This is the day that the Lord has made, I will REJOICE and be glad in it! What a WONDERFUL day to be alive. Let's make the most of the POTENTIAL that is in this day. We started talking yesterday about temptation. Let's continue today. It is important to understand 12Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. 13When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. James 1:12-15 NIV From this passage, we can identify 4 stages of the temptation process, which we'll examine below. Ironically, our own evil desire drags us away and entices us ("drawn away, enticed and baited" James 1:14 AMP). Often these evil desires can be the actual sources of the temptations we face (Matthew 15:18-19). Consider this example concerning the love of money from 1 Timothy 6:9-10 NIV: 9People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. In addition to the evil desires within us, the devil and his servants may also be sources of temptation. Paul explained that these forces are real and primarily spiritual: "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 6:12). These forces are skilled at introducing tempting thoughts to us that appeal to our natural and/or evil desires. Since they can't make us sin, they hope to arouse our evil desires enough so that we'll pursue the temptation and sin. The Bible gives several accounts of Satan tempting people with things that appealed to their desires. For example, Satan tempted Jesus with things like food and power (Luke 4:5-6). Though Jesus was without sin, he still had natural human desires that Satan could appeal to. In Acts 5:3, Satan appealed to Ananias and Sapphira's greed by "filling" their hearts with the idea to lie to Holy Spirit and keep back some of the offering money. Other examples of temptation include Genesis 3:1-6, Matthew 4:1, I Corinthians 7:5, I Thessalonians 3:5, I Kings 22:20-22, 2 Chronicles 18:20-21, and Proverbs 7:21. Stage 2: Conception. James mentions that our evil desire is capable of conceiving. The Greek word used there for conceive is Sullambano (Strong's #4815), which means "to clasp, i.e. seize (arrest, capture); specially, to conceive (literally or figuratively); by implication, to aid:--catch, conceive, help, take." Applying these definitions, conception occurs when our evil desires clasp or seize our minds in order to engage a temptation. It is the point when we open the door of our mind to the temptation instead of rejecting it; when we give the temptation a place in our heart instead of treating it like an enemy. Conception can happen as quickly as within a few seconds of the temptation. Stage 3: Sin is Born. After our evil desires conceive, they birth sinful thoughts and/or actions. Usually sin occurs in our thoughts before we act it out physically. "Thought sin" occurs when we respond to a temptation by using our imaginations to dwell on, embellish or fantasize about doing the act. For example, sexual sin occurs when we respond to the temptation by using our imaginations to speculate about sexual activity based on the temptation source (ex what it would be like, what it would feel like, etc.). Stage 4: Death. Our sin always causes something to die, whether it be physical, emotional or spiritual. God's word tells us that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). It is inescapable, yet people continue to believe the lies that the consequences of their sin won't be that bad. For example, back in Eden, Satan told Eve that she wouldn't actually die like God said and that the forbidden fruit would actually help her be more like God. When Eve sinned, her innocence died, her marital harmony died, her relationship with God died and her peace died (Genesis 3:12-16). Likewise, Satan and his forces of evil continue to downplay the death that will occur in our lives if we sin. Personal application and review questions: I hope you will take TIME to MEDITATE on today's study and the Word of God. My prayer is that you have a VICTORY-filled day! Blessings! Pastor Rusty Today's "Through the Bible in a Year" reading: February 12, 2008 (Tuesday): Deuteronomy 31:1-Deuteronomy 34:12 This week's MEMORY VERSE: James 1:12 "Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him." James 1:12 TOMORROW'S BLOG: How to RESPOND to Temptation
the mechanism behind temptation so that we can recognize it and take action against it. James 1:12-15 NIV gives us the key details:
Note how the "foolish and harmful" desires led the people away from the faith and plunged them into ruin, destruction and many griefs.
This is why Paul stated that our responsibility as Christians includes "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5 KJV).
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Four Stages of Temptation
Posted by Rusty L. Blann at 7:34 AM 2 comments
Monday, February 11, 2008
Defining Temptation and its PURPOSES
This is the day that the Lord has made, I will REJOICE and be glad in it! God is so GOOD, isn't He? I thank God for His faithfulness. My family and I had a great weekend with my daughter Glenda and her family. My grandbabies are growing up very fast. Every time we are around them it gets even tougher to leave them. I have purposed in my heart to see them more often than what we have been. I have received reports from our church services yesterday, and they have been GREAT. A great big "thank you" to all of the Pastors for filling in for me while I was out of pocket, but especially Pastor Bill for making sure everything runs smooth, and for preaching last night as well. I love these guys! God has blessed me with a great staff and I am very proud of them. As I was praying this morning, I felt the Lord give me direction for this week's blog. We are going to discuss TEMPTATION. Please read each verse and meditate on it. I believe this study will speak to your heart, as it has mine, and that we will be changed for eternity! Temptation can make you or break you…which one it does, depends upon our daily CHOICES. Let's begin to look at this very important subject. "Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him." James 1:12 It's important to first nail down some definitions of the words involved with temptation so that we have a clear understanding of the meanings. The definitions themselves reveal important facets of temptations that will help us combat them more effectively. Tempt: (Webster's) Temptation: pirasmos (#3986) - the only Greek word used for temptation in the New Testament Since temptation is "enticement to sin," we should also consider the words used for sin: Purposes of Temptation: With the above definitions in mind, we can now discuss the purposes of temptation. 1. Block our inheritance as sons of God by enslaving us to sin Jesus Christ restored peace between God and humanity through his death on the cross and won back man's right to rule over the world. Those who place faith in Jesus can now move forward in taking dominion over the world and subduing it for God's kingdom. Satan resists the execution of man's rightful dominion through Christ and he does everything in his power to thwart man through temptation into sin. Satan aims to keep people enslaved to sin (Romans 6:16) and unable to subdue the world as God intended. Temptations appeal to our primary sin tendencies of lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh and the pride of life (1 John 2:15-16). Since he cannot force us to sin, Satan tries to persuade us to sin through clever lies, tailor-made for our specific weaknesses. For example, Satan appealed to Eve's desire for wisdom with the notion that she could be like God if she ate the fruit. Her desire for wisdom and the attractive appearance of the fruit was the winning combination that enticed her to sin (Genesis 3:6). Following the temptations of our sinful nature will prevent us from enjoying the fruits of our inheritance as sons of God. The Holy Spirit grows these fruits in us and they include love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV). Our sin thwarts the growth of such fruits because it directly opposes the Holy Spirit's work in us. Paul wrote, "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want" (Galatians 5:16-17 NIV). Following the sinful nature not only opposes the Holy Spirit, but also it prevents us from being able to please God. Paul explained this in 2. Lead us to entertain evil thoughts with our minds: Once we entertain an evil thought, we engage the power of our imaginations and create sin. Our imaginations are powerful tools that God has uniquely gifted us with. Made in God's likeness, I believe that our imaginations are scaled down versions of God's imagination. God imagined creation and then spoke it into existence. Likewise, we too can create realities in our imaginations. When based on evil thoughts, our imaginations are against God. For example, pornography is often the visual bait that Satan uses to get people to fantasize about having sex. Once we're entertaining the thoughts of adultery or fornication, or any other sexual sin, we're essentially committing the sin. Jesus identified this principle of "thought sin" in Matthew 5:28 NIV: "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." This isn't just limited to adulterous thoughts. For example, Jesus explained that hating another person is basically the same as murdering him (Matthew 5:21-22). Even Lucifer's sin began in his thoughts (Isaiah 14:13-14, Ezekiel 28:15-17). 3. To test our faith: Though God does not send temptation to us (James 1:13), he may allow us to be tempted for a period of time to test the sincerity of our faith. Here are some verses that mention this: "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." James 1:2-4 NKJV "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." 1 Peter 1:6-7 NIV God will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear. Paul wrote, "God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it" (1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV). Jesus explained in Luke 8:13 that some people who hear God's word will fall away during temptation because they have no "root." When our faith is not grounded in the truth of God's word, it will be weak like plants without roots. A key to defeating temptation which will be discussed later in the study is strong faith in the truth (i.e. God's word). If we stand fast in our faith and overcome the temptations, we will bring praise, glory and honor to God. We'll also be "perfect and complete, lacking nothing" (James 1:4 NKJV). Personal application and review questions: I am looking forward to this week's study. I hope you will blog in every day. We all face TEMPTATIONS, but we do not have to give in to them. God has given us tools to overcome temptation victoriously. Please find the Bible reading for today below, as well as this week's MEMORY VERSE. Let's have a great week together! I pray you have a VICTORY-filled day! Blessings Pastor Rusty Today's "Through the Bible in a Year" reading: February 11, 2008 (Monday): Deuteronomy 27:1-Deuteronomy 30:20 This week's MEMORY VERSE: James 1:12 "Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him." James 1:12 TOMORROW'S BLOG: Four Stages of the Temptation process
(Galatians 4:7): From the very beginning, Satan has been attempting to block and destroy our rightful inheritance as sons of God. This inheritance includes dominion over the world (Genesis 1:26-28) and a personal relationship with God. When Satan enticed Adam and Eve to disobey God, Adam forfeited mankind's dominion over the world to Satan (John 12:31; John 14:30; 1 John 5:19) and was separated from God because of his sin.
Romans 8:5-8 NIV: "Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of the sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God." With our minds hostile to God, we will not move into our role as sons of God in Christ.
Posted by Rusty L. Blann at 9:21 AM 0 comments
Friday, February 8, 2008
The Armor of God: Wrap up
This is the day that the Lord has made, I will REJOICE and be glad in it. I hope you have and will do the same thing. Now that we have studied each piece of the armor, I hope that you find this summary prayer helpful for putting on the whole armor each day: "Heavenly Father, I praise and worship you because you are God. I am honored to be your servant and I take my stand today against the devil and his schemes against me, my family and my ministry. Father, as I take up each piece of the armor, please secure it in place on me. I take up the SHIELD OF FAITH and extend it over myself. It extinguishes all the fiery darts of the evil one. I put on the HELMET OF SALVATION, which protects my mind from the enemy's attacks. I have the mind of Christ. I put on the BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, which covers my body with the righteousness of God. In Christ, every foothold of evil has been washed away and I am clothed in righteousness! I gird my loins with the BELT OF TRUTH. Your word, O God, is truth. Father, sanctify me according to your word and remind me through the Holy Spirit of the truth that destroys the lies of sin. I SHOD MY FEET with the preparation of the Gospel of peace. I have peace with God through the blood of Jesus. I have favor with God and with man. I walk in my inheritance as an adopted son of God and have authority over evil in Jesus' name. I will use the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT by speaking the Word of God as it applies to whatever situation I may face today. Father, please remind me of your Word via the Holy Spirit. I will continue to PRAY IN THE SPIRIT throughout the day, and intercede for all Christians as the Holy Spirit prompts me. I believe that the Holy Spirit is interceding on my behalf according to my prayers. Thank you, Father, for the whole armor of God. Please surround me with your hedge of protection as I move forward on the spiritual battlefield today. I praise and worship you now and forever, Amen." As you put on the Armor of God, here are some Scriptures for you to speak and meditate on: Lord, I feel..... Bound....yet Confused....yet A failure....yet Fearful....yet Friendless....yet In darkness....yet Lonely.....yet Misjudged....yet Poor....yet Sick....yet Troubled....yet Unclean....yet Vulnerable....yet Worthless....yet As you take the time to put on the Armor of God, and meditate on these verses, then speak them out loud, you will be better prepared for any battle that may come your way! My prayer for you is that you have a WORD-filled weekend! Blessings! Pastor Rusty This weekends "Through the Bible in a year" reading: February 8, 2008 (Friday): Deuteronomy 12:1-Deuteronomy 15:23 February 9, 2008 (Saturday) Deuteronomy 16:1-Deuteronomy 20:20 February 10, 2008 (Sunday) Deuteronomy 21:1-Deuteronomy 26:19 This week's Memory Verse: (I am testing us this week. Very long, but beneficial) Ephesians 6:13-17 Ephesians 6:13-17 Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (14) Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; (15) And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; (16) Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. (17) And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Beaten...yet
You have made me more than a conqueror (Rom 8:37).
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us
You are my deliverer (Rom 11:26).
And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
You are my counselor (Isa 9:6).
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, [a] Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
You have made me an overcomer (1 Jn 5:4).
For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith
You did not give me a spirit of fear, but of power, of love, andof a sound mind (2 Tim 1:7).
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
You are a friend who sticks closer to me than a brother (Prov 18:24).
A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
You are a light unto my path and a lamp unto my feet (Ps 119:105).
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
You promised never to leave me nor forsake me (Heb 13:5).
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you;never will I forsake you."
I'm accepted and approved by You (Eph 1:4).
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
You supply all my need according to Your riches in glory (Phil 4:19).
And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
You are the Lord who heals all my diseases (Ps 103:3).
…who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
You are my peace (Jn 14:27).
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you asthe world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
You are the purifier and refiner of my life (Mal 3:3).
He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify theLevites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will havemen who will bring offerings in righteousness,
You are my strength and my strong tower (Ps 18:2).
The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn [a] of my salvation, my stronghold.
You see me as a pearl of great price (Matt 13:46).
When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
Posted by Rusty L. Blann at 8:45 AM 1 comments
Thursday, February 7, 2008
The Armor of God: Praying in the Spirit
This is the day that the Lord has made, I will REJOICE and be glad in it. Thank God for His many blessings TODAY! We have been looking at importance of the Armor of God. We need to DAILY put on the each piece of the Armor. Today, let's look at praying in the Spirit. Prayer in the Spirit is an important, ongoing activity of spiritual warfare. Paul included it in his discussion of the whole armor of God in Ephesians 6:18 and Jude mentioned it in his epistle: "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints" (Ephesians 6:18) "But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. 21Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life" Jude 20-21 NIV Our Role: There are two participants involved with prayer in the Spirit - the Holy Spirit and us. Our part is to pray "always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit" and "to be watchful with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints." This does not mean that we have to be on our knees all day and night with eyes closed in prayer. Prayer in the Spirit is an inner activity of the mind and spirit where we maintain a type of open dialogue with God through the Holy Spirit. Outward actions such as bowing the head and closing the eyes may help us focus better on God, but it's the inner communication with God that matters most. In order to always be in prayer, we'll need to be in control of our thoughts. When our thoughts are stuck on sinful fantasies, it will be difficult, if not impossible, to be in prayer. This is one of the reasons why we are to use the spiritual weapons God gives us to continually be "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5 KJV). The definition of supplication is "asking for humbly or earnestly, as by praying" (American Heritage Dictionary). Prayer is an acknowledgement that we are not in control and need God to intervene. This attitude opens the door for communication with God, who can direct and apply our prayers in ways far beyond our understanding. Therefore, when we pray to God, we should do so earnestly in humility, inviting the Holy Spirit to work in the situation as God wills. It is really that simple. The Spirit's Role: Once we've prayed, the Spirit intercedes for us and pleads in our behalf according to God's will. Paul described how the Spirit intercedes in Romans 8:26-27: "26So too the [Holy] Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance. Leaving prayer concerns in God's hands can be challenging for us if we're prone to being in control and thinking we know what God should do. Too often prayer becomes us telling God what to do, i.e. praying our will instead of his will be done (Matthew 6:10). In situations where God's will is unclear, we should take care not to presume his will. Praying in the Spirit doesn't require that we speak intelligible words, but simply that we lift up the situation to God, and trust that the Holy Spirit will intercede perfectly for us. Speaking in tongues is often used in prayer in the Spirit. Tongues is a vehicle by which our spirit prays, while our mind may or may not understand what we are praying. Paul described this in 1 Corinthians 14:14-15 NIV: What prayer in the Spirit accomplishes: There are some important things that happen when we pray in the Spirit. Specifically, prayer in the Spirit: · Perfects our prayer (Romans 8:26) · Takes our case directly before God (Romans 8:27) · Increases effectiveness of prayer for others (intercessory prayer) (Romans 8:27) · Aligns our prayer with God's will (Romans 8:26-27) I hope that you purpose in your heart to "pray in the Spirit" today! Blessings! Pastor Rusty Today's "Through the Bible in a year" reading: February 7, 2008 Deuteronomy 6:1-11:32 This week's Memory Verse: (I am testing us this week. Very long, but beneficial) Ephesians 6:13-17 Ephesians 6:13-17 Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (14) Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; (15) And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; (16) Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. (17) And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: TOMORROW'S BLOG: Wrapping up the Armor of God Study
27And He Who searches the hearts of men knows what is in the mind of the [Holy] Spirit [what His intent is], because the Spirit intercedes and pleads [before God] in behalf of the saints according to and in harmony with God's will." Romans 8:26-27 AMP
"For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind." This is what we call our "prayer language." Paul mentioned that he frequently spoke in tongues and wished that other believers would do the same (I Corinthians 14:5, 18)
Posted by Rusty L. Blann at 1:19 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
The Armor of God: The Sword of the Spirit
This is the day that the Lord has made, I will REJOICE and be glad in it! I hope you will do the same. I am excited about today's blog, as we look at the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God! "Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." Ephesians 6:17 NKJV The Sword of the Spirit is a powerful weapon of spiritual warfare. The sword is formed by speaking God's word. When we use the sword properly, God's power and resources are available to us. In discussing the Sword of the Spirit, it is helpful to first examine the meaning of the Greek words Logos and Rhema, which are often used for the "word" of God. Logos - the word of God: Logos is often used to identify the written scriptures in the Bible, which were given to people under the inspiration of God (Timothy 3:16, 1 Peter 1:10-11). Collectively, the Bible, as God's "word," is the written, divine expression or revelation of God to humanity. Jesus completed this expression as the literal embodiment of God's word, logos Rhema - the word of God: Another way of using the Rhema is to apply specific scriptures (logos) to the situations we are facing. This is perhaps the most common of way of diffusing temptations. While we may not have a special or emergent Rhema revelation from God regarding a temptation, we will likely have plenty of scriptures that we can speak that apply. The Sword of the Spirit: Rhema is the Greek word used in the Sword of the Spirit passage (Ephesians 6:17 - "..the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God"). Therefore, we use the Sword of the Spirit by: 1) Standing in faith on the word God has given us for our particular situation and confessing it in the face of the enemy's attacks and/or 2) Speaking or singing scriptures (logos) that apply to the situation we are facing As with the other pieces of the armor of God, the Sword of the Spirit relies on faith for its foundation. When our faith is based on the promises of God's word, our sword's "spiritual power link" to God is engaged. Jesus said, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes" (Mark 9:23 NKJV). Spoken in faith, the Sword of the Spirit is the truth that sets people free from the lies that hold them captive (John 8:31-32, Psalm 119:160, John 17:17). From the very beginning, God has spoken words that have powerfully influenced everything that exists. For example, God created the heavens and earth by speaking them into existence! The Bible says, "By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the *word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible" (Hebrews 11:3 NASB, *rhema). Since God created us in his likeness, it is imperative that we understand the power of our words. For example, our words can bring life and death (Proverbs 18:21). They can build people up or tear them down (James 3). Jesus used the Sword of the Spirit in resisting Satan in the wilderness (Luke 4). Jesus responded to each of the temptations by quoting scripture. The scripture he chose revealed and destroyed the lies of each temptation. In the same way, we can use scripture to destroy the lies that tempt us. Other Sword of the Spirit examples: Basic Training: When using the Sword of the Spirit, we need to ensure that we are using the scripture in the proper context from where it was taken. In order to understand the context, we'll need to learn the Bible. Bible study not only familiarizes us with the word, but also builds our faith up (Romans 10:17) and sharpens our discernment skills for spiritual warfare (Hebrews 4:12). NavPress offers a great product called the Topical Memory System that is very good for scripture memory. You can also devise your own system. For example, I write down verses that I notice during my quiet time readings on 3 X 5 note cards. On the card I include the reference and the topic. I review the cards throughout the day as often as possible. The key is to keep the scripture in front of you as much as possible each day. You are basically programming your mind with God's word. Over the next couple of days I will post some verses that are categorized to help you as you SPEAK FORTH the Word of God. Today's category is COMFORT: Psalm 23:4 NIV Psalm 25 This is an excellent Psalm for consolation, help and deliverance - It is helpful to read this aloud as a prayer to God Psalm 31 NKJV Psalm 34:18 NIV Psalm 68:6 NASB Psalm 119:48-50 NIV Psalm 119:76 NIV Psalm 147:3 NIV Psalm 147:11-12 NKJV Jeremiah 29 NKJV 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 NIV 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NIV 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 NIV I pray that you have a WORD-filled day today! Blessings! Pastor Rusty Today's "Through the Bible in a year" reading: February 6, 2008 Deuteronomy 1:1-Deuteronomy 5:33 This week's Memory Verse: (I am testing us this week. Very long, but beneficial) Ephesians 6:13-17 Ephesians 6:13-17 Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (14) Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; (15) And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; (16) Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. (17) And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: TOMORROW'S BLOG: Praying in the Spirit
(John 1:1-5, 14).
Rhema is the spoken word of God. Strong's concordance says that rhema is "that which is or has been uttered by the living voice." Rhema carries a spiritual connotation that differentiates it from logos. It also bears application to the specific context of our lives. For example, we may be wrestling with an issue in our life and during our quiet time we read a verse that "speaks" directly to the situation we are dealing with. That portion of the scripture becomes a "Rhema word" from God for us regarding our situation. We can then stand in faith on the Rhema God has given us and confess it whenever the devil tries to attack us.
(Acts 4:24-31): A group of believers prayed the word and the result was that the place was shaken, they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly
(Acts 13:38-43)
(Acts 13:46-48)
Even 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.
23Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints! For the LORD preserves the faithful, And fully repays the proud person. 24Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart, All you who hope in the LORD.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
God makes a home for the lonely; He leads out the prisoners into prosperity, Only the rebellious dwell in a parched land
I lift up my hands to your commands, which I love, and I meditate on your decrees. Remember your word to your servant, for you have given me hope. My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.
May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant.
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
11The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him, In those who hope in His mercy. 12Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion!
11For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
Posted by Rusty L. Blann at 7:20 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
The Armor of God: Battle Shoes
This is the day that the Lord has made, I will REJOICE and be glad in it. It really is my CHOICE, and I am determined every morning, regardless of how I feel, to REJOICE. I hope you will as well. As we rejoice, let's continue to look at the importance of putting on the "Armor of God." Today, we are looking at BATLE SHOES. "And your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace" Ephesians 6:15 NIV I chose to use the term "Battle Shoes" to identify the "readiness" that comes from the gospel of peace. It's important for us to understand exactly what Paul was talking about, so we can fully engage our faith when putting the battle shoes on. The Amplified translation of Ephesians 6:15 is helpful: "And having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with the firm-footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness produced by the good news] of the Gospel of peace" Ephesians 6:15 AMP Let's explore the footwear analogy. When going to work, play, exercise or relax we usually put something on our feet that is appropriate. Each type of shoe provides a unique combination of benefits for the activity we're intending to do. Specifically, footwear provides: Footwear also bolsters our stamina to perform the activity we're going to do. For example, if you are going running on a hot day, you're likely to last only a few minutes on the hot asphalt without shoes. With shoes on, you can run on that asphalt much longer! The spiritual footwear that comes from the "Gospel of Peace" gives us the firm-footed stability, promptness and readiness we'll need to face our agile adversaries. The term "Gospel of Peace" refers to the peace we have with God through Jesus: "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we Since we have gained access to God through this peace, we can use his resources to fight the spiritual battles we face. Therefore, the gospel of peace extends our "battlefield endurance" by connecting us with God's protection, support, guidance and comfort at all times through the Holy Spirit. Putting on the Battle Shoes "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, 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 4:6-7 NIV) We need our BATTLE SHOES today, so let's make sure to slip them on, by faith, before we go any further throughout the day. One way to do that is to make sure that we continue to read and meditate on God's Word, and memorize His Word. Please use the tools at the end of this blog to help you in each of these endeavors. I pray that you have a PEACE-filled day today. Blessings! Pastor Rusty Today's "Through the Bible in a year" reading: February 5, 2008 Numbers 35:1-36:13 This week's Memory Verse: (I am testing us this week. Very long, but beneficial) Ephesians 6:13-17 Ephesians 6:13-17 Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (14) Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; (15) And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; (16) Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. (17) And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: TOMORROW'S BLOG: The Sword of the Spirit
have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God" (Romans 5:1-2NIV). (Other verses on our peace with God through Christ: Isaiah 53:5, Colossians 1:20, Ephesians 2:13-22)
(Hebrews 11:1). We can't see our peace with God, but we believe we have it because God's word says we have it. When we confess that we are putting on the battle shoes (and the rest of the armor), we are speaking them on in faith. Here is an example prayer/declaration to do so:
"I shod my feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace. I have peace with God through my faith in Jesus and have access to God. I have his resources at my disposal for the battles I may face today. Father, please guide my footsteps and secure me on your path of righteousness today. Thank you, Father!"
By studying the Bible and even memorizing key scripture passages, you will establish a foundation in the Gospel of Peace. You will be less likely to slip off God's path of truth. You will be firmly standing in good shoes! The psalmist declared in Psalm 119:165 NKJV, "Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble."
Posted by Rusty L. Blann at 7:16 AM 0 comments
Monday, February 4, 2008
The Armor of God: The BELT of Truth
This is the day that the Lord has made, I will REJOICE and be GLAD in it. I hope you had a great weekend in the Lord. We certainly did. On this Monday morning, as we begin a new work week, let me continue with our study on the Armor of God. "Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth..." Ephesians 6:14 NKJV A Christian's survival in the world requires a firm grounding in the absolute truth of the Bible. The power of truth is that it sets us free by breaking the power of the devil's LIES and the deception they create (John 8:31-32). Just as with Eve in Eden, the devil downplays the consequences of sin and promotes its pleasures. Firmly rooted in the truth, we are best equipped to recognize the lies, resist the devil and do God's will. Paul mentioned that the "belt of truth" is part of the whole armor of God in Ephesians 6:14. Soldiers in Paul's day wore belts to secure their clothing and hold weapons. The belt of truth has similar but expanded functions for spiritual warfare that include: Putting on the belt each day: There are some key actions we can take to put on our belt of truth securely each day. These include: "I put on the Belt of Truth. I believe that God's word is truth and I fill my mind with God's word. I have the Holy Spirit living in me, who will guide me in truth. The truth enables me to discern the devil's lies and avoid being taken captive to do his will." "Heavenly Father, please remind me of your word today and guide me in truth by the Holy Spirit. Please help me hear, know and obey your voice in every situation. Please strengthen my ability to retain and recall your word as it applies to the situations I face. Thank you, Heavenly Father. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen." Maintaining the Belt To keep our belt of truth in great shape, we must keep our hearts pliable and obedient to God by clinging to his word. When we give sin a protected place in our lives, we embrace the lies that the sin is based on. These lies are what corrupt our belt of truth. If we sin, we must return to God in repentance and the blood of Jesus will wash away the stains from our sins (1 John 1:7). I love you guys, and hope you have a TRUTH-filled day! Blessings! Pastor Rusty Today's "Through the Bible in a year" reading: February 4, 2008 Numbers 32:1-Numbers 34:29 This week's Memory Verse: (I am testing us this week. Very long, but beneficial) Ephesians 6:13-17 Ephesians 6:13-17 Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (14) Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; (15) And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; (16) Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. (17) And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Jesus prayed that God would sanctify us by the truth (the word): "Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth" (John 17:17 NIV). To sanctify means to set apart for a special purpose and to purify. The truth helps us stay on mission for God and avoid falling back into sin's corruption.
Our belt can become corrupted by the sin we commit and tolerate in our lives. For example, Joab's belt was stained by his murders of Abner and Amasa in 1 Kings 2:5.
TOMORROW'S BLOG: Battle Shoes
Posted by Rusty L. Blann at 9:42 AM 0 comments
