DARE TO SHINE HIS LIGHT ON PRIORITIES
By Kenneth Copeland
Think how great it would be if you had one thing on your to-do list today…. That might be hard to imagine with Christmas right around the corner.
What if that one thing would put you and keep you in the perfect will of God, guarantee your success, and empower you to be BLESSED and a BLESSING every day of your life?
Sounds great, doesn’t it? But to most people (Christians included) it also sound too good to be true. “My life is complicated and demanding,” they say. “I have to earn a living. I have to take care of my family and fulfill my responsibilities at church. I have a lot of different priorities. I can’t tend to just one thing!”
From the world’s perspective, such statements make sense. But according to the Bible, that’s not how God sees it. He says we have just one priority: “My son, attend to my WORDS” (Proverbs 4:20)
What does it mean to attend to God’s WORD? It means we put it first and make it final authority in our spirit, soul, body, finances, and everything we do every day. It means we always take time to hear what THE LORD is telling us so we can say and do whatever He tells us to.
In short, it means we hang on to Jesus’ every word. …..When we make that one thing our priority, everything else falls in line.
“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14
“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son and they will call him Immanuel, which means, “God with us.” Matthew 1:21
In Biblical times names carried a meaning and was clearly understood. In Matthew 1:21 we read, “And she will bring forth a son and you shall call His name JESUS, for he will save his people from their sins.” The name Jesus means “YHWH saves” or “the Lord saves.” a very appropriate name for that is exactly what Jesus came to do.
We read prophecies in the Old Testament that gave many names for the coming Savior. Isaiah 7:6 “And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace. Even though Jesus was not given those names at birth they would be characteristic of Him.”
Christmas is a time that reminds us of the greatest gift that was ever given to mankind. The gift that keeps on giving and giving. For God so love the word that He gave and when He did he gave the best he had.
DARE TO SHINE HIS LIGHT ON JOY
By Gloria Copeland
Are your holidays lacking the real joy you know the season should bring? Even in what’s supposed to be the most wonderful time of year, we can face situations that seem custom-designed to steal all the joy out of Christmas and life.
Financial pressure. Family dynamics. Work situations. Health concerns. These are all things that try to steal our joy every day of the year.
The world will tell you that it’s impossible to feel joyful or happy all the time, especially in the midst of challenges, and if you do, something must be wrong with you.
Well, the world is wrong again, because the Bible says something different. The Bible says the the joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10), and without this joy, we won’t be able to live the blessed life God has planned for us at Christmas, or any other time of year.
That strength we find in Him gives us the power to overcome trials and great obstacles in our lives.
That’s what makes joy so crucial. You can’t live a life of faith without being strong in the Lord–and when God wants to make you strong, joy is what He uses to do the job.
The joy of the Lord is not dependent upon your circumstances–it comes from your spirit. When the truth in God’s Word gets down into your spirit, the truth will set you free from bondage, depression, and fear.
JOY STEALERS–Depression, Fear, and Unforgiveness–-Choose to be full of joy.
For as the rain and snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth, Making it bear and sprout, And providing seed to the sower and bread to the eater, So will My word be which goes out of My mouth; It will not return to Me void (useless, without result), Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:10-11
In school I remember being taught about the water cycle. I don’t remember them telling me it was God who created this awesome thing called the water cycle. Refreshing our memory on how the water cycle works: the rain falls down to the earth through precipitation; it waters and feeds the earth. Then through the heat of the sun it evaporates and rises again. As the air cools, condensation occurs and clouds are formed. This continues until the clouds eventually drop their load through precipitation again and the cycle continues. What is the impact of this cycle on the earth? This rain cycle created by God causes the earth to bud and flourish. Crops planted grow, the grass grows, the gardens planted grow, flowers burst forth in beautiful blooms.
The Word in Isaiah 55:10-11 tells us that just as there is a water cycle that goes forth to water the earth and will accomplish its purpose so does His Word that goes forth out of His mouth will accomplish His purpose. There is a natural water cycle and there is a cycle for the Word of God to bud and flourish. God has given us an example of how the water cycle operates in the natural for us to visualize how His Word (seed) operates in the spiritual realm. Just as the the earth is receptive and effective by the rain for the soil so is the Word (seed) of God when sowed in good soil.
God’s Word is the seed of His blessing’s. The seed is the word of God and the ground is our hearts. If we want His blessings to bud and flourish in our lives, we must do it His way. We honor God’s Word, keep that Word in our heart and then confess it’s truth with our mouths. We then will see the Word accomplishing its purpose. God’s Word brings life and will give life to those who choose to receive it.
In the parable of the sower Jesus said, “The seed is the Word of God.” (Luke 8:11)
A seed does nothing until it is planted. A sack of seed sitting on a shelf is just that a sack, of seed. The nature of that seed is there and in order for it to produce it has be taken off the shelf and planted in good soil.
God works in the hearts of His people through the Word that we put in our hearts. If we desire the Word to be productive in our lives, we must decide to plant the Word in our hearts and minds. God’s power is released through His Word. The reason the enemy attacks the Word is because the Word or the seed is full of power. God did not give us His word for it to be inactive in our lives. We have been given the Word of God which is the very life and power of God. When we put the Word in our heart, it gives God something to work with. As we partner with God and give Him permission to work in our lives, He will produce everything that is in the Bible on the inside of us. It is God’s will for us to understand and know that His Word (the seed) can accomplish great and mighty things in our lives.
The Word of God (the Bible) laying on a table has within it power to bring life. But until it is picked up, opened up, and looked unto it will be just another Book laying on the table. But once the Bible (the word, the seed) is picked up, opened and planted in our hearts on good soil than we will began to see great and mighty things happening in our lives for the glory of God.
His Word (seed) has been given to us to produce the Kingdom of God in us and through us. The Power of the Seed—
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