December 25 is the day the Christian church celebrates the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. His birth was prophesied over 800 before it took place. A multitude of heavenly host praising God to shepherds (the lowly working man of their time) that Jesus was born in a manger in Bethlehem (the bread of life was born in the house of bread.) Astrologers (the magi) followed His own personal star to come & worship Him who was born the King of the Jews. Herod was so ticked & filled with fear & anger that he had all male children under two years of age killed, do you think he was a bit paranoid or what? All this because of a baby, hard to understand or even comprehend.
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" For God so loved the people of the world (non believers) that He gave (an act of sacrificial love) His only begotten Son. The world we live in is self centered, actually self consumed, with the only time they give is within a give to get mindset.
Jesus left His rightful place in glory to come to this earth out of an act of obedience to His Father. Remember John 1:1 states In the beginning was the Word & the Word (Jesus) was with God & the Word was God. Jesus knew He was leaving His rightful place in glory to ultimately be curcified on the cross for the sins of the world (yours, mine & the entire worlds sin.)
But these acts of sacrificial love & obedience gave all of mankind the opportunity to have forgiveness of their sins.& live eternally in glory with the Godhead & all the saints of all time.
When this babe in the manger grew up He only ministered 3 1/2 years, never travelled more than 200 miles & yet affected history more than any king, ruler or dictator. Many have even vowed to wipe out every Christian they meet & the Bible they believe in. Many religious & worldly rulers have tried to rule by violence & fear yet in total contrast everything Jesus did was motivated by the love of God.
When He was on the sight of what would have been the stoning of the woman caught in adultery He was asked "Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned,. But what do You say?' He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first." One by one they dropped their stones & Jesus was alone with the woman "Has no one condemned you?" No one, Lord. and Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you, GO AND SIN NO MORE." He did not compromise the law, did not condemn her, but rather gave her the opportunity to change her ways & live a righteous sin free life.
He witnessed a funeral procession with a widow weeping for her only sons death. Out of compassion He raised her son from the dead. Gods love is filled with compassion for others, which will always be followed by action (initially in prayer.)
When He set the man free who was demon possessed by a legion of demons, this man wanted to go with Him but Jesus said, "go to your friends & tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you."
John 3:17 Jesus did not come to condemn the world but to save it. To rescue you, to deliver you from life circumstances. What a merciful Savior whose love knows no bounds. Yes we will make mistakes, make wrong choices, feel as failures, Jesus is still there with His hand extended to you.
Does love judge? Not according to His Word. Let us look at just a couple of scriptures, God is love! Love never fails! Love conquers all! & the scripture I have chosen 1 Peter 4:8 And above all things have fervent love, for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins." Some automatically think hiding sin does not help a person turn from it. What this scripture means we have no right to talk of some one else's sins of yesterday, possibly even today. We have the right to pray for them, possibly encourage them in a different direction. One of our old congregation members was a native lady who once said to me "how can they judge me pastor, when they have not walked a mile in my moccasins?"
1st Timothy 1:15,16 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief (Paul.) However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.
To me the word longsuffering is key to the above scripture. My explanation for longsuffering is when your patience is exhausted then longsuffering kicks in & Gods love is totally encompassed within this singular word for me. Know matter how much we screw up, God is still on the throne. The words mercy & kindness can often be interchanged, because they both mean His LOYAL LOVE toward you & I.
We are to share the hope we have within us with others. We are to love on them (unconditionally)again not condemn them by our judgmental words. We are to speak life (the word) into their lives & life situations.
The word "believe" can be found 165 times within the new testament. A missionary in Africa was trying to translate the bible into a native dialect but he could not find anything to explain the word believe. Messages were sent by runners through the jungle & when one of these messengers came to him exhausted he fell into a bed & exclaimed a word which the missionary had never heard before & this is what it meant "I am resting all my weight here!" For the missionary he had his answer & for me I now have my definition for the word believe.
Final prayer "I would pray that by the power of the Holy Spirit that we would exchange our self centered attitudes for heartfelt words & deeds to our brethren & to the hurting world that surrounds us. Merry Christmas to one & all. I would pray that you would experience health, prosperity & a fruitful life in all areas in this upcoming New Year. But above all I pray you will experience Gods love afresh & anew.
Ken Gorham a servant of the Lord 1-613-479-0233
Wednesday, 26 December 2012
Tuesday, 28 August 2012
Stubborn as a Mule
A mule is a hybrid mix, horse & donkey & most are characterized as stubborn. The Lynn McKenzie "Gag & Hack" bit was specifically designed to bring hard headed horses & mules into submission. The rider pulls on the reigns & the bit tightens up like a vise on the mouth & nose under the chin & the bit inside the mouth exerts painful pressure in the mouth on the tongue & even the gums. It makes rebellion & disobedience so painful that after training most horses & mules wouldn't need that bit ever again. The mule is quick to learn obedience is better than pain & they soon learn to obey even the lightest touch.
Some people have also been known to be a tad stubborn, another applicable word may be bullheaded. Stubborn---self-willed, rebellious, unwilling to take direction, obstinate. Perversely adhering to their opinion in spite of reasoning arguments or persuasions. Like why would they allow the truth to get in the way? Sound somewhat familiar, you are in good company.
In Acts 9:1-6 we read how Saul (who later became the Apostle Paul) ran into a Holy Ghost "gag & hack." The Holy Spirit slipped it right over his eyes and nose, his mouth slammed shut, air supply cut off--fell to the ground as if struck by lightning. As an end result Saul acknowledges the Master he had claimed was an imposter "Lord, what do You want me to do?"
But why Saul? In Acts 7:51-60 we read how Saul was at Stephens final sermon "The Call of Abraham." Saul was a witness to Stephens stoning & death. He had heard the message of Christ Stephen shared, & he felt conviction. Listen to the final words of Stephen & see if they are not somewhat familiar "Lord do not charge them with this sin!"
The conviction of the Holy Spirit is oftentimes uncomfortable, it goes against our old evil worldly nature, old mindsets & old carnal fleshly selfish ways. God uses people, circumstances, trials & tribulations & even allows pain (C.S. Lewis Pain is God's megaphone)& sickness into our lives, to show us we've been pulling away from Him. He jabs, prod's, convicts & corrects because He loves us. God is trying to cure you of your rebellion so you can get on with your destiny in this life.
This is for Christian & heathen alike, some people are MASTER PROCRASTINATORS. Procrastination is the devils chloroform! How many times do we need to be convicted of the need for us to change? Don't believe your own excuses as within every excuse is at least one lie! Soften your heart, say yes to God & look to heaven for help.
How many times do we need to be convicted of the need for us to change. Listen to this excuse, I'm waiting for God to show me, to change me, to speak to me in an audible voice. Actually He's waiting to hear from you in an audible voice--He did it all at the cross of Calvary--it's now your turn.
God is longsuffering! He is more than just a merciful God, He is totally just and justice means you get what you deserve. For some the day will come that He will turn a deaf ear to their plea's. When He will put away their bridle & bit and turn them out into that hellish pasture they think so much of. I pray you are not one of them! For God is not willing that any should perish but all come to the place of repentance.
Food for thought!
Ken Gorham a servant of the Lord
Some people have also been known to be a tad stubborn, another applicable word may be bullheaded. Stubborn---self-willed, rebellious, unwilling to take direction, obstinate. Perversely adhering to their opinion in spite of reasoning arguments or persuasions. Like why would they allow the truth to get in the way? Sound somewhat familiar, you are in good company.
In Acts 9:1-6 we read how Saul (who later became the Apostle Paul) ran into a Holy Ghost "gag & hack." The Holy Spirit slipped it right over his eyes and nose, his mouth slammed shut, air supply cut off--fell to the ground as if struck by lightning. As an end result Saul acknowledges the Master he had claimed was an imposter "Lord, what do You want me to do?"
But why Saul? In Acts 7:51-60 we read how Saul was at Stephens final sermon "The Call of Abraham." Saul was a witness to Stephens stoning & death. He had heard the message of Christ Stephen shared, & he felt conviction. Listen to the final words of Stephen & see if they are not somewhat familiar "Lord do not charge them with this sin!"
The conviction of the Holy Spirit is oftentimes uncomfortable, it goes against our old evil worldly nature, old mindsets & old carnal fleshly selfish ways. God uses people, circumstances, trials & tribulations & even allows pain (C.S. Lewis Pain is God's megaphone)& sickness into our lives, to show us we've been pulling away from Him. He jabs, prod's, convicts & corrects because He loves us. God is trying to cure you of your rebellion so you can get on with your destiny in this life.
This is for Christian & heathen alike, some people are MASTER PROCRASTINATORS. Procrastination is the devils chloroform! How many times do we need to be convicted of the need for us to change? Don't believe your own excuses as within every excuse is at least one lie! Soften your heart, say yes to God & look to heaven for help.
How many times do we need to be convicted of the need for us to change. Listen to this excuse, I'm waiting for God to show me, to change me, to speak to me in an audible voice. Actually He's waiting to hear from you in an audible voice--He did it all at the cross of Calvary--it's now your turn.
God is longsuffering! He is more than just a merciful God, He is totally just and justice means you get what you deserve. For some the day will come that He will turn a deaf ear to their plea's. When He will put away their bridle & bit and turn them out into that hellish pasture they think so much of. I pray you are not one of them! For God is not willing that any should perish but all come to the place of repentance.
Food for thought!
Ken Gorham a servant of the Lord
Sunday, 12 August 2012
The Call to Evangelism
Revive us oh Lord! Revive=to breathe new life into. Revival is the Lords work, our job is to pray revival down from heaven! Nothing breathes new life into a church more than new converts! Today much of the soul winning is being done by the parachurch. There is a danger in this, as these new converts need to be discipled & that is the job of the church. If not discipled they will go back into their former lifestyle or worse yet the cults will scoop them up.
The church drastically needs revival before our new converts show up in church, why? If you study out sheep you will find if a young ewe lays down in a plush piece of pasture an old ewe will come and butt it out. Same within our congregations, jealousy can arise as God uses these new converts. What happens when a stranger enters into our church, stares & whispers, especially if they have a reputation within the community (wonder what they are here for.) Let me see now I believe an applicable scripture would be JUDGE NOT & YOU WILL NOT BE JUDGED! For true revival to happen the church has to repent & get on with doing the Lords business. New people to a service should draw a crowd of well wishers, introducing themselves & offering fellowship.
What is evangelism? Christ in action now! Jesus primary or supreme mission was to come & seek & save the lost. He in turn has given His church the Great Commission. Are we reaching the lost, not really, when the average church sees less than one new convert per year. I recently read a book "Evangelize or Fossilize" by Henry Lockyer 1938 wowser wowser what spiritual insight they had into the church way back then. What a prophetic message (warning) to the church of today. For an example a fossilized piece of wood looks exactly the same as when it was alive but now it has no life in it. Many of our churches are drawing dangerously close to becoming fossils of what used to be vibrant churches. What's happened?
Ephesians 4:11,12 And He Himself (Jesus) gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. These men & women are anointed by the Lord Jesus Christ to build up the body of Christ that we can all minister His gospel to the church & to the world. Evangelists are anointed of the Lord as soul winners but part of their calling is to TRAIN UP & ENCOURAGE to win souls. Charles Price Every Christian is in full time ministry unto the Lord, no matter his or her occupation. How else can the church grow?
Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, because you have rejected knowledge WE THE CHURCH ARE NOT DOING IT THE JESUS WAY!
No evangelist, little soul winning & no teaching on the necessity of leading others to Christ!
I look to Luke 5:1-11 for the call to evangelism In vs 4 Jesus tells Simon Peter to launch out into the deep & let down your nets for a catch. vs 5 Simon answered and said to Him "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net." He could have said hey Jesus remember you are the carpenter I am the fisherman BUT he did not. In all likelihood Peter & the other fisherman fished the shallows where the fish are at night time. In the daytime they move back into the depths where they can not be seen & the water is cooler. Is this not an example of how the church has toiled night & day trying to evangelize to no avail. Spent time effort & money yet coming up empty NO NEW CONVERTS. In vs. 6 we find they caught a great number of fish & had to signal to their partners to help them. And they came & filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. Unity & one accord within the brethren BETWEEN DIFFERENT CHURCHES, wow what a unique idea. In vs 8 Simon Peter fell down at Jesus knees "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!" When we come face to face with the reality of the ALL POWERFUL GOD we serve we are humbled & see clearly our sinful shortcomings. vs. 9 tells us they were astonished by the catch, I personally believe if we apply what we have learned here we too will see a harvest of souls. Submission & obedience, unity & one accord, humility not pompous arrogance, He told them not to be afraid He would make them fishers of men. No more fear of what others would say, no more focus on the every day mundane things of life, they are at that moment of receiving His call (they forsook all) servants of the Most High God Jesus is His name, hallelujah! Evangelism for a Christian is to be as natural as breathing!
Matthew 9:37,38 Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers in His harvest."
Every move of God is birthed in prayer, fueled by prayer & stops when the prayer stops. Recently on heard Ron Mains say "Do we pray with the same fervency for others as we do for ourselves in our times of need? For the lost, the addicted, the prostitutes, terrorists, cultists, politicians are you getting the pic yet?
Are we willing to give of our time, finances or possibly inconvenience ourselves to see others come to Christ. David Brainerd "I cared not where or how I lived or what hardship I went through as long as I could gain souls for Christ!" I can tell by your faces you think this is too extreme, no what Jesus went through for you & I that was extreme.
To evangelize we must have spiritual eyes to see the heart needs of others. We must take time to listen to the hurts of their hearts through their words & then minister according to the leading of the Holy Spirit. He is our guide and knows who, when & how others will be led to Jesus. A word in due season, an act of kindness or compassion, a testimony of the transforming power of the gospel of Jesus Christ or possibly just a listening ear.
Are we willing to stick our necks out & get involved in other peoples lives? Jesus was willing, He was rejected, falsely accused, scourged & crucified on the cross of Calvary in our place. His call comes to us today Isaiah 6:8,9 Also I heard the voice of the Lord saying: "Whom shall I send; and who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."
Do you truly know the love of God in your heart--not a head knowledge of His word but His love for our fellowman in your heart! Let us pray a simple prayer "God please allow me to experience a deeper level of your love today."
This is a portion of an evangelism teaching I am preparing for the body of Christ. I personally believe the vast majority of Christians desire to see souls come to Christ but do not have a clue on how to do it. Food for Thought!
Blessings as always
Ken Gorham a servant of the Lord
e-mail kc_gorham@xplornet.com or phone 1-613-479-0233
The church drastically needs revival before our new converts show up in church, why? If you study out sheep you will find if a young ewe lays down in a plush piece of pasture an old ewe will come and butt it out. Same within our congregations, jealousy can arise as God uses these new converts. What happens when a stranger enters into our church, stares & whispers, especially if they have a reputation within the community (wonder what they are here for.) Let me see now I believe an applicable scripture would be JUDGE NOT & YOU WILL NOT BE JUDGED! For true revival to happen the church has to repent & get on with doing the Lords business. New people to a service should draw a crowd of well wishers, introducing themselves & offering fellowship.
What is evangelism? Christ in action now! Jesus primary or supreme mission was to come & seek & save the lost. He in turn has given His church the Great Commission. Are we reaching the lost, not really, when the average church sees less than one new convert per year. I recently read a book "Evangelize or Fossilize" by Henry Lockyer 1938 wowser wowser what spiritual insight they had into the church way back then. What a prophetic message (warning) to the church of today. For an example a fossilized piece of wood looks exactly the same as when it was alive but now it has no life in it. Many of our churches are drawing dangerously close to becoming fossils of what used to be vibrant churches. What's happened?
Ephesians 4:11,12 And He Himself (Jesus) gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. These men & women are anointed by the Lord Jesus Christ to build up the body of Christ that we can all minister His gospel to the church & to the world. Evangelists are anointed of the Lord as soul winners but part of their calling is to TRAIN UP & ENCOURAGE to win souls. Charles Price Every Christian is in full time ministry unto the Lord, no matter his or her occupation. How else can the church grow?
Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, because you have rejected knowledge WE THE CHURCH ARE NOT DOING IT THE JESUS WAY!
No evangelist, little soul winning & no teaching on the necessity of leading others to Christ!
I look to Luke 5:1-11 for the call to evangelism In vs 4 Jesus tells Simon Peter to launch out into the deep & let down your nets for a catch. vs 5 Simon answered and said to Him "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net." He could have said hey Jesus remember you are the carpenter I am the fisherman BUT he did not. In all likelihood Peter & the other fisherman fished the shallows where the fish are at night time. In the daytime they move back into the depths where they can not be seen & the water is cooler. Is this not an example of how the church has toiled night & day trying to evangelize to no avail. Spent time effort & money yet coming up empty NO NEW CONVERTS. In vs. 6 we find they caught a great number of fish & had to signal to their partners to help them. And they came & filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. Unity & one accord within the brethren BETWEEN DIFFERENT CHURCHES, wow what a unique idea. In vs 8 Simon Peter fell down at Jesus knees "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!" When we come face to face with the reality of the ALL POWERFUL GOD we serve we are humbled & see clearly our sinful shortcomings. vs. 9 tells us they were astonished by the catch, I personally believe if we apply what we have learned here we too will see a harvest of souls. Submission & obedience, unity & one accord, humility not pompous arrogance, He told them not to be afraid He would make them fishers of men. No more fear of what others would say, no more focus on the every day mundane things of life, they are at that moment of receiving His call (they forsook all) servants of the Most High God Jesus is His name, hallelujah! Evangelism for a Christian is to be as natural as breathing!
Matthew 9:37,38 Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers in His harvest."
Every move of God is birthed in prayer, fueled by prayer & stops when the prayer stops. Recently on heard Ron Mains say "Do we pray with the same fervency for others as we do for ourselves in our times of need? For the lost, the addicted, the prostitutes, terrorists, cultists, politicians are you getting the pic yet?
Are we willing to give of our time, finances or possibly inconvenience ourselves to see others come to Christ. David Brainerd "I cared not where or how I lived or what hardship I went through as long as I could gain souls for Christ!" I can tell by your faces you think this is too extreme, no what Jesus went through for you & I that was extreme.
To evangelize we must have spiritual eyes to see the heart needs of others. We must take time to listen to the hurts of their hearts through their words & then minister according to the leading of the Holy Spirit. He is our guide and knows who, when & how others will be led to Jesus. A word in due season, an act of kindness or compassion, a testimony of the transforming power of the gospel of Jesus Christ or possibly just a listening ear.
Are we willing to stick our necks out & get involved in other peoples lives? Jesus was willing, He was rejected, falsely accused, scourged & crucified on the cross of Calvary in our place. His call comes to us today Isaiah 6:8,9 Also I heard the voice of the Lord saying: "Whom shall I send; and who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."
Do you truly know the love of God in your heart--not a head knowledge of His word but His love for our fellowman in your heart! Let us pray a simple prayer "God please allow me to experience a deeper level of your love today."
This is a portion of an evangelism teaching I am preparing for the body of Christ. I personally believe the vast majority of Christians desire to see souls come to Christ but do not have a clue on how to do it. Food for Thought!
Blessings as always
Ken Gorham a servant of the Lord
e-mail kc_gorham@xplornet.com or phone 1-613-479-0233
Saturday, 28 July 2012
The Cords That Bind Us
Ever wonder why some people are so tightly wound, is it just in their makeup or could there possibly be more to the picture than meets the eye? Were they born that way, is it Mom or Dads fault, possibly a generational curse? It's like all they can see is the negatives in life, you would think their walls are painted doom & gloom, oops I may be describing you! For sure you know I will have some fun explaining my take on this one.
The negative viewpoint on life & all that is in it comes from our lower carnal nature. Positivity does not come naturally, it must be continually worked at. Over the week I picked up a couple of quotes that are applicable "your gratitude determines your attitude" & "a grateful heart silences a complaining voice" great thoughts to ponder.
Each of us have much to be thankful for, an example is the fact we live in Canada (the greatest nation in the world.) There is an old hymn Count Your Blessings One by One. The first verse goes like this "When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed, when you are discouraged thinking all is lost. Count your many blessings, name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done." Besides you get your focus back on the Lord rather than the mole hills of life.
There is unmeasurable power in spoken words, negative or positive. Words can either put a person in bondage or set them free. For years now it has been recognized we should not call our kids dummy or stupid but those put downs are only the tip of a very large iceberg. You & I may have grown up with words like that but today it is referred to as verbal harassment. Ever heard this one or possibly even spoken it over someone else "you'll never amount to anything' or "you're just like you're old man, your mother, your brother, your sister. Lies, gossip, slander, false accusations, nitpicking all have a way of eating at you & make you feel like a piece of dirt.
The end result of these words is rejection, fear of man, unworthy, failure & lead you into a revengeful state. When you are unwilling to forgive you find yourself angry all the time & that anger leads into bitterness & that bitterness makes you a miserable as sin. The old adage is true misery loves company and the only people you find yourself hanging out with are other miserable souls who have nothing good to say about anybody or anything.
Why the attack? Words are a like a bullet & the target is a persons soul. The soul is made up of your mind, will, intellect, & the damaged goods are the memory & emotions. Within a persons soul is their character (who they are) & those negative words are to tear down or rip out any shreds of positive we may have had instilled within us.
In Ephesians 6:12 of the bible we learn people are not our problem, ok but who is? Our battle is against principalities, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. No I am not saying God is the problem but as Christians we have learned the enemy of our soul is Satan himself. And under him there is a demonic hierarchy of evil that creates havoc on this earth & has a hatred for Jews & Christians.
My personal belief is the spirit realm dictates to this earthly realm. For some of you, you will have now read enough, but for others you are saying, hey maybe this guy is onto something. Now here is the kicker the negative words of our born again spirit filled mouths, give him & his henchmen the right to create all the havoc he chooses, even within a Christians life. In other words we can be our own worst enemy.
Now the fun of trying to explain what I am driving at. As an example when our denominations & organizations starts quibbling over doctrine the devil has a good old fashioned belly laugh. Because he knows there is power in unity & one accord. If we cant even get along with each other (in a church) or within the body of Christ (believers) why would people want to join our cause?
Let us go to scripture to bring clarity & to learn how we combat the negative words & thoughts that pound away at us each & every day. Matt 16:19 "What is bound on earth is bound in heaven but what is loosed on earth is loosed in heaven." Our words can either bind someone in a negative state or loose them from one. John 20:23 tells us " If we forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." My take on this is that we forgive them they are released to change their ways but if we are unwilling to forgive, they remain stuck in the proverbial mud, or bound by our unforgiveness. Now take the time & check out some scriptures in Proverbs & see what it is you have been feeding on. Proverbs 16:27,28 Proverbs 17:14,15 Proverbs 18:18-21 Proverbs 21:23,24
I know I have had many negative words spoken over me & sad to say spoken many over others in my lifetime but some spoken in my childhood still try to rise up and harass me today. One powerful example is a recording that the demonic forces continually tries to play in my mind is "why do you not just quit trying to do anything for Jesus, you have never succeeded at anything in your life!" I have two standard answers for him #1 being I would rather do something for Christ today than do nothing at all. When you do nothing you have no possibility of accomplishing anything so that makes this a no brainer. Besides if you are doing it from a purer heart God most assuredly honor it. #2 the Lord does not measure success as man does, but by our FAITHFULNESS.
Here are a couple of scriptures for your arsenal Matthew 5:44 "But I say to you love your enemies (not the demons that are driving them)bless those who curse you (speak negative words about you) do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you & persecute you." In Romans 12:20 we learn how doing good to our enemies brings conviction on his soul that maybe, just maybe he is wrong, & could it be possible, we are right!
Load up your gospel guns & blast away in prayer but remember to couple that with action & when you put those two together you will see not only dramatic change in your enemies life but you will also find a new found freedom in serving Christ. He who the Lord sets free is free indeed. Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty.
There are reams more I could write on this subject but maybe another day as I have been long winded enough. Think positively, speak positive words & do positive things & your life & those around you will get gooder & gooder! Food for Thought!
Ken Gorham a servant of the Lord
The negative viewpoint on life & all that is in it comes from our lower carnal nature. Positivity does not come naturally, it must be continually worked at. Over the week I picked up a couple of quotes that are applicable "your gratitude determines your attitude" & "a grateful heart silences a complaining voice" great thoughts to ponder.
Each of us have much to be thankful for, an example is the fact we live in Canada (the greatest nation in the world.) There is an old hymn Count Your Blessings One by One. The first verse goes like this "When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed, when you are discouraged thinking all is lost. Count your many blessings, name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done." Besides you get your focus back on the Lord rather than the mole hills of life.
There is unmeasurable power in spoken words, negative or positive. Words can either put a person in bondage or set them free. For years now it has been recognized we should not call our kids dummy or stupid but those put downs are only the tip of a very large iceberg. You & I may have grown up with words like that but today it is referred to as verbal harassment. Ever heard this one or possibly even spoken it over someone else "you'll never amount to anything' or "you're just like you're old man, your mother, your brother, your sister. Lies, gossip, slander, false accusations, nitpicking all have a way of eating at you & make you feel like a piece of dirt.
The end result of these words is rejection, fear of man, unworthy, failure & lead you into a revengeful state. When you are unwilling to forgive you find yourself angry all the time & that anger leads into bitterness & that bitterness makes you a miserable as sin. The old adage is true misery loves company and the only people you find yourself hanging out with are other miserable souls who have nothing good to say about anybody or anything.
Why the attack? Words are a like a bullet & the target is a persons soul. The soul is made up of your mind, will, intellect, & the damaged goods are the memory & emotions. Within a persons soul is their character (who they are) & those negative words are to tear down or rip out any shreds of positive we may have had instilled within us.
In Ephesians 6:12 of the bible we learn people are not our problem, ok but who is? Our battle is against principalities, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. No I am not saying God is the problem but as Christians we have learned the enemy of our soul is Satan himself. And under him there is a demonic hierarchy of evil that creates havoc on this earth & has a hatred for Jews & Christians.
My personal belief is the spirit realm dictates to this earthly realm. For some of you, you will have now read enough, but for others you are saying, hey maybe this guy is onto something. Now here is the kicker the negative words of our born again spirit filled mouths, give him & his henchmen the right to create all the havoc he chooses, even within a Christians life. In other words we can be our own worst enemy.
Now the fun of trying to explain what I am driving at. As an example when our denominations & organizations starts quibbling over doctrine the devil has a good old fashioned belly laugh. Because he knows there is power in unity & one accord. If we cant even get along with each other (in a church) or within the body of Christ (believers) why would people want to join our cause?
Let us go to scripture to bring clarity & to learn how we combat the negative words & thoughts that pound away at us each & every day. Matt 16:19 "What is bound on earth is bound in heaven but what is loosed on earth is loosed in heaven." Our words can either bind someone in a negative state or loose them from one. John 20:23 tells us " If we forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." My take on this is that we forgive them they are released to change their ways but if we are unwilling to forgive, they remain stuck in the proverbial mud, or bound by our unforgiveness. Now take the time & check out some scriptures in Proverbs & see what it is you have been feeding on. Proverbs 16:27,28 Proverbs 17:14,15 Proverbs 18:18-21 Proverbs 21:23,24
I know I have had many negative words spoken over me & sad to say spoken many over others in my lifetime but some spoken in my childhood still try to rise up and harass me today. One powerful example is a recording that the demonic forces continually tries to play in my mind is "why do you not just quit trying to do anything for Jesus, you have never succeeded at anything in your life!" I have two standard answers for him #1 being I would rather do something for Christ today than do nothing at all. When you do nothing you have no possibility of accomplishing anything so that makes this a no brainer. Besides if you are doing it from a purer heart God most assuredly honor it. #2 the Lord does not measure success as man does, but by our FAITHFULNESS.
Here are a couple of scriptures for your arsenal Matthew 5:44 "But I say to you love your enemies (not the demons that are driving them)bless those who curse you (speak negative words about you) do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you & persecute you." In Romans 12:20 we learn how doing good to our enemies brings conviction on his soul that maybe, just maybe he is wrong, & could it be possible, we are right!
Load up your gospel guns & blast away in prayer but remember to couple that with action & when you put those two together you will see not only dramatic change in your enemies life but you will also find a new found freedom in serving Christ. He who the Lord sets free is free indeed. Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty.
There are reams more I could write on this subject but maybe another day as I have been long winded enough. Think positively, speak positive words & do positive things & your life & those around you will get gooder & gooder! Food for Thought!
Ken Gorham a servant of the Lord
Tuesday, 26 June 2012
The Boomerang
Silence is a boomerang & sorry to say Canada & the church in Canada are receiving the end result of our silence, anti-Christ laws. Numerous years ago they took the Lord's Prayer out of our public school system. Then same sex marriages, recently Ontario passed into law gay clubs in all schools, no matter their religious convictions. And our most recent outrage, bisexual & transvestites allowed into ladies washrooms.
Every home in Canada should receive a free pitchfork from our government to distribute the crap that has been forced upon us in the name of equal rights. Shame on us for our silence in allowing our elected politicians to cater to minority groups having perverted agenda's that will ultimately destroy everything we held dear!
The beginning of the downfall of the church in Canada happened in a two fold fashion. I am not sure of the years or which came first, the removal of the Lord's Prayer from the public school system or Sunday shopping. Prior to that families did church together & then hung out with friends & family, a day of rest just like the Bible teaches.
Our forefathers would roll over in their graves at the perversity of these laws. So often things that are meant for good can be twisted to the point that they actually attacks the freedom it was instituted to defend, (example equal rights & anti bullying.) Today our laws favor the vocal minorities & actually have put them in the place whereby their beliefs & ways, bully the masses.
People from all over the world came to Canada for a better life. They came knowing we were a nation founded upon Judeo-Christian principles. We have since our foundation, been a multicultural nation & thankful for it. I grew up with people from Germany, Russia, Estonia, Holland to name but a few of the nationalities. Their parents loved this nation of Canada & were greatly thankful for the warm welcome & opportunities it afforded them.
Today many who come here have a singular purpose of changing Canada into the nation they have previously left. I believe it was in the Parliament of Ontario that they tried to pass a law to institute Sharia law for those believing in it, how ludicrous. Within Sharia law it is OK to rape your wife or confine her to your house no matter her desire or will. Not in Canada you say, I'm not so sure anymore. Try going into their home nation (obviously this is not their home nation) & telling them to change their laws to fit our beliefs, not likely, you would be fortunate to come away with your life. If you don't like our laws God Bless you & bon voyage!
How does this once glorious nation regain what it has so obviously lost? We have to individually & corporately have to start standing up for what & who we believe in. For a Christian, Jesus & the lifestyle (morality) that comes from the Word of God, are what we desire for our nation. Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.
God does not want an external compliance to a set of rules. John 14:23 Jesus speaking "If anyone loves Me (you & I) they will keep (obey) My Word (not because we have to but because we want too.) What God wants is a humble repentant heart that truly worships Him. He wants to have His rightful place on the throne of our hearts.
All have sinned-- no good works or outward appearance of piety can restore a proper relationship with God. It took the sacrifice of His Son, the Sacrificial Lamb of God being crucified on the Cross of Calvary to put us in the place to receive God's forgiveness for our sins. First we must recognize we are sinners. Then we must ask His forgiveness for our sins and finally change our lives to line up with His Word. JESUS DID NOT DIE JUST FOR OUR MISTAKES, BUT FOR OUR SINS! Sin is sin whether you were led into it or made a mistake, get out of denial & ask the Lord's forgiveness.
Now that we have a picture of what righteousness is, is Canada a righteous nation? Are we doing our part to be righteous? Yes we all have areas within our lives to work on Romans 6:6,7 & 6:12-14 I am not talking about the extreme grace teaching that is rampant today. When God's grace (unmerited favor of God, we did not deserve it but He made a way for us,) and (the operational power of God, we can only truly change by tag teaming with the power of the Holy Spirit.) When His divine influence has touched your heart there will be an outward evidence of change in your life (out of thanksgiving for what He has done for you.)
Can we actually change the direction of the boomerang our silence has created? Yes we can, it starts by dumping our negative attitude & words. Next start thinking, speaking & living out the positivity found in the Bible. Stop doing wrong & start doing right. It is time for the church to stand up & speak out on behalf of Who & What we believe in "Jesus & His Word."
The Church has got to quit ripping each other apart for our petty denominational differences. Start focusing upon what we agree upon, the godhead or trinity, the virgin birth, that Jesus was crucified for our sins & is our resurrected Savior. That we are saved by the grace of God not by works but our works are an outward expression of our love & thanksgiving for who He is in our lives.
When God's love is present, unity & one accord can be found in the midst. The world desperately needs to see this in our individual churches, denominations & within the entire Body of Christ.
Is it too late to change the direction of the boomerang created by our silence? Absolutely not, not as long as we have breath! Food for thought!
Ken Gorham a servant of the Lord
Every home in Canada should receive a free pitchfork from our government to distribute the crap that has been forced upon us in the name of equal rights. Shame on us for our silence in allowing our elected politicians to cater to minority groups having perverted agenda's that will ultimately destroy everything we held dear!
The beginning of the downfall of the church in Canada happened in a two fold fashion. I am not sure of the years or which came first, the removal of the Lord's Prayer from the public school system or Sunday shopping. Prior to that families did church together & then hung out with friends & family, a day of rest just like the Bible teaches.
Our forefathers would roll over in their graves at the perversity of these laws. So often things that are meant for good can be twisted to the point that they actually attacks the freedom it was instituted to defend, (example equal rights & anti bullying.) Today our laws favor the vocal minorities & actually have put them in the place whereby their beliefs & ways, bully the masses.
People from all over the world came to Canada for a better life. They came knowing we were a nation founded upon Judeo-Christian principles. We have since our foundation, been a multicultural nation & thankful for it. I grew up with people from Germany, Russia, Estonia, Holland to name but a few of the nationalities. Their parents loved this nation of Canada & were greatly thankful for the warm welcome & opportunities it afforded them.
Today many who come here have a singular purpose of changing Canada into the nation they have previously left. I believe it was in the Parliament of Ontario that they tried to pass a law to institute Sharia law for those believing in it, how ludicrous. Within Sharia law it is OK to rape your wife or confine her to your house no matter her desire or will. Not in Canada you say, I'm not so sure anymore. Try going into their home nation (obviously this is not their home nation) & telling them to change their laws to fit our beliefs, not likely, you would be fortunate to come away with your life. If you don't like our laws God Bless you & bon voyage!
How does this once glorious nation regain what it has so obviously lost? We have to individually & corporately have to start standing up for what & who we believe in. For a Christian, Jesus & the lifestyle (morality) that comes from the Word of God, are what we desire for our nation. Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.
God does not want an external compliance to a set of rules. John 14:23 Jesus speaking "If anyone loves Me (you & I) they will keep (obey) My Word (not because we have to but because we want too.) What God wants is a humble repentant heart that truly worships Him. He wants to have His rightful place on the throne of our hearts.
All have sinned-- no good works or outward appearance of piety can restore a proper relationship with God. It took the sacrifice of His Son, the Sacrificial Lamb of God being crucified on the Cross of Calvary to put us in the place to receive God's forgiveness for our sins. First we must recognize we are sinners. Then we must ask His forgiveness for our sins and finally change our lives to line up with His Word. JESUS DID NOT DIE JUST FOR OUR MISTAKES, BUT FOR OUR SINS! Sin is sin whether you were led into it or made a mistake, get out of denial & ask the Lord's forgiveness.
Now that we have a picture of what righteousness is, is Canada a righteous nation? Are we doing our part to be righteous? Yes we all have areas within our lives to work on Romans 6:6,7 & 6:12-14 I am not talking about the extreme grace teaching that is rampant today. When God's grace (unmerited favor of God, we did not deserve it but He made a way for us,) and (the operational power of God, we can only truly change by tag teaming with the power of the Holy Spirit.) When His divine influence has touched your heart there will be an outward evidence of change in your life (out of thanksgiving for what He has done for you.)
Can we actually change the direction of the boomerang our silence has created? Yes we can, it starts by dumping our negative attitude & words. Next start thinking, speaking & living out the positivity found in the Bible. Stop doing wrong & start doing right. It is time for the church to stand up & speak out on behalf of Who & What we believe in "Jesus & His Word."
The Church has got to quit ripping each other apart for our petty denominational differences. Start focusing upon what we agree upon, the godhead or trinity, the virgin birth, that Jesus was crucified for our sins & is our resurrected Savior. That we are saved by the grace of God not by works but our works are an outward expression of our love & thanksgiving for who He is in our lives.
When God's love is present, unity & one accord can be found in the midst. The world desperately needs to see this in our individual churches, denominations & within the entire Body of Christ.
Is it too late to change the direction of the boomerang created by our silence? Absolutely not, not as long as we have breath! Food for thought!
Ken Gorham a servant of the Lord
Sunday, 3 June 2012
Dizzybrain
For some, exhaustion sets in before their feet touch the floor. When their eyes open, their mind becomes a whirlwind, thinking of everything they have to do & all of the possibles that may show up, no wonder their wore out. As Christians in all likelihood we have heard or read about the peace of God & yet it certainly does not appear to be included in our everyday lives. In fact we would question if it is even possible to find peace today in our chaotic lives. We may even question if God plays favorites & blesses some while ignoring others when He knows they too need peace.
1 Corinthians 14:33 is often taken out of context & sometimes brings condemnation on believers "For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, (but it goes on to say) as in all the churches of the saints." This is actually referenced to order within the church.
In fact God often brought confusion into peoples minds & situations. For an example have a look at what happened at the tower of Babel Genesis 11:6,7 And the Lord said, "Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them."Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech." Many times in the Old Testament God brought deliverance to His people over their enemies by bringing confusion on them.
Interestingly enough within this teaching on the Tower of Babel we also see a powerful example of unity & one accord. Now NOTHING THEY PROPOSE TO DO WILL BE WITHHELD FROM THEM. Imagine if a church chose to that place of UNITY & ONE ACCORD. Now let us but imagine the work we could do for our Lord if the body of Christ chose to drop our differences, hallelujah!
We find a key to confusion in Proverbs 28:1 The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion. When you are walking within a right standing with the Lord you can be certain of His word within your life, to help us face any & all situation each & every day. Fear is a horrible thing with a power that makes you do irrational things. This scripture shows the paranoia that can operate within your life without you even being aware of it. Example fear of man, those people over there are talking about me, while their conversation has nothing to do with you.
For me this message originated from the day Christ was crucified & the unbelievable tailspin this must have sent His disciples into. For the past 3 1/2 years they had followed every step Jesus made. They were His inner circle who were privileged to listen to Him explain how God wants us to live our lives, different from the teachings they had been taught all their lives. They were there when He healed the sick, cast out demons & even raised people from the dead. But now He was gone, what next. Peters initial reaction was to revert back to what he knew best, fishing.
Mark 4:35-40 We read of how the disciples & the Lord were in a boat when a fierce storm hit & the boat was taking on water. Jesus was asleep so the disciples woke Him & said "Teacher don't you care that we are perishing?" He arose & rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace be still!" The disciples looked at one another & said "Who can this be, that even the wind & the sea obey Him!"
Each of us face the storms of life, whether it be sickness, financial pressure, relationships etc.. Pressure brings fear & confusion! Some would say Lord I have done everything you asked of me, why is this happening to me? Others would say it works for others but God must play favorites. No only Jesus can calm the storms of life, not you nor me or anyone else.
Who can forget the fiery furnace from Daniel 3 that King Nebuchadnezzar was going to throw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. My words, King Nebuchadnezzar there is no chance we are going to bow down to you! Our God who we serve is able to deliver us from your burning fiery furnace so lets get it on! King Neby was furious had them bound & threw them in, fully dressed & all three bowed down in the midst as King Neby exclaimed "did we not throw three men into that furnace vs 25 Look! "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God" JESUS WAS THERE WITH THEM & HE WILL BE WITH YOU IN YOUR FURNACE OF AFFLICTION!
We are all familiar with the old adage "you made your bed now sleep in it!" Jesus said to the paralytic (my words) take up your bed & walk! Many reading this have made mistakes & we can be living with the end results or cost factor today. Ask the Lords forgiveness & get on with serving Him. Another way of saying it is "take up your cross & bear the burden graciously, as you walk in His strength!
In all likelihood there will be those who would speak words of condemnation about you, do not take your eyes off Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. THEY NEED YOUR PRAYERS & you don't need to carry unforgiveness, it only opens the door to a spirit of bitterness. Remember Jesus is our example not the teachings of the world.
It doesn't matter if Mom or Dad were dizzybrains, break the cycle. 2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. A brand new creation on the face of this earth. It doesn't matter what you were in the past. You now have a brand new identity in Christ, fully equipped to live a victorious life. Not even generational curses can hold you back, apply the blood of Christ to them in Jesus name & be free!
In Luke 12:32 we read "Do not fear little flock" spoken by our Shepherd to the His followers. When under attack sheep huddle together & cry out in fear for their shepherd. To this day He watches over & intercedes for us. Fear is like sand in the machinery of life while faith is the lubricant that keeps everything running smoothly.
One of the messages I shared in the past was when you listen, do you hear? The only evidence you have heard is an accompanying action. I am going to add to that, when you listen, your heart is to hear! We are to train our spiritual eyes & ears to receive from God. There are multitudes of scriptures in the Bible that talk of our hearts Proverbs 2:2 apply thy heart to understanding. Proverb 2:10,11 When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, Discretion will preserve you; Understanding will keep you, to deliver you from the way of evil, Proverbs 3:5,6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; Please read Proverbs 3:1-6 & see what you can pull out of these marvelous scriptures.
2nd Timothy 1:7 For God has not given you a spirit of fear but of power, love & a sound mind! Hello out there in cyberspace, God wants us to have A SOUND MIND! Is peace of mind possible, YES, but we will have to retrain our brains. lst Peter 2:9 The Lord has called you out of the darkness into His marvelous light. Colossians 1:13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness. To be delivered is to be set free, His blood has paid the price for our freedom but it our job to stay free.
For those of you who know me Phillippians 4:8,9 are some of my favorite scriptures. If we make a practice of starting our day, continuing our day & ending our day focused on these scriptures guaranteed your life will change for the positive. Food for thought!
Ken Gorham a servant of the Lord
1 Corinthians 14:33 is often taken out of context & sometimes brings condemnation on believers "For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, (but it goes on to say) as in all the churches of the saints." This is actually referenced to order within the church.
In fact God often brought confusion into peoples minds & situations. For an example have a look at what happened at the tower of Babel Genesis 11:6,7 And the Lord said, "Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them."Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech." Many times in the Old Testament God brought deliverance to His people over their enemies by bringing confusion on them.
Interestingly enough within this teaching on the Tower of Babel we also see a powerful example of unity & one accord. Now NOTHING THEY PROPOSE TO DO WILL BE WITHHELD FROM THEM. Imagine if a church chose to that place of UNITY & ONE ACCORD. Now let us but imagine the work we could do for our Lord if the body of Christ chose to drop our differences, hallelujah!
We find a key to confusion in Proverbs 28:1 The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion. When you are walking within a right standing with the Lord you can be certain of His word within your life, to help us face any & all situation each & every day. Fear is a horrible thing with a power that makes you do irrational things. This scripture shows the paranoia that can operate within your life without you even being aware of it. Example fear of man, those people over there are talking about me, while their conversation has nothing to do with you.
For me this message originated from the day Christ was crucified & the unbelievable tailspin this must have sent His disciples into. For the past 3 1/2 years they had followed every step Jesus made. They were His inner circle who were privileged to listen to Him explain how God wants us to live our lives, different from the teachings they had been taught all their lives. They were there when He healed the sick, cast out demons & even raised people from the dead. But now He was gone, what next. Peters initial reaction was to revert back to what he knew best, fishing.
Mark 4:35-40 We read of how the disciples & the Lord were in a boat when a fierce storm hit & the boat was taking on water. Jesus was asleep so the disciples woke Him & said "Teacher don't you care that we are perishing?" He arose & rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace be still!" The disciples looked at one another & said "Who can this be, that even the wind & the sea obey Him!"
Each of us face the storms of life, whether it be sickness, financial pressure, relationships etc.. Pressure brings fear & confusion! Some would say Lord I have done everything you asked of me, why is this happening to me? Others would say it works for others but God must play favorites. No only Jesus can calm the storms of life, not you nor me or anyone else.
Who can forget the fiery furnace from Daniel 3 that King Nebuchadnezzar was going to throw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. My words, King Nebuchadnezzar there is no chance we are going to bow down to you! Our God who we serve is able to deliver us from your burning fiery furnace so lets get it on! King Neby was furious had them bound & threw them in, fully dressed & all three bowed down in the midst as King Neby exclaimed "did we not throw three men into that furnace vs 25 Look! "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God" JESUS WAS THERE WITH THEM & HE WILL BE WITH YOU IN YOUR FURNACE OF AFFLICTION!
We are all familiar with the old adage "you made your bed now sleep in it!" Jesus said to the paralytic (my words) take up your bed & walk! Many reading this have made mistakes & we can be living with the end results or cost factor today. Ask the Lords forgiveness & get on with serving Him. Another way of saying it is "take up your cross & bear the burden graciously, as you walk in His strength!
In all likelihood there will be those who would speak words of condemnation about you, do not take your eyes off Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. THEY NEED YOUR PRAYERS & you don't need to carry unforgiveness, it only opens the door to a spirit of bitterness. Remember Jesus is our example not the teachings of the world.
It doesn't matter if Mom or Dad were dizzybrains, break the cycle. 2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. A brand new creation on the face of this earth. It doesn't matter what you were in the past. You now have a brand new identity in Christ, fully equipped to live a victorious life. Not even generational curses can hold you back, apply the blood of Christ to them in Jesus name & be free!
In Luke 12:32 we read "Do not fear little flock" spoken by our Shepherd to the His followers. When under attack sheep huddle together & cry out in fear for their shepherd. To this day He watches over & intercedes for us. Fear is like sand in the machinery of life while faith is the lubricant that keeps everything running smoothly.
One of the messages I shared in the past was when you listen, do you hear? The only evidence you have heard is an accompanying action. I am going to add to that, when you listen, your heart is to hear! We are to train our spiritual eyes & ears to receive from God. There are multitudes of scriptures in the Bible that talk of our hearts Proverbs 2:2 apply thy heart to understanding. Proverb 2:10,11 When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, Discretion will preserve you; Understanding will keep you, to deliver you from the way of evil, Proverbs 3:5,6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; Please read Proverbs 3:1-6 & see what you can pull out of these marvelous scriptures.
2nd Timothy 1:7 For God has not given you a spirit of fear but of power, love & a sound mind! Hello out there in cyberspace, God wants us to have A SOUND MIND! Is peace of mind possible, YES, but we will have to retrain our brains. lst Peter 2:9 The Lord has called you out of the darkness into His marvelous light. Colossians 1:13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness. To be delivered is to be set free, His blood has paid the price for our freedom but it our job to stay free.
For those of you who know me Phillippians 4:8,9 are some of my favorite scriptures. If we make a practice of starting our day, continuing our day & ending our day focused on these scriptures guaranteed your life will change for the positive. Food for thought!
Ken Gorham a servant of the Lord
Friday, 25 May 2012
One Without the Other Equals Nothing
This FFT applies to everything in our lives. For an example, words without accompanying action are meaningless! Guaranteed you have heard the words or even said them, "love you!" Do our actions back up the words? Or how about, I'll pray for you, but do we? If not, the words were meaningless!
Have you ever seen a couple totally in love? Whenever you see one, you see the other. Whether in church, at the coffee shop, out for a walk, always together hand in hand, arm in arm. Many times when one spouse dies it is not long after that the other goes to join them. One without the other equals nothing. A part of them died with their spouse but life does not necessarily have to be that way. I know personally when my wife Dar went to be with the Lord I rejoiced for her "to die is to gain." Thank God for the truth of His word "You can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. She beat me into glory & in my minds eye she is cheering me on to continue the work of the Lord here on earth until we meet again in glory. Since Dar's promotion to glory the Good Lord has blessed me with another bride & Carol & I continue to serve the Lord together.
I want to look at a little different scenario, the institution of the Lords supper & the crucifixion. Again one without the other equals nothing. Without the Communion table (or as my Catholic brothers & sisters would say the Eucharist) the crucifixion would have been nothing other then an execution. But with the institution of the Lord's Supper the crucifixion of Jesus became God's Passover Lamb--Lamb of God, the Sacrificial Lamb of God!
In Psalm 23 we read & the Jews knew The Lord is our Shepherd, but a recent revelation to me is that the Shepherd became the Sacrificial Lamb of God! This has been going deep into my inner person & bringing an illumination I had never seen before.
In the Old Testament a lamb was sacrificed at the Passover for the sins of the people. Now, with the new covenant Jesus Christ was going to take away the sins of the people "once and for all" through His death and resurrection. He went to the cross for our sins. He urged His followers to understand and experience the power of the Lord's Supper. A New Covenant that would bring freedom and eternal life to all who would believe. A celebration & realization of who He was & is!
This also fulfills the prophecy Jesus spoke of Himself in John 2:19 "destroy this temple, & in three days I will raise it up." In this particular instance one without the other would have made Jesus a false prophet, NOT LIKELY!
I can say with certainty that not one person left the Calvary after seeing Jesus crucified that what they had witnessed was the greatest sacrifice of all time. An act of obedience & worship from Jesus to His Father, God, that could never be matched.
His crucifixion sent the disciples into turmoil, what now? For the last three & one half years they had done nothing but follow Jesus, being there seeing Him minister the love of God in so many different ways. Healing, deliverance, even raising the dead & yet He is dead & gone, or is He?
One without the other equal equals nothing. Is Jesus alive in your life today? Food for thought!
Ken Gorham a servant of the Lord
Have you ever seen a couple totally in love? Whenever you see one, you see the other. Whether in church, at the coffee shop, out for a walk, always together hand in hand, arm in arm. Many times when one spouse dies it is not long after that the other goes to join them. One without the other equals nothing. A part of them died with their spouse but life does not necessarily have to be that way. I know personally when my wife Dar went to be with the Lord I rejoiced for her "to die is to gain." Thank God for the truth of His word "You can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. She beat me into glory & in my minds eye she is cheering me on to continue the work of the Lord here on earth until we meet again in glory. Since Dar's promotion to glory the Good Lord has blessed me with another bride & Carol & I continue to serve the Lord together.
I want to look at a little different scenario, the institution of the Lords supper & the crucifixion. Again one without the other equals nothing. Without the Communion table (or as my Catholic brothers & sisters would say the Eucharist) the crucifixion would have been nothing other then an execution. But with the institution of the Lord's Supper the crucifixion of Jesus became God's Passover Lamb--Lamb of God, the Sacrificial Lamb of God!
In Psalm 23 we read & the Jews knew The Lord is our Shepherd, but a recent revelation to me is that the Shepherd became the Sacrificial Lamb of God! This has been going deep into my inner person & bringing an illumination I had never seen before.
In the Old Testament a lamb was sacrificed at the Passover for the sins of the people. Now, with the new covenant Jesus Christ was going to take away the sins of the people "once and for all" through His death and resurrection. He went to the cross for our sins. He urged His followers to understand and experience the power of the Lord's Supper. A New Covenant that would bring freedom and eternal life to all who would believe. A celebration & realization of who He was & is!
This also fulfills the prophecy Jesus spoke of Himself in John 2:19 "destroy this temple, & in three days I will raise it up." In this particular instance one without the other would have made Jesus a false prophet, NOT LIKELY!
I can say with certainty that not one person left the Calvary after seeing Jesus crucified that what they had witnessed was the greatest sacrifice of all time. An act of obedience & worship from Jesus to His Father, God, that could never be matched.
His crucifixion sent the disciples into turmoil, what now? For the last three & one half years they had done nothing but follow Jesus, being there seeing Him minister the love of God in so many different ways. Healing, deliverance, even raising the dead & yet He is dead & gone, or is He?
One without the other equal equals nothing. Is Jesus alive in your life today? Food for thought!
Ken Gorham a servant of the Lord
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