Devotion: God Will Provide

Recently, we spoke of God’s promise “to supply all your needs from his riches in glory because of what Christ Jesus has done for us” (Philippians 4:19 TLB).  We discovered that this is the promise from our heavenly Father to provide for us, like a “guaranteed provision” with nothing lacking (Luke 12:22-32).  However, as we look at the world today, we see what appears to be many lacking that “guaranteed provision” that we find in the word of God.  But why is this so?

We live in a very negative society where the culture focuses on what’s wrong or what’s missing.  The devil is constantly bombarding our mind with ungodly negative thoughts, ideas, and suggestions.  He is very cunning as he slowly infiltrates our mind.  Sure, we see the daily struggles of those who succumb to poverty, sickness, and death, but he specializes in fear and failure tactics, which creates depression, fear, discouragement, low self-esteem, worry, anxiety, confusion, doubt, and unbelief.  Fear is a force like faith, where fear can actually bring things to pass just as faith can bring things to pass.  The devil tries to distract our attention away from God.  He wants to keep us so busy trying to figure out our mess that we just give up.

Therefore, don’t be moved by the circumstances of a situation and don’t deny that the situation exists, but have faith that you will be blessed in the spiritual to resolve the situation.  Don’t allow your “sense knowledge; knowledge that is gained through or by your five senses,” to dictate what you should do; how you should act or react; and the direction that your faith should head.  As long as you look at the circumstances of life, as long as you look at what happens to others, doubt can enter and cause your faith to leave.  So many times in life, you will allow what you see to affect your faith and your belief.  You will allow what you see happen to others to cloud your vision and cause you to doubt the word of God.  Many times, you allow others and circumstances to influence or discourage your faith because you base your faith on feelings or emotions instead of the word of God.  Human reasoning has been and will continue to be a great hindrance to faith.

Your faith must be great, strong, true, and unfailing.  It should never be weak, little, or wavering.  Faith is a product of the heart, not a product of the head.  The devil will make you question your faith and belief by getting into your mind, through your head and not your heart.  You must have faith and you must also believe; these are two separate things.  Belief alone will not work without some action of faith.  Faith will not function without belief.  “Faith” is the acting on what you “believe,” acting on the word of God.  The soul contains your desire, your will, your intellect, and your mind.  You must be in control of all of these things.  Do not be bound by the circumstances and never be bound by your emotions either.  You must renew your mind and your soul daily.  You must get “the word of God” inside of you so that it will shine during the times when you are tested.  “Your actions mirror your faith.”  Faith is always now, present tense.  Faith is never about tomorrow or about yesterday.

God has promised to take care of us, promised to provide, promised to supply all our need, but we have to take God at his word, believe that he is fully capable to do all that he has promised, and we must put action to our faith.  Today’s inspirational message will help you to see how to put action to your faith.  We forever pray that our 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.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: You Have Guaranteed Provisions

God has made a promise to take care of you, a promise...

“. . . to supply all your needs from his riches in glory because of what Christ Jesus has done for us” (Philippians 4:19 TLB).

Because of Jesus, we now have the opportunity to “become a child of God” (John 1:12-13) and as a child of God, we have “a divine inheritance to the best in life, deserving all the Father has to offer” (Romans 8:14-17).  This is the promise from our heavenly Father to provide for us, like a “guaranteed provision” with nothing lacking (Luke 12:22-32).

Today’s inspirational message offers a glimpse into something we like to call “our guaranteed provisions.”  We pray that this message will bless you and that you will share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: The Purpose Of Life

So many, both believers and non-believers want to know the purpose of life, especially “the purpose for their individual life.”  However, with so much controversy surrounding the topic, many are confused as to the true purpose of life.  As for us, we are constantly searching, constantly redefining the purpose of life, especially here at this ministry.   And while we understand the basics, we continually search for that deeper purpose, that ultimate meaning and understanding that can only be found in the revelation knowledge that the Holy Spirit shares with us as we continue to seek God’s will.

“Yet when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten.  No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began.  But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord.  That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.’

But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets.  No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit.  And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.

When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom.  Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths.  But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit.  It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.  Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others.  For, ‘Who can know the Lord’s thoughts?  Who knows enough to teach him?’  But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ” (I Corinthians 2:6-16 NLT).

The kind of wisdom spoken of here is not the kind of wisdom that the world uses or the kind of wisdom that the sages and the men of discernment use, but the kind of wisdom that comes directly from God, through God’s word.  This wisdom spoken of here, tells “those that have an ear to hear” of the things of God, his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began.  So, if you want to know “the purpose of life,” ask the Holy Spirit to reveal “the purpose” to you.  Keep in mind the Spirit searches out everything and shows “those that have an ear to hear,” God’s deep secrets.  Once revealed, you have to follow God’s instructions if you are to become all that God had planned for you to become.

Today’s inspirational message is but another thought in the endless array on “The Purpose Of Life.”  We pray that this message will add to your understanding as well as be a blessing to you.  If blessed by it, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: You Are Rich Because Of What Jesus Did

Most people do not understand the complete significance of Jesus’ sacrifice at Calvary.  Most everyone knows that his death redeemed us and brought many freedoms from “the curse of the law” (Galatians 3:13), but they do not understand that it also brought us so much more.  Because of what Jesus did, his sacrifice at Calvary, we now have the right “to become a child of God” (John 1:12-13), “whereby we cry Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15).  Because of what Jesus did, we now have the right “to share in the blessing of Abraham, receiving the promise of the Spirit through faith” (Galatians 3:14).  Because of what Jesus did, we now have the right “to the inheritance of the new covenant, a better covenant, built with better promises (Hebrews 8:6-13), 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).  Because of what Jesus did, we now have been given back “the original authority (dominion) that God gave to Adam” (Matthew 28:18) but was lost (Luke 4:6), given away when he ate of the fruit in the garden (Genesis 3:6-7).  Because of what Jesus did, we now have the right “to life, a more abundant life” (John 10:10), lacking nothing (Philippians 4:19).

God has “made us alive together with Christ, for by grace we are saved; and raised us up together, making us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:4-6) and has “blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3).  And while you may have the right to good health, wealth, and total life prosperity because we “be in Christ” (II Corinthians 5:17), there be a thief, an adversary if you will, that is come to kill your good health, steal your wealth, and to destroy your total life prosperity (John 10:10).  He, this thief, this adversary, “walks about like a roaring lion, seeking those that he may devour” (I Peter 5:8).  And because many do not understand the complete significance of Jesus’ sacrifice at Calvary, they either have not claimed what belongs to them because they do not know they have this inheritance or have allowed the thief to steal everything from them.  Keep this thought in mind, that a thief can only steal from you, if you have something of value in the first place to steal.  A thief is not interested in stealing from someone who has absolutely nothing to steal.  What would be the point in being a thief if there is nothing to steal from anyone.

Motivated by what they see happening in the world, most people walk by sight and not by faith, which is contrary to how we are supposed to walk (II Corinthians 5:7).  This has given place to the devil (Ephesians 4:27) and allowed him to steal their divine inheritance, kill off their authority (dominion) or divine rights, and completely stop them from prospering in this life at all.  Jesus says he “is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10), but we need to seek those things that were lost so that we may fully understand the significance of what Jesus accomplished through his sacrifice at Calvary.

Hopefully today’s inspirational message will get you started in the right direction, revealing that “you are rich because of what Jesus did.”  As always, we pray that this message will bless you, 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: Pay Your Teachers

Do you financially support those who minister to your spiritual needs?  So many of us will gladly give money to those things that entertain us, to those things that feed our flesh, and to those things, whatever they may be, that we deem worthy of financial support, but we are cautious, sometimes even reluctant about giving money to those who feed our spirit.  Yes, we realize there are some who claim to be “ministers of righteousneous” (II Corinthians 11:12-15), whose sole purpose is to deceive us, but should they deter us from supporting those who are truly of the kingdom of God?  Scripture tells us, “not to believe every spirit but to put each one to the test to see if they are from God” (I John 4:1-6) which has been designed to help us identify those with “the spirit of Antichrist.”

So, do not allow your fear of being deceived prevent you from supporting those working in the kingdom of God, who actually feed the spiritual needs of the world.  Test each of those spirits, just as the scriptures instruct you to and invest your money wisely into the kingdom and support those who feed us spiritually.  The return on that investment will pay amazing dividends in the long run.

We pray that this inspirational message will give you a new perspective on “supporting those who spiritually feed you.”  We also pray that the message will bless you, 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 Not Under The Law

Is “The Law,” those so-called “rules of conduct” given to the Israelites back in the days of the Old Testament for us today?  This is one of the more highly debated questions in many religious circles today; however, we wanted to share a few things that we have discovered during the course of our studies.  Under the old covenant, the laws, written on stone tablets and conveyed to the Israelites through Moses, were given to regulate almost every aspect of life (Exodus 24:12).

He cancels the first system in favor of a far better one.  Under this new plan we have been forgiven and made clean by Christ’s dying for us once and for all.  Under the old agreement the priests stood before the altar day after day offering sacrifices that could never take away our sins.  But Christ gave himself to God for our sins as one sacrifice for all time and then sat down in the place of highest honor at God’s right hand, waiting for his enemies to be laid under his feet.  For by that one offering he made forever perfect in the sight of God all those whom he is making holy.  And the Holy Spirit testifies that this is so, for he has said, “This is the agreement I will make with the people of Israel, though they broke their first agreement: I will write my laws into their minds so that they will always know my will, and I will put my laws in their hearts so that they will want to obey them.”  And then he adds, “I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds” (Hebrews 10:9-17 TLB).

Unlike the days of the old covenant, where the laws were written on stone tablets and passed along by Moses, under this new covenant, we have those same laws written into our minds and placed in our hearts, so that those “rules of conduct,” originally given to the Israelites are now written into our very being.  However, there is one major difference between the old and the new covenant that everyone involved in the great debate needs to consider.  Under this new covenant, we actually have a High Priest, Jesus Christ, who offered himself as the sacrifice for the penalty of sin and of death for all time, redeeming those who would accept the free gift of salvation, from the condemning curse of the law (Galatians 3:10-14), but he did not free us from “the rules of conduct” themselves.

“Don’t misunderstand why I have come—it isn’t to cancel the laws of Moses and the warnings of the prophets.  No, I came to fulfill them and to make them all come true.  With all the earnestness I have I say: Every law in the Book will continue until its purpose is achieved.  And so if anyone breaks the least commandment and teaches others to, he shall be the least in the Kingdom of Heaven.  But those who teach God’s laws and obey them shall be great in the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 5:17-19 TLB).

While we may not have the laws on stone tablets any longer, that does not mean they are still not in effect; they just appear to be in effect from the inside of us.  We pray that today’s 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: Gift Or Purchase?

Normally when someone dies, they usually leave behind something called  “a last will and testament.”  This is a legal declaration for the purpose of giving final instructions as to how a person’s estate is to be managed and instructions for the distribution of any properties or inheritances.  Scripture tells us that Jesus is the mediator of a new testament, a new agreement that by means of death, his death, a payment was given as atonement for the offences committed under the first agreement, rescuing those, who answer the call, from the penalties for all sins committed while under that old system, that those who answer might receive the eternal inheritance which had been promised to us (Hebrews 9:15).  Therefore, Christ being offered once, through death, to bear the sins of many, will bring salvation to those who have answered the call and who are eagerly and patiently waiting for him to return (Hebrews 9:28).

Now we have a new agreement that brought to light a righteousness from God that depends on faith in Jesus Christ.  A righteousness where God will accept us, acquit us, and declare us not guilty, if we accept Jesus Christ as our savior and redeemer.  A righteousness that has been extended to all who accept, where it does not matter who we are or what we have done.  A righteousness that justified us freely by the grace of God through the redemption that Jesus Christ purchased, whereby God declares us “not guilty” of offending him if we just place our trust in Jesus Christ to remove our sins.  A righteousness, that by the kindness of God, freely removes all our sins and all we have to do is accept the free gift (Romans 3:21-24).

As always, 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