Christ is Preached...

Christ is Preached...

Every situation Paul was in He was always looking to see God at work. 

He said “I am put here”

Philippians 1:16

English Standard Version (ESV)

16 The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.

He always looked at advancing the Gospel in the midst of all the circumstances he found himself in. 

He used everything as a stepping stone for the unfolding plan of God. 

God is in control of our circumstances. God is not waiting for the circumstances to be right or to be changed. He uses all circumstances to cause us to grow and to advance the Gospel. 

Romans 8:28

New King James Version (NKJV)

28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

How you handle a circumstance in your life can be a witness of the Gospel to those around you. 

Paul’s attitude:

...the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel....

Joseph’s attitude: 

...As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today...

Jesus’s attitude:

...“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”...

Stephen the Martyr’s attitude:

 ...“Lord, do not charge them with this sin.”...

Corrie ten Boom’s Attitude:

...."God does not have problems. Only plans."... "There is no pit so deep that Gods love is not deeper still."... ...”Don’t worry about me, the things that have happened to me have served as an advancement of the Gospel. The important thing is that Christ is Preached.”

The important thing is that Christ is Preached.

We must examine ourselves to make sure our attitudes are Christ like. We can’t let the motives of others change our attitude. 

2 Corinthians 13:5

Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.

We can’t let others around us change or influence our attitudes. 

The wrong motives of bad men, must never be allowed to become the determining element in our attitude. (Allistair Begg)

We must have the attitude that no matter what we are going through:

The important thing is that Christ is Preached.

The important thing is that Christ is Preached.

The important thing is that Christ is Preached.

Cover Me: By Ben Hughes

Click Here

Cover Me By Ben Hughes

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=r9_At9CDy2o&feature=share&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dr9_At9CDy2o%26feature%3Dshare

Only Believe...

Only Believe...

Now a days our minds are so full of so many things that we are not sure what to believe. Listening to the news, watching TV, hearing what others are saying, and so much more. All these things can steal our focus off who we should know and believe in. 

We even look to ourselves for the answers. We trust ourselves more and more each day. 

One of the things that come in trusting and believing what we hear is fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of failure, fear that the circumstances in our lives will not go away or that they will not turn out the way we want them to. 

Fear can freeze you in your circumstances. You can’t move forward when fear comes in. Fear blinds you from what God is doing in you and for you. 

Mark 5:36

... Be not afraid, only believe.

Mark 5:36

Amplified Bible (AMP)

... Do not be seized with alarm and struck with fear; only keep on believing.

Luke 8:50

... Fear not: believe only

ANDREW MURRAY - “Jesus, I believe in Thy glory; I believe in Thine omnipotence; I believe in Thy power working within me. I believe in Thy living, loving presence with me, revealing itself in Divine power."

Do not be occupied with feelings or experiences. You will find it far simpler and easier just to trust and say, "I am sure He is all for me." Get rid of yourself for the time”

“don't think or speak about yourself; but

Think what Jesus is.

And then remember it is believe always”

I like when he said “Do not be occupied with feelings or experiences.”

This is so true, the more we occupy our thoughts, our days, and our lives with what we feel or the things we experience, the more fear will come in and the more unbelief will come in and cause us to either go backwards in our walk or freeze us right where we are. 

The only way to keep moving forward in life is to be not afraid only believe in the one true God. 

Mark 5:36 (PHILLIPS) ... “Now don’t be afraid, just go on believing!”

Look to Him. Know Him. 

Psalm 37:3

Trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) in the Lord and do good; so shall you dwell in the land and feed surely on His faithfulness, and truly you shall be fed.

(adhere to, trust in, and rely on the truth)

MHC- 

“Be not afraid that my coming will be to no purpose, only believe that I will make it turn to a good account.” Therefore fear not, faint not. Faith is the only remedy against disquieting grief and fear at such a time: let that silence them, Only believe. Keep up a confidence in Christ, and a dependence upon him, and he will do what is for the best. Believe the resurrection, and then be not afraid.

Lester Sumrall - Turning on the light reveals the reality that there is nothing to fear. This is a basic principle: much of what we fear will never bother us again if we see it for what it is. God is light, and by turning to God’s Word we can see that nothing should terrorize or paralyze us. By continuing to absorb biblical truth through daily reading and study, we will walk in the light as He is in the light; and in that blessed environment fear cannot get to us.

Romans 8:28

Amplified Bible (AMP)

28 We are assured and know that [[a]God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose...

So be not afraid, Only Believe.......

Unnecessary Weights

Unnecessary Weights

March 5, 2013 by angiepaxton | Edit

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.—Hebrews 12:1

MHC- Inordinate care for the present life, or fondness for it, is a dead weight upon the soul, that pulls it down when it should ascend upwards, and pulls it back when it should press forward; it makes duty and difficulties harder and heavier than they would be.

Hebrews 12:1 (AMP) 

12 Therefore then, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance andsteady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us…

There are so many unnecessary weights in our lives. Ones that entangle us in sin. 

Unnecessary….

This type of weight makes life harder and slows us down in the things of the Lord. 

We don’t need to be bound by this weight, we can lay it aside. Each person must examine their own life to see if they have anything that has weighed them down from running this race.

It may be something you have been holding on to, a grudge, or unforgiveness, or many other things that sneak in our lives. It might not start off big, it might just be a small attitude problem, but left unchecked and if allowed to continue will turn into a weight in your life. 

weight

verb [ trans. ]

1 hold (something) down by placing a heavy object on top of it 

• make (something) heavier by attaching a heavy object to it, esp. so as to make it stay in place 
• weigh someone down, be heavy and cumbersome to someone. 

This kind of weight causes us to stay in one place. It does not allow us to grow in Christ. 

…let us strip off and throw aside…

Let us do this quickly and fast. As soon as the Holy Spirit shows you something in your life that does not belong and is weighing you down, cast it away, now. Do not entertain it or allow it to have a foothold in your life. You were made for more than that. 

Ephesians 4:27

Leave no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him].

He has no power over us except the power we give him. If we fill our lives with the things of God, there is no room for the devil to come into our lives. 

Fill my heart with you Oh Lord. Make me aware of all the things that try to come in and steal what you are doing in me. Open my eyes to the tricks of the devil. I surrender to you today. I give you my full heart. Reveal to me all those things that are weighing me down today. All those unnecessary weights. In Jesus Name!!

I am always on His mind...

I am always on His mind...

What a thought. We can only think of one thing at a time, but God is all knowing. He can have you on His mind and me on His mind. 

He is always working in my life. 

Philippians 1:6

And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you.

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.

1 John 4:19

We love Him, because He first loved us.

It was not you who started the work. It was Him. He loved you first. He pursued you first. 

pursue:

1 follow (someone or something) in order to catch 

• seek to form a relationship with (someone) in a persistent way

• seek to attain or accomplish (a goal), esp. over a long period :

2 (of a person or way) continue or proceed along (a path or route) 

• engage in (an activity or course of action)

• continue to investigate, explore, or discuss (a topic, idea, or argument) 

He not only is pursuing you, He intends to catch you. He is persistent in His pursuit. He will accomplish His goal. He is patient. He is longsuffering. 

There is only one thing that holds up God’s pursuit...That is You... 

Romans 6:16

Do you not know that if you continually surrender yourselves to anyone to do his will, you are the slaves of him whom you obey, whether that be to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience which leads to righteousness (right doing and right standing with God)?

Romans 1:16

For I am not ashamed of the Gospel (good news) of Christ, for it is God’s power working unto salvation [for deliverance from eternal death] to everyone who believes with a personal trust and a confident surrender and firm reliance, to the Jew first and also to the Greek...

You have to choose to surrender to Him. Choose you this day...

Joshua 24:15

And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

He will not turn anyone away who calls on His name. 

Joel 2:32

And whoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered and saved...

Acts 2:21

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

God will not stop His pursuit of you as long as you are here on earth. It is His will that all be saved. He is not a quitter. You may think that you have gone too far, or that your sin is too great, think again....He will not leave you nor forsake you. Call on Him today, He is right there...

MHC - Wherever this good work is begun it is of God’s beginning: He has begun a good work in you. We could not begin it ourselves, for we are by nature dead in trespasses and sins: and what can dead men do towards raising themselves to life; or how can they begin to act till they are enlivened in the same respect in which they are said to be dead? It is God who quickens those who are thus dead, Eph. 2:1; Col. 2:13. (3.) The work of grace is but begun in this life; it is not finished here; as long as we are in this imperfect state there is something more to be done. (4.) If the same God who begins the good work did not undertake the carrying on and finishing of it, it would lie for ever unfinished. He must perform it who began it. (5.) We may be confident, or well persuaded, that God not only will not forsake, but that he will finish and crown the work of his own hands.

We did not start this work, nor can we finish this work...

You are always on His mind...