Jesus | Revelations From The Road

I’ve Got You Covered

February 3, 2013 by Bill Leave a Comment

Given January 27, 2013

During praise and worship recently as I was standing up front before the Morning Prayer, I asked, “God, what do you want to say to your people today?” Immediately I heard, not audibly but in my spirit, “Trust me, I’ve got it covered.”

I know many people in our congregation have needs; sickness, financial, relational, emotional, addictions, confusion, and spiritual needs. God knows this and He knew it when He sent His son, Jesus, to the earth to die so we could have these needs met. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross made the way for us to have our sins covered as well as everything that comes with sin. Jesus says, “Just turn it over to me, I’ll take care of it; I’ve got you covered.”

Have you ever been out to eat with someone and when the bill came the other person took it and said, “I’ll take care of it.”? That’s what Jesus did for us. Imagine that you owed $10,000 and you went to the person you owed it to and told them you couldn’t pay it off to have them tell you someone came in and paid it for you. Jesus did that for us. Do you have a problem you can’t handle, an addiction you can’t control, or a situation where you don’t know what to do? God is saying, “Stop trying to figure it out for yourself. Give it over to me and I’ll take care of it.” “Cast all your care on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7).

If you’re not sure where you’re going and you don’t know how to get there, stop driving and let Jesus take the wheel! He knows where you’re supposed to be going, how to get there, and what you’ll need along the way. “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33). He’s got you covered!

Four Options When Under Spiritual Attack

January 13, 2013 by Bill Leave a Comment

Given January 3, 2013

Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble.” (John 16:33), so we know the devil is going to attack us because we are followers of Christ. When this happens, we have four options.

1. The first option is to do nothing. This shouldn’t even be an option but some choose it. They think they don’t have a chance, they deserve to be defeated, or they don’t know what to do. They just let the devil or his troops push them around with no resistance. “Oh poor, pitiful me.”

2. The next option is for those who don’t want to just lay down and be defeated but only bring to the fight their own piddly little weapons. They bring a cap pistol or a stick and the devil will let them use these so they focus on him in a long battle. Eventually, they will get frustrated and give up.

3. This option is to decide to resist the devil AFTER submitting to God, (James 4:7). When we do this, it opens up to us a whole cache of Heavenly weapons. “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.” (2 Corinthians 10:4). When we know about this option, (by reading our Bible), we can use God’s weapons and armor, (Ephesians 6), to make quick work of the enemy. In fact, he might just see us in God’s armor and run away. With this option, we can say, “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ.” (2 Corinthians 2:14). And, God will always be right there with us.

4. Now there is another option but we don’t have the choice to choose this one. Sometimes when we decide to fight using God’s weapons, He will say, “Relax child, I’ll handle this one.” God told Moses to tell the people at the Red Sea, “Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today.” (Exodus 14:13), or in our language, “Stand still and watch this!”

So, what will it be the next time you’re in a battle? Your choices get more difficult as you go downthis list as far as your preparation for battle goes. But your guarantee of victory goes way up!

A Different Look At Christmas

December 22, 2012 by Bill Leave a Comment

Given December 12, 2012

From The Beginning. God began by creating a perfect world in the Garden of Eden and created a man and woman to begin the perfect process blessing them and telling them to, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and have dominion over it.” (Genesis 1:28 paraphrased). But that old snake, Satan, came in and tricked them into letting his influence into that perfect environment and things went bad from there. It got so bad that God was grieved and sorry He had created man, (Genesis 6:6), but, “Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.” (Genesis 6:8).

So God decided to try again. He wiped out all the evil people and everything on earth with the flood except Noah and his family and He blessed them and told them, “Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth.” (Genesis 9:1)… again. One of Noah’s sons, Shem, was good and did this but the other two, Ham and Japheth disregarded God’s plan and went off on their own. Evil began to fill the earth…again. God had told Noah He would not destroy the earth again so He had to come up with another plan.

This plan was not to destroy evil again but to show the people on earth how to take care of their sins, be blessed, live for God, and reserve a place for them in Heaven. And the only way to do this was for God himself to come to earth, “Immanuel – God with us”, (Matthew 1:23). He would come, live a perfect life, teach the people and, at the end, be killed taking the sins of everyone on Himself to the cross. This way, He would give the people the choice of living for Satan and all that comes with that or living for God and receiving His blessing. But to suddenly appear on earth as a man wouldn’t work so God came as a baby, baby Jesus. “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11). A Saviour.

That plan is still in effect today and is working for God’s people. But, it’s our choice. We celebrate Jesus’ birth this week; let’s remember why we do it and what it really means. If you haven’t made that choice…do it today. Merry CHRISTmas!

Our Choice

November 23, 2012 by Bill Leave a Comment

Given October 24, 2010

We are all created in the image of God and He wants us to be like Him in every way. However, there is evil in the world we live in and our God does not force us to be like Himself, He gave us a free will to choose between evil and good. “I call on heaven and earth as witnesses today that I have offered you life or death, blessings or curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants will live.” (Deuteronomy 30:19 – God’s Word Translation). The choice is ours.

Think about these verses:

1 John 4:4, “..greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” – if you allow Him to be.
Isaiah 54:17, “No weapon that is formed against you will prosper.” – unless you let it.
John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.” – if we take it.
Luke 10:19, “Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy:” – if you take that authority.
1 John 5:1, “Everyone who has faith that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God.” – if we claim Him.
Ephesians 3:20, “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,” – if we use that power.
Mark 9:23, “ all things are possible to him that believes.” – if we believe it.
James 4:7, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” – if we say, “It is written!”
Mark 11:23, “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.” – if we don’t doubt, do believe, and say so.
Mark 16:18, “Those who believe…they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” – if we believe we’re one of those.
1 Peter 2:24, “by his wounds you have been healed.” – if we believe and receive it.

Our choice.

Miracles

November 12, 2012 by Bill 3 Comments

Given November 11, 2012

The dictionary definition of a miracle – “A surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is considered to be divine”. Words in the bible translated “miracle” many times are translated ‘signs”. A sign was a supernatural happening that would point those who see it to God. Jesus performed many miracles, signs, and wonders but He never took credit for them saying He only did what He saw the Father doing, “Jesus gave them this answer: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.” (John 5:19). We, as God’s children can do the same things.

Do we believe in miracles? Do we: Believe God created everything with His word? Believe the Red Sea parted? Believe Sarah had a baby when she was ninety and Abraham was 100? Believe Jesus walked on water, turned water to wine, fed 5000 with a boy’s lunch, healed them all, raised Lazarus from the dead, rose from the dead himself? Of course we do! Has anything changed since then? “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8). Miracles still happen today.

Here are some important keys to receiving your miracle: Ask and keep on asking, be persistent. Stand on the word of God, “with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26). Believe and keep on believing, “All things are possible to him that believeth” (Mark 9:23). Have faith; faith in what God has said in His word. He wants the best for His own. Put your faith into action, “Faith without works is dead”, (James 2:26). Refuse to doubt, “.. he must believe and not doubt.. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord;” (James 1:6-7). Ask others to pray with you. “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 18:19). Expect your miracle. Jesus couldn’t do much in His hometown because the people didn’t expect the hometown boy to do much, “He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.” (Mark 6:5-6). Today, you can begin receiving your miracle. Comment if you have received a miracle.