All posts tagged: God

Laying hold of the Willingness of God

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There is one word about prayer that makes the entire experience meaningful. It is the bedrock of what prayer is all about, firmly anchored in the character of God. Take it away and the worshiper is flooded with doubt. Take it alway and prayers hit the ceiling and bounce back. Take it away and the prayer life is sapped of all its enjoyment. This one word makes prayer possible. This one word brings the worshiper back again and again. This one word assures the worshiper that God hears and longs to answer. This one word causes prayer to soar to nights unknown This one word is the anchor for all the promises of God. #WILLINGNESS Martin Luther said it best: #prayer is not overcoming God's reluctance. It is laying hold of His willingness. — Walter Bright (@WaltBright) January 23, 2015 Everything is covered Salvation “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:32 Healing “And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to …

10 Scriptures for Gloomy Days of Depression

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Depression is an issue that impacts everyone. Christians and unbelievers alike suffer from fear, anxiety, and overwhelming stress. If you are not depressed than you know somebody who is or has been. In any event, depression is not fun. In time past the Church have in many ways sidestepped the issue and was dismissive of it. For most Christians, even admitting that they suffer from depression is something you just don’t do because others see you as a defeated, demon possessed Christian. But no matter where you are in your struggle, you can always find solace in Jesus, Hope and courage from scripture and practical advice and counseling to lift you out of your gloomy days of depression. Or at least help you walk through it. Allow me to share a few: He’s got gold in mind Job 23:1; 9, 10
My hand is heavy on account of my groaning.
Oh, that I knew where I might find him, that
I might come even to his seat! on the left hand
when he is working, I do not behold him; he
turns to the right hand, but I do …

Pray like Jabez Prayed

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Jabez ‘Called’ and God granted. The word call carries the idea of a heartfelt, passionate prayer. This kind moves us beyond the laid back, lackadaisical prayers we are often guilty of. Scripture says, “He rewards those who diligently seek Him.” May He grant you clarity of vision this next season.

Day #17: I am a child of God

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Jesus came to announce to us that an identity based on success, popularity, and power is a false identity—an illusion! Loudly and clearly He says, ‘You are not what the world makes you, but you are children of God. Henri Nouwen We are all created by God, but we are not all children of God. A child of God is a person who has put their trust in God believing and receiving Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. As a result of that, we become a part of God’s family. John 1:12 – “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. There are too many attractions and distractions in this life that seek to over shadow that truth. Therefore, the child of God must jealously guard this sacred truth. To lose it is to lose his true identity …

7 Joy Boosters 

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Too often we run around looking for joy in all the wrong places. We dig up wells that end up being “broken cisterns.” Remember, “we have no good apart from Him.” The sorrows of those who run after idols, pleasure and other gods will multiply. If there’s a lot of drama in your world, it’s going to drain out all your joy. Sometimes you have to stay away from all those divas, drama queens and kings in order to keep your sanity. Joy is a choice. So make that choice today. Don’t let the devil steal it. Don’t let those circumstances take your eyes of Jesus. Choose to react differently. Choose to praise instead of pout. Choose to stay positive. If you keep your mind on the Word, He will keep your heart full of joy. Meditate day and night on His Word. Let the Word of Christ dwell within you richly, and you will experience the fullness of His joy. I love the word “GAZE.” It means to look steadily and intently. No wonder …

7 Things To Do With Your Plans

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A few weeks ago I came under fire from one of my critics for telling him that I had planned several months ahead of what I felt the Lord was leading me to share with our congregation. This individual took my words and twisted them, and began to spread in the community that I had no place for the leadership of the Holy Spirit in the ministry of the Word of God in our Church. If you’ve read “My Beautiful Tension,” you can see how ridiculous it is for any pastor to plan sermons without the help of the Holy Spirit or even do ministry for that matter. Even though I have addressed the subject here, I feel the need to talk about it again. There is school of thought in certain circles about the subject of planning that I believe is out of sync with scripture. A lot of well meaning people believe that planning is of the devil. I am not one of those. I do not believe planning is of the devil. …

Are Afflictions Wordless Prayers?

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“Tears are words that need to be written.” — Paulo Coelho And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the Lord hath heard thy affliction. Genesis‬ ‭16‬:‭11‬ KJV) This is one of the strangest verses I have ever seen in the Bible. On a human level, we cannot hear affliction. We can feel it and other times see it. To hear affliction is unthinkable, at least in my finite mind. We usually hear about how God saw the afflictions or heard the cries of his people in their afflictions. But we almost never read about him hearing our afflictions. This must be a thing that God alone can do. Could it be that all our afflictions are wordless prayers that God hears? Could it be that our afflictions are supposed to be louder than our voices lifted up in prayer during times of affliction? I want to believe that an affliction is a reflection of a need. …