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
Saturday, 28 July 2012
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
Monday, 14 May 2012
The Highway of Holiness
We all go through stages in life, seasons. Those seasons include everything, friends, family, careers, wrong choices & right ones. In hindsight it is so simple to see how we screwed up, but a little more questionable is how some things worked out so well. Some call it luck while others like myself refer to it as divine coincidence. The ups & downs & even roundabouts that life presents to each of us can really get you shaking your head. Yet there is one who knew all along how things would work out, even before it happened, God!
Then why did I have to go through the bogus crap I did, duh possibly because of my dumb choices. God the Holy Spirit will always be a gentleman & never force you to do anything against you're will. So when you choose to go down the wrong pathway He will not stop you, but instead will allow you to be you. The author of free choice was & is God, cool eh, or maybe not so?
The world we live in is filled with darkness. The darkness of sin & despair, while for many a feeling of hopelessness is all they know. What a horrible place to be in, without hope. If you know no light, darkness is all you know! But Praise be to God when Jesus comes into your life, life itself changes. It's like everything around you is illuminated as never before. He gives you a sense of direction & He becomes your hope rope to hold onto when things get tough.
Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light. Psalm 119:105 His Word is a lamp unto our feet & a light unto our pathway! So as a Christian I should always be confirming my choices by searching out direction in the Bible. For those who read this blog or if you are someone who knows me personally I have a four fold strategy for my Christianity, read the word, pray pray pray, be faithful in all things & obey (whether we want to or not) what God shows us to do or not to do.
I cannot understand how so many Christians think they can get by without reading Gods Holy Word each & every day. Like for sure you will be bombarded by worldly perspectives & mindsets on a continual basis. Even our thought life can be hazardous to our health. Each & every day you will have at least 10,000 choices to make. It is not my way, not your way, but Yahweh (Gods way!)
Matthew 5:14-16 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden." 15/ "Nor do they light a lamp & put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house." 16/ "let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."
The people of the world around us, those we come into contact with each & every day have to see we are not the same as everyone else, being peculiar is not a bad thing but biblical. Dump your candle for the Lord & become a flame thrower reach out with the love of God & touch someone each & every day. To do this you have to make yourself vulnerable, not something many people want to do. Plus you actually have to do something not just profess you are a Christian. Confess you love of Christ not merely by words but by everything you do!
John 8:12 "Jesus is the light of the world. He who follows Him shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. Another scripture I love is one that Paul quoted "Imitate me as I imitate Christ!" Jesus has walked on this earth, shown us the way & it is up to us to follow Him as His disciples. Food for Thought!
Then why did I have to go through the bogus crap I did, duh possibly because of my dumb choices. God the Holy Spirit will always be a gentleman & never force you to do anything against you're will. So when you choose to go down the wrong pathway He will not stop you, but instead will allow you to be you. The author of free choice was & is God, cool eh, or maybe not so?
The world we live in is filled with darkness. The darkness of sin & despair, while for many a feeling of hopelessness is all they know. What a horrible place to be in, without hope. If you know no light, darkness is all you know! But Praise be to God when Jesus comes into your life, life itself changes. It's like everything around you is illuminated as never before. He gives you a sense of direction & He becomes your hope rope to hold onto when things get tough.
Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light. Psalm 119:105 His Word is a lamp unto our feet & a light unto our pathway! So as a Christian I should always be confirming my choices by searching out direction in the Bible. For those who read this blog or if you are someone who knows me personally I have a four fold strategy for my Christianity, read the word, pray pray pray, be faithful in all things & obey (whether we want to or not) what God shows us to do or not to do.
I cannot understand how so many Christians think they can get by without reading Gods Holy Word each & every day. Like for sure you will be bombarded by worldly perspectives & mindsets on a continual basis. Even our thought life can be hazardous to our health. Each & every day you will have at least 10,000 choices to make. It is not my way, not your way, but Yahweh (Gods way!)
Matthew 5:14-16 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden." 15/ "Nor do they light a lamp & put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house." 16/ "let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."
The people of the world around us, those we come into contact with each & every day have to see we are not the same as everyone else, being peculiar is not a bad thing but biblical. Dump your candle for the Lord & become a flame thrower reach out with the love of God & touch someone each & every day. To do this you have to make yourself vulnerable, not something many people want to do. Plus you actually have to do something not just profess you are a Christian. Confess you love of Christ not merely by words but by everything you do!
John 8:12 "Jesus is the light of the world. He who follows Him shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. Another scripture I love is one that Paul quoted "Imitate me as I imitate Christ!" Jesus has walked on this earth, shown us the way & it is up to us to follow Him as His disciples. Food for Thought!
Saturday, 5 May 2012
Restored By God
What does it mean"to be restored?" Websters gives us a number of perspectives. l/ to give back something taken away, lost. 2/ to bring back to a former or normal condition, as by repairing, rebuilding, altering. 3/ to put back in a place, position, rank. 4/ to bring back to health, strength, etc. 5/ to re-establish something which has passed away, as a custom (renew.)
Who needs to be restored? Now that is a wide open question, which in my eyes includes this glorious nation we live in, Canada. Let's face it even the United Nations has stated we are no longer a Christian nation, that means in their eyes we're a bunch of heathens.
We have always been a multicultural nation but today there is one major difference, as a nation we have allowed other religions to dictate to us what we can & cannot do ex. Merry Christmas! By doing this we have turned our back on the God who helped us to build this nation. We need as a nation to repent & for our government that means our laws have to line up with His Holy Word, ex. gay marriages, an abomination in Gods eyes!
By the way the first ones who need to repent in Canada are the Christians for allowing such nonsense to go on. Please don't give me the hogwash that you prayed about it! Most of us (Christian & non-Christian alike) totally agree on the things that have gone astray, even complain amongst ourselves, but we do not stand up for Who & What we believe in! Prayer is one thing, but like faith without works it will not accomplish the desired results.
Many today proclaim to be Christians but we no longer go to church or even follow the teachings of the Bible. If we are not reading & sitting under the influence of the Word of God the worlds mindsets will soon be in control of our lives. Trust me we all have buckets full of excuses on why we no longer do church or even read our Bibles, but within every excuse is at least one lie. If you are a true believer, the Holy Ghost has already been convicting you of your wrong doings. But the Holy Ghost always has been & always will be a gentleman. What that means is He will not force you to obey the Word of God, it has to be by your free will.
We cannot blame the devil or anyone else. The devil actually cannot make you do anything , all he can do is present the temptation & then it is up to each one of us to chose whether to bite into the forbidden fruit called sin or not. As for other people, dump that excuse & start to stand on your own two feet, saying & doing what you believe in, that is if you actually even know what you believe in.
We have a merciful God who is always willing to receive us back into the fold. 1 John 1:8 "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." It was no-one else who screwed up but each of us has done our part. Ask God to forgive you & get on with serving Him. 1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
"One final scripture Galatians 6:1 "Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass (sin,) you who are spiritual (Christian) restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. My take on this is when we see a brother or sister in Christ in sin, it is our job to pray for them to be restored back into a righteous walk with the Lord.
Please do not think I am being pompous or holier than thou, I too am challenged daily by the business of life (& my lovely wife) to do as the scriptures challenge me to do. If we all are serious about being about our heavenly Fathers business look out devil, here comes the church storming the gates of hell taking back what he has stolen, food for thought!
Matthew 28:19 "Go therefore" and make disciples (not just lead people to Christ) of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you' and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
Ken Gorham a servant of the Lord
Who needs to be restored? Now that is a wide open question, which in my eyes includes this glorious nation we live in, Canada. Let's face it even the United Nations has stated we are no longer a Christian nation, that means in their eyes we're a bunch of heathens.
We have always been a multicultural nation but today there is one major difference, as a nation we have allowed other religions to dictate to us what we can & cannot do ex. Merry Christmas! By doing this we have turned our back on the God who helped us to build this nation. We need as a nation to repent & for our government that means our laws have to line up with His Holy Word, ex. gay marriages, an abomination in Gods eyes!
By the way the first ones who need to repent in Canada are the Christians for allowing such nonsense to go on. Please don't give me the hogwash that you prayed about it! Most of us (Christian & non-Christian alike) totally agree on the things that have gone astray, even complain amongst ourselves, but we do not stand up for Who & What we believe in! Prayer is one thing, but like faith without works it will not accomplish the desired results.
Many today proclaim to be Christians but we no longer go to church or even follow the teachings of the Bible. If we are not reading & sitting under the influence of the Word of God the worlds mindsets will soon be in control of our lives. Trust me we all have buckets full of excuses on why we no longer do church or even read our Bibles, but within every excuse is at least one lie. If you are a true believer, the Holy Ghost has already been convicting you of your wrong doings. But the Holy Ghost always has been & always will be a gentleman. What that means is He will not force you to obey the Word of God, it has to be by your free will.
We cannot blame the devil or anyone else. The devil actually cannot make you do anything , all he can do is present the temptation & then it is up to each one of us to chose whether to bite into the forbidden fruit called sin or not. As for other people, dump that excuse & start to stand on your own two feet, saying & doing what you believe in, that is if you actually even know what you believe in.
We have a merciful God who is always willing to receive us back into the fold. 1 John 1:8 "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." It was no-one else who screwed up but each of us has done our part. Ask God to forgive you & get on with serving Him. 1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
"One final scripture Galatians 6:1 "Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass (sin,) you who are spiritual (Christian) restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. My take on this is when we see a brother or sister in Christ in sin, it is our job to pray for them to be restored back into a righteous walk with the Lord.
Please do not think I am being pompous or holier than thou, I too am challenged daily by the business of life (& my lovely wife) to do as the scriptures challenge me to do. If we all are serious about being about our heavenly Fathers business look out devil, here comes the church storming the gates of hell taking back what he has stolen, food for thought!
Matthew 28:19 "Go therefore" and make disciples (not just lead people to Christ) of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you' and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
Ken Gorham a servant of the Lord
Monday, 30 April 2012
Could Have Been, Is & Will Be
We all had dreams & goals at one time or another in each of our lives. No-one chooses to fail, it is not in our makeup. We want to succeed at everything we do. Hand in hand with our dreams & goals, is our hope. But one thing I found over the years was you have to have more than just something to hope for, I needed someone other than myself to hope in. For me His name is the name above all other names, Jesus!
Some of our dreams are totally illogical, you know like my becoming the next Johnny Bower, when I was a young hockey fan (back when the Leafs actually not only made the playoffs but won many a Stanley Cups.) You have to have exceptional natural abilities, dedication with the tenacity of a pit bull dog, the opportunity to do what you feel called to do & perfect timing for everything to come to pass.
Some dreams can be totally of God but always remember whatever we do as Christians is to glorify God, not self! When it is of God, His direction is totally upon your every step, not barring the trials & tribulations we all have faced & will face in our future. It also does not mean you will not have numerous opportunities to flat out give up, quit, say I have had enough, I can't handle it any more. When we hit a wall it doesn't mean it is over, in all likelihood it is just another change of direction, and keep on going.
I know personally my life has been a roller coaster ride of mammoth proportion. My parents saw all this potential, everybody agreed but when the hormones kicked in off I went. Eight years of hi-school (partying all the way) & you can probably guess the party didn't end there. It was to the point of my friends giving me the nickname "the carrot" because they expected me to become a vegetable. Another friend offered to pay my life insurance because he felt confident he could be collecting at any moment.
Sometimes you just never know what the future may hold. There is an old adage "if it's not broke don't fix it" but if life sucks it is time to make some changes. It's the same in all areas of life, work & play, marriage, you name it, it all works the same!
Are you seeing a picture in this. Maybe your life was not what you thought it could have been. Whether it was what most would call bad luck or flat out mistakes you made, LET IT GO & get on with making those necessary changes. And please, please, please stop blaming everyone else.
Don't fall into the plum syndrome (poor little unloved me.) A Rabbi wrote a book "Bad Stuff Happens to Good People," another old adage that applies to many lives, possibly yours.
Yes today is what it is, good, bad or ugly. Whether you believe it or not the ball is in your court Do not trust in another old adage "what will be, will be." If you are a Christian, get on your knees & pray. My suggestion would be to ask God for forgiveness for past sins, & pray for His direction from this day forward. Those past sins may even be as simple as unforgiveness, for holding a grudge (forgiveness is not optional) Matthew 6:14.15
I was an alcoholic, cross addicted to numerous drugs for over twenty five years, what was referred to as a main line addict & yet God in His sovereignty as a forgiving heavenly Father set me free & even called me as a minister. For thirteen years I had the privilege of preaching the gospel in Lindsay, Ontario. Today I still preach at a locally once a month, while in the summer time I travel from church to church doing the work of an evangelist. After three long years I have finally finished my autobiography "From Cross Addicted to Addicted to the Cross." Presently talking to a publisher while praying for the finances, but one thing is for sure GOD IS ABLE!
I am not bragging on me but on my Savior Jesus Christ. He saved me, delivered me, & gave me a purpose in life, sharing Him with others. God is not a respecter of persons, what He has done for me He can do for you. God has a plan for you & it is up to you to spend time with Him in prayer & reading His Word to find it out. Hold onto this thought, you & the Good Lord are in charge of what will be YOUR future, food for thought!
Ken Gorham a servant of the Lord .
Some of our dreams are totally illogical, you know like my becoming the next Johnny Bower, when I was a young hockey fan (back when the Leafs actually not only made the playoffs but won many a Stanley Cups.) You have to have exceptional natural abilities, dedication with the tenacity of a pit bull dog, the opportunity to do what you feel called to do & perfect timing for everything to come to pass.
Some dreams can be totally of God but always remember whatever we do as Christians is to glorify God, not self! When it is of God, His direction is totally upon your every step, not barring the trials & tribulations we all have faced & will face in our future. It also does not mean you will not have numerous opportunities to flat out give up, quit, say I have had enough, I can't handle it any more. When we hit a wall it doesn't mean it is over, in all likelihood it is just another change of direction, and keep on going.
I know personally my life has been a roller coaster ride of mammoth proportion. My parents saw all this potential, everybody agreed but when the hormones kicked in off I went. Eight years of hi-school (partying all the way) & you can probably guess the party didn't end there. It was to the point of my friends giving me the nickname "the carrot" because they expected me to become a vegetable. Another friend offered to pay my life insurance because he felt confident he could be collecting at any moment.
Sometimes you just never know what the future may hold. There is an old adage "if it's not broke don't fix it" but if life sucks it is time to make some changes. It's the same in all areas of life, work & play, marriage, you name it, it all works the same!
Are you seeing a picture in this. Maybe your life was not what you thought it could have been. Whether it was what most would call bad luck or flat out mistakes you made, LET IT GO & get on with making those necessary changes. And please, please, please stop blaming everyone else.
Don't fall into the plum syndrome (poor little unloved me.) A Rabbi wrote a book "Bad Stuff Happens to Good People," another old adage that applies to many lives, possibly yours.
Yes today is what it is, good, bad or ugly. Whether you believe it or not the ball is in your court Do not trust in another old adage "what will be, will be." If you are a Christian, get on your knees & pray. My suggestion would be to ask God for forgiveness for past sins, & pray for His direction from this day forward. Those past sins may even be as simple as unforgiveness, for holding a grudge (forgiveness is not optional) Matthew 6:14.15
I was an alcoholic, cross addicted to numerous drugs for over twenty five years, what was referred to as a main line addict & yet God in His sovereignty as a forgiving heavenly Father set me free & even called me as a minister. For thirteen years I had the privilege of preaching the gospel in Lindsay, Ontario. Today I still preach at a locally once a month, while in the summer time I travel from church to church doing the work of an evangelist. After three long years I have finally finished my autobiography "From Cross Addicted to Addicted to the Cross." Presently talking to a publisher while praying for the finances, but one thing is for sure GOD IS ABLE!
I am not bragging on me but on my Savior Jesus Christ. He saved me, delivered me, & gave me a purpose in life, sharing Him with others. God is not a respecter of persons, what He has done for me He can do for you. God has a plan for you & it is up to you to spend time with Him in prayer & reading His Word to find it out. Hold onto this thought, you & the Good Lord are in charge of what will be YOUR future, food for thought!
Ken Gorham a servant of the Lord .
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