Dear friend in Christ,
2 Corinthians 4:3-4, "But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost; in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe NOT, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." (KJV)
Satan is an imposter! The dictionary defines an imposter as "one who assumes an identity or title that is not his own for the purpose of deception." Satan is the Arch Deceiver, and Jesus described his true character and nature when He called him, "the father of lies..." in John 8:44, "He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies." And the scripture in
2 Corinthians 4 tells us very clearly that as the god of this world, he has blinded the minds of those who don't believe the Word. Satan uses deception to defeat Christians and pervert the Truth, and the weapon he uses against the children of God is the very weapon the Father has given to us to defeat Satan! He uses the Word of God.
In the Garden of Eden, Satan used the Word against Eve. He deceived her into thinking that God's Word was a lie and caused her to doubt what God had spoken to them. But you and I have the Holy Spirit living in our spirit man; the Spirit of Truth Who leads and guides us into all truth and leads us in paths of righteousness. We are told to transform our minds by the renewing of our mind with the Word of God so that "we can prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect will of God."(Romans 12:2)
This scripture in 2 Corinthians 4:3 calls Satan the god of this world. Not because he is a god, but because people follow him like he is. He wants to keep us in the dark, and gross darkness covers the earth where the things of God are concerned. The people in the world cannot receive the things of the Spirit because the Bible tells that they are "spiritually" discerned and hidden to "natural man".
Friend, you cannot be in faith and be depressed at the same time. It is impossible. When you are IN faith, you're not looking at the circumstances around you that will depress you. With faith, you are able to look at the eternal realm. Jesus told us that "all things are possible to them that believe." But faith does not ignore the problem or pretend that it doesn't exist. Faith recognizes the problem and then presents it to God, acknowledging Him in the face of the circumstance and then declaring that His Word and His Truth and His promises are greater than any circumstance.
Hebrews 11:1, "Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of things we hope for, being the proof of things we do not see, and the conviction of their reality (faith perceiving as REAL fact what is not revealed to the senses)." (AMP) This tells us that faith is the "title deed" of what we have asked for. In other words, we are holding onto "nothing" until the manifestation takes place, with the "guarantee" that we already have it.
Proverbs 3:5-6, "Lean not to your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths." In other words, we are to put our trust and our confidence in God, and not in our own ability and natural strength. Jesus has already paid the price in full for everything you need. All you have to do is get the Word down in your spirit man, in abundance, and then begin to confess that Word out of your mouth. We don't have to talk Jesus into doing anything else! The answer to all of our needs is having the Word of God in our heart and in our mouth, and take for our self what He has already provided. But it has to be more than just speaking words; it has to be a living reality in your life.
Faith has to be in two places; it has to be in your mouth and in your heart according to Romans chapter 10:8, "But what saith it? The Word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart; that is, the Word of Faith, which we preach.", and in Deuteronomy 30:14, "But the Word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it." (KJV) And if you were to read both scriptures in detail you would find they go on to say that the Word, which is Christ, is not far off. It (He) is not in heaven nor is it (He) in the abyss (sea), but it (He) is very near you...in your mouth, and in your heart.
That means that everyone can take the Word of God and receive whatever they need. God has already established it and agreed to it. And that means we don't have to talk God into doing anything for us if we can find it in His Word. So, why would anyone do without? Only because they're lazy! Only because they couldn't be persuaded to believe what God has promised. Having an unteachable spirit is the same as walking in unbelief and doubt; it's also the same as walking in stubbornness and pride, arrogance, and rebellion. And those things, the Bible tells us are like "unto witchcraft." As a born again Christian, the only reason to do without in any area of life is because we refuse to honor God and trust His Word, because His Word will produce in our life anything He tells us.
Under the Old Covenant, God required 100 percent obedience, and he gave Israel a choice to obey Him and reap His blessing, or to walk in disobedience and reap the curses. But the enemy has deceived Christians into thinking that God no longer requires the same obedience. DO NOT BE DECEIVED! God has never changed! Without obedience to God, there can be no covenant relationship with Him. Disobedience breaks our fellowship with God. Jesus said, "If you abide in My Word, and hold fast to My teachings, and live in accordance with them, you are truly My disciples." (TAB John 8:31)
You act on what Jesus told us and you keep putting the Word down in your heart until it's in there in abundance. Make deposits of the Word until it's in there more than anything else, and when it becomes abundant, that's when it will come out of your mouth; it is the overflow of what you have deposited.
Love,
Paula
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
March 2010
Dear friend in Christ,
Palm Sunday marks the beginning of what we have come to know as "holy week, and the Feast of Passover falls on Monday, March 29 this year. Traditionally Christians have understood that the festivals are exclusively Jewish feasts; however, the Book of Leviticus tells us very clearly that these are "festivals" of the Lord. so, in reality, God in His Divine wisdom, has instructed all of us that these feast days are for both the Jew and the Christian alike, and they are to be celebrated JOINTLY with each other - FOREVER!
If you have made Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior, then you are the seed of Abraham and you are included in these appointed times. But it's sad to realize that so many Christians, including ministers of the Gospel, have no idea of these "times" established by God. We need to have an understanding and appreciate the fact that these feasts are "appointed times" that have been given by God Himself, and it's very important that we understand the biblical calendar that He gave us.
There are two primary calendars in the Bible; the first one is called the "civil" calendar and it's used from Genesis 1:1 to Exodus, chapter 12. The second calendar in the Bible is the "religious" calendar, and it's used from Exodus 12 to the Book of Revelation chapter 22. God established the religious calendar in Exodus 12:2 when He said, "This month shall be unto you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you."
He gave the religious calendar so we could understand that these feasts are actually appointed times, and that they "foreshadow" important events in our redemption. These appointed times are the same "festivals" that the Lord speaks of in the Book of Leviticus 23:2, "...the feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations...". The Hebrew term translated as convocation in Leviticus is "miqra", which means: a rehearsal. So, you can see from this that God gave the festivals to be yearly "rehearsals" of the future events in the redemption of mankind.
There are two very important Hebrew words that appear in the Book of Leviticus, and each word is translated as "feast" in the English language. Leviticus 23:2, the word for feast is the Hebrew word "mo'ed", as it is written:"Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them concerning the feasts (the moe'd) of the Lord..." The word "mo'ed" means: an appointment; a fixed time or a fixed season; an appointed time. So God Himself is telling us that He has ordained a :"set time" or an exact time" when He has an appointment with all of humanity to fulfill certain events in the redemption. In fact, Yeshua came to the earth at the "exact" time that was ordained by God.
Our Heavenly Father gave these festivals for the purpose of teaching and instructing His people concerning the plan of redemption and our personal relationship with Him. In the Book of Luke chapter 22 we find Jesus celebrating the Passover feast with His own disciples. The day had come when the sacrificial lamb was to be killed and He sent Peter and John to make preparation for them to celebrate that "appointed" time together. And as they were seated around the table, Jesus KNOWING that in a few hours HE would suffer and die, told them, "I have earnestly and intensely desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I shall eat it no more until it is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God."
Passover is an ancient feast and one that spans some thirty-five centuries of human existence, and it carries a very powerful message for you and me today. It forms the primary background for understanding the events in that Upper Room, the symbolism of the Lord's Table, and the meaning of the Messiah's death. There in that upper room, as He was preparing to lay down His own life; to give Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the world and to shed His own blood, He celebrated a covenant meal with His disciples which marked the ending of the Old Covenant and the establishing of a new and better Covenant. This was the hour that God had ordained from the foundation of the world! This was the day when He would enter into a blood covenant relationship with men, which was sealed with the blood of His only begotten Son. This was the day when the ONE perfect sacrifice would be offered on the alter of Almighty God.
The Feast of Passover was given by God to be a rehearsal of the first coming of Yeshua, and this ceremony is observed in remembrance of the PAST, but it is also in preparation for the future. The redemption of God's people from Egypt is a type and foreshadow of the redemption of Christ. Jesus is our Lamb that was slain. And we are to appropriate and apply the Blood of Jesus in our lives, and as we place that blood over our lives, the Father sees that blood covering and the angel of death and destruction passes over us.
We've been taught that the Feast days of the Lord are only for the Jewish people, but they are Holy Convocations that God Himself has ordained. And it's just like receiving a "summons" to go to court. This is a summons to appear before Him. God has prepared a feast of redemption and joy to which everyone is invited. Come and partake of Jesus, the bread of life, the Lamb of God, the Mediator Who has taken our judgement upon Himself.
Come to the feast of the Lamb! Jesus, our Messiah, paid a terrible price that we might belong to God in Love, and He constantly invites us to come to Him. His invitation is an honor bestowed in Love, but it is also the offer of an opportunity that we dare not refuse. You are the guest to be honored by accepting His offer of abundant life in Christ Jesus.
Love,
Paula
Palm Sunday marks the beginning of what we have come to know as "holy week, and the Feast of Passover falls on Monday, March 29 this year. Traditionally Christians have understood that the festivals are exclusively Jewish feasts; however, the Book of Leviticus tells us very clearly that these are "festivals" of the Lord. so, in reality, God in His Divine wisdom, has instructed all of us that these feast days are for both the Jew and the Christian alike, and they are to be celebrated JOINTLY with each other - FOREVER!
If you have made Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior, then you are the seed of Abraham and you are included in these appointed times. But it's sad to realize that so many Christians, including ministers of the Gospel, have no idea of these "times" established by God. We need to have an understanding and appreciate the fact that these feasts are "appointed times" that have been given by God Himself, and it's very important that we understand the biblical calendar that He gave us.
There are two primary calendars in the Bible; the first one is called the "civil" calendar and it's used from Genesis 1:1 to Exodus, chapter 12. The second calendar in the Bible is the "religious" calendar, and it's used from Exodus 12 to the Book of Revelation chapter 22. God established the religious calendar in Exodus 12:2 when He said, "This month shall be unto you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you."
He gave the religious calendar so we could understand that these feasts are actually appointed times, and that they "foreshadow" important events in our redemption. These appointed times are the same "festivals" that the Lord speaks of in the Book of Leviticus 23:2, "...the feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations...". The Hebrew term translated as convocation in Leviticus is "miqra", which means: a rehearsal. So, you can see from this that God gave the festivals to be yearly "rehearsals" of the future events in the redemption of mankind.
There are two very important Hebrew words that appear in the Book of Leviticus, and each word is translated as "feast" in the English language. Leviticus 23:2, the word for feast is the Hebrew word "mo'ed", as it is written:"Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them concerning the feasts (the moe'd) of the Lord..." The word "mo'ed" means: an appointment; a fixed time or a fixed season; an appointed time. So God Himself is telling us that He has ordained a :"set time" or an exact time" when He has an appointment with all of humanity to fulfill certain events in the redemption. In fact, Yeshua came to the earth at the "exact" time that was ordained by God.
Our Heavenly Father gave these festivals for the purpose of teaching and instructing His people concerning the plan of redemption and our personal relationship with Him. In the Book of Luke chapter 22 we find Jesus celebrating the Passover feast with His own disciples. The day had come when the sacrificial lamb was to be killed and He sent Peter and John to make preparation for them to celebrate that "appointed" time together. And as they were seated around the table, Jesus KNOWING that in a few hours HE would suffer and die, told them, "I have earnestly and intensely desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I shall eat it no more until it is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God."
Passover is an ancient feast and one that spans some thirty-five centuries of human existence, and it carries a very powerful message for you and me today. It forms the primary background for understanding the events in that Upper Room, the symbolism of the Lord's Table, and the meaning of the Messiah's death. There in that upper room, as He was preparing to lay down His own life; to give Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the world and to shed His own blood, He celebrated a covenant meal with His disciples which marked the ending of the Old Covenant and the establishing of a new and better Covenant. This was the hour that God had ordained from the foundation of the world! This was the day when He would enter into a blood covenant relationship with men, which was sealed with the blood of His only begotten Son. This was the day when the ONE perfect sacrifice would be offered on the alter of Almighty God.
The Feast of Passover was given by God to be a rehearsal of the first coming of Yeshua, and this ceremony is observed in remembrance of the PAST, but it is also in preparation for the future. The redemption of God's people from Egypt is a type and foreshadow of the redemption of Christ. Jesus is our Lamb that was slain. And we are to appropriate and apply the Blood of Jesus in our lives, and as we place that blood over our lives, the Father sees that blood covering and the angel of death and destruction passes over us.
We've been taught that the Feast days of the Lord are only for the Jewish people, but they are Holy Convocations that God Himself has ordained. And it's just like receiving a "summons" to go to court. This is a summons to appear before Him. God has prepared a feast of redemption and joy to which everyone is invited. Come and partake of Jesus, the bread of life, the Lamb of God, the Mediator Who has taken our judgement upon Himself.
Come to the feast of the Lamb! Jesus, our Messiah, paid a terrible price that we might belong to God in Love, and He constantly invites us to come to Him. His invitation is an honor bestowed in Love, but it is also the offer of an opportunity that we dare not refuse. You are the guest to be honored by accepting His offer of abundant life in Christ Jesus.
Love,
Paula
February 2010
Dear friend in Christ,
On February 14 we celebrated Valentine's Day. It's the day that has customarily been set aside to express our love for that "special" someone in our lives. We hear a lot about love, but the truth is, very few people really know what love is. For most, it's an emotional phantom that appears, then vanishes without warning. It seems to be illusive, indefinable, forever sought after, but rarely ever found. And even believers seem to be confused about love. People talk about "falling in and out of love", but that's an emotional response. Love is not a feeling, and a feeling is not the evidence of love. Love is a person; the Bible tells us in 1 John 4:8 that "God is Love." And in John 3:16 we read, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son..." That's the greatest act of Love anyone could give. The Father gave because of His unsurpassing love for you and for me. And His love was translated into giving His highest and most treasured possession. He didn't send one of His angels, He gave of Himself; His ONLY begotten Son.
God IS Love and He wants us to know and understand that absolutely NOTHING can ever separate us from Him. No tribulation or trial, or sickness and disease, not lack or poverty, or a bad marriage, or even faced with life in prison. Nothing can ever separate us from the Love of the Father. The scripture in 1 John 4:8 does not say that God HAS love; it says that He IS love. And that is the key to all Bible revelation. It takes an understanding of God to walk with Him and to walk in His great commandment of love.
In the Book of Ephesians, chapter 3 and verse 18, the apostle Paul prayed that we "may be able to comprehend with all the saints, what is the breadth and length, and depth and height; and to KNOW the Love of Christ." We have the ability to KNOW the very Love of Christ, and that can't be anybody but God, because God IS love PERSONIFIED.
Love has to be our first and greatest quest in life. It must be the very center of our time and our thinking because God has given us the commandment to love. And because He has commanded us to walk in that Love, He sent Himself in the Person of the Holy Spirit to live on the inside of our spirit man to help us.
Love is a law of heaven and a law of earth. In fact, the apostle James calls this the "royal law of love." This is the commandment of the Church from our Heavenly Father that we love one another. 1 John 3:23, "This is His commandment, that we should believe on the Name of His Son, Jesus, and love one another as He gave the commandment." This is our primary calling in life, and the key issue to everything we face.
In the Book of Matthew, chapter 22:36-40, we can find exactly what Jesus told us about this commandment when He answered the young lawyer who had asked Him, "Master, which is the great commandment of the law? And Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment, and the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all of the law and the prophets." So this tells us that all of the Torah, which is the first five books of the Bible, and all of the Prophets, and that includes the New Testament because the New Testament was prophesied into existence, and Jesus is a part of that prophetic utterance. (The Prophet spoke and the Word took upon itself FLESH, and He dwelt among us). So, all of the Law and all of the Prophets hang on these two commandments, and the way Jesus put it and the way He taught it, He went into great detail, and these two commandments are rolled into one. They are in the proper order. We are to love God with our entire being, and we are to love our neighbor as we love our self.
That's the way He gave the commandment, and that's the very process that we are to walk in, and as we walk in this commandment, it will keep us in a place before the Father where we are holy and blameless in His eyes.
God tells us that if we love Him, we will keep His commandments, and He's not only given us the definition of Love, He has also given us the instructions so that we can know HOW to love as He loves. 1 Corinthians 13 describes the behavior of love, "Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy; it is not boastful or vainglorious, and does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited, arrogant and inflated with pride; it is not rude and unmannerly, and does not act unbecomingly. LOVE, God's love in us does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it, and pays no attention to a suffered wrong. It does not rejoice at injustices and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes; it is ever ready to believe the best of every person; its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances and it endures everything without weakening. Love never fails, never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end." Does this describe you love walk?
If you've made Jesus Christ the Lord of your life, you've already taken the first step of obedience. The very love of God has been born within you, but unless you take action, that love will remain hidden inside of you. Like faith, love becomes active through the knowledge of His Word. And that's exactly why Paul said, "And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgement." The love of God is released in your life by acting on the knowledge of God's Word, and without revelation knowledge, followed by action, that love lies undeveloped, and selfishness continues to reign supreme in our lives, even though we are a new creature in Christ.
1 John 2:5-6, "But whoever keeps His Word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. And by this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked." In other words, as you ACT on the Word of God, the love of God will be perfected in you, and that's when love will begin to flow from you to others.
love,
Paula
On February 14 we celebrated Valentine's Day. It's the day that has customarily been set aside to express our love for that "special" someone in our lives. We hear a lot about love, but the truth is, very few people really know what love is. For most, it's an emotional phantom that appears, then vanishes without warning. It seems to be illusive, indefinable, forever sought after, but rarely ever found. And even believers seem to be confused about love. People talk about "falling in and out of love", but that's an emotional response. Love is not a feeling, and a feeling is not the evidence of love. Love is a person; the Bible tells us in 1 John 4:8 that "God is Love." And in John 3:16 we read, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son..." That's the greatest act of Love anyone could give. The Father gave because of His unsurpassing love for you and for me. And His love was translated into giving His highest and most treasured possession. He didn't send one of His angels, He gave of Himself; His ONLY begotten Son.
God IS Love and He wants us to know and understand that absolutely NOTHING can ever separate us from Him. No tribulation or trial, or sickness and disease, not lack or poverty, or a bad marriage, or even faced with life in prison. Nothing can ever separate us from the Love of the Father. The scripture in 1 John 4:8 does not say that God HAS love; it says that He IS love. And that is the key to all Bible revelation. It takes an understanding of God to walk with Him and to walk in His great commandment of love.
In the Book of Ephesians, chapter 3 and verse 18, the apostle Paul prayed that we "may be able to comprehend with all the saints, what is the breadth and length, and depth and height; and to KNOW the Love of Christ." We have the ability to KNOW the very Love of Christ, and that can't be anybody but God, because God IS love PERSONIFIED.
Love has to be our first and greatest quest in life. It must be the very center of our time and our thinking because God has given us the commandment to love. And because He has commanded us to walk in that Love, He sent Himself in the Person of the Holy Spirit to live on the inside of our spirit man to help us.
Love is a law of heaven and a law of earth. In fact, the apostle James calls this the "royal law of love." This is the commandment of the Church from our Heavenly Father that we love one another. 1 John 3:23, "This is His commandment, that we should believe on the Name of His Son, Jesus, and love one another as He gave the commandment." This is our primary calling in life, and the key issue to everything we face.
In the Book of Matthew, chapter 22:36-40, we can find exactly what Jesus told us about this commandment when He answered the young lawyer who had asked Him, "Master, which is the great commandment of the law? And Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment, and the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all of the law and the prophets." So this tells us that all of the Torah, which is the first five books of the Bible, and all of the Prophets, and that includes the New Testament because the New Testament was prophesied into existence, and Jesus is a part of that prophetic utterance. (The Prophet spoke and the Word took upon itself FLESH, and He dwelt among us). So, all of the Law and all of the Prophets hang on these two commandments, and the way Jesus put it and the way He taught it, He went into great detail, and these two commandments are rolled into one. They are in the proper order. We are to love God with our entire being, and we are to love our neighbor as we love our self.
That's the way He gave the commandment, and that's the very process that we are to walk in, and as we walk in this commandment, it will keep us in a place before the Father where we are holy and blameless in His eyes.
God tells us that if we love Him, we will keep His commandments, and He's not only given us the definition of Love, He has also given us the instructions so that we can know HOW to love as He loves. 1 Corinthians 13 describes the behavior of love, "Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy; it is not boastful or vainglorious, and does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited, arrogant and inflated with pride; it is not rude and unmannerly, and does not act unbecomingly. LOVE, God's love in us does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it, and pays no attention to a suffered wrong. It does not rejoice at injustices and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes; it is ever ready to believe the best of every person; its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances and it endures everything without weakening. Love never fails, never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end." Does this describe you love walk?
If you've made Jesus Christ the Lord of your life, you've already taken the first step of obedience. The very love of God has been born within you, but unless you take action, that love will remain hidden inside of you. Like faith, love becomes active through the knowledge of His Word. And that's exactly why Paul said, "And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgement." The love of God is released in your life by acting on the knowledge of God's Word, and without revelation knowledge, followed by action, that love lies undeveloped, and selfishness continues to reign supreme in our lives, even though we are a new creature in Christ.
1 John 2:5-6, "But whoever keeps His Word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. And by this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked." In other words, as you ACT on the Word of God, the love of God will be perfected in you, and that's when love will begin to flow from you to others.
love,
Paula
January 2010
Dear friend in Christ,
"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, Rejoice!" Philippians 4:4
A few days ago the Spirit of the Lord began to speak to my heart very clearly about the goodness of God, even in the midst of tribulation and trouble. He is always there, and you can trust Him with your life. We're living in an hour that the Bible describes as "perilous times". 2Timothy 3:1, "But know this, that in the last days, perilous times will come..." The Strong's concordance describes "perilous" as: harsh, savage, difficult, dangerous, painful, fierce, grievous, and hard to deal with. And I believe that most of us can agree that this certainly describes the economy and the moral status of the entire world. We hear about wars and rumors of wars, and nations rising up against nations, and about great famines, pestilence and earthquakes happening all over the world.
Matthew 24:6-7 tells us, "And you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you NOT be troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be famines and pestilence, and earthquakes in divers places." Just look at how the earthquake in Haiti has caused such a tremendous crisis and time of grief in the lives of all those precious people.
So many people are facing times of trouble in their personal lives. But God is still on His Throne and He has promised that He will never leave you nor forsake you. He told us in the Book of Matthew "not to worry about tomorrow... sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Time after time, the Bible talks about God's goodness, and Psalm 145:9 sums it up this way: "The Lord is GOOD to all." Now, you might think, "I've always heard this." Many people believe that God is good, but head knowledge alone doesn't affect their daily lives. It takes more than just knowing His Word to change the circumstances in your life. It takes a revelation from the Word of God. Revelation is a truth that becomes so real to you as the Holy Spirit shines light on His Word, that it becomes a part of your personal life. It's not something you hear and forget. It's something that you act on, and it's that knowledge that is acted on that brings results.
Jesus Himself told us in Matthew 6 NOT to worry. One of Satan's greatest weapons is to bring worry to our minds. Both real and imagined worries attack our minds daily as the pressures and the stresses of these end times press in from every side in an attempt to discourage and defeat us. But Jesus commands us to put aside worry. He pleads with us to see that our Father has faithfully provided for all of our needs. And He assures us that our Heavenly Father KNOWS what we need even before we ask, so there is no reason for us to worry.
2 Corinthians 10:5 tells us: "Cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." That means we are to take those thoughts that come into our heads and line them up with the Word of God. Do those thoughts agree with what God has to say about whatever it is you are dealing with? If not, cast them down! I'd like to tell you that this is easy, but it's not. In this busy world it's easier to get our priorities out of order. We can become so caught up in the cares of daily life that we don't make time for God and His Kingdom. And as a result, the Word gets choked out by the cares and the distractions, and what Jesus called "thorns".
In Mark chapter 4:18-19, Jesus talks about the thorns choking out the Word. And among other things, "the cares and anxieties of the world...creep in and choke and suffocate the Word, and it becomes fruitless."
It's easy to yield to worry. And that spirit of worry and fear can literally take over your life and stop the Word of God from producing any fruit. So don't feed on it. Worry is just meditating on the lies of the devil, or on the circumstances that you are facing in your own life.
So, how do you stop? You replace worry with faith in what the Word of God tells you. Run to the Word and feed on it day and night. Find scriptures that apply to you situation and keep them in front of your eyes; keep them going into your ear and your mouth until that truth gets into your heart. In other words, meditate on the Word of God. That's exactly what God told Joshua to do in Joshua 1:8, "...but you shall meditate therein day and night that you may observe to do according to ALL that is written therein; for THEN you shall make your way prosperous, and THEN you shall have good success."
Meditating on His Word is fixing your mind on what God has to say, and you will gain revelation and insight into His ways and the Holy Spirit will make it a reality in your heart. Carefully ponder how the Word of God applies to your own life and change your situation. You are placing yourself in agreement with what God has to say about you; seeing yourself as He sees you, and most importantly, you will then be seeking His Kingdom, instead of giving way to worry.
The revelation of God's goodness will help you receive from Him whatever you need. Perhaps you have not yet taken the first step of your journey of faith because you've never received Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. Maybe you've heard about Him, an you might even believe the things that you've heard as truth. If so, you are not alone. Many people, even good churchgoing people are in the same condition right now. They know ABOUT Him, but they don't have a living relationship with Him.
If you don't know the Lord as your personal Savior, or you would like to have a deeper relationship with the Father, you can contact me through this blog and I will write you back and pray with you.
love,
Paula
"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, Rejoice!" Philippians 4:4
A few days ago the Spirit of the Lord began to speak to my heart very clearly about the goodness of God, even in the midst of tribulation and trouble. He is always there, and you can trust Him with your life. We're living in an hour that the Bible describes as "perilous times". 2Timothy 3:1, "But know this, that in the last days, perilous times will come..." The Strong's concordance describes "perilous" as: harsh, savage, difficult, dangerous, painful, fierce, grievous, and hard to deal with. And I believe that most of us can agree that this certainly describes the economy and the moral status of the entire world. We hear about wars and rumors of wars, and nations rising up against nations, and about great famines, pestilence and earthquakes happening all over the world.
Matthew 24:6-7 tells us, "And you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you NOT be troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be famines and pestilence, and earthquakes in divers places." Just look at how the earthquake in Haiti has caused such a tremendous crisis and time of grief in the lives of all those precious people.
So many people are facing times of trouble in their personal lives. But God is still on His Throne and He has promised that He will never leave you nor forsake you. He told us in the Book of Matthew "not to worry about tomorrow... sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Time after time, the Bible talks about God's goodness, and Psalm 145:9 sums it up this way: "The Lord is GOOD to all." Now, you might think, "I've always heard this." Many people believe that God is good, but head knowledge alone doesn't affect their daily lives. It takes more than just knowing His Word to change the circumstances in your life. It takes a revelation from the Word of God. Revelation is a truth that becomes so real to you as the Holy Spirit shines light on His Word, that it becomes a part of your personal life. It's not something you hear and forget. It's something that you act on, and it's that knowledge that is acted on that brings results.
Jesus Himself told us in Matthew 6 NOT to worry. One of Satan's greatest weapons is to bring worry to our minds. Both real and imagined worries attack our minds daily as the pressures and the stresses of these end times press in from every side in an attempt to discourage and defeat us. But Jesus commands us to put aside worry. He pleads with us to see that our Father has faithfully provided for all of our needs. And He assures us that our Heavenly Father KNOWS what we need even before we ask, so there is no reason for us to worry.
2 Corinthians 10:5 tells us: "Cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." That means we are to take those thoughts that come into our heads and line them up with the Word of God. Do those thoughts agree with what God has to say about whatever it is you are dealing with? If not, cast them down! I'd like to tell you that this is easy, but it's not. In this busy world it's easier to get our priorities out of order. We can become so caught up in the cares of daily life that we don't make time for God and His Kingdom. And as a result, the Word gets choked out by the cares and the distractions, and what Jesus called "thorns".
In Mark chapter 4:18-19, Jesus talks about the thorns choking out the Word. And among other things, "the cares and anxieties of the world...creep in and choke and suffocate the Word, and it becomes fruitless."
It's easy to yield to worry. And that spirit of worry and fear can literally take over your life and stop the Word of God from producing any fruit. So don't feed on it. Worry is just meditating on the lies of the devil, or on the circumstances that you are facing in your own life.
So, how do you stop? You replace worry with faith in what the Word of God tells you. Run to the Word and feed on it day and night. Find scriptures that apply to you situation and keep them in front of your eyes; keep them going into your ear and your mouth until that truth gets into your heart. In other words, meditate on the Word of God. That's exactly what God told Joshua to do in Joshua 1:8, "...but you shall meditate therein day and night that you may observe to do according to ALL that is written therein; for THEN you shall make your way prosperous, and THEN you shall have good success."
Meditating on His Word is fixing your mind on what God has to say, and you will gain revelation and insight into His ways and the Holy Spirit will make it a reality in your heart. Carefully ponder how the Word of God applies to your own life and change your situation. You are placing yourself in agreement with what God has to say about you; seeing yourself as He sees you, and most importantly, you will then be seeking His Kingdom, instead of giving way to worry.
The revelation of God's goodness will help you receive from Him whatever you need. Perhaps you have not yet taken the first step of your journey of faith because you've never received Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. Maybe you've heard about Him, an you might even believe the things that you've heard as truth. If so, you are not alone. Many people, even good churchgoing people are in the same condition right now. They know ABOUT Him, but they don't have a living relationship with Him.
If you don't know the Lord as your personal Savior, or you would like to have a deeper relationship with the Father, you can contact me through this blog and I will write you back and pray with you.
love,
Paula
Sunday, December 27, 2009
December Newsletter
Dear friend in Christ,
Christmas is truly my very favorite holiday! My heart and my mind are bursting with wonderful memories of my own childhood, but more importantly, I am filled with the knowledge of Jesus Christ as my own personal savior. The day Jesus was born is the day the Kingdom of God had come to the earth, and the Father's great plan for the fullness of the blessing without measure went into it's final phase!
As I sat before the Father this week and asked Him what He wanted me to share with you this month, He told me to tell you about His Love and His peace. Luke, chapter 2:13-14, says, " And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, PEACE, good will toward men." The angels were praising God because peace was being declared between God and man; between heaven and earth. Not between men or among men, but peace from God toward you and me.
But how could peace be declared between God and man before Jesus had faced one test, or before He had gone trough even one temptation, or before one person had ever been healed or delivered under His ministry? How could God send the angels to say such things when the battle for our redemption was still 33 years away? Jesus was just a tiny infant lying in that manger.
Romans 4:17 tells us that God calls things that be not as though they were. So as as far as He was concerned, it was done. He had already set His faith on our redemption. He began treating men as though they had never sinned. And He reached out to them in His great love and totally offered Himself to mankind as though Jesus had already gone to the cross.
1 John 4:16 tells us, " And we have known and believed the love that God has for us." We've all read about His love. We've all heard about it, but I don't think that most of us really believe it. If we really believed the Love He has for us , it would totally change everything about us and everything around us. Jesus told us in John 13:34, "A new commandment I give to you that you love one another as I have loved you..." What a change that will make when you get the revelation of just how much He loves you and then you begin to walk in THAT love toward others. The Scriptures tell us that "God is love"! And He is so in love with us that He has given you and me everything He has through His grace. Jesus said, "I have come to give you life and to give life more abundantly."
Hebrews 4:15-16, "For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in ALL points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come BOLDLY to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in our time of need." Jesus has personally experienced everything that we've ever had to face. And in the Book of John 14:27, He told us, "My peace I give you, not as the world gives..." In other words, He is the true source of our peace because there is no peace in this world without Him.
Our heavenly Father loved us so much that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should NOT perish but have everlasting life. Jesus is the first born of every creature, and as the first-born, He is given a privileged position. He existed before all creation and God the Father appointed Him heir and legal owner of all things. As born again children of God, we are joint-heirs with Christ.
He was in the beginning with God, Who spoke the world into existence, and He was ONE with God. "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was WITH God and the Word WAS God...", and yet He stripped Himself and laid aside His Glory and His Divine abilities and came to earth in the form of human flesh, with a Divine purpose...to destroy all the works of the devil, to break the power of sin and death, and to restore us to our original position of holiness and righteousness!
His Blood has made you whole! Colossians 1:21-22, "And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present YOU holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight." The moment you received Jesus as your Savior, you were not only cleansed of all sin and clothed with His righteousness, you were made whole!
We started this letter with the words the angel spoke on that first Christmas morning: "...and on earth, PEACE, good will toward man." God has planned for you to have His peace right in the midst of all the problems that seem to be facing us in this hour. His peace is IN and THROUGH the Blood of Jesus Christ. He paid the ultimate price so that you would be able to have His peace. It belongs to you, but you have to appropriate it in your own life by faith. So no matter what you may be facing today, God has made the way for you to come boldly into His very Presence and receive His Grace, His Mercy, and His Peace.
This Christmas Day as we gather together with family and friends, let's reflect on the true meaning of Christmas, and let's celebrate the blessing! Let's celebrate Jesus! Let's celebrate His peace, His righteousness, and His love. That's what Christmas is all about. It's about the joy of the celebration! God the Father gave us Jesus Christ, and in Him, He has freely given us all things that pertain to life and godliness. He has provided everything we would ever need to open our hearts to His blessing and to walk in His peace and His Love.
Have a very Merry Christmas!
love,
Paula
Christmas is truly my very favorite holiday! My heart and my mind are bursting with wonderful memories of my own childhood, but more importantly, I am filled with the knowledge of Jesus Christ as my own personal savior. The day Jesus was born is the day the Kingdom of God had come to the earth, and the Father's great plan for the fullness of the blessing without measure went into it's final phase!
As I sat before the Father this week and asked Him what He wanted me to share with you this month, He told me to tell you about His Love and His peace. Luke, chapter 2:13-14, says, " And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, PEACE, good will toward men." The angels were praising God because peace was being declared between God and man; between heaven and earth. Not between men or among men, but peace from God toward you and me.
But how could peace be declared between God and man before Jesus had faced one test, or before He had gone trough even one temptation, or before one person had ever been healed or delivered under His ministry? How could God send the angels to say such things when the battle for our redemption was still 33 years away? Jesus was just a tiny infant lying in that manger.
Romans 4:17 tells us that God calls things that be not as though they were. So as as far as He was concerned, it was done. He had already set His faith on our redemption. He began treating men as though they had never sinned. And He reached out to them in His great love and totally offered Himself to mankind as though Jesus had already gone to the cross.
1 John 4:16 tells us, " And we have known and believed the love that God has for us." We've all read about His love. We've all heard about it, but I don't think that most of us really believe it. If we really believed the Love He has for us , it would totally change everything about us and everything around us. Jesus told us in John 13:34, "A new commandment I give to you that you love one another as I have loved you..." What a change that will make when you get the revelation of just how much He loves you and then you begin to walk in THAT love toward others. The Scriptures tell us that "God is love"! And He is so in love with us that He has given you and me everything He has through His grace. Jesus said, "I have come to give you life and to give life more abundantly."
Hebrews 4:15-16, "For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in ALL points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come BOLDLY to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in our time of need." Jesus has personally experienced everything that we've ever had to face. And in the Book of John 14:27, He told us, "My peace I give you, not as the world gives..." In other words, He is the true source of our peace because there is no peace in this world without Him.
Our heavenly Father loved us so much that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should NOT perish but have everlasting life. Jesus is the first born of every creature, and as the first-born, He is given a privileged position. He existed before all creation and God the Father appointed Him heir and legal owner of all things. As born again children of God, we are joint-heirs with Christ.
He was in the beginning with God, Who spoke the world into existence, and He was ONE with God. "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was WITH God and the Word WAS God...", and yet He stripped Himself and laid aside His Glory and His Divine abilities and came to earth in the form of human flesh, with a Divine purpose...to destroy all the works of the devil, to break the power of sin and death, and to restore us to our original position of holiness and righteousness!
His Blood has made you whole! Colossians 1:21-22, "And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present YOU holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight." The moment you received Jesus as your Savior, you were not only cleansed of all sin and clothed with His righteousness, you were made whole!
We started this letter with the words the angel spoke on that first Christmas morning: "...and on earth, PEACE, good will toward man." God has planned for you to have His peace right in the midst of all the problems that seem to be facing us in this hour. His peace is IN and THROUGH the Blood of Jesus Christ. He paid the ultimate price so that you would be able to have His peace. It belongs to you, but you have to appropriate it in your own life by faith. So no matter what you may be facing today, God has made the way for you to come boldly into His very Presence and receive His Grace, His Mercy, and His Peace.
This Christmas Day as we gather together with family and friends, let's reflect on the true meaning of Christmas, and let's celebrate the blessing! Let's celebrate Jesus! Let's celebrate His peace, His righteousness, and His love. That's what Christmas is all about. It's about the joy of the celebration! God the Father gave us Jesus Christ, and in Him, He has freely given us all things that pertain to life and godliness. He has provided everything we would ever need to open our hearts to His blessing and to walk in His peace and His Love.
Have a very Merry Christmas!
love,
Paula
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Tune In
Hear Pastor Paula's Christmas Eve message:
December 24, 2009
2:30 pm
on
KDKR 91.3 FM
Dallas/Ft. Worth
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Don't Miss It!
Make plans now to join us at our
Christmas Eve Service
Celebrating the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ
10:30 am December 24, 2009
Collinwood Nursing Home
3100 South Rigsbee Drive
Plano, TX 75074
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