Thursday, March 6, 2008

Fear vs Faith

and so it was said.......



Isa 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Jesus Calms the Storm
Mark 4 35-41
35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side."
36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him.
37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.
38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"
39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
40 He said to his disciples,
"Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
41 They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"



the Devil strikes FEAR into people's lives.
the Just shall live by Faith

Fear is a spirit. Fear is an influence. It is an atmosphere, a culture...

we are all living in fear because life is based on the LAW. and the LAW strikes fear in the hearts of men.

the Holy Spirit drives away FEAR!
He will work with you and change your thoughts from fear to faith.

take a look at the first fear.

Genesis 3:8-13
8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
9 But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?"
10 He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid."
11 And he said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?"
12 The man said, "The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it."
13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."


this shows that Adam felt naked, in need, lacking, shameful, insufficient..... a result of a rebellion

the decision to step up your faith is a decision made by the Spirit, not a decision made by the carnal nature

read through the whole of Judges. God says:"GO. This journey is under the protection of God"

"fear will take you away from the excitement of life. it grips you. holds you down. makes you cower to a corner. "

therefore,

Romans 12:2
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

do not conform to the world. FAITH. nothing is impossible when I trust in God.


ever wonder why we are fearful?

we are FEARFUL because we are SELFISH.

when we sin, we go from a God-centred life to a Self-centred one.
we must be Heavenly-minded! have Heaven as your goal, your destination. the things on the world are temporary.

Philippians 3:14
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

love is unselfishness.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

when Jesus sets you free, you will be free INDEED!
exposing the faults in my life and let God save me.
as I am free to bless, so am I free to give!

Acts 18:9
One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.





be bold and courageous for God has not given us a spirit of timidity but of courage! ask the Holy Spirit to help you!
Kill Fear before it kills US!!

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

That's for ME!

2Cor 3:18
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.


from glory to glory...
think about it, it's God's promise!
all we need to do is to claim the promise!

as they say, "you don't get anything you did not lay hold of by faith"

Pro 4:18
But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.

life should be compared to the rising of the sun, gets brighter and brighter as time goes by until mid noon day!


Rom 8:19
For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.

see that? the sons of God. they are not waiting for ONE PERFECT MAN, but rather sons of God!


1Co 2:9
But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him"--

God has so so much in store for you, no eyes have seen, no ears have heard, no heart has imagined...


Exo 19:6
and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel."

a kingdom of priests, a holy nation.. wow huh?

INTIMACY with God....
what is God thinking now?


James 3:16
For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.

envy? not for me. rather than saying "Why is he so successful? why is God blessing him so much??" why not say "if God can show him such favour and blessings, surely God will want to show me His blessings and his goodness too!"



--your friends want you to fail because if you succeed, your friends would pale in comparison--


Mat 13:44
"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

if only we realized the wonder of Heaven, we would just give up everything to get it!

as the kingdom of God comes, everything you thought was precious would look strangely dim...

There is MORE room between WHAT YOU ARE and WHAT GOD HAS FOR YOU