Power of Truth

Key Scripture: “If God were your Father you would love me…Why can’t you understand one word I say?  Here’s why. You can’t handle it. You’re from your father the devil…He couldn’t stand the truth because there wasn’t a shred of truth in him.”  John 8:44 The Message

Power Point:

There have been many times over the years when I wished I had owned a “lie detector”.

Did you ever go somewhere to buy something and the salesman gives you all sorts of great promises, which unfortunately turn out to not be true? Wouldn’t it have been great to slap a wristband on that salesman, connect him to the machine and let the lie be detected?

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if on every infomercial we watch on TV, the salesman’s nose would grow like Pinocchio when he exaggerates or tells an out and out lie?  What if the banner across the bottom of a newscast said, “Liar, liar, pants on fire!” What about politicians? What a thought!

We know that Jesus described Himself as the Truth. That means that every word out of His mouth is faithful, sincere, and dependable. It means that you can trust everything He tells you. And He is the best "lie detector" around because He knows the truth.

The things that we think about God when we are not in a crisis situation are sometimes very different from what we think when we are faced with challenges to what we have heard. When you are in trouble, the father of lies will show up immediately to whisper everything he can think of to steal your faith. He will try to get you to move away from the Truth that you’ve heard and get you to doubt God’s faithfulness and His reliability and dependability.

He says things like:

-This disease is too big for God and besides He wants to use it to discipline you so that you can love Him more.

-The economy is so bad that you will never get back what you’ve lost. You’ll probably lose everything!

 -You’ll never be good enough for God to help you. All your mistakes keep you out of God’s blessings.
-oh-and my favorite: if you'd just work harder at being good, God would love you more!

When you hear those kinds of things you can be sure that the Father of Lies is hard at work. That’s when you jump into the Truth with everything you have.  You fight lies with Truth. You replace lies with Truth. You have to listen only to the voice of Truth and you have to refuse to listen to the father of lies. If it’s good-it’s truth. If it’s not, well, you know.

Come on Beloved, fight for the Truth, and listen only to the Truth. Get out your truth-o-meter and check out what you believe. Is it a truth or a lie?

Power Thought:

There’s usually a shred of truth in a lie. That’s why we believe it.

Power of "WE"

Key Scripture:  “Since God assured us, "I'll never let you down, never walk off and leave you," we can boldly quote:

God is there, ready to help, I'm fearless no matter what.  Who or what can get to me?"  Hebrews 13:5, The Message

Power Point:

Christmas is such a good time to be reminded of the beautiful benefit of Christ coming to earth. I’d like to point out to you one of my favorite benefits. It’s “WE”. You see, Beloved when Christ comes to dwell in us, to fill us with Himself; He brings a “whole lotta” good with Him. From that point on, you are never alone. Never. From that point on, every step that you take, every day that passes you are “keeping company with Him.

If you go up in airplane, He is there with you. If you go Scuba diving, He is there too.

If you are in a dark place, He brings in the Light. If you’re in a tight place, He makes more room.

I used to try to build up my faith by saying, “I can do anything through Christ who strengthens me.” Lately I’ve come to realize with greater clarity what that really means. It means “WE”! It means that with His thoughts in me, His plans for me, and His Spirit with me, I am never alone, never vulnerable, and left to muddle through on my own. He is with me. He is with me to protect me.  He is with me to take care of me.  He is with me to empower me.  He is with me because He enjoys being with me! What a wonderful thought.

This beautiful benefit of salvation is the intimacy that we have with Him. He’s even better than a husband or a wife or a friend, because He never gets annoyed, He never get’s tired of you, and best of all, He never gives up on you!

I don’t know where you’re headed today.  It could be to a doctor’s office or church or a family reunion. It could be off to the office, or off on a trip.Remember HE is with you. You're on your way together. He enjoys that. He especially likes it when you talk to Him and include him in whatever you’re doing, including that movie you want to see or that TV show you’re watching You might want to ask Him if He is enjoying it.

The power of WE? He and me together-forever and always.  Amen!

Power Thought:

We need to explore the wonderful power of “WE” don’t we? What does with mean for you?

Power of "Was"

Key Scripture:  “the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.”  Isaiah 53:5 NLT

Power Point:

I’ve been studying lately in Psalm 103 verses 2-5. Those verses say some pretty amazing things. Could they be true? Well, if the Bible is written under the divine inspiration  of Holy Spirit and every word is Truth that sets us free, I guess you’d have to say, “Yes they’re true.” These verses describe the fullness of what salvation means.  They say that we should praise God for the benefits of our salvation which includes forgiveness of all our sins and healing of all our diseases. All?  All. Why do we find it so easy to believe that Jesus forgives us our sins but we sincerely question healing of all our diseases? Hmm. Could Satan be putting a fly in the ointment of healing?

Like you, I have “issues” in my ability to sin at times. (Yes, sadly it’s true that sometimes I miss the mark!) but the truth that I believe is that my sins are forgiven. I can confess them and agree with God I made a mistake and move on knowing I have His forgiveness. The funny thing is when I have “issues” in my health, I’m tempted to doubt that God really meant what He says that He said-"I heal all of your diseases." Is it easier for Jesus to forgive than to heal?

If you go back to Isaiah 53, it says “By HIS wounds you WERE healed.” Were. If that’s true, (and I believe that it is),  then I don’t have to beg for healing now, just as I don’t have to beg for His forgiveness.  I HAVE it. NOW. So why is it harder for me to digest that truth?

I guess it’s because I keep looking at the things I see, not the things I hear and that has a devastating effect on my faith. I guess it’s because I keep thinking about what “is” and not what “was”.

I realize I may be opening a big can of worms for you today, but I also realize that God is shouting something that has been drowned out by the clamor of what is around us. The voices that say, “No way. He couldn’t have meant that.” Or “that’s not for today.” Well, why not?

Do people still need healing today. Of course they do.  Does God change Who He is according to a season of time? I don’t think so.

As you digest these words today, I hope you won’t get an upset tummy. Ask Holy Spirit to show you the truth you can apply to your life.

That’s what I’ doing. After all, if I “was” forgiven, then I am forgiven. And if, I “was”healed, then I am healed.

If I “was”, you “was”. Believe it! Receive it! And explore it.

Power UP!

Was and were are always in the “past tense”.

Power of "NO!"

Key Scripture:  “Whatever God has promised gets stamped with the Yes of Jesus.” II Corinthians 1:20

Power Point:

I have found the best Christmas present this year.  In fact, that is exactly what my daughter in law said when I gave her a “No!” button. When you push it, it says “no!” in many different ways. “No, no, no!  Or “NO, N-O!” I had just picked it up as a last minute thing but when I got here I realized it had a definite purpose.  The Robert’s family life is bustling and busy all the time-probably just like your family, they have a million activities being juggled at the same time. When David travels it’s especially hard on Kim with the four children and Baron the Precious Doberman Anyway, Kim has decided that next December she is going to say “No!” “No!” to football practices and league playoffs, “No!” to all the extra things that rob them of family time at the most important family time of the year. Good for her!

If you really take a good long look at your life are there some things you should say “no!” to?  Our lives sort of become like an avalanche at times, don’t they? We simply get snowed under with all the activities and "must do's" out there. It’s as though we don’t realize all the things we have said “yes” to and one day find ourselves robbed of our peace, our joy, and our ability to make the right choices because we have too many things snowballing over us.

If you needed to stop today and begin saying “no”, where would the first one land?

If you needed to stop today and begin saying ‘yes”, where would the first one land?

Hmmm. Food for thought isn’t it?

The goals you reach tomorrow are determined by the goals you set for today.  If something is robbing you of the ability to say “yes” to your long-term goal in the short term, then maybe it needs to go.

I’m grateful that God has a big “YES!” button. He always pushes it for me, but then, of course, I’m His favorite1

On the other hand, did you remember that He always says “yes” to you too? His promises are stamped with a great big "yes!" for you. He has “put His own “Yes” within you” in Jesus. You might want to check that out. Yes! Yes! Yes!

Power Thought:

You can’t say “yes” to all the good things waiting for you if you haven’t said “no” to the “less than good” things that are filling your days.

Power of Priorities

          

Key Scripture: “Give and it will be given back to you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together shall it be given to you.” Luke 6:38

Power Point:

My friend Lynn likes to say that we need to be “intentional” about things. It’s a good point don’t you think? When my husband and I had a Personal Management company, he taught people how to be intentional about how they spent their days. Many people attended the seminars to learn how to set goals for their lives and learn how to make daily goals to meet their life goals. It always amazed us how people had lived so long without really doing anything to plan a successful life.

The awful truth is that many people never make their spiritual lives a priority.

They never “plan” for success.  I’ve spoken to people who will tell me that they just don’t have time to be alone with God every day and they take a very laissez-faire attitude toward cultivating a relationship with Him. I learned very early on that I got out of my spiritual life what I put into it.

I think scripture supports that totally.  In Matthew 6:33 Jesus says, “Seek My kingdom first and then the other things will be added to you. He made a dedicated effort every day to increase His wisdom and knowledge and ability to be led by the Spirit.

In Prov. 4:202-44 the Holy Spirit says, “Attend to my words.” In other words, “Pay attention to what I say.”  Why? Because His words bring His life to those who find them and health to their whole body. I guess that would be a pretty good reason to make His Word a priority. In Matthew 4:4 Jesus says, ”Guys you need to understand that you don’t live by what you eat and drink.  That’s not how life is sustained. You live, survive and enjoy your life by listening and applying every word that come from God’s mouth.” (Suzanne version.)

In Mark 4:23-25, Jesus says, “Be careful what you hear.” Why” “The measure of “ though and study) you give to the word that you hear will be the measure of (virtue and knowledge) that comes back to you and more besides will be given to you who hear.”

We all want to live a blessed and fulfilled life don’t we? The truth is that God has already done His part to make that happen. Now it’s your turn.  Just as those cookies you eat would not have been very good if they were put together with a lot of haphazard measurements, your spiritual life will not be very “tasty” either without putting the right measurements into it.

Beloved we have to be intentional about our spiritual lives. We have to attend to what He says. We have to make Him the priority in our life or what will be measured out to us will be an exact measurement of what we have measured into it. Seek His kingdom first. I guess you can’t say it any plainer than He did.

Power Thought:

God’s measure is always over the top!

Power of Freedom

Key Scripture:  “Christ has set us free to live a free life.  So take your stand.  Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery upon you.”  Galatians 5:1, The Message

Power Point:

Is freedom running rampant in your life? Wherever you go do you take the freedom of Christ with you and pass it around so that others can be set free too? Are you giving away what you have been given?  Are you “infecting” the atmosphere around you with the ability to act freely without being restrained in any way?  Am I? Is the kingdom of heaven present in your presents to others? In Galatians 5:1 Paul declares “it is for freedom that Christ set us free.” And then he gives a stern caution, “Stand firm in that liberty and do not let yourselves be burden again by a yoke of slavery.”

So how has Christ made us free?

We are free to live blessed-or not.

We are free to be filled with faith-or not.

We are free to speak the name of Jesus over every situation in our lives and bring His freedom there or not.

We are free to know God as much as we want to know Him. Or not.

We are free to accept and affirm God’s plans for our lives and walk into them united in our hearts to His ideas-or not.

We are free to sow the power of His Spirit and reap incredible results-or not.

We are free to choose life-or not.

We are free to be healed and prosperous in our souls-or not.

Beloved, these are choices you have every single day of your life. You are free to know the Truth, the truth that is alive, and active, and exploding with God’s life-or not.

In Acts 10:38 Paul describes again exactly what Jesus came to do: “You know what has happened…how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit ready for action. He went through the country helping people and healing everyone who was beaten down by the Devil.  He was able to do all this because God was with him.” (The Message).  Beloved, God is with you too. What area of your life needs to be free from the bondage of wrong thinking, wrong behaviors or just simply set free to soar with Holy Spirit today?

You ARE free. You HAVE freedom.  LIVE it.  USE it.

Power Thought:

Jesus’ words set you free. We need to know what He said. Or not.

Power of the Dance

Key Scripture: “Let them praise Him in the dance!”

Power Point:

Several years ago, my good friend Janet, and I were praying.  We heard very clearly from the Lord this word:  “Don’t let the devil dance in My space.”  It really broke my heart to think that I would even do that. And then, of course, I began to wonder, “How do I do that?” What do I do that gives the devil an entry point in my life? What do you do?

Beloved, we are inviting the devil to dance in God’s space when we allow the chaos of bitterness, resentment, and anger instead of peace, irritability instead of patience, hatred instead of love, weakness instead of strength, discouragement instead of courage, doubt and unbelief instead of faith.

When we allow these things to remain in our lives, we are really making a really dreadful choice to dance with the wrong partner.

You have probably heard a million sermons preached about the fruit of the Spirit, and being “led” by Him. But sometimes it just “feels” better to “go with your gut”. You have a “right” to be angry, right?  A few weeks ago I heard an actress who had dissolved her “marriage’ after an incredibly brief period of time say, “My daddy always told me to follow my heart”. Seventy-two days earlier her “heart” had told her she was in love with someone.  Seventy-two days later, her heart told her she wasn’t.  I don’t intend to pick on her but it just seems like a great illustration of the danger of following your emotions. They change don’t they?

It takes courage to “stand” in love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control doesn’t it?  It takes a heart that wants God’s absolute best for itself and for everyone else, a heart like Jesus. He is our best example of never letting the enemy dance in God’s space. He never carried a grudge, or took up an offense.  He never allowed His emotions to rule His heart.  He listened to what His Father told Him and He received the power of the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit to triumph over the “issues of life” and it appears that there were many of those. Because of that, the door was shut, locked and barred to Satan EVER dancing in God’s space in Jesus.

We have the same Spirit that locked that door living in us. Sometimes we ask Him to lock the door on those things and sometime we lock the door so He can’t get in to His own space in us.

Hmm.

Someone once said that we each have a “God-shaped vacuum” in us. That simply means that there is a “space” that is only to be filled with Him. The more space we give the devil, the less space God has to pour out His blessings, His guidance, His love and all that He has planned for us.

Is it time to do a little internal “house cleaning”? Should we do our “spring cleaning’ a little early this year?  I think so.

Power Thought:

Tell Satan your “dance card” is full!