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May 27 Thought 1
Today we are fasting from the thought that says: I feel powerless.
As we launch phase 2 of our fast from wrong thinking, I’m
asking the Lord to take us deeper into thinking patterns that will
truly liberate us and establish a root system that will guarantee an
abundant, fruitful life.
One of the greatest truths I have ever come to
understand is that a “sense of powerlessness” is the root to all
negative emotions. If you feel powerless to do anything about your
past, you feel guilty. If you feel powerless to change your future,
you feel afraid. And if you feel powerless to change your present, you
feel depressed. When you feel like the people or circumstances of your
life will not change, you feel angry.
Think about this for a moment—depression, fear, guilt and anger are
four of the most powerful negative emotions you will ever experience.
And ALL of them stem from a sense of powerlessness. The thought that
there’s not much we can do about the economy or our weight or the
allergies we grew up with, etc. imprisons us to accept and tolerate a
mediocre and weak life.
Most people want to be powerful but have tolerated a powerless
existence, just because they never realized how powerful they really
are. Power comes from the Greek word: “dunamis”—which means ability,
enablement.
Let’s fast from the feeling of powerlessness.
- Embrace
the truth that God has not given you a spirit of fear, but POWER, LOVE
and a SOUND MIND. (2 Timothy 1:7) This is already done. You have this
power in you.
- BELIEVE
that power is in you. Ephesians 3:20 says God is able to do exceeding
abundantly above all we can ask or think ACCORDING TO THE POWER that is
at work within you. There is power in you that enables God to do
beyond what we can ask or think.
- Give
God something to work with. You have to THINK and ASK. Since He can
do BEYOND, we have to at least give Him a base to begin with. We limit
God when we don’t think big and ASK big.
- Recognize
and honor the Holy Spirit in you. Acts 1:8 says, “You shall receive
POWER when the Holy Spirit comes upon you...” Again, this power
(dunamis=dynamite) is already in you. Thank God for the Holy Spirit in
you. Romans 8:11 says, ‘the very same Spirit that raised Jesus from the
dead lives in you.’
- Take
the limits off. Don’t limit God. Psalm 78:41 says that the children of
Israel LIMITED the Lord. They limited Him, because they DID NOT
REMEMBER His power (verse 42). We free God’s hand to bless when we
REMEMBER HIS PREVIOUS BLESSINGS. Psalm 103 says to not forget His
benefits.
- EXPECT!
Never underestimate the power of expectation. Expect today for God’s
power to strengthen you; expect to be led by His Spirit today. We
limit what God can do in our lives, when we lower our expectations.
- Embrace your power: the power to forgive and be forgiven (John 20); the power to heal (Mark 16:20); the power to speak the Word and get results (Job 22:28)
Think It and Say It:
God has not given me a spirit of fear, but power, love and a sound mind.
I
have POWER in my life right now. Through the Holy Spirit in me, I have
the power to overcome sin; the power to change my life for the better,
the power to be healed; the power to forgive; the power to praise God
no matter what; the power to speak God’s Word and see His promises show
up in my life.
I will think big and ask big, and therefore the POWER OF GOD’S SPIRIT WITHIN ME, will bring it to pass in my life.
I
choose to remember what God has already done which takes the limits off
of my life and my expectations. I expect favor today, wisdom,
understanding, and God’s blessing!
Pastor Gregory Dickow
May 24
This something that I feel we all need to get a grip upon...we battle everyday in our minds..that is where the war truly is...in our thinking processes....we must line our minds up with the Word of God each day...for it is by the renewing of our minds that we will be able to see clearly and be able to walk in peace. To be able to minister in the way that God would be to flow freely through us. WE cannot be locked up and imprisoned in our minds. Just thought I would share this today..to remind myself along with anyone else that may read this. Blessings..
Today's Thought : It's just not fair. God's not fair.
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| Remember,
we are not fasting, in the strictest sense of the word from food. But
we are "fasting" (giving up, abstaining) from wrong ways of thinking.
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Proverbs
23:7 says, “As a man thinks within, so is he.” Our life, our actions,
our destinies are determined by THE WAY WE THINK. So, let’s get to the
root, thinking in alignment with God’s Word, and we will experience the
God-kind-of life—superabundant in quantity and superior in quality.
(John 10:10)
Today we are ‘fasting’ from the thought that says: “It’s just not fair. God’s not fair.”
We’ve all wondered—why does one person prosper, while another struggles
to just get by. One person lives to be 100, another tragically dies at
16. One parent has a perfectly healthy child, while another has a
child who is constantly ill or diseased. What about some being born in
a bountiful land such as America, while others are born in Burma?
Folks, we live in a fallen world, affected by the sin of Adam and Eve,
and thrown out of kilter from God’s original plan. As a result,
imperfect health, weather, imperfect DNA, air, etc., has permeated the
earth. We are all born with imperfect circumstances—some obvious, and
some more subtle; but God gives us all a NEW BEGINNING, the day we are
born again. Until that time, unfairness and imbalance will remain.
But in JESUS CHRIST, God’s goodness and fairness is made available to
everyone.
Let’s fast from the thinking that God is not fair, or life is not fair to us...Here’s how:
1. God’s promises are available to whosoever believes. (John
3:16) It’s been said, every cloud has a silver lining—well, every
problem has a promise from God to overcome it. (2 Corinthians 1:20. 1
Corinthians 10:13) There is a promise for every problem, for every
tragedy, for everything we will ever face. Believe it! Trust His name:
Jehovah Jireh—your provider.
2. Overcome what’s in front of you.
You don’t have anyone else’s battles. You only have to win your own
battle. Don’t measure fairness by what others are going through or what
others have.
3. Recognize the nearness of God. He
is present with you. Psalm 73:28 NASB says, “But as for me, the
nearness of God is my good….” It wasn’t fair what Joseph’s brothers
did to him; but God was with him, and he overcame. (Genesis 39:1-2)
Your trial or trouble or tragedy is no match for God’s presence. God’s
presence far outweighs what life has dealt you. Trust in His name:
Jehovah Shammah—the Lord is with you.
4. Expect God will right every wrong. (Romans 12:19) He will avenge His children who have suffered unfairly—Luke 18:8.
5. Overcome evil with good. (Romans
12:21) You must see the inequities (those things that have happened in
life that weren’t fair), as opportunities to make a difference.
(Example: In 1999 missionary P.P. Job suffered the tragedy of his
child being killed by fanatical Hindus in India. This wasn’t fair. And
it wasn’t God’s will. The father was devastated, but rather than
getting bitter, he started an orphanage for girls in a location that
persecutes Christians and has no value for girls. But God! Today,
hundreds of girls have been rescued and saved, because this missionary
overcame evil with good, rather than letting the tragedy define his
theology and his future.)
6. Don’t be afraid.
Genesis 15:1 AMP says, “Fear not Abraham, I am your shield, your
ABUNDANT COMPENSATION. Your reward shall be great!” Remember, you have
a covenant with God (Galatians 3:29) If you belong to Christ, you are
Abraham’s seed. Whatever He did for Abraham, He has promised He will
do for you!
THINK IT & SAY IT:
No matter what has happened in my life, God has given me promises to
overcome it. His promises are to whosoever believes, and that means me!
I am a believer, not a doubter.
I trust Jehovah Jireh, my provider. I refuse to measure what’s fair by
comparison to others. I overcome what’s right in front of me with the
Word of God. God’s presence is with me and in me. What I am facing
right now is no match for the presence of God. Since the mountains
melt like wax in His presence, I expect this negative experience to
melt like wax beginning today.
I trust God to right every wrong. (Isaiah 42:16—He will make the
crooked way straight). He will avenge the wrong that has been done to
me. He will turn it around for good.
I choose to overcome evil with good. Therefore, no matter how unfair
things may have seemed, God will make up for whatever has been lost.
He is my abundant compensation. I have a covenant with God and
therefore whatever He did for Abraham, He will do for me as well, In
Jesus’ Name!
Until tomorrow,
Gregory Dickow |
May 20 A Soldiers Prayer
I asked God for strength, that I might achieve.
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey.
I asked for health, that I might do greater things.
I was given infirmity, that I might do better things.
I asked for riches, that I might be happy.
I was given poverty, that I might be wise.
I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men.
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God.
I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life.
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing that I asked for-but everything that I had hoped for.
Almost despite myself, my unspoiled prayers were answered.
I am among all men, most richly blessed.
Author Unknown
May we learn that Gods ways are higher than ours April 30 Give Life with Your Words
Words kill, words give life; they're either poison or fruit - you choose. (Proverbs 18:21 MSG)
You have the power to kill or give life.
Yes, you, gentle reader - a follower of Christ - are capable of murder, and so am I. We can speak death with our words, or we can speak life.
Perhaps you've been on the other side of the killing kind of messages: "You're not smart enough. You're not thin enough. You're not fast enough. You're not good enough. A real Christian wouldn't think such a thing."
In a world where people are beat up and put down, God gives you superhero power to punch through the negativity. You speak life to others when you say: "You matter to me. I like you just the way you are. You're human, anyone could think that. Your life counts. You were created for a purpose. God loves you, and you're incredibly valuable to him."
Your words may be the only encouraging thing some people hear in a day, or a week, or a month. You - yes, you - can become the voice of God's grace in the lives of others, supporting, loving, helping, and encouraging with the words that flow from your mouth. (Romans 14:19b)
In the New Testament, the word 'encouragement' often means "to come alongside." We're to come alongside one another, "building each other up," just as the Holy Encourager comes alongside us to teach us and remind us of the way of Jesus. (John 14:26)
We become encouragers when we stop looking down and start looking up (Colossians 3:2) - the need and opportunity for encouragement is everywhere. "Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us," (Romans 15:2a MSG) and this "will build them up." (Romans 15:2b NLT)
So, how about it? Will you become today a consistent source of encouragement to those around you? It's a choice on your part. You can lift a person's spirit, change the atmosphere of your office, or lighten the burden of someone in your small group. The Bible says we should "look for the best in each other, and always do your best to bring it out." (1 Thessalonians 5:15b MSG)
What does this mean?
Commit to encouragement - Make a choice to build up the people around you. Fill your conversations with phrases like: "I believe in you," "I'm grateful for you," "I see God using you," "I appreciate you," and "I'm glad you're in my life." The Bible says we should "encourage one another and build each other up." (1 Thessalonians 5:11 NIV)
Value others - An encourager works hard at bringing the best out in others. Value people by understanding they are valuable to God. He encourages you in spite of the failings in your past; he believes in you in spite of those annoying, little things you excuse in yourself but criticize in others. (Quite honestly, this thought compels me to give grace to others.)
Be encouraged - Encourage yourself, for "there is good news of great joy for all people, and his name is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:8-10)
Devotional by Jon Walker
April 29 Malachi 3:3 says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."
This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what
this statement meant about the character and nature of God.
One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.
That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to
watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her
interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining Silver.
As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire
and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to
hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest
as to burn away all the impurities.
The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she
thought again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and
purifier of silver." She asked the silversmith if it was true that he
had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was
being refined.
The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the
silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it
was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the
flames, it would be destroyed.
The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?"
He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it."
If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has
his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in
you.
Pass this on right now. This very moment, someone needs to know that God is watching over them.
And, whatever they're going through, they'll be a better person in the end.
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