Can We Be Successful In Christ If We Miss the Basics? What Are the Basics?

Before we go looking for the deeper things of God that are going to set us free from the issues of life that bind us, we must first be sure that we are doing the elementary things.   I played a lot of sports growing up.  It wasn't the 'fancy shots' and the 'fancy plays' that won the games for us.  Getting the basics down, offence, defense, hard work and team play were the things that caused us to win the games.  It is the same thing playing music, learning basic rhythms and chord progressions are necessary for basic play, 'fancy playing' means nothing if you can't piece it together into a song that is usable.  It is the same thing in life.  No matter how DEEP you go into spiritual revelation of God's Word, if you don't have the basics of spirituality down, you will suffer loss in more ways then one.  What does the Bible clarify as the basic, elementary teachings of Christ?  This is found in Hebrews 6:1. 

6 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, ² of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. ³ And this we will^[a] do if God permits.

The thing that we must see today is that if we do not do the basics, we will not win the game.  And Paul said to play as if you were trying to win the victor's crown. 

First there is repentance from dead works.  How much trouble do we get ourselves into because we are focusing so much time on things that we really should be laying down?  How much money do we waste on things that we really should be laying down.  How much of our prayer time is us asking God to get us out of a mess we wouldn't be in if we had REPENTED from dead works.  We are losing in life, because we didn't understand, and apply the basics. 

Second there is faith towards God.  How many times have we walked away from an opportunity because we didn't have the faith to think that we could step into that position?   How many times have we refused to obey the Word of God because we didn't have the faith to trust God?  When we fail to have faith in God we end up losing in life along the way.  We must do the basics of the faith, or we will find ourselves sitting on the side of the road in life, going no where fast. 

Third there is the doctrine of baptisms.  Notice that this is plural.  Not baptism.  But baptisms.  That is because there is more written in the bible beside just the baptism in water.  When God has something available to us, he does so because he wants to equip and empower us.  When we only adhere to water baptism and do not submit ourselves to the full of gospel we rob ourselves of the advantage and the power that we need to overcome the evil one. 

Fourth is the laying on of hands.  This is a doctrine for the transfer of God's anointing, and the transfer of spiritual authority to promote and to bless.   How many times do we remain sick because we do not lay hands on the sick and pray?  How many times do we fail to receive power from God to overcome a situation because we do not think it necessary to have someone lay their hands on us and pray?   I have heard plenty of people say, "I don't need to have anyone lay hands on me."  That is like someone underneath the basket saying, "I don't need to block out, I can get the rebound with out it."  That is just ignorance.  If God said that laying on of hands is a elementary and fundamental teaching of Christianity, who are we to say we don't need it?  We suffer because we do not do the basics. 

Fifth is the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.  Why are these so important?  The Bible says that Jesus was able to endure the things he suffered because he LOOKED forward to his resurrection from the dead and his reward from God.  How can we keep our mind on things above if we do not have a heaven mind-set?  And the eternal judgment.  If we keep in mind that we will stand before God and give an account we will be more likely to do the things that please God.  When I do not believe in the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment than the only thing left is THIS WORLD.  And if this world is all there is than I will live more for the flesh and the things that will gratify in this life.    Paul said that without the hope of the resurrection of the dead we are of all men the most miserable.  If you will let go of a worldly mindset and set your mind on the things above you will find that you will live more closely to God.   But, if we don't get the basics down, how can we 'fix' our issues with the deeper things of God? 

Do You Need A Change? Read More to Find Out How.

Sometimes change is a good thing.  Sometimes change is a bad thing.   Change isn't always what we want to see.  If someone has just started taking drugs it can become aparant by a change of look, change of behavior, change of grades...and these things go from good to bad.  Often when people are under stress the first thing they will do is try to find a joint, a pill or a drink.  It is because they feel like they need a change.  They want to be free of the things that are bothering them, and the drugs will change thier perceptions, change thier feelings, and change their thought and attitudes.  It is like a releif from the grief that they are carrying through life.   The world will try to  change you, but God will do so much more than that. 

If you will let him, God will not only change you, but he will transform you.  What's the difference?  A butterfly doesn't just change from a worm to a butterfly, the worm actually transforms.  It comes out a completely new creature.  Narcotics may be able to change the way you feel about life, but, narcotics cannot transform you.  When the drugs or alchohol wear off you are still facing the same inner disatisfaction that you had before you began taking them.   God doesn't just change you, he will actually transform you. 

1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual^a act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12: 1-2

When we accept Jesus as Savior we are transformed at that time.  After I surrendered my life to God, the desires that I had changed, the habits I had changed, the things I desired to do were different.  I had been transformed into a person with different desires than what I had before.  But, it doesn't stop there at salvation.  God wants to transform us everyday, and renew us in the faith.   In the verses above we are told to no longer conform to the patterns of this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. 

 Your mind will either make you or break you.  What is going on in your mind?  We can get our minds all out of whack.  We get angry, HOW?  We think on things that make us angry, often times it is things we can do nothing about.   We get worried, HOW?  We think on things that make us worry ourselves to death, and then we wonder why we feel dead inside.  We get UPSET and FEARFUL.  WhY?  We put images before our mind and in our thoughts that get us all upset and afraid, and then we wonder why our blood pressure is through the roof.   You can get yourself in a state where you are acting after the pattern of this world by churning things over and over and over and over and over and over in your mind.  That is how the world does things.  We shouldn't pattern our lives after the pattern of the world, but after the things of God.

17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect^a the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.  2 Cor. 3: 17-18

And what exactly are we free from?  We are free from worry, free from fear, free from stress, free from anxiety.  As a Christian, you only have to carry these things if you chose to do so.  When you transform your mind with the renewing of God's word you chose to let Jesus carry your worries, your fears, your stress, and you anxieties.  Transforming your mind with the renewing of his word doesn't mean just simply reading the bible, it means letting the Word of God be on the thoughts of you mind all day instead of that other junk that makes you so upset all the time.  If you are truly living by His Spirit you will be free to live, not bound up in mental anguish, anger and fears.  We are being tansformed into his likeness.  God is asking you to trust him today.  Let him renew your mind, and leave behind those things that upset you and make  you want to go get a drink.  Let him place himself and his word in your mind and his peace will transform your life.

Who Is Jesus?

Isaiah chapter 4 God is talking about the branch from God.   This branch is to come out of the house of Jesse (Isaiah 11:1)   This makes him a descendant of David.  (2 Samuel 7:12-13)   He will be endowed with the Holy Spirit.  He is to possess wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and reverence for God.  He will not judge impartially but in righteousness.  He will decide fairly, but ultimately he will deal with the wicked. 

Isaiah 4:2 In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and splendid for them that have escaped of Israel.

Jesus was endowed with the Spirit of God

Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those that are broken,

Jesus is the branch of God spoken about by Isaiah the prophet.   The bible says that Jesus went about doing good and healing all those who were oppressed of the devil. 

Matthew 12: 15But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from there: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;

16And charged them that they should not make him known:

17That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying,

18Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall show justice to the Gentiles.

19He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.

20A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he sends forth justice unto victory.

21And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

Jesus came to redeem mankind from the curse of sin and death, and to fulfill all the prophecies of the messiah he is coming back again on the clouds of glory to rule and to reign.

Revelation 9:

11And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon it was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he does judge and make war.

12His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

13And he was clothed with a robe dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

14And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

15And out of his mouth goes forth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

16And he has on his robe and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

Messiah, the branch, promised by God has come into the World, that branch is Jesus.  He healed the sick, raised the dead, cast out demons, and shed his blood for the salvation of all mankind.   Jesus is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.  And he is coming back again in clouds of Glory to receive us to himself. 

Will you pray today and ask God to reveal to you who Jesus is?  Say this prayer with me.  God, would you reveal to me who Jesus is?  amen. 

Why Doesn't God Do Something About All the Evil In the World?

Isaiah chapter 3 begins with God pronouncing judgment of the sins of his people.  There are two things God outlines in the chapter that grieves him, the cause of his judgment.  Have you ever just looked at your kids and said, "that's enough?"  Sometimes God has had enough. 

People are critical no matter what happens.    I often hear people say, "With all the evil in the world, why doesn't God do something about it?"  But then tragedies come, and then they change their tune and say, "Don't dare suggest that God allowed this tragedy to help mankind see his need to refrain from evil."   Jesus said to his generation:

Matthew 11: ¹⁶ “But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, ¹⁷ and saying: ‘We played the flute for you,  And you did not dance;
We mourned to you,  And you did not lament.’ ¹⁸ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ ¹⁹ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.”

So we see that people are critical because of all the evil on the earth, but then when God sends any type of judgment for those sins people say, "Don't dare say that God allowed this evil because of sin."    So people are critical no matter what happens.  We can't have it both ways. 

The Bible says that God brings judgments upon the nations that walk in violence and sin.   We pray for God to do something about all the evil.  He pours out judgments to get across to mankind that he is going the wrong way.  And then we turn around and say, "That isn't God's judgment, how dare you say that God would allow tragedies to happen?"   It is time to tell people that God is a just God and he does punish injustice and sin, because sin is selfishness and leads to fear and anger. 

Isaiah 3 opens pronouncing that God is going to bring judgments and then he list two things that is 'ticking him off.'  And these very things tick a lot of us off too, because both of these evils are prevail on the earth today. 

Isaiah 3:14The LORD will enter into judgment with the elders of his people, and its princes: For you have eaten up the vineyard; the plunder of the poor is in your houses.

15What do you mean that you beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor? says the Lord GOD of hosts.

First God's judgment comes because the rich oppress the poor.  When the rich use their money to bribe, to sin and do wicked things, to pay off people who over look their crimes, God is displeased.  When the poor does not get justice, but those who have money get away with  murder, God is not pleased.  When those who are in charge like the police, city and government officials and judges pervert justice for a bribe or sentence the innocent to protect someone who is rich, God is displeased.  All of these evils that the rich do to oppress the poor brings judgment upon the land. 

Isaiah 3:16Moreover the LORD says, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with outstretched necks and wanton eyes, walking and tripping as they go, and making a jingling with their feet:

17Therefore the Lord will strike with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will uncover their secret parts

Second God's judgment comes because of sexual immorality and an haughty attitude.   These verses are talking about woman who go about doing all they can to catch men in an affair.   Don't you hate it when another woman is making eyes at your man?   And it goes beyond sexual immorality.  When we dress up and look nice and then we think we are better than other woman because of our beauty and we look down our noses at people, God is displeased.  All throughout history women of particular beauty have dressed themselves up and then thought they were better than other people.  This is selfishness, pride, arrogance, and that kind of hatred towards others is selfish and hateful.  God is displeased.

Isaiah chapter 3 outlines at least two things that displeases God to the point that he brings judgment upon the earth.  You may disagree with these two things, you may not see anything wrong with either of those two things,  but unlike God we do not have the power to do anything about it.  If God brings judgment upon us because he is grieved with the way that we live, we can do nothing more than humble ourselves and line up, or we can shake our fist at God and anyone else that would dare tell us that we are wrong.   The two things outlined in Isaiah 3 are still going on today.  We see the rich oppressing the poor, and using their wealth to do injustice, and we see immoral woman who think their 'beauty' is a reason to think they can treat others with contempt.   It is time to repent, and ask God to forgive us, so that he can bring seasons of mercy upon us so that we can live free of his judgments. 

Does God Have Opinions? If So, What Is God's opinion?

The most arrogant thing that a person can do is mock the LORD and put their own opinions above God's Word.   God resists the proud, but he gives grace to the humble.  It is in our pride that the fool says in his heart there is no God.   We are living in a time when man in his arrogance dismisses God, and whatever he cannot explain he dismisses and attacks.  We are living in a day and time when mankind wants to give everyone a voice except for God.  If someone stands up and spouts out the most absurd ideas and opinions everyone applauds, because personal opinions are the gods that we as Americans serve.   And each human has an opinion, so that they live their life by their own opinion, answering only to themselves, in fact we have made ourselves the god that we follow.  And in our modern society, if you 'push' your opinion on others that is considered the ultimate sin.

What we fail to understand in our society is that God's Word is not an opinion, but is God's gift to mankind.  What gift is that?  He had the truth written into the Bible so that we wouldn't have to be lost through the ages, each of us trying to find the truth on our own, forming opinions to live by.  You only have one life to live.  If you live by your own opinions, in your own wisdom, and those ways turn out to be destructive, you have DESTOYED yourself. 

The Bible says there is a way that seems right unto a man but in the end it is destruction. 

We make our opinions the word that we live by, and our opinions fail us.  Each of us have seen people spouting on facebook their 'almighty' opinion, and we have shook our heads knowing that their opinion was going to bring them nothing but stupidity and heart ache.   Yet, we think that a persons opinion is omnipotent.  That it is there life, their opinion, their choice to be an idiot, to do things to destroy our lives.   It is time to get some wisdom about us and realize that the Bible has stood the test of time, and God has promised that those who build their lives upon what it says is like a wise man who built his house upon a rock.  The trials of life, the storms, the issues and the problems rain upon it, but their lives stand firm, while those who build their lives upon the sand.  FALL.  Pride is the source of our opinions, but God resist the proud.  God doesn't have an opinion, God only speaks truth.  An opinion is a theory, but God's Word is more than an opinion, God's Word is truth.  An opinion changes with circumstance and time and experience.  God has already seen all, and knows all, and been through all.  He no longer has opinion, His Word is truth and life.  His Word does NOT change, it stands the test of time and is always stable.  God's Word never fails. 

What are opinions?  Opinions are things that change with the passing of time, they are shifting.  Shifting like sand.  The Bible says that if we do not build our lives upon the Word of God we are like the foolish man that built his life upon the sand.  Our opinions are the sands of life, shifting, changing, not stable.  When the rains come, and the trials of life happen, and the issues arise, our lives then fall apart, because it was built on opinions instead of on the truth of God's Word. 

When we
Isaiah 2:¹⁰ Enter into the rock, and hide in the dust,
From the terror of the Lord
And the glory of His majesty.
¹¹ The lofty looks of man shall be humbled,
The haughtiness of men shall be bowed down,
And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.

¹² For the day of the Lord of hosts
Shall come upon everything proud and lofty,
Upon everything lifted up—
And it shall be brought low—

 

On the day of God's judgment, our opinions won't mean anything, will carry no weight, but they will be the quote:  'noose around our necks."

 

What Causes the Strong-Holds of the Enemy in our Lives?

We get the idea that we can do something FOR God.  This is where sacrifice comes in.  We sacrifice, time, money and talents to do something FOR God.  In the story of Joshua, did Joshua do something for God, or did God do something for Joshua?   God did something for Joshua.  Joshua simply obeyed God, and God broke down the walls and gave them the city.   In the story of Moses, did Moses do something for God, or did God do something for Moses?   God did something for Moses.  Moses simply obeyed God and God delivered the people by his mighty hand.   

We do not see man doing something for God and producing God results.  All man can do is obey God and because we had enough faith to be obedient to God, He moves on our behalf making the impossible, possible. 

God wants our obedience, because obedience is better than our sacrifices.   When we do what the Bible tells us to do we are breaking down strongholds in our lives.  When we disobey the Word of God we are creating a stronghold in our lives.  Obedience breaks the strongholds, disobedience creates them.  How many times does the devil get a hold on our life, and we realize it is because we didn't listen to the warnings of God and the people around us and we continued to do things we should not have done.  Disobedience creates strongholds!  

God said in Isaiah 1
¹⁶ “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;
Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes.
Cease to do evil,
¹⁷ Learn to do good;
Seek justice,
Rebuke the oppressor;^[a]
Defend the fatherless,
Plead for the widow.

“Come now, and let us reason together,”
Says the Lord,
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool.
¹⁹ If you are willing and obedient,
You shall eat the good of the land;
²⁰ But if you refuse and rebel,
You shall be devoured by the sword”;
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken

 

When we are walking in disobedience to God,  we try to 'do things for him' to ease our conscious and 'make up' for our disobedience.   It makes us feel better, but God is still looking for obedience.  Your disobedience is going to bring more unhappiness and destruction to your life.   How many times are we trying to PRAY DOWN the strongholds in our lives that the VERY DISOBEDIENCE in our lives are creating?   That is like eating oreo cookies all day and then trying to pray obesity out of our lives.  These will be unfruitful prayers.   How much of our prayer life is unfruitful because we are creating our own problems everyday with our disobedience, and then we offer up a sacrificial prayer for help to combat the fall-out of our own actions.  When God says to repent, and live right, he knows what he is talking about.  He only wants the best for you.  Obey God's Word and you will tear down the strongholds in your life! 

How Can I Pray A More Effective Prayer? Here's how.

Everywhere I go people are praying.  And often people say how can I pray more efficiently?  And often the problem is not prayer.  You have to understand that when we pray, God does not hear our words, God hears our hearts.   So choosing better words, or more efficient words would not make any difference in our prayers.  God made prayer so easy a child could do it.  You see, God hears our hearts when we pray and not the words of our mouths.  You can say all the right words with your mouth, and have the wrong thing in your heart and God will hear your heart instead of your words. 

Jesus said:
Matthew 15:8 These people draw near unto me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

A change of heart, repentance, a purification of your priorities and love as your motive are a few of the ways to make your prayers more effective because these are the things that perfect and purify your heart.   But even beyond prayer there are processes that we have to go through that helps us find God's provision in our life.  Look at the life of Esther, her help from God started with fasting and prayer, and it was manifested through a process of events that eventually  brought her before the KING to request a pardon for her life and the life of her people. 

 Prayer is the first step in receiving from God.   The children of Israel cried out to God while they were in slavery and the Lord heard and sent them a deliverer, Moses.  From their initial prayers to the crossing of the Red Sea all the way to the crossing of the Jordan River there were test and trials to walk through. 

Moses went up on the mountain for 40 days.  He went to hear from God.  It was a time when they were entering into a rest.  Those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength.    Moses went up the mountain with the two tablets.   God spoke to him face to face.  His face was transfigured and began to shine.  He was having an experience with God.  I don't imagine any of us would have wanted to come down off of that mountain if we had been Moses.  Yet, there came a time when the Lord spoke to him to come down off the mountain, the people had sinned.

The LORD wanted to destroy them all, but Moses interceded, and God changed his mind.  But what went wrong?  Why did they make a golden calf and worship it? 

Exodus 32: 1And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, who shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what has become of him.

It was the delay.  I want to ask you today what do you do when God delays?  What do you do when God wants to take a Sabbath?  What do you do when it is time to rest?  What do you do when things are moving slower than you thought?  What do you do when you wonder if you have been abandoned by God?  What do you do when it looks like your time table is being broken by God's plan?  

Do you rush past the delay and take matters into your own hand, like a plan B?  Do you sit and worry and stir up anxiety and refuse to take a Sabbath?  Do you refuse to rest and get up and plan and project and move right on with your golden calf?   Do you try to speed things up by pushing for another direction and another plan?  Moses was the leader, he went up on the mountain to enter into a rest, a Sabbath from leadership so he could hear from God, but what did the people do?  They decided they would go on with the program.  They had no interest in a rest.   They had no interest in seeking God.  Someone else rose up to lead them, someone that God had not appointed.  They said "we don't know about Moses, what has happened to him?'   This is what happens when people are going to rise up and do their own thing, first they cast shadows of doubt on the leadership that God instituted for their lives, and then they appoint someone else to rise up, who they readily follow.

Instead of this mountain experience being the greatest blessing of Moses life, a rest, an experience with God that made his face shine, a spiritual height,  it turned out to be one of the most frustrating and emotionally disturbing times of Moses' life. 

Prayer is more than just praying and then receiving.  There is a process of faith, trust, waiting, rest, patience, obedience and many other actions that must take place to see the hand of God move in your life.  I've been teaching on prayer for some time now, I've been trying to get people to look past the box and realize that prayer is only the first step in receiving your provision from God. 

Have The Actions Of Others Gotten You In The Mess Your In?

Jesus was betrayed by Judas.  Joseph was betrayed by his brothers.  Daniel was betrayed by his fellow co-workers.  The fiery darts of the devil often come from those who are closest to us.   Circumstances aren't as damaging to us as the people around us that do their part to put us in those circumstances.  It can leave you bitter and untrusting if you let it.  

I have counseled many people and the most angry and bitter people are those who have someone else to thank for the circumstance they are facing.  Often we are where we are because someone else made the decisions, someone else pulled the strings, someone else didn't consider how their actions would effect out lives.  It can leave you feeling like a victim and all alone.  

What I see in the Scriptures is that there was not one thing that Judas did to harm Jesus that was not ultimately part of God's master plan.   There was not one thing that the brothers of Joseph did to him that was not a part of God's master plan.  There was not one thing that happened to Daniel that was not a part of God's master plan.  Jesus suffered, Joseph suffered, Daniel suffered, and all of them have one thing in common.  They were innocent and someone else made them suffer because they were wicked.   You have always been a good person, but you have suffered at the hands of others.  It is time child of God to look up from your circumstances and realize that NOBODY has power over you even if they think they do.  Everything your persecutors are doing to harm you is nothing more than a piece of God's master plan, where He is working things out for your good.

Along with David you can proclaim, "yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil."  Whatever has happened to you in the past, whoever has hurt you and 'messed' you up, don't be angry, bitter or afraid.  Everything that has happened to you has been for a purpose.  Just like God took the broken body of Jesus and raised him up from the dead, God is raising you up now.  Just like God brought Joseph through trial and hardship and raised him up from the prison to serve the Pharaoh, so God is raising you up now.  Just like God took Daniel and raise him up from the lion's pit, so God is raising you up now.   It may be your darkest hour, and others may be to blame, but know for certain that in the end God will bring you to a better place! 

Prayer Alone Is Not Enough To Get Your Break Through

Prayer is about getting NEEDS met and about receiving abundantly more then we could ask or think.  Going beyond our needs and receiving all the abundance and provision of God.   We have to start thinking outside the box if we want to find the provisions of God.  To get our needs mePrt and to live an abundant life, prayer is only the FIRST step. 

The Bible says that the children of Israel were in slavery in Egypt.  They cried out to the LORD and God raised up a deliverer named Moses.  When they cried out to God in prayer, that was the first step to their deliverance but they had to go on to another step.

Once God sent Moses they had to submit to his leadership.  We must follow the vision and plan of God, and walk in complete trust and faith, they had to do more than just pray to get out of the mess they were in.   They had to submit to Moses, for God had made them accountable to him. 

Jonah disobeyed God and got himself swallowed up by circumstances,  literally eaten by a whale.   He had to do MORE than just pray to get out of that situation he was in.  He prayed and cried out to God, then he had to submit to God's will for his life.  Then he had to go by faith and preach God's Word. 

So we see that once again we see prayer, followed by submission which was followed by an act of faith.  This IS the path to deliverance.

Noah had to do more than just pray to be saved from the destruction of the flood.   He prayed and God revealed his plan.  He had to submit to building the boat and actually follow through with God's plan.  By faith he labored several decades without giving up and built a boat and his family was saved.

You are praying and praying and praying and praying and nothing has changed, breakthrough has not come.   Things just keep going about the same...Remember that it takes prayer, followed by submission, followed by faith to see the hand of God move.   Prayer is the key, submission finds the door, and faith puts the key in the door lock and opens you up for breakthrough. 

In your situation add submission to your prayer.  There is a person, a program or a word of instruction sent to you from God.  Submission is the key.  Often we want to pray for deliverance, but we don't want to line up in a 12 step program, or get an accountability partner, or listen to our family, or submit to the Pastor God has in our lives, or obey the Word of God.   Without submission you will not find deliverance.   Then STEP out in faith.  Don't just try to free yourself from your bondage, step out into a new LIFE.  Develop new friendships.  Start serving where you used to just be all taking.  Move from a bad attitude to a good one. 

Pray, Submit, and serve through faith in God.  If you do these things you will find that your prayers have been answered. 

God Wants God Beyond Just Meeting Your Needs

There are two things I want to talk to you about today concerning prayer.  Two of the primary  motives in prayer are need and desire for God.   When you have a desire or a passion for God you will NOT allow anything to stop you from PRAYER.  When you have a passion for God you live for the moment that you can go to God in prayer.  He is never far from your thoughts.  You are in communion with him through out your day.  Prayer is your passion, and prayer comes easy it is your delight.   You have a real hunger for God.    This is God's perfect will for us and what he desires for us that our prayer would spring up from a heart that has a genuine passion for his presence.  There are places in God that you CANNOT go until you have a heart felt passion for God.  There are battles that you will NEVER will until you have a consuming passion for the presence of the HOLY SPIRIT.  There are new levels in God that you will never know or begin to even understand until you have a hunger to spend time with God in prayer.   As the Scriptures say: 

Mark 12:30  And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength: this is the first commandment.

The second reason that motivates us to pray is our needs.  When we get in time of crisis or time of stress we begin to pray.  Most people have only experienced this level of prayer.   They pray when they are particularly stressed or have a greater need.    It is like that child that only calls home when they have a need.   You may get your NEEDS met that way, but you have to understand that God wants to bless you FAR BEYOND your needs.    You will miss the extended blessing and provisions that God has for you far above and beyond your needs if you do not have a passion to seek Him. 

We see the story of two sisters in the Bible here, and Jesus is coming to their home.  Martha was fixing diner, but Mary sat at the feet of Jesus.  Martha was focused on the NEEDS, but Mary was consumed be a PASSION for Jesus.   Martha complained that Mary was not helping out in the kitchen, but Jesus said that Mary had chose the better part.    Martha was need oriented,  Instead of having a passion for Jesus, she was a need oriented person.  Here are the      things that kept her need oriented, and hindered her passion for God

Luke 10:38Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

39And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.

40But Martha was cumbered about with much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

First we see here that Martha was cumbered about with much serving.  Other synonyms for that word cumbered are distracted, worried,  and busy.  If you want to have a passion for God you are going to have to do something about your distractions, your worries, your business, you are going to have to put GOD above everything else.   A person who is need oriented is distracted, cumbered, busy.  A person who has a passion for God puts all of that ON HOLD and sits at the feet of the master.  We get so busy trying to MEET the needs,  than we fail to get the needs met, SO we pray one of those prayers in our time of NEED saying GOD HELP.   Then he meets that need.  Meanwhile, if we had chosen to lay aside our business, and our distractions and our worries and sit at the feet of Jesus, not only would he have taken care of our needs, but he would have went BEYOND that and blessed us with every good thing even above what we have need of.    It is time to change our lifestyle from being need oriented, to having a sincere passion for God. 

Second we see here that Martha was questioning if God really cares.  Why did she do this?  Many people do this.  It is because when we lay aside passion for God to try to 'take care of things' by our own strength we ALWAYS come up short.  Does God really care?  Are you working, and striving, and going 72 hours a week and still your needs are not met.  Don't look at God and say, "Don't you care?"  Look at your self and say, "I have to lay down my cares and have a passion for God before God brings me an abundance."   When we don't have a passion for God, we become critical of him.  I've never met a person that sought God with ALL their heart, ALL their soul and ALL their strength that was not completely satisfied with him. 

Third we see that she was angry cause no one wouldn't help her.   When you are need oriented you are always going to be griping that you have to do it ALL yourself and don't nobody every help you.  Why does this happen?  Because need oriented people NEVER run out of needs.  If you live your life to just put out fires all the time and working on what the need is, you will find that you always have more than you can do because the needs NEVER end.  We have got to let go of the idea that we have to FIX everything.  You do not have to FIX everything.  You don't have to be the one to meet every need.   He said to Martha only ONE THING IS NEEDED, and Mary chose it, and it won't be taken from her.  All the needs you see?!?  We don't have to focus on those, just like Jesus said, sitting at his feet is the ONLY THING really needed. 

41And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things:

42But one thing is needful: and Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

 Are you need oriented in life?  If so than YOU WILL BE need oriented in your prayers to God.  We have to go past a need based life, and live a life of passion for God.  When God becomes your need and your passion not only will your needs get met, but God will open the doors of blessings to you above and beyond your wildest dreams. 

Help Me Lord, My Perfectionism Is KILLING Me!

God used my daughter Angela to help me understand his grace.  I was born a perfectionist, like my perfectionist MOTHER before me.    Perfectionist are usually full of anger and condemnation that when they SUPPRESS those things they end up in DEPRESSION.  They are angry and condemned because they try so hard to get everyone and everything perfect in this messed up imperfect world and they FAIL to do so EVERYDAY.  I lived under a load of anger and condemnation every day because I tried so hard to be perfect but couldn’t do it.   I gave birth to my first daughter and she was blind, mentally handicapped, and extremely autistic and her eyes rolled around.  The doctors said there was nothing they could do for her, just to take her home and do the best that I could with her.  When she was one year old and the doctors said she would never see, never walk, never be potty trained, maybe never sit up on her own…it was devastating.   And to make matters worse the autism made her so she did not want verbal interaction or touch interaction at all.  She cried if I said her name and touched her little hand.  It was difficult to say the least. 

 Being a perfectionist I was always down on myself.  Was I failing everyday?  Not in the mind of the people who knew me, but, in my  own mind I felt like every little thing I got wrong was TERRIBLE!      I was upset because of all of my imperfections.  How could God love me when I was so imperfect?   I was in tears.  The Lord spoke to me and said, “Patty is your daugther Angela perfect?”  Instantly I said, “Oh Yes!  She is absolutely perfect.”  The Lord said, “Really, IS SHE?”  Well, I stopped and looked at her and I said, “Well, no, I didn’t mean there was nothing wrong with her, what I meant was I love her, because she is mine.” Then my eyes were opened.  In spite of of the handicaps and problems that my daughter had, I said she was perfect, and to me she was perfect, I loved her just like she was!   Suddenly I realized that in spite of all my faults and imperfections God loved me, because I belonged to him.  I was giving my daughter grace when I said she was perfect and I did so without even thinking about it.  And now I understand the grace that God has for me.  

 I had a well-meaning person tell after I gave birth to her that they wouldn’t want to have a baby like that.  They meant well, but me being 20 years old holding this three month old very handicapped baby did not need to hear those words.  I went home and thought about it and made PEACE with it.  I decided that I wanted a baby like that because she was MINE, and that made her perfect to me.  I held her crying for quite a few hours and I told her over and over again,   “Don’t worry Angela, your momma wants you.  I want you, and I love you just like you are.”  I told her over and over again that I most definitely wanted HER.  She was only 3 months old, she had NO idea what I was saying, but I needed to say it and to hear myself say it.  It gave me peace and the resolve to raise her.  It was releasing GRACE into her little life.  Can you release grace to the people and things around you?  People ask me often how I can handle Angela.  I do so because of GRACE.  Grace will release your frustrations and help you overcome your anger. 

Most perfectionist realize that their perfectionist tendencies causes them more stress than blessings.  This can cause frustration,anger, depression and hours of condemnation and sleepless nights.

When we take our circumstance and add grace to it we find ourselves LESS frustrated.   How do we add grace to our circumstances?  When we look at our circumstances and realize they are not perfect and we find something in it that helps us accept and find comfort in our situation, we are making our peace through grace.

 There is a tool called GRACE.  GRACE is when you look at something or someone that is not perfect and you go ahead and overlook the imperfections and call it PERFECT anyway. God gives grace, and we need to give grace too. 

What is Keeping You Trapped in Your Circumstances?

When you are going through the toughest times in your life is when the heat and the pressure is applied.    It is during these times of your life that you have the greatest opportunity and potential for change.  Real change.  

Instead of being angry whenever someone turns up the heat in your life, be thankful to God.  Here is your greatest opportunity to allow God to mold you and change you.  It is hard, almost impossible to change when you are not going through some kind of stress or pressure.   The more you change into the image of Christ and allow God to mold and shape you the more you are going to experience his glory.

 It isn’t what you go through in life that determines who you are, it is HOW you go through it.  If  you are wise enough to seek God and allow him to change you when you go through fiery trials than each time someone hurts you, you end up better for it.

  If you blame others and focus on them and what they did, it will fill your mind with hatred, and your heart with pain.    And in doing so, you will lose another bit of your heart, another bit of your peace, another bit of your life until finally you have nothing left but bitterness and pain and anger. 

Saul had issues inside of him, so he couldn’t handle the giant he was facing in life.  David didn’t have issues in his heart, FAITH and confidence resided there,  so the giant on the outside couldn’t handle the strength of his heart on the inside.
What is keeping you trapped in your circumstances?  It isn’t the size of your problems.  The thing that is keeping you trapped right there is the ISSUES in your HEART!

The bible says to guard you heart.  If you guard a door that means you don't let any thing through the door.   Don't let things into your heart that is going to give you issues there.  Things like lust, envy, bitterness, doubt, pains, and angers.   How do you swing the door of your heart open and leave it unguarded?  You do so by yielding to sin.  Sinful deeds, sinful thoughts and sinful emotions. 

How Much of Our Prayer Life Is Spent Praying Against the Laws Of God?

I felt lead to begin writing on prayer.  The past couple of days the Lord has been revealing to me just how much of our prayer time is spent praying for things that we have need of all because WE DON'T OBEY GOD.   Yesterday we talked about seeking first the Kingdom of God.   The Lord asked us the question:  If we do not put the things of God as a priority in life, why would God put our things as a priority in life?  The answer is simple.  He won't!   Yet, when we seek the Kingdom of God FIRST, God adds to us everything we need.   So, if we aren't seeking the Kingdom of God first and we are lacking in things we need, is it even prudent to pray for those things?  Of course we can, but, we won't see much results.   I know people that have been needy all their life, prayed for their needs all their life, and are still needy today.  They pray to God for provisions, but they DO NOT SEEK first the things of God in life.  They live for the things they desire, not God's desire.  

Today we are going to talk about how each of us will reap what we sew.   Often when we are praying and we are wanting to see circumstances change.  Sometimes we are in those circumstances because of the way we choose to live.   There are laws by which God created this universe.   For instance the law of gravity, what goes up, must come down.  We all know and understand this law.  God also made spiritual laws that govern the universe.  Even if you do not believe in God you will not get away from the Spiritual laws that God has built into this universe.  For instance the 'law of giving', it is more blessed to give than to receive, and give and it shall be given unto you.  Even if you do not believe in God or the Bible at all those laws are at work in your life.  The whole earth is subject to the laws that God built the foundation of this earth upon.   The spiritual law that I want to talk about today is the law that says you reap what you sow.

How many times are we sowing 'wild oats' so to speak and then praying for CROP FAILURE?   Is it even prudent to break God's Word and then pray that the consequences of breaking His Word would pass you by?  I know we all make mistakes at times, but I see many people who sin over and over again with NO PLANS of stopping, and yet they pray for God to bless them and do away with the consequences of those sins.  People are not ignorant of the law of sowing and reaping.  I see people post online all the time about the 'karma bus' coming to visit.  We all understand that what goes around comes around.  People think that God is the ticket off the karma bus.  Uh...he was the one that set up that law in the first place, he is not going to stop the law of sowing and reaping in your life.  Get used to the idea that whatever you do, good or bad, is going to come back to you.  It most certainly will. 

  For instance, if you do not give tithe of your finances, is it even prudent to ask God to BLESS your finances, or give you a raise?  Isn't that a lot like sneaking out at night and then asking  your dad to not ground you for doing so?  Why would  a child sneak out and night, and then go to their dad the next day and say, "And please don't let me get into trouble for sneaking out."  Does it make any since at all to BREAK GOD'S WORD and then go to him and pray, "Oh, please don't let the consequences of that come back to bite me?"  Of course the consequences are going to come back to bite  you.  Why?  Because there is a spiritual law that says we 'reap what we sow.'  Sometimes prayer is not our answer.  Sometimes our answer is that we need to change our lifestyle and begin to line up our life with the Word of God. 

What does the Bible say about this? 
Proverbs 1:

24Because I have called, and you refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;

25But you have ignored all my counsel, and would have none of my reproof:

26I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear comes;

27When your terror comes as desolation, and your destruction comes as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish comes upon you.

28Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

29Because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:

30They would have none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.

31Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.

32For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.

33But whosoever hearkens unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be secure from the fear of evil.

 

We have been discussing prayer.  Over the years we have had a lot of people come to us for help when they are in trouble.  They have done wrong things and didn't live like the bible says to live and now they are  reaping what they have sown and with the harvest comes destruction and sorrows.  The sad part is that when we pray and their circumstances start to get better they go right back to their old life of sin, and chose to INGORE God again.  I know that as soon as they get into trouble, I will hear from them again.  

 

When we pray we need to look at how much of our prayer request was the result of our own bad choices in life.  Whatever you need to change,  ask God to change you.  God's law that we reap what we sow is not going to change.  It is we that must change.  If you don't want to get messed up all the time?  Live the way that God asks us to live in the Bible, then when you reap what you sow you will be glad to receive your harvest. 

What is God's Priority?

Often what we are praying for are the basic needs of this world.  Our health, our relationship, our finances, our peace.  Jesus talked about our basic needs and our tendency to worry about them. The first step is to let the worry go and to take these things to God in prayer.   Jesus said:

Matthew 6:
²⁵ “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ²⁷ Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
²⁸ “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; ²⁹ and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰ Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
³¹ “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

But Jesus gives us a promise that if we would obey it all of the things in this world that we need would no longer be a problem for us.  What promise did Jesus give us?

Matthew 6:33  But seek you first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Jesus often said that people had eyes but they could not see.  He said that people had ears but could not hear.  The answer to ALL of your personal problems is found in this Scripture:

Matthew 6:33  But seek you first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

This scripture is so plain and simple that even a child could understand it.   No need really to explain it because it is written out in simple words, but I will talk about it some.  Make sure that when you hear it that you really hear it.   

What should we seek first?  The kingdom of God.    Plenty of people seek God first until...they get a job...until they find someone to date...until they find someone to run around with...until they get distracted with a project.

When you put your job before the things of God you are going to find yourself broke and desperate.  If you put your relationships before the things of God you are going to find yourself hurt and disappointed.  If you put entertainment or the things you want out of life in front of the things of God you will find yourself lost and alone. 

Now notice that this Scripture doesn't say "Put GOD FIRST"  it says the seek the KINGDOM OF GOD first.  What is the difference between GOD HIMSELF, and the KINGDOM of God.  The Kingdom of God is the things of God, which are revealed to us by the HOLY SPIRIT.   I know people who are basically living for themselves, putting all the things of the world BEFORE the things of God.   Just because you love God does not mean you are putting the things of GOD first in your life.  If you want the promise of God that he would add ALL things to you  must seek the Kingdom of God first. 

If you have an ear to hear,  this will change your life.  You will find after a while that you are no longer having to worry about your worldly needs because God has given you more than enough to meet every need, not only financially, but relationally and physically.   If you can hear it this is a Word for you today. 

Why should God make your things a priority if you don't make his things your priority?  The answer is plain and simple, he won't. 

God has set it up in this life that if YOU  put seeking HIS things FIRST, he would then ADD to you everything you need in this world.

How much 'time' do we put into prayer, asking God for things that he would have already given us if we had put his things FIRST?  If you want those things it will take more than just asking God everyday for them,  you will have to put God's things FIRST to have all the things you need in this life ADDED to you from God. 

Now you know these things, don't despise it and don't overlook it.  Put God's things first and you will find that in time you will lack NO GOOD thing. 

Your Circumstances Are No Match For God

When the walls of Jericho fell God had kept the promise that he had given to the children of Israel when he brought them out of Egypt.   There had been some set backs and delays.  God had intended to take them into the land 40 years before they actually took Jericho.    There are times in our lives when the promises that God gives to us suffers from set backs and delays.  When God sent Moses to Egypt to confront Pharaoh he already saw the Israelites free from slavery, through the red sea, across the wilderness and taking the promised land.  He said, "I am giving you a land flowing with  milk and honey."  This is how are lives are as well.  God not only sees where you are today, but he knows what he is doing in your life in the future.  God sees you for who he is making you to be and not for just who you are today. 

When the angel came to Gideon he was hiding from the enemy trying to bring in the harvest.  The angel called him a mighty man of valor.   Gideon felt like they had gotten the wrong guy.   He thought that God had made a mistake.  He didn't feel like a mighty  man of valor, and he was hiding he had not done any valiant things in his life.  Yet, God saw  him as a mighty man of valor because God had already seen him as the man that conquered the enemy.

God doesn't see you just for who you are right now, God sees you for who you will be when you walk in faith and obedience to his Word.  We feel restricted, and caught in circumstance and stuck in a rut in life that we can't overcome.    This was the condition of Israel in Egypt.  They were slaves and in impossible circumstances.   The idea that they could go from slavery to owning a land flowing with milk and honey was like a fairy tale to them.

What circumstances are  you facing today?  There is no wall of circumstances that God cannot bring down.  There is no sea of difficulties that God cannot part.  There is no mountain that God cannot move.  Whatever situation that you are in today God sees the path to victory, listen to him and obey his Word and you will see every promise that God has given you come to pass. 

Miracles Happen When God Speaks

Many times when we are praying we are giving thanks, praising the LORD, asking for protection and provision, fellowshipping with God.    There are times in our lives when what we really need is a miracle.   In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 

Genesis 2:2   And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.
And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

There are people today that their lives feel like they are void and without form.  It's like they are just going through the motions, trying to pay bills, trying to make ends meet, they got no direction or path they are just doing what it takes to get by.    The earth was void and without form and the Bible says that DARKNESS was on the face of the deep.  There are those today it is like a darkness is upon your life.  There is no joy, no peace, no satisfaction, no light, darkness has engulfed your life.  Your sorrows run so deep that if someone started digging in  your heart today they still wouldn't reach the end of  your sorrow next week.   This is how the earth was at the beginning of creation,  It was without form, and void and darkness was on the face of it.    But there was hope. The Spirit of God was moving upon the face of the waters.

There is hope for  your life today.  The Spirit of God is moving upon your life today.  I want you to picture an earth that was void, without form, lifeless and dark, and then something happened, the SPIRIT of GOD got down in the middle of it and began to move! God took that dead earth and made it COME ALIVE.     God can take your dead situations and breath life into them.  He can take that dead end job and make something out of it.   He can take that dead marriage and bring it back to life.  He can take that dead relationship and make it whole again. 

The Spirit of God was moving upon the face of the earth, and THEN GOD spoke.   When God speaks EVERYTHING changes.   You see when I speak to God, that is a good thing, But when GOD speaks it is more than just a good thing, when God speaks MIRACLES happen.

Joshua had a wall in his way, then he got a WORD FROM GOD and everything changed.   Through faith and obedience to the WORD that God spoke, the walls came down! 

There are those today you got a WALL OF CIRCUMSTANCES and they are flat out in your way.   You can't go any further in life until those walls of difficulties and challenges are brought down.

You been speaking to God about it, but hold on, you need to hear God speak, because when God speaks EVERYTHING changes! 

The next time you go to prayer, remember that your words are important, but GOD'S WORDS will never return void.  God's Words created this world and everything in it.    As much as we need for God to hear us, we so much more need to HEAR from God.

Prayer + Faith + Obedience = A Miracle (prayer alone is not enough)

Hebrews chapter 11 is known as the faith chapter.    The great acts of faith that were done by the servants of God all through out history is written in that chapter.   In our culture we tend to think that PRAYER ALONE is all that is required to see heaven move on our behalf.  Prayer is POWERFUL and should not be neglected, yet, there were very FEW bible stories in which PRAYER ALONE won the battle for the people of God.

Hebrews 11:4By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaks.

5By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

6But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

7By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved by fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

 

Here are a few examples of faith.  Did prayer save Noah?  Noah was saved from the flood because he heard God to build a boat, and he obeyed.    Did prayer save Lot?   Lot was saved because Abraham trusted God and by faith went to get Lot.

 

Please here me.  Noah's family wasn't saved from the flood because Noah simply prayed, "Lord, protect my family."  His family was saved because Noah heard God and obeyed.   There are those of you today DESPERATE to see God move in your life.  You need a miracle.  You must GO BEYOND just prayer alone to see your  miracle.   Did the walls of Jericho fall because Joshua stood at a distance a prayed, or did they fall because God told Joshua what to do and he obeyed?  They fell because Joshua obeyed.   Did God save Jonah out of the belly of the whale because he asked God for help, or did Jonah agree to OBEY GOD and after his repentance God delivered him from the whale.  God delivered him AFTER he agreed to obey God. 

 

  There are people today that are asking God to deliver them from the circumstances that have swallowed up their lives, but they are not willing to do anything more than just pray.   They are still living in the same sins, doing the same things that they have always done.  They have NO INTENTION of obeying God's word, and they deceive themselves into thinking that if they ask God for favors he will do it, even if they are walking in disobedience to God.   Well, it doesn't work that way.  It has never worked that way.  It won't work that way, and that is why some people pray and pray and nothing changes.  Nothing is going to change until YOU change.  God expects us to obey his Word.

We have done a lot of door to door witnessing, and one thing we have noticed in Kentucky, nearly everyone prays to God.   If prayer alone would move heaven to intervene and change things here on earth than Kentucky would have been a garden of peace, wealth, health and paradise a long time ago.  We found that young and old, rich and poor, sinner and saint, nearly everyone claims that they pray to God each and every day.     I don't doubt that they pray, yet, prayer if not accompanied with other things will not accomplish the task of seeing the hand of God manifest in your life.

Let's look at one of the most well known scriptures on prayer and seeking God, a scripture where God promises us that he will heal out land.  If there has ever been a time when we need a healing in America, now is that time. 

2 Chronicles 7:14  If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

God's promise here is to his people, called by his name.  Here in Kentucky, nearly everyone in our small town claims to be Christian, they all claim the name of Jesus.   So, he is talking to each of us  that names Christ Jesus as our Savior.   What does he want from his people?

He wants his people to humble themselves and pray.   Well, I can tell you 100 percent that Columbia, Ky has done that for sure, people everywhere are praying.    But He ask us to go beyond praying.  He said, and seek my face.   If you want to seek the face of God, it will take more than a 10 minute prayer.  Seeking his face means to have relationship, fellowship with God, to spend time with him, not just talking to him.   And then he says to turn from our wicked ways...

People will cuss one minute and than swear to the Pastor the next minute that they pray everyday.  People will sleep around, live with another that they are not married to, drink and do drugs, hate and gossip, slander and lie...and then turn around and ask God for favors.   We have to do more than just pray and seek the face of God, we must turn from our wicked ways.  It is not OK to live in sin.  God is not Ok with that.   

God says once we have turned from our wicked ways THEN he will hear from heaven and heal our land.    Yesterday we talked about disobedience and doubt is what caused the Israelites to miss the promises of God.  It is the same today.  Disobedience and doubt will tie God's hands so that he cannot help us when we pray.    People everywhere are praying, and they think they are waiting on God.  But, God is waiting on them to repent of their sins and TURN from their wicked ways.

I have people ask me all the time,  "what can I do to make my prayers more effective?"  The answer is simple, add an act of faith to  your prayer.  An act of faith means you hear God and obey what God says.  It doesn't matter how long you pray, or how well you chose your words, or how scriptural your prayer is, most of the time it will take an ACT OF FAITH to activate YOUR miracle.     

It is faith and obedience that brings miracles.  People everywhere are praying for miracle in their lives everyday, miracles are not birthed through prayer alone, it takes faith and obedience to God to see a miracle in your life.   Start thinking outside the box and realize that you must add faith and obedience to your prayer if you really want to see God move. 

Why Is My Life Wandering Around In Circles?

God hears the cries of his people, and it does move him to action.   God said to Moses from the burning bush:

Exodus 3:7 And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;

Whatever you are facing today,  God knows your sorrows...He is moved with compassion for the things which you suffer. 

God sent Moses to Pharaoh to bring them out of the slavery of Egypt.   But they went out of the frying pan and into the fire.  How did that happen?  All of them age 40 years and over ended up dying out in the wilderness.  What a tragic ending.  This is not what God had planned for them, so how did they end up dying like this?  They never received the land of promise.  Many times the accused God and Moses of having ill intentions towards them.  Many times they accused both of them of leading them to the desert for them to die there.  This was not God's intention, yet, exactly what the feared would happen actually did happen, so what went wrong?

It was sin and doubt that caused them to  miss their destiny.  Obedience and faith would have seen them safely through the wilderness and into the promised land of God. 

What sins did they commit?  The made a golden calf, and worshipped it.  They engaged in sexual sins.  They rebelled against Moses and wanted to stone him, they challenged his leadership and tried to take 'charge' of things.  They refused to go into the promised land, they refused to cross the Jordan to enter in.

What doubts did they harbor?  They complained about water, food and provisions on many occasions.  They refused to come near the mountain to speak with God.  They murmured and complained instead of being thankful.  God told them they were able to go in to the promised land, they saw the inhabitants of the land and refused to go in.   

These are just some of their actions that caused them to fail to receive the promises of God.

If you have been praying and praying and it seems like you life just goes around in circles like the children of Israel when they were walking in circles in the wilderness just keep the things written above in your mind.  Listen to what the apostle Paul had to say:


Hebrews 3:

15While it is said, Today if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

16For some, when they had heard, did provoke: yet not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.

17But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?

18And to whom swore he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?

19So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

Hebrews 4:

1Let us therefore fear, lest, although a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

2For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

3For we who have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, they shall not enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

 

If you have an ear to hear this it will change your life.  As long as you are behaving the same as the children of Israel did out in the wilderness you will never receive the promises of God in your life like you should have received them.  They will always be just on the other side of circumstances that you can't  get across... 

 

We have to have faith and obedience.  Faith to move when God says to move, and obedience to live according to the words and commands of God.  If you chose to live your way instead of the bible way, get ready for a life that is just going around in circles and going no where at all.  Trust and obey!