Breaking The Chains Of Bondage (Part 1)

So many Christians have fallen into Satan's trap.  The trap and scheme that convinces them they don't have the victory that God's Word has promised. How many Christians come to church, get all excited and clap their hands and praise God only to totally lose their confidence and victory before they are out of the parking lot of the church?

It doesn't have to be like that. It is time that we learn who we are in Christ, what Christ has done for us and what our rights and privileges are in Him. It's time we take back the victory and the authority Satan has either stolen from us or that we have relinquished to him willingly.  The question is, how do we do it?  I want to share with you three facts you need to know in order to be victorious.


1.  Your Real Enemy Is Satan

We attack people and blame everything in the world on them.  But what we need to realize is Satan is our real enemy.  Our enemy and battle is not flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12) but it is against the devil and his demonic spirits.  How do we know Satan is the real enemy?  It's easy, Jesus himself identified the "thief" (Satan) as the one who came to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10).  It's time to stop fighting against flesh and blood and realize who the true enemy is.  You need to stand up and say, "I serve notice on you devil, you cannot have me, my wife, my children or anything that belongs to me."  You have the authority, use it in the "name of Jesus."

2.  Satan And His Demons Are Already Defeated
We don't have to fight the devil anymore, he has already been defeated. Satan and his demons have already been dethroned, disarmed, and defeated.  All that is left is for you to stand in the victory Jesus has given you.   Don't believe this?  Read Colossians 2:15 "And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross."  or Hebrews 2:14 "...by his (Jesus) death he might destroy him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil."  or 1 John 3:8 "...the reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work."  This is knowledge you need to know both intellectually and spiritually in your heart, which is the next point.

3.  Understand And Use The Biblical Knowledge Of Your Authority
You have the authority to drive Satan and his demons out of the arena of battle.  If it's going to be done, then you must do it.  Don't wait for someone else, it is your responsibility.  The Bible promises that if you will resist the devil he will flee from you!  It's time we sent the devil packing!

It's time we stop falling into the devil's traps and take authority over his attempts to steal, kill, and destroy.  Jesus has destroyed the devil's authority and as a believer, so have you!

What are you doing to take back what Satan has stolen?  

Pastor Temple

The Discipline of Giving (Guest Post)

This weeks blog is a guest post from Keith Fife.  Keith is the Associate Pastor at Bethel Church, Choctaw.  Leave him some feedback.

Chapters eight and nine of 2 Corinthians contain the most important passage in the New Testament on the responsibilities and joys of giving to support the Lord's work.  As you read this post, I challenge you to think about your own personal giving.  Consider the following questions as you read: How do you "feel" when you give? Why do you give? What do you give?  When do you give?  All these are important for you to consider as you develop a healthy attitude and discipline toward giving.

Paul was excited and yet a little concerned about the "collection" the Corinthians were receiving to give to the Christian Jews in Jerusalem.  He was so excited that he was "boasting" about it to the Macedonians and in turn they became so exited that they too wanted to give also.  But Paul was also a little concerned that the Corinthians may not do what they promised so he sent some "brothers" ahead to make sure they followed through on what they said they would do (2 Corinthians 9:3-5).  From theses first few verses in chapter nine we can learn some valuable principles about our "giving."

1.  Enthusiasm Stirs Others To Action:  In 2 Corinthians 9:2 Paul said "...and your (the Corinthians) enthusiasm has stirred most of them (the Macedonians) to action."  Your influence is important!  It can be positive or negative.  Ask yourself; How am I using my influence?  Am I using it to help people, or to bring them down?  If you are connected in any way with other people, you are influencing them.  Make sure it is for the good and that it motivates them to action.

2.  Don't Allow Covetousness To Influence Your Giving:  Giving shouldn't be an afterthought.  We should come prepared to give.  That's one of the reasons Paul sent the "brothers" ahead of him to Corinth because he wanted them to already have the "gift" arranged before hand.  In 2 Corinthians 9:5 it says: "So I thought it necessary to urge the brethern that they would go on ahead to you and arrange beforehand your previously promised bountiful gift, so that the same would be ready as a bountiful gift and not affected by covetousness."  Don't allow covetousness to "change your mind on giving."

3.  Give What You Have Decided In Your Heart To Give:  Don't subtract the cable or cell phone bill out of your giving.  Don't subtract Saturday night's "entertainment" out of your giving.  Don't give reluctantly nor out of necessity or compulsion.  But do give "cheerfully!"  Laugh and smile when you give!  God will "love" you for it (2 Corinthians 9:7).

4. And God Is Able:  What more do you need to know when it comes to giving and supplying your needs other than "God is able."  God's grace will provide all that you need, in every situation and every time you need it.  This grace will cause you to "abound" in every good work!  Giving will motivate you to work in the Kingdom!

5.  Your Giving Results In Praise And Recognition To God, Not The Giver:  Your giving is never about you.  It is about God and others.  As Paul states in 2 Corinthians 9:12-14 your giving will cause men (and women) to praise God.  It is also a demonstration of your obedience.  It validates your confession of the Gospel of Christ and your generous spirit.  When you give, it motivates others to pray for you and their hearts will go out to you.

The Men of Purpose at Bethel have a ministry call "The New Commandment Men's Ministry" and it is designed to be long term commitments to assist widows and single parents who need help with basic repairs on their home, cars, etc.  The following is from a card this ministry received from one of the widows they help:

Precious Heavenly Father, In the Name of Jesus, Father, I love you so much.

I want to thank you for all the blessings you have given me. I give thanks for my church and to the Men of Purpose.   Father God, you know I have had many needs concerning my home and you have touched the hearts of these men to help me and others that need help so desperately. Father, through the obedience of these men, I am able to stay a longer time in my house.

Father, I ask in the name of Jesus to bless the Men of Purpose ministry and enlarge them by growth in number, finances, and health.

In the Name of Jesus,

Amen

This is my heart & prayer for all of you! God bless you!

-Wilma B.

I challenge you to read 2 Corinthians 9:12-15 again.  When you do you will see the parallel with this prayer from this widow.  This is the result of a giving spirit!

What about your giving?  Does it stir others to action?  Are you giving cheerfully and generously?  God will pour out "bountiful" blessings when we give.  And remember, God owns it all anyways! So start giving today.

---Keith Fife

Abounding Love (Part 4)

This is my final post on "Abounding Love."  In it, I want to emphasize the importance of "faith" and "love" working together.  The key to our faith working effectively is for us to walk in the divine love of God.

If  you have a faith that works by love, it will measure up to all the standards set forth in the Word of God.  We know that we receive things by faith, but it is a faith that works by love.  I want to share with you five ways that faith and love work together.


1.  Love Builds A Yielding Ability
In John 15:13, Jesus tells his disciples: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend."  This ability to yield to others, as Jesus demonstrated, is built through divine love.  When you do this, it will help in your relationships with your spouse, children, boss, God, and others.

2.  Love Is The Way To Christian Maturity

Although there are many, many disciplines that help in our spiritual growth and Christian maturity, if we walk in love, we will see healthy and effective growth and maturation in our walk with God.

3.  It Helps Restore Others
"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself lest thou also be tempted."  (Galatians 6:1)  Many Christians want to tell everything on somebody who has been overtaken in a fault rather than cover that fault with love and silence and help restore them.  Abounding love and our faith will give us the ability to restore others who have fallen rather than tear them down.

4.  Love Will Cover All Sin
Two verses speak to the heart of this point.  The first is Proverbs 10:12 - "Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins."  The second is 1 Peter 4:8 - "And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins."

These verses don't mean you "ignore" it when someone does something wrong.  What they are saying is when you have abounding love you will not be offended when you are harmed by others regardless of their motives.

5.  Love Prefers One Another
Love doesn't seek to put "self" first, rather it seeks and prefers others over self!  This preferring is a way of honoring others.  Showing them deference  or humble submission and respect.  Love says, "If you are offended by what I am doing, then I won't do it!"  Romans 12:10 - "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another."  Love puts others first.


Share The Love
The love of God must be the controlling factor in your life.  Find a place to start showing love.  Help a neighbor, a friend, or co-worker and start giving away some of the love God has spread abroad in your heart.
 

-- Pastor Temple

Abounding Love (Part 3)

Just want to share with you four quick points on "what love does."

1.  Love Destroys Fear (1 John 4:18) -- Fear is of the devil and it brings torment.  When you let fear in, it will destroy  your faith and your love. On the other hand when God's love is shed abroad in our hearts, it will destroy all fear.  Allow God's love to reign in your life!

2.  Divine Love Has Boundaries (1 John 2:15) -- Not to love God first is akin to "spiritual adultery."  The love of God must be the controlling factor of your life.  Don't allow the things of the world to cause you to step outside the boundaries that God's love has established.

3.  Love Will Never Contradict Itself (1 John 4:20) -- The scripture is very clear.  If you say you love God, yet hate your neighbor, you are a "liar."  Those aren't my words, they are God's words.  Divine love, loves regardless.  Learn to see people as God sees them and then love them as God loves them.

4.  Love Constrains Us (2 Corinthians 5:14; 1 Corinthians 16:14) -- God's love should constrain us to talk right, act right and live right.  Let everything you do, be done with love!  When you do that, you will never go wrong!  What Will You Do With God's Love?

God has demonstrated great love to you.  What are you doing with it?  Are you sharing it with others only as they share with you?  Or are you sharing this abounding love no matter what may come your way?  Divine love doesn't differentiate between people who love you or don't love you.  Start sharing God's real love today with everyone.

Pastor Temple