Sunday, January 29, 2017

Power in the Anointing

Happy Sunday!

Praying that you have a great week!  Praying that you understand how much you are loved!  Believing that you are going to do great things for others and for yourself!  My Mother-in-Law, Minnie Pruitt used to say, "He's like a cat covering up mess on a concrete walk".   I'll give you a moment to get the visual.  Cats cover up excrement easily in sand or kitty litter.  But on a concrete sidewalk?  That's ludicrous!  The person she was describing was working in futility, wasting precious time trying to accomplish a goal in the improper and incorrect manner.  Please don't be that person!  There is a right way to do everything.  Wisdom is available.  Just ask!   James 1:5 says, "Do any of you need wisdom? Ask God for it. He is generous and enjoys giving to everyone. So he will give you wisdom."(Easy-to-Read Version).

Dr. Bill Winston continued the series entitled, "Christ in You" with the subtitle, "Empowerment".    The Anointing is available to empower us for life.  If we are honest we will admit we desire power.  Power to change the world around us, power to help our families, and power to rescue the oppressed!  Most of the problems in our society stem from people seeking power in the wrong way.   The Word says, "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with POWER: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him."(Acts 10:38, KJV).   Don't miss that!  Power has a purpose.  We are empowered to do good, heal, and deliver.  We were chosen by God, and are Ambassadors for Christ(2 Corinthians 5:8).  

We must have the power of Holy Spirit, which is the anointing to reign in this life.  You did know you are to reign in life, didn't you?  Romans 5:17 says, "The sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to be king over all, but ALL who will TAKE God’s gift of forgiveness and acquittal are KINGS of LIFE because of this one man, Jesus Christ."(Living Bible).  I like that!  One man said, he asked a friend how he was doing.  The friend said he was doing well under the circumstances.  The man then said, "What are you doing under there?"  We are designed to reign over the circumstances!   Christ is in you!  Christ is not Jesus' last name.  Christ is a description and means, "The Anointed One and his Anointing".    "It stands to reason, doesn’t it, that if the alive-and-present God who raised Jesus from the dead moves into your life, he’ll do the same thing in you that he did in Jesus, bringing you alive to himself? When God lives and breathes in you (and he does, as surely as he did in Jesus), you are delivered from that dead life. With his Spirit living in you, your body will be as alive as Christ’s!"(Romans 8:11, Message).

The WORD of God is required if you want to reign in life!  Don't look at the world in the light of the news, look at the world in the light of the Word.  Nothing surprises God!  He told us not to fear, and he would be unjust to tell us to do something if it were not possible for us to do it!  He has told us to watch, and pray.  He has told us perilous times would come.  But he told us to be of good cheer...We are Overcomers!  You can choose to worry and fret, or you can go to the WORD to get the wisdom you need for the days ahead.

Anointed and standing on the Word!  Love and prayers, Cynthia

Sunday, January 22, 2017

No Mystery...

Happy Sunday!

Dr. Myles Munroe said, "God never demands anything that He does not provide for.  Whatever God commands us to do, He equips us to do.” 

Matthew 5:44-47 says, "“You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that."(Message).

So based on this scripture, God has given us the power and ability to love those people that treat us the worst.  He says we can love the mean and spiteful co-worker, He says we can love the abusive ex-husband or ex-wife, and He says we can love the racist, the thief, and the murderer.  OUCH!  Who wants to love them?  Who wants to pray for them?  Wouldn't it be easier to hit them in the head with a brick?  Wouldn't it be easier to curse them?  Wouldn't it be easier to avoid them altogether?  Sadly, NO!  John 3:16-17 says, "This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again."(Message).   Did you see that?  God wants to set the world right again.  He wants the family, the races, and the nations to be reconciled, reunited, and renewed!  

How can this ever happen?  The world seems to be so messed up!  Great question, I'm so glad you asked!  John 14:12 says, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and GREATER works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father."(KJV).   Dr. Bill Winston continued the series, "Christ in You", with the sub-title, "Empowerment".   Colossians 1:26-27 says, "He has kept this secret for centuries and generations past, but now at last it has pleased him to tell it to those who LOVE him and LIVE for him, and the riches and glory of his plan are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ in your hearts is your ONLY hope of glory."(Living Bible).   The King James Version says mystery instead of secret.  A mystery is beyond human comprehension.  God never wants us to be ignorant!  He urges us to ask him for Wisdom.  James 1:5 says, "If you don’t have all the wisdom needed for this journey, then all you have to do is ask God for it; and God will grant all that you need. He gives lavishly and never scolds you for asking."(Voice).   

People used to say that God works in mysterious ways.  Perhaps, this is true in some sense, BUT God never leaves us in the dark, or ignorant.   1 Corinthians 2:9-10 says, "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.  BUT God hath revealed them unto US by his SPIRIT: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God."(KJV).  Don't miss this!  God reveals the secret or mysterious things to us by the Holy Spirit!  We can get the inside information needed to make good decisions!  We can get the wisdom to do the greater things that Jesus spoke about!  But we can ONLY get it from the Holy Spirit!  We need the Holy Spirit to lead us and guide us into ALL Truth!(John 16:13-15).  

With the Anointing of the Holy Spirit, and Christ in us we can love people, we can forgive people, and we can overcome in life!   Our lives depend on us being able to allow the Holy Spirit to help us forgive.  In Matthew 6:15, JESUS said, "Your heavenly Father will forgive you IF you forgive those who sin against you; but IF you refuse to forgive them, he will not forgive you."(Living Bible).  Selah.

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Sunday, January 15, 2017

The Seven Levels of Revenue

Happy Sunday!

In the 1980's, I had my first experience with ministries whose focus was to see the Body of Christ Debt Free.  Proverbs 22:7 says, "The rich rule over the poor. The one who borrows is a SLAVE to the one who lends."(Easy-to-Read Version).   John Avanzini was the first minister back then and today there are so many more, such as Dave Ramsey, Gary Keesee, and Joe Sangl.  They encourage us to "owe no man anything but love"(Romans 13:8).  In the current political and social climate, we all would do well to use the Wisdom of God and trust that God's way is always right!  My Auntee asked that I send this Happy Sunday message out again, and it was perfect timing.  I'm happy to share this message by Bishop Tudor Bismark, that blesses me every time I hear it or read it!  Enjoy.


Bishop Tudor Bismark preached, "The Seven Levels of Revenue".  His reference scripture was Luke 16:1-12.  We are citizens in the Kingdom of God.  We are governed by the Kingdom Economy.  Ignorance of Kingdom principles is no excuse!  Hosea 4:6 says, "My people are ruined because they don’t know what’s right or true." (Message).

In this passage, Jesus uses a parable  to help us, "Learn some lessons from this crooked but clever asset manager. Realize that the purpose of money is to strengthen friendships, to provide opportunities for being generous and kind. Eventually money will be useless to you—but if you use it generously to serve others, you will be welcomed joyfully into your eternal destination." Luke 16:9 (Voice).

There are four Levels of Human Existence; The Begging Level, The Digging Level, The Money Level, and the True Riches Level.

The Begging Level  - Psalm 37:25 says, "Through my whole life (young and old), I have never witnessed God forsaking those who do right, nor have I seen their children begging for crumbs." (Voice).  It has never been God's desire for you to beg!  He did not create you to beg for recognition, attention, love, support, or sustenance.  In Luke 16, Jesus tells a parable about a beggar named Lazarus.
Lazarus was seated at the gate begging.  Begging will never allow you to go through doors!  As long as you beg, DOORS never open!  Even our prayers should never be begging prayers.  We are instructed to declare, proclaim, and "call things that don’t exist into existence." Romans 4:17 (Common English Version).  The beggar was sick, hungry, naked, and eventually died at the gate.

The Digging Level - We must move from the begging level to the digging level. Jesus told another parable in Luke 13, about a fig tree. A certain man owned a vineyard.  In that vineyard there was a fig tree that hadn't produced fruit in three years.  The man told the gardener to cut it down.  The gardener asked for permission to give the fig tree one more chance.  The gardener answered, “Master, leave it for another year. I’ll dig around it and put some manure on it to make it grow. Maybe it will have figs on it next year. If it doesn't, you can have it cut down.” Luke 13:8 (Common English Version).  If you want a strong life, a strong business, a strong ministry or an strong relationship you will have to dig!  Dig for information, dig for knowledge, dig for connections...don't be lazy!

The Money Level - There are seven levels of revenue...

Wisdom - James 1:5 says, "If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it." (Message)  and Proverbs 8:11 says, "Wisdom is better than all the trappings of wealth; nothing you could wish for holds a candle to her." (Message),   We must ask God to give us Heavenly Wisdom, we must seek to understand the wisdom of this world,  and we must be aware of the wisdom of darkness.

Vision - Proverbs 29:18 says, "Where there is no vision, the people perish:" (King James Version).   It has been said, "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail."  We must plan our lives for generations! Proverbs 13:22 says, "A good person leaves an inheritance for his grandchildren." (Voice).   It is impossible to run this life race without vision.  Habakkuk 2:2 says, "Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it." (King James Version).

Information -  God said, "Let there be Light!" Genesis 1:3 (King James Version).  Light represents information.  The enemy controls you in the area of your ignorance. Everywhere you have ignorance the devil will control you!  Don't let the enemy defeat you!  Learn new words, explore new languages, read books, and expose yourself to experiences beyond your neighborhood!

Relationships -  It has been said, "There are things that money can't buy."  We need to build relationships to cover us in those times.  We may not be able to fight our battles alone, but our relationships can come along side us and help us to fight!   We need to network!  Build relationships

Good Name - Proverbs 22:1 says, "It is better to be respected than to be rich. A good name is worth more than silver or gold." (Easy-to-Read Version).   You must protect your good name, work on your good name, and you must develop your good name!  Not just your personal name but also the name of your business or ministry.  You don't want doors to be closed to you because of a bad name.  Represent your family, your community, and your business or ministry well.

Property - Deuteronomy 6:11 says, "He will give you houses full of good things that you did not put there. He will give you wells that you did not dig. He will give you vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant, and you will have plenty to eat." (Easy-to-Read Version).

Money - All money is not the same or equal! There are various denominations. Denomination is defined as, "the face value of a banknote, coin, or postage stamp." Money is also called currency.  Currency comes from the Latin root word "currere" which means "to run".  Money is intended to flow continuously through your life.  It will bless you and then bless those around you.  2 Corinthians 9:8 says, "God is ready to overwhelm you with more blessings than you could ever imagine so that you’ll always be taken care of in every way and you’ll have more than enough to share." (Voice).

The True Riches Level - True Riches are a generational blessing, where your children are more blessed than you! Where your grandchildren are more blessed than you!  Jesus said, “Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars. It’s obvious, isn't it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being."Matthew 6:19-21 (Message).

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Sunday, January 8, 2017

Super Man

Happy Sunday!

You made it through the first week of the new year!  Congrats!  Praying that the new week is Blessed!

Dr. Bill Winston continued the new series, "Christ In You", with the subtitle, "Fresh Oil".   One of the biggest roadblocks to our spiritual, emotional, physical, and financial development is how we see or view ourselves!  Knowing who we are in Christ is the first step to enjoying all the benefits He provides!

2 Corinthians 3:18 says, "Now all of us, with our faces unveiled, reflect the glory of the Lord as if we are mirrors; and so we are being transformed, metamorphosed, into His same image from one radiance of glory to another, just as the Spirit of the Lord accomplishes it."(Voice).   Christ in us causes us to look more and more like him over time!  Many newborn babies don't really look like any specific person.  But over time they begin to look like there parents.  If they don't, we may wonder what happened.  In this Faith life, we should begin to look more and more like our Father God each year.

Dr. Winston loved Superman as a child.  He even showed us a picture of his childhood basketball team.  All of the team members were in uniform, and he was in a Superman T-Shirt.  He admired the super human feats that Superman was capable of.  Superman in the original series, not the newer darker versions, was a force for good and not evil.   He was not from Earth, but from Krypton a planet that had been destroyed.  His father had the foresight to save his son by sending him to earth.  The original Super Man was Jesus!  He was not of this world, but sent here on a special mission from God!  He told his disciples about it in John 18:36, "My kingdom is not recognized in this world. If this were My kingdom, My servants would be fighting for My freedom. But My kingdom is not in this physical realm."(Voice).   Jesus is the Christ, the Anointed One.  It's the anointing that enabled Jesus to do supernatural things.  Acts 10:38 says, "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him."(KJV).   It's the anointing that we have in Christ that will give us the power to to supernatural things in our lives!

Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father."(John 14:12, KJV).  Do you see that?  Jesus said if you are a Believer you are to do greater works that he did!  In order to accomplish your mission, you must have the Power of the Holy Spirit!   Acts 1:8 says, "But ye shall receive POWER, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."(KJV).  The power you need to do greater works is the power of God.  We were never meant to live this life defeated, stressed, overwhelmed, and fearful!  The power is available to you!  After John the Baptist baptized Jesus, he was anointed with the Spirit of God, and then he went out into the wilderness.  You know the story, he was tempted by the devil in the wilderness.  Tempted with the same temptations we face.  He was tempted with the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life just like we are BUT he had the Word, and the Power to stand against the enemy and resist sin!(1 John 2:16).

Your mission should you accept it is to go through this week as an Overcomer!  Use the anointing and the Power of the Holy Spirit to do great things!

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Sunday, January 1, 2017

What Is Your Purpose? By Barry Bennett

Happy New Year!

Praying you have a wonderful week, and a Happy and Prosperous New Year!  Hope you enjoy this article from Barry Bennett.


What Is Your Purpose? By Barry Bennett

“I have appeared unto thee for this purpose.” (Acts 26:16)

I often speak of our purpose in life. I prefer the word “purpose” to the word “plan.” The idea that God has a plan for my life lends itself to a sovereignty/God is in control kind of thinking.

People who feel they have missed God’s plan must often deal with guilt and despair. If I missed Plan A, then I must settle for Plan B. What if I messed up and missed Plan B? Some of us might be on Plan L, M or N by now. That isn’t very comforting.

I prefer to speak of God’s purpose for our lives because a purpose is something born in you by the Spirit of God. It doesn’t change. It can sit idle for years or even decades, but once we plug in to true fellowship with God, our purpose springs to life. We can lose time due to our mistakes, but we will never lose our purpose.

I don’t believe that God is as concerned about where we are as who we are. It is the “who” that determines the “what” and “where” of our lives.
I am a teacher. That has been my purpose from the moment I was born again. However, I didn’t know this for many years. I was more concerned about where I should be ministering than I was about who I was in Christ. A teacher will teach no matter where they are. Who we are in Christ will adapt to the surroundings and circumstances. Our purpose will come to the surface sooner or later. I will teach in some form or fashion wherever I am. It is my purpose.

Yes, we can and should be led by the Spirit as to where we are and what we do, but sometimes I feel that we can get too mystical about this and lose sight of the real issue. Let your purpose shape your circumstances rather than looking for the perfect circumstances before you step into your purpose.

Our purpose will grow, develop and mature over time. The expression of that purpose today will be different from the way it is expressed in ten years. The more we choose to walk in our purpose now, the more clearly we can be led by God into His purpose for our future.

***

Love and prayers, Cynthia