Devotion: Endure Hardship

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind.  And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it” (I Corinthians 10:13 NIV).

Too many so-called believers still have pieces of their old sinful nature still living within them.  While many have been able to put to death many aspects of their sinful natures, many choose to keep souvenirs, clinging to particular portions of their old life.  While there are varying amounts being kept, these tokens only serve as reminders of a life gone by, a life that was completely ruled by a sinful nature.  The problem with keeping these souvenirs, these tokens alive, it gives opportunity for temptation to do its thing.

“But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death” (James 1:14-15).

Every man is tempted, but he is tempted by his own passions and by his own desires.  His own lust serves as the bait for the temptation.  Once the trap is baited, it is man’s lower nature, his fleshly desires that draws him away and entices him.  Then once the temptation goes from the confines of man’s mind and he acts upon it, he then gives birth to sin.  Once sin is born, it grows up, matures, and then brings with it, death.

“But remember this—the wrong desires that come into your life aren’t anything new and different.  Many others have faced exactly the same problems before you.  And no temptation is irresistible.  You can trust God to keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can’t stand up against it, for he has promised this and will do what he says.  He will show you how to escape temptation’s power so that you can bear up patiently against it” (I Corinthians 10:11-13 TLB).

While the old cliché says, “God never gives you more than you can bear,” we actually see that God will not allow you to be tempted beyond your capability to “stand up against the temptation, if you choose.”  But you have to be willing to find the way of escape and not allow that old sinful nature and the temptation to give birth to sin.  It is then, when you find that way of escape, that you will be able to endure and “stand up against it.”  Remember, God will provide a way out, a way to escape, but you have to look for it and be willing to use it.

We pray that today’s inspirational message will be a blessing to you and we pray that you will share them with others so that they may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: An Ugly Tree

It was the first man, Adam who came from the earth, who “was made a living soul” (I Corinthians 15:45).  Scripture tells us “Adam was the figure or the type of him who was to come” (Romans 5:14).  It was Jesus who was first made in the likeness of earthy man, fashioned as the first.  Then upon his resurrection, “he was made a quickening or life-giving spirit” (I Corinthians 15:45).  We know that first came the natural man and then came the spiritual man.  And as we have bore the image of the earthly man, we now have the opportunity to bear the image of the heavenly man.  We now have the opportunity to put on a spiritual body that comes directly from God.

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.  Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified” (Romans 8:28-30).

We are fully aware that all things work together for the good to those who have love for God.  It is those who have this love for God that have come to him and it is them that he has declared not guilty, and filled with the goodness of Jesus Christ.  He has given them right standing and given them his glory.  For God knew before the beginning, pre-destined, if you will, that those who would come to him would bear the likeness of the only begotten son of God, that he, Jesus Christ might be the firstborn among many brothers.

“If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.  But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.  For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.  But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming” (I Corinthians 15:19-23).  “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree” (Galatians 3:13).

If our hope in Jesus rest solely in this present life, then we have completely missed the boat.  Jesus Christ has risen from the dead to become the firstfruits of them who have died or slept.  He is the firstfruits of the first resurrection.  This be the resurrection from the dead that came to all men because of what Jesus himself did.  It is in this life, this resurrected life, that we are to rest our hope.  We know that everyone dies because all of us are related to Adam, being members of his sinful race, and wherever there is sin, death results.  And because all who are in Christ are related to Christ, then all will rise again because Christ redeemed us when he hung on that “ugly tree”

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: The Weapon Of The Spirit

We now know that there is a battle going on in our mind for the control of our soul.  We also now know that our enemy comes from the spirit realm.

“For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world’s rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).  “For though we walk (live) in the flesh (in this body), we do not war (fight) after (according to) the flesh (human standards) (II Corinthians 10:3).

Although we live in this world in the flesh, we do not engage in war according to the flesh, as the world does.  We do not wrestle against people made of flesh and blood.  While it appears that our encounters are mostly with people, things are not always as they appear to be.  In this war, we wrestle against persons without bodies.  We battle against the evil rulers of the spirit realm.  That’s right; we battle against the mighty satanic beings, against the great evil princes of darkness, and against the wicked spirits of this unseen world.  This battle takes place in the arena of our mind for the control of our soul.

“For though we walk in the flesh, we don’t wage war according to the flesh; for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the throwing down of strongholds, throwing down imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ; and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience will be made full” (II Corinthians 10:3-6 WET).

Therefore, the weaponry of our warfare cannot be that of conventional human weapons.  No, we must use spiritual weaponry, weapons provided to us by God.  These mighty weapons are designed to knock down and overthrow the enemy’s strongholds.  When used properly, these mighty weapons can cast down every proud argument against God.  These mighty weapons can pull down every high thing that promotes itself against the knowledge of God.  These mighty weapons can bring into captivity every thought, every idea, and every suggestion that comes into your mind.  These weapons can bring into compliance your mind with the mind of Christ.  Keep in mind that these battles take place in our mind.

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:10-11).  “Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:13-17).

Through all of this, we are to be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power.  Then we are to put on the whole armor of God so that we will be able to stand against all of the wiles of the devil.  We are to put on truth, the true word, to put on righteousness; to fit ourselves with the gospel of peace; and above all, we are to take with us faith, to take with us salvation, and to take with us the word of God.  Having put on all of these things, we are to stand, for then we will be able to stand against all enemies, to withstand all attacks, and quench every fiery dart of the devil.  When we use “God’s instruments of war,” we can stand against the tricks of the devil, we can keep our position against all of his deceits, and we can eventually win the war.

We hope that today’s inspirational message will allow you to see who our true enemy is and give you a new perspective on the real war that we are fighting.  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: The Blessing Of The Lord Will Make You Rich

We know that we continually talk about prosperity and how it is God’s will for his children to prosper.  We have shown you many passages that reveal it is God’s will for us to prosper.  We know that many look around the Christian circles and only see those who preach about prosperity prospering while others appear to struggle to make ends meet, while waiting on their own prosperity.  Because we see the apparent injustices of those in religious leadership positions wearing the expensive designer clothes, riding in the expensive luxury cars, and living in the big expensive houses with servants and the like, many have decided that prosperity can only be of the devil and so they do not want any part of the so-called prosperity message.  What they do not realize is that they are actually hurting themselves.

First of all, not everything in this world that we live in is as it appears to be.  This is just a fact of life.  Since the beginning of man, we have been deceived, manipulated into doing things that have gone against the truths that are found in the word of God.  The really sad part is that the same deceit and manipulation still goes on today by the very one that has continually deceived the world.  The devil’s craftiness and deceitful nature was first depicted during the fall of mankind (Genesis 3:1-13).  If he was able to alter what God had said in the mind of Eve (II Corinthians 11:3), what makes you think he cannot do the same today?

Many are aware of the devil and his minion’s infiltration into the Church, but has any thought been given to other areas that he may have influenced.  It should not be out of the question to consider the devil’s role in the translation of the very Bible that we use.  And no we have not lost our minds nor are we speaking against what some consider to be the very word of God.  We know that Satan himself can masquerade around as “an angel of light” (II Corinthians 11:14).  We also know that his ministers can be transformed into “ministers of righteousness” (II Corinthians 11:15).  And we know that his only purpose, since the beginning, has been to deceive mankind (Revelation 12:9).  We all have been taught that the devil knows the Bible, so not to consider this possibility may prove to be detrimental.

Scripture upon scripture has revealed that God wants his children to prosper and he enjoys helping us to prosper.  Misinterpretations have caused many to reject the prosperity message, seeing it in a negative light.  Since “no man can serve two masters, because he will either love the one and hate the other or he will keep or hold on to one and have not respect for the other” (Matthew 6:24), prosperity has been taken off the table.  According to scripture, it is “the love of money” that is “the root or cause of all evil” (I Timothy 6:10), so by taking money out of the equation, then we get rid of the evil that is cause by this “evil money.”  You see, if you do not have this “evil,” then you can love the Lord God with all of your heart, soul, strength, or mind.  Problem solved, right?  Not exactly.  Money in and of itself is not evil.  In this economical system, money is just a tool necessary for you to live.  It is the “love of money” that is the problem not the money itself.

God wants his children to prosper and he enjoys helping us to prosper.  And as we have continually stated, there is a specific reason for the prosperity.  God gives us the power or the ability to get wealth to fulfill his promise, that agreement he made with our ancestors (Deuteronomy 8:18).  But in order to prosper the right way, we have to understand that there is a godly path to prosperity, a way that adds no sorrow.  Of course, if there be a right way to prosper, then surely there be a wrong way to prosper.  You just need to make sure that you find the right path to prosperity.  We will give you a clue, it involves having “the blessings of the Lord” for “the blessing of the Lord makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it” (Proverbs 10:22 NLT).

Again, we pray that today’s message will abundantly bless 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 Is A Genius

Have you ever wondered why man was created out of the dust, but the woman was created from the rib of man?

“And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; and the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man” (Genesis 2:21-22).

Over the years, man has created some interesting stories related to the creation of man.  There are even more interesting stories associated with the creation of woman from the rib of man.  Believe it or not, the answer has more to do with sin and salvation than anything else.

“And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation” (Acts 17:26).

According to this passage, God created from one blood all the nations of men living on the face of the earth.  This is why Eve was created in the fashion that she was created, so that there would be only one blood for all mankind.  Had Eve been created from the dust as man was, there would have been two bloods.  And with two bloods, the need for two saviors.  While there is much speculation on how the other people came to be on the earth, it appears that we all came from one man: one man, one blood, and one race; the human race and with that, the need for one savior.  How awesome is God?  God is a genius.

As always, 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: God Plays No Favorites

Recently, we referred to a study we did on “The Characteristics of God, his nature, his character, and his personality.”  In that commentary, we revealed the one thing we had discovered that completely summed God up in a nutshell, “God is a god of integrity.”  We defined “integrity” as “the quality of possessing and steadfastly adhering to high moral principles or professional standards; uncompromising adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty; or the state of being complete or undivided.”  We also mentioned that “the integrity thing” had absolutely nothing to do with God’s abilities or his capabilities.

We found that the sovereignty of God speaks to the abilities and capabilities of God but has little to do with the integrity of God.  And as we mentioned before, we do not make it a habit of speaking for God because God’s words speak for and interpret themselves; however, there are times when the significance of those words gets lost in translation.  God has the ability to be unfair, immoral, unrighteous, and to do evil and bad things.  He has the ability to change anything that he chooses to change, especially his mind, if he chooses to change it, as well as the ability to lie, if he wants or chooses to.  God is fully capable of doing anything he so chooses, but the God that we serve, the sovereign God of all creation has chosen not to do any of the abovementioned things because he is “a god of integrity.”

Therefore, when you read in scripture “there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts” (II Chronicles 19:7), “God changes not” (Malachi 3:6), and “it is impossible for God to lie” (Hebrews 6:18), know that God has chosen these very traits to be part of “his nature, his character, and his personality.”  What God has said at the beginning and what he said in past times still holds true today and will continue in the future (Ezekiel 24:14).  What he gave at the beginning, he is still giving today and he will continue to give in the future (James 1:17).  Regardless of his abilities, God has chosen not to do certain things that would bring into question his integrity.  Many of the changes you see today are because man changed what God has said, not God changing what God has said.  Man has changed many things and then used God’s name to do so.  Man has done this so much throughout the years; he is now not able to distinguish the truth from the fiction.  God has not changed his mind about any one thing that he stated in the beginning or changed any one of those things that he put into place in the beginning.  God has never lied, not one time, past or present.  And God has never played nor does he play favorites.  This is why our God has chosen to be “the One of integrity;” that way, his children would recognize him over all others.

As you read today’s commentary, we pray that this message will bless you as well as inform you.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: A Faith Fight

Most of us have an idea what faith means, but what we do not realize is just how much faith is involved in our everyday life.  The biblical definition of faith says that “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1 KJV).  Faith is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen.  Faith is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us even though we cannot see it up ahead.  Faith has been around since the beginning of time.  Faith is trust in somebody or something, especially without logical proof.  It is having trust in somebody that you consider worthwhile and truthful.  It is also accepting that something exists when there is no physical proof of its existence or of its reality.  Explaining faith to those who doubt “the existence of faith” can be summed up similar to this, which surprisingly supports the existence of faith that can be found in everyone.

“A man (woman) agrees to take a job with a company.  The company tells the man that he will be paid every two weeks.  The man agrees to the terms and accepts the job.  The man reports to work the first day, works eight hours, and afterwards, he goes home.  The next day the man repeats what he did the first day.  The man does the exact same thing for one week straight.  Payday comes and the company gives the man his first paycheck.”

A careful examination of the above story reveals that faith actually plays a bigger role in our everyday life more than what many realize.  The man has placed his faith in the company, believing that the company is able to do all that the company says it can do.  In the man’s case, he believes or has taken on faith that he will be paid when he gets to the end of the pay period.  The strength of his faith and the evidence of his conviction is fully demonstrated in the fact that he goes to work each day without any form of compensation during the period.  Again, this speaks for the amount of faith the man has placed in the company.  Once payday comes and he gets his paycheck in his hand, he does not need faith anymore because the thing that he had hope for, the thing that he believed he was getting from the company is now a reality.  He has received that which he hoped for, the thing that was unseen until now.  This is a classic example of faith in action.  Moreover, this is a classic example of the strong kind of faith Abraham had (Romans 4:20-21) and the great faith of the Roman centurion (Matthew 8:5-10).

Faith provides substance or assurance and then faith provides evidence, in the sense of proof that results in confidence.  There is not a lot of difference between assurance and evidence except for their qualifiers.  One involves hope and the other involves realities that are unseen.  While everything that you have learned has come through your five senses or through what is called “sense knowledge,” faith is not perceived by the senses because faith is the evidence of the thing hoped for and not the thing itself.  You do not need evidence to believe in something that you can physically see, taste, smell, hear, or touch.  The evidence speaks to the fact that the thing exist somewhere, otherwise you cannot have evidence for something that does not exist.

Whenever there is faith, there is also some type of action involved.  Everywhere you see faith expressed in the Bible, there is some type of action associated with that faith.  Faith is acting, which is the action, upon what you believe.  You have to start with something and that something is belief.  You first must believe, which is accepting that something can be true or that something is real.  Then you will need faith, which is believing or trusting that something is, especially when there is no logical proof that it exists.  Next, there is action, which is doing something in order to reach a goal.  Once you reach your goal, which is basically the end of the race, then there is no more need to have faith.  You do not need faith for something that you can physically see, that you can physically taste, that you can physically smell, that you can physically hear, or that you can physically touch.  Once you physically see it, taste it, smell it, hear it, or touch it, then you do not need faith, because now you actually have the thing that you had hoped for, so there is no need to continue hoping for it, you have it.

In our story, the man’s faith is tied to the belief, the well-ground assurance that he will be paid when he is supposed to be paid.  The evidence of his conviction is tied to him going to work every day, even though he cannot see the reality of the thing he hopes to get, which is the pay.  Once the man gets his paycheck, he does not need faith anymore because the thing that he had hope for, the thing that he believed he was getting from the company is now a reality.

There are many who fail to understand the power of faith and how it works.  We hope this example will help in your understanding of faith and hopefully help you in your faith fight.  As always, we pray that our commentary 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