"While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!"
Matthew 17:5 Do you know what your friends, family or co-workers say about you when you're not there? As followers of Jesus, we hope that our lives reflect God. We hope that people see us as genuine, not proud. People aren't naive, but they wish there were more honest and trusting people in the world. If you are a person whose heart (not just your finger) is pointed to God, people will recognize that and be drawn to it. They will at least notice something different about you and inquire or wonder. There are many "self-help" books, seminars and courses that teach you how to live this "good character". But that is the problem. They are doing it in their "self". It's like taking tennis or golf lessons. If you don't have the right foundation or fundamentals, you can hit thousands of balls and never get it right or get better. To gain a godly character you must first gain God. That means removing yourself and allow His word, presence and ultimately character to invade you. Then our character becomes a reflection of His character. You can't get that from a person teaching a seminar. It takes a daily walk with God which turns into a lifestyle.
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"I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs."
Luke 11:8 It is one of those 'bare your soul' spiritual questions: are you consistent, are you persistent in prayer? In life, we might ask it like this: are you making the right choices in your everyday life? Though it is unlikely that we would answer either of those questions favorably, we should still be encouraged to move forward in the striving of living before God and fulfilling the desires He has put on our hearts. Steady prayer is one of these. We might not understand why we must be persistent with an omniscient God. We may need to swallow our pride to keep going back to Him, or go somewhere or do something out of our comfort zone; but Jesus' parable of the knock-knocking friend spurs us in this direction. Sometimes, perhaps, God wants to know just how committed we are to the petitions of our heart. I like to ask people "what is your greatest need from God?" because it churns the heart. I would ask the same question to you. Then I would ask how are you not just praying for it but knocking, knocking and pursuing it? "The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him,
And He will show them His covenant." Psalm 25:14 NKJV God promises more in His New Covenant than to cover all our iniquities and unrighteousness. Maybe you or someone you know has loved the Lord for years. They are a praying, faithful, gentle spirit-filled believer, but then one day they are overcome and yield to a powerful temptation. They are now drawn back into an old besetting sin. Maybe it's a raging temper, evil or lustful thoughts, lukewarmness or a sin such as drunkenness, fornication or adultery. They devil now attacks them with thoughts of, 'they have sinned once too many after being convicted', 'they crossed a line and can't get back', or 'there is no forgiveness going forward.' Here is the "secret" of the New Covenant. When we desire Him more than anything else, the Holy Spirit doesn't condemn but gently whispers "come back to the blood of Jesus". Stay in the love of God. You are forgiven so now walk with me again. When the devil fills you with these other thoughts, this is God's mercy speaking, "I will bring you back into My Grace". The "secret" is a life-freeing revelation of His loving kindness to us at the point of our sin, failures, and bad choices. God says to repent and get your eyes off of your failures and sin. God is saying don't run from me, but run towards me, and my grace laden with mercy. The only thing that can stop you from entering into My Covenant is YOU. The "secret" is that Jesus wants you to rejoice and be glad because your past, present, and future sins have been taken away. Hallelujah!!! "The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him,
And He will show them His covenant." Psalm 25:14 NKJV The word "secret" David is referring to means to be alert, to be on the lookout, to be a confidant. But God doesn't share this secret with anyone but only those who seek Him with a deep hunger. This secret promise isn't for a casual Christian, it's only for those He knows He can trust. The secret of this New Covenant is a life preserver to those sinking in a mire of sin. He is calling out to those in evil strongholds, lust, and habits which they can't break. This New Covenant brings a new heart, a righteous awe of God, dominion over sin and a Holy Ghost hatred and shame for sin; but, it also brings guidance, and power to walk in His will with good pleasure enduring to the end. The condition of this Covenant takes more than prayer and fasting, it comes from seeking Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. This secret isn't some quick, feel good sense we get when we are encouraged after Sunday morning. Then during the week about Wednesday, life starts to happen and we start feeling like we did the previous week, and by Sunday morning we need picking up again. Do you want to know what the secret is? I'll tell you tomorrow. To be continued...... :-) But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord
1 Peter 3:15 Have you ever seen someone buy or upgrade to something better thinking it was going to make them play a sport better, get the job done quicker or make their life easier. If you think about it that's why infomercials are a Billion dollar a year business. You would think we could be confident in what we already have and put our inner strengths to work instead of something external. Peter had this in mind when he wrote to the people in this first epistle. He knew they were driven more by worldly change, than they were by the Holy Spirit in their lives. In the first 3 chapters he gave them stern messages about living holy, be sympathetic, passionate and love like brothers. Be humble and live in harmony. But when he got to the 15th verse, he condensed these many admonitions into one. Make Christ Lord over every area which means to give Him total Supremacy in your heart. When you do this, everything I previously talked about automatically happens. That is when the living hope from 1 Peter 1:7 happens. ....the proven genuineness of your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (in You) As He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all you conduct
1 Peter 3:15 Be it in your everyday workplace, television or searching the internet, each of us must be aware of the ever present darkness that seeks to dim our light and dull our focus of God. Now, I'm not saying through your TV and computer in the trash. But, we need to keep free from the soul-wasting effect of the godlessness we encounter while seeking to enjoy a simple comedy. We must avoid the abundant sexual innuendo present in virtually all dramas today. To keep ourselves from the profuse profanity, blatant blasphemy, and sensitivity-numbing violence that is included in the price of watching that adventure movie. Simply, put, to function with spiritual authority requires that I live in purity. It's making a choice to walk before Him with clean hands and a pure heart. When we do this we don't have to worry about if what we are doing, saying, or watching is pleasing the Holy Spirit. It happens automatically Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven
Luke 11:2 The God of all creation is the one we are to worship, and His power knows no limits except those He imposes on Himself and what we impose on Him. He waits to work His will on earth to those who ask in reverence. His kingdom and rule-ship will only rule on earth where it is invited. He chooses to confine himself to specific channels of operations or operators, which is you and I. Though rebels may exist, sin abounds and many will reject His will. He will find someone through whom He can work. Jesus is saying let His Kingdom be worked in and through YOU so that His perfect plan can satisfy every area of your life. It's as simple as praying from the depth of your heart "God I want what you want for me and my life from this point forward" "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."
Romans 12:2 NKJV People think they can scratch their inner itch by changing their image. They change their style of clothes, the car they drive, their career or even a wife or husband. They even try to read a book to change their way of thinking. God's word warns us against looking for inner peace and satisfaction from external (worldly) devices. Only the Holy Spirit can bring about true change or genuine fulfillment, and He does it from the inside out. He alone can satisfy a restless heart because it's a transformation of the heart and mind that reflects externally to the world of who He is in you. Let it be your testimony today to everyone! O foolish Galatians who have bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
Galatians 3:1 If you are a child of God then be sure that Satan tries to set traps for you and they aren't the obvious like drunkenness or sensuality. In the next verses Paul challenged their idea of holiness by asking them "are you made perfect by the flesh?" Many times Christians are converted the right way but then they try adding some flesh to the gospel. Even though we pray and study His word we struggle with the thought of this isn't enough to enter into His rest. Our role isn't to constantly struggle to "get it right" and do more "works". God's covenant of grace is to fully trust what He did at Calvary. He accomplished a full redemption that saves and keeps us. He wants us to trust that He has done everything to make you acceptable in His eyes. You don't have to strive more and more in prayer to please Him. We are made holy by believing in His promises like Abraham. " Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness... So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham" 3:6,9. Paul said in Gal 1:23 that God asks one thing of us. "Continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard. God's promises to cause us to stand at the judgement reconciled, holy and blameless. We need to believe and accept that covenant. Then we will know that deep, lasting, struggle free, hopeful, fearless, victorious walk. "Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he did what was good and right and true before the Lord his God. And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, in the law and in the commandment, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart. So he prospered."
2 Chronicles 31:20 NKJV Have you ever wanted to be great at something. Whether it's at a sport, on your job, ministry, father, mother, or as a spouse? Sometimes it seems that when you focus in these areas, it takes such discipline and work that other areas in your life are set aside. But when your discipline is directed toward heaven, nothing else suffers. This is what Hezekiah discovered. He committed himself to God's principal vision: reverence for the temple and obedience from the people. He didn't make a small commitment or take short cuts. No, Hezekiah sought God wholeheartedly. He went after God, reading His laws and studying His decrees, and then he did what God commanded. He put God first and committed himself. This type of discipline creates a disciple and greatness in whatever area you want to be great. This is how you prosper in your walk with God and in other areas of your life. It's the same way Hezekiah did it! |
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Pastor Michael GarciaOverseer and Pastor at First Assembly HOEN Archives
October 2020
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