The Powerful Weapon Of Intercessory Prayer

                                             When The Door Slams

Jesus answered them, "I assure you: If you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you tell this mountain, Be lifted up and thrown into the sea, it will be done. And if you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer" (Matthew 21:21-22 HCSB). For nothing will be impossible with God (Luke 1:37 HCSB).  

            The person who sins is the one who will die. A son won't suffer punishment for the father's iniquity, and a father won't suffer punishment for the son's iniquity. The righteousness of the righteous person will be on him, and the wickedness of the wicked person will be on him (Ezekiel 18:20 HCSB). 

            These words from the LORD should end the controversy once and for all. Each adult is responsible for his own behavior, and that of no one else. So where does this leave us as Christian parents? Are we without spiritual resources with which to support our sons and daughters? Absolutely not! We are given the powerful weapon of intercessory prayer which must never be underestimated.

            The Scriptures teach: Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The urgent request of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect (James 5:16 HCSB). God's answer to our requests will not remove the freedom of choice from our children, but He will grant them clarity and understanding in charting their own course. They will be given every opportunity to make the right decisions regarding matters of eternal significance. I also believe the LORD will place key individuals in the paths of the ones for whom we pray--people of influence who can nudge them in the right direction. 

            Think about this: "What would Jesus want me to do first? What would He want me to forget? Who would He like me to forgive?" Establish clear goals so that there is purpose to your life. More important, be clear about what reality matters. This will help you to deal with the waste-products of your life, to dump the unnecessary disappointments or the criticism that comes from someone who doesn't matter anyway. Receive from your LORD GOD and Master the poise of a balanced, unhurried mind that knows the will of the Father in all things--and you will begin to be guilt free.   

             Confession : The LORD hates six things; in fact, seven are detestable to Him: arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that plots wicked schemes, feet eager to run to evil, a lying witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up trouble among brothers (Proverbs 6:16-19 HCSB). 

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

                                                   Never Rest Ministries

The Belief System Of Closed-Mindedness

                                                     When The Door Slams

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death (Proverbs 16:25). Then Jesus began by telling them: "Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He, and they will deceive many (Mark 13:6). 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, and entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity-for "people are slaves to whatever has mastered them"       (2 Peter 2:17-19 NIV).  

            First and foremost, the belief systems of the cults are characterized by closed-mindedness. They are not interested in a rational cognitive evaluation of the facts. Practically every cult has certain characteristics that can tell the careful observer that something is wrong.

            For instance, what does a group think about Jesus? Jesus Christ is God, LORD of all, the only source of salvation. Constantly, a cult will put something else on an equal footing with Christ...a ritual that is equal to Christ, or a doctrine equal to Christ, or a leader who is equal to Christ. In other words, even if it acknowledges Christ as Savior, it will say that you need something else before you can get into heaven....

            Second, cults frequently attempt to instill fear into their followers. The followers are taught constantly that salvation comes through the cult. "If you leave us, you will lose your salvation," they say. 

            The third area has to do with the exaltation of the leader of the cult. Cults often center around a man or woman who is trying to gain power, money, or influence from manipulating people....When someone says he has a unique insight from God or is the special one that God has anointed to reach the world, you are dealing with cultic behavior. 

            Think about this: The unwillingness of the leaders to let the people grow up. A true shepherd will do everything he can to bring Christian people to maturity as quickly as he can. He will not seek to avoid necessary teaching, nor will he try to keep people from maturity. Many religious leaders maintain spiritual dependence so that their followers lose the ability to make independent, rational decisions.  

            Thanksgiving: You are my God, and I will praise you; you are my God, I will exalt you. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever (Psalm 118:28-29). As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more. My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds, of your saving acts all day long-though I know not how to relate them all. I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign LORD; I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone. Since my youth, God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds (Psalm 71:14-17 NIV). 

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           

Real Leaders Expand Their Dreams

                                             When The Door Slams

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.                                                                                                 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 NIV

            Even as we become self-reliant and take responsibility for planting the seeds that will grow into the trees of our own success, we face an equal responsibility of planting shade trees for the benefit of others. One of God's great rules for the harvest of success is that the crops we sow and reap must be for the benefit of others, too--not crops grown and reaped at their expense. The harvest of seed of selfishness always results in personal and group famine, pestilence, and drought.

            Success does not mean standing victoriously over a fallen enemy. It is standing side by side with persons you have helped. Success is a matter of raising not only your own water level but the water level of all around you so that all the ships in the harbor can embark on prosperous voyages.

            You are truly successful when you can extend a strong hand to someone who is reaching, searching, or just trying to hang on. There is divine purpose in bringing out the best in one another. Selfish people have narrow thinking and live in a narrow world. Real leaders expand their dreams, goals, plans...and efforts...beyond themselves to say, "I live every moment, enjoying as much as I can, relating as much as I can, doing as much as I can--and giving as much as I can."  

            We live in a "me" world--facing the challenge of turning a "me" generation into a "we" generation. The elusive preoccupation we have in self-gratification and self-indulgence has too often been defined as personal success. Personal success, in my opinion, is only success if it also results in success for those with whom your life is intertwined. 

            Think about this: Giving changes us deep down, deep inside. It is more blessed to give than to receive. That is not just a truism stated by Jesus; it is a reality substantiated day in and day out by observing what happens to people when they give. 

Confession: The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? "I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve." (Jeremiah 17:9-10 NIV)  

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        

We All Need Someone Who Understands

                                              When The Door Slams  

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity Proverbs 17:17. One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother Proverbs 18:24 NIV.

             A farmer had some puppies he needed to sell. He painted a sign advertising the pups and set about nailing it to a post on the edge of his yard. As he was driving the last nail into the post, he felt a tug on his overalls. He looked down into the eyes of a little boy.

"Mister," he said, "I want to buy one of your puppies." 

            "Well," said the farmer, as he rubbed the sweat off the back of his neck, "these puppies come from fine parents and cost a good deal of money." The boy dropped his head for a moment. Then reaching deep into his pocket, he pulled out a handful of change and held it up to the farmer. "I've got thirty-nine cents. Is that enough to take a look?" 

            "Sure," said the farmer. And with that he let out a whistle. "Here, Dolly!" he called. Out from the doghouse and down the ramp ran Dolly followed by four little balls of fur. The little boy pressed his face against the chain link fence. His eyes danced with delight. 

            As the dogs made their way to the fence, the little boy noticed something else stirring inside the doghouse. Slowly another little ball appeared; this one noticeably smaller. Down the ramp it slid. Then in a somewhat awkward manner the little pup began hobbling toward the others, doing it best to catch up... "I want that one," the little boy said, pointing to the runt. 

            The farmer knelt down at the boy's side and said, "Son, you don't want that puppy. He will never be able to run and play with you like these other dogs would." 

            With that the little boy stepped back from the fence, reached down, and began rolling up one leg of his trousers. In doing so he revealed a steel brace running down both sides of his leg attaching itself to a specially made shoe. Looking back up at the farmer, he said, "You see sir, I don't run too well myself, and he will need someone who understands."  

            Think about this: My friend, the world is full of people who need someone who understands. That is the ministry to which God has called each of us.

Affirmation: Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so through Christ our comfort also overflows. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is experienced in your endurance of the same sufferings that we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that as you share in the sufferings, so you will share in the comfort 2 Corinthians 1:3-6 HCSB.        

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  

                

               

                                      

Nothing Hurts Quite Like Betrayal

                                     When The Door Slams

Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." "Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But now stretch our your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face."                            Job 1:8-11 NIV 

            Nothing hurt quite like betrayal. It can come in many forms: lies, a withdrawal of loyalty, a lack of defense, or disfavor. The effect is devastating. It is a universal feeling; everyone who has been betrayed suffers immensely. And the loss of confidence can take a great amount of time and effort to restore.

            Demon are a fallen angel. When Satan, who was the very highest angel, rebelled against God, he took a large number of the angles with him in rebellion. When their rebellion failed, they were cast out of haven. Those angels are now demons. In the same way that angels can reach the very heights of spirituality, demons have the ability to reach down into great depths of hatred, bitterness, and perversion. Demons seem to be interested in tormenting people, possessing them, and leading them away from God and His truth.

            Although lust, homosexuality, drunkenness, gluttony, and witchcraft are expressions of sinful flesh, these things can also be expressions of demonic activity in the lives of people. I am persuaded that many grossly perverted sexual practices, such as sadomasochism and pedophilia, have demonic roots...

            Satan's ultimate goal in spiritual warfare is to make us lose confidence in God, to feel betrayed by God, to make God seem disloyal and dishonest. If Satan tries to hurt us or disrupt our life, it is so we will call upon God and conclude He is not listening. Satan wants to destroy our faith in the goodness and power of God. That was Satan's strategy with Job. Satan told God that Job was only faithful to God because God protected him. If God would allow Satan to make Job suffer, He would see that Job would give up on God. But Satan was surprised. When God allowed Satan to hurt Job twice, Job never faltered in his faith. "Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity? In all this Job did not sin with his lips" (Job 2:10).

            Think about this: If you find yourself feeling betrayed by God, even losing confidence in Him, you will know Satan is a work. So, Stop the downward spiral and restore your faith. Trust in the LORD God goodness. 

Petition: Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God (3 John:11 NIV). 

Intercession: You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the LORD your God. Keep my decrees and laws, for the person who obeys them will live by them. I am the LORD (Leviticus 18:4-5 NIV). 

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

         

      

Waiting, Why Is It Taking so Long

                                     When The Door Slams

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint Isaiah.             40:29-31 NKJV.   

            Waiting certainly plays an enormous role in the unfolding story of God's relationship to man. It is God's often repeated way of teaching us that His power is real and that He can answer our prayers without interference and manipulation from us. 

            But we have such trouble getting our will, our time schedules out of the way. Much of the time we act like a child who brings a broken toy to his father to be mended. The father gladly takes the toy and begins to work. Then after a while, childlike impatience takes over. Why is it taking so long? 

            The child stands by, getting his hands in the father's way, offering a lot of meaningless advice and some rather silly criticism. Finally in desperation, he snatches the toy from the father's hands and walks off with it, saying rather bitterly that he hadn't really thought that  his father could fix it anyway. Perhaps it isn't even "his will" to mend my toys.

            Think about this: On the other hand, whenever we trust the LORD enough to leave our "broken toy" with the Father, not only do we eventually get it back gloriously restored, but we are also handed something else, a spiritual plus. We find for ourselves what the saints and mystics affirm, that during the dark waiting period when self-effort had ceased, an astonishing spiritual growth take place in us. Afterwards we have qualities like more patience, more love for the LORD and those around us, more ability to hear the Lord God voice and greater willingness to obey.

Renewal: I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps (Psalm 40:1-2 NKJV).  

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                

Who Is A Christian

                                     When The Door Slams

Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? Luke 6:46 NIV. "If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever-- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them." John 14:15-21 NIV.    

            Who is a Christian? He can be described from many angles, but...we can cover everything by saying: a man or woman who acknowledges and lives under the word of God. One submits without reserve to the word of God written in "the Book of Truth" (Daniel 10:21 NIV), believing the teaching, trusting the promises, following the commands. His eyes are to the God of the Bible as his Father, and the Christ of the Bible as his Savior. 

            He will tell you that the word of God has both convinced him of sin and assured him of forgiveness. His conscience, like Martin Luther is captive to the word of God, and he aspires, like the Psalmist, to have his whole life brought into line with it. "I wish I were more loyal in obeying your commands." "With all my heart I try to obey You. Don't let me break your commands" (Psalm 119:5-10 NIV).          

            The Promises are before him as he prays, and the precepts are before him as he moves among men. He knows that in addition to the word of God spoken directly to him in the Scriptures, God's word has also gone forth to create, and control, and order things around him; but since the Scriptures tell him that all things work together for his good, the thought of God ordering his circumstances brings him only joy. He is an independent fellow, for he uses the word of God as a touchstone by which to test the various views that are put to him, and he will not touch anything which he is not sure that Scripture sanctions. 

            Think about this: The Lord does not say that hell-fire was prepared for human beings.  Although we all are sinners and guilty of eternal death, God nevertheless wanted to prevent this misery by giving His Son into death for us. And thereafter He revealed His good Word to us, so that we know what we are to do if we want to serve God and live to please Him. So our heavenly Father would very much like for us to be saved and, therefore, has ordained for us, not eternal fire but heaven and eternal life. But we go despising the forgiveness of sins through Christ as a insignificant treasure....

            We also take no delight in doing what God tells us to do in order to serve Him. Since, then, we degenerate to the very level of the devil and observe his will more than the Word of our Lord God, it must follow that we are obliged to share this judgment. We prepare this doom for ourselves. 

Renewal: Observe the commands of the LORD your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him. It is the LORD your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him (Deuteronomy 8:6; 13:4 NIV).  

Related Bible Texts: 1 Samuel 15:22; Matthew 25:31-46; Mark 9:42-50; Luke 16:19-30;          1 John 2:5; Revelation 1:8-18 

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   

                               

A Second Death, Eternal Separation From God

                                     When The Door Slams

He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 NIV). Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him (Hebrews 9:27-28 NIV).   

            We do not know what lies ahead, just over the hill. Terrible things are happening in our world...and we are afraid. But deep beneath our fear of life lies, carefully hidden the real reason for our fear these days. It is something we try to ignore. In the sunshine of life and before the face of God. The truth is we are afraid of death. 

            It is easy to think of others having to keep this appointment with death, but it can be difficult to remember that we, too, must keep this same appointment. When we visit a dying family or friend, we are conscious of a certain spirit that gathers about such persons. Death is appointed for all, and the questions of its appearance is a matter of time. Other appointments in life we can neglect or break, but here is an appointment that no one can ignore, no one can break.

            We lack the freedom and release which comes from taking Jesus at His word, and fearing not "them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul..." (Matthew 10:28). If physical death were the only consequence of a life lived apart from God, we would not have so much to fear, but the Bible warns that there is the second death, which is the eternal separation from God. 

            The Christian should have no fear of death...But, on the contrary, faith should give him a touch of anticipation and a tingle of adventure as he looks forward to that experience that shall surely reward his hope and exceed his most glorious expectations.

            However, there is a bright side. As the Bible pronounces hell for the sinner, it also promises heaven for the saint. A saint has been described as a sinner who has been forgiven by Christ Jesus our Lord and Savor. The subject of heaven is much easier to accept than the subject of hell. And yet the Bible teaches both. 

            Think about this: It is only when we do know [Jesus] that we are not afraid, for there is nothing to fear. Only when one is no longer afraid to die is one no longer afraid at all. If you are afraid of death, then you are afraid of life. Only when you have something to die for, you have something to live for. And death when it comes, it will come to you as a welcome friend, sent to usher you into the glorious new life that awaits you just around the bend at the end of this old life.

Related Bible Texts: Psalm 89:48; Matthew 10:26-33;13:41-42; John 14:1-6; 1 Corinthians 15:42-55; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9; Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 21:1-4 

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

     

                      

Obedience

                                     When The Door Slams

Why do you call me, Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say? As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and put them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on the rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well build. But the one hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who build a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.                                 Luke 6:46-49 NIV

Listen, my son, to your father's instruction, and do not forsake your mother's teaching. They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck (Proverbs 1:8-9).               

            Obedience: "Train children how to live right, and when they are old, they will not change" (Proverbs 22:6) is as true today as when Solomon wrote it several thousand years ago. Running one's eye down the columns of any concordance on the words obey, obedience, and obedient gives some idea of the importance of these words in God's sight. "It is better to obey than to sacrifice. It is better to listen to God than to offer the fat of sheep," Samuel told Saul. In order to give respectful attention, which is the beginning of learning, you must be obedient.

            Think about this: Training must come before teaching. Before parents can train their children properly, they must first discipline themselves. An orderly home and orderly habits can be accomplished only by agreeing together on these things. This is impossible unless the children cooperate. And they don't cooperate unless they are disciplined from their earliest days. This discipline lays the groundwork for teaching. 

            Praying together for wisdom and standing together on all matters of discipline should be a rule for parents. Older children quickly notice when they can play one parent against the other: "If Mommy won't let me go, I'll ask Daddy. He won't know that Mommy has said no." Parents of young children (and older ones, too, of course) should read the book of Proverbs frequently and soak up the wisdom given by the Spirit of God.

            Listen: All knowledge comes from either observation of creation or revelation by the Creator. But observation will not answer questions about what the Creator is like, why He made creation, how He known, who we are, and what our purpose is; these questions can be answered only by revelation, which gives us God's big picture. We are thus called to listen to what He says, for that will give us the key to true knowledge and instruction.

            On the other hand, fools--not necessarily the unintelligent--are those who reject God's authority, despise His revelation, and refuse the discipline of His Knowledge (Proverbs 1:7).

My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one's whole body. Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it (Proverbs 4:20-23 NIV).   

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          

            

          

 

Worry And Anxiety Remain Part Of Your Life

                                             When The Door Slams

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.                                                                Philippians 4:4-7 NIV.

            Who wouldn't want help with anxiety? Few of us want the sweating palms, the gnawing in the pit of the stomach (sanguinely called "butterflies" by some), the weak knees, the dry mouth, and the pounding heart that often accompany worry and anxiety. And none desire the dark hours of nocturnal tossing and turning until your pillow is folded into a lump. 

            But no drug will rid our lives of anxiety, no psychotherapy can take it all away, and no religion will cause it to vanish like the morning dew. Anxiety remain part of your life. 

            The good news about anxiety is that there is a way to deal with it in faith, so as to make the most of it, diminish its power, and find your way through it. If you are willing to stop adding to the problem by seeking every which way to escape and avoid anxiety, if you are willing to let your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ become activated and to follow it straight ahead into your fear, you can discover how to ease and reduce anxiety, and even use it to become the person God wants you to be.

            Think about this: Instead of running away from anxiety, step firmly into it. Although this notion may sound unique, it's very, very old. And it works. It works to give us courage, it works to exercise our faith, and it works to reduce (not eliminate) anxiety and worry from our lives. 

            Renewal: Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God                    (Ephesians 6:10-17 NIV).            

Related Bible Texts: Matthew 6:26; Philippians 4:4-7; 1 Peter 5:7; John 4:14

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

       

All Prayers Are Answered

                                             When The Door Slams

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God.                     Romans 8:26-27 NIV

            There is a great difference between unanswered prayer and ungranted petitions. Wishing is not real praying. We could have our wants granted and not have received an answer to prayer. The purpose of prayer is communion and conversation with God. The period of waiting for the granting of some request is often rewarded by a far greater gift than what we ask for. The LORD Himself. What is delayed or denied is according to a much greater plan and wisdom than we possess in our finite perception. 

            Think about this: A dry spell, when it seems that the LORD has departed from us is a sure sign that we are on the edge of a new level in our relationship with the LORD. The purpose of unanswered prayer is to lead us from hearsay to insight into a deeper faith. 

            The danger comes when we think we can ever be pure enough to deserve God's answers. That leads to pride. What is more, it becomes manipulation of the Almighty. We have all known times when the LORD has helped us when we least deserved it. And we know others whose lives are not spiritually blameless who are graciously cared for by the LORD. Petulant perfectionism is boldly contradicted by those times when He uses us to help others know or grow in Him while we still have problems in our own lives. We can empathize with people's needs because we are acutely aware of our own. The result is that we lead people to the LORD and not to ourselves!

            Prayer starts with God. What seems to be unanswered prayer is...part of His instigation and invitation to communion and conversation with Him on a deeper level. He wants us to know Him more profoundly than ever. When we feel our prayers are not answered according to our specifications and timing, that feeling is really a longing for God and not just for what He can give or do for us. Thank God for those times. By them we know we have been called into a much more intimate relationship than we have ever known before!

Related Bible Texts: Romans 8:26-27; 2 Corinthians 1:3-9;12:7; 1 Peter 3:7; Revelation 8:3-4

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                              

Five Steps To Forgiveness

                                             When The Door Slams

"This, then, is how you should pray: "Our Father" in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.              Matthew 6:9-15 NIV

            If you want to experience the happiness, relief, and well-being that come from the practice of forgiveness, remember these five steps: 

1.        Resist the temptation to be judgmental. Remember, only God knows all the circumstances. Leave the judging to Him.

2.        Learn to be compassionate. The best method is to use your imagination, put yourself in the other person's shoes, ask yourself whether the fault is entirely the other person's or whether there is some blame on your part that needs to be honestly faced. 

3.        Image the whole problem in terms of reconciliation. Visualize the broken relationship healed. See yourself free of the poisons of resentment and anger. Let your imagination suggest hopeful things you will accomplish with the increased energy that will come to you. 

4.        Pray for the person who has offended you. If this is difficult (and it will be), pray for God's grace to come into your heart to give you the strength to do it. Remind yourself that the act of forgiveness will benefit you more than the other person.

5.        End your prayer with the Lord's prayer. Give special thought and emphasis to the part that asks God to forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. 

            Think about this: Do these five things and you will be amazed at the healing power of forgiveness. If you let, it can change your life.

Related Bible Texts: Matthew 5:44; 6:9-15; Luke 6:28,27; Colossians 3:12-15.

            Affirmation: Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken (Psalm 61:1-2 NIV).

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

                                       

Spiritually Woke

                                              When The Door Slams

"Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man."                                                                      Luke 21:34-36 NIV                                                                                                       

            When God...gives us glimpses of the future--it is to enable us to serve Him better not only in the future but by making smarter choices today. Do we have the right to dismiss such signs of the times, their potential for today and implications for tomorrow? Is it a Christian virtue to ignore God's handwriting on the wall? 

            The signs we need to perceive are not vague predictions about the future--many are present realities. The trouble is that they occur so gradually that we often do not notice them. It's like the familiar story of the frog and the kettle of water. Place a frog in boiling water and it will jump out immediately because it can tell it's in a hostile environment. But place a frog in a kettle of room-temperature water and it will stay there, content with those surroundings. 

            Slowly, very slowly, increase the temperature of the water. This time, the frog doesn't  leap out, but just stays there, unaware that the environment is changing. Continue to turn up the burner until the water is boiling. Our poor frog will be boiled, too--quite content, perhaps, but nevertheless dead. 

            Think about this: The Christian community in America might be expected to be more spiritually woke of current changes in the environment than the frog in the kettle. Yet, for the past three decades, at least, the Church has been generally insensitive to the changes. We have continued to operate as though our environment has remained the same. Like the frog, we are faced with the very real possibility of dying because of our unresponsiveness to the changing world around us. 

Petition: Hear my cry, O God, And listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to You When my heart grows faint; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. You have been a shelter for me And a strong tower against the enemy. I will dwell in Your tent forever And take refuge in the shelter of Your wings (Psalm 61:1-4). 

Renewal: May I rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for me in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).      

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 The Storm Come

                                              When The Door Slams

For when you were slaves of sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.    Romans 6:20-23 NIV

            When you recognize God as Creator, you will admire Him. When you recognize His wisdom, you will learn from Him. When you discover His strength, you will rely on Him. But only when He saves you, you will worship Him.

            It is a "before and after" scenario. Before your rescue, you could easily keep God at a distance. Comfortably dismissed. Neatly shelved. Sure He was important, but so was your career. Your status. Your salary. He was high on your priority list, but He shared the spotlight with others.

            Then came the storm...the rage...the lying...the fight...the doubt...the starless night. Despair fell like a fog; your bearings were gone. Evil all-round. In your heart, you knew there was no exit. You turn to your career to help. Only if you want to hide from the storm...not escape it. You lean on your status for strength. A storm is not impressed with your title, or you relied on your salary for rescue? Many try...many fail.

            Think about this: Suddenly you are left with one option: the Lord my God. And when you ask...genuinely ask...He will come.

            And from that moment on, He is not just a deity to admire, a teacher to serve, or a master to obey. He is my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God. The Savior to be worshiped.

Confession: Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face  from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me (Psalm 51:7-13).

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.   

                                                    Never Rest Ministries     

    

                            

            

     

This Stinging Ointment You Applied To My Eyes

                                      When The Door Slams

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.                                                        Psalm 23:1-5 NKJV

            Now I see that I was searching for the answer outwardly, trying to reason with my mind the best way to escape temptation and when the freeing knowledge I sought could only come by the Holy Spirit as it brings the inner light. As long as I keep struggling in this way, I was unable to return to the place where my soul might receive the fullness well-being, rest and joy.

            But You, O LORD, who abides forever, You are not angry with us in our fumbling blindness. You are so merciful to us. It was pleasing to You to reshape the deformity that was causing my blindness. You kept stirring me with the sense that I was missing some secret goodness that is in You. You kept me in a state of restlessness. Finally, I saw, inwardly, the truth about the origin of evil! 

            I saw how superior I felt, in my striving for spiritual well-being and sufficiency--but in all this striving I was still totally inferior to You. I had been so blind to what I was doing, because of pride is like a spiritual wound to the face, swelling shut the inner eyes of understanding. And through this swollenness of pride, I was groping, wandering and separated from my LORD God. But Your healing hand applied to my eyes a stinging ointment that caused my pride and self-sufficiency to subside. What was this stinging ointment? 

            Think about this: I was given a true understanding of sorrow for my sinful condition. And at the same moment that I saw myself in this way, I looked upon the LORD my Savior for mercy for me. From that day to this, I have kept that wholesome sorrow for my sins that causes me to run to Jesus my Lord and Savior for the healing of my soul. For I see now that pride and self-sufficiency before You--is the source of evil in me. Coming to You daily, weak, hungry and in need of the Holy Spirit to flow through me--that my trouble and dark-soul might gradually gain healing in Jesus name.

Related Bible Texts: Psalm 23:1-5; Romans 5:12; Romans 7:21-25

Confession: May I produce fruit worthy of repentance (Matthew 3:8).

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           

                      

   

Inner Conflict Rages

                                             When The Door Slams

Do not envy the oppressor, And choose none of his ways; For the perverse person is an abomination to the LORD, But His secret counsel is with the upright. The curse of the LORD  is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the home of the just.     Proverbs 3:31-33 NKJV 

            Each time something replaces the love for Christ within us, inner conflict is the result. We can't have habitual, willful sin and also experience serenity. Sin is much like a splinter in our unconscious mind. unless sin is removed through confession and repentance, it will fester just as a splinter festers. It will lead to feelings of inadequacy and inferiority. It is not as easy to stand tall and tell ourselves we are okay when we know we have violated God's standard. 

            Inner conflict rages. Still, we ignore it and the sin continues to fester. There is a loss of creativity and perhaps even lowered efficiency. If we continue to ignore sin, we will experience a sense of failure. After all, we have been unfaithful to ourselves and to Jesus. Even ill health can be a result if we refuse to acknowledge the presence of sin in our lives. 

            Becoming a Christian is not merely fire insurance. It is a relationship with a loving God that affects every area of our lives. It transforms our values, our lifestyles, our will, and even our sexuality. It involves obedience; unconditional love compels us to obey. Wholeness, serenity, and health are the result.

            Think about this: Habitual, willful sin is unfaithful to ourselves and to Jesus. Obedience and confession set me free The fourth step of the Twelve Step program is to make a search and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. Have you done that yet?    

            Renewal: Since I call on the Father who judges each man's work impartially, may I conduct myself in fear during the time of my sojourn on earth (1 Peter 1:17). May I keep the commandments of the Lord my God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him. May I follow the Lord my God and fear Him; may I keep Your commandments, hear Your voice, serve You, and hold fast to You (Deuteronomy 8:6; 13:4).

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.              

Unfair To The Natural Mind

                                            When The Door Slams

Indeed, it is true that God does not act wickedly and the Almighty does not pervert justice. Who gave Him authority over the earth? Who put Him in charge of the entire world? If He put His mind to it and withdrew the spirit and breath He gave, every living thing would perish together and mankind would return to the dust.                      Job 34:12-15 NKJV

            One of the most unfair parables Jesus told--unfair to the natural mind--concerned a landowner who hired men throughout the day to work in his vineyard. They all stopped work at the same time and were paid the same wage. 

            The last men hired were paid the same as the first men hired--and the first men hired grumbled about the unfairness of everyone being paid the same amount even though not everyone worked the same amount (Matthew 20:1-16). The landowner replied, "What's unfair about me doing with my money what I will?"

            Jesus' parable was directed toward the religious leaders, who thought it unfair that latecomers to the kingdom of heaven should receive the full measure of grace and kingdom standing as those who had devoted their life to God. Jesus' point is that God's actions are a blend of justice, grace, and mercy, all balanced by His perfect purposes. God is never unfair, but He is always just, gracious, and merciful. Faith comes when we trust Him to blend those elements perfectly in every situation.

           Think about this: God is the landowner, and we are the workers. It is His right to do as He will with what is His. The same grace that brings us salvation gives strength to live biblically in this age. We need grace-based living, but that can only happen as we focus our thoughts on God's Word and live it out.

            Affirmation: For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age (Titus 2:11-12).  

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  

          

Never-Ending Praise

                                             When The Door Slams

Praise the LORD! Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is Good! For His mercy endures. Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? Who can declare all His Praise? Blessed are those who keep justice, And he who does righteousness at all times!           (Psalm 106:1-3 NKJV)

            When the Bible directs us to give thanks to the Lord, it reminds us of the importance of extolling His goodness to us. As sinners saved by grace, we have much to praise Him for! The benefits of living a praise-filled life are too numerous to mention, but know this: changing your focus from "me to Thee" will radically change your perspective in life.

            Psalm 106:2 says, "Who can declare all His praise?" Think about it-who, indeed, can declare all His praise? Our praises should be never-ending! Don't limit your worship of the Lord to an hour on Sunday. Keep a song in your heart throughout your day. Begin first thing each morning. 

            This remind me of a story of a Minister resolved to bless the Lord at all times. Starting with his morning devotions, he rose each morning as he was convicted by his work ethic and determined to be as diligent with his spiritual growth and survival. He depend on knowing the greatness of the Lord's power, is the greatness of His love for us each and everyday.

            When we start our day praising the Lord, it keeps a song in our hearts throughout our waking hours. As we offer our praise and worship to the Lord, He dries our tears and banishes our fears. Remember that the Lord is good--be thankful to Him and bless His Holy name (Psalm 100). 

             Think about this: God honors those who honor Him and put their trust in Him. Honoring ourselves is a thankless task, and hoping to be honored by others is prideful. When we acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord and seek to worship and glorify Him in all we say and do, He has a way of blessing us, using us, providing for us, and establishing our reputation before others. 

            Confession: Lord Jesus, I have nowhere else to go; You have the words of eternal life. I believe and know that You are the Holy One of God (John 6:68-69).  

 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    

You Know The Story We Need A Savior

                                             When The Door Slams

But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.                            Hebrews 2:9 NIV  

            When we dislike the ending of a book or a short Dust movie, we try to imagine a better one: what we think should have happened. The wonder and goodness of creation was broken when Adam disobeyed God. We feel the burden of this brokenness and separation from God. Thankfully, the Creator did not end the story there.

            Just as a producer determines the last scene of a movie and a writer carefully crafts the final sentence of a book, God mercifully provided what we desire and desperately need: a Savior. We can not save ourselves. Only God, who is powerful enough to create the world out of nothing and to gave us life, could find the perfect solution to our brokenness and separation from Him: 

            Jesus is God's final answer to the dilemma we face. He is God in the flesh, and the book of Hebrews elaborates on why Jesus is all we need. He is superior to every human leader, prophet, and priest. Jesus offers us Himself along with forgiveness, life, and meaning. 

            Think about this: God honors those who honor Him and put their trust in Him. Honoring ourselves is a thankless task, and hoping to be honored by others is prideful. When we acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord and seek to worship and glorify Him in all we say and do, Jesus has a way of blessing us, using us, providing for us, and establishing our reputation before others.    

            Thanksgiving: praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time (1 Peter 1:3-5 NIV).                           

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

                                                    Never Rest Ministries