Posted by Pastor Bruce on March 5, 2010
Are you in a place where you need to know something?
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. – James 1:5-6 NKJV
As much as you know, you do not know it all and you need wisdom…daily. God is the God of all wisdom. He knows all and wants to reveal things to us! This is great news!
We do not have to walk around in the dark and stumble. We can know what to do at all times.
We must ask God for His wisdom in faith and expect to receive direct, divine revelation from our Heavenly Father!
If you are dealing with a challenge or circumstance that you have no idea how overcome and exit victoriously, ASK GOD FOR WISDOM! Expect to hear His voice, follow the guide (the mighty Holy Spirit!).
God desires that you walk in His wisdom and counsel. Not only does He desire for you to walk in His ways and His wisdom, He has opened the door and has invited you to ask.
Ask and receive. Spend time with Him and He will show you things to come. He will speak to you and settle every issue that you are dealing with. He already knows what you need to know!
Posted by Pastor Bruce on March 4, 2010
Face it, God would not ask you to do something that you could not do.
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” – Phillippians 4:13
Following God requires that you walk in His strength. His strength in us is His ability flowing through us by His Spirit.
There is nothing that you can not do that God is leading you to do.
For example, from His Word we can see that it is His will for us to love our spouse and our family. This can not be done through our own strength, it requires the power of God working in us. He does not expect us to fulfill His supernatural will with our natural means. Through God we can do all things.
You may feel like you can not do what you know that you should and what you know that God is asking you to do, but remember:
- God is just and can not ask you to do something that you can not do
- He wants you to rely on Him and His strength to do all that you must do
Don’t say that you can’t because through Him and with His strength, you can! Rise up in the power of His might and show all those around you that you can do it! Declare I CAN DO ALL THINGS through HIM!
Posted by Pastor Bruce on March 3, 2010
How do you know when you have changed?
Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him – Col. 3:9-10 NKJV
OLD MAN vs. NEW MAN…you choose.
We have the responsibility to walk (live) according to the Word of God and act like Jesus. We can say that we are “trying”…but how hard are we trying?
To grow up into Jesus is to change the way that we act, think and speak. We have the power (and the responsibility) to change for ourselves. No one can make you change and no one can change for you. You decide when and if you are going to change.
Our disadvantage is that we live in a society of convenience where we do the least amount possible and expect the greatest result. We want all the shortcuts and we want them right now!
Real and lasting change is not based on convenience, it is based on the how much of the Word of God we are putting to practice in our lives. We must determine that we will do whatever the Word says for us to do as quickly as we see it in the Word! To change we have to change, period. How much have you changed lately?
Posted by Pastor Bruce on March 2, 2010
Eating your words is not a fun thing to do.
Proverbs 29:20
(AMP) Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a [self-confident] fool than for him.
(BBE) Have you seen a man who is quick with his tongue? There is more hope for a foolish man than for him.
(CEV) There is more hope for a fool than for someone who speaks without thinking.
(GW) Have you met a person who is quick to answer? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
(NKJV) Do you see a man hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
One problem that everyone of us deals with is OUR TONGUE. The book of James talks a lot about the power of the tongue and the fact that what we say will direct our lives. (Read James for a great source of help in this area!)
We should practice the discipline of thinking before speaking but in a lot of instances we are way too quick to speak without thinking. Someone said, “make sure that your words are sweet because you will eat them”, and this is true.
If you have been too hasty to speak in the past just determine today that you will begin to “bite your tongue” (for the count of 10) before you say anything. Instead of talking so much learn how to ask other people questions and listen to what they say. Learning how to listen is the cure for talking too much. Don’t be a fool, hold your peace, bite your tongue and enjoy the results.
Posted by Pastor Bruce on February 26, 2010
What do you do when fear “comes-a-knocking”?
Do not fear, nor be afraid; Have I not told you from that time, and declared it? You are My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me? Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one.’ ” – Isaiah 44:8 NKJV
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. – John 14:27 NKJV
Do you accept fear as just something that is natural and something that helps us recognize danger? (This is what is being taught to the Body of Christ in these days…and it is absolutely from the enemy!) Fear is not now (and has never been) from God to help us in any way. It is a spirit that attempts to steal, kill and destroy! 2 Timothy says that God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love and sound mind!
You have the choice to reject fear! The Spirit of God in us is more powerful than any fear that is coming against us and as we resist the devil he MUST flee.
We have authority according to Matthew 18 and we can bind thoughts of fear and command them to leave in Jesus Name. We choose to take the Word of God (which is our sword of the Spirit) and run off every thought of fear that the enemy throws our way. We choose to dwell on the Word of God and think on the things that are in line with the Word and the peace of God begins to guard our heart and mind in Christ Jesus. It develops a shield over us that fear cannot penetrate. Say out loud with your mouth, “No fear here!”
Posted by Pastor Bruce on February 25, 2010
Receive more grace for your race.
Therefore then, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. [Ps. 110:1.] JUST THINK OF HIM Who endured from sinners such grievous opposition and bitter hostility against Himself [reckon up and consider it all in comparison with your trials], so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds. – Hebrews 12:1-3 AMP
Considering Jesus and what He did for us will quickly bring us up and out of any pity party! Verse 3 of Hebrews 12 says to think of Him so that we will not grow weary or exhausted…faint in our minds…
We must remember that He did all that He did (endured the shame of the cross) because of the joy that was set before Him. He empowers us with that same joy as we look to Him who is the author and finisher of our faith. That joy of the Lord is our very strength and He is the very source of our faith. God will do exceedingly abundantly above anything that we can ask or think ACCORDING TO the power that is at work within us! Let His power work within you today as you think about Him and consider what He did for you and realize that He lives in you!
Posted by Pastor Bruce on February 24, 2010
Ever felt like giving up?
And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. – Acts 2:42 (KJV)
We all have the opportunity everyday to quit, run and hide. BUT we must continue steadfastly!
Continue in: 1) The Word – Read, study and meditate the Word of God as much as you can daily. 2) Fellowship – Get involved in a local church where iron sharpens iron and your church family can exhort you. 3) Breaking of bread – Receive communion – the Lord’s Supper – regularly, at home and at church. 4) Pray – without ceasing and before you do anything. Give yourself to prayer, listen to the voice of God.
It is our job to continue. To continue steadfastly means to make a choice to do what you know to do. God can only give you the strength to do what you have determined in your heart to do and then begin to move toward it. Don’t sit down in the mully grubs and whine and complain, get up, dust yourself off and get moving! Re-focus, re-fuel and get moving towards all that God has for you! Jer. 29:11 You can do more than you ever thought you could do but you must CONTINUE!
Posted by Pastor Bruce on February 19, 2010
Study must become a habit.
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” – 2 Tim 2:15 (KJV)
Growing up spiritually does not happen naturally, it requires a great deal of time and attention. The responsibility of knowing Him and growing up in Him is ours. We have been given His Word and He took great effort to get it to us. If we completely comprehend how much value there is in the Word of God each of us would become totally devoted to the study of God’s Word. (This responsibility is not just for people who are in the ministry)
“These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed…” – Acts 17:11-12
Giving yourself to the Word of God produces a faith in God that is necessary to accomplish the will of God. Daily is key. Feeding from the Word daily, searching and pouring over the Word brings you face to face with the Author, the Holy Spirit. He is the One that takes us by the hand and leads us into a deeper understanding of the truth. He opens our eyes to show us things that we have never seen before.
We become approved by God by studying the Word enough that we handle the Word with confidence and boldness. Get deeper in the Word and watch it transform your life.
Posted by Pastor Bruce on February 12, 2010
How full are you?
And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, – Ephesians 5:18 NKJV
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. – Romans 8:14 NKJV
We are able to be led by the Spirit of God to the degree that we are filled by the Spirit of God. If you are wandering around not knowing where to go or how to get there, get full of the Spirit of God! BE FILLED!
We are instructed to walk in the spirit and not after the flesh. I have found in my own life that it is so much easier to walk in the spirit when I am filled with the Spirit of God. Being filled with the Holy Spirit is not a once in a lifetime occurrence. There is one initial infilling but many subsequent refillings. The number one way to be refilled is to enter into the presence of God and yield yourself the very same way that you first received the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Reach up to God and out in faith, begin to worship Him from the heart and in other tongues and out of your belly shall flow rivers of living water that will refresh and renew you!
As you are full of the Holy Spirit expect to become more sensitive to His voice and leading. He desires to show you which way to go and what steps to take! Stay filled with Him and direction comes much easier.
Posted by Pastor Bruce on February 11, 2010
Examine your words…it is the best self examination that we can perform.
Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. – Matt 12:33-35
The old saying that “you are what you eat” is true in the natural sense but also in the soul and spiritual sense. The things that you are consuming all day long with your eyes and ears are forming what you believe in your heart and will eventually come out of your mouth.
If you want to locate where someone is spiritually just listen to them speak for about 5 minutes. Your words tell where your heart is. Take a whole day and do half the amount of talking and just listen to the words that you use. Are they filled with faith or with doubt? Are they filled with fear and criticism and love and kindness?
If you find that you are not speaking what you should be speaking then change what you are feeding on. Turn off the negative news and put more of the Word of God in you. Dwell in His Word and let His Words dwell in you…then you will begin to hear great things proceed from your heart and mouth! Words that will bless and heal…words that will attract people to Jesus and not to yourself. Good in, good out…
