By Every Word

The Lord’s Prayer 02

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Jul 152010

Luke 11
2) And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven…
KJV

So here is where Jesus began to teach the disciples how to pray. He says Our Father.

This is a corporate prayer. He’s not just my Father, or your Father- He’s our Father. Sometimes we get so caught up with prayer being about me, me, me- that we forget we are praying to the government of Heaven. We are sending up a petition from a member of the body of Christ. This word, “our”, builds unity into our prayer.

Acts 20
35) I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
36) And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all.
KJV

Our brothers and sisters sometimes are weak and our prayers help to lift them.

Romans 15
1) We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
KJV

Ought means- you should do this, I expect you to do this, you better do this.

Look at how much is in this one word- ‘Our’. When we begin prayer like this it’s no longer just me, I am praying as a citizen of the kingdom of Heaven and I am praying a corporate prayer that includes all of us, which builds all of us and strengthens all of us.

Next, remember who you are praying to. The Father. This is so many things in one word. The word Father in the Hebrew is ABBA which also means source and sustainer. He is Source, Sustainer, Government, ABBA! Why is this important? It’s important because we are recognizing who He is to us at the start of our prayer. We don’t make Him Father God, He’s Father God no matter what- so it’s important that we acknowledge Him as Our Father. That’s all we can do- acknowledge Him. So when we begin our prayers we’re recognizing Him and saying “Our Source, our Sustainer, our Father”.

Please don’t miss this… A source is this.

Source: anything or place from which something comes, arises, or is obtained.
Dictionary.com

When you call Him Father- you are recognizing Him as where everything that you need comes from. You are stating that everything that has been obtained, will be obtained, or can be obtained, can only come from Him.
When you call Him Father you are declaring Him your Sustainer- that means what keeps you and maintains you is Him alone! Praise God! That is a powerful statement!

I have to add this in here right now…

John 4
23) But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

This use of spirit is very important. It is not capitalized so it’s not talking about the Holy Spirit, which is always capitalized. This word is lowercase and refers to “attitude and awareness”. You cannot worship God or pray effectively if your mind is not on what you’re doing. Your attitude has to be towards the thing, aware of what you are saying and who you are saying it to in order to do something in spirit.

So when you are calling on Him, Our Father, BE AWARE of what you are saying. When you understand these truths of these two short words, praying aware with an attitude of understanding- you’re calling upon the government of Heaven, Source and Sustainer of all things, in a corporate prayer from the body.

This is going to add so much to your prayer life- because we can only do something effectively, when we have understanding.

[Just as a side note: I am not teaching, to be so restrictive, that it’s wrong to say “My Father”. It’s just important for us to understand that we pray for others and that Jesus was showing it’s not just about us. What good is it, if I’m blessed and my friends and neighbors aren’t. Sure, they can pray- but we lift up the weak in faith in our prayers. We’re supposed to pray for one another. It’s not just about your blessing, your needs, your wants- it’s about the kingdom. It’s not about one citizen having all the wealth and all the health, it’s about His kingdom having wealth and being in good health. When we look at a country in the world and we see a few in power and living well, but most of the country is in poverty and sickness- there is something wrong. But when the entire nation thrives- wow how awesome. “What is it with those people, they are all in good health, all have their needs met, they all have joy, they all are blessed.”]

That’s Kingdom!

The Lord’s Prayer 01

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Jul 142010

Luke 11
1) And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.

Don’t read the bible too fast, otherwise you’ll miss important parts of God’s word. Look what His disciples asked Him.

‘Teach us how to pray’.

Now me personally, before learning this, I would have said “Teach me how to heal the sick, teach me how to open blinded eye, teach me how to make a pillar of fire come down from heaven, teach me how to walk on the water, teach me how to raise the dead…”

But no… they asked Him to teach them how to pray. This shows that prayer is something that needs to be taught. Do you know how to pray?

“Well, I just talk to God”

No, no, no… That’s not what Jesus taught. I will show you in the next few posts as we discuss the order of prayer. It was so important that the disciples asked Him- how to pray.

It’s The Law

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Jun 252010

I was disturbed about what my wife called and told me this morning. A local Christian radio station had a commercial air that was talking about getting out of debt- which is a great thing! But what disturbed me was the commercial said (paraphrase) “If you have to pay less tithes to do so, do it, just have someone keep you accountable.”

What has happened to God’s people where they believe they can break law and be blessed? They want the benefits of the kingdom but don’t want to do what the Lord says.

Romans 7:1
Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?

Malachi 3
8 ) Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

9) Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

Is that not clear? Here is what has happened- people have lost the concept of tithes. They give tithes of what they have to spare and offering as a reward for a good service. This is an incorrect concept and will always lead to error.

Let me ask you a question: Does our US Government have to please you, give you something, offer you something, or trick you into paying your taxes? Why? Because it’s the law to pay taxes. You just do it. It is so necessary to pay your taxes that the IRS is not bankrupt-able.

Everything you have belongs to God- so when we pay our tithes we are saying “Everything I have is Yours, and just to show You, I am giving You back 10% as a demonstration that I know You own it.”

The taxes we pay the government are for maintaining the infrastructure of our country. It’s meat for the storehouse. If you don’t pay them- you’re putting yourself under a curse- how can that help you? And we’re not blessed by tithing- because that is His anyways- we’re blessed by our giving.

Tithes = Kingdom Taxes
Offering = Kingdom Investment

With Every Breath

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Jun 152010

Have you praised Him today? Have you thanked Him?

When my son thanks me for buying him something, it gives me so much joy I just want to give him more.

We being in His image… think about it. Get your Father’s attention this day. Thank Him for waking up, thank Him that your heart is beating, thank Him for the car starting up- and if the car didn’t start up- thank Him for all the days it did.

This is a short one- but I’m just in the mood to thank Him. With every breath praise ye the Lord!

Kings and Javelins

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May 262010

We often get the misconception that to be in God’s favor means we are not in a storm at that time in our life. But this would imply that we are in God’s favor in the good times but during the bad times God has removed his favor. The enemy actually gets us on this reverse thinking- but it’s not true!

When your child comes home and has an “F” on his report card- do you not love him anymore? Of course you love him. It’s a process- you go through those times with them. You spend more time with them, work with them on their homework, encourage them- WHY? Because you are not looking at that moment when they bring that report card home as eternal. You see their future, what they will become. You push them to achieve greater! Your favor is always on your children. God is the same way, but He’s even better- after all “we being evil…”

So God’s favor is always on His people, you just have to make sure you’re His people.

I was going through a little storm myself, wondering why I was facing some of the things that I was when I am in God’s favor. I mean why are unfavorable things happening when I am in His favor this seems contradictory. But the Lord spoke to me and reminded me, as He always does, of His word. He said…

“Even David was anointed to be king, but had javelins thrown at him.”

This thought God impressed upon me was enough to change how I was feeling. I had never thought about it and compared it to my life. Samuel had anointed David king. Saul had already been rejected. Yet Saul still sat in a position of authority and threw javelins at the true anointed king of Israel. David played the harp for him and then had to flee on several occasions to escape death. I mean can you imagine? Here you are- you’re supposed to be king. (That’s what this old renowned prophet said!) But you are having to play music for a rejected king and then you get attacked. You have to run from the very person who has your position… and HIDE! It just doesn’t make sense to us. But look at Saul’s perspective in this situation.

1 Samuel 18
12) And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul.

I LOVE IT! The enemy wants you to feel like those coming against you ‘know’ they have power over you. He wants you to feel destitute. But remember God’s favor has not parted. God is hostage by His own word. What He has said He will perform. He is an AWESOME God! Don’t let the devil fool you. Don’t get caught up in what you ‘think’ others are thinking about you or toward you. They are afraid- because the LORD is with YOU!

I love this part…

1 Samuel 18
13) Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.

David got a promotion! Saul wasn’t trying to bless him. He was just afraid of him. Before he was over the men of war, but now he’s the king’s captain over a thousand. God was providing David with his own army. But here is the key…

1 Samuel 18
14) And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him.
15) Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him.

DON’T YOU LOSE YOUR SELF CONTROL! I know that this is going to speak to somebody. You might want to quit, you might want to wish something bad upon them, you might want to disrespect them, you might have thought to get revenge- BUT DON’T DO IT! This is the KEY! David behaved himself wisely in ALL his ways- and so the LORD was with him. I cannot express how important this is. Our flesh wants to bring resolve in ways that God will not honor. Your ultimate goal is ‘respect’ from that person- look at what David’s behavior brought. When Saul saw David was behaving wisely- he was afraid! See by yourself, you are just like them, what do they have to fear? – but if the Lord is with you…

We all have positions and places in life that are determined for us to go. We have been predestined to be kings in the earth and to have dominion over the earth. (Genesis 1:26) So why do we think we must defend that? Why do we think we need to respond to others disbelief in us and of where we are going? If it is to be… it will just be! David was wise. David knew- if God is God then He owns the country, he owns the place of authority, he even owns Saul. So I will run away from the very kingdom I have been promised because, after all, it’s already been determined that I am the king of Israel. Now moving along with this analogy- Don’t fret what others say to you, or how they treat you, or what they say you’re going to become, or what position they try to stick you in, or even if they fire you- after all it’s already been determined. Imagine the one who is coming against you. They may seem to be blocking you from your promise- your success- your goal. Now imagine them throwing a javelin at you to kill you. (Makes you smile thinking about this actually happening right?- But it actually happened to David.) Now- you have a decision. You can pick the javelin up and throw it back at them… or you can trust the Lord’s favor and promises. If you trust Him- why fight?… you’ve already won! The end is determined, you just have to stay steady and behave yourself wisely. Stay in His favor, stay in right standing with the kingdom.

The Saul’s of our lives may think there is only one path to succession. A standard process to be king- but remember who made them king… THE KING OF KINGS!

Trust the Lord, the Owner!

Study

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May 202010

I know it’s a simple title, but it is something we really need to realize whether we give enough attention to or not. Let’s look at some definitions.

application of the mind to the acquisition of knowledge, as by reading, investigation, or reflection: long hours of study.
the cultivation of a particular branch of learning, science, or art: the study of law.
Often, studies. a personal effort to gain knowledge: to pursue one’s studies.
research or a detailed examination and analysis of a subject, phenomenon, etc.
a written account of such research, examination, or analysis
a well-defined, organized branch of learning or knowledge.
zealous endeavor or assiduous effort.
the object of such endeavor or effort.
deep thought, reverie, or a state of abstraction

These definitions come from Dictionary.Com

I really love the second one- “the cultivation of a particular branch of learning.”

A farmer will cultivate his crops in order to promote growth in them. He will give much labor and attention to them in order to get the best result. Can you say you cultivate your self for the kingdom? Do you give much attention to who you are supposed to become?

You know I’ve never met a wealthy person who got rich by being lazy.

Proverbs 10:4
Lazy hands make a man poor,
but diligent hands bring wealth.

Do you think “Being wealthy is ungodly!”. That’s not what God says. It’s in the bible! So this scripture needs to be looked at two ways: Physical wealth (money, property, assets)- and most importantly mental wealth (knowledge, wisdom, understanding).

Remember lazy hands make you poor -in every area- but diligent hands bring wealth -in every area-. If you are diligent in your studying you are GUARANTEED to be wealthy, and not because God likes you… Think about that. You are guaranteed to be wealthy because it’s God’s word and remember a king is bound by his decrees.

God spoke these things for our benefit, but so many times we choose to let them work against us. How? By being lazy. Waiting for God to do a miracle. Expecting God just to MAKE you smart, make you intelligent, make you rich. That’s not what God said in his word. Where do we get these concepts?

Read God’s word, study it, and make it work for you. Citizens know the laws and benefits their country provides- yet we choose to ignore the laws of the kingdom of God which are the most rewarding benefits any country has ever provided for any citizen ever! So study-study-study! Cultivate your mind with knowledge of God’s word.

God will reward those that diligently seek Him. He will reward your efforts of diligence in every area of life if you understand this concept and put it into practice. You will ‘do a little thing for a long time’ and then BOOM! God comes gives you a supernatural increase in that area of study. We’ve all had it happen. We’ve worked hard at something and then all of a sudden we get a boost in a short period of time that reaps more results then all the work we had done up to that point. That’s called a Breakthrough! Remember- one plants, one waters, and God gives the increase. He’ll give you an increase in your job knowledge, your skill of expertise, your business, your relationships- everything! You just have to show you mean business and put forth effort. God will give you such an abundant increase because He wants people to see you and see what it’s like to be in His kingdom. God wants His citizens to represent what it’s like to be in the kingdom of God.

Study – Study – Study – Cultivate – Cultivate – Cultivate and watch the Lord work!

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