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When the Bible tells us that we are forgiven, that’s exactly what it means. There is no hidden clause or fine print associated with our forgiveness. God forgives and He forgets. Yes He is that good.

Often times we try to put God on our level of love and forgiveness but, God greatly exceeds our limited thinking. His love is forever and His forgiveness is everlasting.

No matter what we have done, and how long we have done it, God forgives and forgets.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Acts 10:43 To Him all the Prophets bear witness, and testify that through His name all who believe in Him receive the forgiveness of their sins.”

Romans 4:7 Happy are those who have forgiveness for their wrongdoing, and whose sins are covered.

Judges 18:6 The priest answered them, “Go in peace. Your journey has the Lord’s approval.”

In the Old Testament, before Christ, people had to seek priest to retrieve conformation on everything they do to make sure the Lord was with them and was fighting on their behalf. After the institution of Christ, the veil was ripped and we no longer have to have a relationship with God through a priest. We can commune with God on our own and Jesus intercedes on our behalf.

With all this being known, we don’t need to assemble ministers, preachers, family, or friends to pray on our behalf. Honestly, we can get the same results praying for ourselves. It’s always a good thing to have people standing in agreement with us about a certain matter but, extra people don’t create results. It’s according to our faith that it will be done for us. Our faith in God’s Word creates results. We must have the faith that whatever we pray for will be done in Jesus’ name.

Pray to God and receive every desire.

Mark 11:24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Many times people don’t ask for help and are not willing to make a change because of pride. People feel like they are fine where they are and they don’t need to change for anyone or anything. In the body of Christ, it’s necessary to be willing to receive help and be open to change. Without change people are stagnate in their ways and not willing to receive new knowledge in any capacity. The foundation for revelation of God’s Word is change.

The root of pride is fear.  There are multiple fears associated with pride. Some of the fears are the fear of being criticized by others, the fear of changing beyond our comfort zone, and the fear of exposing our imperfections. According to 2 Timothy 1:7 fear did not come from God. If fear did not come from God and pride is associated with fear then, pride did not come from God.

Remove pride and allow the revelation to change your life.

 

Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

Some people can have the greatest job, the biggest house, the finest clothes, a nice car but still lack fulfillment in their life. That’s because they are missing the main ingredient: God.

In every one of us, there is an empty space or hole specifically designed by God, for God. No worldly possessions or earthly relationships can fill that space. Without God being present in our lives, there will always be a lack of fulfillment or a need for more.

The only way to receive God is through Jesus Christ. When we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior that empty space is filled. Even if we don’t have all the things we need or desire yet, we are fulfilled. We are fulfilled because we know with God we have everything. With God, we have peace, joy, love, and in due time, we will see the manifestation of our needs and desires. Praise God for Jesus Who brings fulfillment.

John 6:35 (AMP) Jesus replied, I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to Me will never be hungry, and he who believes in and cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me will never thirst any more at any time.

God is able to do the impossible, but we are responsible for allowing it to manifest in our lives. According to the power that works in us, is He able to do the exceedingly more for us.

The power that works in us is the Holy Spirit and faith. We receive the Spirit when we accept our salvation, believing that Jesus died and rose for us, but have we chosen to be filled with the Spirit? Choose to activate your faith, and invite the Spirit to lead and direct your life and develop you.

Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,

I Thessalonians 1:4 We know, dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people

Yes God loves the world, but more specifically, He loves me as if I am the only person in the world.

Meditate on and accept the truth of the magnitude of God’s love for each of us. No matter if we are are in a state of perfection or an extreme lack thereof, He loves us anyway. He LOVES me!

I John 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

Psalm 103:13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;

The compassion of God is everlasting. God is the only being who is capable enough to carry the world’s cares and issues on His shoulders. Not only does He carry our cares, He gives us a plan of action that will turn our cares and trials into testimonies.

We don’t have to carry everything using our own strength. The compassion of God is never ending and He desires to bless us with a stress free life.

Receive the compassion from God and allow the peace of God to reign supreme in your life.

Judges 3:7 The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord; they forgot the Lord their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs

Judges 4:1 After Ehud died, the Israelites once again did evil in the eyes of the Lord.

Judges 6:1 Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites.

 

Multiple times throughout the book of Judges, the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord. However, every time they called to Him, God delivered them from their troubles.

This is even more so true today. No matter what kind of evil/sin we committed against God and no matter how long we’ve committed it, God has (past tense) forgiven all our sins and will not punish us for the wrong we do. We are still loved by God, we are still the righteousness of God, and we have been forgiven by God.

All of this has been made available because of the blood of Jesus Christ. Praise God for Jesus who made God’s grace abounding and His mercy everlasting.

Matthew 7:11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

When we understand and internalize the fact that God loves us, we won’t accept a lot of things that life hands us. As believers, we must realize we are on another level and we don’t have to accept the things that are going on in the world. We don’t have to accept lack, loneliness, accidents, abuse, fear, or failure.

A good father, who loves his child, wants the best for his child and is willing to give his child the shirt off of his back if necessary. If an earthly father, who has limited resources, is willing to do this for his child, how much more so will our Heavenly Father, who has unlimited resources give to His children? God loves every one of us and He desires to bless His children.

Receive and understand His love and accept His blessings.

Inspired by Pastor Creflo Dollar

2 Corinthians 4:13 It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak,

The purpose for confessing the Word of God over our situation is to convince the humanistic part of our selves that our promise is already done. Our spirit may believe it’s done but our flesh, often times, needs convincing.

When it seems like our prayers and desires are taking too long to manifest, confess the Word of God over our situations. This convinces our flesh that it’s already done and it’s just a matter of time before the manifestation takes place. When doubt or fear enters our minds, we confess the Word of God to remove doubt and continually convince ourselves that God’s Word is already done.

Just because we don’t feel or see anything happen yet does not change the fact that it’s already done. Rest in the promises of God and know that it’s already done.

We cannot separate the Word of God from God Himself. If we have the Word of God, we have God Himself. The reason we know this is because John 1:1 says, in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

By knowing God is a part of His Word, we can accurately apply God to the situations we face. With God or His Word, nothing is impossible. With God, we always win. With God, we overcome any and every situation.

Apply the Word of God to every situation and receive the benefits of God through His Word.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

We can do all things through His power, His grace. And, even in our weaknesses and flaws, His grace abounds, allowing us to overcome our shortcomings and further His kingdom in the earth. So, let’s choose to be kingdom focused and not flaw focused. Continuing to focus on Him and His love for us, rather than guilt or condemnation.

2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Philippians 4:13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

There is nothing we can do to earn God’s love. There is no work we can do to be saved.
Romans 5:8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners

Rest in the freedom of knowing that God loves us as we are. He hates sin, but He loves us so much that He took care of that through Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross. And, through salvation and faith, we are now righteous, as we are, flaws and all. I am righteous through my faith in the blood of Jesus!

Romans 4:15 But to him that works not, but believes on him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Have you heard the term cherry picker? In some areas, a cherry picker is someone who picks and chooses something based on their desire. Instead of receiving the entire thing, they pick and choose the items they want and leave items they don’t want.

Some of us cherry pick in the Word of God. We pick and choose the things we want to obey. Most of us choose things that suit our personal desires. If something in the Word causes us any discomfort or inconvenience, we usually make the decision not to fully obey that command. However, if something is easy enough for us to handle, we’ll do it.

The good news is that in our new covenant, we only have 3 commands to follow.
1. Love The Lord our God.
2. Love our neighbor.
3. Love ourself.
With these three commands, we can fulfill the will of God. Please God in life and give Him total obedience.

Mark 12: 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.”

John 13:35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

 

In the United States on February 14, we celebrate Valentine’s Day, the day of love. We can’t celebrate the day of love and forget about The Author, The Creator, and The Embodiment of love (God) Who loved us so much until He sent His Son Jesus Christ to save mankind.

 

This day, along with every other day, is a day to embody the true definition of a disciple. Jesus said we are His disciples when we show love to one another.

 

I encourage everyone who reads this to reflect and thank God for His love and express the love of God to all mankind.

 

Be Blessed!

God is Love!

Matthew 6:14-15 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Matthew 18:21-22 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times? “Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”

Since God has forgiven us and others without condemnation, who are we to hold on to the transgressions of others and condemn others? If we are made in the image of God and we are to walk as Jesus did, we have the capability to forgive others. Not only do we have the capability to forgive but, we are commanded to forgive.

When someone has wronged us, we are to forgive them and move on. Don’t speak about the incident any longer. When we speak about it, we rehearse the incident in our minds. The longer the incident remains in our minds the longer we keep the fire of bitterness alive. Also, when we speak about the incident, we condemn others and give someone else the opportunity to condemn the wrongdoer.

We need to free ourselves and not be bound by the chains of pain from our past.

Romans 4:8 Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.”

Romans 8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,

2 Corinthians 5:19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

From the murderer, to the rapist, to the liar, everyone receives and deserves forgiveness. There is no sin too great that God cannot forgive.

Once God forgives us, He DOES NOT condemn us. He is not the voice in our head saying we should be ashamed of ourselves. God is not in the negative feeling we might get when we walk into church after missing church for months. He is not the author of depression and low self-worth because we missed the mark. Receive forgiveness and move on.

We need to allow the power in the blood of Jesus to remove any guilt, shame, or condemnation of our sin.

1 Peter 1:6, 7 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith–of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire–may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

When we go through trials and tribulations so many people want to say, “God is testing us.” We know that not to be true because in James 1:13 it says, When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone. Another word for tempted is tested or tried.

We may not be tested by God but, our faith is being tested by the circumstances God allows. Our faith is separate from us. Just like weights test our strength, circumstances and situations test our faith.

Anytime we have to endure something, know that our faith is being tested. Pass the test by knowing and utilizing the things that have already been provided for us through Jesus Christ. Receive the fact that through Jesus Christ, God always causes us to triumph.

 

Be Blessed!

The truth is designed to displace the fact. – Bill Winston

Matthew 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say unto this mountain, Remove from here to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

While it may be a fact that your situation is a certain way, the truth can change facts. Have faith, believe, and confess the manifestation of the impossible.

2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

We are being changed. We do not have to do this ourselves. Don’t get frustrated nor give up. Continue to seek God and allow His Spirit to work. Trust God!

1 Corinthians 4:20 For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power.

Any one can say they go to church five days a week and they read the Bible three times a day for three hours each but, what profit do they have if the power of God is not demonstrated? What benefit can the world see if the Christian is living a broke, busted, and disgusted life?

In this life, people want action, demonstration, or results, not just talk.
They want to see the peace of God operating in our lives after getting cursed out by a motorist. They want to see us use the power of God to overcome temptations we used to give in to. They want to see the power of God working in our finances, marriage, and character. They want to see.

If they want to see so badly, we should give them something to look at. Don’t just talk about the things written in the Good Book, believe, receive, and live these things out.

Inspired by Pastor Bill Winston

Acts 16:31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved–you and your household.”

When Jesus saved us, He not only saved us from our sins but from everything imaginable that could be negative or detrimental to our lives. The Bible refers to these negative things as the curse.

When Jesus died he saved us from a violent marriage and gave us a marriage made in heaven. He saved us from any lack or shortage in our finances and gave us abundance. He saved us from not having enough food/water and gave us all sufficiency in all things. When He saved us, He saved us from everything detrimental.

Whoever is experiencing anything negative or detrimental in their lives now, recognize this is as an attack from the enemy. The enemy is attempting to withhold or rob us of our inheritance. We must use our faith and claim the prize that Jesus died for and receive everything that’s included in the salvation package.

2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

We all have weaknesses in some areas in our lives. We have weaknesses such as fornication, drunkenness, gluttony and so much more. Everyone’s weakness is different. Whatever weakness we have that goes against the Word of God, God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness.

For example, if there is a party where alcohol is served and someone has an alcoholic weakness, that person has to make a decision. That person can give in to temptation and become intoxicated or rely on the perfection of God’s strength to overcome that temptation.

The perfection of God’s strength has been made available to us. It’s not some new power that comes whenever a temptation presents itself. It’s always with us.

Recognize and receive this power and walk in it on a daily basis because we don’t want to be caught off guard by a Satan-orchestrated temptation.

Everydaygodswill.com

People often find themselves repenting because they have sinned. However, before we sin, there was a thought. If we control our thoughts, we can control our actions. In fact, the Bible says we ought to control our thoughts by casting down imaginations and everything that exalts itself above God. If it doesn’t line up with the Word of God, we rebuke it.

It is our responsibility to keep or cast down any thought. God WILL NOT do this for us. This is our responsibility and He has already given us the ability through Jesus Christ to overcome any and every evil, negative, or perverted thought that enters our mind.

We can’t stop thoughts from entering our minds but, we can control if they stay in our hearts.

Control your thoughts, control your life.

2 Corinthians 10:5 Casting down arguments, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Romans 4:16 says the promises of God are received by faith however, faith has more components besides believing. James 2:20 says faith without works is dead. Galatians 5:6 says faith works by love. Hebrews 6:12 says faith is attached to patience.

With all this being known, to inherit the promises from God we need faith, patience, works, and love.

In order for us to receive these promises, some of us need to evaluate our lives. We need to ask ourselves are we lacking in any of these areas?
Faith: Do we need to believe God without doubting?
Works: Are we physically doing our part in the process to receive our desire?
Patience: Are we continuing to do what we know to do is right (over time) even if it seems what we’re doing is not working?
Love: Are we treating EVERYONE with the love of God? Have we forgiven our brother/sister who has wronged us?

It’s a lot of things to consider when we’re reaching for our promise. Activate these principles and watch God do the amazing.

Romans 4:16 So the promise is received by faith….

John 15:2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

Pruning does not allow us to remain stagnant, but will keep pushing us past a single comfort level to continually developing and bearing more and more fruit. Continue to be filled with God, reading and hearing His Word, and praising and worshipping Him. If without Him we can do nothing, then with Him, we can manifest the impossible (Luke 1:37, Matt 17:20)!

Romans 3:21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, …22 …through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 For there is no difference; being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

So much attention has been given to verse 23 that the purpose of the passage has been missed by some.

Because of Jesus there is finally righteousness, apart from the old laws, that is accessible to everyone no matter what sin they have committed.

We are no longer bound to perfecting ourselves through submission to the Ten Commandments and other Old Testament laws. Through faith in Jesus Christ we are justified – made righteous. And verse 23 simply states, not an excuse to sin, but that we have been excused from sin by His grace through His Son.

God has been, is being, will be so good to us until saying “Thank You” doesn’t seem like it’s enough. It seems like we should be doing more. Actually, God has already called us to do more. In 1 Corinthians 3:9 God called us to be fellow workers or co-workers WITH Him.

What are we working on?
Establishing God’s covenant all over the earth (Deuteronomy 8:18).

This means we have an opportunity to give our time, effort, and money back to God. This means we can do more than say thank you. This means we can be side by side with God building His Kingdom in the earth. We can win souls for the Kingdom. We can represent the Kingdom of God by serving in our local church or at a shelter. We can use the abundance of wealth God promised us to build bigger churches, send the Word of God to the world (via Internet, television, or missions), and we can help those in need.

For those who truly desire to give something back to God, give Him your time, effort, and money to establish His covenant in the earth.

1 Corinthians 3:9 For we are God’s co-workers. You are God’s farmland and God’s building.

Inspired by Apostle Price

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Scriptures of the Day

February 2013
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