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Word for Today:  November 10

The Church is important.

The Church is vital.

The Church is the world’s only hope.

God will use the Church to change the world.  I know this is possible because ONE CHURCH did change the world.  Forever and forever the course of human history was changed and impacted because of the influence and ministry of this One Church.

What God has done in the past He is certainly able and capable of doing today.

• God is the same.
• The Holy Ghost is the same.
• Jesus is the same.
• The Word is the same.

What the Church did in the past is proof that the church can do it today.  The Church of the Living God is the most POWERFUL FORCE on this planet.  Nothing and nobody can equal its power and its authority.

The Church is people.  It is not buildings of brick and mortar… it is not denominations and doctrines…. it is not man-made nor man-managed… It is not great architecture and beautiful services… It is more than structures on street corners.  It is People.  People are individuals… Individuals like you and like me.  Us.  We who have been Born Again and Birthed into the Kingdom of the Most High God.  We are the Church.  You are the Church.   The Church is present here today.   And anything that has ever happened “in the church” or “to the church” at any time in the past can and could happen today.   Why should we expect the Church to be anything less than what it is in Acts?

How can we be satisfied with what it is today if it is not what it was during its birth and early history?

It should do what it did.

It can do what it did.

It must do what it did.

It WILL do what it did

Word for Today:  November 9

Jesus came to reveal the Nature of God.

He came from Heaven to show us what God is like.  He came to earth to answer the question:  “What is God like?”  And He is the Perfect Revelation of God.  Jesus “condescended” and “made Himself of no reputation…” to reveal to you and me and all creation Who God is and What God is like.

The Incarnation of Christ is the greatest miracle of all time.

All the world can now know God and God’s Person, Nature and Character.

Jesus perfectly and completely reveals the Nature of our Father God.  He said:

 “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father…”

Jesus condescended to this earth and “made Himself of no reputation”   He “laid down” and literally “left in heaven”:

• His equality with God
• The Glory He shared with the Father in Heaven
• His Authority in Heaven
• His Divine attributes and outward powers

He “Emptied Himself” order to reveal the Nature and Character of God.  Jesus is the Perfect Revelation of God.

Philippians 2

6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery  (something to be grasped at)  to be equal with God:

7 But made himself of no reputation, (emptied Himself) and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Jesus came to earth and put a Face on God

Word for Today:  November 8

Jesus breaks the shackles of dead religion.

In spite of the horror of a world without God, Religion flourished.  Religion does not need God to flourish.  Most religion is without God anyway.  It is true today and it was true 2000 years ago.

In the Inter-biblical Period, (the time between the end of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New Testament) the Judiastic system continued on its path of rule and regulation and legalism.

Jesus makes us free.

• Free from dead religion and man’s traditions and denominational customs.
• Free from laws and rules and regulations.
• Free from bondage to carnal deacons, elders, ungodly church leaders and unscriptural church government.

Jesus said that we would and could know the Truth (the Gospel) and the Truth would make us free.   John 8:32

The Jews in Jesus’ day lived in total subjection to:

• The Law of Moses
• The sayings of the Prophets and
• The Writings that had been handed down from generation to generation.

There were 613 separate laws, commandments, rules and regulations that every Jew was required to obey and keep.   Every day.   That is why Jesus said of the Scribes and Pharisees:

“They bind heavy burdens and grievous to be born and lay them on men’s shoulders: but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers…”  Matt. 23:4

Jesus came from heaven to earth to break the shackles of dead religion.

• Religion builds walls. Jesus builds bridges.
• Religion separates. Jesus joins together.
• Religion kills.

Jesus gives Life

Word for Today:  November 6

Checkers

Even though our Christianity is not a game, some of the same rules tend to apply.

For Example, our spiritual growth is kind of like playing checkers.  Remember, the object is to get yourself to the King Line and get a crown. You take your turn.  And you get there one square at a time.  But it had better be The Right Square.  The wrong square will get you jumped, captured, defeated, taken off the board and put into the enemy’s hand.

Once you get “crowned” you have more mobility.  You have more authority.  More power.  More effectiveness.  More freedom.  More opportunities.  But you still must move with wisdom.  Even a king in the game of checkers can be jumped if he is careless.

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

Be sure you make the Right Move today

Word for Today:  November 5

What pleases God?

What is it that really pleases God?  What one thing brings Him the most pleasure and fulfillment?  What gives Joy to the Lord?

When we receive to the fullest measure what He has freely provided, God is pleased.

Our acceptance of and confidence in His Covenant moves us into the place of receiving the Kingdom and all Kingdom benefits and provisions.  This is what brings joy to the father.

  …for the joy of the LORD is your strength.  Neh 8:10

The Joy in this verse is referring to the Joy God receives  (as well as us) when He sees us living in and receiving  the Supernatural Strength which comes from the blessings and benefits of our Salvation.

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.   Lu 12:32

Word for Today:  November 4

The Heart of Scripture.

The heart of revealed Scripture is prophetic and messianic in nature.  God promised our deliverance from sin’s control and dominion in the first Book of the Bible.

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Gen. 3:15

The moment Adam sinned, God immediately set in motion a Plan to redeem His Dream.  Here God promises to do Something to bruise the head of satan.

The “It” that will bruise satan’s head is the seed of a woman.  That Seed is Jesus.  The bruise that satan renders to the Seed of woman is the Crucifixion and death of Jesus.

Here in the very beginning of the written Word, God accurately prophecies that Jesus will come to earth and do something about the devil.

It will take God’s immeasurable Grace and the Obedience of His Immaculate Son… and

a Calvary and a Cross

Word for Today:  November 3

The Seed of God produces the Kingdom of God.

The Kingdom of God is in the Seed of God.  Just as the oak tree is in the acorn, the Kingdom is in the Seed of God.  Just as the apple tree is in the apple seed, the Kingdom is in the Seed of God.   Just as the corn stalk is in the grain of corn, the Kingdom is in the Seed of God.  Just as the mustard tree is in the mustard seed, the Kingdom is in the Seed of God.   The Seed of God is the Word of God.  Therefore, the Kingdom is in the (Seed) Word.

 Fear not little flock, for it is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.  Luke 12:32.

God pleases to give us the Kingdom and He gives it to us in Seed form which is the Word.  What is the Kingdom?   (Basileia) The Kingdom of God is the Rule of God, the Realm of God and the Will of God.

Jesus said when the Gospel of the Kingdom is preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations, then shall the end come.  (Mat 24:14)  We have the Seed.   We have the Seed of the Kingdom of God.  Now, where is the Seed located?

It is where we choose to put it.  If we choose Jesus as Lord, God supernaturally places the Seed of the Kingdom in us.  If we have not chosen Jesus as Lord, the Seed of the Kingdom remains outside.

And ye have not His Word (Seed) abiding in you: for whom He hath sent, Him ye believe not… (John 5:38).

But if we are saved, it is IN US.

 …because ye are strong, and the Word of God   (Seed of God) ABIDETH IN YOU, and ye have overcome the wicked one.”  I John 2:14.

If the Seed of God is in us then the Kingdom of God is in us.

Neither shall they say Lo, here!  or lo, there!  For behold, the Kingdom of God is WITHIN you.  Luke 17:21

Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us… Eph 3:20

Anything, everything and all things that God has is in the Seed.  If you are Born Again the Incorruptible Seed is in you.  I Pet 1:23   Therefore, Anything, everything and all things that God has is inside you in seed form.

Remember… the tree is in the seed.  The seed will grow and produce IF the ground is right and if the environment is right.  The devil and all the powers of darkness cannot prevent the Seed from growing because the Life of God and the Power of God is in the Seed.

And that Seed is in you

Word for Today:  November 2

Today thou shalt be with me in Paradise…  Luke 23:43

Here a guilty criminal simply asks Jesus to:  “Remember me when You come into your kingdom…”

• He was not a “church” member.
• He had not been baptized in water.
• He had no character and no good reputation.
• He had run with the wrong crowd.
• He had broken the Law.
• He had violated decency and destroyed that which was innocent and good.
• He was guilty.
• He was worthy of death.

And justice had caught up with him.

Now… this common criminal understood and received what the Jewish Nation and organized religion was blind to comprehend.  Jesus is no respecter of persons!  He loves criminals and drunks and prostitutes and homosexuals and thieves and robbers and murderers… He is color-blind!  He is LORD OF ALL!  He is compassionate and kind and loving and forgiving.  His kingdom is open and available to “whosoever shall call on the Name of Jesus…”

How odd that God would choose a murderer as the initial trophy of His Divine Grace… cleansed, restored and made acceptable by the Blood of Jesus.

“Grace, Grace, Marvelous Grace…”

Word for Today: November 1

Agape is the God-kind of love.

It is characteristic of God and it is totally self-less.  It is a deliberate assent of the will… it is released by choice.  This kind of love is the underlying characteristic of God and it is this kind of love that is imputed to every believer at the time of Regeneration.  Paul said (in 1 Corinthians 13) that Love (Agape) is more important than:

• Speaking in Tongues
• the Gift of Prophecy
• Understanding (revelation)
• Mountain-moving Faith
• Giving to the poor
• Dying a Martyr

Love is an affection and not an emotion.  Love is a choice.  Love is a decision you make.  Love is deliberate.  Love is active.  Love moves from Word to deed.

• Love is not impatient but, instead, longsuffering.
• Love is not envious of others.
• Love is not self-centered, proud, haughty or puffed up.
• Love is not conceited.
• Love is not rude or crude.
• Love is not touchy or fretful or resentful.
• Love takes no account of the evil done to it.
• Love does not rejoice at the failures of others.
• Love believes the best of every person.
• Love bears up under anything that comes.
• Love endures every hardship without weakening. (1Cor 13 Amp)

The opposite of love is not hate… it is selfishness.  The most important product of the Christian faith is Love.  It has more significance and substance than anything that anyone can do, say or profess.  It is the primary characteristic of our faith and our salvation.  The incredible thing is we can all do this.  We can all choose to love.   It is not restricted to some high level of Christian achievement or some special gift from God.  The God-Kind of love is imputed into every believer and every believer has the privilege of giving it away.  And this One Thing will change everything.

Love never fails

Word for Today:  October 31

Jesus as a Perfect Man

ALL the miracles that Jesus performed while He was on earth were performed by a Human Being Full of the Holy Ghost and Power.  What He did… we can do.  (John 14:12)  What He accomplished as a Man, we can accomplish as men and women full of the Holy Ghost and living in that anointing.

He spoke to storms and they stopped.  He spit and made mud from it, put it on blind eyes and they were opened.  He confronted demon powers and they feared and trembled and begged for mercy.  He touched crippled and broken bodies and they were made whole.   He spoke healing to the sick and diseased and they were healed.  He received sinners and had mercy on the guilty.  He loved the unlovable and had compassion on the masses.  He raised the dead… cleansed lepers… resisted the devil… opened graves… interrupted funerals and restored the dead to their families…   He made wine out of water… friends out of enemies… peace out of confusion and torment… joy out of sadness and Heaven out of hell…  And then He told us that:

greater works than these shall ye do; because I go unto my Father… John 14:12.

Jesus is our Example.  Jesus is our Pattern.  Jesus is the guarantee that we can overcome the devil and take dominion over the powers of darkness.

What He did… He has enabled us to do