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Word for Today:  February 7

It would be a close guess that out of the next five people you talk with, at least four of them will be hurting.

In pain.  Emotionally, physically, spiritually or financially.  Upset.  Wounded.  Heart-broken.  Desperate.  Wondering.  Wishing.  Hoping.

So, for the sake of these, we must know how to get results from the Word that will heal their hurts and solve their problems.

And it may be you.  You may be the hurting one.  If you are not hurting right now it is a good possibility that soon you may be.  What will you do?  What can you do?  What must you do?    For every Believer, God has provided a Way of escape.  Listen to the Word:

There hath no temptation (test, trial) taken you but such as is common (not unique or unusual) to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer (allow) you to be tempted (tested, tried) above that ye are able; (more than you can bear) but will with the temptation (test, trial)  also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 1Cor. 10:13

I like to read it this way:

 There hath no OPPORTUNITY been presented to you that is UNCOMMON (to a Believer)… God is faithful who will not allow you to be CHALLENGED with anything that will be IMPOSSIBLE for you to accomplish.  With every OPPORTUNITY, God will provide a way for you to succeed so that you will never suffer failure or defeat.  (Free translation)

Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.  Mr 9:23

Only Believe

Word for Today:  February 6

God wants you to Think Right.

Your biggest problem is a thinking problem.   In fact, you are the sum total of what you think (Pro 23:7).

Where you are, how you are and what you are are all determined by how you think.   What you will be is determined by how you think.     Successful living comes from successful thinking.    The highest quality of life comes from thinking and living out of a mind that is renewed by the Word of God.  The mind is renewed by Revelation Knowledge that comes from the Word.

Man is a Triune Being.  Just as God is revealed through the Mystery of the Trinity, man is understood through his triune nature.  Man is a Spirit.  Man has a Soul.  Man lives in a Body.  Therefore, man is (1) Spirit (2) Soul and (3) Body.

The Spirit is the Real man.  The Soul is the mind, will and emotions.  The Body is the physical, biological living tabernacle of flesh in which the Spirit and Soul lives.

Your Mind is the key to the Power that is in you.  That is why satan attacks the mind… he knows if he can get you think wrong or faint in your mind you cannot draw from the Power within.  (Eph 3:20)

When you faint in your mind:

• You forget what you know (the Word)
• You become caught up in the problem… you become moved by circumstance and situation
• Doubt is born and fear sets in
• You fall into this six-fold temptation:

1. Discouragement
2. Depression
3. Despair    (“Nothing will help… it will always be this way”)
4. Acceptance of Failure
5. Condemnation, guilt, inferiority
6. And ultimately, Death

And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;  Eph 4:23

The mind is where the battle is.

Word thinking guarantees victory

Word for Today:  February 5

The Word of God is True

It is perfect and it is complete.   It is from God and it tells us about God.  It was written by men who lived in the first century.  These men were inspired by God and they recorded exactly what God told them to write. This record has been preserved by the Holy Spirit and the Power of God through the centuries and we have it today… it is called the Bible and it is the Word of God.

It is more than just a book.  It is more than just an historical record.  It is more than literature.  It is the very Word of God and it is alive and full of Power.

It tells us about God.  It reveals the Nature of God.  It uncovers the mystery concerning God.

It tells us that God made Man in His own image

It tells us that man sinned against God.

It tells us that God sent His Son, Jesus, into the world to die in behalf of man and because of man’s sin.

It tells us that all men everywhere can be forgiven of their sin and restored to God through Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

The Bible, the Word of God, tells us how to live.  It tells us how we can live life abundantly.  It tells us how we can overcome hardships and change circumstances.     It tells us how to be happy and filled with joy in times of sadness and depression.  It guarantees us that we can win over any situation in life that is bad.

The Bible, the Word of God, tells us how to be well and not sick.  It tells us how to be healed from sickness and disease and infirmity.  It tells us how to overcome any adversity.

This is why you and I need to know the Word of God.  The Word of God is TRUTH and TRUTH has more power than FACTS.

When we know the Truth and do the Truth, the Truth will make us free.  John 8:32

The Word is GOD written down

Word for Today:  February 4

Never lose confidence in the work that God began in you.

Being confident (peitho; inward certainty) of this very thing, that He (God) which hath begun a good work in you will perform it (epiteleo; fulfill completely), until the day of Jesus Christ… Phil 1:6

You are Called, Selected, Elected and Chosen.  You are important and you are loved.  God has begun a work in you and He will complete it.  You are not what you were but you are not what you are going to be.

Always expect every situation to turn around for your good.

For I know that this (situation, circumstance, defeat, etc.) shall turn to my salvation, (Soteria; rescue, safety, deliverance, health) through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ… (Phil 1:19)

The battle is not yours… it is the LORD’S and He always wins.  Anytime, every time and all the time.

Never allow satan to intimidate you.

And in nothing terrified  (pturo:  to frighten, to scare) by your adversaries… Phil 1: 28

Where there is no fear there is no devil.  Perfect love “casteth out fear” and “fear hath torment” and “torment” is exactly where the devil lives.

Stay humble before God and expect Him to exalt you in due season.

(Jesus) made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant…. He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death… Phil 2: 7-8

The example Jesus set for us is awesome.  He literally became what we are in order for us to become Who He is.

Never let go of God’s Word… no matter how impossible things seem.

Holding  (Epecho: to pay attention to; to retain) forth the Word of Life, that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain neither labored in vain…  Phil 2: 16

God keeps His Word.  God honors His covenant.  God fulfills His promises.  God does what He says He will do.  You can trust His Word.

Never hang on to your past.  Keep reaching forward.

I c0unt not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before… Phil 3:13

Be Confident

Word for Today:  February 2

Demonstrate satan’s Defeat

 And having spoiled principalities and powers, He (Jesus) made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it…  Col. 2:15

God is a God of demonstration.

He is a God of power, authority and might.

He operates in great success and triumph.

We are called to demonstrate satan’s defeat…  satan is the illegitimate and illegal ruler of this world…  he is a defeated enemy.  he is a liar and a cheat.  he is a bigot and an intimidator.  he barks but Jesus has removed his bite.

We have been given Power over the devil and his demons.

And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils…  Mark 16:17

satan gets his power from ignorant Believers.  he cannot do what we will not allow him do.  We have been called into the kingdom to demonstrate satan’s defeat.  We have been saved to make an open show of satan’s limitations and to parade him before the world in an open display of his powerlessness.

We can do it because Jesus did.  Jesus destroyed the works of darkness once and for all.

satan’s defeat can be demonstrated daily by every believing believer.

he roars like a lion, but he’s toothless

Word for Today:  February 1

That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word…  Eph 5:26

It is the Word that is the washing and cleansing agent for the Church.

And the Word also the way to get our minds renewed.  When we do, we think right.  Wrong thinking always gets us in trouble.  Carnal thinking or natural thinking leads to death.  Spiritual thinking leads to life and peace.

For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Ro 8:6

When we renew our mind with the Word, we are enabled to think right.

Right thinking is Word Thinking.

To be spiritually minded is to think in agreement with the Word of God.  When our thinking is influenced by the Word, the world and the world system think we are unbalanced.  And Unlearned.  Or out of touch with reality.  Living in fantasy.  Foolish. And in some cases crazy.

The Word is so far above the world in Truth that when we live our lives by the Word, the world just can’t understand us.

We are Peculiar (I Pet 2:9)

Word for Today:  January 31

What we desire, we acquire.

Our life is governed and controlled by what we value.  Those things we value most occupy most of our time and energy.  Those things we value least are things that are generally ignored.  I am assuming that everyone has placed a very high value on Knowing God.  Notice the extremes in the Scriptures regarding things we value (love) and things we devalue (don’t care about).

Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ…   Phil 3:8

When Paul explained his Value System, he said compared to Knowing Christ, everything else he counted as loss and considered them nothing more than dung (nice word for a commonly used expletive).  Jesus touched on the vast chasm between Loving God and even loving family members…

If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. Lu 14:26

Compared to the Value placed on Loving God, the value placed on loving family members is almost off the page in the opposite direction.  Knowing God (really “knowing” in an intimate, intense and complete way) is the key to receiving and releasing the Gifts and Callings that have been given to us.

Knowing God is the way to receive “all things that pertain to life and godliness…”

According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge (epignosis: knowing with understanding) of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 2Pe 1:3 

He made known his ways (methods) unto Moses, his acts (deeds) unto the children of Israel.  Ps 103:7 

Understanding the “Ways” of God comes from Knowing God.

Understanding the “Acts” of God comes from Knowing About God.

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation (a disclosure of Truth) in the knowledge (epignosis: knowing with understanding) of him. Eph 1:17

Word for Today:  January 30

Restoration

Restoration of the Image of God is an established fact that takes place at the time of Conversion.

To be “in Christ” is to be “out of” Adam.

The restored Image (Righteousness) is what God sees when He looks at us.  Our death-doomed nature has been changed.  We have been “re-gened” (regenerated) with the genetic signature of our Heavenly Father.  God does not look on the sin of our “old man”, in fact, He does not even see them.  They have been removed as far as the east is from the west.  God does not remember them anymore.  (Psa 103).

The image of the Old Man is what satan wants us to see and what Religion shows us and keeps before us.  Any image that is less than the Image of God is to be “cast down”… “casting down imaginations…”   (2Co 10:5).

As we Act on the Image of God (our Righteous Nature) in us the Word becomes flesh.

We should See (know and be aware of) the Image of God that is in us.

And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear:   (blepo:  see what you hear).   (Mark 4:24)

When we see the Image of God in us we develop a concept of Righteousness… we become aware of our Righteousness and boldness and confidence is produced.

We are never to “cast away” our confidence.  (Put aside our concept of Righteousness).

Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. (Heb. 10:35)

Do not allow your “heart” to condemn you!

For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.  (1 John 3:20)  

 If you are Born Again, you have been Restored!  That which sin destroyed has been reestablished and transplanted into your spirit and you are now a “New Creation.”

Restored.  Recovered.  Redeemed.  Renewed.

Word for Today:  January 29

Go means go.

Go means to not stay.  Go means to not be still.  Go means to not retreat.  Go means to move.  God says go.  God is a Go God.  Not a stop God.  Not a stay God.  Not a retreat God, but a Go God.  Two-thirds of His name is GO.

Go means to do something.  Go means to start.  Go means to begin.  Go means get up.  Go means to move on.  Go means action.

You will have to have a special calling and a special revelation to stay because God has said “Go.”

If God says nothing, that does not mean stay.   He has already spoken and He has commanded us to GO.

He does not need to say it over and over again.

Let’s do this…

And he said unto them, Go…  Mark 16:15

Word for Today:  January 28

God Chose.

Man could never Know God unless God chose to reveal himself to man.

Our God so chose.  He wants us to KNOW HIM.  The real miracle of all ages is that God Revealed Himself to Man.  He continues to reveal Himself to us… we are continually discovering more about God and His Nature and His Redemptive Work and His Word and His Ways.

God reduced Himself to the common denominator of humanity so that we might know Him, love Him, be like Him and enjoy Him.

How can we find out about God?  How can we discover what God is really like?  Is our concept of God accurate?  Does what we know about God line up with the Word?  If God reveals Himself to man… how does He do it?

There are basically six ways God reveals Himself:

• Through the Word.
• Through JESUS CHRIST Who is the Perfect Revelation of God.
• Through the Church: The Body of Christ.
• Through miracles.
• Through individual believers. Every Believer is a reflection of God to the world.
• Through personal experience. How you experience Him in real life situations.

The fact that God, by and through His own Will, chose to reveal Himself to His Creation is a Miracle of the First Order and an indication of His immeasurable Love for you and me.

That I may know him…    Phil 3:10