Monthly Archives: September 2020

“If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” – (Galatians 3:29 NIV)

The rewards promised to Abraham are the same rewards God holds out to you as you live a righteous, faith-filled life of obedience to the Lord:

Fruitfulness — a life and legacy of increase, influence, and effectiveness on the earth, for you and your heirs.

A heritage of natural and spiritual heirs — your physical children (adopted and biological) and your spiritual children, entrusted to you by God, to spread your legacy of fruitfulness over space and time.

A supernatural place of provision and protection — the place or places to which God will lead you to establish and benefit you and your family, the place where He will cause you to influence others for His glory.

“He who is of a proud heart stir up strife, but he who trusts in the Lord will be prospered.” – (Proverbs 28:25 NKJV)

Strife always brings problems.  Out of it comes every evil work.  Sometimes it is very difficult not to respond to people who speak against us.  One time I was very upset because a woman had told some terrible lies about me.  I wanted to respond by telling her off, but the Lord said, “Vengeance is mine.”

The Lord told me that He would fight for me and that I should bless my enemies.  I made the decision not to enter into the strife.  If was the Lord’s problem, not mine.  If any fighting were to be done, the Lord would have to do it for me.

God prospered me in that situation.  I will never forget it, and I remind myself of it when I have new opportunities for strife.  Strife is a luxury you cannot afford; it is too expensive.  Strife will cost you time, energy, and your mental peace and well-being.  If you want to be a victorious Christian, stay out of strife.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Help us today to see the pitfalls of strife.  Help us to rebuke and resist strife with all of our hearts.  You said, “Blessed are the peacemakers.”  Help us to see that we cannot be a part of strife.

In Jesus’s Name,

Amen.

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light…- (I Peter 2:9 NKJV)

It is a challenge to keep our true identity in Christ fixed in our minds.  When we are fighting traffic, stressing over finances, walking the dog, we can easily forget that we are children of the King of kings.

And we have been honored still further; we are all priests, our lives given over in service and praise to our God, the Father of light, who never changes.  Like the rest of creation, we exist to glorify our Father, the King.

One day, everyone will know God’s true identity.

Come soon, Lord Jesus.

“And the Lord restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends”- (Job 42:10a NKJV)

Many people feel that Job’s trial was a blessing in disguise from God.  I do not believe that.  According to the Word, it was the devil who took from Job.  His affliction was called a “captivity,” not a “blessing.”  In the hedge of Job’s life, there existed a gap that made him susceptible to Satan’s attack.

When you read the book of Job, you find that Satan, not God, robs Job.  And in the end, we find that God gives much to Job.  Satan is always a thief; he takes away.  But God is a giver.

If there if an area of fear in your life, Satan can use this as an opportunity to rob from you, just as he robbed from Job.

People have often emphasized Job’s trials, rather than the story’s ending.  But the book of James tells us, “seen the end intended by the Lord” (James 5:11).  Job’s trials lasted only about nine months, but he lived for 140 years.  Let’s “major” on his blessings and “minor” on his trials.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You that whatever the trial or affliction we may face, You have a supernatural way for us to be victorious.  We give You praise and glory for what You are doing in our lives.

In Jesus’s Name,

Amen.