Posted by Pastor Bruce on July 28, 2010
Sons and daughters of God have privileges. One of those is that we are privileged to be able to be led by His Spirit.
Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Our Father wants us to be Spirit led not “head led”. Not education led, credential led, “networking” led, or any other way BUT, SPIRIT LED!
He has provided His Spirit to bear witness with our spirit that we belong to Him and how to follow His plan for our life.
If the Word of God declares that we as natural parents should bring our children up in the way that they should go (God’s way). Then it is His will that He desires to bring us up in the way that He wants us to go. Our ideas are just that…our ideas. We must take them to our Father in prayer and ask Him to shine His light on each thought that we have and show us His will (in all things!)
We have a right to expect to be led by His Spirit because He has gone to great lengths to give us His sure Guide (The Holy Spirit). It is time for us to declare by faith that “we are His children and we are led by His Spirit!”, on a daily (and hourly) basis! Be led today!
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Posted by Pastor Bruce on July 9, 2010
Trying to “wrap your mind around” something spiritual? …You may hurt yourself.
1 Cor. 2:14 – But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
We need more spiritual discernment and less “opinions”. Allowing the Spirit of God to reveal the things of God to us requires time in His presence and His Word.
Our lives should not be based on what we “think” is right for us. We should know what God wants us to do and then DO IT. Knowing what God wants you to know is the key to being equipped with the right plan and it comes directly from His Spirit. Instead of going to the phone, go to His Throne! Like Jer. 33:3 says – call unto Him and He will answer you and show you great and mighty things that you are not yet aware of. He desires to reveal things to us but most of the time we are looking in the wrong places.
Being spiritually “keen” does not come overnight. It requires training. Spiritual training in the School of the Holy Spirit. Learn about Him and spend time with Him. He will show you all that God has given you and lead you every step of the way!
Posted by Pastor Bruce on April 26, 2010
We needed a new commandment…higher than the 10 that God gave Moses.
I give you a new commandment: that you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another. By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples, if you love one another [if you keep on showing love among yourselves]. John 13:34-35 AMP
Jesus knew exactly what He was doing when He raised the bar by giving us a new commandment. He knew that the new commandment of love would transcend all the previous commandments given by God to man. This new commandment of LOVE is the highest “order” from the Commander in Chief of the Army of God. “Orders” in the military sense are given to soldiers before there is ever any action taken. Soldiers eagerly await the orders from the CO.
We have been given orders to love. Love one another AS HE has loved us. He knew that we fulfill the order when He gave it to us. He knew that He was also giving us the ability to love with the same love that He loved (and loves) us with when He gave us the command. This command, when acted on, will change the very atmosphere around us. As the world around us becomes more and more selfish and self-centered the love of God through the body of Christ will shine brighter and brighter. Let’s obey the command today. WE CAN DO IT!
Posted by Pastor Bruce on April 23, 2010
Need to see from faith’s perspective?
For we walk by faith, not by sight. – 2 Corinthians 5:7
We are not limited to our 5 physical senses when we decide to walk by faith. When we trust God with all of our heart and lean not on our understanding faith kicks in and we begin to see things from His perspective… with supernatural sight. We have the ability to see with the eye of faith in order to do the impossible through the power of God.
God designed us to walk in a higher realm where He walks. The walk of faith requires not looking at things the way that they appear outwardly. If we walk and live our lives by the way that things look in the natural realm (judging things after the facts) then we are limited to what we can see. But if we ask God to reveal to us the way that He sees things then He will begin to open our eyes, fill our hearts with faith and we will begin to have a whole new perspective on life. We can do all that God has called us to do when we begin to see things the way that God sees them. He wants to empower us with supernatural sight on a daily basis.
Posted by Pastor Bruce on March 29, 2010
What are you living for?
Who gave Himself on our behalf that He might redeem us (purchase our freedom) – Titus 2:14 (AMP)
God gave because love gives…and God is love. (1 John 4:7-8) Because we are born of God we have that same purpose for living, to give. Giving is the essence of living. You will not be totally satisfied in life until you begin to give.
The life that you are now living was given to you by God and it is not too much for Him to ask us to give our lives for others. The ultimate gift and the ultimate act of giving was when Jesus went willing to the cross and gave His life on our behalf in order to redeem us. He gave EVERYTHING for you.
Now He is calling us to live our lives in order to give to Him by being a blessing to others. We have the ability to give because He lives in us. We are designed to give because we were designed to imitate our Father.
We have to settle the issue of our purpose for living in order to make the biggest impact that we can make with the rest of the minutes, hours and days that we have left on this earth.
Focus on the life of Jesus and what He gave to us, then allow that life of love to flow out of you and give.
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Posted by Pastor Bruce on March 24, 2010
“If” is a big word to be so small.
Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; – John 8:31 (KJV)
Believing on Jesus does not make you a disciple. There is only one thing that will make you a disciple and that is continuing in the words of Jesus. Jesus said this. He made the distinction.
Many folks believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Fewer people actually become a disciple of Jesus.
A disciple means a follower. Someone that acts on the example and teachings of another. An apprentice is a follower of his mentor. To do what you have been taught to do. “Doing” is the difference.
Knowing what Jesus taught is good but doing what Jesus taught produces freedom. Being free requires acting on the truth. Truth acted upon produces freedom. The price of freedom is acting on the truth!
Don’t be satisfied with being just a believer. Continue in the truth of God’s Word, act like Jesus and experience the freedom that only the truth can provide. Be a disciple…do His word at all times…when it is convenient and when it is not convenient. Continue…
Posted by Pastor Bruce on March 18, 2010
“I did it my way…” (what a song to live your life by…)
(1Peter 5:5b) Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “GOD RESISTS THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.”
Is it any wonder why the subject of submission gets a bad rap? In today’s society of MY rights, MY likes, MY dislikes, me, me, I, I… we still do not understand that life is not all about the big “ME”! God did not create us to be self-seeking and self-serving…these are attributes of Satan. Thinking only about yourself and considering everything that everybody has done to you or not done for you will lead you to a life of loneliness and bitterness.
The more that you perform constant self-examinations on all your hurts, pains and fears, the more that you draw into yourself and put up walls between you and everyone else. Like the Word says “God Himself resists the proud”.
To submit to God means to quit looking at what God can do for you and begin doing what God has told you to do by obeying His leadership. Pride is the opposite of submission. “I deserve better”, “if only they cared about me…”, “after all that I have done for you…” – these phrases reveal the heart of someone that is in pride. It is not recognized as pride because it is masqueraded with hurt and “weakness”. God cannot help someone in the middle of a “pity party”. He can only give grace to someone that submits themselves to Him and His Word to the point that they are willing to admit fault, receive instruction and then change.
Have you noticed how easy it is for everyone in the world to blame everyone else in the world for their problems? Indications of a proud heart…
The humble and submitted heart is the one that is doing the Word in every way. Obeying God, loving people (and not demanding from them). Love is not touchy, fretful, rude…it does not take any account of any wrong done to it…it doesn’t try to get it’s way.
Submission is not bondage, but true freedom!
Posted by Pastor Bruce on March 16, 2010
Is it really all about you?!
For the others all seek [to advance] their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ (the Messiah). – Phillipians 2:21 (AMP)
How obvious is it that we live in a self-seeking, self-absorbed society? People are racing at the speed of sound to “get all they can out of life” under the guise of enjoyment and working desperately to make a name for themselves. Ever think about the phrase “name for yourself”? We are called by His Name to lift up His Name!
Jesus must become greater in our lives than we are. He must become the central focus in our lives and when He does the people that are looking at us will see Him shining so brightly that they will glorify our Heavenly Father (Matt. 5:16) … (not glorify us!).
Marketing has become the way of life in this generation. We market absolutely everything! (including water and oxygen!) We market ourselves and are in competition with ourselves to our own detriment. Whatever happened to “preferring one another before ourselves”? Or have we taken that out of “our version” of the Bible…? (Just a thought…)
Who are you promoting today? Do people glorify you or do they glorify God because of you? Our Father is expecting us to act like Jesus and when we do our interests become secondary and His interests become primary. We begin to look more like Him and in turn we are able to accomplish more of His will than our own. After all, isn’t that what it is all about? Not our will but His will be done in our lives? How are we measuring up?
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 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.
