Sword Of The Spirit

08/24/2021

God’s Power Is For You

Your life in Christ is not a do-it-yourself project. In other words, you are not left on your own to solve your problems or meet life’s challenges in your own strength. God is with you. He is your Source.

As you grow in your personal relationship with God—spending time talking with Him and studying His Word—you progressively learn to look to God at all times, leaning on His strength rather than your own. You begin to understand that He is your unfailing Provider.

Because God is always with you, you have access to everything you need to be victorious in life. Peace, joy, confidence, strength, wisdom, and everything you need to become more like Jesus—it’s all available to you in Christ Jesus.

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5

08/21/2021

Our Heavenly Home
Revelation 21:22-27 through Revelation 22:1-6

Have you ever come home after traveling and experienced a feeling of security and delight? There’s often a reassuring sense of comfort upon opening the door to familiar things and the awareness of being where you belong.

The apostle John was given glimpses of our future home, the new Jerusalem. You may be surprised to know that there were no church buildings in John’s vision, “for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple” (Revelation 21:22). No longer will denominations divide up the body of Christ. Nor will the sun or moon shine on the city in that day, “for the glory of God has illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb” (Revelation 21:23). Imagine—no need for electricity.

Another feature of our future home is that its gates will always be open. Since sin won’t be a factor, locks will not be necessary. In fact, nothing tainted will ever enter that future residence—not even death or decay. The abundant life we look forward to in Christ will be pure and unmarred.

That feeling you have when you open your front door is but a hint of what we’ll feel upon arriving at the heavenly place our Father has prepared for us. All will be restored, and we’ll at last truly be home.

Revelation 21:22-27
King James Version
22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.

23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.

25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.

26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.

27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Revelation 22:1-6
King James Version
22 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:

4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.

5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.

07/30/2021

What Happens When You Run From God

Jonah immediately tried to run away from the LORD by going to Tarshish.”

Jonah 1:3 (GW)

God gives every one of us a unique mission—and he gives us a choice as to whether or not we fulfill that mission.

God gave Jonah a mission: to warn the people of Nineveh that judgment was coming. But “Jonah immediately tried to run away from the Lord by going to Tarshish” (Jonah 1:3 GW).

Jonah faced consequences for his decision, the same kind of consequences you may encounter if you run away from God’s mission for your life.

The Bible says that when Jonah boarded a ship to get away from his mission, God sent a powerful wind to push the boat back (Jonah 1:4).

Why did God do that? Because he loved Jonah and wanted him to make a good decision that would give him a life of purpose and fulfillment. God sends opposition our way to encourage us to make better decisions.

Jonah’s disobedience also threatened the lives of everyone on the boat to Tarshish. When you run away from God, innocent people, including those you care about, can get hurt. Maybe it’s your spouse, your kids, your grandkids, or your friends. Sometimes it’s people you don’t even know. People can get hurt because of your disobedience.

Jonah shows that when you run from God, your life starts a downward trajectory. Your disobedience will cost you financially, physically, and relationally.

Nineveh was more than 550 miles away, but Jonah tried running to Tarshish, which was 2,500 miles away in the opposite direction. The truth is, you can’t run from God for the rest of your life. He’s everywhere and he knows everything. But he gives you choices because he wants you to love him and follow him voluntarily.

Since God has your best interest at heart, why run from him?

06/27/2021

Pure religion, undefiled before God and the Father, is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction James 1:27

https://checkout.square.site/merchant/MLNDMGV9PHMSP/checkout/ZB5M4R3WWYIWXGCC5F7V2GVR

Pure religion, undefiled before God and the Father, is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction. James 1:27

06/12/2021

05/03/2021

Faith Is Assurance

I’ve had the privilege of flying in several single-engine airplanes, but never once have I asked the pilot about his qualifications or the trustworthiness of the plane. I simply expected him and his aircraft to carry me safely to my destination. We usually don’t have trouble relying on planes or automobiles without question, yet we sometimes fail to trust the Lord.

Our faith in God is like spiritual glasses through which we view the world around us. Our physical eyesight may not detect His almighty hand working in the events and situations of life, but faith looks beyond the externals to the truth and promises of Scripture.

Our foundation of assurance is built upon God’s Word and our experiences of His trustworthiness. We have no cause for worry or uncertainty because the Lord of the universe is sovereign over every event under heaven, and that includes the details of our lives. Philippians 4:6-7 tells us not to be anxious; instead, we’re to bring our concerns and requests to God with thanksgiving, trusting Him to work it all out according to His will. Then His peace will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 11:1-6 King James Version (KJV)

11 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.

3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Philippians 4:6-7 King James Version (KJV)

6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Having faith means choosing to see the world through the lens of God's promises.

03/16/2021

Revelation 2:1-7 21st Century King James Version (KJ21)

2 “Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write: ‘These things saith He that holdeth the seven stars in His right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks:

2 I know thy works and thy labor and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them that are evil; and how thou hast tried them that say they are apostles and are not, and hast found them liars;

3 and hast borne, and hast patience, and for My name’s sake hast labored and hast not fainted.

4 Nevertheless, I have something against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent and do the works as at first; or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, unless thou repent.

6 But this thou hast: that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.’

02/12/2021

Our Calling In Troubled Times

We’ve been living in difficult times lately, and the more tumultuous life becomes, the easier it is to be self-centered. Even though the future is uncertain, we can’t afford to let ourselves be consumed with fear and anxiety regarding how we might be affected.

God wants us to get our mind off ourselves and onto Him because He is our rock and refuge in trouble. When we rely on our own limited perspective, confusion and hopelessness are the likely outcome. Instead, we must look at the greatness, promises, and purposes of our God as revealed in His Word, because divine truth is our anchor in the storms of life.

Think about how the early church responded to their turbulent time. They went forward boldly—even willing to lose their life—because they knew the gospel was the only hope for a lost world. When persecution broke out against them in Jerusalem, they scattered and took the gospel wherever they went (Acts 8:1-4). God doesn’t want us to retreat from the world and focus on ourselves in times of crisis or instability. This is our opportunity to give hope to others through the message of salvation in Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 4:1-14 21st Century King James Version (KJ21)

4 Therefore, seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy we faint not,

2 but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the Word of God deceitfully; but by manifesting the truth we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

3 But if our Gospel be hid, it is hid to those who are lost,

4 whose unbelieving minds the god of this world hath blinded, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.

01/29/2021

Handling God's Word Accurately

The Bible is an amazing book because it is God’s words given to mankind in written form. Yet many people misinterpret it. Instead of diligently studying Scripture to discover what God means and how He wants us to live, some people search the Bible to find passages to support their preconceived ideas or preferred lifestyles.

Today’s passage was written to a young pastor named Timothy. Of all the duties a pastor has, the central one is to present the Word of God accurately to the church. But that doesn’t mean nobody else can—knowing how to properly interpret the Bible is a skill every believer should develop. Consider the diligence of the Bereans, who were commended for examining Scripture regularly to gauge the truth of messages preached to them (Acts 17:10-11).

We aren’t free to interpret the Bible any way we want. The goal is to discover what God meant rather than to find a meaning we like. Remember, it’s our Father’s approval we are seeking—not our own or that of others. Therefore, let’s devote time to studying Scripture, use our resources to learn about context, and ask the Holy Spirit to guide us to the truth

2 Timothy 2:14-15 21st Century King James Version (KJ21)

14 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit but to the subverting of the hearers.

15 Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman who needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.