Words of Encouragement and Thoughts (6)
- Thread starter Moriah Ruth 777
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Shalico2007
Jesucristo es el Rey! Que Dios te Bendiga!
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Shalico2007
Jesucristo es el Rey! Que Dios te Bendiga!
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Shalico2007
Jesucristo es el Rey! Que Dios te Bendiga!
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Shalico2007
Jesucristo es el Rey! Que Dios te Bendiga!
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Settled in Heaven
Psalm 119:89
Forever, O Lord, Thy word is settled in heaven. NASB
God’s Word comes to us in the book that we call the Bible and here, in the book, it tells us something about itself. It tells us three wonderful things about its own character.
First of all, “it’s forever.” It’s eternal, it’s not temporary. It doesn’t change with fashions or the events of history or the attitudes and thoughts of man. It’s forever – an eternal word.
Then again, “it’s God’s word.” It’s not man’s word. It didn’t start with man. It came from God. It’s the revelation of God Himself – His ways, His thoughts, His attitudes, His purposes, His laws. Men were the channels through which it came, but always God was the source.
The third thing it tells us is that “it’s settled in heaven.” Nothing that happens on earth can ever change the Word of God. It’s not subject to the decrees of kings or emperors, nor to the opinions of politicians or to the violence of armies. It’s out of reach of all those evil forces; it’s settled forever in heaven.
What a comfort and what a blessing in the midst of all that’s transient and temporary and impermanent and insecure, that we can lay hold in our own lives on God’s Word which is forever, which comes from Him, which is settled in heaven.
—Derek Prince
Psalm 119:89
Forever, O Lord, Thy word is settled in heaven. NASB
God’s Word comes to us in the book that we call the Bible and here, in the book, it tells us something about itself. It tells us three wonderful things about its own character.
First of all, “it’s forever.” It’s eternal, it’s not temporary. It doesn’t change with fashions or the events of history or the attitudes and thoughts of man. It’s forever – an eternal word.
Then again, “it’s God’s word.” It’s not man’s word. It didn’t start with man. It came from God. It’s the revelation of God Himself – His ways, His thoughts, His attitudes, His purposes, His laws. Men were the channels through which it came, but always God was the source.
The third thing it tells us is that “it’s settled in heaven.” Nothing that happens on earth can ever change the Word of God. It’s not subject to the decrees of kings or emperors, nor to the opinions of politicians or to the violence of armies. It’s out of reach of all those evil forces; it’s settled forever in heaven.
What a comfort and what a blessing in the midst of all that’s transient and temporary and impermanent and insecure, that we can lay hold in our own lives on God’s Word which is forever, which comes from Him, which is settled in heaven.
—Derek Prince
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Humble Yourself
[Jesus] rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him(John 13:4–5, ESV).
Nowhere in the Bible are you told to “be humble.” You are instructed, “Humble yourself” (James 4:10). Jesus shows us how in John 13. Many Christians act humble—but humility is not an act-thing or a feel-thing; it’s a do-thing.
Humility is like exercise. Imagine if a friend told you, “I am thinking about exercise right now. Vigorous thoughts. I’m an exerciser. I’m cultivating the feelings that people feel when they exercise.” You would laugh, wouldn’t you? Exercise is a do-thing.
Helping falls in the same category: help is not a feel-thing; it’s a do-thing. If you were carrying bags of groceries in from the car, trip after trip, back and forth, and your friend stood and watched, thinking, I feel so helpful right now. I want to be a helpful person. I’m cultivating the mindset of helpfulness. I’m imagining the positive feelings associated with helpfulness, you would tell that friend to grab a bag!
Humility is something you do. Don’t be humble; humble yourself.
How can you show humility? Here are a few practical ways.
Ask for feedback. Ask your boss or spouse or teammate, “I want to do better. I want to be more effective. I want to be part of the solution. What can I do to improve?” Then listen.
Apologize first. Without defensiveness say, “I love you, hurt you, and made you feel things that I didn’t want you to feel. And for that, I’m very sorry.”
Pray. “Lord, I’ve been making excuses, blaming others, and putting this conversation off. I want to humble myself before You and acknowledge that everything You said is right. I want to hear You.”
Admit you have a problem. The first step in any real change is admitting you have a problem. What relief you could bring to yourfamily if you humbly said, “I have a problem with _____.” God's grace flows to humility.
The list goes on and on. You can do this—take the lower position, believe the best about someone else, assume that your perspective isn’t the only one, etc. Take action and humble yourself. It’s a do-thing.
Journal
Why is Jesus’ washing the disciples’ feet the ultimate model of humility?
As you consider His example, what humble action is the Holy Spirit prompting you to do?
Pray
Father God, the story of John 13 cuts through me. Your Son, the rightful King of the universe, humbled Himself to the lowest job and washed the disciples’ feet. Just as Jesus, my Lord and Teacher, washed the disciples’ feet (even Judas’s), so I also ought to wash others’ feet. I want to follow Your example. I choose to humble myself. Show me what humble actions to do today. In awe of Your Son I pray, amen.
Pastor James MacDonald
[Jesus] rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him(John 13:4–5, ESV).
Nowhere in the Bible are you told to “be humble.” You are instructed, “Humble yourself” (James 4:10). Jesus shows us how in John 13. Many Christians act humble—but humility is not an act-thing or a feel-thing; it’s a do-thing.
Humility is like exercise. Imagine if a friend told you, “I am thinking about exercise right now. Vigorous thoughts. I’m an exerciser. I’m cultivating the feelings that people feel when they exercise.” You would laugh, wouldn’t you? Exercise is a do-thing.
Helping falls in the same category: help is not a feel-thing; it’s a do-thing. If you were carrying bags of groceries in from the car, trip after trip, back and forth, and your friend stood and watched, thinking, I feel so helpful right now. I want to be a helpful person. I’m cultivating the mindset of helpfulness. I’m imagining the positive feelings associated with helpfulness, you would tell that friend to grab a bag!
Humility is something you do. Don’t be humble; humble yourself.
- When you receive a poor performance review or are passed over for a raise or promotion—humble yourself.
- When a co-worker cuts corners, snags the deal, or takes credit for your hard work—humble yourself.
- When something is taken that rightfully belongs to you—humble yourself.
- When your friends betray, desert, or disappoint you—humble yourself.
- When your life isn’t turning out the way you wanted—humble yourself.
- When you feel crushed under the weight of a crisis or a deep, bitter disappointment—humble yourself.
- When it feels so hard to love the people God has placed in your life—humble yourself.
How can you show humility? Here are a few practical ways.
Ask for feedback. Ask your boss or spouse or teammate, “I want to do better. I want to be more effective. I want to be part of the solution. What can I do to improve?” Then listen.
Apologize first. Without defensiveness say, “I love you, hurt you, and made you feel things that I didn’t want you to feel. And for that, I’m very sorry.”
Pray. “Lord, I’ve been making excuses, blaming others, and putting this conversation off. I want to humble myself before You and acknowledge that everything You said is right. I want to hear You.”
Admit you have a problem. The first step in any real change is admitting you have a problem. What relief you could bring to yourfamily if you humbly said, “I have a problem with _____.” God's grace flows to humility.
The list goes on and on. You can do this—take the lower position, believe the best about someone else, assume that your perspective isn’t the only one, etc. Take action and humble yourself. It’s a do-thing.
Journal
Why is Jesus’ washing the disciples’ feet the ultimate model of humility?
As you consider His example, what humble action is the Holy Spirit prompting you to do?
Pray
Father God, the story of John 13 cuts through me. Your Son, the rightful King of the universe, humbled Himself to the lowest job and washed the disciples’ feet. Just as Jesus, my Lord and Teacher, washed the disciples’ feet (even Judas’s), so I also ought to wash others’ feet. I want to follow Your example. I choose to humble myself. Show me what humble actions to do today. In awe of Your Son I pray, amen.
Pastor James MacDonald
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This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums
“And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV)
THE MOMENT OF TRANSFORMATION
Prayer is not intended to be a means of changing God’s mind or attitude towards you. When you pray with a sole aim of seeking to coax, persuade, impress, or compel God to change His mind or attitude towards you, you are simply praying amiss.
Seeking to impress or compel God to do anything for you by means of prayer is a complete departure or deviation from grace to works; it is simply a shift of faith from the finished work of Jesus to your own imperfect religious works.
The Lord Jesus has abolished once and for all the enmity between God and sinful men by His sacrificial death on the cross for our sins. On the cross the Lord Jesus bore our sins in His own body, and through His shed blood the Lord Jesus had wiped out “the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” (Col. 2:14 NKJV).
As a result of the perfect and finished work of reconciliation of Jesus on the cross, God’s mind and attitude is forever changed towards us. God is no longer mad or angry with any sinners, for God’s anger against sinners has been appeased by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.
Our prayers or any other religious works cannot win or earn God’s love, acceptance, approval, favour or blessings for us. Nothing pleases God as faith in the person and finished work of Jesus alone. When you trust completely in the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross, you are completely accepted to God (Eph. 1:6).
God loves the born-again believers in Christ just as He loves His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ (John 17:23). God sees the born-again believers in Christ (as holy, righteous, blameless, and above reproach in His sight) just as He sees Jesus Christ;“because as He is, so are we in this world.” (1 John 4:17 NKJV).
Therefore, it is simply a sheer ignorance or unbelief for any born-again believer to employ prayer as a means of seeking to change God’s mind in his favour. As a believer in Christ, you have found great favour in God’s sight by trusting in the Saviour He sent into the world, the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1-2).
Prayer is not intended to be “an almighty formula” for solving all problems. Neither is it intended to be a means of getting quick fixes when in a dire emergency.
Focusing primarily on yourself and on the things you want God to give you or do for you in the time of prayer will not change you. It is focusing, contemplating, musing or meditating on God’s love, glory, power, wisdom, nature, or character that will transform your life.
Prayer is primarily intended by God for a loving and intimate fellowship with us. Above anything else, when we pray, our focus should primarily be on enjoying intimate and loving communion or fellowship with our loving Heavenly Father. Everything else is secondary!
Sadly, many believers today are completely ignorant of the primary purpose of prayer. In our days, prayer has been reduced to petitioning God and wrestling with the devil. How sad! The purpose of prayer is infinitely greater than these – petitioning God and binding demons.
God created us in His own image for the purpose of having a loving and intimate relationship, fellowship, or communion with Him. Prayer is a means of accomplishing this purpose.
When you mainly regard the time of prayer as a time to ask and receive things from God or as a time to fight with the devil, your prayer will bring no transformation into your life. This is why many believers are not being changed progressively into Christ-likeness in spite of much praying.
But, when you rightly regard the time of prayer as principally a time of enjoying intimacy with your loving Heavenly Father, your primary focus will be on God and not just on the things you want to ask or receive from God, and not on the devil you want to fight or bind.
Being preoccupied with God’s love, glory, beauty, splendour, power and goodness in your time of prayer will undoubtedly transform you into the image of Christ, from glory to glory (2 Cor. 3:18).
Jesus’ moment of transfiguration happened not while He was preaching but while He was enjoying intimacy with His Father.
The Scripture reveals, “As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening.” (Luke 9:29 NKJV).
The place of prayer is therefore the place of transformation. The time of prayer is a moment of transformation. The Spirit of God will transform you increasingly into the image of Christ in your mind, thoughts, emotions and actions as you focus and meditate increasingly on the glory of Christ while praying.
Beloved, the Lord Jesus is calling you today to begin to see your time of prayer not principally as a time to change God’s mind towards you, but rather as a time to change you more into Christ-likeness. Begin to approach God’s presence not focusing primarily on your needs, challenges, or battles, but on the love, glory, faithfulness and goodness of God.
Focusing primarily on yourself and on the things you want God to give you or do for you in the time of prayer will not change you. It is focusing, contemplating, musing or meditating on God’s love, glory, power, wisdom, nature, or character that will transform your life.
The Scripture states: “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Cor. 3:18 NIV).
Therefore, don’t reduce your time of prayer to only a time of petitioning God for some things or to a time of wrestling with the devil. Rather, begin to spend most of your time in prayer to enjoy God’s presence and to contemplate His love, glory and goodness. You will be amazed at the transformation you will experience in your life.
Friend, begin to see your time of prayer as your moment of transformation!
Prayer: My Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for revealing to me today the primary purpose of prayer. Dear Holy Spirit, teach and help me daily to spend most of my time in prayer to focus and meditate on God’s love, glory, faithfulness and goodness, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
THE MOMENT OF TRANSFORMATION
Prayer is not intended to be a means of changing God’s mind or attitude towards you. When you pray with a sole aim of seeking to coax, persuade, impress, or compel God to change His mind or attitude towards you, you are simply praying amiss.
Seeking to impress or compel God to do anything for you by means of prayer is a complete departure or deviation from grace to works; it is simply a shift of faith from the finished work of Jesus to your own imperfect religious works.
The Lord Jesus has abolished once and for all the enmity between God and sinful men by His sacrificial death on the cross for our sins. On the cross the Lord Jesus bore our sins in His own body, and through His shed blood the Lord Jesus had wiped out “the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” (Col. 2:14 NKJV).
As a result of the perfect and finished work of reconciliation of Jesus on the cross, God’s mind and attitude is forever changed towards us. God is no longer mad or angry with any sinners, for God’s anger against sinners has been appeased by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.
Our prayers or any other religious works cannot win or earn God’s love, acceptance, approval, favour or blessings for us. Nothing pleases God as faith in the person and finished work of Jesus alone. When you trust completely in the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross, you are completely accepted to God (Eph. 1:6).
God loves the born-again believers in Christ just as He loves His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ (John 17:23). God sees the born-again believers in Christ (as holy, righteous, blameless, and above reproach in His sight) just as He sees Jesus Christ;“because as He is, so are we in this world.” (1 John 4:17 NKJV).
Therefore, it is simply a sheer ignorance or unbelief for any born-again believer to employ prayer as a means of seeking to change God’s mind in his favour. As a believer in Christ, you have found great favour in God’s sight by trusting in the Saviour He sent into the world, the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1-2).
Prayer is not intended to be “an almighty formula” for solving all problems. Neither is it intended to be a means of getting quick fixes when in a dire emergency.
Focusing primarily on yourself and on the things you want God to give you or do for you in the time of prayer will not change you. It is focusing, contemplating, musing or meditating on God’s love, glory, power, wisdom, nature, or character that will transform your life.
Prayer is primarily intended by God for a loving and intimate fellowship with us. Above anything else, when we pray, our focus should primarily be on enjoying intimate and loving communion or fellowship with our loving Heavenly Father. Everything else is secondary!
Sadly, many believers today are completely ignorant of the primary purpose of prayer. In our days, prayer has been reduced to petitioning God and wrestling with the devil. How sad! The purpose of prayer is infinitely greater than these – petitioning God and binding demons.
God created us in His own image for the purpose of having a loving and intimate relationship, fellowship, or communion with Him. Prayer is a means of accomplishing this purpose.
When you mainly regard the time of prayer as a time to ask and receive things from God or as a time to fight with the devil, your prayer will bring no transformation into your life. This is why many believers are not being changed progressively into Christ-likeness in spite of much praying.
But, when you rightly regard the time of prayer as principally a time of enjoying intimacy with your loving Heavenly Father, your primary focus will be on God and not just on the things you want to ask or receive from God, and not on the devil you want to fight or bind.
Being preoccupied with God’s love, glory, beauty, splendour, power and goodness in your time of prayer will undoubtedly transform you into the image of Christ, from glory to glory (2 Cor. 3:18).
Jesus’ moment of transfiguration happened not while He was preaching but while He was enjoying intimacy with His Father.
The Scripture reveals, “As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening.” (Luke 9:29 NKJV).
The place of prayer is therefore the place of transformation. The time of prayer is a moment of transformation. The Spirit of God will transform you increasingly into the image of Christ in your mind, thoughts, emotions and actions as you focus and meditate increasingly on the glory of Christ while praying.
Beloved, the Lord Jesus is calling you today to begin to see your time of prayer not principally as a time to change God’s mind towards you, but rather as a time to change you more into Christ-likeness. Begin to approach God’s presence not focusing primarily on your needs, challenges, or battles, but on the love, glory, faithfulness and goodness of God.
Focusing primarily on yourself and on the things you want God to give you or do for you in the time of prayer will not change you. It is focusing, contemplating, musing or meditating on God’s love, glory, power, wisdom, nature, or character that will transform your life.
The Scripture states: “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Cor. 3:18 NIV).
Therefore, don’t reduce your time of prayer to only a time of petitioning God for some things or to a time of wrestling with the devil. Rather, begin to spend most of your time in prayer to enjoy God’s presence and to contemplate His love, glory and goodness. You will be amazed at the transformation you will experience in your life.
Friend, begin to see your time of prayer as your moment of transformation!
Prayer: My Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for revealing to me today the primary purpose of prayer. Dear Holy Spirit, teach and help me daily to spend most of my time in prayer to focus and meditate on God’s love, glory, faithfulness and goodness, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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