in the Word of God in order to become transformed in your mind so your thoughts, ways, and actions will be like God’s. The devil knows who you are, but some of us are not sure who we are in Christ Jesus. We have become wavering in our minds.
Let your confession be of the Word of God. Life is in the Word of God. Train your tongue to confess that you’re a new creature in Christ Jesus and give the devil back his dirty thoughts.
- Minister Linda Lawrence
How many times does the devil tell you that you’re a “nobody”, and you’re not going anywhere in life? How many times do you begin to think upon these things, and agreement begins to take place in your heart? Then you begin to confess it out of your mouth, after which comes the manifestation, and you begin to enter back into sin.
What happens here is that the devil has subtly gotten you to come into agreement with him. Why? Because you do not believe in your heart as you say. Your confession has become tested as the devil tested Jesus. (Luke 4:1-3) Jesus was tested by the devil, and because Jesus knew who He was, He had no need to prove who He was to Satan. Nevertheless, that didn’t stop the tempter from attacking Jesus. Jesus was wise. He fought His enemy with the Word of God. Jesus said unto the devil, “It is written, that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Luke 4:4)
See, the Word of God is the ammunition that puts the devil in flight. Hebrews 4:12 says “the word is quick, powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword”, and the Word even divides the truth from the lies of the enemy.
Jesus is the Word! What are you using when the enemy attacks your mind and tells you that you’re not a new creature, that the pleasures of life which you so enjoy are only part of your livelihood, and that God understands?
The devil uses the pleasures of life to hide certain things that a born-again believer, new creature in Christ Jesus, has no business doing. What is it that you’re doing that you have no business doing? Only you can answer this.
Wake up and receive the truth for “the truth shall make you free”. (John 8:32)
As the lies of the devil come to your mind, let them not be true. You have the right to “cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God”.
(II Corinthians 10:5) Remind the devil it is written.
I encourage you, Jesus’s people, to renew your mind in the Word of God in order to become transformed in your mind so your thoughts, ways, and actions will be like God’s. The devil knows who you are, but some of us are not sure who we are in Christ Jesus. We have become wavering in our minds.
Let your confession be of the Word of God. Life is in the Word of God. Train your tongue to confess that you’re a new creature in Christ Jesus and give the devil back his dirty thoughts.
- Minister Linda Lawrence
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
God's Promises
God is telling them that He will anticipate their prayers and requests before they even call out to Him. Before they even finish calling out His name and making their requests known to Him, He will hear. In other words, He will foresee and deal with their requests in advance. How awesome is that!
Hear in Hebrew means to perceive, discern, give ear to, listen, understand, regard, to receive communication. God is receiving our communication in advance! He is “in tune” and ready to receive requests and listen to us. The question is “are we in tune with God”?
God wants to hear from us and wants to bless us in ways that only He can. But He can’t do it unless we make the call! In Jeremiah 33:3, God says “Call on me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” God not only wants to answer our requests, but He also wants to teach us and show us “mighty things” which we do not know about or understand. He wants to show us the truth of the revelation. But He can’t if we are not “in tune” with Him and His Word. If there is too much “static” or “interference”, we can’t get good, solid reception with God. If there is too much gossip around us, negativity, jealousy, etc., then our mind becomes cluttered with the “interference” and “static” of the enemy (Satan), which is exactly what Satan is constantly trying to do in us.
God wants us to “be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2) and to keep our minds transfixed in the heavenly realm, or in a higher elevation, so that we can have “crystal clear” communication with Him through the spiritual realm.
- Rachel West
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)