“The truth is, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for ANYTHING in my name, and I will do it, because the work of the Son brings glory to the Father. Yes, ask ANYTHING in my name, and I will do it.” Jn 14:12-14
First of all, I would like to repeat what our Pastor said on Sunday. Anytime God repeats Himself, He’s not stuttering, He’s merely reinforcing what He’s saying. It is something to give attention to because it’s important. So in the same sense, Jesus repeated, “Ask anything in my name and I will do it.”
Why are we not asking? Is it because we are afraid that we won’t get what we’re asking for? But if we ask according to His will, it’s a guarantee. It brings glory to God when He provides. It brings glory to God when He heals. That is why signs and wonders follow those who believe. It’s not so we receive glory, it’s so He receives glory.
What are you asking for? And are you trusting in you to do it or God? I’m asking for signs, wonders & miracles to be manifested through my hands that those around me will be drawn to the Father. It’s what He’s asked of all of us.
Today Father, I’m asking that You make yourself known to us in a new way. Give revelation of who You want to be in us and through us. Open our eyes to see that what we ask has been granted. It’s in Jesus mighty name, amen.
O God, You are my God. I will look for You with all my heart and strength. My soul is thirsty for You. My flesh is weak wanting You in a dry and tired land where there is no water. So I have seen You in the holy place. And I have seen Your power and Your shining-greatness. My lips will praise You because Your lovingkindness is better than life. So I will give honor to You as long as I live. I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul will be filled as with rich foods. And my mouth praises You with lips of joy. On my bed I remember You. I think of You through the hours of the night. For You have been my help. And I sing for joy in the shadow of Your wings. My soul holds on to You. Your right hand holds me up. Psalms 63:1-8 NLV
The greatest gift God gives me is His Word. I love it more than life. It brings such peace, joy and contentment. In the middle of so much strife in the world, I know that when I call, He answers me. I’m never alone-NEVER!
Lord, I thank you for your Word. It is alive. It is enough. As I feed you Your Word, show me great things that I don’t have revelation of yet because I want to know more and more of You. There are so many things I don’t know yet but I desire to know of You.
You are my King, You are my Lord, and You are all I need. Bless Israel, oh Lord. Help me to remember that today it’s about You, Lord. Not political agendas or media mayhem. As You said in Psalm 91; I will look on, but it won’t affect me because You are my dwelling place. I will hold fast to my peace.
Psalm 34:19-Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
John 16:33-“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
Sometimes we tend to focus on the afflictions or tribulations we’re going through, but the end of both these verses say just that; there is an end. What is that end? The Lord will deliver us. So many battles are being fought right now, battles too numerous to count, but we have the promise that they WILL come to an end. May our focus be on the end today. May we see the finish line just ahead. One more bend in the road, my friend. The end is in sight. Keep going, keep trudging on. Don’t be too weary, refresh yourself with the knowledge that the Lord is faithful, always and forever faithful to His Word.
Whatever your view right now is soon to change. It’s okay to be discouraged. You’re not alone, even King David was discouraged at times, but he always reminded himself of what a mighty God he served.
Father, You are mighty to deliver us from this battle we face. Forgive us for grumbling and complaining in our wilderness, it’s been so long since You’ve promised, but we will hold fast to Your unchanging hand. We are Your children and You never forsake Your own. We run to You in the process, in our dusty surroundings, dirty and tired, for You said we would find rest in You. So we enter Your presence with thanksgiving and we bless Your name for You are good and Your mercies are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness. It’s because Jesus overcame that we are assured of our victory. AMEN!
As it is written: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, and whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” Romans 9:33 NKJV
The original prophetic reference is found in Isaiah 8:14 and says; He will be as a sanctuary, but a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, as a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
Jesus came to seek and to save all who were lost and restore them to relationship with Father God, but He did it with a slight twist to both the houses of Israel and Jerusalem. And the stone that the builder rejected has now become the chief cornerstone. Wow. I really like the way God works. They didn’t even know who they crucified and refused to believe that He rose again and ascended to the Father.
God had purpose for His Stumbling Stone and Rock of Offense. Not every stone we trip over is bad, sometimes it has a purpose in our lives.
When the devil tells you, “See those rocks in your way? You’ll never get past those!” Let him watch in horror as you build an altar with those stones and bring your worship, your sacrifice of praise to the Lord.
Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit. Jeremiah 17:7-8 NKJV
If you happen to watch the news or attend to the current reportings of those who do watch the news, you’ll be aware of a certain underlying fear around you. This seems to be a natural tendency to those who believe what they hear and see verses what they know in their heart to be true. Bear with me as I attempt to explain what I mean by that.
For those who trust in the Lord and believe what His Word says over their circumstances, it holds more truth than what is seen and heard around them. Trust isn’t something that just happens by chance, it’s something that’s grown by experiencing the surety of seeing time and time again as things come to pass as you wait.
When I’m being rattled by what’s happening around me, I begin to remember how God delivered me from the hand of the enemy time and time again. I recall situations that were impossible and how we prayed, believed and saw the salvation of the Lord. Those were the building blocks that supported our faith and the steel rods that caused our trust to become strong. Now that structure can take a whole lot of strong wind and waves and still remain standing.
It doesn’t mean it’s easy, it means that when the going gets tough, we run to the Rock, knowing that He will keep His covenant promises to us. There’s nothing that can come against us and win. Nothing.
So in the midst of your current drought, remember the verse above and may your leaf remain green, and may you not be anxious in these times. Never cease from yielding fruit!
I speak peace and increase over your day. Whatever you put your hand to, may it prosper and may you use that prosperity to help build the Kingdom of God.
Lord, I cry out to you out of the depths of my despair! Hear my voice, O God! Answer this prayer and hear my plea for mercy. Lord, if you measured us and marked us with our sins, who would ever have their prayers answered? But your forgiving love is what makes you so wonderful. No wonder you are loved and worshiped! This is why I wait upon you, expecting your breakthrough, for your Word brings me hope. Psalm 130:1-5 The Passion Translation
As I read these verses this morning, I heard the Lord say, “So many are crying out to me in the depths of despair, hoping I will hear and answer them. I’m not hard of hearing. As soon as they cried out, I heard them and sent the answer their way. Tell them to hold on tight to their expected answer. I have never failed them and I won’t fail them now.”
Remember when Daniel prayed and the angel appeared to him? Daniel 10:12-Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words.” Daniel came in humility and prayer and he was heard.
You are no less important or valuable to your Father. If He heard Daniel, He hears you. Go back and read that story and encourage yourself to know that your answer isn’t far off, it’s close at hand. Start rejoicing over your answer. Thank Him that He heard you. Be swept away with hope in His Word.
But you are God’s chosen treasure —priests who are kings, a spiritual “nation” set apart as God’s devoted ones. He called you out of darkness to experience His marvelous light, and now He claims you as His very own. He did this so that you would broadcast His glorious wonders throughout the world. For at one time you were not God’s people, but now you are. At one time you knew nothing of God’s mercy, because you hadn’t received it yet, but now you are drenched with it! 1 Peter 2:9-10 TPT
These verses thrill me and overwhelm me with the thought that I’m a treasure. I really hadn’t thought of myself as that. More like a challenge rather than a treasure. But not to my Father.
A priest who’s a king, set up to rule and reign with Him. He sent His Son to be an example so that we would understand our own role in the earth.
A couple days ago I mentioned a young lady who stayed with us who was in need of a rescue, who had lost her way and through some bizarre chain of events, ended up at our dining table where I led her to see her need for a Savior. The first thing I told her to do was to download a bible app on her phone and read the gospels to get to know her Brother, Jesus. He set the example how to live on the earth and He is the only way to know God.
If we don’t know Him, how will we ever understand these two verses that Peter, the ‘challenging’ disciple, wrote to us. How can one be freed from sin, set in the light of His glorious love and not broadcast it throughout the world? We cannot!
For once we’ve been drenched in that wonderful mercy that only our Father can give, can we genuinely want others to be baptized in it as well. If we don’t understand our position, we can’t convey it to others.
When you look in the mirror, tell yourself, “I am a treasure!” Repeat it until you believe it deep in yourself, than turn up your light and let the world see what you reflect–Fathers Love.
We can’t allow ourselves to get tired of living the right way. Certainly, each of us will receive ⌞everlasting life⌟ at the proper time, if we don’t give up. Galatians 6:9 GW
If everyone around you is living wrong–live right. If everyone around you is complaining–be thankful. If everyone around you is hateful–love. Don’t become like them, be children of God and leave a glow in the darkness that surrounds them. Don’t allow your light to go out because it’s dark, be the light that draws them back to God.
It’s not meant be be easy, it’s meant to be our focus to keep us from being affected by the world, but to affect the world with light. Shining like the stars in the heavens causes people to find direction. That’s why we’re here, to show the way back to relationship with God.
Not everyone will appreciate your shine. More will probably persecute you and harrass you, it’s ok, you don’t have to do anything to convince them, that is the Holy Spirit’s job. Your job is merely to shine.
Then the Lord spoke his word to Elijah: “Get up, go to Zarephath (which belongs to Sidon), and stay there. I’ve commanded a widow there to feed you.”
He got up and went to Zarephath. As he came to the town’s entrance, a widow was gathering wood. He called to her, “Please bring me a drink of water.” As she was going to get it, he called to her again, “Please bring me a piece of bread too.”
She said, “I solemnly swear, as the Lord your God lives, I didn’t bake any bread. I have one handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I’m gathering wood. I’m going to prepare something for myself and my son so that we can eat it and then die.”
Then Elijah told her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home, and do as you’ve said. But first make a small loaf and bring it to me. Then prepare something for yourself and your son. This is what the Lord God of Israel says: Until the Lord sends rain on the land, the jar of flour will never be empty and the jug will always contain oil.”
She did what Elijah had told her. So she, Elijah, and her family had food for a long time. The jar of flour never became empty, and the jug always contained olive oil, as the Lord had promised through Elijah. 1 Kings 17:8-16 GW
I cannot read this story without wondering how she felt, the widow. The water was easy, she went directly to quench his thirst. But when he asked for a piece of bread too, that was just too much. Her response was a cry of desperation that God had heard long before she said those words to the prophet.
Why is it God always asks from us the things that are hard to give. Our last bit of coin, our last bit of food, a boys two piece fish dinner? Is it that He’s had a plan to provide all along?
We share a room in our home to supplement our income. It’s been a season of drought as no one has rented for some time. Things have been tight and the struggle is real. I’m sure everyone can relate. With the costs going up and the income staying the same, there have been things we’ve just done without so that we can pay our bills on time.
I recently lowered my rates just so I could get something to help and got a hit. A woman showed up with a friend who was from out of state and down for the week. I gladly showed her the room and how to unlock the electronic locks. She asked if she could take a shower and I told her where the towels were.
It was obvious from the black eye she sported that something had happened. When I saw her on Sunday morning, I asked if she was in trouble and needed to talk, I was always available, she didn’t need to be afraid, she was in a safe place. Monday morning, instead of staying in my office, I heard the Lord nudge me to the dining room table. 10 minutes later she came out of her room, I fixed her breakfast and led into a loving relationship with Jesus.
I shared what I had and the day after she left I got a booking at full price for 8 days. God always wants to bless us, but He expects us to give first where we can.
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In the morning, O LORD, hear my voice. In the morning I lay my needs in front of you, and I wait. Psalm 5:3 GW
When I read this verse, I thought of the past few weeks when I did just this. I had a need, a desperate need, and I came before the Lord just as David did. I lay it all down in front of Him for the sake of His covenant promises that He made with me. His Words, not mine. Promises of provision, of healing, of help in time of trouble.
And I waited. Trying not to pick up those needs I had placed in front of Him. It’s what I typically do though. If I don’t see God moving fast enough, I try to figure out what I can do. Do you do that?
But those who allow the process to work itself out, those who trust in the Lord with their whole heart and don’t lean on their own wisdom, but acknowledge that He is well able to keep what is committed to Him, those are the ones He rewards.
You don’t need to look for another job, just look to Him. If He wants to bless you with a better job, He will lead you down that path. Just trust Him.
You don’t need to constantly wonder how He’s going to do it, letting those scenarios constantly loop through your mind. Place them there before Him and wait.
Don’t just wait drumming your fingers on the table. Don’t just wait stressing and worrying about what’s taking so long. Worship while waiting. Exalt Him as the God He is, ever faithful, always watching over you, your children and your grandchildren. Tell Him you’re thankful for His always keeping His Word to you.
When the answer comes, it will be doubly good because you waited well.
remnantposts by sandy gregory 