How are you doing on your new year’s promises?

The new year is upon us and the first month of 2009 is almost gone. How are you doing on your new year’s promises? Maybe it is that you promised the Lord that you would read your Bible this year. Are you on track? Maybe you promised to be faithful in attendance, praying, giving your tithe, or Faith Promise, etc. Have you been faithful? If you haven’t, don’t let a slow start keep you from redirecting your heart again toward obedience. Sometimes we get sidetracked, but when we do, remember your promise, confess your failure to the Lord and start again. Our God is a forgiving, and long suffering God, but He does not take lightly our vows. (Ecc. 5:5) “Better is it that thou should not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.” So get up and start again!

Now that’s faith!

As we continue our study on the “Obedience of Abraham,” we have learned over the past few weeks that we need faith to back up obedience. (Rom. 10:17) tells us that “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Meaning that, we must fully believe God, before we will fully obey God. Abraham was so convinced in what God promised, that he took the very son that God gave him by promise, and was wiling to kill him in sacrifice just because God asked him to, “believing that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead.” Now that’s faith! It’s easy to obey God when what He asks of us makes sense, but what about when it doesn’t? It didn’t make sense for God to kill Isaac when Abraham waited so long for him to be born, yet Abraham’s faith would have. Oh that we would have such faith, believing so strongly in God’s Word that all He commands of us, we will do. That was the mind set of Abraham, he was fully persuaded, and so must we, if we wish to see the miracles of God!

“Obedience of Abraham”

As we continue our study on the “Obedience of Abraham,” we learn from the story of Isaac’s birth, how easy it is to jump ahead of God, and mess things up when we're impatient. Abraham was 75 yrs. Old when God called him out and promised him a son through Sarah, and he was 100 years old when Isaac (the promised son) was born. Abraham and Sarah had to wait 25 yrs. for God’s promise to come to pass, and so we too must learn to wait or we'll grow impatient with the time schedule of God also. God does not work according to our schedule, nor will he stop us if we decide to jump ahead of His. So beware, God has everything under control even if it looks like He doesn't. Abraham fathered Ishmael from his wife’s handmaiden, because Sarah and Abraham grew impatient, and look at the problems that one act of impatience had on the nation Israel and this world. Impossibilities, years of time, old age, disappointments, hard circumstances, etc., are no match for the miracle working power of God. What He promises, He will bring to pass in His time and in His way. So learn to wait patiently on God and His Word, and you will see them fulfilled every time.

Take An Inventory Of Our Spirituality

As we embark upon another year, it’s always important to take an inventory of our spirituality. Spirituality is not measured by how many times in a week we pray, or by how many chapters a day we read, nor is it measured by how many souls we have one to the Lord. Spirituality is measured by the spiritual fruit in our life, and by our willingness to be controlled by the Holy Spirit. In (1 Cor. 2&3) the Apostle Paul explained to the Corinthian church, that the born again Christian, can be either “carnal” (controlled by the flesh), or ”spiritual,” (controlled by the Holy Spirit). Being carnal is certainly not a badge of honor, and yet that is precisely what many Christians have chosen to be in this life. 1) To be a "carnal Christian," a Christian has to choose to think like the world, because in (2:16) the Apostle Paul says that we should “have the mind of Christ.” My question is, how can somebody be truly saved and live like the world when they know it is definitely wrong? Saved people are the only people in this world that know exactly what is right and wrong, and what is not truth. So they are carnal by choice ! 2) The carnal Christian is also a “babe in Christ,” by choice (3:1). Carnal people choose not to follow God’s Word, nor do they take the time to read it themselves. Therefore their lifestyle and character are immature and they reflect the sinful ways of this world and not the godly character of Christ. But the cure is simple, simply repent of your sin, choose to read and follow God's Word, but also choose to surrender yourself to walk in and with the Holy Spirit.