Brothers and Sisters, surface knowledge or basic comprehension can be received from one's ability to read and/or from one's intellectual ability to understand. However the deeper meaning contained within God's Word is not available on any ready made or perceived surfaces. The deeper meaning of God's Word is hidden from carnal view. In other words God has secrets that have been hidden for ages and for generations but now are being revealed to the saints, to the sons of God.

The only way one can receive and understand the hidden revelations of God's Word is to totally submit to His Spirit. Romans 8:14 says "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God." It is the Spirit of God who leads us into all truth. Are you a son of God and if so, how do you know?

Begging versus Pleading

As a child of God what is the difference between begging God for something and pleading your case to God for that same something? What gets the best results? How does one beg? How does one plead?

As a participating member of the Body of Christ, we have a solemn obligation to follow the Lord's will. As a matter of fact we have yielded our lives to the Father through the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, in order that our steps might be ordered by Him. We've expressed our gratitude to Him that we are made in His image and we've expressed our sincere desire to be made after His likeness. In other words we've made our decision to let the Lord lead, direct and guide us, all the way.

The decision we made and the subsequent actions we've taken are without question, "An Act of Our Will." Our decision to follow Jesus, which is an act of our will, should not be relegated to the position of being just a one time decision or a one time action. For everyday our actions should reflect His actions. Everyday our walk should reflect His walk. Everyday our interactions with others should reflect His interactions with others. And the only way our actions will be an exact replica of His is, it has to be an act of our will.

The Creator gave mankind a free will, therefore He has left it up to us to make a determined choice to be made after His likeness. At the end of the day, if we will look like Him it will be because we made it an act of our will. First John 3:2 tells us, "It doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when He shall appear we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is." (KJV)

As a practicing believer, Jesus tells us to do some strange things. He tells us to "love our enemies." He tells us to "do good to them which hate you. Bless them that curse you and pray for them that despitefully use you." By worldly standards, that's some strange talk and yet Jesus expects us, as His followers to do just what He said. Well, the only way we will accomplish this feat is, it has to be an act of our will. We must make the choice. We must make the decision. We must make the decision daily to love the Lord enough that His love would flow through us into "ALL" that come into our sphere of influence. Of course we know that ALL means ALL. It means everybody including those who work against us.

Beloved, please understand that all that we are and all that we hope to be will come as a direct result of being "An Act of Our Will."

Did you decide yesterday to follow Jesus? Have you made your decision today to follow Jesus? What about tomorrow, will you decide to follow Him? What about next week, next month, next year...?

Make it An Act of Your Will and the strange things the Lord will have you do will become oh so natural.

All comments are encouraged and welcomed.

The Christian walk is truly awesome. The more you grow in the Lord, the more He grows in you. It's a good thing to discover that there is more of the Lord to know than you already know.

Have you truly vetted the realities of Proverbs 3:5 & 6? "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding but in all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy path."

What does it really mean to lean not unto thine own understanding? Are we not to firmly stand on that which we already know? Are we not to firmly stand on that which we already understand? What are your thoughts regarding the above?

Express yourself! Let's dialogue in this learning dynamic.

Refocusing and refining while enjoying the snow from the earlier storm, we're now relaxing and renewing while viewing the precipitation of a new storm (a new snowfall). This new storm will again stymie our mobility for a minute which has caused us to look at promises our God made and continues to make to His children. Look with me and reflect on these words found in Isaiah 58:11 (NIV)

The Lord will guide you always;

He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land

and will strengthen your frame.

You will be like a well-watered garden,

like a spring whose waters never fail.

Isaiah begins this text by assuring believers that the Lord will guide us in the only way He knows and has demonstrated and that is in an always manner. Isn't that good news?

Even as the text suggests our needs will be satisfied in an area of life that's hard to maintain. A sun-scorched land is a land that admittedly would be hard to maintain. But so is a snow covered land also hard to maintain.

Nevertheless in the midst of these two extremes it is absolutely good to know that our God has promised to guide us and at the same time satisfy our needs both for today and tomorrow.

He promises that even in a hard to maintain sun-scorched land, believers will be an example of a well-watered garden; just like an ever-flowing stream that will never experience the reality of being dry.

Think about it, how easy would it be to be dry in a sun-scorched land?

What is the probability of the children of God experiencing dryness while being in a sun-scorched land if God is leading us?

I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
Today, in the private chambers of your own praying ground, how will you bless the Lord?
Throughout this day of reflection, restoration and relaxation, how will you bless the Lord?
Oh, come on and magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt His name together!

Question for the day: 2-2-2010

Question for the day: Has the Word become flesh in you ENOUGH to make live the statement, "A Church Determined to be demonstrative in showing love for God and service to humanity" and if so, how?