Month: July 2007

31
Jul
2007

Don’t Serve the Problem

I get Kenneth Copeland’s “From Faith to Faith” email everyday. It’s usually very timely because it is the word of God and it applies to our lives. This one came this morning. I have been thinking about the fact that what we feed will grow. If we feed our frustration that will grow. If we feed on His faithfulness as Psalm 37:3 says that will grow. Kenneth says it so well check it out below and go to the KCM.org website and subscribe to this service you will be blessed.

Jul 31 – Don’t Serve the Problem

“Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him.”
(Isaiah 55:7)

Dear Gary,
You can’t win a victory as long as the problem is the biggest thing in your life!
The Lord woke me up to that fact a few years ago. At that time I was facing some difficulties in my ministry that seemed so big to me, I thought about them from morning till night. Even though I was standing against them, I was thinking more about those problems than about the scripture promises I was standing on.
Then I saw something in Matthew 6:24-25:
“Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life.”
I’d read that scripture hundreds of times, but that day I saw something I’d never noticed before. I saw that immediately after Jesus said, “No man can serve two masters,” He said, “Take no thought.” Suddenly it hit me: We serve our thoughts!
That’s why Isaiah 55 says for us to forsake our thoughts, and by the Word, take God’s thoughts. That’s why 2 Corinthians 10:5 says to cast out thoughts that challenge the Word and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.
Do you want deliverance from your problems today?
Then quit serving them! Quit allowing them to consume your thought life. And don’t wait until circumstances change to do it. Instead, realize that circumstances won’t ever change until you switch from wrong to right thinking.
I know that’s not easy to do, especially in the midst of heavy darkness and trial. But you can do it if you’ll do these three things:
First, remember you aren’t alone. You have the Word (God’s thoughts). You have the Holy Spirit to strengthen you and you have the mind of Christ.
Second, get around people who are full of faith. Instead of rehearsing your problem, let them do the talking. Make yourself listen. Join in with their faith and resist darkness.
Third, praise God. Do whatever it takes to make yourself praise. When you begin to praise, God’s presence will turn back those worried thoughts and make them fall!
Your problems are not the biggest thing in your life. Jesus is. Serve Him with your thoughts and He will set you free! 

Scripture Study: Isaiah 55 

kcm.org July 31st Daily Devotional

Posted by Gary in Faith
16
Jul
2007

Random Thoughts

If you will indulge me for a moment this is the purpose of this space. To process thoughts.

We are in the final stages of producing “Rescued” John’s fiction work in audio theatre. It has been brought up that one of the characters didn’t say the words of repentance in the moments before she died and yet she goes to heaven in the end. The worry is that we are going lightly on her sin and we are portraying something that is not scriptural.

Why have we as evangelicals placed so much emphasis on “praying the prayer” or saying the right “words”? Are words magical? Can we miss heaven by not saying the right “words”? Is God really concerned about the right verbiage?

Jesus never taught us to pray a specific prayer for salvation. He always talked about the condition of the heart. As a matter of fact the bible talks about saying the right things and having a heart that is far from God in Isaiah.

I know a number of people who can’t point to a specific date and place that they came into relationship with God. I can promise you however that they are walking with God. The fruit is nice and sweet.

What happened that we are so concerned about words and appearances, I’m not talking about judging fruit, just what things look like. Now see I already hear some of you going literal on me. “we should avoid the perception of impropriety”. That is not what I am talking about. We are so concerned about what people will say or what our actions may look like that we don’t repent, we don’t speak the truth in love.

I have told many people not to ever sacrifice my future on the alter of my feelings. Why are we so concerned with how someone may feel today rather than where they will spend eternity or even how they will spend the rest of their lives. Would you rather have someone not speak the truth in love to point out that your thinking or your actions may be flawed and have you damage other relationships and not be able to live a fruitful life?

We must first examine the log in our own eye so that we can speak the truth in love when it is necessary without our own logs getting in the way. Jesus never spared someone’s feelings. Think of the rich young ruler, the Syro-Phoenician woman in Luke 7, what about Peter? “get thee behind me satan”. The enemy has crippled us with worrying about how imperfect we are and rendering us impotent at speaking the truth in love.

Examine the log in your eye and deal with it and then get with God and walk in His love so we can speak the truth when needed. Let’s not be so concerned with the right word or appearance and start being concerned with eternity.

What do you think?

Posted by Gary in Practical
13
Jul
2007

I have great kids!

A couple of weeks ago Hayden asked if he could get his lip pierced.

Not wanting him to be restrained by the law but instead freed by the law. I did a bunch of research and told him to read it all and we would talk about it.

He read it and got very encouraged and began to believe that I was going to say yes. Actually I almost did. There was something however that just didn’t sit well with me and I wasn’t sure what it was other than the obvious. I guess what it came down to for me was it starts down a road that I don’t like the end of and he’s only 14.

When I told him what my decision was he argued a little and then left the room very disappointed. About 5 minutes later he came back in and said. “Dad I had made up my mind that whatever you said I would be ok with and I wasn’t. Will you forgive me?”.

I almost cried. What else can you ask for from your kids? No he’s not perfect but in the words of “Alabama” close enough to perfect for me”.

People say to me all the time “you are such a great dad, look at your kids.” I would like to think that Kim and I have done some things right, however I know we have failed in many areas, I see the hand of God all over both of our boys.

Thank you to everyone who has been a Godly example in there lives they are the way they are partially because of you. I am so blessed to have the kids I have and the friends that I have.

Posted by Gary in Personal