Daily Devotional January 7 - A Story Of A Life

A story of a life

When I try to think about how great God is
I am drawn to think about what is made
about the heavens and the fields and the streams
the flowers, the clouds, the sun and shade

Psalms 8:3-4
"When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;  What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?"

I think about koala bears and bumble bees
bengal cats, a peacocks flume and bonsai trees
Just one look at where I live and I quickly see
the ocean with all its wonders, made just for me

I see the calm, the storm, the darkness and the light
all made for me for day and night
Not one thing missing for all to complete their tasks
And for each of them to work again I need not even ask

Matthew 5:45
"for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."

I think about the things I cannot see, like love
and breath, eternity
The intrinsic things that bring me hope, that make me cry
things I save just to capture sentimental value, things you cannot buy

I think about my friends and family and all the things God did for me
I think about the many days God paid my debt and many ways
How God would substitute Himself, even when I was wrong
So I could have a chance at life to find my way along

Philippians 2:12-13
"Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure."

When I think deep I have to thank God for all that God has let me see
For eyes that can see beyond what I have done with me
For God has made a work of art that I have feigned, a work of man
God put His best in me and I a lessor plan

God filled my life with paid for treasures
As I collected worthless trinkets
Piling one upon another like a junkyard piles worthless cars
That's what happens to a man when he can't see real far

Matthew 6:21
"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

I can't help but be in awe, that God consents to let me think, on Christ, the very Son of God
And just as profound is when God listens to my wails
when truly me is what is most on my mind,
God's mercy never fails

1 Chronicles 16:34
"O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good; for His mercy endureth for ever."

And God allows me entrance in a holy place where angels dare
the place where nothing lasts that God did not bring there
That I should then endure to live having tasted holy ground
and live a lessor way of life than this life I have found

Exodus 3:5
"And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground."

And found I did what was not lost, not of my own
But at His cost
Because of what God did for me
That's not why God made the tree

But we have not been faithful with
the little that we have
More oft than not, we fall short in our walk
And forget where we've been even when it's not dark

We openly search for what we think we deserve
for our current self and not eternity's best
When what we find and amass, overall does not last
And we leave unopened our real treasure chest

For we have not found truth to have present worth
As we have money and things we strive for hard
For we think we are better for the toil
And more worthy if we're marred

That way when things don't go right
We can blame God for not giving to us
What we think we should have, saying quite ungraciously
Why hast thou made me thus?

Romans 9:20
"Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to Him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?"

When I try to think of how great God is
I have an enemy that dances and sings
And does all kinds of things to distract me for a season
And I have been fooled before, when what I thought I saw would be good for me, I know now was just an illusion
But at every turn when I turn toward God's place
The enemy still supplies confusion

James 3:16
"For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work."

I thought that once I had found my place in the heavenlies
I could rest for a while
But I find I still seek refuge in the things of the world
And I find that they are still filled with guile

1 John 2:15
"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."

There must be an answer that I can understand clearly
As to how to be here and at the same time be there-ly
For certain I've found that without God to assist me
I stand no chance at all but to be utterly bliss-ly

I have found a place where the words are not empty
Where there's power just in the hearing me thinking
Because the source of these thoughts are not mine at all
And neither do they mimic the fall

The Word of God has resonated a wave
that changes the way this man does behave
And yet the way I behave falls far short of the Word
God pardons me just because I have heard

Oh how I would like to write a song that when sung
Men and women would repent of the evil they've done
But to write such a song in itself shows how vain
We've become when we seek promulgating our own name

When we could settle all disputes with a word
Telling others about the One we have heard
And not telling them as if we had to explain
But speaking as one called to proclaim

Mark 16:15
"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."

In the depth of God's mines
I am spending my time
and I'm sensing a spiritual pull
I've decided to dig deep for new gems
That I have learned come only from Him
until my bag is full

Not so that I can be rich for myself
But so I'll have something to give
For what I can do with my own mind's mine
is not enough to go around
But even the smallest facet from God
is enough to buy holy ground

Matthew 13:45-46
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:  Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it."

In the past I planted seeds of faith
not giving much heed to the soil
thinking that good crops came about
equivalent to man's toil

But toil and sweat doesn't grow healthy fruit
The soil must be watered and nurtured by God
For I have planted many seeds
and I have harvested many weeds

When I try to think how great God is
I think about how God first called out my name
That before I was born and before I said yes
God had already paid for my shame

1 Corinthians 6:20
"For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."

There's too many things that contend for my time
As I pass quickly through this life - There's something fresh on my mind
That I should look to please God daily
And not live my life sparingly

Thank God for the moments when I get to see me as I am
A son of God - joint heir with Christ and not just a man
One who was chosen to spend life with God
I shall never again give sin a light nod

I shall stand firm and resolved to bring God in my life
In my family, my home and business alike
I shall make sure my calling to find why I am
By listening carefully to God in my inner man

Ephesians 3:14-16
"For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;"

I shall pray for myself and pray for my friends
I shall look to the God who consistently brings
Good things from above as the Father of lights
Who has already paved a way for our flight

Don't think I'm not pulled from my calling each day
There's hardly a moment when I'm not tested by my nature giving in to a lessor way
But I've decided to say yes when the Spirit calls out
I've decided to practice faith, not doubt

I've decided to read the Word and believe and believe
and believe until my believing receives
And I've decided to receive what was made just for me
That's why I must listen to the Spirit, you see

So why would I try to convince another
Of the experience I have found that took too much time
Because I don't want to see my brother
Leave as many valuable years behind

I don't want to waste another minute of life
Where I am not attentive to God's voice
And as I share with others what has happened inside
I share my final choice

See I dont want to go through more of the same
More years of gathering in crops that are ruined
More years of being just a little late
More years of saying I wish I had done it differently
More years of sowing sparingly
More years of doing nothing daringly
Counting down as life loses its luster
Trudging through life as if walking through quicksand
I found out there's a better plan

The words that I speak can hardly express today's mission
Of proclaiming how your life started with vision
A vision God had when He called out your name
That vision God had/has, has not changed

When God made the earth and all that is in it
He thought about you and what you could do with it
God knew about your days of sadness and pain
And God knew of the blessings that would come your way

God saw down the road a piece and made you a path
That as hard as it seemed it was, is not full of His wrath
For what God foresaw, when He foresaw you ahead
He saw that at one point He would stand in your stead

Because God saw when you and I would turn from His ways
And God could have rightly cast us away
But not like you and I, God's forgiveness is better
When God forgives, He forgives forever

Psalms 103:12
"As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us."

We can't go back and fix our past
God doesn't want that from us
That's why when God forsook His own Son
It was to cover up what you and I have done

But today and tomorrow we have a chance to redeem
And to live out our life it as it was made - God breathed
To reflect our origin having been born again
To live out tomorrow above the auspices of sin

Romans 8:15
"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father."

Never again accept second best for your soul
When all that God made is available and free
God doesn't want His children to live like the world
God wants us to live out our life with decree

Take heed to these words and follow the wise
To decide to make today the day we decide
That without reservation we will give God our best
And put a stop to putting God to the test

I was thinking, what words could I say
That could bring you and I to a place we could stay
A staying place where there's power
A staying place where there's power for more than an hour

So I leave you with this word to ponder
Your hopes and your dreams are considered each day
By a God that knows how to bring them your way
And there's no better day to get started than now
to trust in the Lord - and let the Lord show us how
By doing so we give God the glory
A Story of a Life - as life is the story

1 Timothy 3:16
"And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory."

Daily Devotional January 5 - Jesus Is The Plan

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The same was in the beginning with God.  All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made.  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."  John1:1-3, 14

Jesus had much to say to us. He talked about a great many things. Jesus spoke to us as led by the Father.
Would you agree with me that what Jesus taught was true?
Would you say that the principles that He taught are valid for today?

Jesus spoke into existence what God ordained to be so. Jesus spoke the words that would forever reveal the heart of God.
Jesus revealed truth to us by acting out the truths that He proclaimed. He didn't speak one thing and do another.
Jesus reveals God to us in Himself.
Jesus spoke to us in a way that every man, woman and child can easily understand and relate to.
Jesus uncovered many centuries of mysteries and prophesies and made them come alive.
Jesus:
Fulfilled the past
Mastered the present
And spoke forth into existence the future

Jesus started the church. He set in order the principles that will forever be true and right.
Jesus is the final name above all names. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. He is the Lion of Judah, the Bright and Morning Star.
He name shall be called:
Wonderful Counsellor - The Mighty God
The everlasting Father - The Prince of Peace

In the name of Jesus is salvation.
In the name of Jesus all of creation came into existence.
In Jesus is all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

Would you agree with me that Jesus spoke the words we need to listen to and to trust if we are to come into God's presence with understanding?

Let's really take time to learn something here.  Ask yourself these questions.

Do you trust that Jesus knew what He was doing?
Do you agree that Jesus spoke the truth?
Do you agree that what worked for Jesus, works for us?
Do you agree that what Jesus spoke, was for the time He was here and is for our time as well?

Jesus was orderly and closely followed the process of spiritual growth.

Should we be orderly and closely follow the process of spiritual growth?

Many people today want to be in the drivers seat without adequate preparation.
People today want to jump from point A to point Z and bypass B, C, D & E.
Today people want to pass by the disciplines of discipleship.
They want to teach without being taught.
They want authority without wisdom.
Instant success, instant gratification, instant everything.

If Jesus had gone around the perfect law of righteousness and taken a shortcut, satan would not have to obey Him. It is the same for us. If we go around God's perfect plan of righteousness for us and we try to do it our own way, satan doesn't have to obey us. This is no small thing.

What satan is counting on is that we will bypass the steps to righteousness. satan knows that if we follow Christ's example we will have the same authority over him that Jesus had. He also knows that when we follow Christ's example he will have to yield to our command.

Watch this - satan wants us to go around the trials, hardships, the valleys, troubles, the fires of life.
Jesus wants us to go through them.  Jesus wants us to go through them because He knows that we are far better off going through the trials, hardships, the valleys, troubles and the fires of life with Him than around them without Him.

Anytime we jump ahead of God we are going around God's perfect law of righteousness for us.  satan wants us to go around God's perfect law of righteousness, because he knows that if we go around them, we bypass God's best. We bypass the 'whole' truth. We bypass the blessings.  We can't have it both ways like so many people profess today. We go through it with Jesus or around it without.

Jesus mapped out a plan for:

• Salvation
• Discipleship
• Christian Maturity
• Spiritual fulfillment
• And Oneness with God

We must follow the plan of God to receive the blessings of God.  Jesus is that plan.

Daily Devotional January 4 - What Are You Doing With Your Garden?

"And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there He put the man whom He formed."  Genesis 2:8

I saw this and had and incredible thought.  The Lord, God Himself planted a garden.  I'm thinking that this kind of planting was different than, "Let there be Light" or "Let the earth bring forth grass..."  The reason I am bringing this up is, I believe that we are made in the image and likeness of God and just like God planted a garden eastward of Eden, we are given the responsibility of planting a garden as well.

So many people just want to speak things into existence like God did and there is certainly plenty of teaching out there to accommodate all those who think that is the way to get things done.  But I have grown with God and my understanding is that you and I will do most of the planting if planting is to get done.  Don't get me wrong, I am for praying with expectation that God will intervene on our behalf to bring to pass, what would not come to pass, without the help of God.  But I am also for putting one foot in front of the other and making things happen with hard work and a right motive.  God could have spoken the garden into existence, but decided to plant it instead.  I believe that God planted the garden because of its importance.  He was going to place man and woman in the garden to work it and operate it, til it and monitor it, plant it and pick it.  In short God showed them how it was done and then put them in charge to continue on.

It is the same with your life.  God created our world and all that is in it, but God is showing you how to take care of it and how to manage it and puts you in charge of caring for it.  Your family, business, even your job fits into the category of: God provides you with the necessary components, shows you how to live, and gives you your lives to prepare the soil, plant the garden, water it, work it, weed it, watch it grow, prune it and pick its fruit.

You were made to be productive and accomplish a great many things.  Your garden (your intimate family, your friends and co-workers) as well as the world at large are all dependent on your viewpoint of the garden that was entrusted to you.  If you pick all its fruit without watering or tilling or weeding or pruning, the limbs will grow brittle and the trunk will rot.  You have been placed in the garden.  What are you going to do with your garden?    

Daily Devotional January 3 - God thinking

"And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve Him with a willing heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: If thou seek Him, He will be found of thee;"  1 Chronicles 28:9a

Please read carefully as I reveal more about God-thinking. What started out as a call from God, to start thinking more about the things of God, has become a way of life. God-thinking is about thinking about the things of God and putting them 'on top,' in your mind and taking the things, (the thoughts that take us from or keep us from the very presence of God) and pushing them down into a lesser place in your life until you push them out altogether.

God-thinking is for anyone who wants to get to know God better. It is for those who want a deep and rewarding relationship with Jesus Christ; one that transcends any denominational or religious view of God (that is not from God) in exchange for a view of God built upon faith and trust in what God says about Himself.

God-thinking promotes personal spiritual growth, based on God breathed truths. These God breathed truths from the Word of God are accessed and believed for one purpose; to seek and find more of God.

God-thinking teaches us to trust God only, and to see the world for what it is.

What has happened over the years, is that people have looked in the church for things that can be found in the church, other than God, and they have found them.  Once they find these other things, even things from God, they feel they have found God. They become secure in the thing they have found and not the Maker of the thing that they found.
 In church we can find religion - People find religion and it becomes their God. They follow its precepts and its dogma, its rules and its teachings. They like all the trappings that come with religion. They like all the platitudes that come with being from the right religion or the biggest group or the richest group. But God is not a religion.

In church people can find spiritual gifts - Too many people today, seek the gifts more than the gift giver. The gifts become the thing. The gifts become the relationship. The gifts come before obedience and faith and trust and loyalty and agreement and praise and worship.  But God is not a spiritual gift.

 In Church people can find blessing - There are tens of millions of people that go to church for the blessing and they will find it, because there are countless blessings given out in God's sanctuaries.  But God is not a blessing.

Who among us is coming to find God? Who is seeking for God to reveal more of Himself to them? 
Not for the benefits
Not for the accolades
Not for the notoriety
Not to be noticed
Not to judge ourselves against another
Not to prove something
Not for any reason other than to know God better.
 I wish you could see how much God just wants you to seek Him.
Not just until you are saved
Not just until you are sanctified
Not just until you are filled with the Holy Ghost
Not just until you receive a spiritual gift
Not just until you have entered into the inner court
Not even until you have come into the holy of holies

God wants us to seek Him until He is found and then to seek Him again and again to become better acquainted.  There is nothing about seeking the face of God that we need to learn over and over again. We seek Him diligently and we find Him and once we find Him we seek Him more. We do this to know Him.  And it is better to know Him than to know anything. It is better to find Him than to find anything.  For neither the gifts of God, nor if we gain the whole world, can it be compared with God Himself.

You must come to a place where you seek God, just to find Him.
You must come as you are, but you leave not as you were.
You must let go of your desires, for a time, to have a glimpse of God.
You must forget about what you want, for just long enough to get caught up in the glory of His presence.
You must, for just a moment, lay down your talents, skills, abilities to be in communion with your Maker. God is not easily impressed - you must leave your ego at the door that enters into the presence of God.
You must set aside all the senseless worry, the stress, your debt, your mistakes, your past - all for a moment with the Master.
You must seek to abide in Christ, to be converted and changed and purified, so you can see Him more clearly than before.
You must pray the Holy Spirit will purge you from any part of yourself that would keep you from a divine appointment.
There never was Christianity without seeking and finding God, that's religion.
I intend to ask you to come and seek God just to find Him, but I want to discuss one more part of this experience.

When you go to God to seek Him only, God decides the outcome of the moment, not you and me. God is the potter and we are the clay. It is better that way. 
In the presence of God, if you lay it down - God might take it from you

Sometimes, you aren’t ready to give something up, even if it is hurting someone else or killing you. If you lay it down, you run the risk of having it taken away, like hay in a fire, because God is a consuming fire.  Every time you go into the presence of God, you run the risk of having the hay and the stubble burnt up.  Every time you go into the presence of God, He melts you and scrapes off the dross to leave behind refined silver and gold. Are you OK with that?
In the presence of God, if you lay it down:
God might take it from you
In the presence of God:
God might heal you
I say might, not because of a lack of faith, but out of a reverence for Almighty God, in whose hands we offer ourselves, without having to have God do everything the way we think it should be.  You must get to the place where you trust God despite the outcome.  You must also get to the place where you can trust God for your healing as well. There is nothing spiritual about not wanting to be healed. There is also nothing spiritual about denying the reality of your condition. After all if no one was really sick or hurt they wouldn’t need a healer, would they? God goes through life’s trials with us. To deny the trials is to deny God His place
of going through it with us.  God might heal you, and you need to be ready to receive what God does for you. But if God chooses not to heal you, you must receive this with trust also. Are you OK with what God allows in your life?
In the presence of God:
God might heal you
 In the presence of God:
God might change you by changing the way you think.  God could change the way you think about things. The things that used to matter a great deal, might take a back seat to a new way of thinking.  What you thought you had to have - God may take away the desire, the urge or the inclination.
It is in His presence that things change:
God imparts to you Himself
Power and authority over the things of the world are yours because God makes it so.
Forgiveness flows through you like a flood - you cannot help but to forgive, it’s part of the presence of God.
God whispers to you words of hope, and they sound like this:

•  It will be alright, I will go through it with you.
•  It will be OK, you are not alone.
•  I am with you.
•  Don't hold too tightly to this world, here or there. The things of the world are slippery.
•  I love you and will work it out for you.
•  Stand still and know that I Am.
•  Your problems will come to an end and I will do it.
•  Hold on to your dreams, you are not too old, Don't say you can't do what I say you  can. Let's get started, I will carry you through.
• You are beautiful.
• Let Me have the alcohol or drug that is robbing you and you will never desire it again.

God speaks the truth when He speaks to you:.
Come, My friend and see what great things I have in store for you. (Are you OK with God calling you friend?) You should be.
Come, My daughter and trust me with your father and your mother, your son or your daughter.
Come, and see the work of My hands.

God inspires you to look beyond yourself to see what can be done, just because God is.
You come to God with the faith you have and in His presence you receive more.

God speaks and creates worlds:
He can speak to your problems and mine and get results.

The best way for you to deal with every facet of your life - every worry - every stress - every problem - every lost child - every dollar of debt - every addiction - every issue you have with your spouse - every problem with your children - every weakness - every indiscretion - every sin - every everything - The best way for you to deal with every facet of your life is to seek God and find Him.

Will you seek God today?  Can you just seek Him?  That's what God-thinking is all about.

For more about God-thinking click here. http://www.god-thinking.highpowersites.com/

Daily Devotional January 2 - Faith, The Raw Truth

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.  For by it the elders obtained a good report.  Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." Hebrews 11:1-3

What can your faith do?
What is faith?
Why do we need faith anyway?
Does faith wax and wane, go up and down?
These are the questions we have asked ourselves at one time or another.

1. What is faith?
Faith is the spiritual substance that unites God and mankind for the purpose of accomplishing the will of God for the benefit of mankind. We have heard it said that whether or not you and I are faithful to God, God will accomplish His will - to the end that God doesn't really need us to do anything and His purposes will be fulfilled anyway.

As a matter of fact many Christians today believe that because they were elected or chosen by God that there is nothing that they need to do or can do, again to accomplish God's will.  Many believe, that because God is sovereign, we can do nothing towards accomplishing God's will.  Many things have been said, that are not true, in an effort to reduce the truth about what our responsibility is - in seeing God's will accomplished in our life.

I believe God calls you and me to accomplish:
His will in our life, and
Our goals in His will.

Watch this closely: God calls you and me to accomplish:
His will in our life, and
Our goals in His will.
This is all accomplished by faith.

God will give us the desires of our heart. Once we understand what we want and check it with God's will, we can have assurance that we will receive that thing we are looking for.  We find God's will in our life through this invisible faith. And God's gives us our desires/goals in His will.
Again - What is faith?
Faith is the spiritual substance that unites God and mankind for the purpose of accomplishing the will of God for the benefit of mankind.

2. Why do we need faith?
We need faith to grow spiritually
We need faith to love
We need faith to pray
We need faith to hear God
We need faith to please God
We need faith to be healed
What are some other things you need faith for?
Faith is substance:
Not some ethereal concept
Not some false premise
Not some Christian word without meaning
Faith is what makes it all happen.

Faith can grow. It can grow greater or lessor. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.

What can your faith do?
We must have faith in God and in ourselves if we are going to accomplish God's will in our lives. The question "What can your faith do" is a real question that goes deep into our being and asks us to be honest with ourselves.

Tell me oh Lord, what would you have me do?
Tell me O Lord, where would you have me to go?
Tell me O Lord, when can I get started?
Take some time to reflect on who you are as a person.
Take some time and thank God for who He is.
Make these moments a faith building experience.
God will tell you, "According to your faith be it unto you."

Daily Devotional January 1 - Meology or Theology

Happy New Year. I really do wish you the best this coming year. The past is behind, so let's move on. I believe that one way to go into the new year with all the spiritual components available to get the most out of life is to have good theology.

"And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God."  Luke 4:4

Today, I want to deal with the reason why, even believers, struggle to find their way, even when the way has been provided and the road map has been prepared - even though Jesus has gone before us to make a way and Jesus has paid the price for our iniquity so that we could be free to travel forward (in the Spirit) under the direct guidance of the Holy Spirit to be and to do all that God has prepared us for and prepared for us.

Even with all that at our fingertips (literally) and in our heart (spiritually), too often, we serve the flesh rather than the Spirit.  It is not easier to serve the flesh than the Spirit, but we have been conditioned to believe it is easier to serve the flesh than the Spirit. And we don't stay (in the flesh) because it is easier to stay in the flesh than to stay (in the Spirit), but we have been conditioned to believe it is.

It is not easier to have our mind filled with the evils of the world than it is to have our mind filled with the things of God, but we have been conditioned to believe it is.

As a matter of fact, we have been conditioned to believe that it is easier to be of the world and to serve the world than to be of God and to serve God, but it is not.

Is it easier to live out life eating whatever you want, whenever you want - than to eat wholesome nutritious foods? Because if you do eat whatever you want, whenever you want, isn't there consequences to that life style that have to be reckoned with, either now or later?

Is it easier to live out life messing around with drugs, hiding from the law, lying, stealing and cheating people, making excuses, writing bad checks, blaming everybody else for your problems, borrowing money from everybody who will listen to how hard you have it - Is it easier to live out a life of sneaking around and hiding than it is to be straight and to live a life of integrity and honesty, and to pay your bills and serve God and your community with a joyful heart and to give to others and make an inheritance for your kids?

Is it easier to give in to temptation than to stand against the wiles of the devil? No way, but every attempt has been made to fool you into believing that it is easier to follow the world than to follow the Christ.

All the demons from hell cringe at the Word I am going to share today, because I am going to uncover a truth, hidden by centuries of people trying to be spiritual without Christ.  I am not going to deal with the unbelieving world, because the unbelieving world has not come to a place where they recognize the Christ, nor does it recognize the authority of the scriptures.  I am going to deal with the two distinct groups withing the Church:

• Each having a form of godliness
• Each having (at least) mentally acknowledged that Jesus is divine
• Each group are Church goers
• Each are involved to some extent with what the Church is doing and going through
• Each come to Church for whatever reason, drawn by a sense of the need for the spiritual component.

These two distinct groups are separated by two distinctly different philosophies.
The one has adopted Me-ology
And the other has adopted Theology.

Any system of belief that basis what it believes on anything other than God's truth is Me-ology.  If you are going to go after the things of God - If you are to fulfill your purpose - If you are to walk in the Spirit - If you are to walk the walk and not just talk the talk - If you are going to be about the Father's business - If you are going to operate in the gifts of the Spirit as the Spirit manages His people - You will have to practice Theology.

I want to talk about the Me-ology group for just a moment.  All of us have at one time or another practiced Me-ology. Me-ology must be exposed for theology to take its rightful place in the life of the believer.  Me-ology must be pushed down and out for theology to be put on top and stay there.  Those who are motivated by Me-ology do everything around the premise of 'what is in it for me.'
They want someone to cater to their every need.
They want someone to design a program that perfectly fits them being either: the first or the smartest or the best.

There are people who give so that their name will be printed on the monthly bulletin.
Me-ology teaches to strive to be lifted up.
Theology teaches to strive to lift Jesus up.

Me-ology teaches its converts to strive to be well known.
Theology teaches its converts to strive to make Jesus known.

Theology teaches you to get together for corporal worship while Meology teaches you to get together to fraternize.

Theology teaches its followers to choose the higher path.
Meology teaches its followers to choose whatever path happens to best fit your circumstances.

Meologist have learned how not to be transformed, when God tugs and pulls on their heart.
Theologist seek constant transformation, day by day, and they refuse not the council of the Holy Spirit.

Me-ologist are critical and not easily pleased.
Theologist are content with what they have.

Me-ologist major on the minors.
Theologist major on the majors.

Me-ologist are dependent on themselves and their abilities or their stubbornness to see them through.
Theologist are dependent on Christ.

Me-ologist are fault-finders.
Theologist are God finders.

Me-ologist leave Church disappointed.
Theologist leave Church wanting more.

Me-ologist talk about what should be done while theologist get the job of doing it.

Why does it matter?  Because to be about the Father's business and to do greater things you must have good theology.
Good theology is comprised of sound teaching from God. There are no substitutes and no other sources.  Good theology is composed of these components:

• Regular systematic (on regular or predictable intervals) study of the scriptures with others.
• Regular systematic study of the scriptures alone.
• Regular prayer time with others.
• Regular prayer time alone.
• Regular praise and worship with others.
• Regular praise and worship alone.
• Regular receiving of teaching under an anointed ministry leader.
• Regular getting into the presence of God, without your cell phone on.

God ordains the man or woman of God, to deduce, from His timeless Word, certain timely and pertinent points to assist them in life's journey.

At some point in time, you will have to reconcile what you are believing against the Word of God.

Are you a Me-ologist or a theologist?

Daily Devotional December 31 - Until The End Of Time

"I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living."  Psalm 116:9

"God, help me to walk in who I am
Lord, help me take my place
And be among those who’ve received
Your blessings and Your grace

God, help me walk in who I am
And follow not another’s plan
Seeking higher ground I will
Seek higher, higher, higher still

God help me walk in who I am
That all my testing be not in vain
That I could boast, (no wasted pain)
For a glimpse of You, I’d go again

God help me walk in who I am
That I would do my family well
Provide my wife with pleasant days
And my children with godly ways

God help me walk in who I am
That I should trust my inner man
Step out in faith and expect to see
Results that prove God lives in me

God help me walk in who I am
Speaking words that edify
Trusting in the Word of God
To bring to pass the best of life

God help me walk in who I am
A praying man who counts on God
To bring to pass - what I can’t see
To make me all that I can be

God help me walk in who I am
With words that speak of future plans
And teaching that provides the soul
With food that helps the spirit grow

God help me walk in who I am
Yielding not to satan’s ploys
Listening not to satan’s noise
Joining not with satan’s boys

God help me walk in who I am
Boasting not what I can do
Taking people to the cross
To get them through

God help me walk in who I am
Standing firm in what You’ve said
Bringing those who need to know
First the salt - then the bread

God help me walk in who I am
And never doubt Your ways
To always be alert to see
You are the Ancient of Days

God help me walk in who I am
And learn to be what You designed
Each day to serve You more and more
Until the end of time"