Posts Tagged ‘word of god’
Forward by Faith
There are times in our life when things come along and cause us to stand still rather than moving forward. In today’s passage the Lord told Moses to stop praying and get moving. Prayer has a vital place in our lives. But there is also a place of action. Sometimes we know what to do, but we pray for more guidance as an excuse to post pone doing it. If we know what we should do, then it is time to get moving and move forward by Faith.
The Word of God is filled with people that came from different backgrounds, training, personalities and ways in which they served God. But they had one thing in common: They all believed God’s promises and did what He told them to do. They were men and women of faith, and God honored them because they believed His Word. God has not changed, and the principle of faith has not changed.
What seems to have changed is the attitude of some of God’s people: Some no longer believe God and act by faith in His promises. God’s promises never fail, but we can fail to live by the grace of God and not enter into all that he has promised for us. God has “brought us out that He might bring us in” but too often we fail to enter in because of unbelief. (Heb 3:19).
Living faith always leads to action. “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” ~ James 2:26
It is impossible to live by faith and ignore the Word of God and prayer. ”Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper (2 Chron 2:20, NKJV). There has not failed one word of all His good promise.
The Australian coat of arms pictures two creatures; the emu, a flightless bird, and the kangaroo. The animals were chosen because they share a characteristic that appealed to the Australian citizens. Both the emu and kangaroo can move only forward, not back. The emu’s three-toed foot causes it to fall if it tries to go backwards, and the kangaroo is prevented from moving in reverse by its large tail.
Today, you may be feeling like you are in a helpless situation, not able to move forward because of fear. There may be a desperate cry from your heart due to your present circumstances. God is not a temporary retreat. He is our eternal refuge and can provide strength for any circumstances. His power is complete; and victory is certain. He will not fail to rescue those who love him.
It has been well said that faith is not believing in spite of evidence but obeying in spite of consequence. Three essential for moving ahead by faith and claiming all that he has for us: The Word of Faith, The Walk of Faith, and The Witness of Faith. What lies ahead of us is far greater than what lies behind us. Go forward. God Loves You and So do I…….Pastor Tammy
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About the Author:
Pastor, Mentor, Spiritual Counselor, Conference Speaker and Bible Teacher. Founder of New Destiny Global Ministry and Sister to Sister Global Ministry. Our top priority is to help individuals establish and develop a personal relationship with Christ. It is our desire to connect with brothers and sisters in every city, state, and the nations. It is a privilege to connect with you, through prayer, worship and in sharing the awesome Word of God. We are here to encourage, inspire and challenge you to become all that God has destined for your life. This is a praying ministry. We have a heart of compassion for people from all walks of life and especially for those who are hurting. Our purpose is to maintain the same values as that of OUR FATHER, and be a living example of his love and grace to all mankind. We are not into religion, but we do believe in relationships. It’s not about us but it’s about Jesus.
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It's Overflow!
IT’S OVERFLOW!
God’s plan is to see you break through every barrier in life. But until you understand the power of thanksgiving, praise and appreciation and begin to apply them in your life, you will remain limited in life. As you go through this teaching and apply them, I see you step out of dryness into wetness! From scarcity into overflow! From austerity into abundance! In the mighty name of Jesus!
In this edition, I will be sharing with you on “It’s Overflow!”
But let’s look into the word of God. Ezekiel 47:1-7 (AMP) “ 1THEN HE [my guide] brought me again to the door of the house [of the Lord--the temple], and behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple was toward the east; and the waters came down from under, from the right side of the temple, on the south side of the altar. 2Then he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around outside to the outer gate by the way that faces east, and behold, waters were running out on the right side. 3And when the man went on eastward with the measuring line in his hand, he measured a thousand cubits, and he caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were ankle-deep. 4Again he measured a thousand cubits and caused me to pass through the waters, waters that reached to the knees. Again he measured a thousand cubits and caused me to pass through the waters, waters that reached to the loins. 5Afterward he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the waters had risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over or through. 6And he said to me, Son of man, have you seen this? Then he led me and caused me to return to the bank of the river. 7Now when I had returned, behold, on the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other.”
The scripture in our main text above is symbolic of Overflow.
Beloved, the truth is that the God of heaven is in the business of increase. Progressive increase. Steady increase. Overflow. Abundance. And until we learn to be grateful for the “little” we have been given, much cannot be guaranteed. If you do not appreciate the “little blessings” of today, overflow tomorrow might remain a mirage. Psalm 67:5, 6 records clearly “Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us.”
I’ll be sharing briefly on 3 Keys Essential to Experiencing Overflow
1. Key No 1 – You must fight to be led by God
The overflow experienced in Ezekiel 47:7 was a result of cooperation with God. Look at the scripture again “then he brought me” verse 1, “then he brought me” verse 2, “and he caused me to pass” verse 3, “and caused me to pass” verse 4, “then he led me, and caused me to return” verse 6. The end result, “…it was a river that I could not pass through, for the waters had risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over or through. And he said to me, Son of man, have you seen this? Then he led me and caused me to return to the bank of the river. Now when I had returned, behold, on the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other.” Abundance. Overflow. Overflow of the Spirit. Overflow of Prosperity. Unusual Fruitfulness – from Zero to Overflow.
When you stop cooperating with God, you begin to operate alone. The biggest challenge we face as individuals is the challenge to be led by God. That’s why Paul the apostle charged his spiritual son Timothy, “…fight the good fight of faith…” (I Tim. 6:12). Friend, submission to be led by God is proof of faith – real faith – genuine faith. Remember, faith is absolute confidence in God! Except you have absolute confidence, you will never agree to be led by anyone in very crucial and desperate circumstances. In II Tim 4:7 Paul himself enthused “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith…” Where are the evidences of this fight of faith in Paul’s life? This is one – “Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not” (Acts 16:6-7). This is another one – “And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.” (Acts 16:9-10)
Someone rightly said “Some people are sent by God, others just went”. The man clearly recorded “…he led me…” When God leads you, you are mighty safe! No wonder the Psalmist wrote “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.” (Ps. 23:1, 2)
I was just wondering, what if the man in Ezekiel 47 refused to move at the start of the journey? What if he felt the journey wasn’t going to be worth it? What if he felt that was not the right direction to follow? Would he have had the unusual privilege of seeing full grown trees at the very place where his journey began from?
The devil will fight you tooth and nail to ensure you are never led by the spirit of God. Watch out! He may attempt to use people to poison your heart regarding submitting yourself to be led by God. That’s why your spirit must be very sensitive at all times. Be ready to sift everything you hear and see and make the choice to allow God alone direct you. It’s your time!
Many are still leading and directing their lives. No wonder there’s a lot of error and confusion in their lives. It’s time to position yourself to be led by the Spirit of God. To be led by the Spirit of God, you need a lot of patience. As you cooperate with the Spirit, I see you step into Your Season of Overflow! Overflow spiritually! Overflow maritally! Overflow financially and on all fronts! Peace!
Visit http://www.cityofgodchurch.org for more!
Izuchukwu Ezeume
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About the Author:
Hello, Sweet Potato!
We all have them in our kitchen: potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions. They are tucked away in a corner somewhere and occasionally forgotten. I have a cute basket in the corner, under the coffee pot stand where I keep mine. I have a tendency to stretch my amateur cooking muscles from time to time so onions and potatoes are a common commodity as well as the rare purchase of sweet potatoes or red potatoes. Yet, when life gets overwhelming or busy, I tend to overlook them. Sometimes the odor gives them away, or I run across them and they are past palatable, shriveled and growing roots. In the past I just threw them away in the trash can and angrily wrote them off as wasted money.
A few days ago I happened to look in my basket and discovered three sweet potatoes growing roots. I was so preoccupied with myself and what I was going through that I set them on the counter and continued about my day. Come Sunday I saw them again…and while still in my despair, I couldn’t get them out of my head. The blog I wrote before about “Believing in the Seed” resonated in me. Remember, some seeds are tossed into the rocks where they form roots but have no soil in which they need in order to flourish, so they die. (Word of God is heard but not heeded. Luke 8:4-15) The same thing happened with a bag of small red potatoes a few weeks ago. I discovered the bag and almost threw them in the trash like I usually do, but it hit me. I’ve got a garden. This is how they start…why not throw them in the ground and see what they do? So I did. And now, they are thriving. Every day I see them flourishing and wait in anticipation to dig them up and reveal my bounty. It’s a great feeling. Not only did I not waste them, they will multiply, and I have the added satisfaction of tending to them and nurturing them while they grow.
The past few days have been extremely hard for me…the hardest yet…so hard I cannot even talk about it. The road I’ve been on has been so…vivid…so paved with pain and joy and darkness and light. It’s hard to look in the mirror at who I really am. I’m learning so much that it gets overwhelming at times, yet I know He’s there in the midst of it. I know He wants to shower me with blessings. He is revealing things to me that I need to accept.
I truly believe that everyone has good in them and when I start to care for someone it’s incredibly hard for me to give up, even if it’s at the expense of myself. So what does that have to do with those sweet potatoes, you ask? Well, for some people the roots are there, but they need to be transplanted into the soil to continue their growth. There can be no fruit without going to the next phase. (Galatians 5:22-23) After the process of darkness has done its’ job it is time to move on to the next step. But some people don’t want to move on. They refuse. They choose to stay in the darkness. They get comfortable with the darkness, maybe blame others or even themselves for why they are there, and they curse it while still doing nothing to work towards that next phase. Whether out of fear of change, acceptance of their wrongs, or the ability to accept God’s will over their own, they refuse to move, throwing away themselves and ultimately their happiness, right along with it. While it’s a good thing that I care so much and believe in others, I have to limit it to those that bear fruit. I am weak but I am ready to move on. I have to be transplanted and remove myself from the darkness no matter how much I love the person I am leaving there. I cannot be subject to the pain that someone is inviting into their life by continuing to be content in the darkness, especially when they proclaim to know God. I’m not sure how I’ll feel once I’m in the soil, but I do know that I want out of the painful darkness. God only has good things waiting for us if we will listen to Him. He can help us bear fruit, He wants us to bear fruit, that is what each of us are meant to do: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”John 15:5, 8. He doesn’t expect perfect, but He does want us to follow Him…to trust Him. What’s really odd about this is, I wasn’t sure how this whole story ended, but now I do. This is how God speaks to me. And boy, sometimes you have to be an extremely patient and thorough listener.
God never wants us to feel wasted. He will never throw us out. If we are in darkness it is because of our own choosing. Some may need to remain in the darkness for awhile before they understand, but some of us know what to do. Again I’m reminded of my blog on how we are like children stomping our feet wanting it our way when He is revealing to us our faults and giving us a way out. We just have to reach for it, no matter how scary it is. He wants us to sprout from the darkness in our lives and grow onto the next phase. He wants us to graduate from those experiences. We rejoice in the darkness because that is where we have the ability to grow! (Romans 5:3-4) He doesn’t want us to keep throwing ourselves away, returning to the same habits and same feelings of pain. He wants us to bear fruit in our lives. And He can help because He is the Almighty Gardener. But we have to listen, no matter how hard that is.
Fruit in our lives leads to things like love, goodness, peace, self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23) The devil doesn’t make us do anything, we each have a choice. I’ve said before that freewill isn’t free and this is what I mean. My way always seems to lead to the same pain and hurt, but His will wants me to be free from that. So, I refuse to be afraid anymore. I refuse to give up on myself. I am reaching for every form of help and support more feverishly than ever before: books, bible, note cards, Christian music, spiritual guidance, friends, prayers, websites, you name it. Today I even posted on Facebook that I need prayers. This may all seem desperate, but I am! I want to get off this worn path that I’ve been on. I want to be free from the pain that keeps repeating in my life. I WANT TO BE TRANSPLANTED! I have faith. Strong faith and I’m using it in every form I know possible. I may have no clue what the future holds or how I’ll feel about someone tomorrow, but I do know God is here, and somehow, I’ll be okay…God wants to see each of us flourish. He wants to nourish us, tend to us and help us grow. He wants us all to bear good fruit. Life is a continuous process. Stop throwing yourself away.
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About the Author:
Angie is the author of the blog “My Walk With God“. At 40 Angie is a single, divorced mother of 3 children ranging in ages from 21 to 16. Having suffered through addiction, divorce, abuse, depression and sin, she finds her strength by walking with God. She is a programmer/analyst and enjoys photography both as a side profession and as a hobby/release. Her current passion is a photography collection she calls “How Great Thou Art“. She also enjoys bonding with her kids, reading, traveling, exploring, gardening, and anything outdoors. The youngest of 8 siblings, she was a high school drop out, yet now holds 2 Associates Degrees and 1 Bachelor’s Degree and is currently earning her Masters. Check out more about her walk with God at: angnic.wordpress.com
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In Bible versus Quran: the law is light to keep you from the strange woman
This is the fourth article of the series:
“The Foreigner woman in Bible versus Quran”
Few quotes from the first article of this series are given here.
In language, the foreign or the strange woman is the alien or the exotic or the outsider woman. However, as determined by the Bible (e.g. 1 Kings 11:1), the foreign or the strange woman is the non-Israelite woman.
Subsequently, all non-Israelite women are foreign or strange women.
This indicates that the women in the Bible are but one of two categories; they are either Legitimate or Foreign.
Moreover, the Bible (Ezra 10:2) states that you break faith with God if you marry foreign women.
Ezra 10:2 (English Standard Version):
“…We have broken faith with our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land…”
According to the inspired word of God (1 Kings 11:1-11), the Bible says that
- The mouth of the strange woman is a deep pit: He that is abhorred of the Lord, Jehovah, shall fall therein. Why be captivated by a strange woman? Why embrace the bosom of a foreigner? Your eyes will see strange women, and your heart utter perverse things; then, you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, like one who lies on the top of a mast.
The commandment is a lamp and the law is light to keep you from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman which flatters with her smooth words. Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths. Her (the strange woman) house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death. She has cast down many wounded: many strong men have been slain by her.
Herein, there is an interesting remark:
Proverbs 22:14 Says that the mouth of the strange women is a deep pit.
On the other hand, Proverbs 23:27 says that a prostitute is a deep pit…
Proverbs 23:27 (English Standard Version): For the prostitute is a deep pit…
(Read the second article of this series: The Foreigner woman in Bible versus Quran (2)
Meaning-wise, does this indicate that the mouth of the strange women is equivalent to a prostitute?
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On the other hand, all women are equal in Islam.
Historical backgrounds:
There were some historical events that happened before the Quran puts the Law that all men and all women are equal in their duty and responsibilities regardless of their race, color, location etc.
(1) The first event was when Thabit ibn Qays who was hard of hearing and when he came to see the Messenger of Allah, the Companions made room for him in order for him to sit next to the Prophet so that he could hear him. He came one day when people were already seated and started stepping over people, saying: “Make room! Make room!” One man said to him: “You have found a place, so sit down!”
- Immediately, Muhammad said: ‘Who mentioned that woman (which Thabit gave her names)?
Thabit stood up and said: ‘I did, O Messenger of Allah!’
The Messenger said to him: ‘Look at the faces of those present’.
And when he looked, he asked him: ‘What do you see?’
He said: ‘I see white, red and black people’.
The Prophet Muhammad said: ‘Well, you are not better than any of them unless it be through your good deed and faith and God- fearfulness and apprehension.
(2) The second event; on the day Mecca was conquered, Muhammad ordered Bilal (a black Ethiopian slave) to climb on the roof of the Ka’bah and perform the call to prayer.
A man commented on this: ‘Praise be to Allah, that Allah has taken my father to Him and made that he did not see this day’.
Another man said: ‘Did Muhammad not find any other caller to prayer except this black raven?’
One person said: ‘O servants of Allah! How can this black slave be allowed to perform the call to prayer on top of the Ka’bah?’
Another man said: ‘If Allah is displeased, He will change him’.
- Muhammad summoned them and asked them about what they said and they admitted it. Allah then revealed this verse warning them against boasting about their lineages and abundance of wealth and against looking down on the poor, the color, the race etc.
(3) The third event; Safiyyah bint Huyayy ibn Akhtab (a Jewish wife of the Prophet Muhammad) went to Muhammad, and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, women revile me, saying: O Jewess, daughter of Jewish parents!’
Muhammad said to her: ‘could you not have said to them in reply: my father is Aaron, my uncle is Moses and my husband is Muhammad’.
In response to such events, Allah revealed Verse 49:11 and 13 of the Quran.
The meaning of Verse 49:11
- Evil is the name, mentioned out of mockery, derision and mutual reviling, of immorality after faith!
And whoever does not repent, of such immorality, those, they are the evildoers.
In other words, do not defame one another nor backbite against each other, nor insult one another by nicknames that he or she dislikes to hear. Bad is the name of lewdness after having accepted faith. And whoso turned not in repentance from doing that after having accepted faith, such are those who are evil-doers and they harm themselves with punishment in the Hereafter.
The meaning of Verse 49:13
O mankind! Lo! We have created you male and female from Adam and Eve, and have made you nations and tribes that you may know one another. Lo! The noblest of you in the Hereafter, in the sight of Allah on the Day of Judgment, is the best in conduct in the life of the world Lo! Allah is Knower of your status and lineage; He is Aware of your works and standing in His sight.
In other words, the verse says:
O mankind! We have indeed created you from a male and a female, from Adam and Eve, and made you nations and tribes that you may come to know one another that you may acquire knowledge of the customs of one another and not to boast to one another of whose is the more noble lineage, for pride lies only in the extent to which you have fear of God. Truly the noblest of you in the sight of God is the most God-fearing among you. Beyond doubt, God is Knower of you; He is Aware of your inner thoughts.
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The Bible (King James Version)
Proverbs 5:20
And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?
Proverbs 6:23-24
23For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
24To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.
Proverbs 7:4-5 and 25-27
4Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:
5That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.
25Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.
26For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.
27Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.
Proverbs 23:33-35
33Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.
34Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.
Proverbs 22:14
14The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein.
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The Quran (Yusuf Ali Translation):
Verse 49:11 and 13
11) O ye who believe! let not some men among you laugh at others: it may be that the (latter) are better than the (former): nor let some women laugh at others: it may be that the (latter are better than the (former): nor defame nor be sarcastic to each other, nor call each other by (offensive) nicknames: ill-seeming is a name connoting wickedness, (to be used of one) after he has believed: and those who do not desist are (indeed) doing wrong.
13) O mankind! we created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. and Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).
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Back to my question to the smart and interested reader:
Are the Scholars honest when they claim that the Quran quoted from the Bible?
Professor Dr. Ibrahim Khalil, Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/motivational-articles/in-bible-versus-quran-the-law-is-light-to-keep-you-from-the-strange-woman-1605200.html
Prof. of Clinical and Chemical Pathology, Head (ex-) of Clinical Microbiology and Infection Control Unit, Ain-Shams University. Cairo, Egypt
President of the Egyptian Society of Inventors, Honorary President of SPIC-Egypt (The Society of Practitioners of Infection Control – Egypt), Co-Chief Editor of the Egyptian Journal of Lab. Medicine
Member of the Egyptian union of Writers, Published 5 Books and some 60 Medical Articles, Supervisors for 79 PhD theses and111 Master Degree theses.