To achieve anything in life we must be fighters. If you haven't noticed when you try to do something, how hard it is to keep true to your goal & complete it. You have to learn to hang in when the going gets tough because life can be one major knock down drag em out battle after another.
As a toddler you have to learn how to stay on your feet to be able to walk. Guaranteed each & every child had one or two bruises while learning how to walk. The child sees something or someone across the room & they try to run even before they can walk. The picture in my minds eye sees the father on the other side of the room saying, you can do it, one step at a time but please walk, don't run. For a Christian that is a picture of our Father God holding out His arms to us, cheering us on, & that gets a glory hallelujah from me!
There are many times while as a child, youth or adult where we trip over our own feet & down we go, possibly skinning our knees or at least bruising our pride. The people we need around us are those who will support us, lift us up, possibly speaking up if they see us going in a wrong direction. None of us need or want anymore mockery or condemnation. Lets face it, both the world & the church have an over abundance of critical judgmental pompous arrogant so & so's.
My youth was such a chaotic season for me. The fact you become as a piece of silly putty, continually being reformed by others around you, by your social status, by family, by the world we find ourselves living in. Alcohol, drugs, hormones, the 60's, motorcycles, do I need to say more, NOT! Probably the eight years of high school will finalize the pic for you. But over those years all I learned to do was party.
The title has the word pugilist in it, this does not mean we will always be involved in fisticuffs, but I can guarantee all of our lives will literally be filled with never-ending challenges. If we do not learn how to be over-comers our lives will never achieve the heights we would desire. No one wants to wander in the wilderness forty minutes today, let alone forty wasted years.
We will all make mistakes but that is not necessarily a bad thing "we will all make mistakes, those who learn from them will succeed, while those who choose not to learn from them will choose to live a lifestyle of failure."
Each person has to embrace life one day or one second at a time, & learn the lesson it holds for you. This is where we gain strength to win those battles that will come our way tomorrow. Pick your chin back up you are not in this battle alone & just because you messed up before doesn't make you a loser. You only lose in life when you lie down & quit. Pick yourself back up by the boot straps or have someone give you a kick in the butt (like this food for thought) & get back into the ring of life.
The Apostle Paul in 1st Timothy 6:12 talked about "fighting the good fight of faith." The Christian life is not always easy & we will always be fighting a battle with our fleshly nature. We will have to battle opposition to our Christianity from a sinful world. If you are doing damage to the kingdom of darkness, by being a soul winner or prayer warrior, you will definitely wage war with our adversary the devil. If you plan on battling all three on your own under your own power get ready for numerous face plants. We have to call upon the dunamis power of the Holy Spirit that resides within us. The Christian life involves self discipline, trials & tribulations, spiritual warfare, yet PRAISE GOD we are victorious through Christ!
Whether you are a Christian or not life will have many challenges to overcome. If you choose to follow Christ & His teachings you will face even more opposition. Even a dead fish can flow downstream with the school but it takes a special, spunky, focused, record beater to swim against the flow, to fulfill its purpose in life!
Over the years of my Christian walk I have done many things for the Lord, a privilege for sure. Some have said, but you haven't really had a lot of success. To this I respond "I would have rather have done something for Christ & seemingly failed, than to have done nothing at all!" If you are doing it with a pure heart God will bless it whether you see it or not. Are you up for your lifelong fight of faith, food for thought?
Ken Gorham a servant of the Lord
Wednesday, 28 March 2012
Thursday, 15 March 2012
Prayer; is it Really Necessary
Yes, yes, yes! If we really, truly had a clear picture of the importance God places on His children's prayers, we would repent & get on our faces praying our little hearts out! Within my simple faith I believe every prayer has Gods power backing it up, just waiting to manifest the answer. Whether it is a prayer for salvation, healing, deliverance, protection, matters not, God wants to answer it. Then what has happened to the power of prayer within His church (the lives of believers?)
For many, our prayer life started as children, possibly with the Lords Prayer or some simple prayer suited to our child like faith. But for many Christians our prayer life has not progressed or has even regressed to the point we no longer pray at all. Certainly we pray when in dire straights, PANIC PRAYERS. We definitely matured in our years, changed in our looks & in all likelihood our attitudes but has our prayer life matured accordingly?
Prayer for a Christian is an absolute necessity! How can we have a relationship with anyone (let alone God) without communicating with them. God is our Heavenly Father, the one who continually tells us to call out to Him (communicate with Him) Jeremiah 33:3 "Call to me, & I will answer you, and show you great & mighty things, which you do not know." If there is one single scripture that should encourage you to prayer this is it.
Unanswered prayers has turned many of us from our former committed prayer life. There are multitudes of reasons why our prayers do not get answered & for sure I will not cover them all but I will touch on some. Isaiah 59:2 "But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear. I like to say it in this fashion; you can pray until the cows come home & I hope you are in a really big barn when you pray because when they hit the roof they are coming back down to earth NOT TO THE THRONE ROOM OF GRACE! Our willful knowing sins, cut us off from the power of God, so we do not see our prayers manifest!
Other times the most powerful distraction of today "THE BUSYNESS OF LIFE" keeps us from praying which once again shuts off any manifestation from materializing. There is a Christian cliche NO PRAYER, NO POWER! I want to take it one step further, for a believer to not pray is flat out SIN.
Everything within the Christians life is tied to prayer ex. the prayer of salvation. It is not up to the preacher, evangelist, friend to pray this prayer for you, God wants to hear the words from your mouth, hopefully initiated from your heart. Again I go back to Romans 10:9 comes to mind "that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
What should we be praying for? That list is endless (a Christians life should never be boring) for your government (all levels,) Why? 1st Timothy 2:1 "Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men (people,) 1st Timothy 2:2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.
Our politicians have a heavy load to carry. Many a person has found the frustrations of being in power to be way more than they expected & not in a positive sense. Firstly you have to analyze or possibly clean up whatever the past government had done. Then there is the absolute truth, POWER CORRUPTS, because suddenly what you say or do has the power to change things you could only complain about before.
We should be praying for our marriages, our children, our spouses, praying to God that we could fulfill what He has called us to do, to be all He has called us to be. Whatever our needs or the needs of others who come across our path. Yes even for miracles, healing, deliverance, protection & ultimately eternal life (salvation.)
Mark 10:15 "Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it." We need a simple child like faith that our heavenly Father not only hears but acts upon our prayer petitions.
In Revelations 5:18 we read and the golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. Are those bowls going up to glory empty because of our lack of prayer, possibly. I have had the privilege of knowing saints of God who started every day with two hours of prayer, crying out for God to move in peoples lives, believers & non believers (salvation.) If they said I will pray for you it was not just a one time prayer if they remembered, but on a daily basis.
1 Chronicles 7:14 is not just an old testament prayer but for believers today "If my people who are called by My name will humble themselves (we cant do it on our own, that is pride) and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin & heal their land.
Larry Lea did a teaching a number of years ago in regards to Jesus words to His disciples, CAN YOU NOT TARRY ONE HOUR! He challenged believers to spend one hour in prayer, initially focusing on the Lords prayer. What it did was help train you to keep or retain your focus on prayer, and it starts one second at a time.
Do not think the adversary is going to just allow you to pray, he will put thoughts in your head to distract you from doing what God would have you to do, PRAY! Whether it is your busy day ahead or condemnation that would say, your prayers don't matter anyway. Remember he is the father of lies, YOUR PRAYERS MATTER & he knows it. And your prayers do damage to his plans, to his kingdom (the kingdom of darkness.)
Prayer is one of the key essentials of our Christian walk & this spiritual warfare I have been writing on! Let me know your thoughts on this simple food for thought.
Ken Gorham a servant of the Lord
For many, our prayer life started as children, possibly with the Lords Prayer or some simple prayer suited to our child like faith. But for many Christians our prayer life has not progressed or has even regressed to the point we no longer pray at all. Certainly we pray when in dire straights, PANIC PRAYERS. We definitely matured in our years, changed in our looks & in all likelihood our attitudes but has our prayer life matured accordingly?
Prayer for a Christian is an absolute necessity! How can we have a relationship with anyone (let alone God) without communicating with them. God is our Heavenly Father, the one who continually tells us to call out to Him (communicate with Him) Jeremiah 33:3 "Call to me, & I will answer you, and show you great & mighty things, which you do not know." If there is one single scripture that should encourage you to prayer this is it.
Unanswered prayers has turned many of us from our former committed prayer life. There are multitudes of reasons why our prayers do not get answered & for sure I will not cover them all but I will touch on some. Isaiah 59:2 "But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear. I like to say it in this fashion; you can pray until the cows come home & I hope you are in a really big barn when you pray because when they hit the roof they are coming back down to earth NOT TO THE THRONE ROOM OF GRACE! Our willful knowing sins, cut us off from the power of God, so we do not see our prayers manifest!
Other times the most powerful distraction of today "THE BUSYNESS OF LIFE" keeps us from praying which once again shuts off any manifestation from materializing. There is a Christian cliche NO PRAYER, NO POWER! I want to take it one step further, for a believer to not pray is flat out SIN.
Everything within the Christians life is tied to prayer ex. the prayer of salvation. It is not up to the preacher, evangelist, friend to pray this prayer for you, God wants to hear the words from your mouth, hopefully initiated from your heart. Again I go back to Romans 10:9 comes to mind "that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
What should we be praying for? That list is endless (a Christians life should never be boring) for your government (all levels,) Why? 1st Timothy 2:1 "Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men (people,) 1st Timothy 2:2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.
Our politicians have a heavy load to carry. Many a person has found the frustrations of being in power to be way more than they expected & not in a positive sense. Firstly you have to analyze or possibly clean up whatever the past government had done. Then there is the absolute truth, POWER CORRUPTS, because suddenly what you say or do has the power to change things you could only complain about before.
We should be praying for our marriages, our children, our spouses, praying to God that we could fulfill what He has called us to do, to be all He has called us to be. Whatever our needs or the needs of others who come across our path. Yes even for miracles, healing, deliverance, protection & ultimately eternal life (salvation.)
Mark 10:15 "Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it." We need a simple child like faith that our heavenly Father not only hears but acts upon our prayer petitions.
In Revelations 5:18 we read and the golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. Are those bowls going up to glory empty because of our lack of prayer, possibly. I have had the privilege of knowing saints of God who started every day with two hours of prayer, crying out for God to move in peoples lives, believers & non believers (salvation.) If they said I will pray for you it was not just a one time prayer if they remembered, but on a daily basis.
1 Chronicles 7:14 is not just an old testament prayer but for believers today "If my people who are called by My name will humble themselves (we cant do it on our own, that is pride) and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin & heal their land.
Larry Lea did a teaching a number of years ago in regards to Jesus words to His disciples, CAN YOU NOT TARRY ONE HOUR! He challenged believers to spend one hour in prayer, initially focusing on the Lords prayer. What it did was help train you to keep or retain your focus on prayer, and it starts one second at a time.
Do not think the adversary is going to just allow you to pray, he will put thoughts in your head to distract you from doing what God would have you to do, PRAY! Whether it is your busy day ahead or condemnation that would say, your prayers don't matter anyway. Remember he is the father of lies, YOUR PRAYERS MATTER & he knows it. And your prayers do damage to his plans, to his kingdom (the kingdom of darkness.)
Prayer is one of the key essentials of our Christian walk & this spiritual warfare I have been writing on! Let me know your thoughts on this simple food for thought.
Ken Gorham a servant of the Lord
Friday, 2 March 2012
Spiritual Armor
For the past number of weeks I have had a theme focusing upon spiritual warfare. I personally believe it is the spirit realm that is the real battlefield, which dictates to the happenings of this earth & our lives. Some would say I have gone too far but the more I dig into prayer & the Word of God the clearer I see this.
Today I want to focus on Ephesians 6:10-18 vs. 10 the strength being referred too is a strength greater than our own, it is the Lords strength. Notice the capital on His might, this scripture is talking of the dunamais power of the Holy Spirit the same power that brought light into the darkness, NOT OURS!
In verse 11 we are encouraged or instructed to put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Think about the time this was written. The apostle Paul had an excellent knowledge of Roman guards armor as much of his time was either in prison or under what we call today house arrest. If you are in a battle, a war, you had best be dressed for battle or you're adversary is going to take you out & it is hard to fight when you are on your backside. The wiles are the trickery of the devil example he came as an angel of light not with a red suit with horns & a pitchfork. Years ago I learned that evil is often times packaged in a most exquisite, beautiful way, yet it is as evil as the devil himself.
In verse 12 we read "for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers , against the rulers of the darkness of this age," against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. We must realize our battle is not with human cultists (Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses, black arts, witchcraft to name but a few,) false religions Islam, Buddhist, Sikh, Hindu etc., terrorists, atheists or agnostics. But in truth with denomic beings working through them, of which even the flesh & blood opponents themselves are sometimes ignorant of that denomic influence in their lives. Take note of the hierarchy within the denomic realm, that in itself should be a wake-up call to the Body of Christ the church of today.
Again in verse 13 we are reminded to put on the whole (every piece) of God that we may be able to withstand the powers of darkness. Vigorously opposed, bravely resisting, standing your ground. We have an adversary who seeks to undermine and destroy every believers testimony, first word, COMPROMISE. Every day has the potential of being an evil day, temptation will come, you may be trashed for your beliefs, bad stuff happens to good people, how are we going to handle & overcome them? If God says we should be dressed for battle, put on the gear, this could be the day all hell breaks loose around you.
In verse 14 He teaches us to gird our waist with truth, a belt of truth. Jesus is the way, the truth & the life + Jesus & the Word are one & the same. The truth we need above any in our lives is Gods Holy Word. Also in Verse 14 encourages us to put on the breastplate of righteousness. The breastplate guards your heart, out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Our heart in the Word is referring to is the home of our inward person.
In 15 He tells us to have our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. I refer to these as our go ye shoes, go ye into all the world & spread His good news. Key word PREPARATION study His word, pray, pray in the Holy Ghost. It is our job to keep ourselves stirred up, ready at any moment to share the hope we have within us. Another key word is PEACE, we are not out to make war with our fellowman but to bring peace into their hearts &* lives.
In 16 we read "above all, take the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one." The shield is our protection FAITH forsaking all I trust in Him & His Holy Word, amen,amen! Quench means to put out the fiery darts (THOUGHTS) of the wicked one (Satan.) The devil cannot read your mind he reads your body language & listens to your words but he can put thoughts in your mind. The stupidest thoughts, perverted thoughts, bringing to remembrance things from years ago, things which the Lord has long since forgiven you of. The devil is the legalist & here is a truth to defeat him with, SHUT UP DEVIL GOD HAS FORGIVEN ME OF THAT SIN, GET OUT IN JESUS NAME!
Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God; My wife Carol shared with me a jewel I will pass on to you; If you put a bible on your head you would be totally covered by His Word, protection, provision, healing, whatever your need it is yours. In stead of it being on our head it is to be within our minds & hopefully rooted in our hearts. Salvation is deliverance body soul & spirit, glory be to God! We need to know the truth of Gods word, how to apply it to our lives & minister it to others.
The sword of the Spirit in Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul & spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Speak it, live it, share it & watch the power of God be poured out on others, transforming their lives as it has changed yours.
Verse 18 encourages us to pray always with all prayer and supplication (a formal request to a higher power, for us His name is Jesus), being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. Prayer is the primary means by which we engage in the battle & praying God's Word becomes our chief offensive weapon.
Sad to say whether it is from lack of teaching or slacking off from doing what we know we are to do, the church appears to be asleep at the wheel. This kind of Food for Thought hopefully is a reminder we needl to be about our Fathers business, it is go ye time!
Ken Gorham a servant of the Lord
Today I want to focus on Ephesians 6:10-18 vs. 10 the strength being referred too is a strength greater than our own, it is the Lords strength. Notice the capital on His might, this scripture is talking of the dunamais power of the Holy Spirit the same power that brought light into the darkness, NOT OURS!
In verse 11 we are encouraged or instructed to put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Think about the time this was written. The apostle Paul had an excellent knowledge of Roman guards armor as much of his time was either in prison or under what we call today house arrest. If you are in a battle, a war, you had best be dressed for battle or you're adversary is going to take you out & it is hard to fight when you are on your backside. The wiles are the trickery of the devil example he came as an angel of light not with a red suit with horns & a pitchfork. Years ago I learned that evil is often times packaged in a most exquisite, beautiful way, yet it is as evil as the devil himself.
In verse 12 we read "for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers , against the rulers of the darkness of this age," against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. We must realize our battle is not with human cultists (Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses, black arts, witchcraft to name but a few,) false religions Islam, Buddhist, Sikh, Hindu etc., terrorists, atheists or agnostics. But in truth with denomic beings working through them, of which even the flesh & blood opponents themselves are sometimes ignorant of that denomic influence in their lives. Take note of the hierarchy within the denomic realm, that in itself should be a wake-up call to the Body of Christ the church of today.
Again in verse 13 we are reminded to put on the whole (every piece) of God that we may be able to withstand the powers of darkness. Vigorously opposed, bravely resisting, standing your ground. We have an adversary who seeks to undermine and destroy every believers testimony, first word, COMPROMISE. Every day has the potential of being an evil day, temptation will come, you may be trashed for your beliefs, bad stuff happens to good people, how are we going to handle & overcome them? If God says we should be dressed for battle, put on the gear, this could be the day all hell breaks loose around you.
In verse 14 He teaches us to gird our waist with truth, a belt of truth. Jesus is the way, the truth & the life + Jesus & the Word are one & the same. The truth we need above any in our lives is Gods Holy Word. Also in Verse 14 encourages us to put on the breastplate of righteousness. The breastplate guards your heart, out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Our heart in the Word is referring to is the home of our inward person.
In 15 He tells us to have our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. I refer to these as our go ye shoes, go ye into all the world & spread His good news. Key word PREPARATION study His word, pray, pray in the Holy Ghost. It is our job to keep ourselves stirred up, ready at any moment to share the hope we have within us. Another key word is PEACE, we are not out to make war with our fellowman but to bring peace into their hearts &* lives.
In 16 we read "above all, take the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one." The shield is our protection FAITH forsaking all I trust in Him & His Holy Word, amen,amen! Quench means to put out the fiery darts (THOUGHTS) of the wicked one (Satan.) The devil cannot read your mind he reads your body language & listens to your words but he can put thoughts in your mind. The stupidest thoughts, perverted thoughts, bringing to remembrance things from years ago, things which the Lord has long since forgiven you of. The devil is the legalist & here is a truth to defeat him with, SHUT UP DEVIL GOD HAS FORGIVEN ME OF THAT SIN, GET OUT IN JESUS NAME!
Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God; My wife Carol shared with me a jewel I will pass on to you; If you put a bible on your head you would be totally covered by His Word, protection, provision, healing, whatever your need it is yours. In stead of it being on our head it is to be within our minds & hopefully rooted in our hearts. Salvation is deliverance body soul & spirit, glory be to God! We need to know the truth of Gods word, how to apply it to our lives & minister it to others.
The sword of the Spirit in Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul & spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Speak it, live it, share it & watch the power of God be poured out on others, transforming their lives as it has changed yours.
Verse 18 encourages us to pray always with all prayer and supplication (a formal request to a higher power, for us His name is Jesus), being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. Prayer is the primary means by which we engage in the battle & praying God's Word becomes our chief offensive weapon.
Sad to say whether it is from lack of teaching or slacking off from doing what we know we are to do, the church appears to be asleep at the wheel. This kind of Food for Thought hopefully is a reminder we needl to be about our Fathers business, it is go ye time!
Ken Gorham a servant of the Lord
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