Psalm 103: 3 “Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases”

The nature of God is to heal, He doesn’t have mood swings, He is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Exodus 15:26 “And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee”

Isaiah 53:5 “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed”

In the book of 1st Peter it says “For our God took away our sins on the cross that we do not have to walk in sickness anymore”

God wants you to be HEALTHY!! There is never a situation where God wants you to be sick. Sometimes God can work in our lives through sickness, he can talk to us through our sickness but it is NOT the primary method He uses! It’s His holy son Jesus He uses.  Healing is God’s attitude.

2. God delights in your prosperity.

God wants you to be the head and not the tail, He wants you to be above and not beneath.

Psalm 35:27 “Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant”

Job 36:11 “If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures”

If you obey God, and walk in His faithfulness then you will have no room for blessings, you will be blessed in abundance. God will bless you!!

Poverty is NOT from God but prosperity is from God, Don’t run behind prosperity and healing but run behind Jesus and all the blessings will follow you. Sufferings are not from God, you may go through it in life but only good will come from it but God doesn’t want you to suffer. All things work together for good for those who love God.

Lamentations 3:33 “For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men”

3. God does not want to give you surprises.

Amos 3:7 “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets”

When you have the time to hear God, only then He will reveal everything to you, but He can only talk to those who are willing to listen to Him. We need to be people who listen to God and spend time with God. And if you love God, you will spend time with Him.

4. God wants to forgive you.

God likes to forgive us; the devil might remind you of your past, tell him “I’m His child and I’m forgiven” and remind him that he is never forgiven.

We should confess our sins, 1st John 1:8 and 9 “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”. The blood of Jesus will clean you from ALL your sins! Go back to God and repent and He will forgive you. He is a FAITHFUL God.

5. To know the mind of God, you should start praying:

John 16:24 “Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full”

God will answer your needs if you ask Him, pray knowing that God will provide and pray in faith.  He will not answer some of your prayers because James 4:3 “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures” Don’t pray for your greed and lust but ask things that are genuine and He will give it to you.

Don’t limit Him

Psalm 78:41 “Yes, again and again they tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel”

God was angry when Israel limited Him, He is the Almighty. God does not like petty prayers, but pray and believe that He can do anything. God doesn’t like to be limited. Our God is a BIG GOD!

Hannah the classic example from the Bible:

1st Samuel 1:10 “And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore”

Hannah is one of two wives of Elkanah; the other, Peninnah, bore children to Elkanah, but Hannah remained childless. Nevertheless, Elkanah preferred Hannah. Every year Elkanah would offer a sacrifice at the Shiloh sanctuary, and give Penninah and her children a portion but he gave Hannah a double portion “because he loved her” Finally Peninnah was tired seeing all this and insulted Hannah.

Hannah was heartbroken and prayed to God and she told God in her prayer “Lord give me a child and I will make sure that my first child will serve you” that’s the right style of prayer. Her son was Samuel who became one of the greatest prophets of Israel.

The Book of Psalms says that “He will turn your sorrows into joy and your mourning into dancing”

Honor God and seek Him above everything.

In the book of 1st Samuel 3 it says “if you Honor God, He will honor you”

We all love to see miraculous transformations. Whether it’s a sports team that goes from worst to first in a single season, a life-saving surgery for a child, a person that loses hundreds of pounds, or even the amazing home make-overs on TV, that takes a home in much need of TLC, and literally transforms it into a beautiful mansion — we all love the ending outcome of miraculous transformations.

Anytime we want to have a change though, especially one that will make our lives better, it requires us to believe that it can happen. We have to make a choice to have hope.

• Most of us have found ourselves in a place where we were on the edge of loosing something very precious to seemingly everything.
• Whether you’ve lost your job, your mortgage is in risk of foreclosure, your relationships are struggling, or you or a loved one needs healing, I want to encourage you to never give up!

It all begins with a choice; the choice to never give up. God always completes in us what He has started; His good work and good plan. (Phillippians 1:6).

“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.”

I love the story of a man named Ira. His story is the perfect example of what happens when you never give up. By the time he was 12, both of his parents had died. He and his brothers had no choice but to take care of themselves. So they got jobs working at a ranch.

Through hard work and refusing to give up, Ira eventually got married and saved enough to buy a small ranch of his own. He kept dreaming, staying focused and making good decisions.

He bought a small grocery store, which turned into a big success. But he didn’t stop there either — he then sold the store to purchase a large 20,000 acre ranch in West Texas.

Not long after this big move, the Great Depression hit with full force and Ira fell behind on his payments. The bank threatened to foreclose and take away everything he’d worked so hard for through the years. At the last moment, just days before Ira lost everything, massive reservoirs of oil were discovered on his ranch!

Instead of losing everything, Ira received more than enough resources to bless his entire family and many more throughout his area. He provided jobs for people in need, built schools, children’s homes, Boy Scout camps, Salvation Army centers and developed a town that still exists today.

I love this story because his life was suddenly transformed.

Now I’m not saying that you’re going to find oil on your property or instantly become a millionaire! But what I am saying is that no matter how dark things look, God can turn things around in a single moment.

We all just enjoyed the changing of seasons, from winter to spring. Spring symbolizes new birth, a fresh start. No matter how cold and harsh your winter might have seemed, or even been, I want to encourage you to see your new fresh start in God. This spring, let this truth take root in your heart and mind: In a single moment, God can make all things new for you.

It all starts with your mind and attitude. Even if you don’t physically see this change right now, God can transform your heart and thinking, giving you peace that the world can’t give you. It’s a sustaining peace. It’s hope. Hope carries you through as you wait for your completing moment.

Ephesians 1:19–20 says: “I pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead…” (NLT) Think about it! The Bible says that God gives the same power that raised Jesus from the dead to those who believe Him.

He triumphed over every force of darkness, disease and destruction. And He’s promised to give this same victory to everyone who puts their trust in Him!

God’s incredible power is available for you, but you have to do your part and believe in Him and by faith, receive what He is offering and persevere in your hope!

When you face challenges and tough times, do you focus on the negative and begin to complain about how unfairly you are being treated? When you give in to those thoughts, you stop the transformation process.

When you are filled with doubt and unbelief, God’s miracle for you is put on hold. And it stays on hold until you begin to walk again in obedience and put your complete trust in Him.

When you stay positive, full of hope, and do not give up on God, He can take any situation in your life, any circumstance, regardless of the economy or what the world might say, and turn things around in a single moment for your benefit. Your life can change in a moment just like Ira’s and just like the disciples — who went from being alone and afraid to boldly proclaiming the message of Christ to every nation, making an impact on the entire world!

2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us, “…anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (NLT)

No matter what you are facing today, I want to encourage you…

When you decide to not give up and put your whole trust in Christ, you pave the way for greater things to happen foryou, in you and through you!

We are all hearing the negative reports about the current economic conditions; I hear them too. But in order for us to overcome these challenges, it’s important to know what God’s Word says about it.

His Word promises us in Philippians 4:19: “And my God will liberally supply (fill to the full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (AMP). God promises us that He is able to meet every need.

Remember, no matter what challenges you’re facing, God will make all things new in your life!

But it’s up to you and your choice! Keep choosing to stay in hope, believing for God to make things new, in His time. Remember, if we don’t give up, in due time we will be richly rewarded!

By Joel Osteen

Text: Hebrews 10:10, 10:14

Introduction

Holiness is an important topic. Hebrews 12:14 speaks about holiness, saying “holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.” There has, therefore, been much teaching about the need for holiness. The focus in this outline is how and when holiness is achieved.

A. You are holy!

1. Who makes you holy – you or God?
Hebr 2:11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified…

2. When and how does He make you holy?
Hebr 10:10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Hebr 10:14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.
It is only the blood of Jesus that can cleanse us totally. And this is done once for all. We become holy the moment we are born again.
Jesus’ blood is also continually cleansing us.

3. The Bible calls the born-again believers holy.
Phil 1:1, Col 1:2, Eph 1:4, Rom 11:16

B. What is holiness?

1. Being cleansed/pure
a. So cleansed/pure that you can be in His presence – the most Holy place.
Hebr 10:19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus.
We remember how strict this was in the Old Covenant when the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies by his own holiness (following all the rules of cleansing and offerings).
The blood of Jesus must have made a huge difference, since we now may boldly enter!

b. So cleansed/pure that God Himself, through the Holy Spirit, can live in you.
1 Cor 3:16, 1 Cor 6:19, John 14:23, Col 1:27

The blood of Jesus must have done a perfect work cleansing us!
Illustration: Sometimes we have to clean the house ourselves before we move in. That is what God did with His new house – you!

The Holy Spirit doesn’t move in and out. He has come to stay forever. John 14:16.

2. Set aside for His use
We are all set aside for His use.
It’s not “us working for Him,” but He working through us!

C. You ARE holy, therefore, LIVE as holy

1. Notice the order!
We don’t live holy to become holy, but because we are holy already.

2. Know who you are.
The Apostle Paul often encouraged people to live holy and right based on the fact that they had already become new creations and that God had already moved inside of them. (E.g. 1 Cor 6:12-20.)

3. The Holy one lives in and through you.
He produces in you the right lifestyle.
As you yield to Him, His life will be increasingly formed in you.
Col 1:27, Gal 2:20, Phil 2:13, Gal 4:19

D. The Church / the Body of Christ is holy, too

1. The whole Body is holy.
Rom 11:16

2. Jesus sanctified the Church when He gave Himself for the Church. Eph 5:25-27

Conclusion:

Grow in the awareness of what God has already done with you. He has already made you holy, and then He moved inside of you to help you live accordingly – not in your own strength, but Christ in you. Righteousness is you in Christ; sanctification is Christ in you.

You are already made holy. Therefore, live as holy.

By: Mary Felde

Mary Felde serves as both principal and Bible teacher at WIM’s Bible College, East Africa

Revelation 3:14-22 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches”

Our God is a speaking God and He speaks to the churches, the above passage is a message from Jesus, every word is spoken by the Lord (words of Jesus) Jesus has different names, He is a mighty God, He cannot be contained in our brains, He is beyond our comprehension, He is beyond Majesty. He is big and majestic. His name is “Amen because He is a true God, faithful, true witness and the Ruler are the other names of Jesus.

He looks at His church of Laodicea built by Him (Jesus), He says to the church “I know your deeds, your works and I know what your actions are. God is watching your actions, He knows the details of your actions, He knows what you did yesterday and He is not a God who is ignorant about things, He knows your works and He cares for you and He goes onto say that “You’re neither cold nor hot, I wish you were either one or the other” (3:15) “So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth” (3:16) Mixing of hot and cold water makes the water “lukewarm”, Jesus hates lukewarm, either be hot or cold.

Be passionate for Jesus, Mixing cannot happen that causes lukewarm condition, now that you know He is your saviour be Hot for Him, get back to your first love. True that we all need to have stress busters, entertainment, good music and a vacation, be careful where you place yourself, if it’s an ungodly way of stress relief you might lose your hair as days go by (Like Samson from the Bible, who lost his anointing by laying his head on Delilah’s lap).

Signs of Lukewarm:

• You think more about life on earth than your life in eternal home
• You only see God when you’re in trouble
• You say you believe in God but live as though He doesn’t exist
• You say you believe in God and you don’t strive to know Him better, you rarely share your faith, you crave other people’s acceptance more than God’s acceptance
• You base your morality on comparing with others
• Your life is no different than others that are in the world
• You want to know Christ just enough to save you from hell, but not enough to have you to change your lifestyle

Laodicea was one of the wealthiest cities in Asia Minor, (present day Turkey) they had problem with water, they didn’t get good water, there was a nearby place called “Hierapolis” and it was famous for hot water springs and people who wanted steam bath used to go for the hot water springs (Steam bath) and there was another place called “Colossae” and this place was famous for cold water, fresh and clear water and some used to go there for cold water. To bring hot water from Hierapolis to Laodicea the people built a pipe and by the time the water reached Laodicea it was lukewarm and it was very bad in taste. God used this situation to speak to the church because they would understand what “lukewarm” means, a life without passion. You need to come back to God, get back your passion, don’t be lukewarm but be full of refreshing. He gave you life in abundance; it’s also your choice to be passionate. God wants you to be passionate about Him and your life because you’re a creation of God. If you’re not happy today with where you are then you are not going to be happy tomorrow.

Run your race, have passion for God and have passion for your life, you’re created to glorify God.

You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked (3:17). In the eyes of God if you say don’t need anything in this life, you need to realize you need God every day, even if you have millions of dollars in your bank account, you still need God, the very breath that you have is a gift from God.  Jesus told the church of Laodicea “I look at you as wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked” The word of God is like a mirror because it tells you how you look and how you are with and without God, check yourself using the word. The bible is our measuring stick.

Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting”

The above passage is part of David’s prayer and we need to pray like he did, he valued the presence of God. He was a king but he always looked and searched for God for everything.

God is so merciful, He never rejected the church of Laodicea, He gave them a chance, He always makes a way out for us, He will provide a help in times of trouble, He is a helper, He will stand by you and work out your life for you, Jesus is on your side.

I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. (3:18) Jesus said to the church “don’t be satisfied with the things of the world, only I can satisfy you and I’m the source of everything, I counsel you, righteousness comes from me alone.

Matthew 11:29-30: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

John 7:37-38: “On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink, Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them”

Run to God! Be passionate for Him, this is the best thing that can happen in your life.

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. (3:20) the church of Laodicea never realized that Jesus was not there in the church. God has not given up on you, His love will never fail, and He is standing outside your door “Knocking” because He wants to come into your life.

Pastor Danny(AG-Bethel Church)

1) Process -1 No. -3 CV’s
2) Mechanical -2 Nos. – 6 CV’s
3) Instrument -1 No. -3 CV’s
4) Civil -2 Nos. -6 CV’s
5) Planning Engineer -4 Nos -12 CV’s
6) Cost Engineer –Civil -1 No -3 Cv’s
7) Print Room Operator -1 No. -3 Cvs
8) Contract Engineer -1 No. -3 Cvs
9) Estimation Engineer -1 No.- 3 Cvs

Total for 18 positions -54 CV’s to be submitted.

Please comment with your contact details & we’ll give you further info.

Resurrection Sunday is the most triumphant day in the calendar of the Christian Church. Yet there is no trace of an Easter celebration, as we know it, anywhere in the New Testament.   The Resurrection quickly became the central theme of the apostles’ preaching. Within 50 days of the death of Christ and the seeming collapse of His cause, the city of Jerusalem rang with the cries of those who with all boldness declared that God had raised Jesus Christ from the dead and that they were His witnesses.

The Resurrection was the dominant theme in all of the Apostle Paul’s preaching. Everywhere Paul went, he declared, “God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power” (1 Corinthians 6:14, KJV). This true, earth-shaking fact, proclaimed with heart-piercing conviction, was the axle and wheels of the early Christian Church.

 On resurrection Sunday this year, thousands of people will go to church to hear sermons on the Resurrection; but how many actually believe that Christ is alive?

 The greatest news that has ever flashed from heaven to earth is that Christ the Lord is risen. The angel at the tomb delivered the most important message ever to fall on the ears of mankind: “He is not here: for he is risen” (Matthew 28:6, KJV). The power of those words changed the course of history, brought hope to a hopeless world, and gave believers a purpose and a power that they had never known before.

Jesus was born to destroy the devil’s work, which includes sin, sickness, poverty and spiritual death.

The Resurrection Redeems Us

First, the power of the Resurrection saves and redeems us. Christ said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live” (John 5:25, KJV).

 Jesus’ words have not changed. Time has not robbed them of their power. The Christ who lived on this planet still lives today, and all those who believe in Him, He raises from lifelessness, from a wretched quality of living that is worse than death: “You hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). Even when we were dead in sins, He quickened us together with Christ and raised us up together.  Have you been raised to new life in Christ?

 The Resurrection Empowers Us

Second, the Resurrection empowers us to live victoriously in this life. The living Christ is able to bring all your energies and powers into focus and to help you to be a conqueror over the world, the flesh and the devil.

 The Bible says, “He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever live to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25).

 The same power that raised Christ from the dead is available to you today. The moment that you receive Him as Savior, the Holy Spirit comes into your heart and takes up residence. He gives you the power to overcome temptation, to smile through tears, to have lightness of heart in the midst of life’s burdens.

God wants you to have His power today. He longs to give it to you, but you must by faith open your heart. When you come to the cross of Christ for forgiveness of sin, the Holy Spirit raises you from the mundane and the monotonous and the hopeless to new and adventuresome life filled with dynamic power.

The Resurrection Gives Us Hope                             

Third, the power of the Resurrection gives us hope.  Is there hope? That is the constant cry of humanity, and resurrection is the answer to that cry. The New Testament is the textbook of hope. That word occurs again and again after Christ was risen from the dead. It was the Resurrection of Jesus Christ that set off a chain reaction of hope around the world. And Christian hope is the one lone ray of light on the foreboding clouds of despair that canopy our world.

Scripture says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3, KJV).  There is hope for all in Christ today. There is hope beyond the grave, because the same power that raised Christ from the dead will also raise those who confess Him.

Resurrection, with its message of power, brings you face to face with the living Christ. You have to make a choice.

Will you choose to accept Christ and the life that He alone can give you?

 Or will you choose to reject Him and be lost for all eternity?

By Pastor shalom

Preached on Resurrection Sunday

]]> http://hallofhope.com/2013/05/04/he-is-not-here-he-is-risen/feed/ 0 Pastor shalom images (5) http://hallofhope.com/2013/04/27/the-poison-of-unforgiveness/ http://hallofhope.com/2013/04/27/the-poison-of-unforgiveness/#comments Sat, 27 Apr 2013 06:22:36 +0000 Pastor shalom http://hallofhope.com/?p=3522 ]]> The Poison of Unforgiveness

Many people ruin their health and their lives by taking the poison of bitterness, resentment and unforgiveness. Matthew 18:23-35 tells us that if we do not forgive people, we get turned over to the torturers. If you have a problem in this area or have ever had one, I’m sure you bear witness with what I’m saying. It’s torture to have hateful thoughts toward another person rolling around inside your head.

Helping Yourself and Others

Who are you helping most when you forgive the person who hurt you? Actually, you’re helping yourself more than the other person. I always looked at forgiving people who hurt me as being really hard. I thought it seemed so unfair for them to receive forgiveness when I had gotten hurt. I got pain, and they got freedom without having to pay for the pain they caused. Now I realize that I’m helping myself when I choose to forgive.

I’m also helping the other person by releasing them so God can do what only He can do. If I’m in the way—trying to get revenge or take care of the situation myself instead of trusting and obeying God—He has no obligation to deal with that person. However, God will deal with those who hurt us if we’ll put them in His hands through forgiveness. The act of forgiving is our seed of obedience to His Word. Once we’ve sown our seed, He is faithful to bring a harvest of blessing to us one way or another.

Another way that forgiveness helps me is that it releases God to do His work in me. I’m happier and feel better physically when I’m not filled with the poison of unforgiveness. Serious diseases can develop as a result of the stress and pressure that bitterness, resentment and unforgiveness put on a person. Mark 11:22-26 clearly teaches us that unforgiveness hinders our faith from working. The Father can’t forgive our sins if we don’t forgive other people. We reap what we sow. Sow mercy, and you’ll reap mercy; sow judgment, and you’ll reap judgment. So do yourself a favor—and forgive.

There are still more benefits of forgiveness. Your fellowship with God flows freely when you’re willing to forgive, but it gets blocked by unforgiveness. Forgiveness also keeps Satan from getting an advantage over us (see 2 Corinthians 2:10-11). Ephesians 4:26-27 tells us not to let the sun go down on our anger or give the devil any such foothold or opportunity. Remember that the devil must have a foothold before he can get a stronghold. Do not help Satan torture you. Be quick to forgive.

I also think it’s hard to hate one person but love another. It’s hard to treat anybody right when our heart isn’t right. Even people you want to love may be suffering from your bitterness, resentment and unforgiveness.

How to Forgive

Would you like to become more successful at forgiving others? There are practical steps that must be taken. One time I asked the Lord why so many people want to forgive but aren’t successful doing it. And He said, “Because they aren’t obeying what I tell them to do in My Word.” As I searched the Word, I found the following instructions:

a. Pray for your enemies and those who abuse and misuse you. Pray for their happiness and welfare (see Luke 6:27-28). As you pray, God can give them revelation that will bring them out of deception. They may not even be aware they hurt you, or maybe they’re aware but are so self-centered that they don’t care. Either way, they need revelation.

b. …Bless and do not curse them (Romans 12:14). In the Greek to bless means “to speak well of” and to curse means “to speak evil of.” You can’t walk in forgiveness and be a gossip. You must stop repeating the offense. You can’t get over it if you continue to talk about it. Proverbs 17:9 says that he who covers an offense seeks love.

Who Should Forgive?

Forgive the person who badly hurt you long ago and also the stranger who stepped on your toe in the grocery store. Take those two extremes and forgive them in addition to everyone in between. Forgive quickly. The quicker you do it, the easier it is. Forgive freely. Matthew 10:8 says, …Freely you have received, freely give. Forgive means “to excuse a fault, absolve from payment, pardon, send away, cancel, and bestow favor unconditionally.”

When you forgive, you must cancel the debt. Do not spend your life paying and collecting debts.Hebrews 10:30 says that vengeance belongs to the Lord; He’ll repay and settle the cases of His people. Let God pay you for past injustices. Do not try to collect from the people who hurt you, because the people who hurt you can’t pay you.

Also, forgive yourself for past sins and hurts you have caused others. You can’t pay people back, so ask God to.

Forgive God if you are angry with Him because your life didn’t turn out the way you thought it should. God is always just. There may be things you don’t understand, but God loves you, and people make a serious mistake when they don’t receive help from the only One who can truly help them.

You may even need to forgive a situation or an object—the post office, bank, a certain store that may have cheated you, a car that always gave you trouble, etc. Get rid of all poison that comes from bitterness, resentment and unforgiveness. And remember Proverbs 4:23: Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance…for out of it flow the springs of life.

Unforgiveness is spiritual filthiness, so get washed in the water of God’s Word to forgive and stay clean.

 By Joyce Meyer

Life is full of twists and turns, and we are constantly faced with decisions that can either move us further into the will of God for our lives or farther away from it. In these last days, it is going to be imperative that we be able to hear God’s voice and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit every step of the way.

The Word of God instructs us to “walk in the Spirit” in Galatians 5:16. What does it mean to walk in the Spirit? Walking in the Spirit is twofold…

First, it means to walk according to the Word of God. Jesus said in John 6:63, “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” Jesus’ words are spiritual because He is the Word of God. Therefore, when we walk according to the Word of God, we are walking “in the Spirit.” So we know that walking in the Spirit means walking according to the written Word of God.

The second aspect of walking in the Spirit is related to following the leadership of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our teacher, and the Word says that He will lead and guide us into all truth (John 16:13). The Holy Spirit only speaks what He hears the Father say, so when you become tuned into His voice and direction, you can be confident that you are going in the right direction. Living a Spirit-led life, every moment of every day, is the other component of walking in the Spirit. It is the fail-proof way to achieve victory and success in your day-to-day life.

Walking in the Spirit takes a commitment to choose God’s way of doing things over the way of the flesh. In fact, when we walk in the Spirit, we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. It is God’s formula for overcoming the temptations and attacks of the enemy. Keeping ourselves immersed in the Word and praying frequently in the Holy Spirit are the sure-fire ways to maintain a Spirit-led existence.

Steps to Walking in the Spirit

There are four steps to walking in the Spirit.

1.

• Be aware of the conflict in which you are engaged.

2. Put first things first.

3. Recognize that you are not alone in this battle.

4. Recognize that your flesh is not “the real you” anymore.

The key to avoiding walking in the flesh is to choose to walk in the Spirit. You do this by being aware of the conflict in which you are engaged, submitting to God and recognizing that you are not fighting alone, as well as by recognizing that your flesh is no longer the real you.

Rev. Shalom (Preached @ Sunday Worship)

Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him. John 3: 14 -15. What has the work of Moses and the serpent got to do with Christ here?

Numbers 21: 5-9 “They spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!”

Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.

The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived”

The children of Israel while moving from Egypt to the promise land came to places where there were no food and water and instead of seeking God and praying they became rebellious, lost their faith, frustrated and spoke against God which God heard, so God took away the blessing he gave them, the wild reptiles in the region began to bite people and they began to die and at this time people realized that they have sinned and that they need God to forgive them, so they ran to Moses saying; Moses “Pray for us, so that things will get better and Moses prayed to God, asking God to forgive these people and as the Bible says God told Moses, take brass and melt it and make into a shape of a snake and put it on a pole and lift it up and let anybody who has been bitten by the snake look at that bronze snake and that person will be completely healed.

Jesus said just like how Moses lifted up the snake on the pole even so I will be lifted up. The picture of Sin is so dirty that in the eyes of God it’s as bad as what a snake resembles in Genesis Chapter 1 and Christ here is carrying the entire sin of the world and because of that God says Jesus will look like a serpent and the Bible says all who look at Jesus will be saved, you will have eternal life.

Sin has become a part of human life, but when we turn to the cross, he brings his life and power into us. We are no longer strangers with God but we are one family in Christ Jesus. He took away our curse on this day. He has made us his very own for he has paid all our debts. Jesus came and destroyed the power of sin. Just like an orphan child being adopted, we were adopted into God’s kingdom, we were enemies to God because of our sinful nature, and Christ adopted us and we have become a part of Gods family, today the creator of the heavens and the earth is your heavenly father, every blessing is yours through the power of adoption, we become his children by the virtue of adoption, but why did Jesus suffer? :

1.       Through suffering he brought victory for us:  He was bruised and wounded and his wounds were connected to our activity. So that we would be healed by his wounds.

 2.      Through his death we got victory: No one was qualified to take on the wrath of God but only Jesus alone was qualified and the wrath of God was poured onto Jesus and everything was emptied on Christ. Today God looks at us; there is no more anger and wrath. But only his grace, mercy, love and forgiveness.

3.      He brought victory through the cross and his funeral: Jesus’ body was in the grave, 3 days His body was in the grave, his spirit left the body and went into hell and the Bible says after His spirit went into hell and defeated the powers of satan and the powers of hell, there were spirits who were in hell who died before they knew Jesus and He preached the gospel to them and many of those spirits who believed, Jesus took them up to paradise.

Now that you’re a born again you belong to Jesus!

Rev. Johnson Varghese

Then the Lord said to Joshua, “This day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” Therefore the name of the place is called Gilgal to this day. Joshua 5:9

God has great things in store for each one of us. We have been blessed throughout our life. He has much more in store for us for the future and he is preparing us to bless us. We should expect from God. We should not be satisfied with the blessings. We should always ask for more of God’s purposes in our life, and breakthroughs in church.

Gilgal is located in the same region where Abram first received the promise that the land would belong to his family and where he built his first altar unto the Lord.  They have come full circle now and God wants them to remember that He has fulfilled his promise. The meaning of the word Gilgal is “rolled away.”

 When we belong to Jesus, the enemy cannot stand against you. God says greater is the one in you than the one in the world. If god is with you nothing can go against you. The devil has no power over you. Our God is powerful. We should understand the authority that God has given us against the enemy. We should rise to understand it in our faith. We should know that we can overcome everything with God.

 And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all the people that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were whole.  And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day.

• Ø And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho.

• Ø And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the Passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day.

• Ø And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna anymore; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.

 We must keep crossing over into the purposes of God. Keep stepping in. As we cross over into plans of God there are something which we need to keep in mind, in order to be able to embrace what God has in store for each one of us.

1. Preparing for your next Blessing

 Jericho is the door-way to all the blessings that God has promised Israel. The door-way to the land flowing with milk and honey. Today it symbolizes to the Christian all the spiritual blessings that God has promised us. But, before we can receive our blessings we must be prepared for them. I would want to enjoy my blessings without any distractions or hindrances. In other words before Israel could go into Jericho, they had to stop a Gilgal.

       Gilgal is the place where God had removed the reproach of Egypt. Its also known as the headquarters where Joshua received his instructions concerning the will of God. Either we as babes in Christ or as leaders in Christ, we all have a Gilgal to stop at.  In this walk of life we will always pick-up some excess baggage that can hinder us from enjoying our blessings in God. Colossians 2:8-11 warns us of the rudiments of this world that can spoil us.

       At Gilgal the Israelites had to renew their covenant with God by reason of their fore-fathers who had not circumcised their children. They were not taught the law of God, Therefore Joshua had to have the reproach of Egypt removed (remember that Egypt is a type of sin) by circumcision, which is an act of faith, renewing their covenant with God. Often times if we don’t pray daily to remove the debries of this world that we pick-up in our walk, it will become an hindrance after a while. Our prayer life establishes our covenant with God. Proverb 14:34 Righteous exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.

Let us remember that before we enter into our next blessing or our next level, to go to Gilgal to re-establish our covenant with God and to receive further instruction in how to approach that next stage of a closer relationship with God, so that we don’t fowl up the plans that God has for us concerning our journey with Him.

 The Apostle Paul instructed the Christians in Hebrews 13:10-14 We have an alter, whereof they have no right to eat (speaking of non Christians) which serve the tabernacle. For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Where for Jesus also that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.

You want to be blessed go to Gilgal and get rid of any reproach that may hinder you and establish a covenant with God, and he’ll tell you how to get to your promised land or get into the camp where your blessing is.

Ps. Shalom (Sunday Worship)

Some of us are born with a silver foot in our mouths. We have the natural ability to say the wrong thing at the wrong time. Our mouths get us into a lot of trouble. James talks more about managing our mouths – than anyone else in the Bible. James chapter three: “We all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.”

James 3:2 (NKJV) James says that if you can control your mouth – you’ll be perfect. Go ahead and circle the word “perfect”. The Greek word for “perfect” does not mean – sinless. What it means is – mature or healthy. James tells us that to be spiritually mature or spiritually healthy we must learn to manage our mouths.

James tells us about “Managing Your Mouth”. People love to talk. We love to watch talk shows. Everybody seems to have something to say. Everybody has something to talk about.

WHY MUST I MANAGE MY MOUTH?

Why is it so important to manage my mouth? Look at what Jesus says in Matthew chapter twelve:  “I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the Day of Judgment.” Matthew 12:36

Jesus is saying that we will give an accounting for not just for our careless words – but that we will be accountable for every word we speak – even the careless ones. Words are significant. Words are important. With your words you can build others up and with your words you can cut people down.

Reason number one:

1. My Words Determine Where I GO

Your words have a tremendous influence over your life. James gives us two illustrations of this fact. Let’s look at James chapter three – verses three and four:

“Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires.” James 3:3-4 (NKJV)

A huge horse – even a Clydesdale – can be controlled by a bit in its mouth.

Go ahead and circle the word “turned”. A horse is “turned” by a small bit. A ship is “turned” by a small rudder. Your car is “turned” by your steering wheel – and your life is “turned” by the words you say. Your words are the steering wheel of your life. It is the guidance system. If you don’t like the way you are headed now – change what you say.

2. My Words Can Destroy What I HAVE

Look at what James tells us in verses five and six:

“The tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.” James 3:5-6 (NKJV)

Folks – it only takes a spark to get a fire going. A careless camper can destroy an entire forest overnight. A careless word can destroy a life overnight. I wonder how many people have destroyed their marriage, their career, their friendships, or the reputation of others by a careless word.

If a person – who had classified information, talked too much – lives were at risk. We in the military have a term for this – it’s called OPSEC. It means we need to be careful what we say – what information we put out. Back in James chapter one he said: “Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” James 1:19-20 (NKJV)

Proverbs tells us:  “Watch your words and hold your tongue; you’ll save yourself a lot of grief.” Proverbs 21:23

We are to speak the truth in love. We are also to use gentleness when we talk to others for the Bible says:  “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Proverbs 15:1

3. My Words Display Who I AM

My words reveal my real character. They tell what’s really going on inside me. James points out how inconsistent we are in our speech.

“With our tongues we bless God our Father; with the same tongues we curse the very men and women he made in His image. Curses and blessings out of the same mouth! My friends, this can’t go on.” James 3:9-10

We praise God on Sunday – but we curse each other on Monday.   The highest use of our mouths is to use it in praising God. We spent an hour in praise on Sunday – and rest days we live how we want…

“Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.” James 3:11-12

The solution is three steps:

1. Get a NEW HEART

2. Ask God for HELP

3. Think before you SPEAK

God Bless You

Ps. Shalom (Preached @ Sunday Service)

Mark 5:21 Now when Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a great multitude gathered to Him; and He was by the sea.

One of the names used to describe our God is Jehovah Shammah–THE GOD WHO IS THERE

Getting to Know God – Jehovah Shammah – God is There  (Ezek 40:1-5, 48:30-35)

 Have you ever gone through a great difficulty and felt like you were alone, that even God didn’t care or hear you, that He had even abandoned you?

Have you cried out to God, feeling like He wasn’t interested and there never seems to be an answer to your cry, your struggle, you pray, you beg God … but nothing!?

 If you have ever felt this way you are in good company … men like David experienced this … Moses knew the feeling, Job knew it, Peter and the other disciples went through this after Jesus’ crucifixion, Paul said everyone had abandoned him at one point (2 Tim. 4:16), Elijah felt that he was alone … he hid because he was afraid that he too would die just like he thought all the other prophets had (Romans. 11:2-5).

  … you see you are in good company when you experience this pain, yes the pain of feeling alone … but do not forget this one fact:  GOD IS THERE … no matter how you feel!

The Bible teaches us that God’s presence is more that just a feeling, it is a reality of fact, THE “LORD IS THERE” NO MATTER WHAT WE THINK OR SENSE OR FEEL!

1.   God was there in the past.

2.   God is here in the present.

3.   God will be there in the future!

No matter how alone we feel, or how frustrated we become with trials, how fearful or tearful, the fact remains — GOD IS THERE!  He will never leave us nor forsake us!  Let this fact rule your life, not your feelings!

1. HE WAS NOT ASHAMED TO SEEK OUT JESUS:

Notice Jairus sought out Jesus–he did not send his wife, or someone else. When you took on the role of a father;

²³ and begged Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter lies at the point of death.

Jarius was a presiding elder of the synagogue–an assembly that included the whole community of Capernaum, his position made him one of the most prominent men of the congregation.  He was neither a teacher nor a preacher, but was responsible for the order of the synagogue service.

So here we see a man with a high social position, a man known among the people, a man of prestige & power, but a man who had a desperate need…

2. HE WAS NOT ASHAMED TO BRING CHRIST INTO HIS HOME:

Vs 23 b Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live.”

Vs. 35 While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?”

* Walking with Jesus

* Relationship with Jesus

* Living with Jesus…Devil tries to distracts/ brings unbelief/ hindrances…excuses (-ve words)

Vs. 36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe.”

* Believe in Heart + Confess from Your mouth…brings Salvation! {Authority-Supernatural}…Whoever invites Him…love to dwell and have a fellowship with Him.

* Mark 4:35; 5:1; 5:21…Jesus travelling one side to the other side…reason of travelling – Healing, deliverance and leading them into Father’ relationship.

* Jairus believed Jesus is Messiah and invited Him to receive what he lost…

* People, relatives, everyone may speak Negative…but be Positive (God is there for you…in all the situation)

Jesus is our Hope….even in time of death!

3.  JESUS WAS NOT ASHAMED TO EXPRESS HIS LOVE TOWARD HIS FAMILY:

* Matthew 10:32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.

* Jesus compassion/grace is enough to uplift from all dried situation in our life.

* vs 41compare with Vs  Mark 6:34 (One Soul or Many soul equal in the KG)

Mark 5: 41-42 Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, “Talitha, cumi,” which is translated,“Little girl, I say to you, arise.” ⁴² Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement.

 Word of Encourage:

You have everything in you and have been equipped to embrace your prophetic destiny. Women of prophetic destiny AWAKE, ARISE, and ACCOMPLISH.

Word of Declaration (Repeat)

I am a WOMAN of PROPHETIC DESTINY. I have been called, appointed, equipped, and anointed for such a time as this.   I am moving forward with my eyes focused on the high calling of God and will not get side-tracked or lose focus. I have the vision and faith to finish my prophetic destiny in the earth realm. I am filled with God’s Spirit, led by God’s Spirit and know that HE IS WITH ME! I embrace my prophetic destiny today and move forth into my prophetic destiny!

Pastor