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Behold The New Has Come

Behold the NEW has come.

Daily Spirit & Word, 446: New Man in Old Clothes.

Behold The New Has Come.

Behold The NEW has Come
Behold The NEW has Come
Good morning my friends, I’ll never forget the day that a man who’d been searching for Jesus for some time, finally gave his life to the Lord and came into church the next Sunday, he looked physically different, everybody noticed it, it was like he’d come alive and was shining with the Glory that Moses had when he came down the mountain. One of the men in our fellowship nic-named him “Shiny Man”…. But there is a truth in what happened to him for all of us, we can all get that Glory Glow ourselves, by coming to Christ and being converted from a sinner into a saint. Or if you’ve become like a smoldering wick, your faith has grown weak, it can become be set ablaze with the LOVE of the Lord and you’ll get a NEW FIRE in your heart again.
2 Corinthians 5:14-17
14  For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.
15  And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
16  So from now on we regard no-one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.
17  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
Notice that; “If you are IN CHRIST” then you are a NEW CREATION, the old has gone and the new has come.
What is the ‘OLD’ That is gone? The old nature; the sinful natural nature that you’re born with, you are no longer a slave to sin, but that doesn’t mean you wont sin anymore, you’r just not governed, ruled or dominated by it. It’s like Jesus promised, “You shall know the TRUTH and the truth shall set you FREE”. You’re set free from sin and given a new SPIRITUAL nature, one that has the power to resist sin, to say “NO” to ungodly desires.
What is the ‘NEW’ that has come? The NEW NATURE. The Bible has many words to help us understand what happens at Conversion to Christ. The word Conversion is one of them: We’re converted from a Sinner into a Saint when we put our trust in Jesus. Being ‘Born Again’ is another; we’re born anew, born from above. We’re born again from the human family into God’s Holy Family forever.
D L Moody tells this story;
“A man got up in one of our meetings in New York some years ago, who had been pretty far down; but a wonderful change had taken place, and he said he hardly knew himself. He said the fact was, he was a new man in his old clothes.
That was just it. Not a man in new clothes, but a new man in old clothes.
I saw an advertisement which read like this: “If you want people to respect you, wear good clothes.” That is the world’s idea of getting the world’s respect. Why, a leper might put on good clothes, but he would be a leper still! Mere profession does not transform a man. It is the new nature spoken of in 2 Corinthians v. 17: “Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” D. L. Moody “Anecdotes, Incidents and Illustrations.”
Behold ALL Things Are Become NEW: Asesome!
You’ve been transformed my friends, the world looks at how good you look on the outside, but the LORD looks upon the heart. (Remember how he chose King David, by looking into their hearts the LORD refused his brothers, but David’s heart was different according to God).
When you come to Christ, it’s like a complete transformation has taken place over-night. Jesus gives a a whole list of new things;
New Heart,
New Desires,
New Nature,
New Family,
New Name,
New Beginning,
New Joy,
New Reality.
The OLD has gone, BEHOLD THE NEW HAS COME.  the new nature within desires different things from the old nature, this is how you can tell if you’ve been born again or not, because you’ll no longer desire the same old things. Old things with pass away and new things, the things of God will become increasingly part of your new nature.
Have an AWESOME Saturday with Jesus today.
Live your new life in the old body, but know that one day, you’ll receive your eternal clothing soon.
Don.
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BEHOLD THE NEW HAS COME
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Grandmother and Mother’s Sincere Faith

Grandmother and Mother’s Sincere Faith.

 

The Church Today NEEDS faithful, Praying, Grandmothers, Mums, Dads and Granddads.
The Church Today NEEDS faithful, Praying, Grandmothers, Mums, Dads and Granddads.

Daily Spirit & Word, 445: Grandmother and Mother’s Sincere Faith.

The Church today needs more faithful Grandmothers and Mothers, who’ll be able to ignite the faith of Jesus Christ in their children and grandchildren.

Good morning my friends, I was really encouraged this morning reading through 2 Timothy, by Paul’s devotion to praying for him and the way that Paul was encouraging Timothy in so many ways. The things that jumped out at me were having people in our lives who are inspirations to keep us going, examples that we can follow and emulate and encouragements to know that because God was active in their lives, He’ll also be with us on the journey too.

2 Timothy 1:3-7

“I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”

 Faithful In Prayer:

When children observe a Mother praying at home regularly. When she has a sincere faith it will leave a life-long impression upon her children and even her grandchildren.

 Firstly notice Paul’s own Faithfulness in Prayer:

“I thank God, who I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.”
Paul’s remembering back to his faithful praying ancestors: It’s good for us as Christians to have heroes of the faith, men and women of prayer who’ve served the Lord Jesus Christ faithfully in all kinds of circumstances. When I was a young Christian some old saint gave me a book and said, “Read this, pray about it and ask God to help you to be a Christian like some of these were”. I took that book with me to sea and read it upon my bunk on the Submarine hundreds of feet below the surface of the icy cold waters of the North Atlantic. I was, as far as I knew, the only Christian aboard. It soon became known that I was using a room on the Boat for prayers, for months no one joined me. Then a young man, Shawn Frow, gave his life to the Lord and we began to meet almost every day; to pray, read the Bible and sing and praise the Lord. Me upon my guitar and he with faltering voice because he’d never sang hymns of praise in his life before. I shared the contents of the book with Sean and together we marvelled at the old saints. We were encouraged aboard a boat full of unrepentant sinners to be faithful to the Lord in all things and to be His witnesses. People began to be interested and requested the Bibles that took up half my bunk. I’d intended to give them away to folks, but it didn’t’ begin happening until young Shawn became a believer and we prayed together about it.

 

When you think about FAITHFUL Christians and how they served the Lord and what the Lord did through their lives, you too will be encouraged in your own situations, you’ll be enthused to walk as Jesus did, in faith and power of the Holy Spirit. So I would encourage you to get to know the Saints of the past as Paul did, his “faithful praying ancestor”s. Even if you don’t have any in your own immediate family who love the Lord, then you have them in abundance in the Lord’s Family of believers. Read, study and meditate upon the lives of people like: George Muller, Isobel Khun, Billy Bray, David Brainerd, Robert Annan, David Wilkerson and Jackie Pullinger. Faithful saints who gave up the world to follow Jesus and it’ll blow-your-socks-off what Jesus did in and through their lives; but what was it that made them so great, such heroes of the faith? PRAYER and BEING WITH JESUS REGULARLY.

 

Heroes of the Fath: Susanna Wesley:

Here’s a little account of Susanna Wesley (The Mother of John and Charles Wesley, the Great Methodist Preachers and Hymn Writers).
“Since there were no afternoon church services, Susanna began an evening family gathering where they sang psalms, prayed and Susanna read a short sermon from her husband’s library. It began with the family and the servants but soon word spread and others neighbors appeared, and soon there were too many for the parsonage. Susanna had written her husband of what she was doing, but then in his own letter when he perhaps saw the services as competition, Mr. Inman complained to Samuel. His claim to Samuel was that such irregular services could cause criticism or even scandal for the church. For while women have been ordained in many Methodist churches for more than 50 years at that time the idea of a woman having any part in a worship service – even in her own home – was unheard of. Samuel suggested to Susanna that she have someone else read the sermons, but still Mr. Inman complained and finally Samuel told Susanna to discontinue the meetings. However, she declined as she described how the meetings were a genuine and effective ministry to those who attended and that Mr. Inman was about the only one who‘d objected. The services continued.” Taken from the site History’s Women Read more about Susanna by clicking the link.

 

NEXT Timothy is encouraged to do the same thing too: To remember the faithfulness of his own Grandmother and Mother. In an ideal world there would be generations of faithful relatives who loved the Lord Jesus, but I know that most people today, who come to faith, have very few of the Lord’s anointed in our families. My own mother became a Christian on her death-bed, my father became a Christian whilst in a coma; both of whom had been witnessed to by my brother Paul and I for years. We’d shared the Gospel, read the Bible, prayed for them, but they stubbornly refused to trust in Jesus, until they were in a desperate situation.

 

However, Timothy had that witness. I’ve found as I’ve studied Timothy that Paul must have regarded him as a bit timid a bit weak in his faith and frightened to carry out his commission. His letters to Timothy are so full of encouragement to be faithful, to keep going, to be prepared to suffer for the Gospel.

 

Sometimes, having faithful relatives and strong Christians in our family is NO guarantee that the faith they have will be shared by every member of the family. We meet people out on the streets of London every week who’ll say, “My grandmother was a woman of prayer”. As if that faithful old saint was enough, they didn’t need to do it themselves, because she did it for the whole family. I aways respond with “What about you?” Paul said, “I’m persuaded is in you”. He needed to be persuaded, to be convinced, to have it certified that Timothy really did have that same faith as his grandmother and mother. But he’d become convinced of it. Notice too that Paul was praying for Him day and night. I pray for my friends and some of you I pray for every single day, but I don’t pray for you DAY & NIGHT like Paul did for Timothy. He must have thought that Timothy needed his prayers, that something was lacking in his walk with Jesus.

 

There’s NO Second-Hand Faith in God’s Family.
I’ve found that when there’s been a very strong person of faith in a family, the rest of the family are not very fire-filled, they are like the Laodican Church in the book of Revelation; Luke Warm Believers. They don’t have the same kind of compulsion, zeal, commitment and drive to serve the Lord wholeheartedly. I’m not sure why that is, but it seems that a totally surrendered life and a faithful life to members of ones own family is a hindrance to those who live with them and know them personally. It’s like they depend upon the faith of the faith-filled rather than cultivate their own faith. I’ve known many Preachers children, great preachers and wonderful men and women of God, who’s own children’s faith is almost non-existent. I know they must be praying for them, witnessing to them and sharing Jesus with them constantly. But we must always bear in mind: “Remember there are no second-hand Christians in God’s Family.” We must all come to Saviour for ourselves. We are not Christians because our Grandmother or Mother was a believer. Perhaps Paul was wondering if Timothy really had been born-again of the Holy Spirit, he’d laid hands upon him to receive the gift, but wasn’t convinced it was a genuine conversion, because he’d not seen the evidence of it, but now he’s writing and he’s been persuaded and convinced (we don’t know how).

 

We do need faithful Mothers, Grandmothers, Brothers, Fathers, Sisters of the faith today; who’ll encourage family members, who’ll pray for their children and grandchildren, but who’ll also lead them to the Lord so that the children will be set on fire with love for Jesus too. 

 

My four year old granddaughter Leila is a natural evangelist. She lives in South London, in Thornton Heath, which is an area full of Muslims. She can identify a Muslim and said to me the other day, “That lady is a Muslim grandpa, but we’re Christians”. She was out shopping with her mother in Tesco and at the check-out asked the Teller “Are you a Muslim? I’m a Christian, I love Jesus. You should love Jesus too”… She’s only FOUR and is a bold as a lion. Her mother, my daughter, apologised for her and said to her, “You don’t ask people that!”. There’s NO second-hand faith in the family of God. Each and every individual needs to come on their own to Jesus Christ, in faith, in repentance and to take Him as their own Master, Lord and King.
 
I hope and pray that Timothy was faithful and continued in the faith, we just don’t know. Paul wanted him to “fan into flames” that gift of the Spirit. My friends, I want every Christian to be FULL OF FIRE OF THE LORD JESUS, AND FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

 

READ REVELATIONS:

No Second-Hand Faith in the Family of God.

Revelation 3:14-22 

14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15  I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16  So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17  You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realise that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18  I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so that you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so that you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so that you can see. 19  Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 20  Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. 21  To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

 

As Paul said, “God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”

 

My friends, the weekend is coming, keep going with Jesus, gather with the saints on Sunday, worship Him, Love Him, Serve Him. He’s with you, in you and will encourage you to keep going in the strength that He provides. Mothers, keep praying for your children, but lead them to the Saviour for themselves. Grandmothers, pray for your grand-kids that they’ll get the FIRE for themselves. The Church today desperately needs faithful, fire-filled Grandmothers and mums, dads and granddads.
 
Don.
 

Can also be read at St Luke’s Church Facebook Page.

 

Post by St Luke’s Church, West Norwood, London.

 

The Church Today Needs The Sincere Faith and Prayers of Grandmothers and Mothers. Dads and Granddads.

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Day 8: Tick Tock

Tick Tock

40 Acts Together
40 Acts Together

40 Acts Together. 40 Acts of Generosity.

Tick Tock: That’s the Sound of a Clock 🙂

You’ve probably all heard or used the phrases; “Time is ticking away” or “Time flies by” or “I can’t believe it’s March already” etc…

There is another saying, “Time stands still for no man”. You can’t STOP the clock and you can’t go back.

Lateness, without genuine reason, says ‘I’m more important than you’. If you’ve ever had to sit around waiting for someone who said they’d arrive half an hour ago, you’ll know how annoying it is. Set your alarm 15 minutes early, get organised the night before, and get there. On time.

How to use TIME to your advantage:

Plan it!

Be there ON TIME (Be early).

I don’t know why, but I hate being late, I’ll often arrive 10 or 15 mins ahead of important events. Sometimes if it’s a funeral, wedding or church service half an hour or an hour before if I’m leading or preaching.

I’ve noticed that many people don’t share the same TIME priorities as me. We’ve got lots of people in our fellowship from The West Indies: Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago. From Africa: Nigeria, Congo, Liberia, Kenya. We’ve got people from India and Sri Lanka. Europe and the UK… But we’ve ALL got different time perspectives; some don’t mind being late, even up to an hour late, in their cultrue, is not rude or disrespectful, whilst others have a much more rigid and inflexible attitude. What do you think? Is it right to keep people waiting?

I think in our busy lifestyle here in the UK, no matter what culture we’re from, we’ve got to be considerate of others. Because sometimes people are working hard and they’ve only got a very short amount of free time, so we’d better respect and honour one another with the way we handle time. I know I’ve kept some people in Church too long, but preaching for way too long sometimes and I’ve paid the price as people have stopped coming to church. We learn our lessons the hard way sometimes.

For more help on Keeping TIME: Click 40 Acts of Generosity.

Have an awesome Day.

Don.

Back to Start of 40 Acts of Generosity 

 

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As A Man Thinketh

Daily Spirit & Word, 444: “As A Man Thinketh”

As A Man Thinketh; So IS he. Prov 23:7
As A Man Thinketh; So IS he. Prov 23:7

Daily Spirit & Word, 444: “As a Man Thinks in His Heart, So IS He”

Principles and Precepts to Live By.

Good morning my friends, I was preparing my message from Daniel this morning and fell down a rabbit hole, not literally, but I was sidetracked by my study. Praise the LORD! I was thinking about the consequences of Nebuchadnezzar’s delusion; how he thought that by his own strength and will power he’s achieved the success and admiration of the whole world at the time. His foolish thinking led him to believe that he’d become a god, then God Almighty stepped in and revealed Himself to him. Finally Nebuchadnezzar repented and acknowledged God for who He is. That’s an awesome story from Daniel 4, read it again.
But then I was led to Proverbs and a little verse popped up in a side note; Proverbs 23:7 “For as the thoughts of his heart are, so is he: Take food and drink, he says to you; but his heart is not with you.” But it was only the words, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (KJV)
This little part of a Proverb has been used and abused for over a hundred years now, because from this verse sprang up the “Positive Thinking” movement. It was popularised in a little book by a man called James Alen, but the full effect of his writings didn’t even happen in his own lifetime, he died young. He wrote the little book “As A Man Thinketh” and it took off in the 20th Century. His main thesis was, “What you think about, so you are or become” Also that man (human beings) are the directors of their destiny. He called it a ‘Divine Law’. Was he right? Well we’ll look at that in a bit, but from his writings and the Positive Thinking Movement, it has infiltrated the church and so many are duped by the ‘spirit’ behind the movement. “You can have what you want if you just think the right way”…The POWER of Positive Thinking.
Many Pentecostal and even mainstream ministries are founded upon these principles: “Name it Claim it”, “Sow your seed, reap your harvest”, “Faith / Word Ministries” and most fully perverted in the false teaching behind the “Prosperity Gospel” in the messages of many prominent preachers today. Countless Millions of poor and foolish believers have poured their life savings into these ministries in the hope that if they just “sow their seeds”, they’ll become very rich indeed. Their conferences a full because there is such desperation, depravity and need in the world today and many want to become wealthy. You’ll also get others from this school of thinking that proclaim, through the power of positive thinking you can become “Healthy”, “Wealthy” and “Wise” of course they couch it in different terms and label it ‘Biblical’ to give it an authenticity, but the teaching has it’s roots, not in the Bible, but firmly and deeply embedded in the Positive Thinking Movement.
There IS and ARE Principles within God’s Word that we can live by, but you’ll normally see them in different places in God’s Word:
They’ll be illustrated in the Old Testament and Explained and Applied in the New.
Biblical Principles and Precepts will be Illustrated in the Old Testament and Applied and Explained more fully in the New Testament.
So is the precept / principle; “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he”, revealed in the lives of Old Testament Characters? Yes it is, obviously and many times too: Just think about Nebuchadnezzar. Did Jesus teach about this Divine Principle and Precept? Oh yes he did, He said, “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.” Luke 6:45

Does the New Testament further teach or apply this principle?

The most explicit verse for the Principle of Positive Thinking is
Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
If we take the teaching of the Proverb “what you think about you become” and Apply it to the Philippian reading we get;
  • When you think about TRUTH: You’ll become truthful.
  • When you think about Noble Things: You’ll become noble.
  • When you think about Right (Justice): You’ll become just yourself.
  • When you think about Purity: You’ll become pure.
  • When you think about Lovely things: You’ll become lovely.
  • When you think about Admirable Qualities in Others: You’ll become admirable too.
  • When you think about Excellence: You’ll become Excellent or you’ll excell in all you do.
  • When you think about what’s Praisworthy: You’ll become praiseworthy yourself.
Is this true? To see if these things are true, I encourage you to go back again to the Old Testament to see if these Principles based upon right thinking are true. Then when you’ve done that, go and look at what Jesus has said and then to the New Testament writings for application and teaching. You see what I’m saying, the Bible is consistent and if a principle or precept is from God it will be an ETERNAL principle throughout His Word.
Now we must look behind the motives and the teachings of those who tell us or encourage us to ‘Become Wealthy, Healthy and Wise.”… Also the more recent movements; “Success and Achievement”. They are all appealing to the FLESHLY side of Human Nature that’s within each and every one of us, it’s the spirit of the world, Satanic… Perhaps God does want you to become rich, but He never, ever tells us to have our thinking upon money or wealth, in fact the Bible teaches expressly the opposite. Think about what Jesus said in the parable of the man who wanted to build bigger barns to store his abundant grain. He also told us NOT TO WORRY about our life, “who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” He told us not to run after all these things, and He gave us the reason that answers the question; why? Because your Heavenly Father knows that you need them.
What should be our motivation and thinking then? To be with God. Our focus should be upon Jesus Christ and our Eternal Destiny.  When we get our focus and being right, we’ll soon notice false teaching. Most Christians KNOW; we shouldn’t store up things here on earth, but in heaven. We’ve got so much good we can do down here on earth every single day, that doesn’t cost a single penny to do. Are we living for God or are we living for ourselves. Be careful then, who you listen to and watch out when someone offers you and uncharacteristically generous gifts, because they may not be thinking at all about you, but about their own schemes and plans. I’ve had that myself and it does indeed, as the Proverb tells us, leave and very nasty taste in the mouth.
Here is the Proverb in full, look at the principle and the precept and live it, but beware of false teachers.
Proverbs 23:5-8
5  Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; They fly away like an eagle toward heaven.
6  Do not eat the bread of a miser (literally; one who has an evil eye or is a known covetous person), Nor desire his delicacies;
7  For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, But his heart is not with you.
8  The morsel you have eaten, you will vomit up, And waste your pleasant words.
Did you see it in context: He’s greedy, covetous, deceitful, miserly. When he’s offering you a gift that goes against his known character, you’ve got to ask yourself the question; “WHY?”… Don’t eat it or you’ll be sucked into his own, evil, plans for you.
Have an AWESOME Thursday my friends.
Stay close to Jesus and be filled with the Holy Spirit today.
From today’s message you’ll see why we need Jesus every day and the fullness of His Holy Spirit.
Repent and Confess ANY known sin in your own life.
If you’ve been duped by false teachers in the past, no matter how glossy and sparkly they looked, turn again to Jesus.
Trust ONLY Him and His Word.
Don.
Note: I’ve not named or shamed any false teachers here. Why? Because when your walking with Jesus every day you don’t need me to point them out to you, you’ll know in your Spirit that something is not right in what they are saying or doing. Get out of there quickly and follow the Spirit’s lead to a fellowship that follows Jesus and His Word and wants you to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Post by St Luke’s Church, West Norwood, London.
As A Man Thinketh: Was brought to you by Don Davis.
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Day 7: Where’s Your Treasure?

Day 7: Where’s Your Treasure?

40 Acts of Generosity, 40 Acts Together.

Being generous isn’t about what you have – it’s about what you do with what you’re given. Where’s your treasure? Because that’s where your heart is, too. Today, do an inventory analysis. What are you holding on to? Is there anything you need to hold a little lighter?

Where your Treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matt 6:19-20.
Where your Treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matt 6:19-20.

Jesus said, Matthew 6:19-21

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;
20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Wherever what you value in life is, there your heart will be also.

So many people get caught up in the things of this world, they are nothing, gold, silver, jewels and gadgets, property, fame and fortune. All of these things are nothing in God’s eyes, the love of this world is hatred towards God. So He encourages us to hold onto the things of this world with a loose grip, being ready to part with them and willing to serve Him with all we have. Is your everything at His disposal today? If God were to ask you for your precious; car, watch, trinket, etc would you be willing to part with it for use in His Kingdom business? Strip yourself of everything and you won’t be naked, for your Heavenly Father know what you need and is please to give it to you. He’ll also give the Kingdom to whomever seeks it first in life.

When our treasure is in Heaven, then the things that mere Earthlings value will be seen as utter foolishness to the Kingdom person. We know that God’s riches far exceed what the Earth offers, the luster of Heavenly treasure is more glorious by far. Store it up in Heaven. Give to the poor and provide purses for yourselves in Heaven. Nothing will ever be able to take your heavenly treasure away.

For more help with today’s focus 40 Acts of Generosity.

Let’s see how giving we can be with what the LORD has given to us.

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Where’s Your Treasure?

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Sermons That Will Make You Smoke With Holy Fire

Sermons That Will Make You Smoke With Holy Fire.

I’ve heard a LOT of Sermons in my life.

But here are a FEW that really speak to me today.

They’ll encourage you in your walk with Jesus.

David Wilkerson: Jezebel. (False Doctrine) Doctrine is Teaching.

The Prosperity Gospel is a Deception from Satan.

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.

 

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PRIDE says, “It’s ALL about ME”

Daily Spirit & Word: 443: PRIDE says, “It’s ALL about ME” = IDOLATRY.

PRIDE says, "It's ALL abut ME" = Idolatry.
PRIDE says, “It’s ALL abut ME” = Idolatry.

Daily Spirit & Word, 443: An EXAMPLE and A WARNING.

Why Was King Nebuchadnezzar Humbled?

Because he walked in pride of his own achievements.
Let what happened to him, be an EXAMPLE and a WARNING to us today.
Good morning my friends, I hope you all had a good night’s sleep and that you are now ready to start the day with the LORD. I’m finding fresh revelation for my own life as I meditate upon these words in the little book of Daniel, because as I look back over my past and think about the times that horrible, evil and testings trials have come, I realise they’ve happened for a reason. You see our God is a jealous God; He’s not satisfied with half-hearted devotion. It doesn’t matter how loud or enthusiastic our praise and worship is, how many times we declare something in prayer or how much time we devote to serving Him, if in some way there’s an attachment to sin in our heart it means we’re NOT walking with Jesus, God’s NOT got our fullness of love.
Daniel 4:28-37 
28  All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar.
29  Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon,
30  he said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?”
31  The words were still on his lips when a voice came from heaven, “This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you.
32  You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes.”
33  Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like cattle. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.
34  At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes towards heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honoured and glorified him who lives for ever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation.
35  All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No-one can hold back his hand or say to him: “What have you done?”
36  At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honour and splendour were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before.
37  Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.
Pride is a foolish thing: It’s so obvious that it brings God’s righteous anger, because it’s saying to God, “I don’t need you”. and “I can do it all without your help”. King Nebuchadnezzar’s self-priase reveals our own folly sometimes;
King Nebuchadnezzar’s Folly:
“Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?”
PRIDE says, “It’s ALL abut ME”
Which is Idolartry: Making yourself out to be a god.
Why was he doing everything in his life?  Nebuchadnezzar was living the dream for himself. He was serving SELF. And he was enjoying the fruits of his own labours.
Why was this foolish? Because he believed with all his heart that he’d achieved it all through his own cunning, intelligence, wisdom, strength, willpower, craftiness, inventiveness and skill.

The Folly of Sir Malcolm Rifkind.

It’s a bit like Sir Malcolm Rifkin. He’d served in many high positions in Government,
Sir Malcolm Rifkind, 68, was born in Edinburgh and worked as a Barrister before being elected as MP for Edinburgh Pentlands in 1974, representing the constituency until 1997.He was appointed to Margaret Thatcher’s first government in 1979, and joined the Cabinet in 1986 as Scottish Secretary.
In 1992 he became defence secretary in John Major’s Government, implementing widespread cost-saving measures to his department, and was made foreign secretary in 1995
Having lost his seat at the 1997 election, he returned to Parliament in 2005, representing Kensington and Chelsea in London, and made a short-lived attempt to replace Michael Howard as Conservative leader
As chairman of the Parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee, which oversees the UK’s intelligence agencies, he has been heavily involved in the debate over privacy and surveillance powers.
but was caught-out because he believed he could use his position of authority and power to influence the Government for his own ends. An investigative reporter working under-cover, in the guise of a Chinese investor offered him money.
Scandal Breaks: Sir Malcom Rifkind FALLS.
Later on when the Scandal broke after a Channel 4 Investigation: Rifkin said, “I did nothing wrong, I may have made errors of judgement, I deserve my high salary, because my life-style and education and track-record of service mean that I should be highly rewarded” WOWzer! This man actually thought it was OK to break the law and be rewarded for it. A man of such intelligence and obvious charm.
Can you see any similarities between Rifkind and Nebuchadnezzar?
Only 24 Hours after making these foolish statements, Rifkind was forced to resign (but protested that it was his own decision). He should have been booted out like Nebuchadnezzar. However to save the government embarrassment he decided to do the honourable thing and “Fall on his own sword”.
King Nebuchadnezzar’s downfall happened, whist the words were barely out of his mouth and it wasn’t the voice of a BBC Reporter with a Mic and TV Camera that revealed his punishment for PRIDE, it was the voice of the LORD from Heaven that said, “The words were still on his lips when a voice came from heaven, “This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you….”
PRIDE of LIFE: Will always lead to folly, because people get to thinking they’ve achieved it all by themselves, like Nebuchadnezzar and Rifkind and we’ll soon hear more about Jack Straw (The former Foreign Secretary also un-covered in the same investigation.). The foolishness is thinking that we’re the masters of our own destiny regardless of what God thinks. We meet so many people who’s lives reflect this attitude; “What I do has got nothing to do with God”, “The way I live is my own choice, I’m not accountable to anyone”… These attitudes are getting even more entrenched in our younger generations too, who think the world owes them and they deserve all they get without having to even work for it.
PRIDE of LIFE: Will always lead to a down-fall. 
PRIDE says, “It’s ALL ABOUT ME” 
What I want and what I want to do are OK. I’m not doing wrong. Look at the PRIDE marches in most major cities, they declaring that Homosexuality is OK and we’re proud of it. HOW FOOLISH can mankind become? When God has expressly shown it to be an abomination in His sight.
My friends, as Paul reminds us in Corinthians, let us be aware of our own-selves in this regard or we too may become conceited and think that we’ve achieved great things in life, because of our own efforts, cunning and skill too.
Rifkind, Jack Straw and Nebuchadnezzar were TEMPTED and they gave in to the temptation. But take courage and instruction from God’s Word on this folly.
1 Corinthians 10:11-13 EXAMPLES & WARNINGS.
11  These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfilment of the ages has come. 12  So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!
13  No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
So if you think you are standing firm, that you’d never be tempted, that you’d never cave in like those mentioned above or all the other examples in Scripture, let their DOWN-FALL be a RED LIGHT warning for you today to be CAREFUL YOU DON’T FALL.
My REVELATION TODAY: It’s funny how the LORD speaks, but He’s shown me today that PRIDE is the same SIN as Idolatry. Making a God to suit yourself: Even if that god is your-own-self. PRIDE of LIFE makes you your own god. Says to God I don’t need you, I bow down to myself.
Here’s how the REVELATION came:
Ephesians 5:5-7
5  For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person, such a man is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6  Let no-one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7  Therefore do not be partners with them.
God wrath comes on those who are worshipping themselves; SELF WORSHIP says, “There is NO God”, “I’m the Master of my own Destiny”. It’s Idolatry. Read this next little bit of the Bible very carefully:
Deuteronomy 8:10-18 (It’s Just like Nebuchadnezzar, Rifkind and Straw).
10  When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you.
11  Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day.
12  Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down,
13  and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied,
14  then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
15  He led you through the vast and dreadful desert, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock.
16  He gave you manna to eat in the desert, something your fathers had never known, to humble and to test you so that in the end it might go well with you.
17  You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.”
18  But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.
PRIDE says, “It’s ALL ABOUT ME”. But we can see that everyone will be held accountable before God one day, because, “It’s ALL ABOUT HIM”… 🙂
 Every blessing in Jesus.
What I’m learning from this today: Is just how much I NEED Jesus every moment, every day. How I need the Holy Spirit and His help to live just one moment in this world. Oh Lord I plead with you today to keep me from the folly of PRIDE of LIFE. Amen!
Be filled afresh today. I’m seeking the LORD.
Don.
 Can also be read on St Luke’s Chruch Facebook Page.

Post by St Luke’s Church, West Norwood, London.
Pride says, “It’s ALL about ME”.
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Day 6: Saying Thank You.

Day 6: Saying Thank You.

Day 6 of 40 Acts of Generosity. 40 Acts Together.

 

It was wonderful saying goodbye to my grandchildren this morning, they took the time to come and find me and say, “Thank you Papa for the lovely breakfast.” Little Leila also said, “Thank you Jesus for the Boiled Eggs”… She’s only four and puts a smile on my heart.

There’s nothing quite like a heartfelt and sincere “Thank You”. We all get those warm-fuzzies when people appreciate what we’ve done for them.

My friends, Don’t forget to say thank you today to everyone who does something for you. My wife travels to work by bus and every time she gets off she shouts out to the driver, “Thank you Driver”. One day it was pouring down with rain and she was quite a distance away from the Bus Stop, but the Driver recognised her and stopped the bus. That’s unheard of in London, they don’t normally stop the bus between stops to let people on. Julie was so thankful and showed her appreciation, she could have been soaked and would have had to wait ages for another bus to come along.

Being thankful brings God’s blessings into your life.

Be Generous, even if those around you don’t appreciated it. SAY “Thank you” as often as you can.

Have an awesome day and thank you for taking time to read this.

Don.

More Ways to SAY “Thank YOU!” today.

Back to Beginning of our Lent Focus. 40 Acts Together: 40 Acts of Generosity.

Do Lent Generously Surprise
Do Lent Generously
Surprise

 

 

 

 

 

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Nebuchadnezzar was to be CUT DOWN

Daniel Reveals the Meaning of the Dream
Daniel Reveals the Meaning of the Daily Spirit & Word, 442: The Meaning of the Dream Revealed.

Nebuchadnezzar was to be CUT DOWN until he acknowledges God Controls Everything.

Daily Spirit & Word, 442: Daniel Reveals the Meaning of the King’s Dream.

Good morning my friends, I’m back in the study now, it’s definitely getting lighter in the mornings. Spring is on the way with all the promise of new life after the deadness of Winter. In our reading in Daniel today you’ll observe that he interprets King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream for him, and I see some similarities between Winter and Spring or life without Jesus and the life of believer filled with God’s Holy Spirit.

 

Daniel 4:19-27

19  Then Daniel (also called Belteshazzar) was greatly perplexed for a time, and his thoughts terrified him. So the king said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its meaning alarm you.” Belteshazzar answered, “My lord, if only the dream applied to your enemies and its meaning to your adversaries!
20  The tree you saw, which grew large and strong, with its top touching the sky, visible to the whole earth,
21  with beautiful leaves and abundant fruit, providing food for all, giving shelter to the beasts of the field, and having nesting places in its branches for the birds of the air—
22  you, O king, are that tree! You have become great and strong; your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth.
23  “You, O king, saw a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump, bound with iron and bronze, in the grass of the field, while its roots remain in the ground. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven; let him live like the wild animals, until seven times pass by for him.’
24  “This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree the Most High has issued against my lord the king:
25  You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes.
26  The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules.
27  Therefore, O king, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue.”

Devon Hedge Layering
Devon Hedge Layering

In Devon and Cornwall they have a technique that keeps the hedgerows neat and tidy for a few years, before it needs to be repeated. They cut out the long thick and straggly branches of the boundary hedges until they are almost bear, and those that are left are partly cut, then forced down and kept in place with pegs. It looks terrible, you’d believe they’d killed the whole hedge when they are finished. However, this is an ancient practice and they know that within just a few weeks those dead branches will all burst forth into life again and after about four or five years, they’ll need to come back and repeat the whole process again. Some of those hedgerows are really ancient and they are host to countless forms of wildlife.

Devon Hedge Layering
Devon Hedge Layering

When a person like Nebuchadnezzar was cut down, you’d have been forgiven for thinking he’d never make it back again. Once a person has lost the plot and gone as wild as he was going to be, you’d normally think about locking them up and throwing away the key. Notice what it says he’ll be like in Daniel 4:25 “You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven…” Total Madness… But with God ALL Things ARE Possible.

Doesn’t that remind you of the Demoniac that Jesus encountered amongst the tombs?

Mark 5:1-20. The Healing of the Demon Possessed Man.

1  They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes.

2  When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil (unclean) spirit came from the tombs to meet him.
3  This man lived in the tombs, and no-one could bind him any more, not even with a chain.
4  For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No-one was strong enough to subdue him.
5  Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.
6  When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him.
7  He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won’t torture me!”
8  For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you evil spirit!”
9  Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.”
10  And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.
11  A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside.
12  The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.”
13  He gave them permission, and the evil spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.
14  Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened.
15  When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
16  Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well.
17  Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.
18  As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him.
19  Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”
20  So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed. 

  • Notice the similarity: He was wild, like an animal, and he ran and fell at Jesus feet.
  • Notice also what the unclean evil spirits acknowledged about Jesus: “”What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won’t torture me!”” They KNEW who Jesus was.

Nebuchadnezzar would be cut down and become possessed like a wild animal until: “Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes. The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules.”

He’d become wild until he repents and accepts that there is a much higher power than his own.

My friends, that’s what ALL human beings are like until they come to know and acknowledge and receive Jesus Christ as LORD of their lives. They are all like un-tamed beasts, wild and out of control. Well, at least they would be if the LORD had not been gracious enough not to let men go completely. You see God is still calling all men everywhere to come to Himself, to acknowledge that there is a Creator of ALL Things. As the Holy Spirit reveals to us in Colossians: Jesus sustains the whole universe. But look very carefully at this verse, for it tells us not only that Jesus created and sustains, but what WE Human Beings are like until we come to Him.

Colossians 1:16-23 The Supremacy of Jesus Christ.

16  For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.
17  He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
18  And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
19  For God was pleased to have all his fulness dwell in him,
20  and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
21  Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behaviour.
22  But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—
23  if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

Did you notice verse 21? “Once you were alienated (cut off) from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behaviour.”

Eveil Behaviour??? That’s a bit strong isn’t it? But we need to look upon the human heart from God’s point of view. He sees every act of sin and rebellion as ‘EVIL BEHAVIOUR’. Sin and Rebellion cut us off from God.

Though He sustains and keeps in perfect order the whole Universe; He also allows Mankind to choose if we are controlled or wild. We become wild and we get worse throughout our lives, until we regain the self-control that comes through the Holy Spirit. Thank God that He’s not let humanity go completely, but the fact remains we ALL need to come to Him to be restored to our right minds, the minds that God intended Human beings should have from the beginning when He made Adam and Eve.

Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, interpreted by a nervous Daniel, reveals what happens when we think we are the masters of our own destiny, that we are like a god to our own lives.

You’ll hear it many times in different ways from the Philosophers of this world: But they’re all saying the same thing: “You are the master of your own destiny”

In the film, “The Dead Poet’s Society” The well liked schoolmaster didn’t like the rules and traditions of the respected grammar school. He began to teach the boys they needed to take control of their own destiny, they looked at the existentialist poets who spouted such nonsense and the boys lapped it up with devastating consequences. It’s good story, but it reveals the world’s ways of thinking that we are better off without the shackles of faith, religion, decency, order, rules and regulations.

When a person gets renewed in the Lord Jesus Christ, the mind of Christ is imputed to us, we receive the mind of Christ, therefore we begin to think a behave as Christ did, in perfect obedience to His Father. We submit willingly to God’s order and we see His Ten Commandments differently, rather than rules to inhibit our enjoyment or life, we see them anew as liberation from the power, dominion and control of sin. When we submit and acknowledge Jesus Christ true freedom reigns in our hearts and lives.

Daniel revealed that Nebuchadnezzar would one day be restored to his position of Emperor King, once He acknowledged the KING of Heaven. We too will be lifted up once we humble ourselves before our Creator.

Life without Christ is like winter or a cut down hedgerow, but life with Jesus is truly AWESOME!

I can’t wait for Wednesday, when we go out into the streets of London to reach those who don’t yet know Christ as LORD. I want to see thousands come to experience the freedom and NEW LIFE that He brings.

Enjoy the blessings of the freedom you’ve been granted in Jesus Christ today.

Let’s endeavour to continue, as Paul reminded us in the Colossian reading above, continue in the faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Don.

 

NOTE: Can also be read on St Luke’s Facebook Page.

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40 Acts: Fair and Square.

40 Acts of Generosity: Day 5: Fair and Square.

 

 

Fair and square

Fairtrade Fortnight starts today here in the UK. Today’s act is a simple one to start the week: support the Fairtrade movement. Because everyone has the right to earn a fair wage for an honest day’s work.

The Bible teaches that a labourer deserves his wages.

You don’t mussle an ox.

You even feed the animals that work for you.

Take a look Here for some more ideas on how to help people get what they deserve.

In the UK you can support The LIVING WAGE campaign. People deserve to be paid at a level upon which they can not just survive, but thrive. Let’s make the UK a fair place to live.

God bless and keep being GENEROUS EVERY DAY.

May the LORD give you all the strength you need.

Don.

Do Lent Generously Fair and Square
Do Lent Generously: Fair & Square