Now What?

Romans 8:35 Holman Christian Standard Bible

Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or anguish or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?


God will allow things to occur in your life to see what you will do.What will separate you from God? It seems as if you take one step forward and the devil knocks you back two. Here you are with a brand new car and you lose your job. You just found out you're pregnant and your husband wants a divorce. Now what? You go for a routine physical and the doctor says you have cancer. What do you do? You relay past victories in your head. Remember God has brought you out time and time again. You can't give up. You have to fight and watch, then watch and fight. Listen. Be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. You my have lost that job so you can finally start that business. God has purpose for that new life, He will provide. Can may use this cancer to show you and the world that He still performs miracles. He's able.

Life has thrown you a curve, now what? You grow taller in the Lord on your knees.

God Bless

Just Ask

Luke 11:9-10
King James Version

And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

I heard someone say that my greatest enemy is inner me. There is truth to that. There are somethings that we don't have simply because we didn't ask for them. You need a raise on your job? Just ask. Of course, you ask God first. But, we have a part to play too. Ask your boss. If you need a loan to start your business, just ask. Whatever it is, just ask. What is the worse that could happen? You are told no. Is that the end of the world? Of course not. Many times, the only thing standing between us and what we want/need is us.

Peter would never have walked on water without getting out of the boat.

God Bless

Ingredients of Anointing

Exodus 30:23-25
The Message

God spoke to Moses: "Take the best spices: twelve and a half pounds of liquid myrrh; half that much, six and a quarter pounds, of fragrant cinnamon; six and a quarter pounds of fragrant cane; twelve and a half pounds of cassia—using the standard Sanctuary weight for all of them—and a gallon of olive oil. Make these into a holy anointing oil, a perfumer's skillful blend.


The are five ingredients of anointing oil: myrrh, cinnamon, calamus, cassia, and olive. Some of the are bitter and some are sweet. In like manner, the ingredients of your anointing are bitter and sweet. You will have to endure trials and tribulations. A loved one may die, your marriage may end, you may be diagnosed with a chronic illness, etc. Those things are bitter. During the making of your anointing, there will be time spent in praise and worship, prayer, fasting, you will have intimacy with God like never before. You will have moments when you go beyond the veil and see God's glory. Those things are undoubtedly sweet.

Your anointing is unique. It was skillfully put together by a loving God. The ingredients in yours are not the same as mine. Exodus 30:25 says, "Make these into a holy anointing oil, a perfumer's skillful blend." You are a skillful blend.

God Bless

Stages

Spiritual growth comes in stages. There is a process to spiritual maturity.

1.pruning
2.pressing
3.hiding

There is no time limit for each stage. You can only proceed to the next stage when God sees fit. You may spend years in the first stage and only weeks in the last. Chances are, you are in one of these stages.

Pruning- We are a human and develop traits based on life experiences. Maurice White (of Earth, Wind, and Fire) sang, " A child is born with a heart of gold but the way of the world turns his heart cold." In order for God to effectively use you, He must cut away everything not like Him. During this time - things, behaviors, even people are cut away. Honestly, this stage is painful. You will pray, fast, even cry. This is in my opinion the most crucial. If you don't complete this stage, you will not make it any further. Many of us spend a lot of time in this stage. We have a tendency to want to hold on to the things God is trying to cut away. A great deal of struggle occurs here.

Pressing - How do you get the greatest fragrance from a flower? You crush it.When you squeeze an orange, you get orange juice. Likewise, when a Christian is squeeze, you get an undeniable anointing. This is the stage where anything that can happen, will. God's anointing is always going to cost you something. This is the stage of refinement. God is tweaking you, as it were. Everything did not come out during pruning. There were still somethings you held on to. You may feel aloe during this time. Even as if God has abandoned you. But He hasn't. He sits as a refiner holding onto you in the midst of the "fire" or trials. This stage is painful as well. There is a level on warfare that you have never experiences before. You are being purified during this stage. You will learn how to fully rely on God.

Hiding - Oh, what a blessing to be hidden in God. Everyone does not see it that way but it is. Here, the enemy is going to try to convince you that you are a forgotten child. People may not be aware of all the God has done in you at this point, but be patient. God hides those He loves. When wine is being made, it goes through a similar process. The grapes are cut, stomped, then aged until ready. This is when God is most protective of you. He is building you up, encouraging you, and brooding over you. For some this is the hardest stage. When you have be pruned and pressed, you feel that you are ready to walk in your calling. But, God knows when you are ready. He will not release you until it's your time.

Be encouraged today! You are on the road to maturity. You may not enjoy all of it but it is a journey with immeasurable benefits.

God Bless

John 15:1-5 (New Life Version)
The Vine And The Branches
1 "I am the true Vine. My Father is the One Who cares for the Vine. 2 He takes away any branch in Me that does not give fruit. Any branch that gives fruit, He cuts it back so it will give more fruit. 3 You are made clean by the words I have spoken to you. 4 Get your life from Me and I will live in you. No branch can give fruit by itself. It has to get life from the vine. You are able to give fruit only when you have life from Me. 5 I am the Vine and you are the branches. Get your life from Me. Then I will live in you and you will give much fruit. You can do nothing without Me.

Carrying Another's Burdens

"Why me? Why do I have to pray for him/her? Why do I have to fast? He/she is eating. They are the one that's going through. I have my own problems."

Have you ever felt that way? We all can be selfish at times.

It is a blessing to be able to carry another's burden. As you mature in God, He will trust you carry the burdens of another. Don't take it lightly that God would trust you to fast or pray for another. There will be times when God calls you to focus on the issues of someone else and help them get a breakthrough. You may be dealing with your own "stuff" in the midst of it. Know this, while you are interceding and going to war for the breakthrough of someone else, God is setting you up for a breakthrough as well. How do you get your breakthrough? Go to war for someone else. I promise God will bless you. Remember He sent His son to carry yours.

God Bless


Galatians 6:2 - Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.