Abiding TV

I saw Jesus dressed as a Mighty Warrior. And He took His Child into His Arms and whispered "It's gonna be OK, My Child." 

This is how you fight your battles, Beloved. Rest in His Arms and know that He is God. And know this also, the Comforter is a Warrior! The God of Peace crushes Satan under His feet. The Lamb is a Lion! He is your Champion! He is not dead but He is alive!

"Beloved Child. Many are your tribulations, but I have promised to deliver you from them all. Many are the arrows sent against you, but I am a Shield around you, your Glory and the Lifter of your head. Rest in My Arms while I fight for you. Rest in faith, knowing that the Lamb is a Lion. I made a public spectacle of the devil at the Cross and this Finished Work continues on, Dear One. The Cross is eternal. My Blood stands at your Defense. I am He who has parted the heavens and come down to save you and your children and your children's children. I am with you like a Dread Champion; Your persecutors shall stumble and fall. NO weapon formed against you shall prosper, for you are hidden in Christ. From My Presence, coals of Fire blaze forth. I thunder from the heavens and the enemy is routed. I shoot forth My Arrows and your enemies are scattered and they shall not rise again. Fear not, Beloved, but rejoice. My Right Hand has shattered the enemy! I hold you in My Everlasting Arms; the very same Holy Arm and Right Hand that have gained the victory for you. Your enemies shall be utterly ashamed, because they have failed, with an everlasting disgrace that will not be forgotten.

...Romans 16:20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
...Exodus 15:6 Your right hand, O LORD, is majestic in power; Your right hand, O LORD, has shattered the enemy.

...Jeremiah 20:11 But the LORD is with me like a dread champion; Therefore my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will be utterly ashamed, because they have failed, With an everlasting disgrace that will not be forgotten.

...Psalm 98:1 Sing to the LORD a new song, for He has done wonders; His right hand and Holy arm have gained Him the victory. 2The LORD has proclaimed His salvation and revealed His righteousness to the nations.

...2 Samuel 22:10He parted the heavens and came down with dark clouds beneath His feet.11He mounted a cherub and flew; He soared on the wings of the wind.12He made darkness a canopy around Him, a gathering of water and thick clouds.13From the brightness of His presence,coals of fire blazed forth.14The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded. 15He shot His arrows and scattered the foes; He hurled lightning and routed them.

...Psalm 3:3 But You, O LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head.
...Psalm 32:7 You are my hiding place. You protect me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah

“The first time I was brought before the judge, no one came with me. Everyone abandoned me. May it not be counted against them” (2 Timothy 4:16 NLT).

Paul says in 2 Timothy 4:16, “The first time I was brought before the judge, no one came with me. Everyone abandoned me. May it not be counted against them” (NLT).
Paul, one of the greatest followers of Jesus ever, was on trial in Rome, and not one person stepped forward to defend him. Not one! He was absolutely by himself. Nobody stepped forward to say, “This is a good guy. He’s alright.”

Yet Paul didn’t say, “Those jerks—after all I’ve done for them all these years!” Instead, he said, “May it not be counted against them.” In other words, he was not going to let himself become bitter. Because bitterness always makes loneliness worse.

This is just one of the ways Paul teaches us how to live when we are going through a season of loneliness. When you feel lonely, you need to minimize your hurt. You need to play it down and pray it up. Don’t rehearse it over and over in your mind. If you do, it just gets bigger and bigger and out of control.

Refuse to become resentful, because bitterness will eat you up.

Bitterness and loneliness go together because they become a cycle. You become lonely. Then you start feeling bad about it and have a pity party. Then you become bitter. Your bitterness makes you even lonelier, which makes you more bitter. Soon, you’re a hardhearted, depressed person that nobody can get close to.

Nobody wants to be around a bitter person. Nobody wants to be around a cynic. Nobody wants to be around a person who is constantly angry.

Bitterness will only perpetuate your loneliness. That’s why, when you go through a season of loneliness, you should minimize the hurt. Don’t build a wall around your life.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick
Talk It Over

What is your natural reaction to loneliness?
What people in your life can you reach out to when you are lonely?
When you feel like replaying the events or circumstances that led to your loneliness, what might you do instead?

Then I told them about how the gracious hand of God had been on me…
Nehemiah 2:18, NLT

TODAY'S WORD:

In the Scripture, Nehemiah had a dream to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, but he didn’t have the money, the supplies or the manpower. What he had was incredible opposition. The city leaders were not for him. The critics tried to talk him out of it. He could have gotten discouraged and thought, “I'm not a builder or qualified. These obstacles are too big. I’ll never overcome these enemies.” No, right in the middle of that difficulty he said, “I can do this because the gracious hand of God is on my life.” He was saying, “The favor of God is making a way.” Again and again, he made this same statement, “The gracious hand of God will help me overcome.” He was constantly bragging on God’s favor. In the end, he not only rebuilt the wall, but he did it in record time. It should have taken a year or two, but he did it in just fifty-two days.

When you’re always talking about God’s goodness, that’s when you’ll see His favor, His goodness, and His protection in new ways. You may be in a tough time, but don’t magnify your problem. Magnify your God. The bigger you make God, the smaller your problems will become. Brag on God’s goodness and move forward in His victory!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Father, thank You for Your gracious hand of favor on my life. I choose to believe that with You, all things are possible. I know that You are making a way where there seems to be no way. So I will brag on Your goodness all the days of my life in Jesus’ name! Amen.

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

— Ephesians 2:4-6 (NKJV)

Today's scripture says that we are seated in heavenly places with Christ Jesus. I read past that passage one day, and the Holy Spirit stopped me. I noticed that after His resurrection and ascension, Jesus is often depicted as being seated at the right hand of the Father.

Do you know what people do when they sit? They rest. To be seated in heavenly places with Jesus is to enter an "inner rest."

Sometimes when you start to get nervous and upset, anxious or worried, tell yourself, "Sit down." That does not mean just your physical body; it also means your soul—your mind, will, and emotions. It is important to let your entire being rest and just wait on God. Wait expectantly for God to do what you cannot do.

Don't worry, get frustrated, or become fearful while you rest. We often feel that we should always be "doing" something. The promise of God's peace is not made to those who work, struggle, and strive in their own strength, but to those who enter God's rest.

Prayer Starter: Lord, teach me how to sit down in Your holy rest. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Joshua 7:1-15

Though it is painful and unpleasant, God will at times use failure to get our attention. Nobody likes to fail, but when we aren’t listening, it can be an effective way for the Lord to get through to us.

Our failures are often accompanied by pride, which Scripture clearly and repeatedly says the Lord hates (Prov. 6:16-17; Prov. 8:13; Prov. 16:5). It can keep us from hearing His voice. And if that’s the case in your life, God knows exactly how to challenge your proud attitude—with a good dose of failure.

That’s what happened to Israel in Joshua 7. The new nation had just won a mighty victory in Jericho and, as a result, had become rather prideful. Considering themselves invulnerable after taking such a powerful city, they allowed a disobedient attitude to creep into their minds. The soldiers of Israel were certain that they could take the small town of Ai on their own, sending “only about two or three thousand men” (Josh. 7:3). But they were wrong. The Lord denied them this victory, and the few men of Ai drove them back in a humiliating defeat. God was determined to get Israel’s attention, and He did when “the hearts of the people melted and became as water” (Josh. 7:5).

God still speaks to us through failure. If it keeps us on His path, isn’t the setback worth it? In the future when unexpected failure occurs, try to be aware of your response. There’s no need to beat yourself up. Instead, admit your errors to God and seek His insight. Ask Him, “Lord, what are You trying to tell me in this?” and our heavenly Father will guide you. We can give thanks for God’s correction, knowing it comes from His great love for us.

Bible in One Year: Luke 14-16

Luke 9:23
Then He said to them all, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me’

A war rages inside each of us. The desire to do right is at odds with the desire to do wrong.

We each struggle with the temptation born of our fleshly nature. Sin comes naturally to our “old man,” the person we were before we made Jesus our Savior.

When we come to Jesus, the Spirit of God calls us to be more like Him. We have been crucified with Christ – dead to sin and alive in Christ. We put off the former sinful conduct we once practiced with its passions and desires. We are no longer powerless slaves to sin.

If we go after Jesus, we deny ourselves – say no to the desires of our sinful nature. We take up our cross every day – put to death anything that would rise in opposition against God. We follow His example – in our attitudes, our speech, our actions.

Our old nature wars against our new, but we do not battle alone! The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in us now. He empowers us to put the old man to death. We need not fear that we will slip back into the bondage of sin. If God is for us, nothing can stand against us.

Blessing:

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you and give you His peace. In the power of His Spirit, may you put to death the old man and the deeds of darkness. Through Christ, you are more than a conqueror!

Today's Bible Reading:

Old Testament

Jeremiah 51:1-53

New Testament

Titus 2:1-15

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 99:1-9

Proverbs 26:17

Have you ever known someone who appeared to have the “perfect” life and seemed to be happy? And then one day, you discover that they’re getting a divorce and that they had been having an affair for several years? You wonder, “How did that happen?”

It all began in the mind . . . as a thought.

Everything in your life begins as a thought. A single thought that you dwell on and allow to drop into your spirit could change your entire destiny. Thoughts that are dwelled on and meditated upon, eventually lead to actions.

You don’t just wake up one day and discover that your life has fallen apart, or you don’t love your spouse anymore. Those feelings began as thoughts planted into your mind and you allowed them to take root and grow up and become your actions.

I remember the testimony of a couple whose marriage was restored after going through a very heart-breaking divorce. They were both born again, serving God and preparing for the ministry. The wife shared that during this time, on several occasions, a gentleman at her work place would often make the comment to her, “If you were my wife . . .” She had no intentions of leaving her husband, having an affair or any thoughts of being married to anyone else.

The more this man made this same comment, “If you were my wife . . .,” that thought was then planted into her mind. She began wondering, “What if I were married to someone else?” She imagined herself with another man and how life would be different. Eventually, those thoughts took root in her mind because she entertained them constantly; and as a result, she had an affair and left her husband.

By the grace of God, eventually her eyes were opened to Satan’s deception and miraculously, God restored her marriage and they are now doing great. But it all began as a thought planted into her mind that took root.

Negative and positive thoughts will come across your mind on a daily basis. You can’t prevent negative thoughts from coming. But you can prevent them from lodging in your mind and taking root. Philippians 4:8 says, “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”(NLT) The only way to “fix your thoughts” on these things, is to stay in God’s Word!

Confession: I will bring every negative thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

Author: Jerry Savelle

John 10:10

…I [Jesus] have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

Though Jesus is completely God, He was born completely human. He went through temptation after temptation and conquered every one of them (see Hebrews 4:15). And all that overcoming power is found in His life. And He put that life in you—the life of Christ is in you!

During Jesus’ ministry on earth, He conquered sickness, the winds and waves, the powers of darkness and death. It is His life that brings victory over the devil and all his works. And He put that life in you—the life of Christ is in you!

Finally, Jesus went to the cross. And that life in Him put an end to everything that was natural of the Adamic race—sickness, poverty, failures, pains, curses and death. All that was natural ceased to be in that life of His. But all that was supernatural remained in Him. And He put that life in you—the life of Christ is in you!

Then, Jesus rose from the dead. And in that life of His was added the power of resurrection. And He put that life in you—the life of Christ is in you!

After His resurrection, Jesus went back to heaven to His Father. Today, He is seated at the right hand of God, resting in His finished work, occupying a place of the highest authority. And He put that life in you—the life of Christ is in you!

And because Jesus went back to the Father, the Holy Spirit came to indwell you (see John 16:7), so that you will live life with His anointing in you and walk in His overcoming power.

All that Jesus is, God meant for you to be. All that He has, God meant for you to have. All the exciting things that you read in the Bible about Jesus, all the treasures of Him hidden in the Old Testament and the unsearchable riches in Him that you find in the New Testament, all of that life of His, is not out there somewhere. God has deposited all of it in you, so that you can live the abundant life that Jesus came to give you!

Take Me Back (feat. Dante Bowe from Bethel Music) - Maverick City Music // TRIBL Music

Don't just hold on to stress. Learn how to let it go! On this episode of Enjoying Everyday Life, Joyce Meyer shares steps you can take toward a happy, healthy, peaceful life.

This is the season of new blessings, new resources, new relationships. Don’t stay focused on the past. God is about to do a new thing in your life!

The Lord showed me a powerful vision this morning. I saw an old time wooden wagon being pulled by horses. 

The Lord said,”As long as all four wheels on the wagon are functioning properly, the horses can pull it with ease.”

But then the Lord showed me something interesting. If just one wheel breaks or falls off the wagon, it will not move. With one wheel gone it would take 4 to 5 men to support the corner of the wagon. And even then it would be very awkward and slow movement for them to hold that corner while the horses tried to pull the wagon.

The Lord said,”If I have called you to be a wheel, please hold your position. It would put a great strain on the body as a whole to send in many to replace one. In my eyes, you are important and irreplaceable! Stand firm and see the hand of the Lord. What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does a clay pot argue with its maker? Does the Clay dispute with the one who makes it, saying, stop, you’re doing it wrong! Does the pot exclaim, your work has no handles? (Isaiah 45:9). Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use? (Romans 9:21)....

We are all called to our own unique purpose. We are not to covet another’s gifts. Comparison is the mother of all evil, and will have you chasing pipe dreams. You were not created to do what your brother does, you were created to be his friend. If you look at your sister with eyes of contempt, how will you support her when things get hard. From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does it work (Ephesians 4:16). Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (John 15:13)....

The Lord has been showing me that he is dismantling the large churches. He is gathering his Remnant, in small intimate settings. Home churches, prayer meetings, barn assemblies. He is creating families\tribes within these settings. He is returning us back to loving and trusting one another. To being unified and at peace with your brother. These will be safe Havens, where we can embrace this scripture: Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much (James 5:16)....

We are in a time of prayer and fasting, to bring healing to the body as a whole. Do your part, hold your position, and
Be Ye Healed!!!!

Tammy Lang Jensen