Read:
Matthew 4:1-4
1Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."
4Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.
There is such power in the name of Jesus. Notice that Jesus didn't scream a spiritual type warfare for the enemy to leave. He didn't take over territorial spirits like some believe. He just simply, "spoke the word" and was able to overcome the temptation that the tempter came with. So many believe that you have to say a bunch of spiritual type warfare prayers, but Jesus nor the disciples ever did this type of warfare. They simply spoke the word. They never started a great spiritual warfare club or poked holes in the clouds of darkness. Now there were times in the bible that the apostles cast out demons, but they were so in tune with Christ. They never exercised their faith outside the realm of God. They heard his voice. I can remember in my younger days of ministry going through a season of this spiritual type warfare. It seemed appealing, but I found that it basically was works apart from walking in the spirit. I found myself thinking that I had to put on the whole armor of God literally every morning when I woke up, and it seemed that I was magnifying these things instead of just being obedient to Christ Jesus. It was like walking in the law. I would pray and put on the girdle of truth, etc. and couldn't remember if I put on the helmet of salvation. I would focus on that instead of focusing on Jesus. There's nothing wrong with speaking forth the armor of God if this increases your faith, but the best warfare is sitting at the feet of Jesus and learning of His ways, and as we do this we will know His voice. I've seen minister's in the being in full time ministry do so much binding and loosing that Christ seemed to be lost in the middle of it. Great men of God in the past always received direction from the Lord, whether it was healing or spiritual things. Many times we just jump into things without waiting and getting direction from the Lord. As I was praying last week about this devotional, I wanted God to speak to me about how we speak His name. It seemed like God spoke to my heart about this devotional. God wants us to realize that we are more than conquerors in His blood, and when the enemy tries to draw us into warfare we need to be like King David and put the praise and worship in the front and the warfare in the back. We need to realize that the battle has already been won, and we can rest and walk in what has already been done for us on the cross and through His resurrection. We are more than conquerors. conquerors fight! More than conquerors walk in what has already be defeated. As a worship leader, I found the greatest strength over negative thoughts or darts of the enemy was just entering into the presence of God and speaking that precious name of Jesus. I found strength by just opening my heart out to God. He will strengthen us as we lift Him up. Obedience is the key for great spiritual warfare in our life. Habits and strongholds automatically get broken when our heart is towards God, when we feed upon the word, and through our pure devotion. There will be times when God will have us speak directly in a relevant way towards a certain situation, but we shouldn't go around thinking there is a demon around every corner. Being submissive and sitting at the feet of Jesus is a weapon that will destroy every negative thought and dart the enemy throws our way. The battle is between our ears. It is our mind. We can't control the birds flying over our heads, but we can keep them from building a nest there. This is so true. Our flesh is the greatest hindrance that comes against us. Paul said that he puts his flesh under subjection everyday. It says in 2 corinthians 10 to cast down all imaginations or speculations. We have all of the tools and weapons within us as believers, and we learn how and when to use those tools as we are so close to Father God. Let's walk in that which we have received. The Greek word for put on in Ephesians chapter 6 is enduo, and it means to be endued and to walk in. We have truth, peace, we are righteous by His blood, we have the mind of Christ as we walk with Christ, we have faith, and we have that precious name to speak over our life.
Prayer:
Lord we ask that you help us to not meditate all of the time on what the enemy speaks to us, but what you speak to us. We pray that we will hear your voice like never before, and that we would be obedient to you. Lord give us such a revelation today that we are right with you by our faith in you, and because of that righteousness by your blood we can stand today with your word upon our lips and the sword in our hand. Help us Lord to walk in that which we have received. Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Friday, July 23, 2010
The Darious In Our Life July 23rd Devotional
Read:
Zechariah 4:6,7
6 So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty. 7 "What are you, O mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of 'God bless it! God bless it!' "
Have you ever gotten to a place in your life where you said, "I have no strength left to continue on." You've done great things for the Lord, and there has been unbelievable things happen in your life, but you feel you can't continue with what God has got for you. You are tired and exhausted by the hammer of life, and every swing of that hammer just brought you to your knees in complacency. Zerubbabel is feeling this here in the rebuilding of Jerusalem. They have laid the foundation, and there has been a fifteen year delay in the reconstruction and they are tired. Zechariah is a prophet of God that sees a vision and is awaken by the angel of the Lord. The angel of the Lord tells Zechariah to tell Zerubbabel that the work of the temple will go forth and will be completed. The mountain in verse seven was symbolic to Darius I who made a decree that the work on the temple should cease. Zechariah spoke to Zerubbabel that this mountain will become plain and that the chief capstone, which refers to the chief top stone or the crowning of the building, will be laid by the builders with shouting of grace. Is there a Darius in your life. I feel like the greatest Darius that is in our life is our own will and sin in our life. It is our flesh that screams out, No! It is our own desire to do things contrary to what God wants. If you have gotten to a place in your life where you don't feel like you can go on, I want you to shout grace in your mountain. I want you to scream to the Darius in your life, whatever that Darius or mountain in your life may be. Hear the words of Zechariah the prophet today in the growth of your temple corporately and individually, and realize that God is almighty and more powerful than any King, any situation, or any devestating decree. You may have had words decreed over you that has paralyzed you spiritually from walking in the Spirit and doing the things of God. The decree for you today as a Christian is, "Begin To build again!"
Prayer:
Lord, we ask that you will breathe a fresh breath of your spirit upon us to build and grow in you as your temple. We need your grace to speak grace Lord, and we need your power to speak to the Darius in our life. Let your power be with us as we put the capstone that is engraved with the words, "return to that first love." Amen.
Zechariah 4:6,7
6 So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty. 7 "What are you, O mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of 'God bless it! God bless it!' "
Have you ever gotten to a place in your life where you said, "I have no strength left to continue on." You've done great things for the Lord, and there has been unbelievable things happen in your life, but you feel you can't continue with what God has got for you. You are tired and exhausted by the hammer of life, and every swing of that hammer just brought you to your knees in complacency. Zerubbabel is feeling this here in the rebuilding of Jerusalem. They have laid the foundation, and there has been a fifteen year delay in the reconstruction and they are tired. Zechariah is a prophet of God that sees a vision and is awaken by the angel of the Lord. The angel of the Lord tells Zechariah to tell Zerubbabel that the work of the temple will go forth and will be completed. The mountain in verse seven was symbolic to Darius I who made a decree that the work on the temple should cease. Zechariah spoke to Zerubbabel that this mountain will become plain and that the chief capstone, which refers to the chief top stone or the crowning of the building, will be laid by the builders with shouting of grace. Is there a Darius in your life. I feel like the greatest Darius that is in our life is our own will and sin in our life. It is our flesh that screams out, No! It is our own desire to do things contrary to what God wants. If you have gotten to a place in your life where you don't feel like you can go on, I want you to shout grace in your mountain. I want you to scream to the Darius in your life, whatever that Darius or mountain in your life may be. Hear the words of Zechariah the prophet today in the growth of your temple corporately and individually, and realize that God is almighty and more powerful than any King, any situation, or any devestating decree. You may have had words decreed over you that has paralyzed you spiritually from walking in the Spirit and doing the things of God. The decree for you today as a Christian is, "Begin To build again!"
Prayer:
Lord, we ask that you will breathe a fresh breath of your spirit upon us to build and grow in you as your temple. We need your grace to speak grace Lord, and we need your power to speak to the Darius in our life. Let your power be with us as we put the capstone that is engraved with the words, "return to that first love." Amen.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
don't Wither Up by Philip Edwards & Keith EdwardsJuly 22nd Devotional
Read:
Mark 4:3-6
I have been working to get at least 30 minutes a day in the bible. I found that we need to take root in the bible as it reads in Mark 4:3-6
3"Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds
came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
def. of wither::- to become dry and sapless
I don't want to become sapless or dry. I want to become saturated with GOD, and in order to do so we need to study the bible, have consistent prayer, and have a heart of true worship and praise.
As our prayer, worship, and devotion increase we begin to walk in the spirit. Paul told us that everyday he puts his flesh under subjection, and that the flesh is an unruly evil ready to rise up at any time. We need to walk in the spirit, and not walk in the flesh.
Be ready! test and trials will come, but as we Study and pray we can stand strong, and not wither.
by Philip Edwards
comment by Keith Edwards
This is a powerful word from my brother Philip Edwards. God wants us to become saturated with the presence of God. God don't want us as Christians to just sit on the sideline, but He wants us to go forth in His mighty name and win souls for Him. Let's find that time for him everyday, and let's let His word saturate us until we decrease and He increase.
Prayer:
Lord we ask that you help us to spend more quality time with you. Give us such a strong desire to read your word, and to have that pure devotion with you. Amen.
by Philip and Keith Edwards
Mark 4:3-6
I have been working to get at least 30 minutes a day in the bible. I found that we need to take root in the bible as it reads in Mark 4:3-6
3"Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds
came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
def. of wither::- to become dry and sapless
I don't want to become sapless or dry. I want to become saturated with GOD, and in order to do so we need to study the bible, have consistent prayer, and have a heart of true worship and praise.
As our prayer, worship, and devotion increase we begin to walk in the spirit. Paul told us that everyday he puts his flesh under subjection, and that the flesh is an unruly evil ready to rise up at any time. We need to walk in the spirit, and not walk in the flesh.
Be ready! test and trials will come, but as we Study and pray we can stand strong, and not wither.
by Philip Edwards
comment by Keith Edwards
This is a powerful word from my brother Philip Edwards. God wants us to become saturated with the presence of God. God don't want us as Christians to just sit on the sideline, but He wants us to go forth in His mighty name and win souls for Him. Let's find that time for him everyday, and let's let His word saturate us until we decrease and He increase.
Prayer:
Lord we ask that you help us to spend more quality time with you. Give us such a strong desire to read your word, and to have that pure devotion with you. Amen.
by Philip and Keith Edwards
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Being Fruitful In The Land Of Famine July 21st Devotional
Read:
Genesis 41:33-36
33 "And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. 35 They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. 36 This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine."
Also Read:
Psalms 119:11
11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
We are living in a time where are nation is crumbling before the eyes of the church. The problem is that most of the church don't even know that the church is in need of the sound word of God. We have a lot of television minister's that minister the word of God, but with a mixture of greed and pride. The only thing this does is bring forth a deception that we are totally alright with no need of repentance as the body of Christ. I believe we are living in a time where a great famine of the word of God is going to come stronger upon our nation, yet the candy coated messages from many preachers will become stronger as well. The messages will be mixed with more humanistic teachings and the sheep of God will become so thirsty for the pure word of God like never before. Joseph had two sons. One was named Manasseh, meaning God has caused me to forget, and the other is Ephraim, meaning God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction. I want us today to realize that God wants us to store the word of God in our hearts for the famine that will get stronger in the years to come. The bible says to hide the word of God in our hearts that we may not sin against God, and we see many sinning today by lack of sound doctrine. Joseph told Pharaoh to put a wise man and overseers over the land of Egypt and store up food for the famine that will come upon the land. I believe that God has raised up true teachers in the past few years to speak to the body of Christ as a whole through Internet ministry and other means. I believe that the message from true minister's of God has touched many, and there will be some that will repent during the famine of the word of God in our nation. I want to encourage you today to listen to the greatest wise man who ever lived who is Jesus Christ, and listen to the voices of true teachers who are speaking and storing fresh words from heaven for the days we are living in and the days to come.
Prayer:
Lord, we need you today like never before in the famine of the word of God that has been with us, and is going to get greater in the years to come. Help us Lord to follow sound doctrine, and help us to discern between what is right and what is wrong. We desire to store the word of God in our hearts today Lord, and we long to be fruitful during the land of affliction, Amen.
Genesis 41:33-36
33 "And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. 35 They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. 36 This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine."
Also Read:
Psalms 119:11
11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
We are living in a time where are nation is crumbling before the eyes of the church. The problem is that most of the church don't even know that the church is in need of the sound word of God. We have a lot of television minister's that minister the word of God, but with a mixture of greed and pride. The only thing this does is bring forth a deception that we are totally alright with no need of repentance as the body of Christ. I believe we are living in a time where a great famine of the word of God is going to come stronger upon our nation, yet the candy coated messages from many preachers will become stronger as well. The messages will be mixed with more humanistic teachings and the sheep of God will become so thirsty for the pure word of God like never before. Joseph had two sons. One was named Manasseh, meaning God has caused me to forget, and the other is Ephraim, meaning God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction. I want us today to realize that God wants us to store the word of God in our hearts for the famine that will get stronger in the years to come. The bible says to hide the word of God in our hearts that we may not sin against God, and we see many sinning today by lack of sound doctrine. Joseph told Pharaoh to put a wise man and overseers over the land of Egypt and store up food for the famine that will come upon the land. I believe that God has raised up true teachers in the past few years to speak to the body of Christ as a whole through Internet ministry and other means. I believe that the message from true minister's of God has touched many, and there will be some that will repent during the famine of the word of God in our nation. I want to encourage you today to listen to the greatest wise man who ever lived who is Jesus Christ, and listen to the voices of true teachers who are speaking and storing fresh words from heaven for the days we are living in and the days to come.
Prayer:
Lord, we need you today like never before in the famine of the word of God that has been with us, and is going to get greater in the years to come. Help us Lord to follow sound doctrine, and help us to discern between what is right and what is wrong. We desire to store the word of God in our hearts today Lord, and we long to be fruitful during the land of affliction, Amen.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
The Seed Of Praise July 18th Devotional
Read:
“The Seed Of Praise”
Isaiah :11
11 For as the earth brings forth its growth,
and as a garden enables what is sown to spring up,
so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise
to spring up before all the nations.
So many times in our christian walk the enemy tries to draw us into fleshly warfare with him. There are times that we need to fight the enemy with certain words, but most of the time it is our praise that is the biggest weapon against the tactics of the devil, and when purity and sound doctrine is mixed with our praise and worship it will cause the enemy to run. We just need to enter into praise and that praise will spring forth great fruit in our lives. In the act of praise is the revelation of faith and our righteousness in the blood of Jesus Christ. As we grow in the knowledge of righteousness we begin to bear fruit just like a seed in the ground, and the fruit of the spirit begins to manifest from within us more and more each day. Our praise and worship is so powerful and it will bring us to that most holy place as praise turns into worship for Christ. There is something that we need before we enter into praise and worship, and that is revelation of what God has done by his mighty hand through praise, and revelation of who God is through our worship. We need praise and worship. The greatest revelation we could have is a revelation of what God has already done on the cross. We need to enter the presence of God with the realization that he has won the victory already. There is no need for us to fight a war that Jesus Christ has already defeated. We can enter into that rest through our praise and worship. Today I want us to enter prayer and devotion with this revelation, and I want us to reflect on what God has already done. We need to shout the victory in the presence of the enemy.
prayer:
Lord we enter into your presence now with the realization of what you already did on the cross. We thank you Lord for your many blessings through our praise, but we seek your face today through our worship. We sit at your feet today and ask you Lord to make us more like you in everything we do. We want our praise to spring forth to all nations. Amen.
by Keith Edwards
“The Seed Of Praise”
Isaiah :11
11 For as the earth brings forth its growth,
and as a garden enables what is sown to spring up,
so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise
to spring up before all the nations.
So many times in our christian walk the enemy tries to draw us into fleshly warfare with him. There are times that we need to fight the enemy with certain words, but most of the time it is our praise that is the biggest weapon against the tactics of the devil, and when purity and sound doctrine is mixed with our praise and worship it will cause the enemy to run. We just need to enter into praise and that praise will spring forth great fruit in our lives. In the act of praise is the revelation of faith and our righteousness in the blood of Jesus Christ. As we grow in the knowledge of righteousness we begin to bear fruit just like a seed in the ground, and the fruit of the spirit begins to manifest from within us more and more each day. Our praise and worship is so powerful and it will bring us to that most holy place as praise turns into worship for Christ. There is something that we need before we enter into praise and worship, and that is revelation of what God has done by his mighty hand through praise, and revelation of who God is through our worship. We need praise and worship. The greatest revelation we could have is a revelation of what God has already done on the cross. We need to enter the presence of God with the realization that he has won the victory already. There is no need for us to fight a war that Jesus Christ has already defeated. We can enter into that rest through our praise and worship. Today I want us to enter prayer and devotion with this revelation, and I want us to reflect on what God has already done. We need to shout the victory in the presence of the enemy.
prayer:
Lord we enter into your presence now with the realization of what you already did on the cross. We thank you Lord for your many blessings through our praise, but we seek your face today through our worship. We sit at your feet today and ask you Lord to make us more like you in everything we do. We want our praise to spring forth to all nations. Amen.
by Keith Edwards
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