IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD

                                   IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD

                                                          

2 Chronicles 7:14    ¹⁴ If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

The people who are called by is name are believers and God is telling us that if we want to be filled with his presence, we must do the following things.

Humble ourselves and pray, seek his face, and turn from our wicked ways. God does not promise us benefits from disobedience.

God is saying, stop seeking His benefits and seek Him. We are not to seek His hands, but seek his face.

Matthew 6:33   ³³ But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

If you’re not where you need to be this is a good time to get right with God. He only cares about your answer to one question, “do you want Me?”

God is coming back to repossess the church and there is only one thing that stops Him… he is not going to pour out his spirit where he doesn’t find hunger for His presence.

Psalms 140:13   ¹³ Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence.

This is not a request if we want His presence, we must stay focused on him as our creator and our God and give thanks unto his name. which is the great I Am—not I was

Not being hungry for Him has forced people to live without Him in His fullness. He will only come when you are ready to turn it all over to him. But you have to be hungry.

Matthew 3:1-2    In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

² And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Repentance prepares the way and makes the road of our hearts straight. Repentance builds up every low place and takes down every high place in our lives, church, and families.

Repentance also prepares us for his presence. In fact, you cannot live in His presence without repentance. Repentance permits pursuit of His presence.

It builds the road for you to get to God, (or for God to get to you). How long has it been since we’ve laid aside everything that ever occupied us and ran down the road of repentance to pursue God.

When you pursue God with all your heart, soul and body, he will turn to meet you and you will come out of it ruined for the world.

Matthew 5:6   ⁶ Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

If we are hungry and thirst after God and His righteousness, then we will be filled with the fulness of His presence.

To be in the presence of God is to be in a state of absence from any worldly thought, or action. To be totally Christ minded or Christ Like.

If you are hungry for God, I have a promise from the Lord for you. He said, blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled.

The problem is that people have never really been hungry, so I am not asking what do you know about Him, I am asking you do you know Him.

When people get just a little touch of God mixed with a lot of something that’s not God, it turns them against the real thing. People don’t sense Gods presence in our gatherings because its just not there.

People have come to the churches time and again only to find too much man and too little of God there.

Over and over we talk about the glory of God covering the earth. But how is it going to flow through the streets of our cities if it can’t even flow down the aisles of our churches?

If Gods glory can’t flow through the aisles of the church because of seducing spirits and manipulating men, God will turn and go somewhere else.

No matter what you need or feel you lack in your life, what you really need is the presence of God, and the way to get it is to get hungry for it.

If we can get hungry, then He can make us holy. There has to be more than what we are seeing. One reason I know there is more, is because of those who have encountered more.

Once you experience God in His glory, you can’t turn away from him or forget his touch. There will be a driving passion in your heart that will whisper to your spirit like nothing you have ever dreamed of.

You will say I know there is more, the reason I know there’s more is because of those who have encountered “the more”

And we are never the same after our experience with the Lord.

Once you have had a “God encounter” you will never rebel against God. That is why Paul said, “I know whom I have believed”.

2 Timothy 1:9-12   ⁹ Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

¹⁰ But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

¹¹ Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

¹² For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Even when facing execution, Paul’s hope and joy never wavered. He knew the power of God to deliver him to endure. These last days we will need Gods presence and the word working in our lives as we do have an adversary called Satan who very much wants to control us.

It seems that believers have more of a “man encounter” with our programs and bi-laws, than a “God encounter” with the unforgettable Majesty and power of the Almighty God.

What believers need is a Damascus road experience like “Saul or Paul” encountered with Jesus himself.

Acts 9:3-5    ³ And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:

⁴ And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

⁵ And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

The word pricks, comes from a stick on the oxen drawn cart. The stick was to guide the oxen.

Churches and most believers want to see the manifest presence of God in their life, however for divine reasons, God chooses to reveal himself more strongly in one place than another.

One reason is; are the people seeking His face, because His presence and his favor flows wherever His face is directed.

God told all his people for generations that if they would seek his face and turn from their wicked ways, “then” he would hear from them and heal their land.

The only thing that is going to turn the favor of God toward us is our hunger for Him.

Psalms 32:8   ⁸ I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

Most of the time God is present with you and other believers in a worship service, but how long has it been since your hunger caused you to crawl up in Gods lap like a child.

Matthew 18:3   ³ And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

To reach up and take the face of God to turn it toward you, that’s what God desires, His face is what we should be our highest focus.

When the anointing of God rests on human flesh it makes everything flow better. The purpose of the anointing is not to make man like you but to make the “King like you”.

The anointing, whether it falls on us individually or on a congregation during a service, is not the end.

The anointing of God is His presence.

The purpose of the anointing is to help us make the transition from flesh to glory. When the glory of God comes, our flesh will be so weakened by His presence that it is un-necessary for man to do anything other than behold Him in His glory. Because of sin we can’t stand in Gods glory and live.

Matthew 27:46   ⁴⁶ And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

We want God to change the world, but he cannot change the world until he can change us. In our present state, we are in no position to affect anything.

But something is happening in the body of Christ. More and more of us are unwilling to play the old religious games.

Something like a warrior spirit is rising up within us.

Ephesians 6:10-11   ¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

¹¹ Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

A warrior natural or spiritual, is A person experienced or engaged in warfare. We as believers are to be warriors on the spiritual aspect of our lives. That is why we need both Gods armor and his presence.

Time and time again we ask, why can’t I win my friends to the Lord, why doesn’t my family members seem interested in God?

The answer may shock you, but the reason people who know you aren’t interested in your God may be because you don’t have enough of the presence of God in your life.

No matter what you do, without His presence, you will be just another somebody to those around you.

Our churches are filled with people who want Gods things, but not more of God. They want revival but not the reviver. They want the hand of God but not the Face of God.

Christians are not hungry for God. They want all His blessings, they want all His gifts, they want the best portion, they want, they want, they want. But they won’t turn from their own way of thinking and/or their wicked ways.

God wants us to seek His presence and seek His face and to get serious about Him. At the end of the day we most likely manufacture memorized words, lay back in His presence just long enough to say our memorized string of words and deliver our wish list. That is not Christ like.

Then we Jump up and run off to continue our frustrated rat race lives. Often, we never seem to find that place of perfect peace.

All God wants us to do is seek Him and trust Him. He is waiting to receive our most intimate worship and praise.

He has set before us an open door, but we will have to face Him. We cannot back our way into the door of eternity, we have to walk through the door by our own choice.

I am not saying this because you don’t know Gods word, on the contrary, I am saying this because the Lord wants to develop a new level of intimacy with His people.

He wants us to know Him, not just about Him. When will we stop long enough to hear Gods still small voice saying, “will you just love me”?

EXCITING

We came into this ministry of putting a lesson on the web site each week excited about reaching out to people and helping them get deeper into the word.

We are still excited about our lessons and pray the God will touch each of you that read it in a special way.

We thank those of you who have been faithful to make contributions to our ministry. I know the Father will bless you for your love offering to us.

We hope you will continue to follow our blog and gain knowledge and blessings from reading it.

Jn 3:30

IS AMERICA FALLING OR RISING?

IS AMERICA FALLING OR RISING?

With a new crisis almost every week in America it seems sometimes that things are not to good. Stealing, killing and destruction happening every day. It doesn’t mean America is falling apart, it may be falling into Gods big plan.

Matthew 24:3-6   ³ And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

⁴ And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

⁵ For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

⁶ And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

When it comes to a great kingdom like America, these latter days have been confusing to most Americans as to what is going on with people.

Jesus says take heed, (pay close attention to) that no man deceives you or mislead you with false information. For many shall come in my name claiming to be Christ, and shall deceive you.

The news will be talking about wars and making rumors of wars but stay firm on the word and trust God, or not be troubled. Even though these things must come to pass, the end is not yet.

I can tell you what is happening in America, there is a devil called Satan killing, stealing and destroying the very lives and livelihoods of many people, even Christians that are not being taught how to keep from being deceived by his deceptive ways.

James 4:7   ⁷ Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

One of Americas problems is that people even Christians won’t submit their life to God or anyone else. They demand their rights. Since God created us and gave us this life, why do they think they have a right to these rebellious rights and where are they coming from?

Matthew 24:7-8   ⁷ For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

⁸ All these are the beginning of sorrows.

These wars spoken of are ethnic and territorial. Meaning nation against nation and kingdom against kingdom still breakout all over America. We are starting to see it happening now. Our leaders are split on every decision. All of this is the beginning of sorrows, just as the word says.

America knows the truth, but rebellion is bringing her down. The ones that follow Christ be not troubled, victory is for you is assured by his word. God knew people would respond in these latter days. That they would be led by the world system instead of following His plan.

God has always had a plan, every plan God designed for mankind, mankind messed up. In the garden of Eden Adam and Eve sinned and lost control of planet earth through rebellion and deception.

Genesis 3:17   ¹⁷ And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

That didn’t work out so well. God had to come up with another plan.

Genesis 6:1-3   6 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,

² That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

³ And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

Because of these things God limited mans days on earth to no more than 120 years.

Genesis 6:4   ⁴ There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.

 The sons of God referred to here are Fallen Angels who led a revolution against God in order to spoil the human lineage and seek to corrupt that lineage by marrying the daughters of men. This mongrel race turned out to be giants.

Genesis 6:5-8   ⁵ And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

⁶ And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

⁷ And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

⁸ But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

Before the flood evil was a continuous action. An evil that never let up. It sounds like America today. Rebellion and hate, has reached such a point until it is hard to get people to listen to the word.

God found grace with Noah and when the flood came the earth was corrupt and filled with violence and God looked upon the earth and said to Noah, I will destroy them with the earth as said in Genesis 6:13.

God has made plan after plan for Mankind. He gave the Jewish people Israel. Seven times he allowed it to be destroyed because of their disobedience and corruption.

They would not accept Jesus as the savior, because of their religiousness they had him die on the cross.

Since the Jews would not accept Gods plan, we the gentiles were graphed into the plan God intended for the Jews.

2 Thessalonians 2:9-12  ⁹ Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

¹⁰ And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

¹¹ And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

¹² That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Our standard in life as believers should not come from our evil society, but from Gods word. Start now to build a righteous foundation for your life. Hope is and always will be the foundation for faith to build on. In knowing Gods word, we build on this foundation.

Psalms 11:3   ³ If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

If and when your foundation is shaky because of the world situation and sometimes you wish you could just go and hide, remember God is still in control and His power has not diminished at any turn of events.

God has had a plan for mankind since the beginning of time and no leader, no president, no man or event is going to change Gods plans. Never give up. Faith and hope build a very good foundation.

2 Timothy 3:1-5    3 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

² For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

³ Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

⁴ Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

⁵ Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

The last days that is spoken of here are these times we are living in today. The word perilous times means difficult and dangerous times. The times we as Christians are living in before the Rapture.

God knew that in the last days we would go through trials and tribulations and we would face these everyday worldly deteriorating conditions. That is why he gave us the whole armor to use.

Ephesians 6:10-13   ¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

¹¹ Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

¹² For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

¹³ Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

This armor will protect us against the wiles which are deceptive strategies of the devil. You should know that God does not preserve the believers from difficult circumstances, both the righteous and the wicked will he test.

Don’t ignore Gods tests and challenges. Use them as opportunities to grow. Sometimes for Christians these are unpredictable days. Living for God in a hostile and deceitful world can make you feel alone. That is the precise time to seek out other believers for strength and support.

Romans 8:28-32   ²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

²⁹ For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

³⁰ Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

³¹ What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

³² He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Verse 29 explains why and how all things could possibly work for good. He foreknew us and predestinated us to be like Jesus. To fulfill our purpose we were justified, sanctified and glorified. Filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.

The word predestinate means the purposes for which something or someone is intended or appointed to. If God be for us who can be against us. Though Satan may try, he is no match for the Father.

John 10: 28-29   ²⁸ And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

²⁹ My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand

So the question is, is America falling apart or falling into Gods plan? Both, because after the rapture the believers will be gone and at that time the world will be left with a chaotic mess that the whole world has never seen before.

Then the man of perdition who is the anti-christ will be in charge.

John 17:12   ¹² While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

2 Peter 3:10-13   ¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

¹¹ Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

¹² Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

¹³ Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

Yes, it will fall apart however if you are a believer this will not affect you for you will be with Jesus, this is God’s plan for us and this world.

Revelation 17:17   ¹⁷ For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

COMANDING YOUR HEALING

COMANDING YOUR HEALING

Romans 10:17   ¹⁷ So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Until we know what Gods will is there is nothing on which to base our faith.

Gods word, and Gods will are two things that work together. Gods word has always been his will for us and was made effective through the death of Jesus at the cross. The two became one.

Faith cannot go beyond one’s knowledge of the revealed will of God.


Romans 12:2   ² And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Conformed means to be in agreement with.

Until the person seeking healing is sure from Gods own word, that it is the will of God to heal him he is trying to reap a harvest where no seed has been planted.

Jesus said, ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.

John 8:31-32   ³¹ Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

³² And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

If you continue or stay in my word, then you are my disciples indeed. What makes a disciple? A disciple is one who gives up the things of the world, and the desires of the world. You cannot be a disciple of God until you do this.

A believer’s purpose is to do just this if you want the anointing, the discernment and the fulness of God working in your life.

The only way we will ever know the truth is by having the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth to us through the discernment of Gods word, placing it into our spirit.

You must go beyond the natural way of thinking. This is spiritual, not carnal.

Mark 11:24   ²⁴ Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Proverbs 4:20-23   ²⁰ My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.

²¹ Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.

²² For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

²³ Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

He is saying here, open up your spiritual ears and hear what I am telling you. when you read and meditate on what you are reading and don’t let the word depart from your eyes so that they will stay in your heart.

The word you hear and the word you read are life, healing, they are health and help for other issues of life. The words of God are life only to those who find them.

Here are three essential things you must do to obtain results from the promises of God:

1.           There must be an attentive ear. Incline thine ear unto my sayings.

2.           There must be a steadfast look. Let the words not depart from thine eyes.

3.           There must be the enshrining heart. “To enshrine or hold sacred.” Keep them in the midst of thy heart.

When your eyes are upon your symptoms and your mind is occupied with symptoms more than gods word, it will result in doubt.

Your symptoms may point you to death, but Gods word points you to life. You can not look in opposite directions at the same time.

Mark 11:23   ²³ For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

Doubt will always cancel out faith. Without faith it is impossible to please God.

Isaiah 53:4-5   ⁴ Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

⁵ But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

1 Peter 2:24   ²⁴ Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

Sin and sickness passed from us at Calvary.

Salvation and health have passed from Calvary to us you can not separate salvation and healing at the cross.

When Jesus bore our sins, our sickness and our pain, he bore them away or removed them forever.

The reason we still have sickness is we possibly speak it into existence or we didn’t take authority over it. Somehow or another the devil snuck in.

Galatians 3:13   ¹³ Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

Now no one can be justified by the law in the sight of God. The just shall live by faith.

Galatians 3:11   ¹¹ But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

Romans 6:14   ¹⁴ For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

If the body were not included in redemption, how can there be a resurrection?

Healing is provided for all but the power of God can be claimed only where the will of God is known.

Faith must rest on the will of God alone, not on our desires or wishes.

Faith is not just believing God can, but that God will.

Sometimes people seeking healing need to know that prayers are answered according to Gods will and how it fits into his overall plan.

Exodus 23:25   ²⁵ And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.

This promise was under the law. It was a promise made to Israel.

To try and say that the privilege of health is not for Gods people today is to try and change Gods I AM to I WAS. That being said it all boils down to Gods will.

If healing is not for everyone of Gods children then how could we pray the prayer of faith for anyone. Healing is still and will be Gods decision as to if its right for His purpose. We are to pray in faith and let the Father have the last word.

Since the body is for the Lord. A living sacrifice unto God.

Healing and salvation were both paid for at the cross. People even believers try to separate the two. They might say they are sick but never mention salvation. How do we explain by his shed blood we are redeemed, by his stripes we were healed?

Healing is the ultimately left up to the will of God. it is impossible to have real faith for healing as long as long as there is the slightest doubt as to it being Gods will. Of course, His will must align with His word.

The power of God can be claimed only where the will of God is known.

Until a person knows the will of God, they have no basis for their faith.

Faith is expecting God to do what we know is his will.

When we know it is His will it is not difficult for us to believe that he will do what we are sure he wants to do.

Psalms 37:4   ⁴ Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

It is to those who will delight themselves in the Lord that he gives the desires of their heart.

God has not lowered the standard for the day of grace.

Faith always implies obedience.

Even when we do act on faith, symptoms do not always disappear instantly.

A symptom is a sign which indicates the existence or occurrence of something else other than the real problem.

A symptom might be a sign that is letting you know something needs to be addressed as to physical pain or a weakness in your body.

Sometimes it could be a demon trying to get you to say you are sick, or that, I just know something is very wrong with me.

Faith is being so convinced of the absolute truth of God’s word, which is recorded in the bible, that we act on the word, not on symptoms.

When we ask for healing, Christ bids us to say with faith, “I thank thee Father that thou have heard me.”

Faith is when Gods word alone is our reason for believing that our prayer is answered before we see or feel anything.

1 Timothy 4:11   ¹¹ These things command and teach.

We have the command of God to teach his word. God wants us to command healing, not just suggest healing. Just praying would be ok if there were no doubt, but commanding in the name of Jesus takes it from you and puts it under the blood. This is where if it is Gods will be done, not our desire.


Command your healing:

John 19:30   ³⁰ When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

The word finished, means to accomplish or complete. Jesus’ death on the cross was the fulfilled will of God. That is what he came for.

Colossians 2:21-23   ²¹ (Touch not; taste not; handle not;

²² Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?

²³ Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body: not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

Do not touch, do not handle, concerns things which perish according to doctrines of men. They have an appearance of wisdom, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh. “Will worship” changes because it is a worship devised by man. God’s will for man never changes because God never changes.

Philippians 2:13   ¹³ For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

To do His good pleasure. God is always working in us to help us do what he wants, we should be happy about this. Let this mind be in us which was also in Christ Jesus.

Matthew 6:10   ¹⁰ Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

The will of God is all important, His will, will be carried out on earth.

Mark 16:18   ¹⁸ They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Mark is saying here that we should lay hands on the sick (this means praying), believing for their healing and they shall recover, nothing is said here about miracle healing.

CHRISTIANS HAVING TRIALS IN TODAYS CULTURE

CHRISTIANS HAVING TRIALS IN TODAYS CULTURE

It is not a surprise that we live in a world of growing uncertainty, and increasing instability. The average person, “especially believers” are faced with much more pressure than people who lived fifty years ago.

The emotional impact of such changes in almost every area of life, has been daunting to say the least.

 Unbelievers certainly are experiencing trials in his/her life of which they are in most cases poorly equipped to know how to cope.

Christians are certainly not exempt from these trials in life. I find that there is a lot of confusion among Christians over the following questions.

1.           Why do Christians who are trusting and walking with God have trials?

1 Peter 5:8   ⁸ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

2.           They are surprised at the fiery trials that they go through as if something strange and scary is happening to them.

1Peter 4:12 ¹² Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 

3.             It can be because of some moral failure or lack of faith.

James 1:2-3   ² My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers’ temptations;
³ Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

The word tells us to be glad, because these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering. When your life is over you will have the joy of sharing His glory.

Let’s take a look at the trial that Paul and Silas went through, and then look at the results at the end.

They were totally committed to their mission of founding new churches. They were walking by faith and were in the city of Philippi by the direct leading of the Lord Jesus himself.

As a result of delivering a demon from a slave girl of fortune telling; her master had them arrested. How would you respond to a situation like this?

For a great many Christians today, it is very easy to slip into the prevailing attitude of our present world.

The current mind set is to avoid pain of any kind at any cost, to live life for the moment, and ignore the long-term consequences.

The principle of enduring hardship for the present is to achieve a long-term future reward is virtually non-existent. In this day in age many people want instant gratification.

There are two extremes that Christians should avoid when approaching the subject of trials.

 Don’t think, God in his desire to see us grow will constantly bombard us with trials in order to see us grow.

The second is to think that there will be no trials in the life of someone who has real faith and is walking with God.

These are two extremes.



1 Corinthians 10:13      ¹³ There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

The Lord promises that he will never put us through any trial that is beyond our maturity level to endure.

Nor does He give us more testing than is necessary to train our faith for our particular calling.

Christians who are greatly used for Gods purpose are greatly tested. In these cases, the Lord gives such grace that the one who is tested is filled with inner strength and joy.

Romans 8:28   ²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

All things are not good, but when we believe God, he makes even the bad things work together for good.

How? Because those who are tested for the ministry sake are given special grace if they continue to trust the Lord

Most Christians of this generation are in ‘an attitude” of denial about the subject of trials.

No one wants to have trials and certainly no one should seek them, but the bible is filled with trials about great people of faith suffering trials, not the least of whom is Jesus himself.

Do committed Christians have trials? Yes! One of the major characteristics of spiritual maturity is to see your life from the divine viewpoint, instead of the human viewpoint.

An integral part of the divine viewpoint is to see your life through the perspective of eternity.

1 Corinthians 2:9   ⁹ But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Two perspectives of life:

We must learn to live in the reality that we are already citizens of eternity. Bound for the heavenly reward that is beyond human comprehension.

According to Gods promise, the best this life has to offer cannot even be compared to the believer’s life in eternity.

Philippians 3:18-21   ¹⁸ (For many walks, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
¹⁹ Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
²⁰ For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
²¹ Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

This issue is so serious that if we don’t learn to look at life through the perspective of eternity it will be unimaginable to cope with life in the times ahead.

If this life was all we had to look forward too many situations wouldn’t make sense or even seem fair.

Remember, faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Hebrews 11:1   11 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

We have to learn how to believe God’s promises in spite of what our emotions and human experiences tell us.

God doesn’t promise us a life free of trials but he does promise us peace on the inside in the midst of trials.

One of the reasons there are trials in the Christians life is discipline for personal sin.

James 4:17   ¹⁷ Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin


Romans 14:23   And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sinAnd he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

When we sin as a believer, we break fellowship with the Lord.

Sin does not sever our relationship which is secured forever by the finished work of Christ on the cross but sin does break our fellowship.

We remain out of fellowship until we confess our known sin to the Lord and trust him again to give us victory over temptation. God promises he will.

Simply put if we confess what we know, He forgives us what we don’t know.

God loves us too much to let us waste our lives out of fellowship with Him. From the moment we trust in Christ we are saved forever.

Ephesians 1:13-14   ¹³ In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

¹⁴ Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

God could take us home right then, but He leaves us on this planet to share in his work of saving the lost.

To train us for our eternal role as kings, priests and priestess with Christ and bring glory on earth.

Hebrews 12:10   ¹⁰ For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

Discipline is always for our benefit. His discipline is designed to teach us to live a holy life through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Once the Lords discipline has taught us its intended lesson it is either removed or turned into a blessing. Like the bible teaches.

Psalm 30:5   For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

The result for the one who confesses his sin and trusts in the Lord will be this, NO discipline.

James 1:2-4   My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
³ Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
⁴ But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

Various trials produce a special kind of faith, which brings about overall spiritual maturity.

This special faith is called endurance, which is a faith that persists and doesn’t give up when deliverance is delayed.

Job demonstrated this kind of faith under an undeserved and unexplained trial when he said, though He “God” slay me, yet will I trust in him. (job 13:15)

Hebrews 12:1-2   Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

God wants those who keep on believing and leaning upon Him, even though the trials persist. This is what God calls a truly mature faith.

The Lord reminds us that His love is made especially manifest to us during these times, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

When we analyze some of Gods greatest servants, we discover that all went through test and trials.

Not because of some personal sin, but because God wanted to strengthen their personal discipline, so they could withstand Satins attacks.

The more God uses us the more of a target of Satin we become.

The greater the mission, the greater the need for training in obedience and discipline.

This is why Jesus cautioned those who wanted to follow Him into the position of leadership, to first count the cost.

James 3:1   3 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

God holds the teachers and preachers more responsible. They fall under a stricter judgment.

John 9:1-3   And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
² And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
³ Jesus answered, neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

Jesus is saying that it was not caused by either the blind man or his parents’ sin. That the man was born blind so that Gods power might be displayed in him.

We might ask was it fair to cause a man to suffer from birth with such a deformity?

If this life is all there is, we might say it wasn’t fair. But look what happened, Jesus walked up to the blind man, made a ball of clay and spit, told him to wash his eyes and he was healed.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18   For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
¹⁷ For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
¹⁸ While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Our new man is our soul.

In the book of Job, we find that Job continued to trust in the Lord, even though the tests got so severe he was driven almost out of his mind.

Later the Lord restored all that he had lost many times over.

Many times, in trials of a lesser degree are allowed into the life of a believer, in order to demonstrate this same point.

Angels continue to constantly observe how believers react to trials… every aspect of Gods dealing with man-kind is teaching the angelic realm more about the wonder of Gods infinite character.

Ephesians 3:8-11   Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
⁹ And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
¹⁰ To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
¹¹ According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

According to this, God is teaching the Angels about His manifold wisdom. Particularly through His dealings with the church.

The infinite beauty and wonder of God’s grace have been revealed to both the unfallen angels and the fallen angels.

Christians are taught to change what they can and to accept by faith what they can’t change.

The scripture says that some trials are allowed into our lives to keep us from falling into pride.

Pride was the original sin that caused Lucifer to fall and become Satin.

God put pride at the top of the list of sins he hates.

Jealousy, envy, pride.



Proverbs 6:13-16   He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;
¹⁴ Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.
¹⁵ Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.
¹⁶ These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

Because of this, the Lord takes special precautions to keep his servants from falling into this snare of the devil.

The sin of pride is a particular temptation for the servant of Christ who is given great spiritual gifts and understanding of God’s word.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10   And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
⁸ For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
⁹ And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
¹⁰ Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

Paul’s illness spread the gospel to Galatia

Galatians 3:13-15   Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
¹⁴ That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
¹⁵ Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.

God used the flare-up of Paul’s eye disease to force him to stay long enough in the province of Galatia to start the Galatian church and to preach the gospel to them.

This should answer the inaccurate contention on the part of some that say God never allows sickness into the life of a Christian who believes Him and walks with Him.

Had Paul not had this illness, he would have bypassed Galatia and missed the opportunity to evangelize and bring in the whole region of Galatia.

I believe God desires to and does heal us, but there are some cases where he has a greater purpose to accomplish.

Once again, we must remember, God looks at each situation from the stand point of eternity.

If a person who is ill has confessed every known sin in his life and if the Lord does not immediately heal him or her, then the Lord in his love and wisdom has a greater purpose. We may not understand in this natural life, but that will certainly count for all eternity.

So why do we have trials? For Gods purpose not ours.