God's Best is Yours
7If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
John 15:7
3Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
Jeremiah 33:3
I choose to act according to my belief that God’s Word lives in me and that He meant what He said.
When I first started my church here in Fort Worth, I had an older couple in our church. The husband was known to be stingy and didn’t want to tithe. His wife secretly gave the tithe out of her grocery money and would always try and give something in the offering. In the early years of our church, offerings like hers sustained us because we didn’t have a large attendance and were needing to make payments for upgrading the structure we were in at the time.
Eventually the husband’s job took them over to Midland, Texas and so they left. Soon after we had a large need for lumber and supplies. I purchased the lumber and sheetrock on short term credit, trusting God would supply. It wasn’t but a couple days that a check came in from this lady with the exact amount we needed! It turns out that she had heard God tell her to sell her old used car and give the money to the church. You know, it wasn’t but a few days later that she received a call from a friend who wanted to gift her with a brand new car! This woman gave a significant seed out of obedience, and look what God provided for her!
Years later her daughter came to talk to me after her parents died. She was like her father, someone who complained about giving, but she made a comment to me that was profound. She said, “You know I would always tell mom that she was giving too much money away, but she never had any lack. I don’t know how it came in, but she always had enough.” Praise God! A seed planted in faith can produce a multiplied harvest that will leave you lacking nothing!
1Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. 2By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 3For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
1 John 5:1-3
3 Here’s how we can be sure that we’ve truly come to know God: if we keep his commands.4 If someone claims, “I have come to know God by experience,” yet doesn’t keep God’s commands, he is a phony and the truth finds no place in him. 5 But the love of God will be perfected within the one who obeys God’s Word.
1 John 2:3-5 (TPT)
Therefore become imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father]; 2 and walk continually in love [that is, value one another—practice empathy and compassion, unselfishly seeking the best for others], just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God [slain for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance.
Ephesians 5:1-2 (AMP)
We become like those we spend time with. We can pick up mannerisms, habits and attitudes from people just by being with them over time. That is why our relationship with God is so important. When we spend time with Him we will start to display His character. Our faith will grow. Our words will change. Our lives will become a mirror image of Him and others will see Him in us. Who do people see when they look at you?
Victory Decision
I will grow my relationship with God by spending time with Him today. As I do I I believe my actions will reflect His love to those around me.
As we study the life of Abraham, we realize we all need new beginnings. We all desire them, but how do you navigate the unknown? Charting your course is a 100% faith deal that is based on the Word of God. This is not hype, positive thinking, or mind over matter. It is simply getting a promise of God and remembering that the Bible said, “Therefore it is of faith . . .” (Romans 4:16). I have been a pastor many years, and have experienced many things. I have been in the trenches with people that were hurting. I have been with precious people that felt that their world was being challenged. People face a lot of challenges, but I believe with every fiber of my being that God has a new beginning for them.
In Acts 27 Paul faced shipwreck and possible death. In the midst of the storm God sent an angel with a message for Paul that he would survive the trip. Eventually the ship would run aground and he would be forced to swim to an island to survive. I believe even as it was with Paul, if your ship goes down, you are still going over. You have to lock into that kind of faith mentality. Not all ships make it. I wish I could tell you that everybody’s ship makes it, but I cannot. I will tell you this, even after the ship went down, Paul was able to safely make it to the shore. As a result, Paul had an island-wide salvation, healing, and Holy Ghost revival. He did not need the ship to do it. You see, the storm destroyed the ship but it did not take Paul’s faith. He refused to let the storm steal his faith in God’s Word. He refused to let the shipwreck ruin the rest of his life. Even when he was washed ashore, the challenge to his faith was not over. In an attempt to keep warm the survivors started a fire. When Paul laid the sticks he had gathered on the fire, a poisonous viper came out and attached itself to his hand. Immediately he shook off the snake into the fire without suffering any harm. No matter how greatly blessed we are, our faith will continually be challenged. But the bottom line is, if we do not quit, we win.
16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 17If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. 18But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. 19Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. 20And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 22Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flames of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 24Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. 25He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. 26Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. 28Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.
Daniel 3:16-26, 28
I believe God is a miracle working God and my deliverer. I choose to put the Word of God in my heart daily so when I need to stand my faith will be strong. I trust God!
(The following is an excerpt from Bob Nichol’s book, “The Secret Power of a Cause.”)
What exactly is a vision? A vision is a compass providing steady guidance along the path that God is leading you. It is a divine point of reference that steadies you, keeps your eyes off of present circumstances, and allows you to see the prize ahead of you. When difficulties arise, the vision reminds you of your future success. The Bible has many things to say about the importance of a vision. Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Without a vision, there is no sense of direction. The vision is vitally important to the believer but does not guarantee success. The problem with a vision is that it can be put on the shelf. It is optional. If the glamorous vision becomes too difficult to achieve, it can easily be put aside. A vision is needed, but there is something more.
In Acts chapter 26, Paul is testifying before King Agrippa about his encounter with Jesus. He tells the king about how Jesus changed his life and how he knew he had to accomplish what God wanted him to do. A vision was birthed in his heart on the road to Damascus. In verse 19 of chapter 26, Paul tells the king that he had “not been disobedient to the heavenly vision.” Paul kept the vision before him. He knew his duty was to spread the good news and his vision kept him on track. His vision provided a reference point that encouraged him to continue “pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14). Paul was given a vision on the road to Damascus, but somewhere along the way, there was a shift that took place. He knew his vision would not come to pass unless he went to work. God’s vision to Paul on the road to Damascus became a passionate cause. His vision became a cause.
8A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
James 1:8
5Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6
I will give the Word of God first place in my thoughts and listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit, thereby organizing and training my spirit to guide me in making quality decisions.
(The following is an excerpt from Bob Nichol’s book, “How to Change Your Destiny.”)
The hand of God in a person’s life could be seen as the anointing. When the anointing is on a person it produces results. “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him” Acts 10:38. When Jabez prayed “…that thine hand might be with me…” he was asking for God’s anointing to face a difficult task. Some commentators believe that the occasion of Jabez’s prayer was the expulsion of the Canaanites from his territory. The only thing that was going to get him through that situation was the anointed direction of God.
We all face situations where we need to hear from God. Many times God will speak to us during a church service where the Word of God is being preached. I have heard of this happening to business people in my congregation more times that I can recall. They were just sitting in a service and the Spirit of God would give them direction for their business. He would show them what adjustments to make to get out of financial crisis. The message preached that day would not even be about finances, but the anointing on the Word brought them direction. That adjustment would not have been thought of without the anointing touching their life. I love God and want to please Him. I want the hand of God on my life! The anointing on my life will help me be a good husband and father. Let the hand of God be upon me! Anointing, fall on me – live big within me! Touch me! Anointing of God take this piece of clay and do something with it.
(Below is an Excerpt from Pastor’s Book, “How To Triumph in Troubled Times”)
You never go wrong when you walk the love walk. You never go wrong when you respond with God’s love to a world of hatred. Love never fails. If you respond negatively to what someone else does in traffic, it may lead to a major incident. Confrontations like this have been known to become lethal. A harsh response, even with just a few words, may push people over the edge. You see, just a few words start wars. Words of strife break relationships but words of love can bring healing to relationships.
In a world filled with hatred, I can choose to walk in the love of God. No matter how many people come against you, you can walk in love. The reason we can walk in love is because we have the love of Jesus in our hearts. The Bible clearly says, “. . . love one another . . .” (John 13:34). It does not say destroy one another, but “. . . love one another…” It does not say hate one another, but love one another. I can walk in love in a world filled with hatred.
When something goes wrong when I am traveling I have found that if you just hold steady and treat people decently God will somehow turn things around and bring you out in victory. It will work in an office where everyone is filled with gossip; in an office when it is dog-eat-dog, in the corporate world where everyone is trying to do unto others before they do unto them.
You say, “If I walk the love walk they will eat me alive,” but I am challenging you today; walk in love in every area of your daily life. It is a choice that every one of us has to make. We can respond in our natural strength that is very limited or we can walk in God’s love and all of heaven’s resources will be with us. I am not saying that if someone is threatening your life that you do not respond appropriately, but you can choose to walk in love in a world that is seething with hate. You can triumph in the most troubled times by walking in love.
(Excerpt from Pastor’s book, ‘How to Get a Grip on God’s Promises”)
We can see that the Shunammite woman was watching her words. She only spoke words of faith and peace. The words she spoke laid the groundwork for the miraculous resurrection of her son. In verse 26 when Elisha saw this woman coming he told his servant to go meet her and ask, “…Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? Her answer remained the same, “it is well.”
Do you know what the prophet of God was really asking? The margin of my Bible said he was asking, “is peace thine?” Now you might be saying, why is that so important? The prophet was testing her grip on the promise. There is no room for doubt in this situation. If this woman was going to see the full manifestation of her miracle she needed to stand strong on the Word of God. In the Strong’s Concordance the word shalom has several meanings. In addition to “peace” it could also mean “safety, health, and prosperity.” Remember she answered the prophet of God, “. . . It is well.” She did not blurt out, “Well prophet of God, my son is dead.” Her faith response was essentially, “peace is mine.”
Do you know what she was saying? Prophet of God, I do not want to talk about my situation right now, but let me just tell you what I have inside of me. I have peace, safety, and health. Listen to this woman speaking her faith with a dead son at home. You think you have problems? This woman is saying, prophet of God, I have a grip on the promise of God and I am not letting go!