Read:
Ephesians 5:2
2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Also Read:
1 Corinthians 3:11
11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
One day while I was at work some Jehovah's witnesses came to my home. My wife was unloading her car when they approached her. They asked if they could talk with her for a while about what they believed, but my wife said, "no, I'm a Christian, but my husband would love to talk with you..lol. My wife set me up. She wanted me to convert them. She set a time for Monday, and I thought this would be a good time just to listen to what they had to say and see where they were coming from. I made some coffee and here they came right on time. He was in a wheel chair and was pulling himself up on to my porch and to my front door. I reached down to help him but he insisted that he was alright and he would make it by himself. He had a young convert with him who was probably in his early twenty's. I pulled a couple of chairs out for them, and got them something to drink while I sat there and just listened to him talk. Being in bible college I studied about all of the different types of other religions, cults etc. and was prepared. They came to my house for about a month, and after hearing him talk for that whole month, he asked me if I had any questions? As I took another sip of my coffee, I said, "Yes, I have a few questions. First of all, I want to bring to the table who Charles Taze Russell really was, and how the prophecy of 1914 which claimed that Jesus would personally establish His kingdom then never came to pass as the prophecy claimed it would. While still in his teens and without formal theological education, Russell organized a Bible class whose members eventually made him "pastor." Before 1914, the Watchtower was predicting that God's Kingdom was to be set up on earth (not in heaven) in 1914! He said, " I'll have to look that up. Any other questions? Yes! Also, why did the Jehovah's witnesses take out the word God in John 1:1 and insert "a god" in there? He couldn't answer me, and that young kid was so confused as to what to say. He looked at me with such a hurt and said, "You protestant Christians are not who you claim to be! He began to proceed by telling me how he lost his legs. He told me that when he was in his teens, he got involved in a train accident and lost both of his legs. He told me that not one Christian from his church came to visit him, but one day he heard a knock on the door and there stood the Jehovah's witnesses extending their love to him. I was deeply touched by what he said, and told him that I am so sorry that this happened. I did pray with the two of them in Jesus name, and I told him that I understand your hurt, but there are Christians out there that do extend the love of Christ to the hurting. He got upset and told his convert to pack up and get out of here. I helped him out the door. Crippled love? How many of us as Christians reach out to a hurting generation. I know that I need to do more of this, and it's a shame for us to let the hurting reach out to crippled religions because they are doing more than we are concerning this. I want to exhort us today to reach out to the hurting. They are all around, and we can find ministry in a million places if we just open our eyes.
Prayer:
Lord forgive us. As Christians we've done all but walk in love to a hurting generation. Help us to walk in love and show forth your heart to those around us. We long to be the church that you desire for us to be. Turn our crippled love to a pure love in your name we pray. Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
You Done It Unto Me August 30th Devotional
Read:
Matthew 25:40
40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
I can remember back about ten years ago my wife and I was involved with helping the homeless. It was through our church we were members at. My wife is very good with that, and she flows in that type of ministry, but this is not really what I wanted to do I said to myself. Well, I knew the Lord was about to show me something. In this program we would minister to them, feed them, and then we would guide them to the showers that the church had there designated for the homeless. The one homeless person that I got to help had MS, so it took a while to walk him down, what I thought was the longest hallway ever. I helped him to the showers and waited on him outside the door there. I began to hear him yelling for help. I was out there just doing a little praying. I don't remember exactly what I was praying about, it might have been somewhere along the lines of "Lord I want to know your will" lol. Anyway, he still was yelling as I was in my own little world with the Lord. I then peeked in the door and saw him trying to put on his socks. I immediately ran to him and grabbed the socks. I told him that I would help him get his socks on. As I pulled one of the socks on, I heard a voice speak right through me, "You've done it to the least of these you've done it unto me." I felt the Holy Spirit so strongly in that room. I helped him get his socks and shoes on and lead him back to the cafeteria for more ministry. The Lord taught me something that Friday night. How many times do we get caught up in the hype of church things. We love the programs and the worship music. We maybe love the preaching and the teaching. There's nothing wrong with these things when our heart is right, but Sometimes we love the things of God more than the giver of those things. Oh! that we may hear the heartbeat of God today like never before. We are always praying for God's will and get frustrated because we can't seem to "hear" His voice when He specifically told us His will. James 1:27 tells us that Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. Jesus wants us to have His heart and to have His heart is to be concerned for the poor, to have a heart for lost souls, and to care for the orphanage and widows. When we do this God will move us to that place that we earnestly pray for. These things will never be forgotten in God's eyes, and when judgment day comes for the righteous these things will be brought to our attention. We will have bad motives judged as well. We all have them. We need to have the heart for the very things that Jesus has a heart for. I want to challenge you today. Find a ministry to feed the poor or do something along these lines. I need to do more of this myself. When we have a heart for these things we have the very heartbeat of God. It may be helping a homeless man put his socks on, or it could be giving a meal to a homeless person, or it could be getting a glass of water to someone who is thirsty. There is ministry all around us. We just have to open our eyes.
prayer:
Lord we come to you in humbleness now. Forgive us Lord if we are doing everything but what you commanded us to do. We pray Lord that we would hear your voice concerning your heart like never before. We long to follow you Lord, and to seek your face and not just your hand. We long to stretch out our love to even the very least in the worlds eyes. Help us to open our eyes to what we need to do in Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Matthew 25:40
40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
I can remember back about ten years ago my wife and I was involved with helping the homeless. It was through our church we were members at. My wife is very good with that, and she flows in that type of ministry, but this is not really what I wanted to do I said to myself. Well, I knew the Lord was about to show me something. In this program we would minister to them, feed them, and then we would guide them to the showers that the church had there designated for the homeless. The one homeless person that I got to help had MS, so it took a while to walk him down, what I thought was the longest hallway ever. I helped him to the showers and waited on him outside the door there. I began to hear him yelling for help. I was out there just doing a little praying. I don't remember exactly what I was praying about, it might have been somewhere along the lines of "Lord I want to know your will" lol. Anyway, he still was yelling as I was in my own little world with the Lord. I then peeked in the door and saw him trying to put on his socks. I immediately ran to him and grabbed the socks. I told him that I would help him get his socks on. As I pulled one of the socks on, I heard a voice speak right through me, "You've done it to the least of these you've done it unto me." I felt the Holy Spirit so strongly in that room. I helped him get his socks and shoes on and lead him back to the cafeteria for more ministry. The Lord taught me something that Friday night. How many times do we get caught up in the hype of church things. We love the programs and the worship music. We maybe love the preaching and the teaching. There's nothing wrong with these things when our heart is right, but Sometimes we love the things of God more than the giver of those things. Oh! that we may hear the heartbeat of God today like never before. We are always praying for God's will and get frustrated because we can't seem to "hear" His voice when He specifically told us His will. James 1:27 tells us that Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. Jesus wants us to have His heart and to have His heart is to be concerned for the poor, to have a heart for lost souls, and to care for the orphanage and widows. When we do this God will move us to that place that we earnestly pray for. These things will never be forgotten in God's eyes, and when judgment day comes for the righteous these things will be brought to our attention. We will have bad motives judged as well. We all have them. We need to have the heart for the very things that Jesus has a heart for. I want to challenge you today. Find a ministry to feed the poor or do something along these lines. I need to do more of this myself. When we have a heart for these things we have the very heartbeat of God. It may be helping a homeless man put his socks on, or it could be giving a meal to a homeless person, or it could be getting a glass of water to someone who is thirsty. There is ministry all around us. We just have to open our eyes.
prayer:
Lord we come to you in humbleness now. Forgive us Lord if we are doing everything but what you commanded us to do. We pray Lord that we would hear your voice concerning your heart like never before. We long to follow you Lord, and to seek your face and not just your hand. We long to stretch out our love to even the very least in the worlds eyes. Help us to open our eyes to what we need to do in Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Overworked & Under Prayed by Heidi & Keith Edwards August 29th Devotional
Read:
Matthew 11:28 Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
“Overworked and under Prayed”
What is your time spent on? Where is your focus?
Are you a gap filler? Do you run to and fro, back and forth everyday? Do you feel like your constantly busy and you don’t have enough time for yourself or to do the things you want to do.
How much time to you spend with the Lord during a typical day?
In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3
You don’t have to be the gap filler, or the activity leader, cupcake baker etc. to be a good mom, Christian, or servant of the Lord. As stay at home moms a lot of people would love to have our valuable time. It’s ok to say no to things. I am not saying to say no to everything, just some things.
If I get so busy that I don’t have time for my family, that doesn’t make sense. I chose to make the sacrifice to stay at home to serve my family right? If other commitments are keeping me from doing what needs to be done at home, I have lost balance and my peace. By the end of the day I want to collapse not spend time with God or my hubby, nor have I spent quality time with my kids during the day.
Rest doesn’t necessarily mean just sleep. It also means resting in the Lord, putting your cares upon Him. Spending time with Him, a few stolen moments.
A good example of this is Mary and Martha. One was running to and fro while the other was just sitting at feet of Jesus. Which would you rather do? Who do you think was calmer and refreshed after dinner?
Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.
She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word.
But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.”
But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things;
But only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42 (I am so Martha….)
Ask the Lord to put balance back into your life.
Even the Lord rested –
And God rested on the seventh day from all His works Hebrews 4:4
Our bodies need rest to rejuvenate and to restore. So does our spirit. We need our time with the Lord a quiet restful peaceful time.
I always feel better after my time with the Lord and I feel like I can tackle anything afterward.
Now how do you do it? (I have kids,… right.)
SAY NO to things. I’m not saying everything. Just some things. If you don’t fill the gap someone else will and you will give them an opportunity to serve.
Spend more time with the kids. I find if I give the kids some undivided attention that they are more apt to play a little by themselves, freeing up my time. (you will be able to do this if you say no to other commitments)
NAP TIME!
Plan out other necessary things like shopping, errands, bill paying. Organize them and things will run more smoothly.
Get up a little early, this is my favorite.
Think of all the times you have to STOP. At a light, in a line, waiting for the doctor, in traffic, etc. use those moment to reflect upon the Lord. Ask for His direction, REST or cast your cares upon Him.
S – Seriously
T- Taking
O - Opportunities to
P - Pray
by Heidi Edwards
prayer:
Lord we come to you with the weights we seem to carry sometimes. Help us Lord to know when to say no and when to stop and pray at times we can be praying. We give you all Lord and give us the grace in every situation that we're facing in this year. We ask it all in your name. Amen.
Matthew 11:28 Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
“Overworked and under Prayed”
What is your time spent on? Where is your focus?
Are you a gap filler? Do you run to and fro, back and forth everyday? Do you feel like your constantly busy and you don’t have enough time for yourself or to do the things you want to do.
How much time to you spend with the Lord during a typical day?
In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3
You don’t have to be the gap filler, or the activity leader, cupcake baker etc. to be a good mom, Christian, or servant of the Lord. As stay at home moms a lot of people would love to have our valuable time. It’s ok to say no to things. I am not saying to say no to everything, just some things.
If I get so busy that I don’t have time for my family, that doesn’t make sense. I chose to make the sacrifice to stay at home to serve my family right? If other commitments are keeping me from doing what needs to be done at home, I have lost balance and my peace. By the end of the day I want to collapse not spend time with God or my hubby, nor have I spent quality time with my kids during the day.
Rest doesn’t necessarily mean just sleep. It also means resting in the Lord, putting your cares upon Him. Spending time with Him, a few stolen moments.
A good example of this is Mary and Martha. One was running to and fro while the other was just sitting at feet of Jesus. Which would you rather do? Who do you think was calmer and refreshed after dinner?
Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.
She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word.
But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.”
But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things;
But only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42 (I am so Martha….)
Ask the Lord to put balance back into your life.
Even the Lord rested –
And God rested on the seventh day from all His works Hebrews 4:4
Our bodies need rest to rejuvenate and to restore. So does our spirit. We need our time with the Lord a quiet restful peaceful time.
I always feel better after my time with the Lord and I feel like I can tackle anything afterward.
Now how do you do it? (I have kids,… right.)
SAY NO to things. I’m not saying everything. Just some things. If you don’t fill the gap someone else will and you will give them an opportunity to serve.
Spend more time with the kids. I find if I give the kids some undivided attention that they are more apt to play a little by themselves, freeing up my time. (you will be able to do this if you say no to other commitments)
NAP TIME!
Plan out other necessary things like shopping, errands, bill paying. Organize them and things will run more smoothly.
Get up a little early, this is my favorite.
Think of all the times you have to STOP. At a light, in a line, waiting for the doctor, in traffic, etc. use those moment to reflect upon the Lord. Ask for His direction, REST or cast your cares upon Him.
S – Seriously
T- Taking
O - Opportunities to
P - Pray
by Heidi Edwards
prayer:
Lord we come to you with the weights we seem to carry sometimes. Help us Lord to know when to say no and when to stop and pray at times we can be praying. We give you all Lord and give us the grace in every situation that we're facing in this year. We ask it all in your name. Amen.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Father! Will You Accept Me Now august 28th Devotional
Read:
Romans 15:7
Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God
On April 26 2007 around 10:00 p:m in my prayer time, I was worshiping the Lord in song and music. The Lord began to speak to me about being accepted by him. I laid my guitar down and began to pray and humble myself before the Holy Spirit. I prayed a prayer that God would help me to believe that he is for me. I began to weep before the Lord, and God spoke to me, “Son, stop presenting the gifts that I have given you to be accepted by me.” It’s only by faith alone that we are accepted. The Holy Spirit is grieved by this. Lord, here is my teaching gift. Do you accept me now Lord. Lord here is my attendance to church. Here is this and here is that. Now we do these things unto the Lord, but we need to have the right motive from why we do these things. Maybe you just love the idea of God than God himself. My friend, God accepts you because you repented and was made new in Him. We do the things of God not because we do them alone but rather because we have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit helping us by His grace to do the things that we need to do. It's so easy to get to this place and God has His hands out to you today to bring you back to that first love with Him, a love that surpasses the idea of God, our gifts, or anything else that we seem to enjoy and move in apart from the inner strength of Christ within us. It’s by faith alone, and that faith alone will cause our father to shine his love down upon us as sons and daughters of the most high, and with that anointing of God will come the strength and desire to walk in the spirit. It will give us that assurance that he does love us, and he does care for us. When we don’t feel like he really cares for us, we may be very well walking the works of our own righteousness. It’s not the question of will God accept us, but the realization that he already accepted us when we accepted him as our Lord and Master. Now let’s worship him with that realization that he has accepted us. Let’s present our gifts to the body of Christ to encourage and come into the unity of Christ Jesus as one. It is very important what we bring into the presence of God. We need to understand who we are in Christ Jesus, and we will understand that the Father God does accept us.
Prayer
Lord we come to you in your name and thank you that we are accepted by you, not because of the things we necessarily do alone, but because of who you are within us, and who you are within us will help us walk in your spirit. Thank you Lord for the gifts and talents we have, but most of all we thank you for who your are. Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Romans 15:7
Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God
On April 26 2007 around 10:00 p:m in my prayer time, I was worshiping the Lord in song and music. The Lord began to speak to me about being accepted by him. I laid my guitar down and began to pray and humble myself before the Holy Spirit. I prayed a prayer that God would help me to believe that he is for me. I began to weep before the Lord, and God spoke to me, “Son, stop presenting the gifts that I have given you to be accepted by me.” It’s only by faith alone that we are accepted. The Holy Spirit is grieved by this. Lord, here is my teaching gift. Do you accept me now Lord. Lord here is my attendance to church. Here is this and here is that. Now we do these things unto the Lord, but we need to have the right motive from why we do these things. Maybe you just love the idea of God than God himself. My friend, God accepts you because you repented and was made new in Him. We do the things of God not because we do them alone but rather because we have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit helping us by His grace to do the things that we need to do. It's so easy to get to this place and God has His hands out to you today to bring you back to that first love with Him, a love that surpasses the idea of God, our gifts, or anything else that we seem to enjoy and move in apart from the inner strength of Christ within us. It’s by faith alone, and that faith alone will cause our father to shine his love down upon us as sons and daughters of the most high, and with that anointing of God will come the strength and desire to walk in the spirit. It will give us that assurance that he does love us, and he does care for us. When we don’t feel like he really cares for us, we may be very well walking the works of our own righteousness. It’s not the question of will God accept us, but the realization that he already accepted us when we accepted him as our Lord and Master. Now let’s worship him with that realization that he has accepted us. Let’s present our gifts to the body of Christ to encourage and come into the unity of Christ Jesus as one. It is very important what we bring into the presence of God. We need to understand who we are in Christ Jesus, and we will understand that the Father God does accept us.
Prayer
Lord we come to you in your name and thank you that we are accepted by you, not because of the things we necessarily do alone, but because of who you are within us, and who you are within us will help us walk in your spirit. Thank you Lord for the gifts and talents we have, but most of all we thank you for who your are. Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Friday, August 27, 2010
Good! Now Go Get A Job August 27th Devotional
Read:
Philippians 1:6
6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
A teacher from our bible college told us that when he graduated from bible college, he went up to his pastor and said, "I know what the Lord has called me to do! He has called me into full time ministry." The pastor looked at him with a grin and said, "Good! now go get a job! God needs to mold and shape some things in you. This teacher did what he said and went to Arby's to work scrubbing toilets and cooking hamburgers, we'll, not in that order lol. Anyway, he did it for three months and after those three months of God shaping things in him, God moved him into full time ministry. This is so important for us to realize that one, if we have been called to full time ministry we can have hope that God will move us to the place we need to be in. Two, if you are not called in full time ministry, you can have a good attitude where you are at, and God will begin to unfold you destiny and dreams here on earth. As we are faithful in our home church, the pastor will see the gifts' in each one of us, and our calling will unfold before us as well. I want to encourage us today to remain as faithful as we can as God moves us where we need to be. God will be faithful to complete our calling, and love us too much to let us do our own thing, and our own thing will kill our first love with our Father God.
Prayer:
Lord, we ask that you will help us to remain faithful where we are at until you move us where you want us to be. Help us Lord to keep our first love with you in the middle of it all.
Philippians 1:6
6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
A teacher from our bible college told us that when he graduated from bible college, he went up to his pastor and said, "I know what the Lord has called me to do! He has called me into full time ministry." The pastor looked at him with a grin and said, "Good! now go get a job! God needs to mold and shape some things in you. This teacher did what he said and went to Arby's to work scrubbing toilets and cooking hamburgers, we'll, not in that order lol. Anyway, he did it for three months and after those three months of God shaping things in him, God moved him into full time ministry. This is so important for us to realize that one, if we have been called to full time ministry we can have hope that God will move us to the place we need to be in. Two, if you are not called in full time ministry, you can have a good attitude where you are at, and God will begin to unfold you destiny and dreams here on earth. As we are faithful in our home church, the pastor will see the gifts' in each one of us, and our calling will unfold before us as well. I want to encourage us today to remain as faithful as we can as God moves us where we need to be. God will be faithful to complete our calling, and love us too much to let us do our own thing, and our own thing will kill our first love with our Father God.
Prayer:
Lord, we ask that you will help us to remain faithful where we are at until you move us where you want us to be. Help us Lord to keep our first love with you in the middle of it all.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Priority In The Home August 25th Devotional
Read:
Ephesians 5:25
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her
Also Read:
1 Timothy 3:5
5(If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?)
It was late that one night, and my son looks up at me with those exciting eyes and says, "Daddy, will you play little cars with me?" I was thinking that I could do the usual and spend about five minutes with him just to get it over with. For some reason or another I spent about twenty minutes with him playing cars. Then I felt compelled to play chase around the house, and then I spent some quality time with my little nine year old girl. Then I felt like I needed to read the bible kids book to my kids, so I reached over to get the book and read to them for about twenty minutes. My little boy looked up at me with those huge colorful brown eyes, and he said with the most gentle voice, "I love it when you read the bible book to me Daddy." WoW! what a night. You know, I felt good though when I spent that quality time with my family. I had forgotten what I prayed for earlier that day. You know, "Lord I want to know your will?" Give me direction Lord! As I was on my way to work that night, the Lord began to discipline me. I don't ever cry, so for me to shed some tears was quite unusual. I shed alot of tears that night. The Lord began to show me where I was missing it in my time management. Although I was living a moral life and wasn't sinning in my personal life with lust or anything else like that, the Lord told me that my sin was not having a balance with my family. Many times we can even do good things, and our family is suffering right before us. Yet we are oblivious to it for some reason or another. We can be doing ministry and good things, but we need balance in our family. Ministry is in our home, and we need to set an example as Husbands and Fathers to our wife and children. I found myself working on my new Christian album, working on my ministry, and other things that was not a good balance in my own home. My wife was very excited and she called me later that night while I was at work and told me that God was dealing with her about some things because of the example I was showing to her. You may be at that place minister of God where you are too busy to spend quality time with your family. You may not necessarily be in full time ministry, but as a Father and Husband you are a Priest to your own home. Ministry is definitely in the home, and God can touch your life and set you on that course that you try and fulfill yourself apart from managing your family. Last thing in this devotion that I want to bring forth to you as we depart is the definition for manage here in 1 Timothy 3:5. It means to pay close attention to. I want you to reflect on this scripture today, and I encourage you to pray about time management in your own home.
prayer:
Lord we come to you in repentance for not watching over our family like we need to. We've done all but this one thing, and this is very important to you Lord. Help us to spend quality time with our family, and give us wisdom on how to make the changes in our lives. Amen.
Ephesians 5:25
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her
Also Read:
1 Timothy 3:5
5(If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?)
It was late that one night, and my son looks up at me with those exciting eyes and says, "Daddy, will you play little cars with me?" I was thinking that I could do the usual and spend about five minutes with him just to get it over with. For some reason or another I spent about twenty minutes with him playing cars. Then I felt compelled to play chase around the house, and then I spent some quality time with my little nine year old girl. Then I felt like I needed to read the bible kids book to my kids, so I reached over to get the book and read to them for about twenty minutes. My little boy looked up at me with those huge colorful brown eyes, and he said with the most gentle voice, "I love it when you read the bible book to me Daddy." WoW! what a night. You know, I felt good though when I spent that quality time with my family. I had forgotten what I prayed for earlier that day. You know, "Lord I want to know your will?" Give me direction Lord! As I was on my way to work that night, the Lord began to discipline me. I don't ever cry, so for me to shed some tears was quite unusual. I shed alot of tears that night. The Lord began to show me where I was missing it in my time management. Although I was living a moral life and wasn't sinning in my personal life with lust or anything else like that, the Lord told me that my sin was not having a balance with my family. Many times we can even do good things, and our family is suffering right before us. Yet we are oblivious to it for some reason or another. We can be doing ministry and good things, but we need balance in our family. Ministry is in our home, and we need to set an example as Husbands and Fathers to our wife and children. I found myself working on my new Christian album, working on my ministry, and other things that was not a good balance in my own home. My wife was very excited and she called me later that night while I was at work and told me that God was dealing with her about some things because of the example I was showing to her. You may be at that place minister of God where you are too busy to spend quality time with your family. You may not necessarily be in full time ministry, but as a Father and Husband you are a Priest to your own home. Ministry is definitely in the home, and God can touch your life and set you on that course that you try and fulfill yourself apart from managing your family. Last thing in this devotion that I want to bring forth to you as we depart is the definition for manage here in 1 Timothy 3:5. It means to pay close attention to. I want you to reflect on this scripture today, and I encourage you to pray about time management in your own home.
prayer:
Lord we come to you in repentance for not watching over our family like we need to. We've done all but this one thing, and this is very important to you Lord. Help us to spend quality time with our family, and give us wisdom on how to make the changes in our lives. Amen.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
The Mercy Seat august 24th Devotional
Read:
Romans 3:25
25 Whom God put forward before the eyes of all as a mercy seat and propitiation by His blood [the cleansing and life-giving sacrifice of atonement and reconciliation, to be received] through faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in His divine forbearance He had passed over and ignored former sins without punishment.
The greatest thing that a Christian can learn in his or her walk with the Lord is having a deeper revelation everyday of Christ, and His death, burial, and resurrection. What we focus on through prayer and worship is very important how deep will can enter into the holy of holies. The bible says that because of Jesus shedding His blood upon the mercy seat of God, it appeased the wrath of God upon man. God now sees us as righteous by the blood of His son Jesus Christ. The Greek word for propitiation is hilastarion, and it means mercy seat for our sins. The secret for walking in the spirit is by first submitting to what God has already done for us. We need to walk in that which we have recieved. In the old testament the priest would take the blood of animals and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat upon the ark of the covenant. This would not take away the sins completely, but it would cover their sins temporarily. The priests would have to do this periodically for the sins of Israel. Christ was the ultimate sacrifice, and through our faith in this revelation will come a deeper revelation of how God really sees us through our worship and prayer. Christ' death and resurrection caused us to be a child of God now. I want us to focus on how much God really loves us today. He loved us so much that he allowed His very Son to die upon a cross for us. Christ' blood satisfied God, and now we are righteous by that ultimate sacrifice. Another thing that the propitiation of the blood upon the mercy seat did is cause the Holy spirit to come and indwell within us as believers, which Jesus told His disciples would come after He was crucified. When Jesus blood satisfied God it brought forth the anointing.
prayer:
Lord, we enter in your holy of holies by that precious blood. It's only by that blood Lord that we can enter, and your blood heals us, delivers us, and saves us. Thank you for that blood you shed Jesus, and as we offer up incense of worship to you today let your glory so fall upon us as your children and priests of your holy throne, Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Romans 3:25
25 Whom God put forward before the eyes of all as a mercy seat and propitiation by His blood [the cleansing and life-giving sacrifice of atonement and reconciliation, to be received] through faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in His divine forbearance He had passed over and ignored former sins without punishment.
The greatest thing that a Christian can learn in his or her walk with the Lord is having a deeper revelation everyday of Christ, and His death, burial, and resurrection. What we focus on through prayer and worship is very important how deep will can enter into the holy of holies. The bible says that because of Jesus shedding His blood upon the mercy seat of God, it appeased the wrath of God upon man. God now sees us as righteous by the blood of His son Jesus Christ. The Greek word for propitiation is hilastarion, and it means mercy seat for our sins. The secret for walking in the spirit is by first submitting to what God has already done for us. We need to walk in that which we have recieved. In the old testament the priest would take the blood of animals and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat upon the ark of the covenant. This would not take away the sins completely, but it would cover their sins temporarily. The priests would have to do this periodically for the sins of Israel. Christ was the ultimate sacrifice, and through our faith in this revelation will come a deeper revelation of how God really sees us through our worship and prayer. Christ' death and resurrection caused us to be a child of God now. I want us to focus on how much God really loves us today. He loved us so much that he allowed His very Son to die upon a cross for us. Christ' blood satisfied God, and now we are righteous by that ultimate sacrifice. Another thing that the propitiation of the blood upon the mercy seat did is cause the Holy spirit to come and indwell within us as believers, which Jesus told His disciples would come after He was crucified. When Jesus blood satisfied God it brought forth the anointing.
prayer:
Lord, we enter in your holy of holies by that precious blood. It's only by that blood Lord that we can enter, and your blood heals us, delivers us, and saves us. Thank you for that blood you shed Jesus, and as we offer up incense of worship to you today let your glory so fall upon us as your children and priests of your holy throne, Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Monday, August 23, 2010
Holy Seed August 23rd Devotional by Keith Edwards
Read:
Ezra 9:1,2
1Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, doing according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.
2For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass.
All throughout the old testament God wanted to keep the seed or lineage pure for the birth of Jesus, and marrying unto foreign wives who were involved in idolatry was forbidden from God for the Jews. Eighty years prior to Ezra coming to Jerusalem as a spiritual leader, the Jews had done this, and Ezra gets there with sadness in his heart. He knew this is what destroyed Jerusalem, so he falls on the ground and cries out to God for forgiveness. The leaders came to Ezra and said that they to were sorry for this sin and told Ezra that we can't do this all at one time, but we will begin the process of divorcing the foreign wives. They did do this in time, and Jerusalem carried on the journey of completing the reconstruction of Jerusalem with Nehemiah coming on the scene a few years later. I want us to see two things here for us as the body of Christ. The bible tells us in the new testament that we are living stones and are a temple not made with hands, but a spiritual temple called by a new name. We have a holy seed that is the great commission, and we are to go forth in the mighty name of Jesus to win souls and do the works of Christ, and the seed will bring forth pure fruit as the Holy Seed. The other thing I want us to see is that the leaders told Ezra that it would take some time but that they would divorce the foreign wives they intermingled with. It's like this today. God is in the process of filtering out any mixture that does not belong in His marriage as the body of Christ, and He is wanting His body to be pure and holy. Also, restoration is a process, and many today are in that process of repentance and divorcing those things that we let in the church. We have allowed politics and things into the church and it has hindered the move of God. I believe that in the tip end of the last days we are going to see something that hasn't been in the church in a long time. We are going to see millions come to Christ by true conversion, and we are going to see many minister's repent and change some of the things they have been teaching, but we will see a great apostasy the bible teaches come forth as well. It is a separation of the tares and wheat. I don't think that God wants us as the body of Christ to just sit around and watch the great apostasy unfold before us. God needs His body to still go forth in His name and proclaim the message of the cross to an ungodly world. It is the same process that Ezra and the Jewish leaders went through. We need to get the mess out and bring the real in. We need true revival, and true revival will always fill so pure and holy. The church is looking for the next revival, and what they are looking for won't come unless there is a heart of repentance and humbleness for Christ Jesus. Let's look to Jesus today and lift Him up.
Prayer:
Lord we come to you in your mighty name and ask that you will forgive us for letting a mixture come in to that holy seed. We know Lord that this is what happened to Jerusalem when they sinned, and this is what can happen to us if we fail to stay pure and holy. Help us Lord to focus on you, and help us to repent so that great revival can be born again. Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Ezra 9:1,2
1Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, doing according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.
2For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass.
All throughout the old testament God wanted to keep the seed or lineage pure for the birth of Jesus, and marrying unto foreign wives who were involved in idolatry was forbidden from God for the Jews. Eighty years prior to Ezra coming to Jerusalem as a spiritual leader, the Jews had done this, and Ezra gets there with sadness in his heart. He knew this is what destroyed Jerusalem, so he falls on the ground and cries out to God for forgiveness. The leaders came to Ezra and said that they to were sorry for this sin and told Ezra that we can't do this all at one time, but we will begin the process of divorcing the foreign wives. They did do this in time, and Jerusalem carried on the journey of completing the reconstruction of Jerusalem with Nehemiah coming on the scene a few years later. I want us to see two things here for us as the body of Christ. The bible tells us in the new testament that we are living stones and are a temple not made with hands, but a spiritual temple called by a new name. We have a holy seed that is the great commission, and we are to go forth in the mighty name of Jesus to win souls and do the works of Christ, and the seed will bring forth pure fruit as the Holy Seed. The other thing I want us to see is that the leaders told Ezra that it would take some time but that they would divorce the foreign wives they intermingled with. It's like this today. God is in the process of filtering out any mixture that does not belong in His marriage as the body of Christ, and He is wanting His body to be pure and holy. Also, restoration is a process, and many today are in that process of repentance and divorcing those things that we let in the church. We have allowed politics and things into the church and it has hindered the move of God. I believe that in the tip end of the last days we are going to see something that hasn't been in the church in a long time. We are going to see millions come to Christ by true conversion, and we are going to see many minister's repent and change some of the things they have been teaching, but we will see a great apostasy the bible teaches come forth as well. It is a separation of the tares and wheat. I don't think that God wants us as the body of Christ to just sit around and watch the great apostasy unfold before us. God needs His body to still go forth in His name and proclaim the message of the cross to an ungodly world. It is the same process that Ezra and the Jewish leaders went through. We need to get the mess out and bring the real in. We need true revival, and true revival will always fill so pure and holy. The church is looking for the next revival, and what they are looking for won't come unless there is a heart of repentance and humbleness for Christ Jesus. Let's look to Jesus today and lift Him up.
Prayer:
Lord we come to you in your mighty name and ask that you will forgive us for letting a mixture come in to that holy seed. We know Lord that this is what happened to Jerusalem when they sinned, and this is what can happen to us if we fail to stay pure and holy. Help us Lord to focus on you, and help us to repent so that great revival can be born again. Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Worship Through Revelation August 22nd Devotional
Read:
John 4:24
24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."
Today I want us to focus on worship. The Lord wants us to worship Him in spirit and in truth. The definition for truth here in John 4:24 is the truth as taught in the Christian religion, respecting God and the execution of his purposes through Christ, and respecting the duties of man, opposing alike to the superstitions of the Gentiles and the inventions of the Jews, and the corrupt opinions and precepts of false teachers even among Christians. We need such a revelation through our worship and adoration to our Lord Jesus Christ. What we focus on through our revelation is the difference between hearing God's voice, and not hearing His voice clearly. In this type of worship will come a strength within us to understand His will for us here in our lifetime. I have found that as I worship the Lord and sit at His feet, there is such a fulfilling of what sometimes we seem to miss in our Christian walk with Him. What are you thinking about in your worship? Have you gotten to a place where you think about all of the things you have done and haven't done as you come to the table of worship? Have you gotten to a place where you think upon the things of God only, instead of seeking His face first and foremost in spirit and in truth. I know I need to get to this place in a deeper way, and it is such a crucial place to be in as we go through this life. Lets bring to the table of worship a revelation of the cross, the blood that was spilled upon the cross, and His resurrection. This attitude of worship will bring forth a mixture of character and integrity within us to produce pure fruit and make disciples.
Prayer:
Lord, we ask for such a revelation of who you are and how you see us today. Let our worship be pure Lord before you, and we desire to find that first love for you increase day by day as we walk this journey with you. We repent Lord for thinking upon the wrong things in our worship. Cleanse us by your blood, and touch our lips by your spirit to speak your truth to a corrupt generation.
John 4:24
24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."
Today I want us to focus on worship. The Lord wants us to worship Him in spirit and in truth. The definition for truth here in John 4:24 is the truth as taught in the Christian religion, respecting God and the execution of his purposes through Christ, and respecting the duties of man, opposing alike to the superstitions of the Gentiles and the inventions of the Jews, and the corrupt opinions and precepts of false teachers even among Christians. We need such a revelation through our worship and adoration to our Lord Jesus Christ. What we focus on through our revelation is the difference between hearing God's voice, and not hearing His voice clearly. In this type of worship will come a strength within us to understand His will for us here in our lifetime. I have found that as I worship the Lord and sit at His feet, there is such a fulfilling of what sometimes we seem to miss in our Christian walk with Him. What are you thinking about in your worship? Have you gotten to a place where you think about all of the things you have done and haven't done as you come to the table of worship? Have you gotten to a place where you think upon the things of God only, instead of seeking His face first and foremost in spirit and in truth. I know I need to get to this place in a deeper way, and it is such a crucial place to be in as we go through this life. Lets bring to the table of worship a revelation of the cross, the blood that was spilled upon the cross, and His resurrection. This attitude of worship will bring forth a mixture of character and integrity within us to produce pure fruit and make disciples.
Prayer:
Lord, we ask for such a revelation of who you are and how you see us today. Let our worship be pure Lord before you, and we desire to find that first love for you increase day by day as we walk this journey with you. We repent Lord for thinking upon the wrong things in our worship. Cleanse us by your blood, and touch our lips by your spirit to speak your truth to a corrupt generation.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Faith Through Fellowship August 21st Devotional
Read:
John 20:29
29 Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
There are times in our Christian walk where we seem to want just a little more than this faith stuff. I know there have been times in my walk with Christ that I wanted to see Him with my own natural eyes. Lord, just let me see you to really really believe that what I am having faith for is real. Then it seems like the Lord tells me, "Son, I am spirit and I am not of this world." God tells us in His word that the natural man receives not the spiritual things of Him because they are spiritually discerned. We know that there is a God because of salvation through repentance, but the best way to have faith is to fellowship with God with a pure heart. Many speak faith in the wrong way and this sets a distorted picture of who God really is. Faith is really just learning of God's ways through His word. Faith is reaching out to God when all hell is coming against you to not reach out. Faith is seeking God when everyone of this world is saying that you have to be crazy to pray. I want to encourage you today to reach out to God in your fellowship with Him. His arms are opened wide ready to receive you.
Prayer:
Lord, we come to you by faith today with our hands lifted high. We seek you with all of our hearts and ask that you will give us some more of your glory to carry on the great commission and to walk in your Holy love. Faith works by love Lord, and we want to extend your love by faith to those who need your love, Amen.
by Keith Edwards
John 20:29
29 Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
There are times in our Christian walk where we seem to want just a little more than this faith stuff. I know there have been times in my walk with Christ that I wanted to see Him with my own natural eyes. Lord, just let me see you to really really believe that what I am having faith for is real. Then it seems like the Lord tells me, "Son, I am spirit and I am not of this world." God tells us in His word that the natural man receives not the spiritual things of Him because they are spiritually discerned. We know that there is a God because of salvation through repentance, but the best way to have faith is to fellowship with God with a pure heart. Many speak faith in the wrong way and this sets a distorted picture of who God really is. Faith is really just learning of God's ways through His word. Faith is reaching out to God when all hell is coming against you to not reach out. Faith is seeking God when everyone of this world is saying that you have to be crazy to pray. I want to encourage you today to reach out to God in your fellowship with Him. His arms are opened wide ready to receive you.
Prayer:
Lord, we come to you by faith today with our hands lifted high. We seek you with all of our hearts and ask that you will give us some more of your glory to carry on the great commission and to walk in your Holy love. Faith works by love Lord, and we want to extend your love by faith to those who need your love, Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Friday, August 20, 2010
Preparing The Child August 21st Devotional
Read:
Psalms 144:12
12 Then our sons in their youth
will be like well-nurtured plants,
and our daughters will be like pillars
carved to adorn a palace.
Statistics show that for the first time in history, adults sixty-five and over will surpass those that are five years and under. This is a scary statement. How can our kids be ready for the next generation if life itself is diminishing right before our eyes. As a manager at a grocery retail store for eight years, I have seen good kids from this generation and they are good kids that have potential. I believe in our children today, and we should be behind them all of the way. It's not over for us yet. I don't know when the Lord will come back and we are definitely living in the last days, but even if God was coming back tomorrow He still wants us to do things today as if we were going to be here another decade or more. We need to prepare the child for the path, not the path for the child. Show the child how to pray and they will know, but allow them to pray and they will do and be ready for the next generation by preparation. I want to encourage all of us today to not give up on our children. They are special in God's eyes, and there are some dynamite kids today that our in the midst of our generation. Lets teach our children the ways of the Lord so that they can make the palace of Jesus Christ as a temple attractive to those who need salvation.
Prayer:
Lord, we ask that you would birth in us such a desire to instill in our youth truth that will sustain them for our next generation. help us not to give up on them in a corrupt world, and help us to pray for them and our nation in your name we pray, Amen.
Psalms 144:12
12 Then our sons in their youth
will be like well-nurtured plants,
and our daughters will be like pillars
carved to adorn a palace.
Statistics show that for the first time in history, adults sixty-five and over will surpass those that are five years and under. This is a scary statement. How can our kids be ready for the next generation if life itself is diminishing right before our eyes. As a manager at a grocery retail store for eight years, I have seen good kids from this generation and they are good kids that have potential. I believe in our children today, and we should be behind them all of the way. It's not over for us yet. I don't know when the Lord will come back and we are definitely living in the last days, but even if God was coming back tomorrow He still wants us to do things today as if we were going to be here another decade or more. We need to prepare the child for the path, not the path for the child. Show the child how to pray and they will know, but allow them to pray and they will do and be ready for the next generation by preparation. I want to encourage all of us today to not give up on our children. They are special in God's eyes, and there are some dynamite kids today that our in the midst of our generation. Lets teach our children the ways of the Lord so that they can make the palace of Jesus Christ as a temple attractive to those who need salvation.
Prayer:
Lord, we ask that you would birth in us such a desire to instill in our youth truth that will sustain them for our next generation. help us not to give up on them in a corrupt world, and help us to pray for them and our nation in your name we pray, Amen.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Be Not shaken In The Shaking August 19th Devotional
Read:
Hebrews 12:26-28
26And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying,YET ONCE MORE I WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH, BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN."
27This expression, "Yet once more," denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
28Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe;
We are living in a time and season when our economy is collapsing right before our eyes. In 2008 I was praying about our economy and nation. I was very discouraged in what has already been happening and was meditating on the scriptures in psalms to find strength in what is about to take place. I don’t have any direct answers to what is going to come about, but I do have a word that I feel God gave me to strengthen me in the shaking that is going on in our nation. I heard the word “Be Not Shaken In The Shaking” The Lord is doing a shaking in the motives of the hearts of his people, and the Lord is allowing some shaking to take place in the stock market and deceptions of the Kings and leaders that are leading us. God is unveiling some things, and it is a shaking that is very scary but needful. I asked the Lord, “What do we do in this time?” I felt like the Lord told me that He is doing a shaking in not only the world, but his people. If you look at the whole book of Hebrews chapter 12, you will see that God wants us to run the race with endurance, put our total focus on Christ everyday through our devotion, and receive His discipline. The Greek word for discipline is paideia, and the definition is to cultivate the soul by correcting mistakes and curbing passions. God wants our spirit, soul, and our body to be in balance. It also says in Hebrews chapter 12 that without holiness no one will see the Lord. The greek word for see here in this verse is harao, and it means to become acquainted with by experience. This pertains to a sanctifying growth of grace mixed with God's discipline. Ouch! and man that discipline can hurt at times but it will make us trained to follow the Lord each and everyday shining the light of Jesus before the world. So we see that God wants us to endure, focus on Christ, and receive His discipline in the shaking that flows through His body of believers. The greatest revelation that we need in our christian walk with the Lord is realizing that God's Kingdom is a Kingdom that absolutely cannot be shaken. When we place our faith in that foundation, it will set our mind, will, and emotions in alignment to the things of God. It will also put this crazy flesh under subjection. Can I just be transparent with you right now? There are days that I just want to "flesh out" so to speak. But I have found that each and everyday is such a special day with the Lord, and we don't want to miss a day without seeing and experiencing a growth with the Lord. You can make it today by focusing on the one that can lift you up by His grace and set you in that place with Him. You may feel like throwing in the towel today, but don't do it. Focus on the one that loves you and cares for you. Don't grow weary in well doing. It gets exhausting at times, but those times are the times where we need to fall down at the the feet of Jesus and let him share with us that drink of living waters that quenches the very thirst we feel at times in this race we run. As I was praying about the upcoming years, I feel like the Lord is in the process of getting anything out of His body that would harm us in the days ahead, getting our steps firm in His strength and direction, firm in understanding His Kingdom to the fullest degree, and firm in His love. He’s rooting out all of the weeds and rocks out of our soul, and He’s making us strong in His word placing our soul firm upon His foundation. This is what the Lord is doing to those who are of His kingdom. Then I heard the word “THRIVE” I felt like the Lord wants us to thrive no matter what is going on around the world. However, God wants us to be careful with our finances, and concentrate on things that don’t have the value of money, but rather the value of time with the family, home church, and friends. The Lord wants us to spend quality time with our family. The Lord also wants us to remember that America was founded upon Christian principles, and that should never be forgotten. Those principles still live on today. Many will shed tears upon the mighty dollar and that’s as far as those tears will drop, but many will look to God in the shaking and will cry out to Him tears that are needful. I believe that some leaders will soon look to Christian leaders whom have stood the test in moral character, and they will ask for advice in the tragedy that we are facing. The Lord doesn’t want us to let up on doing the things of His Kingdom, but plug in greater than ever in our home church. God can bring forth a great revival in our land, but before great revival can begin, great repentance needs to be born from within His people. He’s judging the intents and the motives of His people greater than He has have ever judged them, and He doesn’t want greed to be in His people. This is 2010, and this year and the upcoming years need to be a year of repentance and order in our Christian walk. As the world gets hit with earthquakes, fires, and other disasters, we need to live like the days of Joseph in the seven year famine, but what we need for the current dark ages that we are facing concerning the sound word of God is the word of God in our hearts as foundation. We also need to pray for Jerusalem like never before, and pray that the United States will stand behind Jerusalem as the state capitol. Many want to destroy and divide Jerusalem, but God is for Jerusalem. If we let up on support and prayer for Israel, then that will make Israel vulnerable from other countries. Are you tired today and feel like there is no hope in sight? There is hope, and that hope is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. I also heard the words “GO TO THE ROCK” from the book of psalms.
Psalms 62:6
6He only is my rock and my salvation,
My stronghold; I shall not be shaken.
Psalms 27:5
5For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle;
In the secret place of His tent He will hide me;
He will lift me up on a rock.
prayer:
Lord we get at your feet right now in prayer. We need you to show us a fresh anointing of your love in this time that we are in. We repent Lord for any weights or sins we shouldn't be carrying upon our back, and we give you our whole life in Jesus name, Amen.
Hebrews 12:26-28
26And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying,YET ONCE MORE I WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH, BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN."
27This expression, "Yet once more," denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
28Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe;
We are living in a time and season when our economy is collapsing right before our eyes. In 2008 I was praying about our economy and nation. I was very discouraged in what has already been happening and was meditating on the scriptures in psalms to find strength in what is about to take place. I don’t have any direct answers to what is going to come about, but I do have a word that I feel God gave me to strengthen me in the shaking that is going on in our nation. I heard the word “Be Not Shaken In The Shaking” The Lord is doing a shaking in the motives of the hearts of his people, and the Lord is allowing some shaking to take place in the stock market and deceptions of the Kings and leaders that are leading us. God is unveiling some things, and it is a shaking that is very scary but needful. I asked the Lord, “What do we do in this time?” I felt like the Lord told me that He is doing a shaking in not only the world, but his people. If you look at the whole book of Hebrews chapter 12, you will see that God wants us to run the race with endurance, put our total focus on Christ everyday through our devotion, and receive His discipline. The Greek word for discipline is paideia, and the definition is to cultivate the soul by correcting mistakes and curbing passions. God wants our spirit, soul, and our body to be in balance. It also says in Hebrews chapter 12 that without holiness no one will see the Lord. The greek word for see here in this verse is harao, and it means to become acquainted with by experience. This pertains to a sanctifying growth of grace mixed with God's discipline. Ouch! and man that discipline can hurt at times but it will make us trained to follow the Lord each and everyday shining the light of Jesus before the world. So we see that God wants us to endure, focus on Christ, and receive His discipline in the shaking that flows through His body of believers. The greatest revelation that we need in our christian walk with the Lord is realizing that God's Kingdom is a Kingdom that absolutely cannot be shaken. When we place our faith in that foundation, it will set our mind, will, and emotions in alignment to the things of God. It will also put this crazy flesh under subjection. Can I just be transparent with you right now? There are days that I just want to "flesh out" so to speak. But I have found that each and everyday is such a special day with the Lord, and we don't want to miss a day without seeing and experiencing a growth with the Lord. You can make it today by focusing on the one that can lift you up by His grace and set you in that place with Him. You may feel like throwing in the towel today, but don't do it. Focus on the one that loves you and cares for you. Don't grow weary in well doing. It gets exhausting at times, but those times are the times where we need to fall down at the the feet of Jesus and let him share with us that drink of living waters that quenches the very thirst we feel at times in this race we run. As I was praying about the upcoming years, I feel like the Lord is in the process of getting anything out of His body that would harm us in the days ahead, getting our steps firm in His strength and direction, firm in understanding His Kingdom to the fullest degree, and firm in His love. He’s rooting out all of the weeds and rocks out of our soul, and He’s making us strong in His word placing our soul firm upon His foundation. This is what the Lord is doing to those who are of His kingdom. Then I heard the word “THRIVE” I felt like the Lord wants us to thrive no matter what is going on around the world. However, God wants us to be careful with our finances, and concentrate on things that don’t have the value of money, but rather the value of time with the family, home church, and friends. The Lord wants us to spend quality time with our family. The Lord also wants us to remember that America was founded upon Christian principles, and that should never be forgotten. Those principles still live on today. Many will shed tears upon the mighty dollar and that’s as far as those tears will drop, but many will look to God in the shaking and will cry out to Him tears that are needful. I believe that some leaders will soon look to Christian leaders whom have stood the test in moral character, and they will ask for advice in the tragedy that we are facing. The Lord doesn’t want us to let up on doing the things of His Kingdom, but plug in greater than ever in our home church. God can bring forth a great revival in our land, but before great revival can begin, great repentance needs to be born from within His people. He’s judging the intents and the motives of His people greater than He has have ever judged them, and He doesn’t want greed to be in His people. This is 2010, and this year and the upcoming years need to be a year of repentance and order in our Christian walk. As the world gets hit with earthquakes, fires, and other disasters, we need to live like the days of Joseph in the seven year famine, but what we need for the current dark ages that we are facing concerning the sound word of God is the word of God in our hearts as foundation. We also need to pray for Jerusalem like never before, and pray that the United States will stand behind Jerusalem as the state capitol. Many want to destroy and divide Jerusalem, but God is for Jerusalem. If we let up on support and prayer for Israel, then that will make Israel vulnerable from other countries. Are you tired today and feel like there is no hope in sight? There is hope, and that hope is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. I also heard the words “GO TO THE ROCK” from the book of psalms.
Psalms 62:6
6He only is my rock and my salvation,
My stronghold; I shall not be shaken.
Psalms 27:5
5For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle;
In the secret place of His tent He will hide me;
He will lift me up on a rock.
prayer:
Lord we get at your feet right now in prayer. We need you to show us a fresh anointing of your love in this time that we are in. We repent Lord for any weights or sins we shouldn't be carrying upon our back, and we give you our whole life in Jesus name, Amen.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Threshing Floor August 18th Devotional by Keith Edwards
Read:
2 Samuel 24:24,25
24 But the king replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them.
25 David built an altar to the LORD there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the LORD answered prayer in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.
Have you ever felt like King David? Sometimes you find yourself counting all of the great things you have done to enter into God's presence, or to be accepted by God. I know that I do at times, and I have to fall at the threshing floor of God's grace in time of need and find that revelation that it's all about Jesus and not all about me. We look to the law to be made right at times, and the law is a good positive guide to go by, but it doesn't produce fruit by God's grace. Grace is knowing God and having that personal fellowship with him through our relationship that we have been given through His blood covenant. Now we have a covenant that is beyond any covenant ever made. There are times where we produce other type of covenants that were never attended for us to be a part of. David knew his covenant with God almighty, and David found God's grace in the middle of his failure. We must decrease so He can increase. Here we see that David had Joab count the fighting men of Jerusalem. This was not trusting God, and Joab didn't want to do this thing. He knew that this was not trusting the Lord. God sent prophet Gad to David and gave him a prophetic choice of what he wanted done to him for this sin. However, God withheld the judgement upon David. David fell on his face at the threshing floor, and God was very pleased with David's heart. God told the angel to stop the judgement. It is enough. If you are struggling today with counting your good deeds, then fall at the threshing floor today. This threshing floor is your heart. God wants your heart and not your deeds alone. When our heart is right we will show forth good fruit, and we will walk in the spirit. Lets fall at the threshing floor today.
Prayer:
Lord, we come to that threshing floor today with our hands lifted high and our mouth filled with praise. We ask that you will forgive us for counting all of the good things we do to make us right with you. We are made right because of our faith in your blood, Amen.
by Keith Edwards
2 Samuel 24:24,25
24 But the king replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them.
25 David built an altar to the LORD there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the LORD answered prayer in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.
Have you ever felt like King David? Sometimes you find yourself counting all of the great things you have done to enter into God's presence, or to be accepted by God. I know that I do at times, and I have to fall at the threshing floor of God's grace in time of need and find that revelation that it's all about Jesus and not all about me. We look to the law to be made right at times, and the law is a good positive guide to go by, but it doesn't produce fruit by God's grace. Grace is knowing God and having that personal fellowship with him through our relationship that we have been given through His blood covenant. Now we have a covenant that is beyond any covenant ever made. There are times where we produce other type of covenants that were never attended for us to be a part of. David knew his covenant with God almighty, and David found God's grace in the middle of his failure. We must decrease so He can increase. Here we see that David had Joab count the fighting men of Jerusalem. This was not trusting God, and Joab didn't want to do this thing. He knew that this was not trusting the Lord. God sent prophet Gad to David and gave him a prophetic choice of what he wanted done to him for this sin. However, God withheld the judgement upon David. David fell on his face at the threshing floor, and God was very pleased with David's heart. God told the angel to stop the judgement. It is enough. If you are struggling today with counting your good deeds, then fall at the threshing floor today. This threshing floor is your heart. God wants your heart and not your deeds alone. When our heart is right we will show forth good fruit, and we will walk in the spirit. Lets fall at the threshing floor today.
Prayer:
Lord, we come to that threshing floor today with our hands lifted high and our mouth filled with praise. We ask that you will forgive us for counting all of the good things we do to make us right with you. We are made right because of our faith in your blood, Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
True Revival August 17th Devotional by Mel Mongomery & Keith Edwards
Read:
1 Timothy 4:6
In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following. Many are seeking from Him today another Great Awakening, and they read these old accounts of the Falling and Laughing that took place in the old revivals, and believe that if we just get enough people praying, falling, and giggling, we will have a revival that will sweep the world. But those who believe this overlook a major component of these previous revivals. Namely, the preachers preached Jesus Christ to the people. They warned that the Judgment of God was about to fall on sinners. They preached sound theology and doctrine. They preached the Cross, the sufferings of Christ, the mercy and grace of God, and the preciousness and effectiveness of the Blood to cleanse from all sin. They did not merely preach, “Have you Fallen in the Spirit yet? Have you Laughed in the Spirit? Come up now and let me lay my hands on you!” As the Laughing and the Falling occurred in the days of old—as the Lord chose to manifest these experiences—the revivalists kept everyone’s attention focused firmly on Calvary. There is no dispute that God blessed this approach. He gave them revivals that lasted decades, as compared to the revivals we see today which we consider to be major “outpourings” if we can somehow keep them going for a few weeks. Those old revivals also transformed this country, and the revivals we have today barely go outside our church walls, as we watch our country and world descend into degredation, darkness, and madness. My brethren, I believe we will NEVER have the revival from God that we seek, until we handle these special manifestations of the Holy Spirit in a more mature way, and refuse to allow ourselves to be distracted from the clear preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We must follow Elijah’s example of pressing past the wind, earthquake, and fire of his day, which is the Laughing and Falling of our day, and join him going on in God until we hear His “still small voice” again giving us specific wisdom, breakthrough, and earth-shaking
revival.
Comment by Keith Edwards
I feel like the Lord wants us to focus on Christ Jesus so powerfully for the next wave of revival that has started. We can't lose that focus upon Jesus in the middle of the glory that may fall. This revival will be a revival of powerful repentance from His church. No tears, no revival. We should be crying out to God for where the church and the nation has gotten to. We should be crying out to God for the lack of focus upon Christ, and we should be crying out for lost souls dying and going to hell. Let's see revival today as a place of tears and not giggling, laughing, crazy prophetic etc. If these manifestations happen then so be it, but our primary focus should be on Jesus Christ of Nazereth.
Prayer:
Lord, we ask that you will help us to keep you the center focus of our life. Purify ur hearts to keep sound doctrine flowing in the middle of great things you do, and help us to magnify Christ in a pure way, Amen.
by Mel Montgomery & Keith Edwards
1 Timothy 4:6
In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following. Many are seeking from Him today another Great Awakening, and they read these old accounts of the Falling and Laughing that took place in the old revivals, and believe that if we just get enough people praying, falling, and giggling, we will have a revival that will sweep the world. But those who believe this overlook a major component of these previous revivals. Namely, the preachers preached Jesus Christ to the people. They warned that the Judgment of God was about to fall on sinners. They preached sound theology and doctrine. They preached the Cross, the sufferings of Christ, the mercy and grace of God, and the preciousness and effectiveness of the Blood to cleanse from all sin. They did not merely preach, “Have you Fallen in the Spirit yet? Have you Laughed in the Spirit? Come up now and let me lay my hands on you!” As the Laughing and the Falling occurred in the days of old—as the Lord chose to manifest these experiences—the revivalists kept everyone’s attention focused firmly on Calvary. There is no dispute that God blessed this approach. He gave them revivals that lasted decades, as compared to the revivals we see today which we consider to be major “outpourings” if we can somehow keep them going for a few weeks. Those old revivals also transformed this country, and the revivals we have today barely go outside our church walls, as we watch our country and world descend into degredation, darkness, and madness. My brethren, I believe we will NEVER have the revival from God that we seek, until we handle these special manifestations of the Holy Spirit in a more mature way, and refuse to allow ourselves to be distracted from the clear preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We must follow Elijah’s example of pressing past the wind, earthquake, and fire of his day, which is the Laughing and Falling of our day, and join him going on in God until we hear His “still small voice” again giving us specific wisdom, breakthrough, and earth-shaking
revival.
Comment by Keith Edwards
I feel like the Lord wants us to focus on Christ Jesus so powerfully for the next wave of revival that has started. We can't lose that focus upon Jesus in the middle of the glory that may fall. This revival will be a revival of powerful repentance from His church. No tears, no revival. We should be crying out to God for where the church and the nation has gotten to. We should be crying out to God for the lack of focus upon Christ, and we should be crying out for lost souls dying and going to hell. Let's see revival today as a place of tears and not giggling, laughing, crazy prophetic etc. If these manifestations happen then so be it, but our primary focus should be on Jesus Christ of Nazereth.
Prayer:
Lord, we ask that you will help us to keep you the center focus of our life. Purify ur hearts to keep sound doctrine flowing in the middle of great things you do, and help us to magnify Christ in a pure way, Amen.
by Mel Montgomery & Keith Edwards
Monday, August 16, 2010
August 16th Devotional
Read:
2 Corinthians 4:17,18
17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
I had someone tell me one time that what if this Christianity stuff isn't real? I told him "Even if it wasn't real, I lived a good holy life!" You don't have anything to lose if living for God wasn't real. We believe in God even though we can't see Him. We believe in the resurrection even though we didn't see it in the natural. We can have faith in God today. sometimes we have to press on into the things of God even though all hell has come against us. The enemy wants us to give up, but we have a hope today. We have a hope that may not be seen in the natural, but is eternal. The bible says to fix our eyes on that which is eternal, and eternity lives within us as believers. I'm reminded of the Jews going back to rebuild Jerusalem under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Joshua. When they got there everything was in ruins, but they had hope, and the very first thing they did was they built an altar. This may be all we have today, but our altar today can be the eternal word abiding and living within us. I want to encourage you today to take a breath of His spirit in a new way. Have faith in God, and let Gods' Spirit take all of your burden that you try and carry alone.
Prayer:
Lord, we ask that you will help us focus on you in a deep way today. We look to you with faith, and we fight the good fight of that faith. Help us to stand in your name when the winds of life blow our way, and help us to rely upon your marvelous grace, Amen.
by Keith Edwards
2 Corinthians 4:17,18
17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
I had someone tell me one time that what if this Christianity stuff isn't real? I told him "Even if it wasn't real, I lived a good holy life!" You don't have anything to lose if living for God wasn't real. We believe in God even though we can't see Him. We believe in the resurrection even though we didn't see it in the natural. We can have faith in God today. sometimes we have to press on into the things of God even though all hell has come against us. The enemy wants us to give up, but we have a hope today. We have a hope that may not be seen in the natural, but is eternal. The bible says to fix our eyes on that which is eternal, and eternity lives within us as believers. I'm reminded of the Jews going back to rebuild Jerusalem under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Joshua. When they got there everything was in ruins, but they had hope, and the very first thing they did was they built an altar. This may be all we have today, but our altar today can be the eternal word abiding and living within us. I want to encourage you today to take a breath of His spirit in a new way. Have faith in God, and let Gods' Spirit take all of your burden that you try and carry alone.
Prayer:
Lord, we ask that you will help us focus on you in a deep way today. We look to you with faith, and we fight the good fight of that faith. Help us to stand in your name when the winds of life blow our way, and help us to rely upon your marvelous grace, Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Sunday, August 15, 2010
How Righteous Are We? August 15th Devotional
Read:
Romans 6:19
19 I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.
A professor at a college asked his students, "How many here believe that you are just as righteous as me?" Most of them raised their hands. He then asked, "How many here believe that you are just as righteous as the greatest Evangelist who ever lived?" Some of them raised their hands. He then asked, "How many here believe that you are just as righteous as Jesus?" Hardly anyone raised their hands. The word resulting here in Romans 6:19 is the Greek word "eis" and it means for sanctification. We see that we are sanctified and live a holy life because of us submitting to the revelation of righteousness that has been given us by His blood. Thank God for His blood. "For" (as used in Acts 2:38 "for the forgiveness...") could have two meanings. If you saw a poster saying "Jesse James wanted for robbery", "for" could mean Jesse is wanted so he can commit a robbery, or is wanted because he has committed a robbery. The later sense is the correct one. So too in this passage, the word "for" signifies an action in the past. Otherwise, it would violate the entire tenor of the NT teaching on salvation by grace and not by works. There is not a thing we can do in our own strength to make us right with God. We need to submit to God with a heart of true worship, and when we submit to God by faith, we will walk in the spirit, advance God's Kingdom, and do the works of Christ. We can grow in the revelation of righteousness, and that revelation of us being righteous will compel us to live for Him. I believe that many will stand in the judgement of God and say, "I have a degree Lord! Can I enter in now? I believe that many will say, "I did this, and I did that. God does not grade on a curve! Jesus died but Christ arose from the dead, and Jesus Christ is alive today for us. We can believe in the risen Christ today. Friend, I want to encourage you today to have the revelation of what Christ did on that cross, and our believing in what He did on the cross. If we died on that cross we still couldn't satisfy God. I find myself at times looking to the things I do to make me right with God versus what Christ did for me, and me submitting to what He did for me will cause good works to be produced from within. We do need to produce good works, but the produce that comes from us has to be because we submitted to God through Christ Jesus.
Prayer:
Lord, we ask that you give us a fresh revelation of who we are in you through the blood of Christ. Help us to realize that it's not the works that we do alone, but us being dressed within that causes good works to be shown to many, Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Romans 6:19
19 I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.
A professor at a college asked his students, "How many here believe that you are just as righteous as me?" Most of them raised their hands. He then asked, "How many here believe that you are just as righteous as the greatest Evangelist who ever lived?" Some of them raised their hands. He then asked, "How many here believe that you are just as righteous as Jesus?" Hardly anyone raised their hands. The word resulting here in Romans 6:19 is the Greek word "eis" and it means for sanctification. We see that we are sanctified and live a holy life because of us submitting to the revelation of righteousness that has been given us by His blood. Thank God for His blood. "For" (as used in Acts 2:38 "for the forgiveness...") could have two meanings. If you saw a poster saying "Jesse James wanted for robbery", "for" could mean Jesse is wanted so he can commit a robbery, or is wanted because he has committed a robbery. The later sense is the correct one. So too in this passage, the word "for" signifies an action in the past. Otherwise, it would violate the entire tenor of the NT teaching on salvation by grace and not by works. There is not a thing we can do in our own strength to make us right with God. We need to submit to God with a heart of true worship, and when we submit to God by faith, we will walk in the spirit, advance God's Kingdom, and do the works of Christ. We can grow in the revelation of righteousness, and that revelation of us being righteous will compel us to live for Him. I believe that many will stand in the judgement of God and say, "I have a degree Lord! Can I enter in now? I believe that many will say, "I did this, and I did that. God does not grade on a curve! Jesus died but Christ arose from the dead, and Jesus Christ is alive today for us. We can believe in the risen Christ today. Friend, I want to encourage you today to have the revelation of what Christ did on that cross, and our believing in what He did on the cross. If we died on that cross we still couldn't satisfy God. I find myself at times looking to the things I do to make me right with God versus what Christ did for me, and me submitting to what He did for me will cause good works to be produced from within. We do need to produce good works, but the produce that comes from us has to be because we submitted to God through Christ Jesus.
Prayer:
Lord, we ask that you give us a fresh revelation of who we are in you through the blood of Christ. Help us to realize that it's not the works that we do alone, but us being dressed within that causes good works to be shown to many, Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Saturday, August 14, 2010
The High Places by Anita Mundorf & Keith Edwards August 14th Devotional
Read:
11 Corinthians 10:3-5
3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Also Read Joshua 24:15
15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."
Operational Definition of Spiritual Stronghold:
Strongholds are patterns of thought etched into the mind over a period of time or through a traumatic experience. Strongholds are seldom recognized, and if recognized not understood to be choices.
We learn of strongholds the hard way, in battle. I would not trade His lessons, but sometimes find it VERY hard battling for those who attack the "perceived enemy". We step into warfare when God directs, and our weapons are strong and mighty. God's Words will pull down strongholds, yet satan's words are thoughts often in Christians, and exalt themselves above the thoughts of the mind of Christ. Satan then begins his stirrings within minds not prepared with Word defenses, usually through demonic whisperings of confusion, suspicion and division. Often people are clueless to his wiles. They see strongholds through their own strongholds. They then go to war against who ever the enemy points to, armed with human reasonings and satan's weapons being, the wrong attitudes, thoughts, imaginations, actions, and carnal weapons which is futile in Christian warfare. God entrusts some with the holding of keys of truth, keys to free for those held by lies and choices not submitted to the mind of Christ. The enemy knows exactly who holds these keys. They love truth, have singleness of purpose, **stand against compromise** they fear Him over men, and have an ability to convey God's truth. We need to always ask, "does this friend truly understand warfare?" It is not those demons about us or in others which pose great harm to the Christian. It is those long at home within! Those having ..squatters rights..to ground willing given. Those within being (wrong thoughts, leading to wrong attitudes and actions) which prompt us to use those well fitting old boxing gloves to do all the bashing. They fit so well, and are quite comfortable. He fails to tell us, they are his weapons, and we lose the war, for we are fighting for him. If God tells us that His weapons, thoughts (within our minds), are not carnal but spiritual and mighty, then even so, satan's weapons, thoughts (within our minds) are carnal and weal..failing the pulling down of any strongholds in others. They actually strengthen those strongholds of the enemy!
comment by Keith Edwards:
We need to have a "more than a conqeuror revelation" when it comes to overcoming the thoughts and attacks of the enemy. Revelation of who we are in Christ jesus will take us above with the mind of Christ. We are seated in heavenly place in Christ Jesus, and we are above and not beneath. The greatest weapon the enemy has upon us are those thoughts of a defeated mentality. Satan tries to lure us into uneccessary warfare, and we start fighting it out in the flesh insteaed of understanding how to pray, discernment in a given situation, and letting the Holy Spirit do work needed apart from our "extra" help. Sometimes we just need to enter into praise like King David and put the praise up front and the warfare in the back. We are more than conqeurors. Conquerors fight, but a more than a conqueror will enter into the rest of what Christ has already done with the finished work of calvary. Let's have the revelation today that we were buried with Jesus, but we were also raised with him through that beautiful resurection.
Prayer:
Lord, help us to choose to serve you with a whole heart. We seek you today Lord with the choice of seeking your face. As we seek your face give us that revelation of who we are in you, and help us to cast down all imaginations as we choose to think meditate upon you in all of our ways, Amen.
by Anita Mundorf and Keith Edwards
11 Corinthians 10:3-5
3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Also Read Joshua 24:15
15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."
Operational Definition of Spiritual Stronghold:
Strongholds are patterns of thought etched into the mind over a period of time or through a traumatic experience. Strongholds are seldom recognized, and if recognized not understood to be choices.
We learn of strongholds the hard way, in battle. I would not trade His lessons, but sometimes find it VERY hard battling for those who attack the "perceived enemy". We step into warfare when God directs, and our weapons are strong and mighty. God's Words will pull down strongholds, yet satan's words are thoughts often in Christians, and exalt themselves above the thoughts of the mind of Christ. Satan then begins his stirrings within minds not prepared with Word defenses, usually through demonic whisperings of confusion, suspicion and division. Often people are clueless to his wiles. They see strongholds through their own strongholds. They then go to war against who ever the enemy points to, armed with human reasonings and satan's weapons being, the wrong attitudes, thoughts, imaginations, actions, and carnal weapons which is futile in Christian warfare. God entrusts some with the holding of keys of truth, keys to free for those held by lies and choices not submitted to the mind of Christ. The enemy knows exactly who holds these keys. They love truth, have singleness of purpose, **stand against compromise** they fear Him over men, and have an ability to convey God's truth. We need to always ask, "does this friend truly understand warfare?" It is not those demons about us or in others which pose great harm to the Christian. It is those long at home within! Those having ..squatters rights..to ground willing given. Those within being (wrong thoughts, leading to wrong attitudes and actions) which prompt us to use those well fitting old boxing gloves to do all the bashing. They fit so well, and are quite comfortable. He fails to tell us, they are his weapons, and we lose the war, for we are fighting for him. If God tells us that His weapons, thoughts (within our minds), are not carnal but spiritual and mighty, then even so, satan's weapons, thoughts (within our minds) are carnal and weal..failing the pulling down of any strongholds in others. They actually strengthen those strongholds of the enemy!
comment by Keith Edwards:
We need to have a "more than a conqeuror revelation" when it comes to overcoming the thoughts and attacks of the enemy. Revelation of who we are in Christ jesus will take us above with the mind of Christ. We are seated in heavenly place in Christ Jesus, and we are above and not beneath. The greatest weapon the enemy has upon us are those thoughts of a defeated mentality. Satan tries to lure us into uneccessary warfare, and we start fighting it out in the flesh insteaed of understanding how to pray, discernment in a given situation, and letting the Holy Spirit do work needed apart from our "extra" help. Sometimes we just need to enter into praise like King David and put the praise up front and the warfare in the back. We are more than conqeurors. Conquerors fight, but a more than a conqueror will enter into the rest of what Christ has already done with the finished work of calvary. Let's have the revelation today that we were buried with Jesus, but we were also raised with him through that beautiful resurection.
Prayer:
Lord, help us to choose to serve you with a whole heart. We seek you today Lord with the choice of seeking your face. As we seek your face give us that revelation of who we are in you, and help us to cast down all imaginations as we choose to think meditate upon you in all of our ways, Amen.
by Anita Mundorf and Keith Edwards
Friday, August 13, 2010
We Will Not Recant August 13th Devotional by Keith Edwards
Read:
2 Timothy 1:14
14 Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
In the presence of rulers and leaders of the Roman Catholic Church stood a man of great character named Martin Luther. Martin Luther spoke these words, “I will not recant” and these are the very words that we as the body of Christ need to live for the faithful word that God has breathed within all who have been born again by faith in Christ through repentance. However, we need to guard the great treasure of God's word with the help of the Holy Spirit. In the council of powerful men he spoke that he cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand, I can do no other, so help me God Amen. The same revelation and strength that Martin Luther had gotten from the spirit of the Lord is the same revelation that we need as the church. It is a revelation that can only be obtained by God Himself, and no man can give it to you, not even the pope himself. There is no man that can save nor deliver, and this is what got Martin Luther in trouble. They were so drunk with themselves and the money that they saw coming in, that I think they actually believed that they were the only one’s that could save sins. It is a delusion that has gotten many in trouble throughout history, and it is what has gotten us in trouble today. I made up a quote for the corruption that is going on today in parts of the church. "As soon as the coin in the basket rings, so shall the extravagant lifestyle of the evangelist spring." Sad but true! Leaders branched from the Roman Catholic church would beg for money from the poor people of there land, and make a fortune from them. I'm not afraid to confront this mess today. It's embarrassing to us as Christians, and we need to not recant true sound doctrine, pure worship, and the advancing of God's kingdom. We need to keep a child like faith when we study and meditate on the scriptures. Martin Luther got a revelation of salvation by opening the new testament scriptures, and the corrupt leaders thought that Luther's new and strange teaching was odd. Jesus' teaching is odd to those who don't have the revelation of who Christ really is. Martin Luther would help those in need, strengthen the believers in Christ Jesus, and do great and mighty works that came only by the spirit of Christ. I want to encourage us today to not recant the very breath of God that has been breathed within us, and to guard our heart with all diligence. Let's guard the very treasure that has been given to us. Say with me today! "We Will not recant!"
Prayer:
Lord we love you today. We ask that you help us to guard that deposit that has been given to us by your word, and we ask for your spirit to give us the strength to stand up for the teachings of Christ. Amen.
by Keith Edwards
2 Timothy 1:14
14 Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
In the presence of rulers and leaders of the Roman Catholic Church stood a man of great character named Martin Luther. Martin Luther spoke these words, “I will not recant” and these are the very words that we as the body of Christ need to live for the faithful word that God has breathed within all who have been born again by faith in Christ through repentance. However, we need to guard the great treasure of God's word with the help of the Holy Spirit. In the council of powerful men he spoke that he cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand, I can do no other, so help me God Amen. The same revelation and strength that Martin Luther had gotten from the spirit of the Lord is the same revelation that we need as the church. It is a revelation that can only be obtained by God Himself, and no man can give it to you, not even the pope himself. There is no man that can save nor deliver, and this is what got Martin Luther in trouble. They were so drunk with themselves and the money that they saw coming in, that I think they actually believed that they were the only one’s that could save sins. It is a delusion that has gotten many in trouble throughout history, and it is what has gotten us in trouble today. I made up a quote for the corruption that is going on today in parts of the church. "As soon as the coin in the basket rings, so shall the extravagant lifestyle of the evangelist spring." Sad but true! Leaders branched from the Roman Catholic church would beg for money from the poor people of there land, and make a fortune from them. I'm not afraid to confront this mess today. It's embarrassing to us as Christians, and we need to not recant true sound doctrine, pure worship, and the advancing of God's kingdom. We need to keep a child like faith when we study and meditate on the scriptures. Martin Luther got a revelation of salvation by opening the new testament scriptures, and the corrupt leaders thought that Luther's new and strange teaching was odd. Jesus' teaching is odd to those who don't have the revelation of who Christ really is. Martin Luther would help those in need, strengthen the believers in Christ Jesus, and do great and mighty works that came only by the spirit of Christ. I want to encourage us today to not recant the very breath of God that has been breathed within us, and to guard our heart with all diligence. Let's guard the very treasure that has been given to us. Say with me today! "We Will not recant!"
Prayer:
Lord we love you today. We ask that you help us to guard that deposit that has been given to us by your word, and we ask for your spirit to give us the strength to stand up for the teachings of Christ. Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Thursday, August 12, 2010
That Precious Blood August 12th Devotional
Read:
Hebrews 9:12
12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.
All over the world there have risen religions and beliefs that doesn't acknowledge Jesus Christ as our ultimate sacrifice. Their god is a god of war, indulgences, and other faulty foundations that is very shaky. The scripture here in Hebrews chapter 12 states that Christ entered the most holy place once for all by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. Hebrews 10:19,20 says to enter the Most Holy Place boldly by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way. We have a perfect covenant which is Jesus Christ and His blood. The blood of Jesus will convict of sin, bring someone to salvation, pluck one from the jaws of hell, and cleanse us of sin. We would die and go to hell if it were not for the blood that saves us. Every prophecy about Jesus in the old testament came to pass to the letter. Where Jesus was going to be born, the manner of Christ's death, Zechariah speaks of Jesus riding on a donkey, and of course we can't forget the very first prophecy in Genesis 3:15 where God tells the Devil that because of what he did, God would put enmity between him and the woman, and between his seed and hers. This was the first greatest prophecy about Jesus being born of the virgin Mary. Jesus did crush the satanic power of hell when He died upon the cross. The blood of Jesus gives us entrance into His presence. The blood of Jesus will never lose it's power, and we can put our past mistakes under His blood and He will cleanse our conscience from dead works. Oh! that precious blood of Jesus. There is surely something about that name. The blood of Jesus pours from the foundation of Christ to you today. You may need healing in your body. The blood is there to heal. You may need deliverance. The blood is there to deliver you. You may need salvation. The blood can save you now. There is no other foundation that will stand the wind of God's judgment other than the blood of Jesus Christ and the work of the cross. When we stand in judgment this will be the only thing that will allow us into Heaven. It's going to be our faith in that precious blood. Many will say, "Lord I have a doctorate degree. I did many good works" etc. But my heart to you today is rely upon the blood everyday to enter in His presence and purge your conscience, and if you don't know the Lord Jesus as your Lord, then repeat this prayer with me now. Lord, I realize that I was born into sin because of Adam's fall. I ask you now Lord to save me from the power of Satan, and make me new in you. Give me new life Lord. I repent now and turn to you as King of Kings and Lord of Lord's. Oh! that precious blood. If you have prayed that prayer with me you can go to my website and click awaken on my front page. It will guide you through steps of finding a church, baptism, and get you on your way to a great adventure with your new Lord.
prayer:
Lord we come to you in your precious name. We thank you Lord for your blood and what you did on the cross. We don't take it lightly. We ask that your blood cleanse us of every sin and make us clean by your spirit. Create in us Lord a clean heart, and wash anything in us that needs to be washed by your blood, we ask it all in your name. Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Hebrews 9:12
12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.
All over the world there have risen religions and beliefs that doesn't acknowledge Jesus Christ as our ultimate sacrifice. Their god is a god of war, indulgences, and other faulty foundations that is very shaky. The scripture here in Hebrews chapter 12 states that Christ entered the most holy place once for all by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. Hebrews 10:19,20 says to enter the Most Holy Place boldly by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way. We have a perfect covenant which is Jesus Christ and His blood. The blood of Jesus will convict of sin, bring someone to salvation, pluck one from the jaws of hell, and cleanse us of sin. We would die and go to hell if it were not for the blood that saves us. Every prophecy about Jesus in the old testament came to pass to the letter. Where Jesus was going to be born, the manner of Christ's death, Zechariah speaks of Jesus riding on a donkey, and of course we can't forget the very first prophecy in Genesis 3:15 where God tells the Devil that because of what he did, God would put enmity between him and the woman, and between his seed and hers. This was the first greatest prophecy about Jesus being born of the virgin Mary. Jesus did crush the satanic power of hell when He died upon the cross. The blood of Jesus gives us entrance into His presence. The blood of Jesus will never lose it's power, and we can put our past mistakes under His blood and He will cleanse our conscience from dead works. Oh! that precious blood of Jesus. There is surely something about that name. The blood of Jesus pours from the foundation of Christ to you today. You may need healing in your body. The blood is there to heal. You may need deliverance. The blood is there to deliver you. You may need salvation. The blood can save you now. There is no other foundation that will stand the wind of God's judgment other than the blood of Jesus Christ and the work of the cross. When we stand in judgment this will be the only thing that will allow us into Heaven. It's going to be our faith in that precious blood. Many will say, "Lord I have a doctorate degree. I did many good works" etc. But my heart to you today is rely upon the blood everyday to enter in His presence and purge your conscience, and if you don't know the Lord Jesus as your Lord, then repeat this prayer with me now. Lord, I realize that I was born into sin because of Adam's fall. I ask you now Lord to save me from the power of Satan, and make me new in you. Give me new life Lord. I repent now and turn to you as King of Kings and Lord of Lord's. Oh! that precious blood. If you have prayed that prayer with me you can go to my website and click awaken on my front page. It will guide you through steps of finding a church, baptism, and get you on your way to a great adventure with your new Lord.
prayer:
Lord we come to you in your precious name. We thank you Lord for your blood and what you did on the cross. We don't take it lightly. We ask that your blood cleanse us of every sin and make us clean by your spirit. Create in us Lord a clean heart, and wash anything in us that needs to be washed by your blood, we ask it all in your name. Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Be Sincere With God by Joel Halkins & Keith EdwardsAugust 11th Devotional
Philippians 1:9,10 - And this I pray...that you may be sincere...
In the profession of a stone mason, the craftsman may once in awhile strike the stone in a wrong manner and thus create a flaw in his work. If he is a bona fide artisan, he will simply start over. If however he is half-hearted in his ethics, he may try to "patch" the flaw with a little wax. Once the wax hardens, it would be virtually invisible to the untrained eye...except on a really sunny day. Just as soon as the heat sets in good on that wax, it will begin to melt and thus reveal that the carving was not in truth what it had appeared to be.
The word "sincere" means literally "to be without wax"; and here in our text, Paul prays that the believers in Philippi will be "without wax", that they will always be in truth what they seem to be and that there will never be a part of their heart that they reserve in secret for themselves alone while the other part of their heart is given to God and their brethren. This latter condition is of course called hypocrisy - when what appears is not what really is.
Besides the quality of faith, if there is anything that God requires in order to walk with Him, it is sincerity. GOD WANTS US TO BE REAL...or better yet...TO BE REALLY AND COMPLETELY HIS!
Genesis 6:9 - Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
Genesis 17:1 - The Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him "I am the Almighty God; walk before me and be thou perfect."
These two men were certainly far from being "flawless" (as some take the word "perfect" to mean); but they were REAL with God - there was no passion, desire or any part of their heart held back from Him!
Deuteronomy 4:29 - But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with ALL thy heart and with ALL thy soul.
"...ALL thy heart..." The bottom line in walking with God is not a condition where we will never fail again; but it is keeping ALL of our heart before God and belonging to God!
When I was in my twenties, I went on a hunting trip with some brethren out in the woods of northeast Mississippi. Our number was divided between some older, experienced hunters and some younger, unseasoned "deer chasers". As we quietly plodded along a certain trail with our guns resting back on our shoulders, one of the older gents up front slyly whispered
"Got your safety on, Brother Jay (what I was called back then)?"
There could then be heard a slight "click" coming from my direction, followed by my reply
"Oh, yes sir...always got that safety on."
Can you say "wax-covered hypocrite"? By close observation, I had learned how to mimic the walk of those experienced hunters, possibly fooling my peers; but the shrewdness of that "real McCoy" veteran of the woods melted the wax of my disguise and revealed a "green horn" just trying to fit in!
Ananias and Sapphira were not wholehearted with the Holy Ghost, and it cost them their lives (Acts 5). Paul feared for the Corinthian believers that they would be corrupted from the "simplicity" (singleness, wholehearted devotion to Jesus that has no competitors) that is in Christ (II Corinthians 11:3). Christ Himself commanded in Matthew 5:48...that word again was "commanded"...that we be perfect (wholeheartedly devoted) even as our Father which is in heaven is perfect (wholeheartedly devoted)!
Weaknesses and yet-to-be-refined flaws all included, GOD WANTS US TO BE REAL WITH HIM AND REALLY HIS...or simply said...sincerely perfect!
coment by Keith Edwards:
If we could just have revelation about the condition of the heart. I can remember back years ago in my child-hood days, where the women would wear their hair two feet high and think that this was holiness. I also remember when the preachers would spit and scream like a bull, and this was a sign of power. I'm not against a woman wearing their hair two foot high, or a preacher getting a little excited, but when you think that this is holiness we are sincerely wrong. Yes,there was something in the heart I believe some of the holiness movement had that God saw, but not the "outward" things alone. Lets be sincere with God today, and lets let God breath upon our inner soul and spirit, so that we will display holiness ways by our inner character. Lets be sincere with God today church.
Prayer:
Lord, we come to you with a sincere heart. Help us to endure the fire of your holiness as you are that consuming fire that burns and molds us as gold and silver. We need you Lord in our life, and we want to be sincerly right by our heart to you, instead of being sincerely wrong in the things we do.
by Joel Hawkins & Keith Edwards
In the profession of a stone mason, the craftsman may once in awhile strike the stone in a wrong manner and thus create a flaw in his work. If he is a bona fide artisan, he will simply start over. If however he is half-hearted in his ethics, he may try to "patch" the flaw with a little wax. Once the wax hardens, it would be virtually invisible to the untrained eye...except on a really sunny day. Just as soon as the heat sets in good on that wax, it will begin to melt and thus reveal that the carving was not in truth what it had appeared to be.
The word "sincere" means literally "to be without wax"; and here in our text, Paul prays that the believers in Philippi will be "without wax", that they will always be in truth what they seem to be and that there will never be a part of their heart that they reserve in secret for themselves alone while the other part of their heart is given to God and their brethren. This latter condition is of course called hypocrisy - when what appears is not what really is.
Besides the quality of faith, if there is anything that God requires in order to walk with Him, it is sincerity. GOD WANTS US TO BE REAL...or better yet...TO BE REALLY AND COMPLETELY HIS!
Genesis 6:9 - Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
Genesis 17:1 - The Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him "I am the Almighty God; walk before me and be thou perfect."
These two men were certainly far from being "flawless" (as some take the word "perfect" to mean); but they were REAL with God - there was no passion, desire or any part of their heart held back from Him!
Deuteronomy 4:29 - But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with ALL thy heart and with ALL thy soul.
"...ALL thy heart..." The bottom line in walking with God is not a condition where we will never fail again; but it is keeping ALL of our heart before God and belonging to God!
When I was in my twenties, I went on a hunting trip with some brethren out in the woods of northeast Mississippi. Our number was divided between some older, experienced hunters and some younger, unseasoned "deer chasers". As we quietly plodded along a certain trail with our guns resting back on our shoulders, one of the older gents up front slyly whispered
"Got your safety on, Brother Jay (what I was called back then)?"
There could then be heard a slight "click" coming from my direction, followed by my reply
"Oh, yes sir...always got that safety on."
Can you say "wax-covered hypocrite"? By close observation, I had learned how to mimic the walk of those experienced hunters, possibly fooling my peers; but the shrewdness of that "real McCoy" veteran of the woods melted the wax of my disguise and revealed a "green horn" just trying to fit in!
Ananias and Sapphira were not wholehearted with the Holy Ghost, and it cost them their lives (Acts 5). Paul feared for the Corinthian believers that they would be corrupted from the "simplicity" (singleness, wholehearted devotion to Jesus that has no competitors) that is in Christ (II Corinthians 11:3). Christ Himself commanded in Matthew 5:48...that word again was "commanded"...that we be perfect (wholeheartedly devoted) even as our Father which is in heaven is perfect (wholeheartedly devoted)!
Weaknesses and yet-to-be-refined flaws all included, GOD WANTS US TO BE REAL WITH HIM AND REALLY HIS...or simply said...sincerely perfect!
coment by Keith Edwards:
If we could just have revelation about the condition of the heart. I can remember back years ago in my child-hood days, where the women would wear their hair two feet high and think that this was holiness. I also remember when the preachers would spit and scream like a bull, and this was a sign of power. I'm not against a woman wearing their hair two foot high, or a preacher getting a little excited, but when you think that this is holiness we are sincerely wrong. Yes,there was something in the heart I believe some of the holiness movement had that God saw, but not the "outward" things alone. Lets be sincere with God today, and lets let God breath upon our inner soul and spirit, so that we will display holiness ways by our inner character. Lets be sincere with God today church.
Prayer:
Lord, we come to you with a sincere heart. Help us to endure the fire of your holiness as you are that consuming fire that burns and molds us as gold and silver. We need you Lord in our life, and we want to be sincerly right by our heart to you, instead of being sincerely wrong in the things we do.
by Joel Hawkins & Keith Edwards
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Power From On High August 10th Devotional by Drew Kaylor & Keith Edwards
Read:
Luke 24:49
49I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."
By Rev. Drew Kaylor
There is a grace flowing from the hand of God, an investment of divine energy wrapping us within. It's a quickening life that fills, moves, and lifts us out of the natural plane into the realm of the almighty. The power of his presence with no weakness to be found. Filled, yes filled! and wonderfully filled with God Himself. It's a clothing woven with the fibers of divine omnipotence. It's a mantle of Holy Ghost power and glory wrapping and covering all those who will believe. All things are possible to him that believeth. Arise in faith in the upcoming years, and let's go forth in power as we proclaim the name of Jesus, and the Spirit shall quicken us.
Comment by Keith Edwards:
This is such a great word to let God work in us in a great way by His power. I want us to see something here as we go on another day in His word and power. Power in the Greek is dunamis, and it means miraculous power, virtue, and the definition is to have inherent power or power for performing miracles. It also means power and excellence of the soul. The definition for inherent is "existing in someone or as a permanent and inseparable element, quality, or attribute." It is the intrinsic power of God Himself within us. Intrinsic is belonging to a thing by it's very nature. We have been born again by God's power, and because of that new nature, we are reflecting the very grace of God by that power to others. I do believe in miracles because I have seen miracles in my life and ministry, but we should never forget that the dunamis power here is also power to strengthen the soul morally for the miracles, healings, and every gift of power that God has for us. Many today have forgotten the one that is full of power, and primarily look at the results of the power of God Himself. We need to focus on God everyday first and foremost, so that we can walk in that grace, that quickening life, the power of His presence, and be filled so wonderfully with His love and Spirit.
Prayer:
Lord we ask that you strengthen us with you power of moral character. Sanctify us to be more like you, so that the gift's and the miracles of winning souls and other great things of your Kingdom will be so pure. Help us to focus totally on who you really are, and help us to tarry at times until we hear your voice in everything that we do.
by Drew Kaylor and Keith Edwards
Luke 24:49
49I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."
By Rev. Drew Kaylor
There is a grace flowing from the hand of God, an investment of divine energy wrapping us within. It's a quickening life that fills, moves, and lifts us out of the natural plane into the realm of the almighty. The power of his presence with no weakness to be found. Filled, yes filled! and wonderfully filled with God Himself. It's a clothing woven with the fibers of divine omnipotence. It's a mantle of Holy Ghost power and glory wrapping and covering all those who will believe. All things are possible to him that believeth. Arise in faith in the upcoming years, and let's go forth in power as we proclaim the name of Jesus, and the Spirit shall quicken us.
Comment by Keith Edwards:
This is such a great word to let God work in us in a great way by His power. I want us to see something here as we go on another day in His word and power. Power in the Greek is dunamis, and it means miraculous power, virtue, and the definition is to have inherent power or power for performing miracles. It also means power and excellence of the soul. The definition for inherent is "existing in someone or as a permanent and inseparable element, quality, or attribute." It is the intrinsic power of God Himself within us. Intrinsic is belonging to a thing by it's very nature. We have been born again by God's power, and because of that new nature, we are reflecting the very grace of God by that power to others. I do believe in miracles because I have seen miracles in my life and ministry, but we should never forget that the dunamis power here is also power to strengthen the soul morally for the miracles, healings, and every gift of power that God has for us. Many today have forgotten the one that is full of power, and primarily look at the results of the power of God Himself. We need to focus on God everyday first and foremost, so that we can walk in that grace, that quickening life, the power of His presence, and be filled so wonderfully with His love and Spirit.
Prayer:
Lord we ask that you strengthen us with you power of moral character. Sanctify us to be more like you, so that the gift's and the miracles of winning souls and other great things of your Kingdom will be so pure. Help us to focus totally on who you really are, and help us to tarry at times until we hear your voice in everything that we do.
by Drew Kaylor and Keith Edwards
Monday, August 9, 2010
The Renewed Mind August 9th Devotional
Read:
2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is his good, pleasing and perfect will.
It is so important to keep our mind on the things of God in our walk with Him. The power of the christian life doesn't come from the mind, but it does flow through the mind, and it is so important to keep our mind from being influenced by the world. One night my son was begging me to get him a particular car game on his play station, but this game was not a good one. I was trying to explain to my seven year old son the danger in games and television, and how we need to be very careful what we put in our head. He went over to the door in frustration, and he said, "Daddy, let me show you what I saw on this game at a friends house." He busted through the door in excitement and this was the perfect opportunity to teach him something. I said, "Son, you see how a game can influence you." He kind of grinned and nodded his little head. I told him that I didn't want him playing or getting that game. It is so important to keep a balance in our home and life. We are influenced by television and other things, and we don't even realize the effects it can really have upon us. The bible says to renew our minds, and as we meditate upon the holy scriptures it will begin to transform us into the image of Christ Jesus. Our life should be influenced by our inner character, and our inner character is influenced by the Holy Spirit. I want us to allow the Holy Spirit to touch us today, and allow Him to speak to us about what we need to filter from our lives.
Prayer:
Lord, we ask that you will speak to us today concerning our lives, and how we are influenced by what we read, watch, and think upon. Help us to meditate upon you more, and help us to renew our mind so that we can be that living epistle.
by Keith Edwards
2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is his good, pleasing and perfect will.
It is so important to keep our mind on the things of God in our walk with Him. The power of the christian life doesn't come from the mind, but it does flow through the mind, and it is so important to keep our mind from being influenced by the world. One night my son was begging me to get him a particular car game on his play station, but this game was not a good one. I was trying to explain to my seven year old son the danger in games and television, and how we need to be very careful what we put in our head. He went over to the door in frustration, and he said, "Daddy, let me show you what I saw on this game at a friends house." He busted through the door in excitement and this was the perfect opportunity to teach him something. I said, "Son, you see how a game can influence you." He kind of grinned and nodded his little head. I told him that I didn't want him playing or getting that game. It is so important to keep a balance in our home and life. We are influenced by television and other things, and we don't even realize the effects it can really have upon us. The bible says to renew our minds, and as we meditate upon the holy scriptures it will begin to transform us into the image of Christ Jesus. Our life should be influenced by our inner character, and our inner character is influenced by the Holy Spirit. I want us to allow the Holy Spirit to touch us today, and allow Him to speak to us about what we need to filter from our lives.
Prayer:
Lord, we ask that you will speak to us today concerning our lives, and how we are influenced by what we read, watch, and think upon. Help us to meditate upon you more, and help us to renew our mind so that we can be that living epistle.
by Keith Edwards
Sunday, August 8, 2010
The Power Of Mixture August 8th Devotional
Read:
Ezra 9:1-7
1 After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said, "The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites. 2 They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled the holy race with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness."
3 When I heard this, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled. 4 Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles. And I sat there appalled until the evening sacrifice.
5 Then, at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the LORD my God 6 and prayed:
"O my God, I am too ashamed and disgraced to lift up my face to you, my God, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens. 7 From the days of our forefathers until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today.
Also Read:
9 He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.
When Ezra came to Jerusalem years after Johua and Zerubbabel came, Ezra found out that the leaders and people have married foreign wives who were involved with idol worship. Ezra fell on his face and plucked some of his beard and hair, and ripped his robe. He was so grieved by what he found out. The leaders and people who were involved with this mixture came to Ezra and told him that they would divorce the wives that they married. This was to keep that Holy Seed from being tainted for the lineage to run pure course for Jesus' birth. All throughout the bible we see that the enemy has always tried to get the Jews to commit adultery with those involved with idol worship. We see this again with Prophet Balaam. Prophet Balaam knew that he couldn't curse Israel, so he told King Balak that if we could just get them to enter into idol worship, then that would break the blessings and bring curses upon them. We see this happening with some of the church today. False worship and weird manifestations have crept in the church, and it has really stopped the Holy Seed for the great commission to go forth in advancing God's kingdom. We need soundness like never before in the church, and sound doctrine is knocking on the door of the church today that have entered into false worship. The Ezra's are falling on their knees and crying out to God for the minister's and people that have fallen away from the one and true God. The greek word for sound in this scripture is hugiano, and it means free from any mixture or error. When our hearts are one with the father, then we will have filter system within us to be able to detect what is true and not true concerning order in the church.
Prayer,
Lord, we fall down in prayer with the same heart that Ezra had in the reconstruction of Jerusalem. Forgive us Lord for entering into strange fire. Forgive us God for allowing things to come in without weighing it out. Lord, send down your fire of your spirit to burn anything that is not of you, and bring us to a place of true conviction. Allow this conviction to go forth and convict of sin, show forth your holy righteousness, and bring us back to you. We divorce anything that we married Lord that's not of you, Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Ezra 9:1-7
1 After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said, "The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites. 2 They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled the holy race with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness."
3 When I heard this, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled. 4 Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles. And I sat there appalled until the evening sacrifice.
5 Then, at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the LORD my God 6 and prayed:
"O my God, I am too ashamed and disgraced to lift up my face to you, my God, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens. 7 From the days of our forefathers until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today.
Also Read:
9 He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.
When Ezra came to Jerusalem years after Johua and Zerubbabel came, Ezra found out that the leaders and people have married foreign wives who were involved with idol worship. Ezra fell on his face and plucked some of his beard and hair, and ripped his robe. He was so grieved by what he found out. The leaders and people who were involved with this mixture came to Ezra and told him that they would divorce the wives that they married. This was to keep that Holy Seed from being tainted for the lineage to run pure course for Jesus' birth. All throughout the bible we see that the enemy has always tried to get the Jews to commit adultery with those involved with idol worship. We see this again with Prophet Balaam. Prophet Balaam knew that he couldn't curse Israel, so he told King Balak that if we could just get them to enter into idol worship, then that would break the blessings and bring curses upon them. We see this happening with some of the church today. False worship and weird manifestations have crept in the church, and it has really stopped the Holy Seed for the great commission to go forth in advancing God's kingdom. We need soundness like never before in the church, and sound doctrine is knocking on the door of the church today that have entered into false worship. The Ezra's are falling on their knees and crying out to God for the minister's and people that have fallen away from the one and true God. The greek word for sound in this scripture is hugiano, and it means free from any mixture or error. When our hearts are one with the father, then we will have filter system within us to be able to detect what is true and not true concerning order in the church.
Prayer,
Lord, we fall down in prayer with the same heart that Ezra had in the reconstruction of Jerusalem. Forgive us Lord for entering into strange fire. Forgive us God for allowing things to come in without weighing it out. Lord, send down your fire of your spirit to burn anything that is not of you, and bring us to a place of true conviction. Allow this conviction to go forth and convict of sin, show forth your holy righteousness, and bring us back to you. We divorce anything that we married Lord that's not of you, Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Sitting At the Feet Of A Title August 7th Devotional
Read:
18 Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions.
Colossians 2:19
19 He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.
One day in my devotion with the Lord, I asked the Lord, "Lord, what office or title have you called me to?" I pretty much knew what God has called me to, but I wanted to hear it from God. With hesitaion and impatience, I heard a voice within me say, "Son, I called you to an office of character! With a little more humbleness, I asked the Lord, "Lord what gifts have you given me?" The voice within me said, "Son, I have given you gifts of love! I was pretty much corrected and reproved that day. Now, we know that God does give us gifts and moves some in an office, but the Lord was trying to make a point to me that day. How many times do we get caught up in the title thing? You hear some say, "I am a prophet or apostle of God, and it just don't seem pure to me at times." In the last days we are going to see more ministers in the church get inflated by the things that they have seen. We are going to also see the worship of angels get stronger in the days to come, and this is so dangerous to the body of Christ. It will cause a mixture to get in. This mixture will cause a false growth of weird and crazy manifestations other than God causing a growth to the body of Christ. This is why it is so important to have strong teachers of foundation to keep things flowing in the church. We need the whole body to function by revelation of who is the head of the church which is Christ Jesus, and we need to sit at the feet of Jesus in our devotion and corporate worship. Are we sitting at the feet of a title today? Do we love the things of God more than God himself, and this is causing a false growth to the body. Lets pray right now together, and lets repent for this lack of true growth.
Prayer:
Lord, we ask that you will forgive us by your blood for not holding to the head which is you Christ Jesus. We ask that you will breathe the breath of your spirit upon any false growth, and that it will break away any faulty foundation that ministers have laid. Breathe upon us now Lord, and we desire to walk in character, love, pure revelation, and walk in truth and soundness of your spirit, Amen.
by Keith Edwards
18 Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions.
Colossians 2:19
19 He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.
One day in my devotion with the Lord, I asked the Lord, "Lord, what office or title have you called me to?" I pretty much knew what God has called me to, but I wanted to hear it from God. With hesitaion and impatience, I heard a voice within me say, "Son, I called you to an office of character! With a little more humbleness, I asked the Lord, "Lord what gifts have you given me?" The voice within me said, "Son, I have given you gifts of love! I was pretty much corrected and reproved that day. Now, we know that God does give us gifts and moves some in an office, but the Lord was trying to make a point to me that day. How many times do we get caught up in the title thing? You hear some say, "I am a prophet or apostle of God, and it just don't seem pure to me at times." In the last days we are going to see more ministers in the church get inflated by the things that they have seen. We are going to also see the worship of angels get stronger in the days to come, and this is so dangerous to the body of Christ. It will cause a mixture to get in. This mixture will cause a false growth of weird and crazy manifestations other than God causing a growth to the body of Christ. This is why it is so important to have strong teachers of foundation to keep things flowing in the church. We need the whole body to function by revelation of who is the head of the church which is Christ Jesus, and we need to sit at the feet of Jesus in our devotion and corporate worship. Are we sitting at the feet of a title today? Do we love the things of God more than God himself, and this is causing a false growth to the body. Lets pray right now together, and lets repent for this lack of true growth.
Prayer:
Lord, we ask that you will forgive us by your blood for not holding to the head which is you Christ Jesus. We ask that you will breathe the breath of your spirit upon any false growth, and that it will break away any faulty foundation that ministers have laid. Breathe upon us now Lord, and we desire to walk in character, love, pure revelation, and walk in truth and soundness of your spirit, Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Friday, August 6, 2010
There Is A River August 6th Devotional
Read:
Psalms 46:4
“There is a River, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.”
Also Read:
Exodus 47:9
He is the Master of the Healing Stream. Jesus Lives!
“And everything shall Live whither the River cometh.”
There is a River that flows from Genesis to Revelation. The Bible begins and ends with a River. It is an unending stream of Gods’ Life and Power, and it is the River of Life and Healing found only in Jesus Christ. The Apostle John describes for us the wonder of this Healing stream. In Revelation 22:1 the Holy Spirit gives us a glimpse of this Life flowing from the Throne of God. “And he shewed me a pure River of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the River, was the tree of Life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” There is something about the touch of Jesus that causes this healing virtue to flow. There is something about the touch of the Saviour that heals, restores, and delivers. Learn the secret of touching Him.
“And when Jesus was come into Peters’ house, He saw his wife’s mother laid, sick of a fever. And He touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.” Matthew 8:14-15.
Great men of God have often spoke of this wonderful Heavenly power. Jesus is Gods’ Healing Stream.
“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as His Divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us unto glory and virtue.” 2 Peter 1:2-3.
It is through the Word that we contact God, and it is through the Word that He contacts us. The Bible is our meeting place with Him and Him with us. It is through the Word that we touch God. It is through the Word that He touches us. The Prophet David wrote, “There is a River, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.” Psalm 46:4.
The Holy Ghost has come to teach us all things. God has given us the revelation of Christ the Healer. Jesus is the Healing stream of Calvary, and He is by your side today. Jesus of Nazareth is the source of all Life. He is the fountain of Wholeness, Health, Peace, and Happiness. He is the Master of the Healing Stream. Jesus Lives!
“And everything shall Live whither the River cometh.” Ezekiel 47:9.
comment by Keith Edwards:
There is a river today that flows from God above, and we can drink of that living water that is eternal. I want to encourage you today to let God quench your thirst today. whatever you are facing, God has all a place of His presence, and we can enter that place today by His precious blood.
Prayer:
Lord, fill our cup as we lift it up. Come and quench this the thirst and dryness we sometimes feel. We need a spiritual drink of your spiritual river, and we need your love to rain upon us as we seek you day by day, Amen.
Psalms 46:4
“There is a River, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.”
Also Read:
Exodus 47:9
He is the Master of the Healing Stream. Jesus Lives!
“And everything shall Live whither the River cometh.”
There is a River that flows from Genesis to Revelation. The Bible begins and ends with a River. It is an unending stream of Gods’ Life and Power, and it is the River of Life and Healing found only in Jesus Christ. The Apostle John describes for us the wonder of this Healing stream. In Revelation 22:1 the Holy Spirit gives us a glimpse of this Life flowing from the Throne of God. “And he shewed me a pure River of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the River, was the tree of Life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” There is something about the touch of Jesus that causes this healing virtue to flow. There is something about the touch of the Saviour that heals, restores, and delivers. Learn the secret of touching Him.
“And when Jesus was come into Peters’ house, He saw his wife’s mother laid, sick of a fever. And He touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.” Matthew 8:14-15.
Great men of God have often spoke of this wonderful Heavenly power. Jesus is Gods’ Healing Stream.
“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as His Divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us unto glory and virtue.” 2 Peter 1:2-3.
It is through the Word that we contact God, and it is through the Word that He contacts us. The Bible is our meeting place with Him and Him with us. It is through the Word that we touch God. It is through the Word that He touches us. The Prophet David wrote, “There is a River, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.” Psalm 46:4.
The Holy Ghost has come to teach us all things. God has given us the revelation of Christ the Healer. Jesus is the Healing stream of Calvary, and He is by your side today. Jesus of Nazareth is the source of all Life. He is the fountain of Wholeness, Health, Peace, and Happiness. He is the Master of the Healing Stream. Jesus Lives!
“And everything shall Live whither the River cometh.” Ezekiel 47:9.
comment by Keith Edwards:
There is a river today that flows from God above, and we can drink of that living water that is eternal. I want to encourage you today to let God quench your thirst today. whatever you are facing, God has all a place of His presence, and we can enter that place today by His precious blood.
Prayer:
Lord, fill our cup as we lift it up. Come and quench this the thirst and dryness we sometimes feel. We need a spiritual drink of your spiritual river, and we need your love to rain upon us as we seek you day by day, Amen.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Start Those Engines August 5th Devotional
Read:
Jude 1:20
20 But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.
God is building us strong. The engine is almost complete and He is about to put a spark in the plugs and fire it up! Once the spark goes off our strong engines will start running, but coupled with that strength, he is giving us a softness, an anointed love to give away. He is going to love people through us, and they are going to feel His love so strong as the body of Christ. He is going to bring the hurting, the lost, and the forgotten to us, and He is going to heal their hurt through us. His love can abound in our hearts and it will be so much sometimes we might think we cannot bear under the shear delight of it. But the overflow will go to His hurting children. Your family can prosper in Love and can affect others around you. God will bring us those who need to be loved. He wants us to be fully His so that He can show His true self to those who need Him the most. We must work on not judging or believing the lie of the enemy, and we must not go by what we see on the outside of the person when God is concerned about what is on the inside. We are being called to do His work, and we are called to be separate from the world, and even separate from Christians who would try to stop the call of the Lord on our lives. We need to be totally focused on Him and nothing else. He will bring the ministry to us. We MUST be willing vessels and we are going to be strong in the power of His might, but we must trust Him and be willing to do whatever He tells us to do. He loves us so much and He proved it by dying on the cross for us and He is going to show that very kind of love through us. We are going to bring His hurting people into our bosoms and hold them, let them cry, let them be angry, and let them be healed. We can have such a powerful love anointing, such an agape kind of love that can only be obtained by God working in us. He wants to give us this love so we can give it to each other and to the hurting. He wants to embrace His hurting children, like any loving father would. He is going to do it through our arms and our hands. His love is going to abound in us for we are his loving instruments, but we must be willing to let His love flow through us. This means letting go of everything, every hurt, every pain, and every offence. We need to love a homosexual, crack head, or murderer if God sends us one. Let's pray in the spirit and build ourselves up in the name of the Lord.
Prayer:
Lord light the fire within us to touch the hurting. Help us to reach out to a world that doesn't trust any longer. We desire to be your hands, your feet, and we desire to do the same things you would do Lord. Amen
by Heidi Edwards
Jude 1:20
20 But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.
God is building us strong. The engine is almost complete and He is about to put a spark in the plugs and fire it up! Once the spark goes off our strong engines will start running, but coupled with that strength, he is giving us a softness, an anointed love to give away. He is going to love people through us, and they are going to feel His love so strong as the body of Christ. He is going to bring the hurting, the lost, and the forgotten to us, and He is going to heal their hurt through us. His love can abound in our hearts and it will be so much sometimes we might think we cannot bear under the shear delight of it. But the overflow will go to His hurting children. Your family can prosper in Love and can affect others around you. God will bring us those who need to be loved. He wants us to be fully His so that He can show His true self to those who need Him the most. We must work on not judging or believing the lie of the enemy, and we must not go by what we see on the outside of the person when God is concerned about what is on the inside. We are being called to do His work, and we are called to be separate from the world, and even separate from Christians who would try to stop the call of the Lord on our lives. We need to be totally focused on Him and nothing else. He will bring the ministry to us. We MUST be willing vessels and we are going to be strong in the power of His might, but we must trust Him and be willing to do whatever He tells us to do. He loves us so much and He proved it by dying on the cross for us and He is going to show that very kind of love through us. We are going to bring His hurting people into our bosoms and hold them, let them cry, let them be angry, and let them be healed. We can have such a powerful love anointing, such an agape kind of love that can only be obtained by God working in us. He wants to give us this love so we can give it to each other and to the hurting. He wants to embrace His hurting children, like any loving father would. He is going to do it through our arms and our hands. His love is going to abound in us for we are his loving instruments, but we must be willing to let His love flow through us. This means letting go of everything, every hurt, every pain, and every offence. We need to love a homosexual, crack head, or murderer if God sends us one. Let's pray in the spirit and build ourselves up in the name of the Lord.
Prayer:
Lord light the fire within us to touch the hurting. Help us to reach out to a world that doesn't trust any longer. We desire to be your hands, your feet, and we desire to do the same things you would do Lord. Amen
by Heidi Edwards
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
August 4th Devotional
Read:
15 But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior;
Setting an example as a leader is very important, especially for the world today. We need to set an example for those who watch and follow us. The definition for behavior here is anastrophe, and it means conduct or manner of life. We need to set an example by doing the right thing as a leader. I was a manager for about eight years in the grocery retail, and was training a young man that I lead to the Lord. I told him that I would clean up the meat cutting room so he could cut meat. After I got through he looked down at my shoes and said, "You don't mind getting wet do you?" I told him, son, a leader will do things that no one else wants to do. I'm doing this to set an example to you by not only making you a disciple in the spiritual things, but also training you in the work place so you can be ready, and advancing God's kingdom is at our workplace as well. It is so important to lay aside our pride and lead, but sometimes leading is humbling ourselves and doing things that is inconvenient to the worlds standards. We are not of this world and leading by the example of Christ will rub against the mainstream of the typical "get to the top" motivation. This young man has learned alot so far, and I am willing to invest in this young man. I want to encourage you today to lead by example. I need to do this more myself, and sometimes it is laying down our own pride and allowing others to do what we teach them. Show them and they will know, but allow them and they will do and be ready to teach others the same way we taught them. They will understand the importance of our conduct for others, and they will also understand the example that they need to set for the new converts that they will make. Lets see this scripture in a whole new light today, whether it is setting an example as a spiritual leader, or teaching them in the workplace through on the job training.
Prayer:
Lord, we ask that you will make us better leaders by setting a better example to others by our conduct and behavior. Help us to shine your light to others around us, especially those that we are discipling, Amen.
by Keith Edwards
15 But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior;
Setting an example as a leader is very important, especially for the world today. We need to set an example for those who watch and follow us. The definition for behavior here is anastrophe, and it means conduct or manner of life. We need to set an example by doing the right thing as a leader. I was a manager for about eight years in the grocery retail, and was training a young man that I lead to the Lord. I told him that I would clean up the meat cutting room so he could cut meat. After I got through he looked down at my shoes and said, "You don't mind getting wet do you?" I told him, son, a leader will do things that no one else wants to do. I'm doing this to set an example to you by not only making you a disciple in the spiritual things, but also training you in the work place so you can be ready, and advancing God's kingdom is at our workplace as well. It is so important to lay aside our pride and lead, but sometimes leading is humbling ourselves and doing things that is inconvenient to the worlds standards. We are not of this world and leading by the example of Christ will rub against the mainstream of the typical "get to the top" motivation. This young man has learned alot so far, and I am willing to invest in this young man. I want to encourage you today to lead by example. I need to do this more myself, and sometimes it is laying down our own pride and allowing others to do what we teach them. Show them and they will know, but allow them and they will do and be ready to teach others the same way we taught them. They will understand the importance of our conduct for others, and they will also understand the example that they need to set for the new converts that they will make. Lets see this scripture in a whole new light today, whether it is setting an example as a spiritual leader, or teaching them in the workplace through on the job training.
Prayer:
Lord, we ask that you will make us better leaders by setting a better example to others by our conduct and behavior. Help us to shine your light to others around us, especially those that we are discipling, Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
The Great Soldier August 3rd Devotional
Read:
3Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
All throughout my life I've had friends that were in the service. Some were in Vietnam, some were in other wars. My father was a military man, along with his whole family, so I know different things about being a soldier by being around them. One particular friend that I worked with was in the special forces and went to war. He would tell me about how they would help with the training of Navy Seals and the things that were imparted to them to be sharp and ready for war. One particular thing that I asked him about was, "what do you do when you get stranded out in the ocean?" He told me that you watch the birds. At night the birds go back to land because they can't see well for there catch of food, so you follow the birds at night and go away from the birds during the day, because they are going out towards the ocean during the day for there catch of food. Immediately, I thought about us as soldiers of Jesus Christ. When we get stranded in life's ocean, we need to focus totally on Christ Jesus. His voice is like that bird that flies towards land at night, and towards the ocean during the day. With patience we can hear his voice and navigate our way by His grace to the land of our calling, destiny, and what God has for us. You may be in an ocean of mess today. I want to encourage you to listen with patience for God's voice to get to the place He wants you to be in. We may get ourselves in an ocean of mess by choices we make, tragedy that comes our way, or other things that causes us to lose focus. Another thing about a soldier, is they get wisdom in certain situations so that they can make it through. There was this story of a private that couldn't stand this one Sergeant. He would always scream at him the words, "Get Down!" He got so tired of this particular Sergeant. When he went to war he heard those words again screaming in his head after a gun shot went off. He immediately got down and the bullets missed him by inches. Even though the Sergeant wasn't there he could hear those words in his head after that blast or gun shot. That Sergeant saved his life and he was thankful for that man that he didn't like. How many times do we hear the Holy Spirit talk to us about certain traps and situations we may get into if we don't change our course in a certain situation. God don't scream at us the way a Sergeant does or call us things that they would call a soldier, but listening to God's voice is so important. Jesus said, " my sheep know my voice, and no other voice will they follow." Are you lost in an ocean of mess today? You just had a tragedy hit you, or maybe something else in life hit you and you don't know what to do? Hear his voice today. Let Jesus wrap his arms around you as you follow his course in the destiny and calling that He has got for you.
prayer:
Lord we come to you as soldiers of the most high. We ask that you help us hear your voice today in a great way. Help us to be the soldier of your grace to others, and help us to train faithful one's for the ministry of a good soldier in the fight for lost souls, and advancing your Kingdom to the fullest degree. We ask this in your name. Amen.
by Keith Edwards
3Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
All throughout my life I've had friends that were in the service. Some were in Vietnam, some were in other wars. My father was a military man, along with his whole family, so I know different things about being a soldier by being around them. One particular friend that I worked with was in the special forces and went to war. He would tell me about how they would help with the training of Navy Seals and the things that were imparted to them to be sharp and ready for war. One particular thing that I asked him about was, "what do you do when you get stranded out in the ocean?" He told me that you watch the birds. At night the birds go back to land because they can't see well for there catch of food, so you follow the birds at night and go away from the birds during the day, because they are going out towards the ocean during the day for there catch of food. Immediately, I thought about us as soldiers of Jesus Christ. When we get stranded in life's ocean, we need to focus totally on Christ Jesus. His voice is like that bird that flies towards land at night, and towards the ocean during the day. With patience we can hear his voice and navigate our way by His grace to the land of our calling, destiny, and what God has for us. You may be in an ocean of mess today. I want to encourage you to listen with patience for God's voice to get to the place He wants you to be in. We may get ourselves in an ocean of mess by choices we make, tragedy that comes our way, or other things that causes us to lose focus. Another thing about a soldier, is they get wisdom in certain situations so that they can make it through. There was this story of a private that couldn't stand this one Sergeant. He would always scream at him the words, "Get Down!" He got so tired of this particular Sergeant. When he went to war he heard those words again screaming in his head after a gun shot went off. He immediately got down and the bullets missed him by inches. Even though the Sergeant wasn't there he could hear those words in his head after that blast or gun shot. That Sergeant saved his life and he was thankful for that man that he didn't like. How many times do we hear the Holy Spirit talk to us about certain traps and situations we may get into if we don't change our course in a certain situation. God don't scream at us the way a Sergeant does or call us things that they would call a soldier, but listening to God's voice is so important. Jesus said, " my sheep know my voice, and no other voice will they follow." Are you lost in an ocean of mess today? You just had a tragedy hit you, or maybe something else in life hit you and you don't know what to do? Hear his voice today. Let Jesus wrap his arms around you as you follow his course in the destiny and calling that He has got for you.
prayer:
Lord we come to you as soldiers of the most high. We ask that you help us hear your voice today in a great way. Help us to be the soldier of your grace to others, and help us to train faithful one's for the ministry of a good soldier in the fight for lost souls, and advancing your Kingdom to the fullest degree. We ask this in your name. Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Monday, August 2, 2010
Putting First Things first August 2nd Devotional
Read:
Matthew 6:33
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
So many times we worry about our family, finances, and future. I know that I do this at times and I have to get back in line with my devotion to the Lord. Jesus told His disciples to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all of the things you need will be taken care of. Righteousness in the Greek is Dikaisosune, and the definition is integrity, virtue, purity of life, rightness, correctness of thinking feeling, and acting. We need a correctness of thinking like never before. The biggest struggle for a Christian is the false perception of how God sees them. They may get it by how they were raised, low self esteem, or from there religious background. We need to have a correct perception of who God really is. Many times preachers will get up on the pulpit and bring out a false image of God. This can kill the blessings of God in our life. He said to seek first His kingdom. We need to advance the kingdom of God like never before by making disciples, supporting missionaries by giving, supporting our home church, and staying connected to believers. You hear more about what God can give us coming from the pulpit, versus the condition of our heart first and foremost. When the desire to be closer to Jesus increases so shall the things that we have need of unfold before us. The Holy Spirit longs to teach us today the ways of the Lord. He longs to show us how to seek Him. God will take care of us as we earnestly seek Him. Lets put the first things first.
Prayer:
Lord we ask that you bring us to a special place in you today. Help us to know you how you want us to know you, and lead us in the way we should go. Help us Lord to renew our minds, and touch us by Your Spirit, Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Matthew 6:33
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
So many times we worry about our family, finances, and future. I know that I do this at times and I have to get back in line with my devotion to the Lord. Jesus told His disciples to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all of the things you need will be taken care of. Righteousness in the Greek is Dikaisosune, and the definition is integrity, virtue, purity of life, rightness, correctness of thinking feeling, and acting. We need a correctness of thinking like never before. The biggest struggle for a Christian is the false perception of how God sees them. They may get it by how they were raised, low self esteem, or from there religious background. We need to have a correct perception of who God really is. Many times preachers will get up on the pulpit and bring out a false image of God. This can kill the blessings of God in our life. He said to seek first His kingdom. We need to advance the kingdom of God like never before by making disciples, supporting missionaries by giving, supporting our home church, and staying connected to believers. You hear more about what God can give us coming from the pulpit, versus the condition of our heart first and foremost. When the desire to be closer to Jesus increases so shall the things that we have need of unfold before us. The Holy Spirit longs to teach us today the ways of the Lord. He longs to show us how to seek Him. God will take care of us as we earnestly seek Him. Lets put the first things first.
Prayer:
Lord we ask that you bring us to a special place in you today. Help us to know you how you want us to know you, and lead us in the way we should go. Help us Lord to renew our minds, and touch us by Your Spirit, Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Sunday, August 1, 2010
The Power Of Words August 1st Devotional
Read:
Proverbs 18:21
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.
Words can be so powerful. I'm really quick to rebuke someone that is speaking negative over my children. I've seen words totally crush an individual, and I believe many have actually committed suicide because of something someone spoke over them. I do believe in positive confession along with walking in the spirit. There is something about speaking over your children, your life, and speaking positive to those around us. Jesus would speak and things would happen, but Jesus was one with the Father. The bible says here in proverbs that death and life are in the tongue, and those who love it will eat it's fruit. It's like planting a seed. We can enjoy the fruit of our union with Christ and speaking his word in our life, or we can reap the negative seed we plant by always talking negative. I know through my own life that there is something about speaking the word of God over me through my worship and devotion. It stirs up faith and the things of God inside of us, and it helps us grow in the word of God. I want to encourage you today to start speaking positive upon your life and your children. God wants us to watch our words, and He wants us to walk in the spirit with the word of God flowing out of our heart to others.
Prayer:
Lord we ask that you forgive us if we have been talking negative about someone. We also ask that you forgive us for our poor negative attitude that seems to keep us from really walking in your spirit. Help us to speak your word as we go day by day in your spirit. Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Proverbs 18:21
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.
Words can be so powerful. I'm really quick to rebuke someone that is speaking negative over my children. I've seen words totally crush an individual, and I believe many have actually committed suicide because of something someone spoke over them. I do believe in positive confession along with walking in the spirit. There is something about speaking over your children, your life, and speaking positive to those around us. Jesus would speak and things would happen, but Jesus was one with the Father. The bible says here in proverbs that death and life are in the tongue, and those who love it will eat it's fruit. It's like planting a seed. We can enjoy the fruit of our union with Christ and speaking his word in our life, or we can reap the negative seed we plant by always talking negative. I know through my own life that there is something about speaking the word of God over me through my worship and devotion. It stirs up faith and the things of God inside of us, and it helps us grow in the word of God. I want to encourage you today to start speaking positive upon your life and your children. God wants us to watch our words, and He wants us to walk in the spirit with the word of God flowing out of our heart to others.
Prayer:
Lord we ask that you forgive us if we have been talking negative about someone. We also ask that you forgive us for our poor negative attitude that seems to keep us from really walking in your spirit. Help us to speak your word as we go day by day in your spirit. Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)