Christians Must Approach God As A Child

                                                      When The Door Slams

Do not despise this small beginning, for the Lord rejoice to see the work begin.                                                                                   Zechariah 4:10a

    

        The world loves the spectacular. God has proven that He is certainly capable of the extraordinary, but He often Chooses to work through the ordinary and seemingly insignificant. In this way God demonstrates His love and His power. 

        Throughout history, God's answer to a critical time was to send a baby. Isaac, Moses, Samuel, John the Baptist, and Jesus were all born as answers to a time of need. When God delivered the Israelites from the Midianites' oppression, God intentionally used an army of merely three hundred men to defeat a vastly larger army. God had more soldiers available, but He preferred to demonstrate His power in this way to accomplished His purposes.

        When Jesus selected His first disciples He could have enlisted a multitude to follow Him, but He choose twelve. It was not the number of disciples but the quality of their walk with Him that would determine how they affected their world. When Jesus fed a multitude, with five loaves of bread and two fish from a boy's lunch were sufficient in the hands of the Lord.

        Jesus compared the kingdom of God to a mustard seed (Matt. 13:31-32). The mustard seed was the smallest seed known to the Jews, yet it grew into an enormous tree. Jesus also  likened God's kingdom to yeast that is hardly noticeable but raise the entire batch of dough (Matt. 13:33). When children came to Jesus, His disciples assumed they were an annoyance and chased them away (Matt. 19:13-15). But Jesus said that in order to enter His kingdom, people must app0roach God as a child.

        Think about this: Christians often accept the motto "the bigger the better." We measure success by the number of people involved in our ministry. We seek spectacular displays of  God's power. We must learn to view success as God does. God is interested in the heart; God is pleased with obedience. 

        Renewal: May I flee youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart (2 Timothy 2:22). May I avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they product quarrels. The Lord's servant much not quarrel, but be gentle toward all, able to teach, and patient (2 Timothy 2:23-24).

This is the will of God, my sanctification, that I abstain from immorality and learn to possess my own vessel in sanctification and honor. For God did not call me to be impure, but to live a holy life (1 Thessalonians 4:3-4,7).                                 

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness.

                                                        Never Rest Ministries

       

There Is No secondhand Spirituality

                                                       When The Door Slams

Then some of the traveling Jewish exorcists also attempted to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "I implore you and solemnly command you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches!" Seven sons of one [named] Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, was doing this. But the evil spirit  retorted, "I know and recognize and acknowledge Jesus, and I know about Paul, but as for you, who are you?"                           Acts 19:13-15 

        There is no secondhand spirituality. No one else can develop Christian maturity on your behalf. A strong Christian heritage is an asset, but it cannot take the place of your own vibrant, growing relationship with Christ.

        Paul had a powerful walk with God. God used him so mightily that extraordinary miracles occurred through his life. Clothes that touched Paul were taken to the sick, and the sick were healed (Acts 19:10-12). Evil spirits were cast out. Paul's preaching and teaching were instrumental in building a strong church in Ephesus. Paul's ministry was so impressive, in fact, that others tried to duplicate it. 

        Seven sons of the chief priest, Sceva, attempted to cast out demons the way Paul did. They confronted an evil spirit and attempted to exorcise it "by the Jesus that Paul preaches!" These men were trying to use a spiritual power that Paul had acquired after years of walking closely with his Lord.

        They could imitate Paul's words, but they could not duplicate the power that was his through his personal relationship with God. The evil spirit retorted, "I know Jesus, and I recognize Paul--But who are you? The demon then viciously attacked them and humiliated them. The evil spirits were fearfully aware of Jesus (James 2:19); they were familiar with Paul's influence over the powers of darkness. But the demons had no knowledge of the seven sons of Sceva.

        Think about this: Religious people can duplicate the words and deeds of a spiritually mature Christian, but they cannot inherit his or her walk with God. Christian maturity take effort; it comes over time. If you ignore the place of prayer and if your religion neglect your relationship with Christ, you will not grow in your faith. Imitating the faith of others will not give you victory. Only as you nurture your own relationship with Jesus, your life will be filled with spiritual maturity and power.

        Renewal: May I love the Lord my God and serve Him with all my heart and with all my soul (Deuteronomy 11:13). May I set my heart to honor Your name (Malachi 2:2). May I worship the Lord my God, and serve Him only (Matthew 4:10). May I take courage and not be afraid, for the Lord Jesus is with me (Mark 6:50). 

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness.  

                                                            Never Rest Ministries                   

God's Commandments Do Not Restrict You

                                                      When The Door Slams

But test all things carefully [so you can recognize what is good]. Hold firmly to that which is good. Abstain from every form of evil [withdraw and keep away from it].                                                                                                                                     1 Thessalonians 5:21-22

        Hold fast to what is good, or the world will take it away. Satan is the relentless enemy of good. When he saw what God gave Adam and Eve was good, he set about to take it away from them. When he saw that King David was pleasing to God, he attempted to destroy David's relationship with God. Never take the good in your life for granted. If you do not hold on to it firmly, you may lose it.

        People will challenge the good that you are practicing. They may criticize you for your moral stand, your child rearing, your use of money, or your involvement in church. Time will pressure you and attack the good in your life. Your time to pray, time to study Scripture, time to be with your family and time to serve in your church will be pressured by the many other time demands you face. You may give generously to your church and other Christian causes, but you will be tempted to spend your money selfishly and minimize the good you are doing with your finances.

        Think about this: Scripture reveals the solution for holding on to what is good and abstain from every form of evil. Evil robs you of what God intends for you. A spouse and family are great blessings, but the evil of adultery can rob you of the good that God has given you. Prayer is a wonderful gift from God. Yet sin robs the power of prayer (Isa. 1:15). If you will not abstain from evil, it will rob you of the good things God has given you. God's commandments do not restrict you: they free you to experience God's best. Diligently abstain from every form of evil, and you will be free to enjoy every good thing God has for you.

Renewal your mind: We must all attain to unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to a mature man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we will no longer be infants, being blown and carried around by every wind of doctrine, by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in all things into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ (Ephesians 4:13-15).

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness. 

                                                          Never Rest Ministries              

          

 

Righteousness Must Be Cultivated

                                                      When The Door Slams

All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspirational] and is profitable for instruction, for conviction [of sin], for correction [of error and restoration to obedience], for training in righteousness [learning to live in conformity to God's will, both publicly and privately-behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage]; So that the man of God may be complete and proficient, outfitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.                                                                2 Timothy 3:16-17

        All Scripture is profitable! Knowing this, we cheat ourselves when we do not access every book, every truth, every verse, and every page of our Bibles for the promises and commands God has for us. Because every verse of Scripture is inspired by God and gainful to us, we should not pick and choose which verses we will read and study. 

        We should not claim verses we like and ignore those that convict us! If we are to become mature disciples of Jesus, we must allow every Scripture to speak to us and teach us what God desires us to learn. Scripture enables us to evaluate the soundness of doctrines that are being taught. Scripture ought to be the basis for any reproof or correction we bring to another. 

         Think about this: If you are not firmly grounded in God's Word, you will be bombarded with an assortment of doctrines, religious lifestyles, and behaviors, and you will have no means to evaluate whether or not they are of God. You cannot develop a righteous life apart from God's Word. Righteousness must be cultivated. As you fill your mind with the words of God, and as you obey His instructions, He will guide you in the ways of righteousness. Scripture will equip you for any good work God calls you to do . If you feel inadequate for a task God has given you, search the Scriptures, for within them you will find the wisdom you need to carry out His assignment. Allow the Word of God to permeate, guide, and enrich your life.

May I be a doer of the word and not merely a hearer who deceives himself. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror, and after looking at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of he was. But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and continues in it and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the word, this one will be blessed in what he does (James 1:22-25). 

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness.   

                                                         Never Rest Ministries          

    

Religious--Minded People Speak Passionately

                                                        When The Door Slams

For the kingdom of God is not based on talk but on power. Which do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod [of discipline and correctional], or with love and gentle spirit?                                                                                                                                         1 Corinthians 4:20-21

        Christianity is not moral platitudes, proud intentions, and noble thoughts. The fundamental characteristic of God's kingdom is power. Paul faced constant criticism about the work among the early churches. Some of his detractors would travel to cities such as Corinth and speak extensively about all that Paul was doing incorrectly. At times, people in the churches were enticed to believe the slanderous against the apostle. 

        Paul responded with a reminder that the test of a kingdom citizen's authenticity was not the persuasiveness of his words but the spiritual power of his life. Paul acknowledged that some did not find him eloquent in speech (2 Cor. 10:10). Yet they could not question God's power in his life. He had seen many people converted, and many churches were started through his ministry. He had been used to heal the sick and raise the dead through God's power. Regardless of whether his words were eloquent, they carried spiritual power and authority that came from God.

        Think about this: You will encounter many religious people who seek to convince you of their opinions concerning the kingdom of God. They may speak passionately. They may even bring charts and graphs to prove their points! But the test of the strength of their words is the spiritual power in their lives. If a person speak forcefully about point of doctrine but is habitually sinning, his words are discredited by his life. If a person talks of the power of God but gives no evidence of victory in his or her life, their words are empty. It is much easier to talk about the victorious Christian life than it is to live it.             

If you only have the appearance of godliness without any agreeing spiritual power (2 Tim. 3:5), ask God to cleanse you of your sin and fill you with His Spirit so that your life is characterized by the Holy Spirit power.

Renewal: Like Josiah, may I do what is right in  the sight of the LORD and walk in all the ways of David, not turning aside to the right of to the left. May I turn to the LORD with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my might, in accordance with all of Your Word (2 Kings 22:1-2; 23:25). 

These are the things I want to do: speak the truth to others, judge with truth and justice for peace, not plot evil against my neighbor, and not love a false oath; for all these things the LORD hates (Zechariah 8:16-17).          

Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness.

                                                           Never Rest Ministries  

There Is A Difference Between Judgment And Discernment

                                                     When The Door Slams

"Do not judge [others self-righteously] and you will not be judged; do not condemn [others when you are guilty and unrepentant], and you will not be condemned [for your hypocrisy]; pardon [others when they truly repent and change], and you will be pardoned [when you truly repent and change].                                    Luke 6:37 [Note: Matthew 7:1-5] 

        There is a significant difference between judgment and discernment. God sees people's hearts and knows their motives (Prov. 16:2). Only God can accurately judge those who deserve punishment. Ultimately, Christ will sit in judgment upon us all in the day of judgment (2 Cor. 5:10). 

        Our problem is that we like to sit in the judgment seat and pronounce condemnation upon those whom we think have sinned! Scripture commands us not to judge or condemn others, for we cannot be judgmental and redemptive at the same time. It is difficult to pray sincerely for someone while we are judging them. At times our judgmental attitude can seem to provide us an excuse not to become involved in God's redemptive work in someone's life. Scripture reminds us that God will treat us with the same grace or severity with which we treat others (Luke 6:38). 

        Think about this: God commands us not to judge others, but He does want us to be discerning. Jesus said we would know people's spiritual condition by the fruit of their lives (Matt. 7:16). He said grapes are not produced by thorn bushes. If a person's life produces thorns, we can assume that person is not a grapevine! Are we being judgmental? No, we are discerning. Scripture commands us to avoid associating with scoffers or fools (Prov. 22:10; 17:12). Unless we are able to identify scoffers and fools, we cannot obey God's command. That is not being judgmental; it is being discerning. As Christians, we have been instructed to observe the lives of others so that we can help them while avoiding any sinful influence.

        You will be helpful to others only if you see them as God does. If you have been judgmental of others, ask forgiveness and pledge yourself to let God use you as His minister of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18).    

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement grant us to be of the same mind toward one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord and one mouth we may glorify the God and Father of our LORD Jesus Christ (Romans 15:5-6). May the God of peace Himself sanctify us completely, and may our whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our LORD Jesus Christ. He who calls us is faithful, who also will do it (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness.

                                                            Never Rest Ministries

                          

When Jesus Conquered Death

                                                     When The Door Slams

Those who died in Christ

Now we do not want you to be uninformed, believers, about those who are asleep [in death], so that you will not grieve [for them] as the others do who have no hope [beyond this present life]. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again [as in fact He did], even so God [in the same way-by raising them from the dead] will bring with Him those [believers] who have fallen asleep in Jesus.                                            1 Thessalonians 4:13-14

        Christians do not grieve as the world grieves. The world experiences sorrow without hope. The Christian also has sorrow, but the Christian's sorrow is accompanied by hope. 

        In Jesus' day, a funeral was a time for an impassioned demonstration of grief. It was a sign of respect for the deceased to wail loudly at a funeral. A person grieving the loss of a loved one has no power to change what has happened. There is probably no time in human experience when people feel more helpless or vulnerable than at a funeral.

        Jesus, too, wept at the funeral of a close friend, but His sorrow did not come from a lack of hope (John 11:35). Jesus knew that soon Lazarus would be alive again. He also knew that at His second coming, Lazarus and all of Jesus' followers would be resurrected from death to spend eternity with Him in heaven. Jesus wept because He saw the hopelessness felt by the people He loved. His friends had the Resurrection and the Life right in  their midst, yet they were grieving (John 11: 25)!

        When Jesus conquered death, He forever changed the way Christians view death. Christian still experience the sorrow of losing someone we love, but we have hope because we know that God can bring good out of any situation (Rom. 8:28). We have hope in the knowledge that nothing, not even death, can separate us from God's love (Rom. 8:38-39). We have hope because Jesus will bring us to join Him in heaven so that we might enjoy eternity in unhindered fellowship with Him (John 14:3).

        Think about this: Even though you are a Christian, you cannot escape life's sorrows. But you can soften or soothe your grief with the hope that Christ is risen, for He is your hope and your comfort. 

May I be strong and courageous; may I not be afraid of discouraged because of my adversaries, for there is a greater power with me than with them, for the LORD my God is with me to help me (2 Chronicles 32:7-8). An hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and He has given Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man (John 5:25-27). 

As the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness.

                                                                                    Never Rest Ministries            

     

            

Sins Unto Death

                                                       When The Door Slams

"For from within, [that is] out the heart of men, come base and malevolent thoughts and schemes, acts of sexual immorality, thefts, murders, adulteries, acts of greed and covetousness, wickedness, deceit, unrestrained conduct, envy and jealousy, slander and profanity, arrogance and self-righteousness and foolishness (poor judgment). "All these evil things [schemes and desires] come from within and defile and dishonor the man."             Mark 7:21-23

        If a person "dies in sin" they will be lost eternally because of the "sins unto death" which are still in their heart. Concerning the "works of the flesh," Paul says, "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envying, murders, drunkenness, reveling, and such like: of the which I told you before, as I have told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God" (Galatians 5:19-21).

        How many times must the apostles tell us these things before we believe them, and how many times must they tell us Christ died to take these things away before we will believe the truth and trust in Christ? 

        Many people have been deceived to believe that a man or woman could die in the act of adultery, and Christ would receive them "if their faith is grounded in the cross of Christ." That is one of the must self-righteous thing I have ever heard. The cross of Christ is the end of sin for those who trust in Christ "who loved us, and gave Himself for us" (Galatians 2:20).        

        Think about this: It is hard for people to believe the truth when they first hear it because it is foolishness to them. They know they are not "strong enough" to live free from sin, so their first disposition is to believe that it is only the "self-righteous" who would believe such a thing. It is a wrong understanding of "grace" that actually blinds the people. They think we are "covered by grace," or that we "go to heaven by grace." Neither of these is true. The true is that we are "made free from sin" by grace. It is not by works.

Renewal: I will not let sin reign in my mortal body that I should obey its lusts. nor will I present the members of my body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but I will present myself to God as one who is alive from the dead and my members as instruments of righteousness to God (Romans 6:12-23).

May I put away all filthiness' and the overflow of wickedness, and meekness accept the word planted in me, which is able to save my soul (James1:21). 

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness. 

                                                                            Never Rest Ministries     

             

        

Secret Sins

                                                       When The Door Slams

"For there is nothing hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come out into the open                                      Luke 8:17

        One of Satan's subtle deceptions is that you can do things in secret that will never be revealed. This is simply not true. The Bible stresses that everything done in darkness will one day be brought to light. So before you commit yourself to do anything questionable, seriously ask yourself, "Why am I willing for those around me to know what I am doing or about to do? Am I a Christian who is obedient or just a religious person? Am I willing for God to watch me participate in my sinful activity?"

        The knowledge that God sees what we do, the reality that we are true Christians, we are accountable for every word and action, this alone should discourage us from sin (2 Cor. 5:10). But we can become so alienated from God that even this knowledge does not deter us. God promises that He will publicly expose our sin so that we must give an account to others for our actions. Ultimately, everything we do will be exposed on Judgment Day, you will be there. 

        Think about this: Still, some people believe they can sin against God, their families, their employers, or their friends and never be discovered. God has provided a safeguard against sin: the reality of disclosure. Scripture commands us to expose the deeds of darkness as we become aware of them(Eph. 5:11). As Christians we are to be the light that dispels darkness in our world. Sin cannot continue in a true Christian life, for light cannot dwell with darkness. The only insurance against having you exposed is living a blameless life. 

Confession: My trespasses are multiplied before You, And my sins testify against me. For my transgressions are with me, And I know my iniquities: Transgressing and lying against the LORD, And departing from my God, Speaking oppression and revolt, Uttering lies my heart has conceived (Isaiah 59:12-13). 

Renewal: May I fear the LORD and Serve You in truth with all my heart, for I consider what great things You have done for me (1 Samuel 12:24). May I not transgress the commandments of the LORD, for I cannot prosper in disobedience. May I not forsake the LORD (2 Chronicles 24:20). 

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness.  

                                                    Never Rest Ministries     

                   

Our Motives Is Selfish, We Should Evaluate Our Prayers

                                                     When The Door Slams

Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called the blind man, telling him, "Take courage, get up! He is calling for you." Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said, "What do you want Me to do for you?" The blind man said to Him, "Rabboni (my Master), let me regain my sight."                     Mark 10:49-51

        It is hard to believe that the LORD would ask us what He could do for us. However, sometimes that is the question we must answer. Bartimaeus was blind, and he knew exactly what he wanted Jesus to do for him: restore his sight. Yet he received much more than physical sight! He received salvation, for Jesus know Bartimaeus's heart was faithful. Bartimaeus immediately used his gift to become a follower of the Savior.

        Jesus also asked James and John what they wanted Him to do for them. They requested the most prominent places in His kingdom. This time Jesus answered that He could not give them what they asked. Their request was selfish, and it brought dissension among their fellow disciples (Mark 10:41). 

        Think about this: Only when we pray according to God's will, He is pleased to grant our requests (John 15:16). We will not see our prayers answered if we ask selfishly (James 4:3). If God refrains from giving us what we are asking, we should evaluate our prayers. Are our motives selfish? Are we asking for far less than God wants to give (2 Kings 13:19; Eph. 3:20)? Are our requests worthy of God we approach? Are we obedient to God's word? Do we lack the faith God requires to give us our desires (Matt. 17:20)? Is there unconfessed sin (Isa. 1:15)? God delights in responding to our requests (Matt. 7:7). If we will ask according to His will, we, like Bartimaeus, will receive far more than we anticipated (Jer. 33:3).

May I be strong and courageous, being careful to obey Your word; may I not turn from it to the right or to the left, that I may act wisely wherever I go (Joshua 1:7).  

Godliness with contentment is great gain. For I brought nothing into the world, and I can take nothing out of it. But if I have food and clothing, with these I will be content.                                (1 Timothy 6:6-8).        

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness.

                                                    Never Rest Ministries

           

When You Become A True Christian, God Renewed Your Mind

                                                     When The Door Slams 

So prepare your minds for action, be completely sober [in spirit-steadfast, self-disciplined, spiritually and morally alert], fix your hope completely on the grace [of God] that is coming to you when Jesus Christ is revealed.                         1 Peter 1:13

 

        Your mind is a wonderful thing! You can memorize life-changing passages of Scripture that can undergird you in your daily life; you can meditate upon God's Word, discovering His magnificent truths; you can discern between truth and falsehood; you can recall God's past blessings.

        Some of God's most effective servants were those who disciplined their minds for His service. Moses, educated in the best schools of Egypt, assembled the Books of the Law for the Israelites. Isaiah used his scholarly mind to write an exalted prophetic book in Scripture. Paul learned under Gamaliel, the outstanding teacher of his day, and it was through Paul that God presented much of the theology found in the New Testament. 

        Paul urged Christians to strive for maturity in their thinking (1 Cor. 14:20). He said there was a time when his spiritual thinking was immature, but he had prepared his mind to know and understand the great truths of God (1 Cor. 13:11). He had not allowed others to do his thinking for him. When you became a Christian, God renewed your mind (Rom. 12:2). Be certain to used your mind in a way that brings glory to God.

        Think about this: Sadly, many Christians today do not exercise their minds to be of service to God. Sometimes we allow others to do our religious thinking for us. If they can find their religion from a book, they will not bother to study God's Word themselves. If a speaker makes an authoritative statement, they readily accept it without verifying whether it is biblical.

Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever, For wisdom and power belong to Him. He changes the times and the seasons; He raises up kings and deposes them He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, And light dwells with Him (Daniel 2:20-22). 

We give thanks to You, LORD God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign (Revelation 11:17).                        

 Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness. 

The Key Is To Wait Upon The LORD God

                                                       When The Door Slams

But those who wait for the LORD [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] will gain new strength and renew their power; They will lift up their wing [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun]; They will run and not become weary, They will walk and not grow tired [Heb. 12:1-3].                                             Isaiah 40: 31

        At times you may feel so worn out and stressed that you are not sure you can take another step. You may seem to spend all your time running from crisis to crisis and to be constantly giving your time and energy to others. Your Lord wants to renew your strength and enable you to enjoy the abundant life He intends for you. The key is to wait upon the LORD to do so. 

        Our generation does not enjoy waiting. We are harried by all the commitments we have made and the many responsibilities we hold. We rush through our lives without stopping to evaluate our activities. Sometimes in our haste to get on with our work, we race ahead of God. Part of God's restorative process is to slow us down and make us listen to Him. As we wait on Him, God will remind us of our dependence is upon His strength. When we slow down and seek His will, God will reveal His plans. 

        Spiritually, waiting on the Lord is never passive; it is always active. Waiting requires us to cease our own pursuits and give God our completes attention. We may have to give up some of the activities we have allowed to inundate our lives. We may need to take an entire day to sit quietly before the Lord. If we ask, God will show us the resources He has provided to help with the work we have been attempting on our own. God may address our feelings of guilt that have motivated us to do things that He has not asked us to do.

        Think about this: Jesus carried more responsibility than you do. More people needed Jesus than they will ever need you. Yet Jesus was never overwhelmed or inadequate for the task. Now Christ offers to guide you so that you will fulfill your heavenly Father's will and gain the strength necessary for each day (Matt. 11:28). 

"For all these things My hand has made, So all these things come into being [by and for Me],' declares the LORD. "But to this one I will look [graciously], To him who is humble and contrite is spirit, and who [reverently] trembles at My word and honors My commands. [John 4:24]                                                                    Isaiah 66:2

Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.

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Where Is My Help In Times Of Failure

                                                     When The Door Slams

"Master," Simon replied, "we've worked hard all night long and caught nothing! But at Your word, I'll let down the nets,"                                                                 Luke 5:5

        No one knows how to help you in your times of failure as Jesus does! Jesus will not overlook your shortcoming or simply encourage you to do better the next time. Jesus will give you victory in the midst of your failures. 

        Peter had fished all night without success. This was not just a meager catch; he had caught nothing, even though he was a skilled fisherman. Jesus could have said, "Peter, don't worry about your empty net. You'll soon be in a different business anyway." Instead, Jesus told Peter to launch out into the deep and to cast out your nets for a catch. How humbling it must have been for Peter! Here was a carpenter telling this outspoken fisherman how to fish! 

        Jesus often gets your undivided attention when you fail. Jesus sometimes takes you back to your place of defeat in order to build something good into your life. You may assume that Jesus don't want you to continue because you failed so miserably in your attempt. 

        Think about this: Perhaps your problem was that you relied on your own religion as strength instead of the Holy Spirit's. Maybe you failed in your spiritual relationship as in obedient. Jesus will not allow you to abandon Him; Jesus will help you learn from your failure and experience the difference that He can make when He guides your relationships. When you trust in God's obedient, you may discover that success is indeed within you grasp. If you have recently experienced failure, Jesus will relate to you in ways that are unique to you.    

        Jesus knows what you will face in the future. Because He knows everything about you, Jesus word to you will perfectly fit the circumstances of your life. You may be in a group of Christians who are listening to God's Word, and you may hear things from Jesus thru the power of the Holy Spirit that no one else hears.   

 Ah, LORD God! You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too difficult for You. You are the great and mighty God, whose name is the LORD  of hosts. You are great in counsel and mighty in deed, and Your eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men; You reward everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds (Jeremiah 32:17-19). 

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness.

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Sin Breaks Our Relationship With God

                                                       When The Door Slams

Everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.                                 2 Corinthians 5:18

        The world abounds with people whose sin has alienated them from God. Christ's sacrificial work has restored Christians to a love relationship with the heavenly Father. As Christians, we are appointed as ministers of reconciliation. Once Christ dwells within us, we become His ambassadors, and we entreat others to be reconciled to Him (2 Cor. 5:20). We are God's messengers of peace, urging others to return to God (Matt. 5:9). 

        Sin breaks our relationship with God, it severs relationships with others as well. Broken relationships are the epidemic of our day. Sin alienates family members, separates friends, divides churches, and destroys marriages. Sin creates mistrust, jealousy, hatred, and greed, all of which devastate relationships. Only Christ has the remedy for the disastrous effect of sin on human relationships. As His ambassadors, we are to take the message of reconciliation to a broken, divided world. We urge reconciliation first with God, and then with each other. 

        Think about this. How tragic it is when God's messengers of peace is a deceiver. How can false ambassadors carry a message of love and yet be filled with disobedience? If  you refuse to repent of your disobedience your massage of reconciliation is deceitful. The evidence that you are a disciple of Jesus is that you be a true Christian and love your fellow Christians (John 13:35). In each of your relationships, make certain that your actions share the love and forgiveness that reflect what you received from God. Then you will not only speak the message of peace, but you will live it as well. 

Jesus told His disciples, "The Spirit will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is Mine. Therefore I said that He will take from what is Mine and make it known to you" (John 16:14-15)  

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness. 

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IF You Are A True Christian

                                                        When The Door Slams

The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him--a Spirit of wisdom and understanding, a Spirit of counsel and strength, a Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.                                                                                                                                                                    Isaiah 11:2

        Throughout His ministry, Jesus relied upon the Holy Spirit to direct Him as He made crucial decisions and faced relentless opposition (Mark 1:12). Centuries earlier, Isaiah had described what the Spirit's presence would mean for the Savior. The Spirit would give Jesus the knowledge of the will and ways of the Father. 

        As a young boy, Jesus already possessed unusual knowledge of God's Word (Luke 2:47). The Spirit granted Him the wisdom to use this knowledge. The Spirit enabled Jesus to take the Word of God and apply it effectively to the specific needs of those He encountered. 

       A key word: If you are a (true) Christian, the same Spirit abides in you. At times, you may pray and ask God to send His Spirit "in power." That is the only way the Spirit ever comes! More importantly, the Spirit will come in wisdom, bringing the understanding of God's ways   and understanding of the LORD and Savior Jesus Christ.

        Think about this: You need God's wisdom for the decisions you face (Rom. 11:33). Perhaps God has placed you in a decisions of great responsibility, and you feel overwhelmed by the decisions you must make. It may be in your role as parent, or friend, or leader that you long for the wisdom of God. The same Spirit who enabled Jesus to see through the deceptions of Satan will also guide you through the temptations that confront you. Pray that God will fill you with His Spirit of wisdom so that through the decisions you make you can live your life effectively. 

In You, O LORD, I have taken refuge; Let me never be ashamed; Deliver me in Your righteousness. Since You are my rock and my fortress, For Your name's sake lead me and guide me. Into Your hands I commit my spirit; Redeem me, O LORD, God of truth (Psalm 31:,3,5). 

The LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, Guarding the paths of justice And protecting the way of His saints (Proverbs 2:6-8).  

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness. 

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Closed-Minded And Representatives

                                                      When The Door Slams

These people are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping from those who are in error. They promise freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity-for "people are slaves to whatever has mastered them."                          2 Peter 2:17-19

        The belief system of the religious group share much in common with government representatives, (sect). Frist and foremost, the belief systems of the religious group and representatives are characterized by closed-minded. They are not interested in a rational cognitive evaluation of the facts. The organizational structure interprets the facts to the cultist, generally invoking the Bible and/or its respective founder as the ultimate source of its pronouncements. 

        Such belief systems are in isolation; they never shift to logical consistency. They exist in what we might describe as separate compartments in the cultist's mind, and are almost incapable of penetration or disruption if the individual cultist is completely committed to the authority of his or her organization. 

        Secondly, closed-minded belief systems are characterized by genuine antagonism on a personal level since the cultist almost always identifies his or her dislike of the Christian message with the messenger who holds opposing beliefs.

        The identification of opposing beliefs with the individual in the framework of antagonism leads the cultist almost always to reject the individual as well as the belief, a problem closely linked with closed-minded and one that is extremely difficult to deal with in general dialogue with cultists.

        Thirdly, almost without exception, all closed-mindedness belief systems manifest a type of institutional dogmatism and a pronounced intolerance for any position but their own.  

        Think about this: Today, there are Satan worshipers in the home, school and workplace who call themselves the Church of Satan, religious group who mix Bible teaching with gnosticism and numerology, New Agers who worship many gods and goddesses, evil-minded and this is just the tip of the beginning. It's sad that people are try to bring these thing into the Church, but people straying from sound doctrine will grow worse and worse as the end of the age approaches.  

I look to You for my daily bread, to forgive me my debts as I also have forgiven my debtors, and to lead me not into temptation, but to deliver me from the evil one. For Your is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Aman (Matthew 6:11-13)  

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness.              

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Darkness And Light Cannot Coexist

                                                     When The Door Slams

You must purge the evil from among you. Deuteronomy 22:21b

        It is a dangerous and costly mistake not to take temptation seriously. The sad testimony of many who have succumbed to sin's enticements is that they thought they were strong enough to remain in the midst of temptation and resist it, temptation become sin in a mindless Christian.  God requires that His people remove evil from their midst (Deut. 21:21). 

        One way to do this is to remove anything in your environment that may tempt you to sin. When wickedness surround you, you are in danger of becoming arouse to it destructive potential. Never assume that you are immune to temptation. Do not underestimate the craftiness of the evil one. 

        God does not tolerate evil, for evil cost the death of His Son. Sin causes untold pain and destruction to everyone it touches. Treating evil lightly shows that you are foolish and disregard for God's redemptive work. An honest evaluation of your life will reveal temptations that you should remove, such as Adultery, Lying, some forms of entertainment or ungodly relationships of the Cults and mindless thinking . When The Holy Spirit convicts you of evil in your midst, remove it immediately! 

        Threshold thinking, there are times, however, when you are powerless to remove ungodly influences, so you must remove yourself from the temptation. Paul urges us to avoid every kind of evil (1 Thess. 5:22). When Joseph was enticed to commit adultery by his master's wife, he fled immediately (Gen. 39:12).

        Think about this: Do not lose your hate of sin. Be diligent to keep any form of temptation out of your home, out of your relationships, out of your mind. You can do this only by maintaining your love and obedience to the Son of the Living God. The LORD Jesus recognizing that you are powerless to resist temptation in your own strength. You will not be able to walk closely with the LORD Jesus unless you see sin as the LORD sees it. Darkness and light cannot coexist. Run from the darkness to the light!

May I be strong and courageous; may I not be afraid or discouraged because of my adversaries, for there is a greater power with me than with them, for the LORD my God is with me to help me (2 Chronicles 32:7-8).

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD  and thank Him for His forgiveness.  

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There Are Levels Of Intimacy With God

                                                        When The Door Slams

Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in His holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not set his mind on what is false, and who has not sworn deceitfully. Psalm 24:3-4 

        God has rigid requirements for those who want to enjoy intimate fellowship with Him. There is no easy access to God for those with unclean hands or an impure heart. It is an dishonor to holy God to assume that we can indulge in our sin and offensively disobey His Word, then shamelessly try to enter the Holy of Holies.

        In the Old Testament times, one's hands represented one's activities. Clean hands symbolized pure activities. Priests washed their hands before serving in the temple to symbolize that only those who were cleansed could worship holy God.

        There are levels of intimacy with God. The moment you become a Christian you begin a relationship with The Lord. However, if you persist in your sin, sin will separate you from God and keep you from enjoying close fellowship with Him, thru the power of the Holy Spirit. If you follow only God's basic commandments but resist every time God gives you specific, personal directions, you will never fully experience the depths of God's Person. 

        If, however, you are like the psalmist and understand the holiness of God, you will adjust your life to His standards and respond to Him immediate so that you may have a deeper fellowship with God. 

        Think about this: The closer you get to holy God, the more obvious even your smallest sins become. The more you know of God's character, the more you will realize the need to wash your hands and purify your heart before you can get close to God. Are you willing for Almighty God to make you absolutely pure before Him so that you can enjoy the maximum possible relationship with Him?

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Psalm 51:10-12                    

The Absence Of Spiritual Power

                                                      When The Door Slams 

Then she let him fall asleep on her lap and called a man to shave off the seven braids on his head. In this way, she made him helpless, and his strength left him. Then she cried, "Samson, the Philistines are here! When he awoke from his sleep, he said, "I will escape as I did before and shake myself free." But he did not know that the LORD had left him.                                                                                                     Judges 16:19-20   

        One of the signs of a heart that has shifted from God is the absence of spiritual power. If you are like Samson, you will not be immediately aware that God's power has left you. Only after he tried to defeat his enemies did Samson recognize that something was wrong. He went against the Philistines as before, expecting their swift defeat. But this time the Philistines easy prevailed over him. 

        If you allow sin to creep into your life, if you refuse to obey Your Lord, if you do not reconcile with those who have hurt you, your spiritual vitality is fading away. You may assume everything is fine, but when you pray, answers do not come as they once did. You once had a positive effect on those around you, but now your influence is negligible or even harmful. 

        Your life once brought reconciliation, but now you experience problems in your relationships. Those around you who have relied upon your strength are discovering that you are not as helpful to them as you once were. Your lack of spiritual power is not crying out for attention; but you are seeing deceptive changes in your spirit and in your relationship with God.

        Think about this: How can you stop this spiritual decline? You must regularly repent of any sin. You must invite God to search your heart and life to see if there are attitudes, relationships, or activities that need to be removed. You must fervently obey and trust the Lord will. If you walk with the Lord God in this manner, you will grow spiritual strength and be used mightily by Him. 

You are to tear Yahweh your God and worship Him. Remain faithful to Him and take oaths in His name. He is your praise and He is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome works your eyes have seen. Your fathers went down to Egypt, 70 people in all, and now the LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars of the sky. Deuteronomy 10:20-22) 

You are the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps His covenant of lovingkindness. Nehemiah 9:32)

From within, out of the hearts of men proceed evil thoughts, sexual immorality, thefts, murders, adulteries, greed, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly. All these evil things come from within and defile a man. Mark 7:21-23)

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness. 

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When The Door Slams

                                                      Think About This 

Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress;                                       have mercy on me and hear my prayer.                 Psalm 4:1                                   

You are the living God, And there is no god besides You. You put to death and You bring to life, You have wounded and You will heal, And no one can deliver from Your hand.                                                      (Deuteronomy 32:39) 

I will recall to mind the former things, those of long ago; You are God, and there is no other; You are God, and there is none like You. (Isaiah 46:9)

                                                        Confession                                                                                    When I sin against the Lord, I may be sure that my sin will find me out. (Numbers 32:23) 

                                                        Renewal                                                                                      May I not be conformed to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of my mind, that I may prove that the will of God is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2) 

May the God of my Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give me a spirit of wisdom of revelation in the full knowledge of Him, and may the eyes of my heart be enlightened, in order that I may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the incomparable greatness of His power toward us who believe. (Ephesians 1:17-19)

                                                        Petition                                                                                Whatever I do, may I do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31) 

                                                        Intercession                                                                               We should offer petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving on behalf of all men, for kings and all those who are in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and reverence. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (Timothy 2:1-4)

                                                        Affirmation                                                                           There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heavens. Ecclesiastes 3:1

                                                        Thanksgiving                                                                               I do not lose heart; even though my outward man is perishing, yet my inner man is being renewed day by day. For this light affliction which is momentary is working for me a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while I do not look at the things which are seen but at the things which are unseen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are unseen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

        Think about this: The Lord reigns forever; He has established His throne for judgment. He will judge the world in righteousness, And He will govern the peoples with justice. The Lord will also be a refuge for the oppressed, A stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know Your name will trust in You, For You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You. (Psalm 9:7-10)

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness.            

                                     

                                                        Never Rest Ministries