Devotion: God’s Way Is Best

God wants the best for all of his children.  He wants the best for every aspect of our lives, no matter how large or how small that aspect may be.  We need to understand that God only gives us his best, the best advice and the best course of action for every situation that could possibly arise in our lives.  The problem for many of us is that we tend to ignore God and try to go it on our own.  Instead of allowing God to “drive the car,” so to speak, we throw him in the back seat as we hit the road of life.  Some of us throw him as far back as the trunk, Amen.  We then try to follow the road map that we have laid out for our lives instead of the one that God has for us.  Truth be told, we really should trust in the Lord and allow him to direct our path.

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct (make smooth or straight) thy paths.  Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.  It shall be health to thy navel (body), and marrow (strength) to thy bones” (Proverbs 3:5-8).  “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end” (Jeremiah 29:11).

God has declared that he knows the thoughts or the plans he has for us, plans to prosper us and not hurt or harm us.  He has plans to give us hope and a future.  It would only make sense to follow God’s plans for us, which guarantees us peace and an expected end.

“My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.  Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.  For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh” (Proverbs 4:20-22).

Yes, this is true.  God tells us that if we listen carefully and give ear to his sayings, keeping them in the midst of our hearts and mind, not allowing them to depart from our eyes, then we will find that God words are life unto those who find them and health to all their flesh.

“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15).

God tells us to “study to show thyself approved” so that we can “rightly divide the word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15), but most of us do not adhere to this command.  This word of truth is given “to tell you what to believe (for doctrine), what is wrong (for reproof), how to correct wrong (for correction), how to live (for instruction in righteousness).  You are to rely on the word of truth because it includes everything needed to grow in maturity, to be perfect (meaning proficient or capable), and to do what God wants” (II Timothy 3:16-17).  The idea that we are to “attend to his words” holds little meaning for some because just carrying a Bible with them fits the commandment.  When we attend to his words, we learn that “they are life unto those that find them” (Proverbs 4:20-22), meaning, “God’s words are full, abundant life unto those that hunt for, look for, or seek those words.”  And this is why you have to pick that Bible up, open it, and do a little more than just read it.  You may have to dissect it.  You have to pick it apart.  You have to analyze it.  You have to examine it.  You have to study it.  You have to rightly divide it.  This is God’s best for us, the best advice and the best course of action that will give us the best results for every situation that could possibly arise in our lives.  He does not offer alternatives or suggestions.  Don’t just get into his word, but get his word in you, get his word into your very being.  You must immerse yourself in his word; you must hunt for, look for, and seek the answers that he has provided through his instruction manual.

As you read today’s inspirational messages, we pray that the messages will be an inspiration to you as well as a blessing and that you will be the better for having read them.  Please share this message so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings. - KW

Devotion: A Relationship With God

Do you know that a relationship with God is the most important relationship you can have?  Good relationships do not just happen.  They take time and patience and two people who truly want to be together.  God has already shown his love for us.

“God showed how much he loved us by sending his only Son into this wicked world to bring to us eternal life through his death.  In this act we see what real love is: it is not our love for God but his love for us when he sent his Son to satisfy God’s anger against our sins (I John 4:9-10 TLB).

Now we need to show our love for him.  Jesus, when asked which was the greatest commandment in the Law, replied saying,

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment” (Matthew 22:36-38 NIV).

The Bible tells us that our greatest need is a relationship with God.  Our relationship with God should not just be limited to a Sunday event or a Wednesday prayer service.  We were created for so much more.  One of the biggest problems the church faces right now is spiritual boredom, because believers were never made for a program, an institution, or a weekly pew-warming ceremony.  Believers were never made to be satisfied by a three-point outline that contains just enough advice, just enough spiritual food to get through Sunday evening or to the “mid-week hump.”  The human heart was made for passion.  It was created for relationship.  It was designed to experience the fullness of God.  It was created to have a relationship with God.

“We know how much God loves us because we have felt his love and because we believe him when he tells us that he loves us dearly.  God is love, and anyone who lives in love is living with God and God is living in him.  And as we live with Christ, our love grows more perfect and complete; so we will not be ashamed and embarrassed at the day of judgment, but can face him with confidence and joy because he loves us and we love him too.  We need have no fear of someone who loves us perfectly; his perfect love for us eliminates all dread of what he might do to us.  If we are afraid, it is for fear of what he might do to us and shows that we are not fully convinced that he really loves us.  So you see, our love for him comes as a result of his loving us first” (I John 4:16-19 TLB).

We are to trust in the Lord with all our heart (Proverbs 3:5-6), because he knows what he is doing.  When we have a relationship with God, everything else tends to work itself out.  Therefore, do not let anyone or anything get in the way of your relationship with God.  It is the most important relationship you can ever have.

We forever pray that our inspirational message will abundantly bless you, greatly inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: Offering Time

A lot of discussion in the body of Christ on this topic of “tithing” has left many questions as to what should and should not be given.  Webster defines “tithe” as “one tenth of the annual produce of one’s annual income, paid as a tax or contribution to support a church or its clergy; a tenth part.”  Tithing is the practice of giving ten percent of one’s income to the Lord.

“Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: so shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine” (Proverbs 3:9).

We are to give honor to God with our substance or our very wealth and possessions as well as with the firstfruits of our increase.  As you read the rest of this verse, you see that those who obeyed this command had an increase; they had their barns filled with plenty, and their presses burst with new wine.  While we do not trade in the same commodities or the same ways as they did in those days, the basic principle still applies to us today.  The giving of tithes and offerings is the process of giving from the income that you receive, while firstfruits is the process of giving from the increase in income that you receive

“Will a man rob God?  Surely not!  And yet you have robbed me.  What do you mean?  When did we ever rob you?  You have robbed me of the tithes and offerings due me.  And so the awesome curse of God is cursing you, for your whole nation has been robbing me.  Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so that there will be food enough in my Temple; if you do, I will open up the windows of heaven for you and pour out a blessing so great you won’t have room enough to take it in!  Try it!  Let me prove it to you” (Malachi 3:8-10 TLB)!

In order to rob someone of something would mean that the something that was taken must already have belonged to the person it is taken from.  No one can be robbed of something that doesn’t belong to him or her.  Therefore, these tithes and offerings that are spoken of here must already belong to God.  In addition, we see that basic principle being applied here, where those who obeyed this command had an increase even though we again do not trade in the same commodities or the same ways as they did in those days.

This basic principle we are talking about is the principle of “seedtime and harvest or sowing and reaping” a principle which God established that says, “For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7).  We know that this principle applies to the words we speak as well as the things we do, where our words and actions are like seeds being planted in the ground that produces a crop from which we reap a harvest, be it good or be it bad, depending on what we have sown.

“But remember this—if you give little, you will get little.  A farmer who plants just a few seeds will get only a small crop, but if he plants much, he will reap much.  Everyone must make up his own mind as to how much he should give.  Don’t force anyone to give more than he really wants to, for cheerful givers are the ones God prizes.  God is able to make it up to you by giving you everything you need and more so that there will not only be enough for your own needs but plenty left over to give joyfully to others.  It is as the Scriptures say: “The godly man gives generously to the poor.  His good deeds will be an honor to him forever” (II Corinthians 9:6-9 TLB).

There are those that believe that if they give away their money, they won’t have anything left for themselves.  They have no faith in the scriptures, fearing that if they give away their money, they will not have enough to survive.  They struggle to make sense of what they see and what they think they know, believing that they have to take matters into their own hands.  Reality says that it is a major undertaking to make it through life with the money that they have, and they can’t believe that they are expected to give some away and are required to live on less.  Jesus validates this principle of giving in the following scripture.

“Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom.  For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you” (Luke 6:38 NKJV).

Jesus assures us that we can count on the principle of “sowing and reaping.”  This principle works, and it works the same way for everyone.  Give and you will receive.  Not only will you have enough for yourself, but the more you give, the more you'll be given.

“It is possible to give away and become richer!  It is also possible to hold on too tightly and lose everything.  Yes, the liberal man shall be rich!  By watering others, he waters himself” (Proverbs 11:24-25 TLB).

The more you sow into the kingdom of God the more you will reap from his kingdom.  Many don’t believe in the principle, but just because you don’t know about or believe in a thing has no bearing on how the thing works.  Many have problems with giving away their money and with tithing.  They find all kinds of excuses as to why they should not give their hard-earned money away.  To them, it makes no sense to give away what they consider theirs.  Look at it this way: We go out to eat and afterwards will give a total stranger (a waiter/waitress whose only job is to serve us our food), a fifteen (15) to twenty (20) percent tip because we don’t want them to think bad of us or it’s the politically correct thing to do, but we won’t give God the 10 percent or so that he is due.  He has never raised his rates.  They have remained the same since the beginning.  And to beat it all, when we are in trouble, we do not call on the name of that stranger (waiter/waitress) to help us, we will call on the Lord.  Now that is something to ponder.

But here is the most important thing to keep in mind about offering time. Giving an offering to God is a way of honoring and worshipping God by telling him, “I am trusting in and depending on you, God, to make it through and not myself or my money.”  Now that be a walk of faith, Amen.

We pray that our inspirational message will be a blessing to you as well as informative.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings. - KW

Devotion: Recognize Your Enemy

When you are ready to come to God, it be “you” who repents of your sins, who confesses with your mouth, and who believes with your heart.  When you are ready, it be “you” who is wants to submit to God, to praise him, and to worship him.  When you are ready, it be “you” who humbly comes before God and it be “God” who accepts you as you come, who forgives you of your past sins, and who wipes clean your slate.  But more importantly than anything else, it be “God” who reconnects his Spirit with your spirit, giving new life to your spirit.  And for those of you who have experienced this, you know the feeling that comes upon you when this happens.  You get this fire all up in your spirit as if it has been supercharged.  You get this unbelievable desire to serve, praise, and worship God for everything that he has done for you.  But this is when the real war begins and when all of your battles start.

And so the war begins but there be more to this war than you could ever imagine.  Most believers do not know that we war on two fronts.  On the one front, our newly found spirit nature wars with our flesh, our old sinful nature.  On the other front, we war against persons without bodies.

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12).

We wrestle against the evil rulers of the unseen world, which include the mighty satanic beings, the great evil princes of darkness, and a huge number of wicked spirits who rule this unseen world.  And while we see the daily struggles of those who succumb to poverty, sickness, and death, the primary battle involves depression, fear, discouragement, low self-esteem, worry, anxiety, confusion, doubt, and many other tactics.  This battle takes place in the arena of your mind and is unavoidable.  It knows no bounds, no gender, no age, no race, and no religion.  It attacks everyone.  For on this battleground the war is waged for the control of your soul.

Your mind is the road by which the evil rulers of the unseen world gain access into your life, your personality, your emotions, your family, your finances, your marriage, your body, and your home.  They specialize in trying to keep you in bondage through the control of your thought-life.  They know that which controls the mind, controls the soul.  As you fail to maintain your thought-life, you will live far below the standards that God has set up for you.  Your mind plays an important role in your walk of faith; therefore, it is tremendously important that you guard your mind and your thought-life.  Everything hinges on your mind and controlling your thought-life.  Your thoughts will always precede your actions.

We are warned to be sober and watchful because we have an adversary.  This adversary, the devil, walks about like a roaring lion looking for those whom he can devour (I Peter 5:8).  So, how does this adversary come against us?  Well, his tactics have not change since the first temptation and there are really no secrets to his approach.  He tries to control you through your mind, with thoughts, ideas, and suggestions.  These thoughts, ideas, and suggestions are usually tied to your five senses.  Your sense of taste, touch, smell, hearing, and seeing, offers him an avenue into your mind and are the areas he tempts in order to gain control of your thought-life.  When you give in to the lust of the flesh (your sense of taste, touch, smell, and hearing), the lust of the eyes (your sense of seeing), and the pride of life (your mind where you think you are special because of what you look like, what you have, and/or who you are), you become carnally minded and forgo all that is spiritual (I John 2:16).  Your five senses play a major part in your self-fulfilling, sinful evil nature and greatly contribute to your carnal mind.  Your carnal mind only wants to satisfy your fleshy physical needs and appetites, like that itch that cannot be satisfied; the more you scratch, the more you itch.  And we discovered from a previous discussion that “carnal mindedness was enmity against God,” bent on only following our evil flesh nature and never wanting to obey or please God (Romans 8:5-8).

The battleground has been set, the arena has been staged, and the battles have begun.  This battle is totally unavoidable and will never end.  But we need to know our enemy and we need to know that he is very predictable.  The same things that he used on the first man in the Garden of Eden are the same things that he uses today.  And because of this information we should not be ignorant of his devices (II Corinthians 2:11).  Learning his tactics, his weapons, his devices, and understanding his mode of operation will put us in a good position to win the battle.

We pray that this inspirational message will be a blessing to you as well as informative.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: Eternal Life

There is a phrase that was coined to define a so-called believer who confesses and believes in Christ Jesus, but lives a lifestyle that does not appear to glorify God while claiming the forgiveness and acceptance of God.  Some know this phrase as “the carnal Christian.”  But before any of you get on that high horse and start labeling people, we need to determine if this phrase is biblical or something that man created.  According to the dictionary, the word “carnal” is defined as “relating to the physical needs or strong desires of the body or the flesh in contrast to all that is spiritual.”

“For we are conscious that the law is of the spirit; but I am of the flesh, given into the power of sin.  And I have no clear knowledge of what I am doing, for that which I have a mind to do, I do not, but what I have hate for, that I do.  But, if I do that which I have no mind to do, I am in agreement with the law that the law is good.  So it is no longer I who do it, but the sin living in me.  For I am conscious that in me, that is, in my flesh, there is nothing good: I have the mind but not the power to do what is right.  For the good which I have a mind to do, I do not: but the evil which I have no mind to do, that I do.  But if I do what I have no mind to do, it is no longer I who do it, but the sin living in me.  So I see a law that, though I have a mind to do good, evil is present in me.  In my heart I take pleasure in the law of God, but I see another law in my body, working against the law of my mind, and making me the servant of the law of sin which is in my flesh.  How unhappy am I! who will make me free from the body of this death?  I give praise to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.  So with my mind I am a servant to the law of God, but with my flesh to the law of sin” (Romans 7:14-25 – BBE).

Here we have biblical evidence supporting the “carnal” part of our phrase “carnal Christian,” but can this be applied biblically to the definition of a Christian?  According to the dictionary, the word “Christian” is defined as “a person who believes in Jesus Christ as his or her savior.”

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10).

Here we have biblical evidence supporting the “Christian” part of our phrase “carnal Christian.”  We trust that from these passages you can see that “a person who believes in Jesus Christ as his or her savior but is dominated by the physical needs or the strong desires of the body or the flesh in contrast to all that is spiritual” is by definition, “a carnal Christian.”  And yes, we have a little experience in this area.  You see, we have been that “carnal Christian.”  We accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, were baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and believed it or not, we were sanctified or at least that was what we were told.  We regularly attended church, was very active with our membership, and we were well versed in the Scriptures or at least we thought we were.  We believed that we were saved and considered to be righteous, and we were taught that nothing could take our salvation from us.  And if we failed, all we had to do was to get down on our knees, ask to be forgiven, and we would be forgiven.  But it was the following verse that gave us revelation into the destructive nature of the carnal Christian lifestyle, or so we thought.

“For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:5-8).

What we did not realize was those who allowed themselves to be controlled by the things of the flesh lived only to please themselves, which in itself leads to death.  We did not fully understand that our carnal Christian lifestyle actually did not and never could obey or please God because our “carnal mindedness was enmity against God,” bent on only following our earthly thinking and our evil flesh nature.  But thank God for his grace and mercy and for revealing the truth to us.  We found that being spiritually minded, making the effort to follow after the Spirit actually led to us being controlled by the things of the Spirit.  But more important was the revelation that when we were led and controlled by the Spirit, we wanted to live our life doing those things that were pleasing to God, which in itself leads to life and peace everlasting.  So, here is the biggest revelation from God.  That “Carnal Christian” definition mentioned above is actually the man-made definition of the term and not the biblical definition of it.  But that’s a story for another time.

We pray that our inspirational message will give you a slightly different perspective on obtaining life and peace everlasting.  We pray you will be blessed, informed, and all the better for having read this.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: Think You Know Something?

Did you know that God has told us to seek wisdom, to seek the know-how, and to get the ability to use good sense in our thinking, in our judgment, and in our actions?  Did you know that God has also told us to get understanding, to get the ability to perceive and to get the ability to explain the meaning or nature of things?

“Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.  Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.  Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding” (Proverbs 4:5-7).

Seeking God’s wisdom is the first thing that we have to do, which is a problem for many who profess to be Christians.  They seek God’s wisdom, but it is usually the wisdom of the world that they find, and they do not realize that this is what they have done or what they are doing.  God has pretty much given us everything that we need to know in his word, but we, with our finite worldly wisdom, have rejected his wisdom for the sake of trying to understand that which we really do not understand.  This is not a play on words or a manipulation of words.  This is all about us being manipulated by a worldly wisdom that has limited our ability to understand the thoughts and ways of God.  It is about us not recognizing the revelations that God has given us because they, the revelations, do not agree with what we have been taught or have accepted as truths our entire lives.  This is about us not accepting those things that God has given us to help our understanding because we have been taught that no one can explain or understand the things of God.

Now, if no one can understand the things of God, then why do those same people try to explain those things that they, themselves just said that no one can understand?  Do you think it is to make themselves appear to have a special relationship with God?  Do you think it is to make themselves appear as if they are the only ones who can get divine revelations from God?  Now that is something to ponder.  We need to realize that the Bible is our source of knowledge about God.  We need to know that the whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives; it straightens us out and helps us do what is right.  It is God’s way of making us well prepared at every point, fully equipped to do good to everyone (II Timothy 3:16-17).  The Bible is our instruction manual and our source for all things God.

“My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.  Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.  For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh” (Proverbs 4:20-22).

In this age of information, we who seek the truth have no reason not to be able to find it provided we do not limit ourselves to the walls of traditionalism or denominationalism.  Limited knowledge leads to a limited life.  A closed mind can only grow within the limits of its enclosure; an open mind grows with endless possibilities.  God tells us “that his people are destroyed because they lack knowledge” (Hosea 4:6).  This lack of knowledge has not come from a shortage of knowledge but from our rejection of knowledge.  If the amount of knowledge is as vast as the oceans, it would be like dipping a cup into the ocean and using what is in the cup as your only source of information.  Everything that you could possibly know would be confined to the limits of that cup.  And just as the ocean has things that can be harmful to us, it also contains things that can be beneficial to us.   Knowledge works the same way; there are things harmful as well as things beneficial.  If we reject every person who makes statements that we do not agree with, then we limit the amount of knowledge available to us.  It is through “studying God’s word” (II Timothy 2:15), using every available resource that we gain the wisdom and understanding to rightly divide the word of truth and pick the harmful items out of the ocean of knowledge.  When we attend to his words, we learn that they are life unto those that find them, which means that God’s words are full, abundant life unto those that hunt for, look for, or seek those words.  Knowledge is power, while misinformation will lead to your destruction.  It is the “truth that will set you free” (John 8:32).

We forever pray that our inspirational message will abundantly bless you, greatly inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: The Blood Speaks

Recently, we discussed the power that was in the sacrificial blood of Jesus Christ.  We discovered that he, using his own blood as the payment, was able to go straight into the Holy of Holies to, once and for all, obtain redemption for us and secure our eternal salvation.

“For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.  Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation (propitiation) for the sins of the people.  For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor (aid) them that are tempted” (Hebrews 2:16-18).

Since we were human beings, Jesus Christ, who did not take on the nature of angels, instead took on the same nature as his brethren, flesh and blood.  Being born in human form, it was the only form in which he could willingly give himself to death to rescue us from the penalty of sin and to break the power of the one who have the power over death, that being the devil (Hebrews 2:14).  In dying, he became our High Priest, who went directly before God, once and for all, to obtain eternal redemption for us.  In dying, he became our merciful and faithful high priest, a mediator, who understood what it is like when we suffer and are tempted having experienced suffering and temptations firsthand.

“But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises” (Hebrews 8:6).  “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?  And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance” (Hebrews 9:14-15). “Wherefore then serveth the law?  It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.  Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one” (Galatians 3:19-20).  “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time” (I Timothy 2:5-6).

In dying, Jesus Christ became our mediator to the new covenant, a covenant that had better promises and a better system than the old covenant.  In dying, Jesus Christ made clean the hearts of those who have answered the call, freeing them from the worry of having to obey the old rules and dead works so that they could become servants of the ever-living God and receive the eternal inheritance, which had been promised to them.  The old rules were given, after the promise, as a way to define sin and to show man how guilty he truly was of breaking God’s laws.  The old rules were only designed to last until the coming of Jesus Christ, the seed of Abraham to which the promise was made that he would be used as the go-between of the new covenant much like Moses was used as a go-between in the old covenant.  When God made the old covenant, he used Moses as the mediator between himself and the people to give the details to the people, but with the new covenant, God had to wait for a mediator, so that he could give the details of the new covenant to us as Moses had done previously.  Scripture tells us, there is one God and one mediator, one negotiator of the new covenant between God and men, the man Jesus Christ.  Therefore, all that have accepted and answered the call must be very careful to listen to and obey this mediator, because he has been set up as the go-between to give us the details of the new covenant.

We forever pray that our inspirational message will abundantly bless you, greatly inform you and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by his message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: Sprinkle The Blood

There is power in the blood of Jesus.

“But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building (creation); neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place (Most Holy Place), having obtained eternal redemption for us.  For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth (sets apart) to the purifying of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot (blemish) to God, purge (cleanse) your conscience from dead works to serve the living God (Hebrews 9:11-14)?

His death rescued mankind from the penalty of sin.  He came as the High Priest of the new covenant, a covenant that would come later, having better promises and a better system than the one of old.  Because he now has a more perfect tabernacle, one not made of hand nor made by men nor being a part of this world, but one resurrected, he was able to bypass the restrictions of the old tabernacle and go straight into the Holy of Holies to once and for all obtain eternal redemption for us.  Using his own blood as the payment and not the blood of goats and calves, he entered into that inner room in the holy place and secured our eternal salvation.  He set us free.  For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of young cows could cleanse those under the old covenant from sin, how much more should his blood, he who came with a new covenant, cleanse us inside and out and transform our lives and our hearts.  With help from the eternal Holy Spirit, he, who being perfect and without a single sin or fault offered himself as an unblemished sacrifice.  He willingly gave himself to God to die for our sins so that we could be free from the concerns of having to follow and obey the rules of the old covenant and live all out for God.  That’s right, it was Jesus Christ who did all of these things for us and that’s why “there is power in the blood of Jesus.”

“And almost all things are by the law purged (cleansed) with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission (forgiveness).  It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified (cleansed) with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.  For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures (copies) of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place (Most Holy Place) every year with blood of others; for then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world (ages) hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look (eagerly wait) for him shall he appear the second time without (apart from) sin unto salvation” (Hebrews 9:22-28).

Under the old agreement, almost everything was cleansed by blood.  We see that without the shedding of blood, there was no forgiveness of sins.  Moses, after giving the people all the laws of God, dedicated the first covenant by sprinkling the blood of calves and goats over the book of the law and over all the people.  Scripture tells us that it was necessary for Moses to make the things down here on earth, all copied from the things in heaven, pure with these offerings, but the real things themselves in heaven, were to be made pure with a far more precious offering.  So, Christ, who did not enter into the earthly holy place, which was a copy of the one above, entered directly into the real temple in heaven itself and appeared before the mercy seat of God.  However, unlike the high priest down here on earth, who offered the blood of animals year after year as atonement for our sins, Christ went before the face of God, once, to make an offering of himself on our behalf.  By dying, Christ was able to put away the power of sin for all times as the ultimate sacrifice, unblemished and without a single sin or fault.  Again, it was Jesus Christ who did all of these things for us and that’s why “there is power in the blood of Jesus.”

We forever pray that our inspirational message will abundantly bless you, greatly inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: God Has A Plan

Most people have no idea that God has a plan for their life much less know what that plan is.  Often, we look back at our past, be it the things that we have done or the things that have happened and see only failures.  Some have even held God responsible for these things.  Regardless of what may have or have not happened in your life, no matter what your current situation is, or what the future appears to hold, God did not create you for failure.  The truth of the matter is, God wants you to succeed and not fail.  God wants to prosper you.  God wants to give you hope and a future.  Scripture tells us, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV).  God knows the plans that he has for you.

“It is in this hope that we are saved.  Now hope that is seen is not hope.  For who hopes for what he sees?  But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience” (Romans 8:24-25 NIV).  “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer” (Romans 12:12 NIV).  “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).  “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me” (John 14:1).  “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23 NASB).

God has a plan for your life, even though you may not know the plan or be following the plan yet.  You should never lose hope, for there is always hope, no matter the situation.  If you do not have hope, then you have nothing, for no one hopes for what he or she already has.  As you look forward with this hope, you must wait patiently and with confidence for things to manifest.  Jesus warns that there will be tests, trials, and tribulations, but you are to rejoice in hope because “hope is an anchor unto the soul” (Hebrews 6:19) during these times.  Regardless, you are to be of good courage and not allow your heart to be troubled because he who has promised is faithful and will deliver.  There is no greater example of this than the story of Joseph, who faced many challenges yet God prospered him in everything he went through and everything that he did.  God has a plan for your life, one to prosper you as well as to give you hope and a future.  You just need to find out what that plan is.

We forever pray that our inspirational message will abundantly bless you, greatly inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: Jesus Paid For Your Prosperity

In reading the scriptures, we find that there is a thief that “cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy (John 10:10).”  We also find in that same passage, Jesus telling us “he has come that we might have life and have that life more abundantly.”  Jesus, who was manifested to destroy the works of the thief (I John 3:8), came to seek and save that which was lost (Luke 19:10).  Many believe that Jesus’ main purpose for coming was to save individual lost souls, but truth be told, saving lost souls was just the by-product of what he actually did.

There were many things lost because of the disobedient actions of the first man.  It was the obedience of the second man (I Corinthians 15:47) that restored all that the first man lost (Romans 5:19).  Because of obedience, the second man became the firstborn among many brothers (Romans 8:29).  Because of obedience, the second man rose from the dead as the firstfruits of them who have died or slept (I Corinthians 15:20).  Because of obedience, the second man became the first to come back from the dead, who will die no more (Revelation 1:5).  The second man is the firstfruits of the first resurrection.  The second man is the firstborn or first in rank of or over every creature and has preeminence in all things.  Because of obedience, the second man was made ruler over all of the kings of the earth (Revelation 1:5).  Scripture after scripture, we see a comparison between the first man and the second man, also known as “the last Adam” (I Corinthians 15:45).

Among the many things that the last Adam restored, was our right standing with God (Romans 5:16-17).  This was by far the most important of all things restored.  This meant that our relationship with God was as it was at the very beginning with the first Adam.  It was like starting over, if you will.  The last Adam was able to get back the authority or dominion (Matthew 28:18) that the first Adam had lost (Luke 4:6) in the garden when he ate of the fruit (Genesis 3:6-7).  Because of the obedience of the last Adam, we have been redeemed from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13) and given the privilege to become a child of God (John 1:12-13), so that all could share in the blessings of Abraham and receive the promise of the Spirit through faith (Galatians 3:14).  As a child of God, we now have the right to the inheritance of the new covenant, a better covenant, built with better promises (Hebrews 8:6-13), the right to a divine inheritance to the best in life, deserving all the Father has to offer (Romans 8:14-17), which includes the right to good health, wealth, and total life prosperity (III John 1:2).  We have all of this, because of the obedience of the second man, the last Adam, He paid for our prosperity.

We pray that this inspirational message will be a blessing to you as well as informative.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: The Message Of Revelation

Many believers, as well as many non-believers, have a fascination with what is popularly referred to as “the end-times.”  We have all kinds of individuals across the globe foretelling, predicting, and/or trying to give insight into what will happen in “the so-called end-times.”  This has created much unrest amongst believers and led to some incredible actions by those who appear to be concerned about and consumed by the events of the last days.  While sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked him questions about “the end-times” (Matthew 24:3-14).

Despite sternly warning us not to let the many that will come claiming to be “the Messiah” fool us, Jesus also shares the frightening fact that “they will lead many astray.”  Jesus would go on to tell of the many things to come, while assuring that “those who endure to the end would be saved.”  Though Jesus was able to describe the events to come and those surrounding his second coming, he also warned us “to be prepared” because no one knows, not the angels in heaven nor he himself, the date and hour of his return and when the end would come.  The only one that knows this information is God himself (Matthew 24:36).

Today, we see all sorts of bad things happening in the world, but we also know that the days of evil, suffering, and persecution will come to an end.  In the book of Revelation, we find “the revelation” that God gave to Jesus Christ for him to show his servants those things that must shortly come to pass.  John, who testified to God`s word, of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and about everything that he saw, recorded and shared these things.  According to the scripture, God is to bless those who read the words of this prophecy and all who listen to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near (Revelation 1:1-3).

“Then I saw a new earth (with no oceans) and a new sky, for the present earth and sky had disappeared.  And I, John, saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven.  It was a glorious sight, beautiful as a bride at her wedding.  I heard a loud shout from the throne saying, ‘Look, the home of God is now among men, and he will live with them and they will be his people; yes, God himself will be among them.  He will wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain.  All of that has gone forever.’  And the one sitting on the throne said, ‘See, I am making all things new!’  And then he said to me, ‘Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true: It is finished!  I am the A and the Z—the Beginning and the End.  I will give to the thirsty the springs of the Water of Life—as a gift!  Everyone who conquers will inherit all these blessings, and I will be his God and he will be my son.  But cowards who turn back from following me, and those who are unfaithful to me, and the corrupt, and murderers, and the immoral, and those conversing with demons, and idol worshipers and all liars—their doom is in the Lake that burns with fire and sulphur.  This is the Second Death’” (Revelation 21:1-8 TLB).

We now have knowledge of the many signs signifying the “end-times” and the events that take place, but what should we do with this information?  While these signs have their significance, it would appear that being prepared and obeying those things revealed to us in “the Revelation of Jesus Christ” by John are more important than actually trying to foretell or predict the last days, especially since only God knows the exact day and hour it will take place.  Let us point out the fact that when Jesus was asked about “the end-times,” his first response was to warn us not to be fooled by those who would come claiming to be the Messiah because they would lead many astray.  We also want to point out that those led astray are “so-called believers.”  So let us be prepared because “those who endure to the end will be saved and everyone who conquers will inherit the many blessings” when all evil, suffering, and persecution comes to an end.

We forever pray that our inspirational message will abundantly bless you, greatly inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: You Are Now A Giver

Man has twisted just about every godly message in the Bible, usually for his own purpose or gain.  The prosperity message is not immune to the unscrupulous twisting actions of man either.  We have discussed varying opinions as to the interpretation of prosperity and no matter the path or the road taken, we have continually been directed back to the same passage, “for it is he (God) that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant” (Deuteronomy 8:18).  And yet again, we are saying that it appears that the power to get wealth is of God and that there is a reason for this prosperity.

Recently, we discussed “the giving of alms,” where we basically “give money or goods to those in need of charity.”  We previously asked the question, “Do you serve money or does money serve you?”  Hopefully, you were able to perform an honest self-evaluation and truthfully answer the question.  But for those of you who know how to give alms and whose money serves you and for those of you who have an ear to hear, this message is for you; know that “you are now a giver.”

“But remember this—if you give little, you will get little.  A farmer who plants just a few seeds will get only a small crop, but if he plants much, he will reap much.  Everyone must make up his own mind as to how much he should give.  Don’t force anyone to give more than he really wants to, for cheerful givers are the ones God prizes.  God is able to make it up to you by giving you everything you need and more so that there will not only be enough for your own needs but plenty left over to give joyfully to others.  It is as the Scriptures say: “The godly man gives generously to the poor. His good deeds will be an honor to him forever.”  For God, who gives seed to the farmer to plant, and later on good crops to harvest and eat, will give you more and more seed to plant and will make it grow so that you can give away more and more fruit from your harvest.

Yes, God will give you much so that you can give away much, and when we take your gifts to those who need them they will break out into thanksgiving and praise to God for your help.  So two good things happen as a result of your gifts—those in need are helped, and they overflow with thanks to God.  Those you help will be glad not only because of your generous gifts to themselves and to others, but they will praise God for this proof that your deeds are as good as your doctrine.  And they will pray for you with deep fervor and feeling because of the wonderful grace of God shown through you.  Thank God for his Son—his Gift too wonderful for words” (II Corinthians 9:6-15 TLB).

We know that blessed is the person who gives to the poor in their time of need, because it shows that the love of God resides inside of that individual.  We know that God loves a cheerful giver and every man should give as it is purposed in his or her heart to give.  And though God want you to freely give and not grudgingly, or of necessity, know that if you give little, you will get little.

“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again” (Luke 6:38 KJV)”

“You are now a giver.”  Today’s inspirational message is just another example of why the children of God are supposed to prosper in this life.  It would be hard to do as God has commanded and it would be totally unfair of him, if he does not make previsions for us to do what he commanded, since “we are workers together with God” (I Corinthians 3:9) “helping to establish his covenant” (Deuteronomy 8:18).  As always, we pray that this message will abundantly bless you, greatly inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: What Are Alms?

We have had several discussions about prosperity, and we keep coming back to this passage, “for it is he (God) that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant” (Deuteronomy 8:18) as we have tried to answer the question, “Prosperity, is it truly of God or is it of the devil?”  We have discussed varying opinions as to the interpretation of prosperity; however, we continually mention that from this passage, it appears that the power to get wealth is of God and that there is a reason for this prosperity.

One of the purposes for the wealth is for us to be a blessing to others through the giving of “alms.”  The giving of “alms” is when we basically “give money or goods to those in need of charity.”

“He who shuts his ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in his own time of need” (Proverbs 21:13 TLB).  “Anyone who oppresses the poor is insulting God who made them.  To help the poor is to honor God” (Proverbs 14:31 TLB).  “When you help the poor you are lending to the Lord—and he pays wonderful interest on your loan (Proverbs 19:17 TLB)!  “Happy is the generous man, the one who feeds the poor” (Proverbs 22:9 TLB).  “The good man knows the poor man’s rights; the godless don’t care” (Proverbs 29:7 TLB).  “But if someone who is supposed to be a Christian has money enough to live well, and sees a brother in need, and won’t help him—how can God’s love be within him” (I John 3:17 TLB)?

Blessed is he who gives to the poor in their time of need.  He who ignores the calling to help the poor, insults God.  To help the poor is to honor God.  Think of this way, when you give to the poor, you are lending to the Lord, who pays interest on what you give.  When you help the poor, God smiles down upon you, because you show that you have the love of God inside of you.

“Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.  Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men.  Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.  But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly” (Matthew 6:1-4 KJV).

But be warned, do not make a public showing of your giving as some do.  When you do, you lose the reward from Father God, for your public acknowledgement will be your only reward.  When you give, give secretly, not telling your left hand what you right hand is doing.  When you give as instructed, God will reward you as he promises in his word.

And as we have previously mentioned and say yet once again, we know that today’s message will not settle the debate, but it just might help us “to better understand the purpose for the prosperity.”  As always, we pray that our message will bless you, inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If this message was a blessing to you, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: Divorce

What if we told you God was married?  As you read the scriptures, you will find,

“Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt (wing) over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea I sware (swore an oath) unto thee, and entered into covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest mine.  Then washed I thee with water; yea, I thoroughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil.  I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers' skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk.  I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck.  And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head.  Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom.  And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord God” (Ezekiel 16:8-14).

Some of you have been blessed and have received a new revelation from the passage.  Some of you are trying to figure out who it is that God entered into a marriage covenant with.  Some of you have a totally different interpretation of the passage and have not received the same revelation.  Some of you are still in denial even after you have been presented with the biblical proof, still saying, “I don’t believe this.”  For many of you, it would do no good for us to tell you that God was also divorced.  As you read these scriptures, you will see,

“The Lord said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done?  she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot.  And I said after she had done all these things, Turn thou unto me.  But she returned not.  And her treacherous sister Judah saw it.  And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill (certificate) of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also” (Jeremiah 3:6-8).

While this is not in any way a traditional marriage, when God entered into covenant with Israel, he considered it worthy to be called a marriage and he treated it as such.  Now for you who are still trying to accept the fact that God was married note this; you can only give “a bill (certificate) of divorce” to someone that you were married to.  For those who have an ear to hear, the fact that God was married and divorced may open a whole new level of exploration as you seek spiritual truth and the revelation knowledge hidden in God’s word.  Please bear in mind that we do not point these passages out to advocate for or against divorce, for this is neither our intent nor our purpose.  We know this commentary does not contain any definitive answers.  However, seeing that things, as they pertain to God and his ways, are not always how we understand them to be and not always as we have been led to believe, this just might cause you to revisit the “marriage-divorce thing” that is debated in many religious circles today.

We forever pray that this inspirational message will abundantly bless you, greatly inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: Help, Mate!

Most of us are familiar with the story we find in the second chapter of the book of Genesis.  You know the one where God is about to make “a help meet for man” because he said, “it is not good that the man should be alone” (Genesis 2:18).  In the subsequent verses (Genesis 2:19-24), God reveal his best solution for a situation that he brings to our attention with his “it is not good” statement, “the loneliness of man.”  God eventually takes a rib from the man, creates a woman from that rib, and now man has “a help meet,” a helper, a companion to overcome something God had said was not good; “man’s loneliness.”  The scriptures go on to say “the man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave (be joined) unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Genesis 2:24).

And even though this union is God’s best for mankind, the union has had some issues from the very beginning and those issues have carried over throughout the years.  If you remember, Adam, instead of manning-up and taking responsibility for what he had done, blamed the woman, telling God “the woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat” (Genesis 3:12).  This was not exactly the response that Adam was supposed to give when God asked him if he had eaten of the tree that he was commanded not to eat of.  It appears that the man did not fulfill his responsibility when it came to the commandment of God or his obligations to his “help meet,” whom he claimed was “now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh” (Genesis 2:23).

God would later instruct the man as to how they should treat his “help meet.”  But not to worry ladies, God also left instructions for you as to how you are to treat the one you were created for, but unfortunately this will not be covered in today’s devotional.  Scripture tells us, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” (Ephesians 5:25).  It also tells us, “So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies.  He that loveth his wife loveth himself.  For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church” (Ephesians 5:28-29).  We are told, “Husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered” (I Peter 3:7).

To our brothers in the body of Christ, today’s inspirational message is for you.  Hopefully, it will give you insight into just how you are to love “the help meet” that God created because “it is not good that the man should be alone.”  To our sisters in the body of Christ, understanding this message will give you insight into just how you are to be loved by the one God created you for as well as helping you to understand God’s instructions for you.

We forever pray that our inspirational message will abundantly bless you, greatly inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW